www.tradearabia.com
17 Jun 2013
Masdar, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company, and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) have launched a 6 MW, eight-turbine wind farm in the Republic of Seychelles which will deliver clean energy to more than 2,100 homes.
The Port Victoria Wind Farm accounts for 8% of Mahe Island's energy capacity-the main island of Seychelles-which is home to 90% of the country's population.
The clean energy generated by this project-the first renewable energy project in the Seychelles-will displace 5,500 tons of CO₂ annually, power more than 2,100 homes and save 1.6 million litres of fuel per year. The project was developed by Masdar and funded by ADFD.
Seychelles currently relies on expensive diesel generators to meet its electricity demand. With fuel accounting for 25% of the country's total net imports, the tourist nation is committed to diversifying its energy mix and reducing its reliance on fuel imports.
Being an island country, with limited options to produce electricity, wind power generation presents a viable solution to meet a national target of 15% energy from renewable sources by 2030. "Access to sustainable, clean sources of energy is vital to our long-term economic development", said James Michel, president of the Republic of Seychelles.
"The addition of wind power is a major step toward meeting our clean energy targets and reducing our dependency on imported sources of power. We look forward to further opportunities to assess our wind power potential and continue to diversify our energy mix.
"We are grateful to the UAE support for funding, developing and delivering this wind power project", remarked President Michel. "The Masdar wind farm will help us meet our rising demand for energy and also liberates budget to invest in economic and social growth opportunities", he added.
With the price of renewable energy technologies falling, wind and solar power are becoming economically viable solutions to improve energy security and access. Renewable energy is also a clean and sustainable alternative, which helps developing nations insulate themselves from volatile fuel prices.
"The Seychelles wind project is an example of how access to energy can serve as a pathway for economic development and social opportunity", said stated Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE minister of state and CEO of Masdar.
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Showing posts with label Diesel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diesel. Show all posts
Thursday, 8 August 2013
Monday, 8 July 2013
Light shines on renewable energy in the Pacific
www.nzherald.co.nz
26 May 2013
A Canterbury researcher is investigating renewable energy options for Pacific island nations in a bid to cut reliance on expensive diesel generators. Many households, businesses and schools that use the expensive generators struggle to pay their power bills, University of Canterbury Pacific Studies PhD student Emily Laing said. At the Pacific Energy Summit in March, New Zealand pledged $65 million to renewable energy projects in the South Pacific.
Ms Laing was looking at solar power projects in the region, and has already helped with the installation of panels in five high schools in Tonga. The systems were installed with a goal of reducing and, in some cases, completely eliminating power costs for the schools which previously, were struggling to keep up with their bills, she said. "With the introduction of solar power in the Pacific Islands it is important each project is well planned to ensure it's sustainable long term for the recipient country".
The introduction of solar power in the South Pacific was reasonably recent and was predominantly funded through aid organisations, she said. Many smaller Islands in the Pacific, such as Tonga, relied almost entirely on aid and had barely any business enterprise or exports, so most of the solar installations were funded by international aid agencies.
"This means the recipient country has little control over the timing, scale and scope of the projects, which can cause issues when it comes to implementing and sustaining the systems", Ms Laing said. "I want to create a project management framework specific to solar installations in the South Pacific to guide and help the management of future projects", she said.
26 May 2013
A Canterbury researcher is investigating renewable energy options for Pacific island nations in a bid to cut reliance on expensive diesel generators. Many households, businesses and schools that use the expensive generators struggle to pay their power bills, University of Canterbury Pacific Studies PhD student Emily Laing said. At the Pacific Energy Summit in March, New Zealand pledged $65 million to renewable energy projects in the South Pacific.
Ms Laing was looking at solar power projects in the region, and has already helped with the installation of panels in five high schools in Tonga. The systems were installed with a goal of reducing and, in some cases, completely eliminating power costs for the schools which previously, were struggling to keep up with their bills, she said. "With the introduction of solar power in the Pacific Islands it is important each project is well planned to ensure it's sustainable long term for the recipient country".
The introduction of solar power in the South Pacific was reasonably recent and was predominantly funded through aid organisations, she said. Many smaller Islands in the Pacific, such as Tonga, relied almost entirely on aid and had barely any business enterprise or exports, so most of the solar installations were funded by international aid agencies.
"This means the recipient country has little control over the timing, scale and scope of the projects, which can cause issues when it comes to implementing and sustaining the systems", Ms Laing said. "I want to create a project management framework specific to solar installations in the South Pacific to guide and help the management of future projects", she said.
Monday, 1 July 2013
Island keen to embrace solar power
www.portnews.com.au
13 May 2013
WORLD Heritage listed Lord Howe Island is starting its transformation from a dependence on diesel generators to sustainable solar power with help from Wauchope Solar. The connections between the Hastings Valley and Lord Howe Island continue to grow. This began with direct flights and the supply ship, Island Trader, now operates between Port Macquarie and Lord Howe Island.
Port Macquarie's commercial wharf was officially opened in November 2009 and the business community of Port Macquarie has been encouraged to develop trading links with businesses on the island. Wauchope Solar has done exactly that and is now on its third trip to the island for the next round of solar power installations.
The Lord Howe Island Board has been developing a plan with the help of CSIRO National Solar Energy Centre in Newcastle to minimise diesel consumption helping to make Lord Howe Island a showcase in environmental sustainability.
Wauchope Solar founder Stuart Watson said he had a great affinity with Lord Howe Island and had been impressing on the locals and the Lord Howe Island Board the benefits of renewable power on the island for the past 15 years.
"Now this dream is becoming a reality as the islanders embrace the opportunity to power their homes with solar", Mr Watson said. Mr Watson hopes the Lord Howe Island example will inspire the mainland. He has been a long time supporter and proponent of the benefits of solar power and considers the future of solar generation to be huge.
13 May 2013
WORLD Heritage listed Lord Howe Island is starting its transformation from a dependence on diesel generators to sustainable solar power with help from Wauchope Solar. The connections between the Hastings Valley and Lord Howe Island continue to grow. This began with direct flights and the supply ship, Island Trader, now operates between Port Macquarie and Lord Howe Island.
Port Macquarie's commercial wharf was officially opened in November 2009 and the business community of Port Macquarie has been encouraged to develop trading links with businesses on the island. Wauchope Solar has done exactly that and is now on its third trip to the island for the next round of solar power installations.
The Lord Howe Island Board has been developing a plan with the help of CSIRO National Solar Energy Centre in Newcastle to minimise diesel consumption helping to make Lord Howe Island a showcase in environmental sustainability.
Wauchope Solar founder Stuart Watson said he had a great affinity with Lord Howe Island and had been impressing on the locals and the Lord Howe Island Board the benefits of renewable power on the island for the past 15 years.
"Now this dream is becoming a reality as the islanders embrace the opportunity to power their homes with solar", Mr Watson said. Mr Watson hopes the Lord Howe Island example will inspire the mainland. He has been a long time supporter and proponent of the benefits of solar power and considers the future of solar generation to be huge.
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Somaliland gets wind in its sails for revamping power sector
www.guardian.co.uk
15 Apr 2013
In 2009, Hassan Ahmed Hussein brought an industrial bread-making machine from abroad to install in his hotel in downtown Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. Hassan's idea was part business, part self-interest. Wholewheat bread is not available in Somaliland, and he envisioned selling it to small-scale vendors.
He baked bread for four months before coming to the unfortunate conclusion that the machine wasn't cost effective. Electricity in Somaliland is too expensive. While the rest of the world pays an average $0.15-$0.30 per kW hour, Hargeisa's residents pay $1 per kW.
He abandoned the bakery and, in 2009, bought a diesel generator, poles, wires and transformers to start his own power company, Iftin, which rapidly gained nearly 2,000 customers in a catchment area of 10,000 residents. He has since merged his power stations with the city's largest provider, KAAH, and now serves more than 4,500 people on the same grid.
Hassan is not the only local power provider. There is little government support for power generation (pdf), and many of Hargeisa's wealthy residents import diesel generators to power homes and businesses. The independent providers depend on the price of diesel and Middle East exporters.
When Somalia collapsed in 1991, wires, poles and generators in Hargeisa were taken over by the emerging Somaliland government. The new government had no money to invest in the power grid, so independent providers began to appear. As a result, a system whereby neighbours pay neighbours for electricity has gone unchecked.
Somaliland rates are high due to a disjointed network of independent providers that have their own grid and use unreliable, dilapidated equipment. Somaliland's minister of energy, Hussein Abdi Dualeh, says the city loses nearly 40% of its electricity due to technical problems and antiquated materials.
Read More…
15 Apr 2013
In 2009, Hassan Ahmed Hussein brought an industrial bread-making machine from abroad to install in his hotel in downtown Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. Hassan's idea was part business, part self-interest. Wholewheat bread is not available in Somaliland, and he envisioned selling it to small-scale vendors.He baked bread for four months before coming to the unfortunate conclusion that the machine wasn't cost effective. Electricity in Somaliland is too expensive. While the rest of the world pays an average $0.15-$0.30 per kW hour, Hargeisa's residents pay $1 per kW.
