businessspectator
Jun 03 2015
I have just spent the weekend driving the remarkable Tesla Model S. A week ago I caught up with the video of Tesla founder, Elon Musk, presenting the company’s new products, the Powerwall and Powerpack.
I get it now. It’s all about the batteries. The car itself is a big leap forward, for sure, but it’s the batteries that will kill the internal combustion engine and, eventually, coal and gas electricity generation.
More
Wednesday, 3 June 2015
Monday, 25 May 2015
Rebirth for region's renewables after RET deal
Canberra Times
May 23, 2015
Developers believe dormant wind farm projects, valued at a combined $1 billion across the capital region, were set to be reawakened by the agreement on a renewable energy target last week.
After more than 18 months of deep uncertainty as the target was reviewed and lowered, 10 proposed wind farms in the Southern Tablelands now have a greater chance of being financed and built…
May 23, 2015
Developers believe dormant wind farm projects, valued at a combined $1 billion across the capital region, were set to be reawakened by the agreement on a renewable energy target last week.
After more than 18 months of deep uncertainty as the target was reviewed and lowered, 10 proposed wind farms in the Southern Tablelands now have a greater chance of being financed and built…
Friday, 9 May 2014
Taking a break…
The reason for this blog was to promote renewable energy at a local level and to provide up-to-date information on developments in all things renewable.
We have two wind farms nearby and a third under construction. There is no likelihood of another project until our current governments, state and federal, get with the program but as ever, I live in hope reason, evidence and science will overturn ideology so that we can look forward to a clean, renewable future.
I'm taking a break for a little while to recharge the batteries. Thanks for the encouragement (you know who you are)
We have two wind farms nearby and a third under construction. There is no likelihood of another project until our current governments, state and federal, get with the program but as ever, I live in hope reason, evidence and science will overturn ideology so that we can look forward to a clean, renewable future.
I'm taking a break for a little while to recharge the batteries. Thanks for the encouragement (you know who you are)
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Waubra wind farm: locals petition to save town's name
www.thecourier.com.au
5 Nov 2013
A GROUP of Waubra residents say they don't want the debate about wind turbines and health to end. But they do want the name of their town left out of it. Waubra residents have collected more than 300 signatures of people within the town and the wider community, calling on the Waubra Foundation to remove the name Waubra from its title.
The Waubra Foundation describes itself as a national organisation to conduct research into health problems identified by residents living near wind turbines. The petition was sent to the Waubra Foundation last week. Karen Molloy, one of the residents who started the petition, admits she does have wind towers on her own property.
However, she says, of the 315 signatories, only 28 actually host wind farms. "We've collected over 300 signatures, including 179 from the Waubra community", she says. "The others are all people affiliated with the town, such as footballers and netballers, and people who used to live here. "Even some people who weren't for the wind towers were happy to sign. This is not about the towers, it is about the community and its reputation outside. "The towers have been here for five years. It is time to get over it". Ten residents collected signatures for the petition.
One of them was Doug Hobson, who says the focus of anti-wind farm sentiment on Waubra has tarnished the town's reputation. He says most people in the town would describe it as a great place to live but a scan of the internet would not reveal that. "Waubra is associated with wind towers. We don't mind that," he says. "With the turbines people actually take more notice of our town as they pass through.
"But when you Google 'Waubra' the first thing that comes up is something negative about our town. People would think that everyone in Waubra doesn't like wind farms, and that is not the case." Marcia and Kerryn Gallagher agree. "Even if there is a disease we're campaigning for people to stop calling it Waubra disease and start calling it a wind turbine disease," Marcia Gallagher says.
"I met some people who had come down from Queensland and they actually felt sorry for me because they thought I had some kind of disease." Kerryn Gallagher says the name Waubra Foundation is misleading. "When you look at the word 'foundation', it is a strong word that means a strong base. So when the 'foundation' says we have an illness or sickness, people take it seriously and it's wrong," she says. "We're happy if they continue with their campaign against wind power but we simply want our name back."
Margaret McDonald says most people in Waubra would know someone in the town who has experienced health issues attributed to the wind towers. She says those who organised the petition did not want to trivialise their concerns. "We empathise with the people who feel that they are unwell," she says. "This not about the debate about wind farms. The debate will go on but we have to respect each other. We want to take the name Waubra out of the debate."
5 Nov 2013
A GROUP of Waubra residents say they don't want the debate about wind turbines and health to end. But they do want the name of their town left out of it. Waubra residents have collected more than 300 signatures of people within the town and the wider community, calling on the Waubra Foundation to remove the name Waubra from its title.
The Waubra Foundation describes itself as a national organisation to conduct research into health problems identified by residents living near wind turbines. The petition was sent to the Waubra Foundation last week. Karen Molloy, one of the residents who started the petition, admits she does have wind towers on her own property.
However, she says, of the 315 signatories, only 28 actually host wind farms. "We've collected over 300 signatures, including 179 from the Waubra community", she says. "The others are all people affiliated with the town, such as footballers and netballers, and people who used to live here. "Even some people who weren't for the wind towers were happy to sign. This is not about the towers, it is about the community and its reputation outside. "The towers have been here for five years. It is time to get over it". Ten residents collected signatures for the petition.
One of them was Doug Hobson, who says the focus of anti-wind farm sentiment on Waubra has tarnished the town's reputation. He says most people in the town would describe it as a great place to live but a scan of the internet would not reveal that. "Waubra is associated with wind towers. We don't mind that," he says. "With the turbines people actually take more notice of our town as they pass through.
"But when you Google 'Waubra' the first thing that comes up is something negative about our town. People would think that everyone in Waubra doesn't like wind farms, and that is not the case." Marcia and Kerryn Gallagher agree. "Even if there is a disease we're campaigning for people to stop calling it Waubra disease and start calling it a wind turbine disease," Marcia Gallagher says.
"I met some people who had come down from Queensland and they actually felt sorry for me because they thought I had some kind of disease." Kerryn Gallagher says the name Waubra Foundation is misleading. "When you look at the word 'foundation', it is a strong word that means a strong base. So when the 'foundation' says we have an illness or sickness, people take it seriously and it's wrong," she says. "We're happy if they continue with their campaign against wind power but we simply want our name back."
Margaret McDonald says most people in Waubra would know someone in the town who has experienced health issues attributed to the wind towers. She says those who organised the petition did not want to trivialise their concerns. "We empathise with the people who feel that they are unwell," she says. "This not about the debate about wind farms. The debate will go on but we have to respect each other. We want to take the name Waubra out of the debate."
Cutting energy costs with technology trials
www.itnews.com.au
4 Nov 2013
Telstra is working on a new way to feed solar power into its telephone exchanges, one of several initiatives underway to reduce its reliance on coal-fired electricity. The carrier's director of asset and facilities management, John Romano, told iTnews the "new solar design" is being worked on by an internal technology team with the aid of consultants.
"We've come up with a new solution on how we feed our sites with solar, and we're in the process of getting a few trials done around the country," he said. "It looks viable but we've got to test it. In three months we'll better understand if it's viable."
Some Telstra exchanges currently have the ability to run equipment on a mix of mains and solar power, but the number is partially kept low by the cost and potential benefit. "What we do is feed the site with mains power and solar, so we reduce the cost and use of mains power," Romano said. "The solar panels are cheap but putting them on some of our sites and building them large enough to actually provide any benefit costs a fair bit".
The systems also typically provide only about "four or five hours a day" of benefit to an exchange site. But Telstra sees a far bigger future for solar and other renewable energy sources, such as tri-generation, biofuel and fuel-cell technology, which it made standard for back-up supplies to mobile towers and small exchanges last week.