He abandoned the bakery and, in 2009, bought a diesel generator, poles, wires and transformers to start his own power company, Iftin, which rapidly gained nearly 2,000 customers in a catchment area of 10,000 residents. He has since merged his power stations with the city's largest provider, KAAH, and now serves more than 4,500 people on the same grid.
Hassan is not the only local power provider. There is little government support for power generation (pdf), and many of Hargeisa's wealthy residents import diesel generators to power homes and businesses. The independent providers depend on the price of diesel and Middle East exporters.
When Somalia collapsed in 1991, wires, poles and generators in Hargeisa were taken over by the emerging Somaliland government. The new government had no money to invest in the power grid, so independent providers began to appear. As a result, a system whereby neighbours pay neighbours for electricity has gone unchecked.
Somaliland rates are high due to a disjointed network of independent providers that have their own grid and use unreliable, dilapidated equipment. Somaliland's minister of energy, Hussein Abdi Dualeh, says the city loses nearly 40% of its electricity due to technical problems and antiquated materials.
Read More…
Friday, 24 May 2013
Coal-fired power drops despite heatwave
www.smh.com.au
6 Apr 2013
The share of coal in eastern Australia's electricity generation network has continued to recede, along with carbon emissions, despite a March heatwave that lifted power demand for the first time in 16 months. The widespread and prolonged heat over the country's south-east early last month prompted the biggest peak in demand for the entire summer. It was enough to trigger a 0.01% annualised gain in electricity demand on the National Electricity Market Management Company for March, the first increase since November 2011, monthly research by consultants Pitt and Sherry shows.
Although coal-fired power plants raised output to meet the extra load on the peak day, March 12, their proportion of total generation eased another 0.2%age points to 74.6% for the month. In February, their share of the electricity market fell below 75% for the first time. Hydro, wind and solar edged higher to a record share of 12.6%, shows the Cedex report, while gas increased 0.1%age point to 12.8%. Carbon emissions intensity eased to 835kgs a MW, down from 837kgs in February. Carbon emissions for March for electricity from the NEM were down 10.1 million tonnes, at an annualised rate, since the start of the carbon tax in July.
Generator response
Hugh Saddler, principal consultant at Pitt and Sherry, said generators on the NEM-which supplies power to NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT-were able to absorb large shifts in demand on the peak day. Wind generation on March 12 varied between 3 to 5% of demand. The change, though, was "between one and two orders of magnitude" less than the shift in power demand over a similar period, Dr Saddler said. "The notion that it's very hard to deal with the intermittency of wind is just ridiculous", he said.
Some energy companies have warned that an overly rapid increase in renewable energy-particularly from wind farms-could undermine the reliability of power supplies given the variability of wind strengths.
US drop
The US is reporting a similar trend in falling emission from the energy sector-for different reasons. Energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2012 were the lowest in the United States since 1994, at 5.3 billion tonnes, the US Energy Information Administration reported on Friday. With the exception of 2010, emissions have declined every year since 2007. Coal is being displaced in electricity generation by less carbon-intensive natural gas in the wake of a rapid expansion of so-called unconventional gas production from shale. A mild northern winter also curbed demand for heating oil, the government said.
Transport emissions jump
While emissions from the energy sector are in retreat in Australia, the opposite is true in transport-a sector largely unaffected by the carbon tax. Transport data suggest car fuel consumption has increased by less than 1% over the six years from 2005 06 to 2011 12. Fuel consumption by light commercial vehicles, though, has risen 14% over the period.
Bulk diesel consumption has also jumped, rising 31%%, alone lifting carbon emissions by 10.1 million tonnes a year. Aviation fuel use has risen by 40%, adding an additional 5.6 million tonnes of CO₂ annually to the atmosphere, the Cedex report found. expansion of unconventional gas production. A mild winter also curbed demand for heating oil.
6 Apr 2013
The share of coal in eastern Australia's electricity generation network has continued to recede, along with carbon emissions, despite a March heatwave that lifted power demand for the first time in 16 months. The widespread and prolonged heat over the country's south-east early last month prompted the biggest peak in demand for the entire summer. It was enough to trigger a 0.01% annualised gain in electricity demand on the National Electricity Market Management Company for March, the first increase since November 2011, monthly research by consultants Pitt and Sherry shows.
Although coal-fired power plants raised output to meet the extra load on the peak day, March 12, their proportion of total generation eased another 0.2%age points to 74.6% for the month. In February, their share of the electricity market fell below 75% for the first time. Hydro, wind and solar edged higher to a record share of 12.6%, shows the Cedex report, while gas increased 0.1%age point to 12.8%. Carbon emissions intensity eased to 835kgs a MW, down from 837kgs in February. Carbon emissions for March for electricity from the NEM were down 10.1 million tonnes, at an annualised rate, since the start of the carbon tax in July.
Generator response
Hugh Saddler, principal consultant at Pitt and Sherry, said generators on the NEM-which supplies power to NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT-were able to absorb large shifts in demand on the peak day. Wind generation on March 12 varied between 3 to 5% of demand. The change, though, was "between one and two orders of magnitude" less than the shift in power demand over a similar period, Dr Saddler said. "The notion that it's very hard to deal with the intermittency of wind is just ridiculous", he said.
Some energy companies have warned that an overly rapid increase in renewable energy-particularly from wind farms-could undermine the reliability of power supplies given the variability of wind strengths.
US drop
The US is reporting a similar trend in falling emission from the energy sector-for different reasons. Energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2012 were the lowest in the United States since 1994, at 5.3 billion tonnes, the US Energy Information Administration reported on Friday. With the exception of 2010, emissions have declined every year since 2007. Coal is being displaced in electricity generation by less carbon-intensive natural gas in the wake of a rapid expansion of so-called unconventional gas production from shale. A mild northern winter also curbed demand for heating oil, the government said.
Transport emissions jump
While emissions from the energy sector are in retreat in Australia, the opposite is true in transport-a sector largely unaffected by the carbon tax. Transport data suggest car fuel consumption has increased by less than 1% over the six years from 2005 06 to 2011 12. Fuel consumption by light commercial vehicles, though, has risen 14% over the period.
Bulk diesel consumption has also jumped, rising 31%%, alone lifting carbon emissions by 10.1 million tonnes a year. Aviation fuel use has risen by 40%, adding an additional 5.6 million tonnes of CO₂ annually to the atmosphere, the Cedex report found. expansion of unconventional gas production. A mild winter also curbed demand for heating oil.
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Gaia to ship wind turbine unit to Tonga
www.heraldscotland.com
25 Jan 2013
Glasgow-based Gaia-Wind has been appointed to supply a turbine to help Tonga Power assess the potential for the technology in the archipelago. As Tonga relies on fossil fuels such as diesel to generate power, a shift to renewable energy might allow the country to achieve big reductions in its import bills and carbon emissions.
John van Brink, chief executive of Tonga Power, said: "This project will deliver fossil-free power to the grid and, most importantly, it will be another step forward in meeting our strategic targets for renewable energy delivery". While Tonga has been developing solar power resources, the 11 kW wind turbine developed by Gaia-Wind will be the first of its kind installed in the country. It will produce enough power for a farm or family home.
The company hopes a successful trial of the turbine in Tonga could result in widespread adaptation of the technology in the kingdom. Gaia-Wind says its turbines are ideally suited for farms and rural properties, which are common on Tonga's 170 plus Islands. "Tonga is a prime example of the kind of market for 'distributed energy' for which the Gaia-Wind-wind turbine is eminently suited", said Gaia-Wind chief executive Johnnie Andringa.
The project will involve shipping the Glasgow-assembled turbine from the port of Grangemouth on the Forth to Auckland in New Zealand, via Singapore. It will make the final stage of the journey to Tonga in a smaller boat.
Asked if there was any contradiction involved in transporting a turbine so far for a renewable energy project, a spokesman for Gaia-Wind noted Tonga is in an isolated position. "They are entitled to source the most appropriate machinery for their requirements", said the spokesman, who added: "As part of that, they will have taken sustainability issues into account". Gaia-Wind beat off competition from manufacturers in the US and mainland Europe.
The company increased turnover to around £10 million in 2012, from £7.7m in 2011. Its 11kW turbines sell for around £55,000 in the UK. While the bulk of sales were in the UK last year, Gaia-Wind has exported to more than 10 countries, including the US, Canada, France and Germany. It wants to grow exports to 50% of sales.
25 Jan 2013
Glasgow-based Gaia-Wind has been appointed to supply a turbine to help Tonga Power assess the potential for the technology in the archipelago. As Tonga relies on fossil fuels such as diesel to generate power, a shift to renewable energy might allow the country to achieve big reductions in its import bills and carbon emissions.
John van Brink, chief executive of Tonga Power, said: "This project will deliver fossil-free power to the grid and, most importantly, it will be another step forward in meeting our strategic targets for renewable energy delivery". While Tonga has been developing solar power resources, the 11 kW wind turbine developed by Gaia-Wind will be the first of its kind installed in the country. It will produce enough power for a farm or family home.
The company hopes a successful trial of the turbine in Tonga could result in widespread adaptation of the technology in the kingdom. Gaia-Wind says its turbines are ideally suited for farms and rural properties, which are common on Tonga's 170 plus Islands. "Tonga is a prime example of the kind of market for 'distributed energy' for which the Gaia-Wind-wind turbine is eminently suited", said Gaia-Wind chief executive Johnnie Andringa.
The project will involve shipping the Glasgow-assembled turbine from the port of Grangemouth on the Forth to Auckland in New Zealand, via Singapore. It will make the final stage of the journey to Tonga in a smaller boat.
Asked if there was any contradiction involved in transporting a turbine so far for a renewable energy project, a spokesman for Gaia-Wind noted Tonga is in an isolated position. "They are entitled to source the most appropriate machinery for their requirements", said the spokesman, who added: "As part of that, they will have taken sustainability issues into account". Gaia-Wind beat off competition from manufacturers in the US and mainland Europe.
The company increased turnover to around £10 million in 2012, from £7.7m in 2011. Its 11kW turbines sell for around £55,000 in the UK. While the bulk of sales were in the UK last year, Gaia-Wind has exported to more than 10 countries, including the US, Canada, France and Germany. It wants to grow exports to 50% of sales.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Solar photovoltaic diesel hybrid system to power one of Australia’s remotest locations
www.electronicsnews.com.au
8 Nov 2012
An off-grid, sustainable power supply developed by a Curtin University PhD student is being used to power one of the hottest and most remote locations in Australia.
Shaji Mathews from the University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is developing uninterrupted power supplies for remote locations and, in conjunction with Regen Power, has designed and installed an innovative solar photovoltaic diesel hybrid system for the Veterans Retreat at Meentheena Station, 75 km east of Marble Bar.
The retreat is for veterans of military, medical, police and other services to help them cope with experiences of past conflicts and events. While the remoteness of the site makes it an ideal location to unwind, visitors battle with the extreme temperatures, so the Veterans Retreats of Western Australia approached Regen Power to develop a cost-effective, uninterrupted power supply system. With the nearest petrol station located some 200 km away, Mathews developed a diesel generator which can run on variable speed to reduce the retreat's fuel needs, yet still meet power requirements in case of solar power shortages.
"This is the first variable speed generator of this type and I'm pretty sure success of this combination system will give a big boost to remote applications", Mathews said. "Current hybrid systems require a large battery storage bank or a big diesel generator to meet peak load, and running a new or upgraded grid is expensive. We can supply year-round power without a huge capital investment, making it affordable for those with limited funds".
The system includes 32 panels, a 38 kW energy storage battery system and the variable speed diesel generator, providing 24 hour power to the retreat, which incorporates facilities for caravans and camping, a donga with four self-contained rooms, a house and a shed. solar panels have been mounted to the rooftop of the house and donga while the battery bank is located in an air-conditioned and insulated sea container.
"The new power system allows residents to have air conditioners, lighting and refrigerators in each room and to use appliances at any time. Previously, only their absolute basic electrical needs, such as refrigeration, were powered using a small petrol generator", Mathews said.
The solar panels will generate an average of about 30 kW of electricity per day. The solar hybrid system can meet almost 10 kW peak power on a sunny day and around 5 kW power at night. "Our experiments have proven that the variable speed generator can achieve a fuel saving of up to 40% compared to a conventional diesel generator in remote applications", he said.
8 Nov 2012
An off-grid, sustainable power supply developed by a Curtin University PhD student is being used to power one of the hottest and most remote locations in Australia.
Shaji Mathews from the University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is developing uninterrupted power supplies for remote locations and, in conjunction with Regen Power, has designed and installed an innovative solar photovoltaic diesel hybrid system for the Veterans Retreat at Meentheena Station, 75 km east of Marble Bar.
The retreat is for veterans of military, medical, police and other services to help them cope with experiences of past conflicts and events. While the remoteness of the site makes it an ideal location to unwind, visitors battle with the extreme temperatures, so the Veterans Retreats of Western Australia approached Regen Power to develop a cost-effective, uninterrupted power supply system. With the nearest petrol station located some 200 km away, Mathews developed a diesel generator which can run on variable speed to reduce the retreat's fuel needs, yet still meet power requirements in case of solar power shortages.
"This is the first variable speed generator of this type and I'm pretty sure success of this combination system will give a big boost to remote applications", Mathews said. "Current hybrid systems require a large battery storage bank or a big diesel generator to meet peak load, and running a new or upgraded grid is expensive. We can supply year-round power without a huge capital investment, making it affordable for those with limited funds".
The system includes 32 panels, a 38 kW energy storage battery system and the variable speed diesel generator, providing 24 hour power to the retreat, which incorporates facilities for caravans and camping, a donga with four self-contained rooms, a house and a shed. solar panels have been mounted to the rooftop of the house and donga while the battery bank is located in an air-conditioned and insulated sea container.
"The new power system allows residents to have air conditioners, lighting and refrigerators in each room and to use appliances at any time. Previously, only their absolute basic electrical needs, such as refrigeration, were powered using a small petrol generator", Mathews said.
The solar panels will generate an average of about 30 kW of electricity per day. The solar hybrid system can meet almost 10 kW peak power on a sunny day and around 5 kW power at night. "Our experiments have proven that the variable speed generator can achieve a fuel saving of up to 40% compared to a conventional diesel generator in remote applications", he said.
Pacific islands drop diesel for 100 percent solar power
www.trust.org
5 Nov 2012
The island nation of Tokelau switched on the third and final installment of its new solar power grid last week, earning praise around the world as the first country to become entirely solar-powered--except it's not a country. Made up of three tiny tropical atolls-a few specks in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean-Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand, whose government's international aid and development programme advanced the $7 million to fund the project, aimed at replacing Tokelau's diesel-powered energy grid.
"Electricity expenses make up a huge portion of their budget in Tokelau, which makes it hard for them to invest and look toward the future, so there's a very clear financial argument for this system", said Michael Bassett-Smith, managing director of Powersmart Solar, New Zealand's largest solar power company, which directed the project. Now, as a result of the project, "not only does the New Zealand aid programme save money from not having to import diesel, but Tokelau has a very clear sense of the price of their energy".
Though its economy runs almost entirely on the sale of fishing licenses and Internet domain names and the atolls boast "at most" five motor vehicles, Tokelau still imported over 2,000 barrels of diesel per year at a cost of $1 million New Zealand dollars ($825,000) to provide electricity to its approximately 1,400 people. According to Mika Perez, Tokelau's director of economic development, natural resources and the environment, the jump to solar power is both a cost-saving measure and a commitment to environmental sustainability on the frontier of climate change.
"The industrial nations are contributing to climate change through emissions of fossil fuels into the atmosphere, affecting Tokelau, indirectly, quite a bit", said Perez. Now, "Tokelau will take the lead in harnessing the sun to provide renewable energy, and other countries will look at us and know that we are doing something about it, and they should do their part".
Read More…
5 Nov 2012
The island nation of Tokelau switched on the third and final installment of its new solar power grid last week, earning praise around the world as the first country to become entirely solar-powered--except it's not a country. Made up of three tiny tropical atolls-a few specks in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean-Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand, whose government's international aid and development programme advanced the $7 million to fund the project, aimed at replacing Tokelau's diesel-powered energy grid."Electricity expenses make up a huge portion of their budget in Tokelau, which makes it hard for them to invest and look toward the future, so there's a very clear financial argument for this system", said Michael Bassett-Smith, managing director of Powersmart Solar, New Zealand's largest solar power company, which directed the project. Now, as a result of the project, "not only does the New Zealand aid programme save money from not having to import diesel, but Tokelau has a very clear sense of the price of their energy".
Though its economy runs almost entirely on the sale of fishing licenses and Internet domain names and the atolls boast "at most" five motor vehicles, Tokelau still imported over 2,000 barrels of diesel per year at a cost of $1 million New Zealand dollars ($825,000) to provide electricity to its approximately 1,400 people. According to Mika Perez, Tokelau's director of economic development, natural resources and the environment, the jump to solar power is both a cost-saving measure and a commitment to environmental sustainability on the frontier of climate change.
"The industrial nations are contributing to climate change through emissions of fossil fuels into the atmosphere, affecting Tokelau, indirectly, quite a bit", said Perez. Now, "Tokelau will take the lead in harnessing the sun to provide renewable energy, and other countries will look at us and know that we are doing something about it, and they should do their part".
Read More…
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Australia's largest battery-based renewable energy storage system to be built on Tasmanian island
www.pacetoday.com.au
1 Nov 2012
Australian energy storage company Ecoult has been awarded the Hydro Tasmania contract to supply the largest battery based renewable energy storage system in Australia for the King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP).
The 3 MW / 1.6 MWh UltraBattery storage system will complement other elements of Hydro Tasmania's KIREIP, the aim of which is to significantly reduce King Island's reliance on diesel fuel to supply the island's energy needs. The storage system will have the capacity to power the entire island for up to 45 minutes.
Ecoult CEO John Wood said the UltraBattery storage system would shift and smooth renewable energy generated on King Island and will help maintain stability of the power grid. "Ecoult's UltraBattery solutions support the utilisation of renewable energy by storing energy in periods where there is excess generation and making it available when it is needed to better match demand", Wood said.
"Ecoult energy storage solutions are an important complement for renewable energy generation and this implementation is another boost for the environment as it will support the overall KIREIP solution that reduces reliance on diesel", he said. Hydro Tasmania's Manager of Renewable Asset Development Simon Gamble said the KIREIP brings together a portfolio of new and existing technologies, combined in novel ways to increase renewable energy use on King Island.