"Ultimately it would be fantastic if we had to use no energy from coal to keep our sites running," Romano said. "That'd be the ultimate objective, but that's never going to happen while I'm alive. [For now] it's about what can we do with some of the new technologies that will enable us to use less coal power."
Telstra has about eight trials running Australia-wide trialling various renewable energy sources to power telecommunications exchanges and equipment. Romano is more or less in the same boat as other testers in Australia — trying to find a business case to deploy technology that is at various stages of maturity.
"Some of this technology may not be viable now but it may be in three years," he said. "We're going to continue to assess [the technologies] and if they're viable we'll roll them out."
Read More…
4 Nov 2013
Telstra is working on a new way to feed solar power into its telephone exchanges, one of several initiatives underway to reduce its reliance on coal-fired electricity. The carrier's director of asset and facilities management, John Romano, told iTnews the "new solar design" is being worked on by an internal technology team with the aid of consultants.
"We've come up with a new solution on how we feed our sites with solar, and we're in the process of getting a few trials done around the country," he said. "It looks viable but we've got to test it. In three months we'll better understand if it's viable."
Some Telstra exchanges currently have the ability to run equipment on a mix of mains and solar power, but the number is partially kept low by the cost and potential benefit. "What we do is feed the site with mains power and solar, so we reduce the cost and use of mains power," Romano said. "The solar panels are cheap but putting them on some of our sites and building them large enough to actually provide any benefit costs a fair bit".
The systems also typically provide only about "four or five hours a day" of benefit to an exchange site. But Telstra sees a far bigger future for solar and other renewable energy sources, such as tri-generation, biofuel and fuel-cell technology, which it made standard for back-up supplies to mobile towers and small exchanges last week.
"Ultimately it would be fantastic if we had to use no energy from coal to keep our sites running," Romano said. "That'd be the ultimate objective, but that's never going to happen while I'm alive. [For now] it's about what can we do with some of the new technologies that will enable us to use less coal power."
Telstra has about eight trials running Australia-wide trialling various renewable energy sources to power telecommunications exchanges and equipment. Romano is more or less in the same boat as other testers in Australia — trying to find a business case to deploy technology that is at various stages of maturity.
"Some of this technology may not be viable now but it may be in three years," he said. "We're going to continue to assess [the technologies] and if they're viable we'll roll them out."
Read More…
Saudi Arabia, Emirates lead charge on Mideast solar power
www.upi.com
1 Nov 2013
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of the world's leading oil producers, are spearheading a Middle Eastern drive to develop solar power, with plans for projects requiring $1.5 billion in investment by the end of 2014.
The program, designed to free up for export increasing amounts of oil and gas being used domestically for power generation, got a major endorsement from the Arab Forum for Environment and Development Monday.
It urged Arab states to re-evaluate their relationship with oil, the economic mainstay of the Arab world since the 1950s, and phase out state energy subsidies to focus investment in developing renewable energy. "Oil and gas are important, they will continue to be important," said Najib Saab, the forum's secretary-general. "We call for more careful use of oil and gas and for more serious development of renewable energy."
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter with declared reserves of 267 billion barrels, and the neighboring Emirates, a federation of seven gulf sheikdoms with reserves of 98 billion barrels, seek to add 1,000 MWs of solar capacity over the next few years to meet fast-growing industrial and social demand. That's enough to provide electricity for 200,000 homes.
While the producers want to conserve more of their oil output for exports, particularly with prices above $100 a barrel, Arab countries that rely on imported fuel see carbon-free power as a cheaper alternative.
From Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean eastward to the gulf sultanate of Oman on the Indian Ocean, governments are turning to alternative energy, driven primarily by a lack of gas for power generation, the fall in the cost of renewable technologies and their constantly improving efficiency.
Read More…
1 Nov 2013
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of the world's leading oil producers, are spearheading a Middle Eastern drive to develop solar power, with plans for projects requiring $1.5 billion in investment by the end of 2014.
The program, designed to free up for export increasing amounts of oil and gas being used domestically for power generation, got a major endorsement from the Arab Forum for Environment and Development Monday.
It urged Arab states to re-evaluate their relationship with oil, the economic mainstay of the Arab world since the 1950s, and phase out state energy subsidies to focus investment in developing renewable energy. "Oil and gas are important, they will continue to be important," said Najib Saab, the forum's secretary-general. "We call for more careful use of oil and gas and for more serious development of renewable energy."
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter with declared reserves of 267 billion barrels, and the neighboring Emirates, a federation of seven gulf sheikdoms with reserves of 98 billion barrels, seek to add 1,000 MWs of solar capacity over the next few years to meet fast-growing industrial and social demand. That's enough to provide electricity for 200,000 homes.
While the producers want to conserve more of their oil output for exports, particularly with prices above $100 a barrel, Arab countries that rely on imported fuel see carbon-free power as a cheaper alternative.
From Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean eastward to the gulf sultanate of Oman on the Indian Ocean, governments are turning to alternative energy, driven primarily by a lack of gas for power generation, the fall in the cost of renewable technologies and their constantly improving efficiency.
Read More…
Wal-Mart now draws more solar power than 38 US States
www.bloomberg.com
25 Oct 2013
In the race for commercial solar power, Wal-Mart is killing it. The company now has almost twice as much capacity as second-place Costco. A better comparison: Wal-Mart is converting more sun into energy than 38 US states.
In the beer department, Wal-Mart recently decided alcohol was good business and vowed to double sales by 2016. The result: 500 reps from the alcohol industry converged on the Sam's Club auditorium in Bentonville, Arkansas, for an "adult beverages summit" focused on Wal-Mart. "It's even selling it in garden centers", Bloomberg News's Renee Dudley wrote in August.
With solar, will Wal-Mart have the same industry-focusing presence its had with booze? If small business is the heart of the US economy, Wal-Mart is the gluteus maximus--the power muscle. The company redefines global supply chains and crunches cost reductions in just about every area it touches. More than 80 publicly traded companies rely on Wal-Mart for 10% or more of their annual revenue, according to Bloomberg data.
"When we find something that works we go big with it", the company's website proclaims.
Read More…
25 Oct 2013
In the race for commercial solar power, Wal-Mart is killing it. The company now has almost twice as much capacity as second-place Costco. A better comparison: Wal-Mart is converting more sun into energy than 38 US states.
In the beer department, Wal-Mart recently decided alcohol was good business and vowed to double sales by 2016. The result: 500 reps from the alcohol industry converged on the Sam's Club auditorium in Bentonville, Arkansas, for an "adult beverages summit" focused on Wal-Mart. "It's even selling it in garden centers", Bloomberg News's Renee Dudley wrote in August.
With solar, will Wal-Mart have the same industry-focusing presence its had with booze? If small business is the heart of the US economy, Wal-Mart is the gluteus maximus--the power muscle. The company redefines global supply chains and crunches cost reductions in just about every area it touches. More than 80 publicly traded companies rely on Wal-Mart for 10% or more of their annual revenue, according to Bloomberg data.
"When we find something that works we go big with it", the company's website proclaims.
Read More…
Waubra disease a furphy
www.weeklytimesnow.com.au
24 Oct 2013
Waubra disease does not exist.
In my view it is a name dreamt up by the Australian Landscape Guardians group for what has always been known as wind turbine syndrome.
Others followed suit for their own ends, such as gaining publicity for the so-called Waubra Foundation. This group of people owes the community of Waubra an apology for the damage they have done to the town's reputation. More important, they owe our schoolchildren a heartfelt and public apology for the psychological pain inflicted on them when they and their parents saw full-page ads claiming Waubra disease could make them ill.
Some children panicked every time they had a cold or any other normal childhood illness. It was a cruel hoax and someone needs to be accountable. Yes, Waubra does have a wind farm, but in a community of more than 500 people only about 1.3% are vehemently opposed to it. The rest are in favour of it or don't mind either way. Life goes on as it has for more than 100 years in a great community.