"KIREIP will enable demonstration of a world-leading power system that can deliver more than 65% of King Island's annual needs from renewable energy, and do it without any loss of reliability or grid stability and at a price lower than the diesel power alternative", Gamble said. "As well, the KIREIP will lower CO₂ emissions by 95% through the use of sustainable clean energy sources, including biodiesel".
KIREIP is an initiative of Hydro Tasmania and is being developed with the assistance of the Australian Government's Renewable Energy Demonstration Program and the Tasmanian Government. Formed in 2007 by the CSIRO Australia, Ecoult was acquired by the US-based East Penn Manufacturing Company in 2010. East Penn (founded in 1946) manufactures the UltraBattery Storage Blocks in their manufacturing facility at Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, USA.
1 Nov 2012
Australian energy storage company Ecoult has been awarded the Hydro Tasmania contract to supply the largest battery based renewable energy storage system in Australia for the King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP).
The 3 MW / 1.6 MWh UltraBattery storage system will complement other elements of Hydro Tasmania's KIREIP, the aim of which is to significantly reduce King Island's reliance on diesel fuel to supply the island's energy needs. The storage system will have the capacity to power the entire island for up to 45 minutes.
Ecoult CEO John Wood said the UltraBattery storage system would shift and smooth renewable energy generated on King Island and will help maintain stability of the power grid. "Ecoult's UltraBattery solutions support the utilisation of renewable energy by storing energy in periods where there is excess generation and making it available when it is needed to better match demand", Wood said.
"Ecoult energy storage solutions are an important complement for renewable energy generation and this implementation is another boost for the environment as it will support the overall KIREIP solution that reduces reliance on diesel", he said. Hydro Tasmania's Manager of Renewable Asset Development Simon Gamble said the KIREIP brings together a portfolio of new and existing technologies, combined in novel ways to increase renewable energy use on King Island.
"KIREIP will enable demonstration of a world-leading power system that can deliver more than 65% of King Island's annual needs from renewable energy, and do it without any loss of reliability or grid stability and at a price lower than the diesel power alternative", Gamble said. "As well, the KIREIP will lower CO₂ emissions by 95% through the use of sustainable clean energy sources, including biodiesel".
KIREIP is an initiative of Hydro Tasmania and is being developed with the assistance of the Australian Government's Renewable Energy Demonstration Program and the Tasmanian Government. Formed in 2007 by the CSIRO Australia, Ecoult was acquired by the US-based East Penn Manufacturing Company in 2010. East Penn (founded in 1946) manufactures the UltraBattery Storage Blocks in their manufacturing facility at Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, USA.
Thursday, 8 November 2012
King Island showcases renewable energy solutions to the world
www.power-eng.com
27 Oct 2012
The first stage of a world-leading project on King Island with the potential to provide solutions to the challenge of supplying renewable energy to remote communities across the globe was officially opened today.
The $46 million King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP) brings together a portfolio of new and existing technologies to increase renewable energy use on King Island and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. It is also helping to constrain power prices on the island.
The first-stage system was officially opened today by the Federal Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson. He was joined by the Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings and Deputy Premier Bryan Green. KIREIP is an initiative of Hydro Tasmania and is being developed with the assistance of the Australian Government's Renewable Energy Demonstration Program and the Tasmanian Government.
Hydro Tasmania Chairman Dr David Crean said solutions developed under KIREIP had significant potential to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce reliance on diesel fuel for power generation on Islands and in off-grid systems across the globe. The aim of KIREIP is to reduce diesel consumption for power generation by more than 65% and provide for the ability to generate all of King Island's power needs using renewable energy when conditions allow, Dr Crean said.
The unique part of this system is the integration of technologies. Although the renewable generation sources such as wind, solar and biodiesel are mature, the enabling and storage technologies are new and emerging. The way these technologies are being used and integrated is world-leading and another example of the clever solutions to real-world problems that have been developed in Tasmania and can be exported globally.
Hydro Tasmania's CEO Roy Adair said while it was normally costly to provide energy to remote areas such as the Bass Strait Islands, the investment in renewable energy had reduced the operational costs of the Bass Strait island system. Mr Adair said the KIREIP solution could be established in other remote and off-grid locations around the world, providing cost-effective renewable energy solutions.
Although there are remote area power systems in some parts of the world that are capable of supplying the energy needs of single homes or small villages, this is the first remote system on this scale capable of supplying the energy needs of an entire community primarily through wind and solar power.
Hydro Tasmania is proud to be able to showcase this innovation through the demonstration centre we have established at the King Island Advance Hybrid Power Station. The demonstration centre allows us to provide energy companies with a first-hand look at our innovation solutions, and we expect this to translate into the uptake of the technology globally.
27 Oct 2012
The first stage of a world-leading project on King Island with the potential to provide solutions to the challenge of supplying renewable energy to remote communities across the globe was officially opened today.
The $46 million King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP) brings together a portfolio of new and existing technologies to increase renewable energy use on King Island and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. It is also helping to constrain power prices on the island.
The first-stage system was officially opened today by the Federal Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson. He was joined by the Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings and Deputy Premier Bryan Green. KIREIP is an initiative of Hydro Tasmania and is being developed with the assistance of the Australian Government's Renewable Energy Demonstration Program and the Tasmanian Government.
Hydro Tasmania Chairman Dr David Crean said solutions developed under KIREIP had significant potential to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce reliance on diesel fuel for power generation on Islands and in off-grid systems across the globe. The aim of KIREIP is to reduce diesel consumption for power generation by more than 65% and provide for the ability to generate all of King Island's power needs using renewable energy when conditions allow, Dr Crean said.
The unique part of this system is the integration of technologies. Although the renewable generation sources such as wind, solar and biodiesel are mature, the enabling and storage technologies are new and emerging. The way these technologies are being used and integrated is world-leading and another example of the clever solutions to real-world problems that have been developed in Tasmania and can be exported globally.
Hydro Tasmania's CEO Roy Adair said while it was normally costly to provide energy to remote areas such as the Bass Strait Islands, the investment in renewable energy had reduced the operational costs of the Bass Strait island system. Mr Adair said the KIREIP solution could be established in other remote and off-grid locations around the world, providing cost-effective renewable energy solutions.
Although there are remote area power systems in some parts of the world that are capable of supplying the energy needs of single homes or small villages, this is the first remote system on this scale capable of supplying the energy needs of an entire community primarily through wind and solar power.
Hydro Tasmania is proud to be able to showcase this innovation through the demonstration centre we have established at the King Island Advance Hybrid Power Station. The demonstration centre allows us to provide energy companies with a first-hand look at our innovation solutions, and we expect this to translate into the uptake of the technology globally.
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
How boat engineering is keeping hydrogen power hopes buoyant
www.guardian.co.uk
28 Jun 2012
The Ross Barlow looks like a traditional canal barge, built 100 years ago to be drawn by a horse, travelling at the same speed as modern diesel engine vessels. However the 18 metre boat is one of the most technically advanced in the world. Silent and greenhouse gas-emission free, it can cruise the canals for at least a week on a minimum of fuel. The brainchild of Prof Rex Harris of University of Birmingham's school of engineering is a hydrogen-powered craft, and this week has been one of the stars of a convention in Birmingham that is bringing together key people in the race to find low-carbon transport fuels for ships.
The hydrogen on the Ross Barlow is stored onboard in a large-scale metal hydride storage system, which can handle large amounts of hydrogen at room temperature. The hydrogen is released by decreasing the pressure to feed the barge's fuel-cell (an electric battery, in effect). According to Harris, boats are better placed than cars to run on clean hydrogen because the weight of the heavy tank that stores the fuel is immaterial and can replace ballast. "They are at the cutting edge of the hydrogen fuel revolution", he says. "It is widely recognised that the world has only a few years to meet the urgent challenges of climate change and oil depletion".
Longer terms aims of the University of Birmingham project include the development of a canal-side hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, and to generate hydrogen from renewable sources of electricity on suitable sites throughout the canal network. Elsewhere, two British ferry companies are now developing hybrid hydrogen-powered boats, for the Scottish isles and Bristol, but the biggest practical advances in the nascent technology are coming from mainland European countries. Germany and Greece both have hydrogen fuel-cell-driven submarines, Turkish students at Istanbul Technical University have built a ferry, a hydrogen-powered boat cruises the Amsterdam canals and there are advanced plans for ocean-going hydrogen container vessels.
The increasing price of diesel fuel, the need to reduce carbon emissions, and the soaring cost for railway electrification is also boosting research into a new breed of hydrogen railway trains. Coincidentally, scientists working on hydrogen trains around the world will also meet in Birmingham next week. The first hydrogen-powered locomotive was built for a mine in Canada in 2002 and in the past 10 years, fuell cell trains have been developed in Taiwan, Japan, South Africa, Spain and Denmark with more others planned for China. The state-owned Spanish railway company has demonstrated a "hydrail tram", and has announced that it will launch Europe's first hydrail train later this year.