We still produce award-winning potatoes, crops, wool and fat lambs. Waubra Primary School is thriving, full of happy, healthy, carefree students. Yes, local groups such as the CFA, school, kinder, sports clubs, Landcare groups and others receive financial assistance from the wind farm, but that happens any time a large company moves into a local neighbourhood.
It is not "buying" those in it. It is showing appreciation to people for allowing their company to grow and prosper there. I don't have a problem with Landscape Guardians or individuals who have complaints of ill health or depression that they attribute to the wind farm.
I do, however, have a problem with those who have never lived in Waubra who perpetrated an outrageous lie, tarnished the reputation of the community which, far from being divided and fractured, is a united one full of mutual support.
I believe Waubra is owed an apology and statements that use the name Waubra disease should be retracted. Call it what it is-wind turbine syndrome-and let Waubra be known for what is it, one of the best farming areas in the country with property prices increasing. Visit our town and our wind farm. Only then will you know the truth.
Marsha Gallagher is a Waubra resident with turbines on her property.
24 Oct 2013
Waubra disease does not exist.In my view it is a name dreamt up by the Australian Landscape Guardians group for what has always been known as wind turbine syndrome.
Others followed suit for their own ends, such as gaining publicity for the so-called Waubra Foundation. This group of people owes the community of Waubra an apology for the damage they have done to the town's reputation. More important, they owe our schoolchildren a heartfelt and public apology for the psychological pain inflicted on them when they and their parents saw full-page ads claiming Waubra disease could make them ill.
Some children panicked every time they had a cold or any other normal childhood illness. It was a cruel hoax and someone needs to be accountable. Yes, Waubra does have a wind farm, but in a community of more than 500 people only about 1.3% are vehemently opposed to it. The rest are in favour of it or don't mind either way. Life goes on as it has for more than 100 years in a great community.
We still produce award-winning potatoes, crops, wool and fat lambs. Waubra Primary School is thriving, full of happy, healthy, carefree students. Yes, local groups such as the CFA, school, kinder, sports clubs, Landcare groups and others receive financial assistance from the wind farm, but that happens any time a large company moves into a local neighbourhood.
It is not "buying" those in it. It is showing appreciation to people for allowing their company to grow and prosper there. I don't have a problem with Landscape Guardians or individuals who have complaints of ill health or depression that they attribute to the wind farm.
I do, however, have a problem with those who have never lived in Waubra who perpetrated an outrageous lie, tarnished the reputation of the community which, far from being divided and fractured, is a united one full of mutual support.
I believe Waubra is owed an apology and statements that use the name Waubra disease should be retracted. Call it what it is-wind turbine syndrome-and let Waubra be known for what is it, one of the best farming areas in the country with property prices increasing. Visit our town and our wind farm. Only then will you know the truth.
Marsha Gallagher is a Waubra resident with turbines on her property.
Monday, 9 December 2013
Wave energy turbine on the way
www.borderwatch.com.au
21 Oct 2013
THE countdown to the arrival of the world's first 1MW wave energy converter off the coast of Port McDonnell is underway with Sydney-based company Oceanlinx Limited set to launch the project this week. See your ad here The converter-called greenWAVE-will be connected to the electricity grid in South Australia by the end of the year and is expected to put the South East on the world renewable energy map.
The company has released the first photographs of the groundbreaking unit's turbine, which will soon be part of the seascape off Port MacDonnell. Constructed and to be launched into the water from TechPort in Adelaide on Friday, the $7m project will be the first of its kind to be commissioned in the world.
The demonstration unit received $4m from the Federal Government in a bid to make the project ready for market. The unit-which is on track for a December completion-will be grid-connected and rigorously tested throughout 2014.
The 3000 tonne demonstration unit will be on display at TechPort before being towed to its final location a few km off the coast of Port MacDonnell. The unit has a rated capacity of 1MW, which can supply power to about 1000 homes. Oceanlinx managing director Ali Baghaei said the converter was based on the oscillating water column principle.
He said the technology was one of the wave energy sector's most tested and matured technologies. Mr Baghaei said the unit was completely environmentally friendly, sitting under its own weight on the seabed in shallow water with no anchors, mooring or attachment to the seabed. "It is expected to act as an artificial reef for sea life", Mr Baghaei said.
"It has no moving parts under the water and is designed to withstand the most aggressive sea conditions, while there is ease of access to the weather-tight powerhouse placed above the sea level, so the life management costs are kept to the minimum". He said Oceanlinx had demonstrated three test platforms in the ocean over the past 16 years. See your ad here "It was the first company to achieve the full grid connection of a test platform in Australia in 2010", Mr Baghaei said.
"With an end to end solution, its technologies are globally patented and provide versatility for application in conjunction with a wide range of areas such as offshore platforms, breakwater construction, desalination and provision of energy and water to remote locations. "As a leading technology provider in the wave energy conversion sector, Oceanlinx is in discussion with a number of international entities to develop multiple units of this technology".
21 Oct 2013
THE countdown to the arrival of the world's first 1MW wave energy converter off the coast of Port McDonnell is underway with Sydney-based company Oceanlinx Limited set to launch the project this week. See your ad here The converter-called greenWAVE-will be connected to the electricity grid in South Australia by the end of the year and is expected to put the South East on the world renewable energy map.The company has released the first photographs of the groundbreaking unit's turbine, which will soon be part of the seascape off Port MacDonnell. Constructed and to be launched into the water from TechPort in Adelaide on Friday, the $7m project will be the first of its kind to be commissioned in the world.
The demonstration unit received $4m from the Federal Government in a bid to make the project ready for market. The unit-which is on track for a December completion-will be grid-connected and rigorously tested throughout 2014.
The 3000 tonne demonstration unit will be on display at TechPort before being towed to its final location a few km off the coast of Port MacDonnell. The unit has a rated capacity of 1MW, which can supply power to about 1000 homes. Oceanlinx managing director Ali Baghaei said the converter was based on the oscillating water column principle.
He said the technology was one of the wave energy sector's most tested and matured technologies. Mr Baghaei said the unit was completely environmentally friendly, sitting under its own weight on the seabed in shallow water with no anchors, mooring or attachment to the seabed. "It is expected to act as an artificial reef for sea life", Mr Baghaei said.
"It has no moving parts under the water and is designed to withstand the most aggressive sea conditions, while there is ease of access to the weather-tight powerhouse placed above the sea level, so the life management costs are kept to the minimum". He said Oceanlinx had demonstrated three test platforms in the ocean over the past 16 years. See your ad here "It was the first company to achieve the full grid connection of a test platform in Australia in 2010", Mr Baghaei said.
"With an end to end solution, its technologies are globally patented and provide versatility for application in conjunction with a wide range of areas such as offshore platforms, breakwater construction, desalination and provision of energy and water to remote locations. "As a leading technology provider in the wave energy conversion sector, Oceanlinx is in discussion with a number of international entities to develop multiple units of this technology".
Avaco hikes conversion efficiency by 30 percent in CIGS solar cells
www.compoundsemiconductor.net
20 Oct 2013
The company's new ALD process system can provide a solution for buffer layer optimisation in the dry process to effectively convert solar power during photovoltaic development process Avaco has developed a new concept of buffer layer deposition for photovoltaic products.
By using Avaco's atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, the energy conversion efficiency improved to approximately 30% higher than the conventional CIGS solar cell that uses CdS for the buffer layer. The new process enhanced quantum efficiency in both the short wavelength range and near infrared range.
The quantum jump in the short circuit current improvement in the VICOSC-VICOSC curve contributed to higher efficiency CIGS solar cell without affecting the open circuit voltage, Voc. What's more, Avaco has confirmed that its new buffer layer deposition technique can be applied to a wide range of CIGS absorbers regardless of the preparation methods.
"We are pleased with the latest ALD addition in our system product portfolio", says Chuck Kim, business development director of Avaco, "Expansion of our core technology further strengthens and broadens our offering of deposition process solutions enabling Avaco to continue to provide our customers with innovative and leading-edge technology solutions to address today's manufacturing challenges".
Avaco will be showcasing its products at booth #751, and/or education poster presentation at booth #4806 at Solar Power International (SPI) 2013 in Chicago.
Avaco, a publicly traded company headquartered in Daegu, South Korea, is a global supplier of thin-film processing equipment and specialises in the manufacture of sputtering (PVD) vacuum deposition equipment (in-line, cluster, and roll to roll type), ALD equipment, various BEOL equipment, and factory automation equipment such as clean stocker, clean crane, and overhead transfer system for large-scale substrates.
Avaco is known for delivering mass production manufacturing equipment that encompasses all aspects related to thin-film coating such as TCO, metal electrode, and dielectric layer.
The firm uses many target materials for its sputtering system. These include Ag, AGZO, Al, Al2O3, AlNd, AZO, CIGS, Cr, Cu, CuGa, CuIn, GZO, IGZO, In, ITO, IZO, Mo, MoTi, MoW, Ni, Se, SiO2, TiO2, ZnO and others with DC, pulsed-DC, and MF utilising a single or dual magnetron source.
20 Oct 2013
The company's new ALD process system can provide a solution for buffer layer optimisation in the dry process to effectively convert solar power during photovoltaic development process Avaco has developed a new concept of buffer layer deposition for photovoltaic products.
By using Avaco's atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, the energy conversion efficiency improved to approximately 30% higher than the conventional CIGS solar cell that uses CdS for the buffer layer. The new process enhanced quantum efficiency in both the short wavelength range and near infrared range.
The quantum jump in the short circuit current improvement in the VICOSC-VICOSC curve contributed to higher efficiency CIGS solar cell without affecting the open circuit voltage, Voc. What's more, Avaco has confirmed that its new buffer layer deposition technique can be applied to a wide range of CIGS absorbers regardless of the preparation methods.
"We are pleased with the latest ALD addition in our system product portfolio", says Chuck Kim, business development director of Avaco, "Expansion of our core technology further strengthens and broadens our offering of deposition process solutions enabling Avaco to continue to provide our customers with innovative and leading-edge technology solutions to address today's manufacturing challenges".
Avaco will be showcasing its products at booth #751, and/or education poster presentation at booth #4806 at Solar Power International (SPI) 2013 in Chicago.
Avaco, a publicly traded company headquartered in Daegu, South Korea, is a global supplier of thin-film processing equipment and specialises in the manufacture of sputtering (PVD) vacuum deposition equipment (in-line, cluster, and roll to roll type), ALD equipment, various BEOL equipment, and factory automation equipment such as clean stocker, clean crane, and overhead transfer system for large-scale substrates.
Avaco is known for delivering mass production manufacturing equipment that encompasses all aspects related to thin-film coating such as TCO, metal electrode, and dielectric layer.
The firm uses many target materials for its sputtering system. These include Ag, AGZO, Al, Al2O3, AlNd, AZO, CIGS, Cr, Cu, CuGa, CuIn, GZO, IGZO, In, ITO, IZO, Mo, MoTi, MoW, Ni, Se, SiO2, TiO2, ZnO and others with DC, pulsed-DC, and MF utilising a single or dual magnetron source.
Wind turbines are quieter than a heartbeat, acoustical experts find
thinkprogress.org
24 Sep 2013
One complaint voiced by wind turbine opponents is that the turbines create too much noise — even noise below the range of human hearing, known as infrasound. These concerns fuel claims about "Wind Turbine Syndrome," which advocates say is a medical condition that involves mental health problems, heart disease, and vertigo.
A study by an acoustic engineering group in Australia found that that infrasound generated by wind turbines is less loud than the infrasound created by a listener's own heartbeat. It found that wind turbine infrasound does increase as wind speed increases, but this is often masked by the natural noise of wind moving through the area.
The Association of Australian Acoustical Consultants said that "those investigations conclude that infrasound levels adjacent to wind farms are below the threshold of perception and below currently accepted limits set for infrasound."
24 Sep 2013
One complaint voiced by wind turbine opponents is that the turbines create too much noise — even noise below the range of human hearing, known as infrasound. These concerns fuel claims about "Wind Turbine Syndrome," which advocates say is a medical condition that involves mental health problems, heart disease, and vertigo.
A study by an acoustic engineering group in Australia found that that infrasound generated by wind turbines is less loud than the infrasound created by a listener's own heartbeat. It found that wind turbine infrasound does increase as wind speed increases, but this is often masked by the natural noise of wind moving through the area.
The Association of Australian Acoustical Consultants said that "those investigations conclude that infrasound levels adjacent to wind farms are below the threshold of perception and below currently accepted limits set for infrasound."
Thursday, 21 November 2013
Wind turbines are quieter than a heartheat, acoustical experts find
thinkprogress.org
24 Sep 2013
One complaint voiced by wind turbine opponents is that the turbines create too much noise--even noise below the range of human hearing, known as infrasound. These concerns fuel claims about "Wind Turbine Syndrome", which advocates say is a medical condition that involves mental health problems, heart disease, and vertigo.
A study by an acoustic engineering group in Australia found that that infrasound generated by wind turbines is less loud than the infrasound created by a listener's own heartheat. It found that wind turbine infrasound does increase as wind speed increases, but this is often masked by the natural noise of wind moving through the area.
The Association of Australian Acoustical Consultants said that "those investigations conclude that infrasound levels adjacent to wind farms are below the threshold of perception and below currently accepted limits set for infrasound".
Those limits are levels of infrasound that people encounter already, created by natural sources like breathing, wind, and waves, as well as mechanical sources like aircraft, traffic, and fossil fuel industry. The study noted that wind turbine noise is all relative:
Our environment has lots of infrasound already in it, the levels generated by wind farms from our point of view are quite low in comparison and they're no higher than what is already out there in the natural environment.,.. "People themselves generate infrasound through things like their own heartheat, through breathing and these levels of infrasound can be substantially higher than an external noise source."
Read More…
24 Sep 2013
One complaint voiced by wind turbine opponents is that the turbines create too much noise--even noise below the range of human hearing, known as infrasound. These concerns fuel claims about "Wind Turbine Syndrome", which advocates say is a medical condition that involves mental health problems, heart disease, and vertigo.
A study by an acoustic engineering group in Australia found that that infrasound generated by wind turbines is less loud than the infrasound created by a listener's own heartheat. It found that wind turbine infrasound does increase as wind speed increases, but this is often masked by the natural noise of wind moving through the area.
The Association of Australian Acoustical Consultants said that "those investigations conclude that infrasound levels adjacent to wind farms are below the threshold of perception and below currently accepted limits set for infrasound".
Those limits are levels of infrasound that people encounter already, created by natural sources like breathing, wind, and waves, as well as mechanical sources like aircraft, traffic, and fossil fuel industry. The study noted that wind turbine noise is all relative:
Our environment has lots of infrasound already in it, the levels generated by wind farms from our point of view are quite low in comparison and they're no higher than what is already out there in the natural environment.,.. "People themselves generate infrasound through things like their own heartheat, through breathing and these levels of infrasound can be substantially higher than an external noise source."
Read More…
Michigan's new tourist attraction? Like them or not, wind turbines
www.freep.com
20 Oct 2013
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP, MICH.--Whether they are beautiful or a blight on the landscape is beside the point.