28 Jun 2012
The Ross Barlow looks like a traditional canal barge, built 100 years ago to be drawn by a horse, travelling at the same speed as modern diesel engine vessels. However the 18 metre boat is one of the most technically advanced in the world. Silent and greenhouse gas-emission free, it can cruise the canals for at least a week on a minimum of fuel. The brainchild of Prof Rex Harris of University of Birmingham's school of engineering is a hydrogen-powered craft, and this week has been one of the stars of a convention in Birmingham that is bringing together key people in the race to find low-carbon transport fuels for ships.The hydrogen on the Ross Barlow is stored onboard in a large-scale metal hydride storage system, which can handle large amounts of hydrogen at room temperature. The hydrogen is released by decreasing the pressure to feed the barge's fuel-cell (an electric battery, in effect). According to Harris, boats are better placed than cars to run on clean hydrogen because the weight of the heavy tank that stores the fuel is immaterial and can replace ballast. "They are at the cutting edge of the hydrogen fuel revolution", he says. "It is widely recognised that the world has only a few years to meet the urgent challenges of climate change and oil depletion".
Longer terms aims of the University of Birmingham project include the development of a canal-side hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, and to generate hydrogen from renewable sources of electricity on suitable sites throughout the canal network. Elsewhere, two British ferry companies are now developing hybrid hydrogen-powered boats, for the Scottish isles and Bristol, but the biggest practical advances in the nascent technology are coming from mainland European countries. Germany and Greece both have hydrogen fuel-cell-driven submarines, Turkish students at Istanbul Technical University have built a ferry, a hydrogen-powered boat cruises the Amsterdam canals and there are advanced plans for ocean-going hydrogen container vessels.
The increasing price of diesel fuel, the need to reduce carbon emissions, and the soaring cost for railway electrification is also boosting research into a new breed of hydrogen railway trains. Coincidentally, scientists working on hydrogen trains around the world will also meet in Birmingham next week. The first hydrogen-powered locomotive was built for a mine in Canada in 2002 and in the past 10 years, fuell cell trains have been developed in Taiwan, Japan, South Africa, Spain and Denmark with more others planned for China. The state-owned Spanish railway company has demonstrated a "hydrail tram", and has announced that it will launch Europe's first hydrail train later this year.
Friday, 9 March 2012
German wind energy plans in the doldrums
www.thenational.ae
5 Mar 2012
Germany's green energy revolution is at risk of stalling, with energy firms warning they may shelve plans for a huge expansion of offshore wind power because of delays in connecting the turbines to the grid. Mike Winkel, the head of green energy at the German utility E.ON, said last month that work on the power line needed to feed electricity from its North Sea wind farm Amrumbank West to the mainland was 15 months behind schedule and that the turbines would not go into operation until March 2015.
Mr Winkel described the situation as "disastrous" and said E.ON would put its planning for further wind farms on hold. He said the network operators in charge of laying the cables and building switching stations had overestimated their technical capabilities and were themselves facing delays in obtaining supplies of equipment. Another major German utility, RWE, issued a similar warning and complained its Nordsee Ost wind farm would go online at least one year later than planned because the power connection would not be ready in time.
RWE had intended to start producing electricity from the 48-turbine wind farm next year. But TenneT, the Dutch-owned grid operator in charge of building all the power lines off the German North Sea coast, said it would not be able even to start construction of the power line until the end of this year. Nordsee Ost is due to be completed next year. Paradoxically, RWE will initially have to resort to diesel-powered engines to keep the sensitive rotor blades and gear mechanisms turning until the power line has been completed and the turbines can become operational. Germany may respond by trying to woo new investors.
The problems are bad news for Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, who stepped up her plans for a huge expansion of green-power generation last year after ditching nuclear power in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster in Japan. Offshore wind farms are the backbone of her strategy. At sea, the wind blows more strongly and constantly, making the farms a potentially more reliable and productive source of renewable energy than wind turbines on land and solar power.
The aim is for 10,000 wind turbines along the German coasts of the North Sea and Baltic to be in operation by 2030, producing 25,000 MWs of electricity or 15% of Germany's total energy needs. But the actual number of turbines working now is just 27, generating only 135 MWs. RWE said there was no chance Germany would achieve its offshore wind power goal, and that the delays so far would deter investors from backing future projects in the North Sea and Baltic. The company said it was considering suing TenneT, which is owned by the Dutch government, for €100 million (Dh484.9m) in compensation for losses caused by the line delays.
RWE had planned to spend €1 billion per year on renewables in the coming years, with 40 to 50% of that earmarked for offshore wind power. If the offshore expansion is off track, so too will be Mrs Merkel's plan to boost renewable energy from 17% of electricity consumption now to at least 35% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Building wind farms at sea, in some cases up to 100km off the coast, has proved a greater technical challenge than expected. Erecting the turbines is a considerable feat in itself-ships were purpose-built for the task of transporting the rotor blades and masts and anchoring them on the seabed.
But laying the cable has proved even more arduous because it involves working at depths of up to 30 metres and building special power converter platforms. The technology and the methods are new and untried, and much of the work can be done only between May and September when the weather permits. Lengthy planning approval procedures have added to the delays. TenneT, which is building a total of eight undersea cables, warned the German government in November that it would not be able to meet its production deadlines and was having difficulty obtaining fresh capital from investors. It demanded assistance with the planning and financing of the offshore grid.
The government has not yet decided whether to boost subsidies for offshore wind power, but it may have to. Future funding could come from Abu Dhabi's Masdar green-energy initiative. Frank Wouters, the director of Masdar's energy division, told the Financial Times Deutschland, a German business newspaper, last month that Masdar would be very interested in investing in German offshore wind power if the yields improved. He said Masdar had not yet found a project that generated enough yield.
The German offshore wind farms are located in deep water far off the coast, which made them a riskier investment than wind farms closer to shore, he said. But unless the German government removes the bottleneck threatening its wind-power plans, Europe's largest economy will not only fall far short of its green-power plans, but may also face power shortages in the years to come. Embarrassingly for Mrs Merkel, there is a very real prospect that the shortfalls will be made up by importing nuclear-generated power.
5 Mar 2012
Germany's green energy revolution is at risk of stalling, with energy firms warning they may shelve plans for a huge expansion of offshore wind power because of delays in connecting the turbines to the grid. Mike Winkel, the head of green energy at the German utility E.ON, said last month that work on the power line needed to feed electricity from its North Sea wind farm Amrumbank West to the mainland was 15 months behind schedule and that the turbines would not go into operation until March 2015.Mr Winkel described the situation as "disastrous" and said E.ON would put its planning for further wind farms on hold. He said the network operators in charge of laying the cables and building switching stations had overestimated their technical capabilities and were themselves facing delays in obtaining supplies of equipment. Another major German utility, RWE, issued a similar warning and complained its Nordsee Ost wind farm would go online at least one year later than planned because the power connection would not be ready in time.
RWE had intended to start producing electricity from the 48-turbine wind farm next year. But TenneT, the Dutch-owned grid operator in charge of building all the power lines off the German North Sea coast, said it would not be able even to start construction of the power line until the end of this year. Nordsee Ost is due to be completed next year. Paradoxically, RWE will initially have to resort to diesel-powered engines to keep the sensitive rotor blades and gear mechanisms turning until the power line has been completed and the turbines can become operational. Germany may respond by trying to woo new investors.
The problems are bad news for Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, who stepped up her plans for a huge expansion of green-power generation last year after ditching nuclear power in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster in Japan. Offshore wind farms are the backbone of her strategy. At sea, the wind blows more strongly and constantly, making the farms a potentially more reliable and productive source of renewable energy than wind turbines on land and solar power.
The aim is for 10,000 wind turbines along the German coasts of the North Sea and Baltic to be in operation by 2030, producing 25,000 MWs of electricity or 15% of Germany's total energy needs. But the actual number of turbines working now is just 27, generating only 135 MWs. RWE said there was no chance Germany would achieve its offshore wind power goal, and that the delays so far would deter investors from backing future projects in the North Sea and Baltic. The company said it was considering suing TenneT, which is owned by the Dutch government, for €100 million (Dh484.9m) in compensation for losses caused by the line delays.
RWE had planned to spend €1 billion per year on renewables in the coming years, with 40 to 50% of that earmarked for offshore wind power. If the offshore expansion is off track, so too will be Mrs Merkel's plan to boost renewable energy from 17% of electricity consumption now to at least 35% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Building wind farms at sea, in some cases up to 100km off the coast, has proved a greater technical challenge than expected. Erecting the turbines is a considerable feat in itself-ships were purpose-built for the task of transporting the rotor blades and masts and anchoring them on the seabed.
But laying the cable has proved even more arduous because it involves working at depths of up to 30 metres and building special power converter platforms. The technology and the methods are new and untried, and much of the work can be done only between May and September when the weather permits. Lengthy planning approval procedures have added to the delays. TenneT, which is building a total of eight undersea cables, warned the German government in November that it would not be able to meet its production deadlines and was having difficulty obtaining fresh capital from investors. It demanded assistance with the planning and financing of the offshore grid.
The government has not yet decided whether to boost subsidies for offshore wind power, but it may have to. Future funding could come from Abu Dhabi's Masdar green-energy initiative. Frank Wouters, the director of Masdar's energy division, told the Financial Times Deutschland, a German business newspaper, last month that Masdar would be very interested in investing in German offshore wind power if the yields improved. He said Masdar had not yet found a project that generated enough yield.