Michigan's wind farms are here, en masse. And travelers can't miss them. With nearly 900 commercial wind turbines dotting Michigan, especially in the Thumb where the wind is strongest and most consistent, a scenic drive can turn into a jaw-dropping experience. The Thumb alone has 618 wind turbines already operating or scheduled to go into service by next year.
"I was driving down the road when the sun was coming up one morning, and the sun hit the turbines and it was beautiful", says Scott Carr of Elkton, whose tiny community has been transformed in the last five years by 32 wind turbines. "Some people don't like them, but they don't bother me".
Wind turbines began sprouting in the state in response to a 2008 Michigan law that requires at least 10% of the state's energy be provided by renewable energy sources, such as wind, by 2015. The first phase of a high-capacity, 140 mile electric transmission line called the Thumb Loop was just completed in the region. It is capable of carrying electricity linked from at least 2,800 wind turbines.
Many things have been said and written about wind turbines. All over the world, they have changed tourist landscapes, adding strong man-made vertical elements to nature's soft horizontal vistas. Some travelers see wind turbines as engineering marvels and symbols of energy independence. Some see them as evil industrial fans ruining treasured landscapes.
Some see beauty in a sunset that makes the towers shine, or charm in a scene of a small house dwarfed by a turning blade. Other see turbines as too big and harsh--which they are, compared to a cow, a sugar beet or a farmhouse. Some are so tall that Michigan residents can even see turbines erected across the water in Canada.
At first, they dotted the landscape here or there. Then, they spread. Last summer, an operator in the Ludington and Scottville area did a lively business driving busloads of tourists out to see the turbines. That success has others asking: How does Michigan make the most of their breathtaking stature and the awe that they stir inside of us?
Read More…
20 Oct 2013
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP, MICH.--Whether they are beautiful or a blight on the landscape is beside the point.Michigan's wind farms are here, en masse. And travelers can't miss them. With nearly 900 commercial wind turbines dotting Michigan, especially in the Thumb where the wind is strongest and most consistent, a scenic drive can turn into a jaw-dropping experience. The Thumb alone has 618 wind turbines already operating or scheduled to go into service by next year.
"I was driving down the road when the sun was coming up one morning, and the sun hit the turbines and it was beautiful", says Scott Carr of Elkton, whose tiny community has been transformed in the last five years by 32 wind turbines. "Some people don't like them, but they don't bother me".
Wind turbines began sprouting in the state in response to a 2008 Michigan law that requires at least 10% of the state's energy be provided by renewable energy sources, such as wind, by 2015. The first phase of a high-capacity, 140 mile electric transmission line called the Thumb Loop was just completed in the region. It is capable of carrying electricity linked from at least 2,800 wind turbines.
Many things have been said and written about wind turbines. All over the world, they have changed tourist landscapes, adding strong man-made vertical elements to nature's soft horizontal vistas. Some travelers see wind turbines as engineering marvels and symbols of energy independence. Some see them as evil industrial fans ruining treasured landscapes.
Some see beauty in a sunset that makes the towers shine, or charm in a scene of a small house dwarfed by a turning blade. Other see turbines as too big and harsh--which they are, compared to a cow, a sugar beet or a farmhouse. Some are so tall that Michigan residents can even see turbines erected across the water in Canada.
At first, they dotted the landscape here or there. Then, they spread. Last summer, an operator in the Ludington and Scottville area did a lively business driving busloads of tourists out to see the turbines. That success has others asking: How does Michigan make the most of their breathtaking stature and the awe that they stir inside of us?
Read More…
GE wants to power up older wind turbines
www.elp.com
18 Oct 2013
Earlier this year, General Electric Co (GE) launched a package of technologies and services to improve output from its newer wind turbines like the 2.5 120, calling them "brilliant" at predicting and producing wind power. Now it's bringing those same capabilities to its existing turbine fleet by packaging them into a new suite called "PowerUp" to improve older wind turbines' output and profitability.
Andy Holt, general manager of GE Energy's projects and services group, explained to us how it works: GE analyzes a customer's wind turbine capacity, turbulence, weight, its current condition and age, how hard it's been run, explore the on-site wind regime, and generates a list of possible improvements. "We'll put on as much as we can to optimize and maximize their output and revenue", he said.
One of these capabilities is the company's venerable WindBoost, which essentially nudges a turbine to run a little bit harder if conditions allow for it. Vortex generators, meanwhile, can be applied on the blade to decrease separation and increase lift. Other features that can be bundled with PowerUp run the gamut from trailing-edge serrations to reduce noise, to a winter operations mode that ramps down as ice forms.
Another aspect to PowerUp borrowed from the "brilliant" turbine setup is enabling predictability and condition-based maintenance, "having machines telling us when we have issues" to eliminate unplanned downtime, Holt said.
PulsePoint software monitors set points in the turbine to gauge factors including vibration, bearing temperature, and filter pressure. Other software awakens turbines to recognize when they're falling behind other turbines nearby and alert the dispatch center to find out why, or conversely notice if a turbine in the group (or groups) could be revved up to take advantage of current conditions
These types of tweaks take a page from what GE has done for its gas turbine customers, Holt pointed out.
The company especially sees a sweetspot for PowerUp in its flagship fleet of 9,000 1.5 77 turbines running nationwide, since "the technology has moved so far since we built the earlier machine", Holt said.
For just those turbines, GE claims that PowerUp could increase a wind farm's output by up to 5% and a 20% increase in profit per turbine--even a 1% energy output increase would add another 420,000 MWh annually, according to the company. Holt walked us through how GE came up with those numbers:
Of course not every customer site will apply all of those improvements, but taking an average across GE's entire fleet the company calculates a 5% improvement in output.
That's "big enough to matter", Holt said, "and it's also just the beginning". Given the relative youth of GE's fleet of turbines in the US (averaging 5 6 years) repowering of entire hubs and nacelles isn't yet a big services business, but PowerUp could fill a big need for customers who are keen to know more about their turbines' performance in wind speed regimes of between 5-7 meters per second, shy of the rated output.
"We're taking advantage of the design life in the machine that's being underutilized because of lower winds, and that's given birth to a whole upgrade business", he said.
Customers will pay for PowerUp based on "validated performance improvements" i.e, the additional power that gets produced. "We just commit to selling MWs [to customers]", Holt said. "This is a simpler way to do business with us". PowerUp also can be incorporated into existing VICOSC&M contracts.
18 Oct 2013
Earlier this year, General Electric Co (GE) launched a package of technologies and services to improve output from its newer wind turbines like the 2.5 120, calling them "brilliant" at predicting and producing wind power. Now it's bringing those same capabilities to its existing turbine fleet by packaging them into a new suite called "PowerUp" to improve older wind turbines' output and profitability.
Andy Holt, general manager of GE Energy's projects and services group, explained to us how it works: GE analyzes a customer's wind turbine capacity, turbulence, weight, its current condition and age, how hard it's been run, explore the on-site wind regime, and generates a list of possible improvements. "We'll put on as much as we can to optimize and maximize their output and revenue", he said.
One of these capabilities is the company's venerable WindBoost, which essentially nudges a turbine to run a little bit harder if conditions allow for it. Vortex generators, meanwhile, can be applied on the blade to decrease separation and increase lift. Other features that can be bundled with PowerUp run the gamut from trailing-edge serrations to reduce noise, to a winter operations mode that ramps down as ice forms.
Another aspect to PowerUp borrowed from the "brilliant" turbine setup is enabling predictability and condition-based maintenance, "having machines telling us when we have issues" to eliminate unplanned downtime, Holt said.
PulsePoint software monitors set points in the turbine to gauge factors including vibration, bearing temperature, and filter pressure. Other software awakens turbines to recognize when they're falling behind other turbines nearby and alert the dispatch center to find out why, or conversely notice if a turbine in the group (or groups) could be revved up to take advantage of current conditions
These types of tweaks take a page from what GE has done for its gas turbine customers, Holt pointed out.
The company especially sees a sweetspot for PowerUp in its flagship fleet of 9,000 1.5 77 turbines running nationwide, since "the technology has moved so far since we built the earlier machine", Holt said.
For just those turbines, GE claims that PowerUp could increase a wind farm's output by up to 5% and a 20% increase in profit per turbine--even a 1% energy output increase would add another 420,000 MWh annually, according to the company. Holt walked us through how GE came up with those numbers:
- 2.3% more output per machine: Using WindBoost to run a little harder off the gearbox
- 0.5%: Seasonal tuning, such as changing pitch parameters from summer to winter
- 1.2%: Winter ice operations, sensing ice formation and derating/shutting itself down
- 1.5-2%: Vortex generators on the blades
- 0.5-1%: Blade cord extensions with slightly larger aerodynamic areas, increasing the velocity at the top of the blade
- 0.5-1%: Trailing-edge serrations
Of course not every customer site will apply all of those improvements, but taking an average across GE's entire fleet the company calculates a 5% improvement in output.
That's "big enough to matter", Holt said, "and it's also just the beginning". Given the relative youth of GE's fleet of turbines in the US (averaging 5 6 years) repowering of entire hubs and nacelles isn't yet a big services business, but PowerUp could fill a big need for customers who are keen to know more about their turbines' performance in wind speed regimes of between 5-7 meters per second, shy of the rated output.
"We're taking advantage of the design life in the machine that's being underutilized because of lower winds, and that's given birth to a whole upgrade business", he said.
Customers will pay for PowerUp based on "validated performance improvements" i.e, the additional power that gets produced. "We just commit to selling MWs [to customers]", Holt said. "This is a simpler way to do business with us". PowerUp also can be incorporated into existing VICOSC&M contracts.
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
America’s first floating wind turbine – the future of offshore power generation?
techandinnovationdaily.com
3 Oct 2013
Sitting in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Maine, is a unique feat of technology. At first glance, this giant windmill-like object looks pretty out of place, bobbing around in the middle of the water. But in truth, the wind-lashed Atlantic is the perfect spot for it. VolturnUS 1:8 (trips off the tongue, doesn't it?!) is North America's first floating wind turbine-an innovation that's being hailed as the future of US offshore energy generation.
Designed by engineers at the University of Maine, the turbine is an impressive piece of equipment. Standing 300 feet tall, "it's almost like a 30 to 35 story building", says Habib Dagher, Director of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the university, and head of the VolturnUS 1:8 project.
In addition, the diameter of the rotor is the size of one and a half football fields, while "each blade would be the wingspan of a 747 jetliner". But this doesn't even scratch the surface of what the designers ultimately have in mind...
Channeling the Atlantic's Anger into Power
Right now, the VolturnUS 1:8 turbine can only generate enough energy to power four homes. But it's merely the working prototype for a much larger project. How large? "It's one-eighth the scale of a full-size five-to six-MW turbine", says Elizabeth Viselli, Communications Manager of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center.
And that would produce enough wind power to power a few thousand homes. The reasoning behind putting these turbines at sea is simple... Winds are much stronger at sea than on land, with the optimum strength occurring during peak energy usage times in the late afternoon/early evening.
In fact, Dagher says, "Within 50 miles of US shores, there's enough offshore [wind] capacity to power the US four times over". And the fact that the University of Maine team has designed a floating turbine means it's significantly cheaper than a fixed installation turbine.
And as for fears that eyesore wind turbines will spoil the coastline... well, fear not. The team says the turbines will be 20 miles offshore-"beyond the horizon" and not visible from the coast. With the United States only generating 3.5% of its electric power from wind, the goal of this project is two-fold... Boost renewable energy output from wind and, according to Dagher, "bring the cost of offshore wind down by 2020, so it's competitive with other forms of electricity".
3 Oct 2013
Sitting in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Maine, is a unique feat of technology. At first glance, this giant windmill-like object looks pretty out of place, bobbing around in the middle of the water. But in truth, the wind-lashed Atlantic is the perfect spot for it. VolturnUS 1:8 (trips off the tongue, doesn't it?!) is North America's first floating wind turbine-an innovation that's being hailed as the future of US offshore energy generation.
Designed by engineers at the University of Maine, the turbine is an impressive piece of equipment. Standing 300 feet tall, "it's almost like a 30 to 35 story building", says Habib Dagher, Director of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the university, and head of the VolturnUS 1:8 project.
In addition, the diameter of the rotor is the size of one and a half football fields, while "each blade would be the wingspan of a 747 jetliner". But this doesn't even scratch the surface of what the designers ultimately have in mind...
Channeling the Atlantic's Anger into Power
Right now, the VolturnUS 1:8 turbine can only generate enough energy to power four homes. But it's merely the working prototype for a much larger project. How large? "It's one-eighth the scale of a full-size five-to six-MW turbine", says Elizabeth Viselli, Communications Manager of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center.
And that would produce enough wind power to power a few thousand homes. The reasoning behind putting these turbines at sea is simple... Winds are much stronger at sea than on land, with the optimum strength occurring during peak energy usage times in the late afternoon/early evening.
In fact, Dagher says, "Within 50 miles of US shores, there's enough offshore [wind] capacity to power the US four times over". And the fact that the University of Maine team has designed a floating turbine means it's significantly cheaper than a fixed installation turbine.
And as for fears that eyesore wind turbines will spoil the coastline... well, fear not. The team says the turbines will be 20 miles offshore-"beyond the horizon" and not visible from the coast. With the United States only generating 3.5% of its electric power from wind, the goal of this project is two-fold... Boost renewable energy output from wind and, according to Dagher, "bring the cost of offshore wind down by 2020, so it's competitive with other forms of electricity".
Friday, 18 October 2013
Italian energy firm to accelerate wind investment
www.businessspectator.com.au
15 Oct 2013
Italian energy group ERG plans to invest in wind power in Brazil and Europe, accelerating its expansion in the sector after its recent decision to exit the refining sector.
ERG, over 60% controlled by Italy's Garrone family, completed the acquisition of wind power assets from France's GDF Suez this year to become Italy's largest wind power player and one of the top ten in Europe.
Presenting the group's strategy in Vienna on Saturday, ERG chief executive Luca Bettone said ERG planned to invest in countries and areas which had strong wind conditions and were less dependent on government subsidies, such as South America.
"This company must look to growth and, since we are now the biggest wind player in Italy, must try to move outside our national borders", Bettone said in comments that were embargoed until Monday. "There are opportunities in this country (Brazil) and we think we'll enter the market with acquisitions".
ERG has transformed itself in recent years into a renewable energy company in order to counter declining profits at its refinery business. Last week it struck a deal to sell its remaining stake in the ISAB oil refinery in Sicily to Russia's Lukoil for around 400 million euros-a sale Bettone said would yield no special dividend from the proceeds.
ERG, which is now targeting a 20% rise in core earnings next year to around 600 million euros ($813.75 million), intends to invest some 500 million euros to 2015 to focus on renewable energy.
In Europe, Bettone said, the company aimed to enter the Spanish market while strengthening its position in Bulgaria and Romania where it has wind power assets. He also confirmed that TotalErg-the joint venture between ERG and France's Total-was interested in the Italian petrol distribution network that Shell is selling. TotalErg has a market share in Italy of 12% which would rise to 18% with the Shell network.
15 Oct 2013
Italian energy group ERG plans to invest in wind power in Brazil and Europe, accelerating its expansion in the sector after its recent decision to exit the refining sector.