The German offshore wind farms are located in deep water far off the coast, which made them a riskier investment than wind farms closer to shore, he said. But unless the German government removes the bottleneck threatening its wind-power plans, Europe's largest economy will not only fall far short of its green-power plans, but may also face power shortages in the years to come. Embarrassingly for Mrs Merkel, there is a very real prospect that the shortfalls will be made up by importing nuclear-generated power.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Extending French reactors would cost least - report
www.reuters.com
30 Jan 2012
(Reuters)-France's EDF Energy expects extending the life of its nuclear plants to cost up to 860 million euros ($1.1 billion) per reactor, making this the cheapest option for providing power to 2040, according to a draft government report leaked to media. By comparison, building a new-generation reactor such as Areva's 1,600 MW reactor would cost roughly 5 billion euros. The draft report, published on the French news website Mediapart, finds that extending the lifetime of France's 58 reactors would also be a cheaper investment option to 2035-2040 than building any type of new power plant.
The report is likely to fuel a heated debate on the issue of France's dependence on nuclear power three months ahead of the presidential election. Commissioned by the government in October 2011, the report will assess possible energy scenarios for France until 2050 and is due to be published in its final form on February 13. A government spokeswoman said it was no way near being finalized. While the ruling UMP party plans to maintain the country's nuclear share of 75% in the electricity mix, the highest in the world, socialist candidate Francois Hollande said he would bring down that share to 50% by 2025.
Extending the lifetime of France's nuclear plants would cost 680 million to 860 million euros per reactor, including additional investment to upgrade safety measures requested by the French nuclear safety regulator (ASN) following Japan's Fukushima disaster, the draft said. French nuclear power operator EDF Energy will need to install flood-proof diesel generators and bunkered remote back-up control rooms at its 19 plants across the country or else face having to shut down some of its 58 reactors, the ASN said earlier this month. EDF Energy estimated the work would cost close to 10 billion euros.
By comparison, the immediate closure of France's oldest nuclear power plant, Fessenheim in eastern France, would mean a loss of 1.1 billion euros for EDF Energy over the next eight years, rising to 3 billion euros by 2040. Hollande, currently favorite in the polls, has vowed to shut it down in the next five years if he is elected in May 2012. If the share of nuclear power in the electricity mix falls to 50%, this would shave 0.6% off France's GDP by 2030 because of higher electricity prices. The report also showed nuclear reactor manufacturer Areva had the capacity to produce two EPR reactors per year. ($1 = 0.7625 euros)
30 Jan 2012
(Reuters)-France's EDF Energy expects extending the life of its nuclear plants to cost up to 860 million euros ($1.1 billion) per reactor, making this the cheapest option for providing power to 2040, according to a draft government report leaked to media. By comparison, building a new-generation reactor such as Areva's 1,600 MW reactor would cost roughly 5 billion euros. The draft report, published on the French news website Mediapart, finds that extending the lifetime of France's 58 reactors would also be a cheaper investment option to 2035-2040 than building any type of new power plant.
The report is likely to fuel a heated debate on the issue of France's dependence on nuclear power three months ahead of the presidential election. Commissioned by the government in October 2011, the report will assess possible energy scenarios for France until 2050 and is due to be published in its final form on February 13. A government spokeswoman said it was no way near being finalized. While the ruling UMP party plans to maintain the country's nuclear share of 75% in the electricity mix, the highest in the world, socialist candidate Francois Hollande said he would bring down that share to 50% by 2025.
Extending the lifetime of France's nuclear plants would cost 680 million to 860 million euros per reactor, including additional investment to upgrade safety measures requested by the French nuclear safety regulator (ASN) following Japan's Fukushima disaster, the draft said. French nuclear power operator EDF Energy will need to install flood-proof diesel generators and bunkered remote back-up control rooms at its 19 plants across the country or else face having to shut down some of its 58 reactors, the ASN said earlier this month. EDF Energy estimated the work would cost close to 10 billion euros.
By comparison, the immediate closure of France's oldest nuclear power plant, Fessenheim in eastern France, would mean a loss of 1.1 billion euros for EDF Energy over the next eight years, rising to 3 billion euros by 2040. Hollande, currently favorite in the polls, has vowed to shut it down in the next five years if he is elected in May 2012. If the share of nuclear power in the electricity mix falls to 50%, this would shave 0.6% off France's GDP by 2030 because of higher electricity prices. The report also showed nuclear reactor manufacturer Areva had the capacity to produce two EPR reactors per year. ($1 = 0.7625 euros)
Monday, 23 January 2012
Solar power takes giant strides
www.thenational.ae
18 Jan 2012
No one can accuse the renewables industry of lacking creative impetus. Solar-powered aircraft, cars and boats have featured at this year's World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi, and in the MS Turanor PlanetSolar, the event hosts the largest solar-powered boat to brave the oceans. The futuristic, 100-foot-long vessel travelled 48,000km over two years to anchor finally next to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, where WFES is held. And the solar industry will feel that it has come a long way over the past couple of years.
Last year alone, as much as 29 GWs of solar panels were installed, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Solar technology was driven initially by environmental concerns in Europe, which led to generous financial incentives for power producers, and China's decision to make renewables a pillar of its energy policy has given the industry its latest impetus for growth.
China already has an installed solar capacity of 3 GWs, a number dwarfed by the 200 GWs it derives from hydropower. The Asian powerhouse has recently upped its targets, now aiming to generate 11.4% of its electricity from green sources by 2015. "To achieve these goals, we face many difficulties and will have to pay a big price", Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, said in his keynote speech at WFES on Monday. In an ironic twist, solar photovoltaic (PV) panel producers are also paying a heavy price for those targets. The cost of their product has dropped through the floor as the application of Chinese industrial might to panel production led to a halving of panel costs last year.
This price decline has combined with a reduction in tariffs received in key markets such as Germany to turn once-healthy balance sheets into a sea of red. In the second half of last year, notable US names such as Solyndra, Evergreen Solar and SpectraWatt filed for bankruptcy. BP Solar stopped producing panels earlier last year and was dissolved by its parent company last month. Players in the industry expect the cull to continue this year. "We think there's going to be consolidation in 2012, there's going to be liquidation, there's going to be capitulation-companies just getting out of the business", said Andrew Beebe, the chief commercial officer at Suntech Power, the largest Chinese producer of PV panels.
As more panel producers hit the wall, pessimists might assume that the solar industry as a whole is suffering. Not so, counter industry players. Falling prices are bringing the costs of solar power closer to grid parity, the level at which electricity coming out of solar arrays is as cheap as that flowing out of conventional power plants. "I think people are talking about a crisis in the industry because prices have come down so fast, and companies are losing money", said David Eaglesham, the chief technology officer at FirstSolar, a US panel producer. "But it's also a turning point because prices have come down so fast".
A study released by the Emirates Solar Industry Association confirms what many already suspected: compared with diesel-fired power plants, solar-generated electricity is already cost-competitive in the region. Cheap panels will only make solar more attractive, especially in markets such as the Middle East, India and much of Asia, where the rampant increase in demand calls for creative solutions on the supply side.
"Over the longer term, the trend bodes favourably for the big markets that are going to be consuming a lot of energy", said James Brown, the president at Utility Systems Business Group at FirstSolar. With more players leaving the market, the basic principle of economics-that decreasing supply increases the price-should have a soothing effect on the balance sheet of the survivors.
"There are first indications that prices will be a little bit higher by the end of this year", said Hannes Behacker, the senior vice president for Asia Pacific and the Middle East at the German panel producer Q-Cells.
18 Jan 2012
No one can accuse the renewables industry of lacking creative impetus. Solar-powered aircraft, cars and boats have featured at this year's World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi, and in the MS Turanor PlanetSolar, the event hosts the largest solar-powered boat to brave the oceans. The futuristic, 100-foot-long vessel travelled 48,000km over two years to anchor finally next to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, where WFES is held. And the solar industry will feel that it has come a long way over the past couple of years.
Last year alone, as much as 29 GWs of solar panels were installed, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Solar technology was driven initially by environmental concerns in Europe, which led to generous financial incentives for power producers, and China's decision to make renewables a pillar of its energy policy has given the industry its latest impetus for growth.
China already has an installed solar capacity of 3 GWs, a number dwarfed by the 200 GWs it derives from hydropower. The Asian powerhouse has recently upped its targets, now aiming to generate 11.4% of its electricity from green sources by 2015. "To achieve these goals, we face many difficulties and will have to pay a big price", Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, said in his keynote speech at WFES on Monday. In an ironic twist, solar photovoltaic (PV) panel producers are also paying a heavy price for those targets. The cost of their product has dropped through the floor as the application of Chinese industrial might to panel production led to a halving of panel costs last year.
This price decline has combined with a reduction in tariffs received in key markets such as Germany to turn once-healthy balance sheets into a sea of red. In the second half of last year, notable US names such as Solyndra, Evergreen Solar and SpectraWatt filed for bankruptcy. BP Solar stopped producing panels earlier last year and was dissolved by its parent company last month. Players in the industry expect the cull to continue this year. "We think there's going to be consolidation in 2012, there's going to be liquidation, there's going to be capitulation-companies just getting out of the business", said Andrew Beebe, the chief commercial officer at Suntech Power, the largest Chinese producer of PV panels.