ERG, over 60% controlled by Italy's Garrone family, completed the acquisition of wind power assets from France's GDF Suez this year to become Italy's largest wind power player and one of the top ten in Europe.
Presenting the group's strategy in Vienna on Saturday, ERG chief executive Luca Bettone said ERG planned to invest in countries and areas which had strong wind conditions and were less dependent on government subsidies, such as South America.
"This company must look to growth and, since we are now the biggest wind player in Italy, must try to move outside our national borders", Bettone said in comments that were embargoed until Monday. "There are opportunities in this country (Brazil) and we think we'll enter the market with acquisitions".
ERG has transformed itself in recent years into a renewable energy company in order to counter declining profits at its refinery business. Last week it struck a deal to sell its remaining stake in the ISAB oil refinery in Sicily to Russia's Lukoil for around 400 million euros-a sale Bettone said would yield no special dividend from the proceeds.
ERG, which is now targeting a 20% rise in core earnings next year to around 600 million euros ($813.75 million), intends to invest some 500 million euros to 2015 to focus on renewable energy.
In Europe, Bettone said, the company aimed to enter the Spanish market while strengthening its position in Bulgaria and Romania where it has wind power assets. He also confirmed that TotalErg-the joint venture between ERG and France's Total-was interested in the Italian petrol distribution network that Shell is selling. TotalErg has a market share in Italy of 12% which would rise to 18% with the Shell network.
Collector Wind Farm project recommended to go ahead
www.smh.com.au
11 Oct 2013
The NSW Department of Planning released their final report on the $350 million project to the north of the ACT at the end of September, which recommended the project be approved. It has now been sent to the NSW Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) for final determination.
"The Department considers that the Project is justified and in the public interest and should be approved subject to the recommended conditions of approval and the proponent's statement of commitments", the report said.
RATCH-Australia, the company proposing to build the wind farm, said it was confident its proposal met all the environmental and social requirements for approval. Project manager Anthony Yeates welcomed the PAC's pending work with the community and said he hoped for a determination within months.
"Anyone who's interested should get in touch with the PAC", project manager Anthony Yeates said. "Hopefully there will be a decision made through the remainder of this year".
Should approval be granted by the end of the year, Mr Yeates said a two-year design and construction process would likely begin by the end of 2014, with the project possibly nearing completion by the end of 2016.
The community meeting with PAC commissioners Garry West, Richard Thorp and Brian Gilligan will be held at 4pm on Tuesday, October 29 at the Collector Memorial Hall. Parties wishing to comment at the meeting must register by October 24 by calling 02 9383 2112. More information is available via the PAC website.
11 Oct 2013
The NSW Department of Planning released their final report on the $350 million project to the north of the ACT at the end of September, which recommended the project be approved. It has now been sent to the NSW Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) for final determination.
"The Department considers that the Project is justified and in the public interest and should be approved subject to the recommended conditions of approval and the proponent's statement of commitments", the report said.
RATCH-Australia, the company proposing to build the wind farm, said it was confident its proposal met all the environmental and social requirements for approval. Project manager Anthony Yeates welcomed the PAC's pending work with the community and said he hoped for a determination within months.
"Anyone who's interested should get in touch with the PAC", project manager Anthony Yeates said. "Hopefully there will be a decision made through the remainder of this year".
Should approval be granted by the end of the year, Mr Yeates said a two-year design and construction process would likely begin by the end of 2014, with the project possibly nearing completion by the end of 2016.
The community meeting with PAC commissioners Garry West, Richard Thorp and Brian Gilligan will be held at 4pm on Tuesday, October 29 at the Collector Memorial Hall. Parties wishing to comment at the meeting must register by October 24 by calling 02 9383 2112. More information is available via the PAC website.
Wind-farm at a standstill
www.tenterfieldstar.com.au
16 Oct 2013
PROGRESS on a wind farm at Bungulla has stunted with testing still ongoing nearly four years after it began.
In late 2009 a wind speed mast was erected in Bungulla to test the viability of a future wind farm, but the development manager in charge of the project from RES Southern Cross Australia, Annette Devison, said it was "still early days". "These investigations typically take a long time", Ms Devison said. "The mast is still there testing but there are no plans to go forward at this stage".
At this stage wind farms in the New England region haven't been affected by the Federal Governments scrapping of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, but Ms Devison said there was uneasiness in the industry at the moment.
"There is a degree of uncertainty in the industry right now", she said. "It's a reasonable comment to say [the industry] it's at a bit of a standstill. "Things aren't stopping but are cautiously moving forward".
If a wind farm project at Bungulla was to be approved it would mean the construction of a new section of line to an existing power-line and further collaboration with Tenterfield Upper Lachlan Council Upper Lachlan Council. But Ms Devison said there hadn't been any recent contact with council. "There are no ongoing discussions with the council but they would be the first port of call when a decision is made.
Bungulla property owner, Brian Chorley, indicated he was still relatively in the dark when it came to the testing being done on his property. "VICOSC don't get much feedback from RES Southern Cross", Mr Chorley said. "It's on and off-it was around Christmas the last time VICOSC spoke to someone.
Mr Chorley said he was aware of wind farms around the Glen Innes area going through "serious negotiations". "VICOSC think they are getting to the nitty gritty stuff", he said. "We'll have to wait and see-there are a lot of steps involved and government assessments".
Wind speed tests were previously done on the eastern side of Tenterfield some years ago but eventuated into nothing, and Mr Chorley said that could be the likelihood here too. "They just disappeared and this might disappear too", he said. RES Southern Cross Australia received construction approval for a project in Taralga, north of Goulburn, back in 2007.
Sixty-two turbines are set to be constructed and the Bungulla project could reach similar numbers depending on available land. Mr Chorley said he would be open to having that number of turbines on his land. "There was a timeframe at one stage but we'll just have to wait and see what negotiations bring", he said.
16 Oct 2013
PROGRESS on a wind farm at Bungulla has stunted with testing still ongoing nearly four years after it began.In late 2009 a wind speed mast was erected in Bungulla to test the viability of a future wind farm, but the development manager in charge of the project from RES Southern Cross Australia, Annette Devison, said it was "still early days". "These investigations typically take a long time", Ms Devison said. "The mast is still there testing but there are no plans to go forward at this stage".
At this stage wind farms in the New England region haven't been affected by the Federal Governments scrapping of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, but Ms Devison said there was uneasiness in the industry at the moment.
"There is a degree of uncertainty in the industry right now", she said. "It's a reasonable comment to say [the industry] it's at a bit of a standstill. "Things aren't stopping but are cautiously moving forward".
If a wind farm project at Bungulla was to be approved it would mean the construction of a new section of line to an existing power-line and further collaboration with Tenterfield Upper Lachlan Council Upper Lachlan Council. But Ms Devison said there hadn't been any recent contact with council. "There are no ongoing discussions with the council but they would be the first port of call when a decision is made.
Bungulla property owner, Brian Chorley, indicated he was still relatively in the dark when it came to the testing being done on his property. "VICOSC don't get much feedback from RES Southern Cross", Mr Chorley said. "It's on and off-it was around Christmas the last time VICOSC spoke to someone.
Mr Chorley said he was aware of wind farms around the Glen Innes area going through "serious negotiations". "VICOSC think they are getting to the nitty gritty stuff", he said. "We'll have to wait and see-there are a lot of steps involved and government assessments".
Wind speed tests were previously done on the eastern side of Tenterfield some years ago but eventuated into nothing, and Mr Chorley said that could be the likelihood here too. "They just disappeared and this might disappear too", he said. RES Southern Cross Australia received construction approval for a project in Taralga, north of Goulburn, back in 2007.