As more panel producers hit the wall, pessimists might assume that the solar industry as a whole is suffering. Not so, counter industry players. Falling prices are bringing the costs of solar power closer to grid parity, the level at which electricity coming out of solar arrays is as cheap as that flowing out of conventional power plants. "I think people are talking about a crisis in the industry because prices have come down so fast, and companies are losing money", said David Eaglesham, the chief technology officer at FirstSolar, a US panel producer. "But it's also a turning point because prices have come down so fast".
A study released by the Emirates Solar Industry Association confirms what many already suspected: compared with diesel-fired power plants, solar-generated electricity is already cost-competitive in the region. Cheap panels will only make solar more attractive, especially in markets such as the Middle East, India and much of Asia, where the rampant increase in demand calls for creative solutions on the supply side.
"Over the longer term, the trend bodes favourably for the big markets that are going to be consuming a lot of energy", said James Brown, the president at Utility Systems Business Group at FirstSolar. With more players leaving the market, the basic principle of economics-that decreasing supply increases the price-should have a soothing effect on the balance sheet of the survivors.
"There are first indications that prices will be a little bit higher by the end of this year", said Hannes Behacker, the senior vice president for Asia Pacific and the Middle East at the German panel producer Q-Cells.
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Kenya wind power project to start by April: official
www.reuters.com
5 Jan 2012
(Reuters)-Construction of a 310 MW wind power project in Kenya is expected to start in April after its financiers complete due diligence on the project, a senior company official said on Thursday. Most of Kenya's power is generated by hydroelectric plants, which are prone to the vagaries of frequent droughts, which cut water levels in dams, lead to power outages and force east Africa's biggest economy to rely on diesel-powered generators. Work on the 617 million euro ($873.7 million) Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project was initially expected to have started by last month.
Carlo Van Wageningen, chairman of LTWP, said its financiers were going through the due diligence process, which was expected to culminate in finalizing the funding. "We don't expect any further delays. We are looking at financial close at the end of March, beginning of April and therefore groundbreaking as soon as possible after that", Van Wageningen told Reuters by phone. The LTWP power project is expected to start production after 2013. It involves building a wind farm within Loiyangalani, a remote region in the northwest part of the country and near the Lake Turkana basin.
Van Wageningen said the World Bank is one of the project's guarantors on behalf of the Kenyan government and that the bank required the project to undergo an environmental impact assessment study. He said the study was complete and was posted on the World Bank Web site from November 15 for a statutory 120 days for the public to comment and would thereafter be taken before the bank's board for approval. "The pushback is really due to the fact that we have done some more studies on environmental impact. The World Bank will now be providing certain guarantees and credit enhancements on behalf of the government", Van Wageningen said.
LTWP is a subsidiary of KP&P, a Dutch firm which sets up wind power projects. The Kenyan venture will be the biggest in the country, consisting of 365 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kilowatts. LTWP has an agreement with Denmark's Vestas Wind Systems to supply 365 Vestas V52 turbines. "We don't expect any delays. We're sure and foresee production of these turbines will not be delayed", Van Wageningen said. LTWP will transmit its power to the national grid through a 428 km (266 mile) overhead line it will build for the government and offload the electricity to the state-run Kenya Power Company. The country hopes to add 2,000 MW of environmentally friendly energy sources by 2013.
5 Jan 2012
(Reuters)-Construction of a 310 MW wind power project in Kenya is expected to start in April after its financiers complete due diligence on the project, a senior company official said on Thursday. Most of Kenya's power is generated by hydroelectric plants, which are prone to the vagaries of frequent droughts, which cut water levels in dams, lead to power outages and force east Africa's biggest economy to rely on diesel-powered generators. Work on the 617 million euro ($873.7 million) Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project was initially expected to have started by last month.
Carlo Van Wageningen, chairman of LTWP, said its financiers were going through the due diligence process, which was expected to culminate in finalizing the funding. "We don't expect any further delays. We are looking at financial close at the end of March, beginning of April and therefore groundbreaking as soon as possible after that", Van Wageningen told Reuters by phone. The LTWP power project is expected to start production after 2013. It involves building a wind farm within Loiyangalani, a remote region in the northwest part of the country and near the Lake Turkana basin.
Van Wageningen said the World Bank is one of the project's guarantors on behalf of the Kenyan government and that the bank required the project to undergo an environmental impact assessment study. He said the study was complete and was posted on the World Bank Web site from November 15 for a statutory 120 days for the public to comment and would thereafter be taken before the bank's board for approval. "The pushback is really due to the fact that we have done some more studies on environmental impact. The World Bank will now be providing certain guarantees and credit enhancements on behalf of the government", Van Wageningen said.
LTWP is a subsidiary of KP&P, a Dutch firm which sets up wind power projects. The Kenyan venture will be the biggest in the country, consisting of 365 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kilowatts. LTWP has an agreement with Denmark's Vestas Wind Systems to supply 365 Vestas V52 turbines. "We don't expect any delays. We're sure and foresee production of these turbines will not be delayed", Van Wageningen said. LTWP will transmit its power to the national grid through a 428 km (266 mile) overhead line it will build for the government and offload the electricity to the state-run Kenya Power Company. The country hopes to add 2,000 MW of environmentally friendly energy sources by 2013.
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Saudis kicking off major move into solar
www.thenational.ae
23 Dec 2011
Saudi Arabia will take the first step to becoming a large-scale producer of solar power next year as it uses the private sector to build a first batch of solar parks. A steep increase in demand for electricity and rapidly falling prices for photovoltaic panels have convinced decision-makers in the kingdom to reduce their reliance on fossil fuel-based power generation, setting the scene for sustained investment in alternative energy. "I am utterly convinced we will see the first procurements of solar [independent power producers] in the first quarter of next year", said Paddy Padmanathan, the chief executive of Acwa Power, the largest private Saudi power provider.
King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (Kacare), the government body responsible for alternative-energy policy, is working on a renewables strategy and is expected to finalise this in next year's first quarter. Analysts at Bloomberg New Energy Finance believe that an initial target could be up to 5 GWs. The first tenders to the private sector will amount to about 500 MWs, with contracted capacity set to rise rapidly, said Mr Padmanathan. By 2103, Saudi commitment to solar power could reach 20 GWs, he said.
The rise of solar power will proceed in tandem with a move into nuclear power, and by 2013 the kingdom could have signed off on nuclear power projects with a generating capacity equal to its solar power capacity, Mr Padmanathan said. Whereas the government will farm out responsibility for building and maintaining solar projects to private operators as so-called independent power projects, it will initially maintain control over nuclear projects, with public-private partnerships coming in at a later stage.
"So as I look to the future in Saudi, I progressively see more and more base load being filled with nuclear and more and more peak load being filled with renewables, and the middle bit being oil and gas, and more of it being gas than oil", said Mr Padmanathan, whose company will participate in the bidding for future solar and nuclear independent power projects.
Saudi Arabia is paying a heavy price for its continued reliance on oil to generate electricity. Its power plants consume 800,000 barrels a day of oil equivalent, Ziyad Al Shiha, the executive director of Saudi Aramco Power Systems, told reporters in May. With the price of crude above US$100 a barrel on international markets, the opportunity cost is high, making investments in alternative sources of power more attractive.
In addition, the cost of solar power has come down; a supply glut arising from China's input of cheap solar power panels into the market has halved prices within a year. Saudi solar plants will be able to take advantage of the country's long hours of strong sunshine. "If you compare a medium-sized fuel oil or diesel plant, we are already practically at parity", says Jose Alberich, a partner at AT Kearney.
Saudi Arabia's need for energy diversification is born of the rising demand for electricity, as an increasingly urbanised society clamours for a higher standard of living. Kacare estimates that peak capacity needed in 2030 will amount to 120 GWs. Of this, 35 GWs will be generated by solar arrays, says the research centre. "If demand continues to grow at this pace, without changes to the generation mix, the domestic consumption of oil will be unaffordable by 2030", says Mr Alberich.
Kacare is not alone in predicting huge investment in solar power. Ali Al Naimi, the Saudi oil minister, said in June that Saudi Arabia planned to equal the energy created by its crude exports with solar power, adding that by 2020 the country would have the potential to satisfy the world's electricity needs four times over.
23 Dec 2011
Saudi Arabia will take the first step to becoming a large-scale producer of solar power next year as it uses the private sector to build a first batch of solar parks. A steep increase in demand for electricity and rapidly falling prices for photovoltaic panels have convinced decision-makers in the kingdom to reduce their reliance on fossil fuel-based power generation, setting the scene for sustained investment in alternative energy. "I am utterly convinced we will see the first procurements of solar [independent power producers] in the first quarter of next year", said Paddy Padmanathan, the chief executive of Acwa Power, the largest private Saudi power provider.
King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (Kacare), the government body responsible for alternative-energy policy, is working on a renewables strategy and is expected to finalise this in next year's first quarter. Analysts at Bloomberg New Energy Finance believe that an initial target could be up to 5 GWs. The first tenders to the private sector will amount to about 500 MWs, with contracted capacity set to rise rapidly, said Mr Padmanathan. By 2103, Saudi commitment to solar power could reach 20 GWs, he said.