Sixty-two turbines are set to be constructed and the Bungulla project could reach similar numbers depending on available land. Mr Chorley said he would be open to having that number of turbines on his land. "There was a timeframe at one stage but we'll just have to wait and see what negotiations bring", he said.
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
Gamesa signs agreement with Iberdrola to supply wind turbines for Penascal expansion project
wind.energy-business-review.com
10 Oct 2013
Gamesa Corp and Iberdrola Renewables have signed a supply agreement for the 202MW Baffin wind farm project, which is an extension to the Penascal wind power complex in Texas. Under the agreement set to begin in mid-2014, Gamesa Corp will supply, install and commission 101xG97 wind turbines of 2MW each for the project, which is likely to become operational by the end of 2014.
To be built with an estimated cost of around $400m, the under-construction project will increase the Penascal complex's total capacity to 606MW, thus becoming Iberdrola's largest renewable energy facility in the world. Located in Kenedy County, the complex is likely to generate enough electricity to power 210,000 households and curb 850,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually.
Pending approval from the local government, the project will significantly contribute to growth of the local economy by creating up to 240 jobs during construction phase and eight fulltime operational jobs. As one of the largest wind developers, Iberdrola can use the contracted turbines at other US sites if it fails to secure approval from the local government.
The agreement represents Gamesa Corp strengthen its position as Iberdrola's main wind turbine supplier as it provided 9,000MW out of 14,000MW turbines Iberdrola installed worldwide.
10 Oct 2013
Gamesa Corp and Iberdrola Renewables have signed a supply agreement for the 202MW Baffin wind farm project, which is an extension to the Penascal wind power complex in Texas. Under the agreement set to begin in mid-2014, Gamesa Corp will supply, install and commission 101xG97 wind turbines of 2MW each for the project, which is likely to become operational by the end of 2014.
To be built with an estimated cost of around $400m, the under-construction project will increase the Penascal complex's total capacity to 606MW, thus becoming Iberdrola's largest renewable energy facility in the world. Located in Kenedy County, the complex is likely to generate enough electricity to power 210,000 households and curb 850,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually.
Pending approval from the local government, the project will significantly contribute to growth of the local economy by creating up to 240 jobs during construction phase and eight fulltime operational jobs. As one of the largest wind developers, Iberdrola can use the contracted turbines at other US sites if it fails to secure approval from the local government.
The agreement represents Gamesa Corp strengthen its position as Iberdrola's main wind turbine supplier as it provided 9,000MW out of 14,000MW turbines Iberdrola installed worldwide.
Archimede Solar Energy supplies the 4th release of molten salt receiving tubes for Archimede ISCC
www.csp-world.com
10 Oct 2013
Italian CSP receiver tubes manufacturer Archimede Solar Energy (ASE), has supplied the 4th release of Molten Salt receiving tubes to Archimede ISCC Plant in Sicily, Italy.
The new tubes have been installed in order to maximize the performance of the solar field, in accordance to the long term and profitable cooperation agreement between Enel Green Power-tha plant owner-and ASE. Archimede ISCC is the world's first and largest parabolic trough concentrated solar power plant operating with Molten Salt as HTF, based on technology developed by Italy's research center ENEA.
ASE claims to be the first and most experienced manufacturer of receiver tubes, stable at high temperature and suitable for Molten Salts. With thousands hours of tests and operation since 2007, the tubes have been constantly improved optimising the best optical and thermal performances and guaranteeing the required durability of the most rigorous market standards.
The company says that molten salts are considered as the preferred HTF to enable the necessary technology leap that the CSP industry is expecting. A clear sign of this trend is demonstrated from the growing number of new entrants in every segment of the value chain. This confirms the efforts that ENEL, ASE, ENEA and the Italian supply chain have taken during the last years.
In order to increase the know-how about Molten Salts and improve consistently the receiver tubes, ASE is operating since last July 2013 the first stand alone Parabolic Trough Molten Salt Test Loop (realized with the effort of Chiyoda and of other contributors) located close to the ASE manufacturing plant in Massa Martana, as previously reported here at CSP World. The test loop is confirming the excellent performances of last ASE receivers and the reliable operability of MS parabolic trough plant even in location with poor DNI resource, like the central part of Italy.
Apart from the Archimede ISCC Plant, ASE already secured the exclusivity, as receiver tubes supplier, in several Molten Salts CSP projects planned in Italy, China and Egypt for about 300 MW.
On July 2012, the Italian Minister of Economic Development and the Minister of Environment approved a new decree that regulates the renewable energy market. The new decree includes CSP as key RES Southern Cross for the Italian Renewable Energy Mix. In order to benefit from the incentive, the following two conditions have to be observed:
Archimede Solar Energy, a subsidiary of Angelantoni Group, is the most experienced manufacturer of receiver tubes to be used wth molten salt as heat transfer fluid. The company also produces receiver tubes for Oil and DSG-Direct Steam Generation (mainly superheated) based solar thermal power plants. ASE's current production capacity reaches 75,000 tubes per year, expandable to 140,000 receivers per year to reach an equivalent of 350MWe per year.
10 Oct 2013
Italian CSP receiver tubes manufacturer Archimede Solar Energy (ASE), has supplied the 4th release of Molten Salt receiving tubes to Archimede ISCC Plant in Sicily, Italy.The new tubes have been installed in order to maximize the performance of the solar field, in accordance to the long term and profitable cooperation agreement between Enel Green Power-tha plant owner-and ASE. Archimede ISCC is the world's first and largest parabolic trough concentrated solar power plant operating with Molten Salt as HTF, based on technology developed by Italy's research center ENEA.
ASE claims to be the first and most experienced manufacturer of receiver tubes, stable at high temperature and suitable for Molten Salts. With thousands hours of tests and operation since 2007, the tubes have been constantly improved optimising the best optical and thermal performances and guaranteeing the required durability of the most rigorous market standards.
The company says that molten salts are considered as the preferred HTF to enable the necessary technology leap that the CSP industry is expecting. A clear sign of this trend is demonstrated from the growing number of new entrants in every segment of the value chain. This confirms the efforts that ENEL, ASE, ENEA and the Italian supply chain have taken during the last years.
In order to increase the know-how about Molten Salts and improve consistently the receiver tubes, ASE is operating since last July 2013 the first stand alone Parabolic Trough Molten Salt Test Loop (realized with the effort of Chiyoda and of other contributors) located close to the ASE manufacturing plant in Massa Martana, as previously reported here at CSP World. The test loop is confirming the excellent performances of last ASE receivers and the reliable operability of MS parabolic trough plant even in location with poor DNI resource, like the central part of Italy.
Apart from the Archimede ISCC Plant, ASE already secured the exclusivity, as receiver tubes supplier, in several Molten Salts CSP projects planned in Italy, China and Egypt for about 300 MW.
On July 2012, the Italian Minister of Economic Development and the Minister of Environment approved a new decree that regulates the renewable energy market. The new decree includes CSP as key RES Southern Cross for the Italian Renewable Energy Mix. In order to benefit from the incentive, the following two conditions have to be observed:
- It is mandatory to use a non-polluting and no flammable heat transfer fluid, unless the solar plant is in an industrial area (this requirement allows molten salt while rejecting the most widely used thermal oils).
- Installations must show the minimum thermal storage capacity established by the Decree
Archimede Solar Energy, a subsidiary of Angelantoni Group, is the most experienced manufacturer of receiver tubes to be used wth molten salt as heat transfer fluid. The company also produces receiver tubes for Oil and DSG-Direct Steam Generation (mainly superheated) based solar thermal power plants. ASE's current production capacity reaches 75,000 tubes per year, expandable to 140,000 receivers per year to reach an equivalent of 350MWe per year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)