The rise of solar power will proceed in tandem with a move into nuclear power, and by 2013 the kingdom could have signed off on nuclear power projects with a generating capacity equal to its solar power capacity, Mr Padmanathan said. Whereas the government will farm out responsibility for building and maintaining solar projects to private operators as so-called independent power projects, it will initially maintain control over nuclear projects, with public-private partnerships coming in at a later stage.
"So as I look to the future in Saudi, I progressively see more and more base load being filled with nuclear and more and more peak load being filled with renewables, and the middle bit being oil and gas, and more of it being gas than oil", said Mr Padmanathan, whose company will participate in the bidding for future solar and nuclear independent power projects.
Saudi Arabia is paying a heavy price for its continued reliance on oil to generate electricity. Its power plants consume 800,000 barrels a day of oil equivalent, Ziyad Al Shiha, the executive director of Saudi Aramco Power Systems, told reporters in May. With the price of crude above US$100 a barrel on international markets, the opportunity cost is high, making investments in alternative sources of power more attractive.
In addition, the cost of solar power has come down; a supply glut arising from China's input of cheap solar power panels into the market has halved prices within a year. Saudi solar plants will be able to take advantage of the country's long hours of strong sunshine. "If you compare a medium-sized fuel oil or diesel plant, we are already practically at parity", says Jose Alberich, a partner at AT Kearney.
Saudi Arabia's need for energy diversification is born of the rising demand for electricity, as an increasingly urbanised society clamours for a higher standard of living. Kacare estimates that peak capacity needed in 2030 will amount to 120 GWs. Of this, 35 GWs will be generated by solar arrays, says the research centre. "If demand continues to grow at this pace, without changes to the generation mix, the domestic consumption of oil will be unaffordable by 2030", says Mr Alberich.
Kacare is not alone in predicting huge investment in solar power. Ali Al Naimi, the Saudi oil minister, said in June that Saudi Arabia planned to equal the energy created by its crude exports with solar power, adding that by 2020 the country would have the potential to satisfy the world's electricity needs four times over.
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
CGA launches solar power system on Taiping Island
www.taiwantoday.tw
14 Dec 2011
A solar power system on Taiping Island in the South China Sea has been successfully installed and begun operations, according to the ROC Coast Guard Administration Dec. 13. The system is in accordance with a plan outlined last November by ROC President Ma Ying-jeou to transform Taiping into Taiwan's southernmost low-carbon island and to reaffirm ROC sovereignty over the territory, the CGA added. Chang Te-hao, director of the CGA's Southern Coastal Patrol Office, said the electricity on Taiping Island is mostly generated by diesel.
"The solar power system can help cut diesel usage by 125,826 liters and reduce carbon emissions by 329 metric tons per year. It is expected to generate 175,920 kW-hours per year and save NT$4.73 million (US$156,106) in electricity costs annually", he said. According to the CGA, the new power system includes solar photovoltaic and solar hot water systems, as well as energy-saving electrical equipment.
"The installation of solar power system on the island will be expanded in the future", Chang said. "Energy-consuming equipment such as air conditioners, indoor lighting, refrigerators, road lamps and water heaters will all be changed into ones that save energy". Located 1,400 km off Taiwan proper, Taiping is the largest of the Nansha (Spratly) Islands. In addition to Nansha, the ROC also exercises sovereignty over the Dongsha (Pratas), Xisha (Paracel) and Zhongsha (Macclesfield) Islands in the South China Sea. (HZW)
14 Dec 2011
A solar power system on Taiping Island in the South China Sea has been successfully installed and begun operations, according to the ROC Coast Guard Administration Dec. 13. The system is in accordance with a plan outlined last November by ROC President Ma Ying-jeou to transform Taiping into Taiwan's southernmost low-carbon island and to reaffirm ROC sovereignty over the territory, the CGA added. Chang Te-hao, director of the CGA's Southern Coastal Patrol Office, said the electricity on Taiping Island is mostly generated by diesel."The solar power system can help cut diesel usage by 125,826 liters and reduce carbon emissions by 329 metric tons per year. It is expected to generate 175,920 kW-hours per year and save NT$4.73 million (US$156,106) in electricity costs annually", he said. According to the CGA, the new power system includes solar photovoltaic and solar hot water systems, as well as energy-saving electrical equipment.
"The installation of solar power system on the island will be expanded in the future", Chang said. "Energy-consuming equipment such as air conditioners, indoor lighting, refrigerators, road lamps and water heaters will all be changed into ones that save energy". Located 1,400 km off Taiwan proper, Taiping is the largest of the Nansha (Spratly) Islands. In addition to Nansha, the ROC also exercises sovereignty over the Dongsha (Pratas), Xisha (Paracel) and Zhongsha (Macclesfield) Islands in the South China Sea. (HZW)
Monday, 14 November 2011
Australian researchers develop prototype truck that runs on hydrogen
www.asianscientist.com
10 Nov 2011
AsianScientist (Nov. 10, 2011)-RMIT University researchers have developed Australia's first hydrogen fuel-cell truck, demonstrating how vehicle design and new sustainable technologies can make freight transport clean, green and silent. The small-scale model-an exact replica of the Scania Highline series-is operated by remote control and simulates the performance of a long-haul diesel truck, typically used between Melbourne and Sydney.
Professor Aleksandar Subic, Head of the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, said given the carbon tax, emissions trading and rising diesel costs, new sustainable technologies offered industry a way of stabilising costs. "For residents worried about fumes and noise, the prospect of a silent, zero-emission truck is exciting", he said. "This latest innovation stems from our comprehensive research into sustainable mobility involving hydrogen technologies. We are also researching production of hydrogen using photovoltaic arrays and electrolyses, and solid state hydrogen storage", he added.
The hydrogen-powered electrical system could also supply power for truck air-conditioning and radio, along with a trailer refrigeration unit. Hydrogen refilling stations are powered through solar PV panels. RMIT Associate Professor John Andrews said students were testing the small-scale truck against pre-defined dynamic loads, with the result being scaled up using mathematical models to predict the performance of a full-scale truck.
"A wireless data system is being used to monitor truck performance and collect the critical data such as hydrogen consumption rate and electrical power supply", Prof. Andrews said. Road freight transport is an AU$35 billion industry in Australia, and the nation has some of the highest freight levels per capita in the world. Trucks account for about 20% of Australia's greenhouse emissions by road vehicles.
10 Nov 2011
AsianScientist (Nov. 10, 2011)-RMIT University researchers have developed Australia's first hydrogen fuel-cell truck, demonstrating how vehicle design and new sustainable technologies can make freight transport clean, green and silent. The small-scale model-an exact replica of the Scania Highline series-is operated by remote control and simulates the performance of a long-haul diesel truck, typically used between Melbourne and Sydney.
Professor Aleksandar Subic, Head of the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, said given the carbon tax, emissions trading and rising diesel costs, new sustainable technologies offered industry a way of stabilising costs. "For residents worried about fumes and noise, the prospect of a silent, zero-emission truck is exciting", he said. "This latest innovation stems from our comprehensive research into sustainable mobility involving hydrogen technologies. We are also researching production of hydrogen using photovoltaic arrays and electrolyses, and solid state hydrogen storage", he added.
The hydrogen-powered electrical system could also supply power for truck air-conditioning and radio, along with a trailer refrigeration unit. Hydrogen refilling stations are powered through solar PV panels. RMIT Associate Professor John Andrews said students were testing the small-scale truck against pre-defined dynamic loads, with the result being scaled up using mathematical models to predict the performance of a full-scale truck.
"A wireless data system is being used to monitor truck performance and collect the critical data such as hydrogen consumption rate and electrical power supply", Prof. Andrews said. Road freight transport is an AU$35 billion industry in Australia, and the nation has some of the highest freight levels per capita in the world. Trucks account for about 20% of Australia's greenhouse emissions by road vehicles.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Fuel cell cars edge into fast lane
Summaries - Australian Financial Review
17 Oct 2011, Page: 53
The Mercedes-Benz B-class F-cell is one of the first cars of its kind: a high performance, zero emissions vehicle that runs on hydrogen and oxygen fuel-cells. While the fuel-cells are currently very expensive, being constructed using expensive materials like platinum, European Union expert and Z GW board member Werner Tillmetz believes the advent of peak oil will be the turning point.
Speaking from southern Germany, Mr Tillmetz estimates that the world has used half of its oil reserves and has nearly reached the limit of how much oil can be produced per day, but the demand for cars grows exponentially. Mr Tillmetz, who was with Daimler for 15 years, says electric battery cars have a limited range, but foresees fuel-cells being used for longer trips and battery electric cars being used in cities. Christian Mohrdieck from Daimler says both options are being developed. It is worth noting that in Australia, an electric car would most likely use energy derived from a coal-fired power station.
Johannes Arnold from the DLR Institute of Technical thermodynamics believes that some kind of hybrid of the two systems is a likely outcome. General Motors, Toyota and Honda are focused on fuel-cells, while B MW and Volkswagen are moving towards battery electric. Mr Tillmetz says petrol stations would need to add a new product (in the form of battery exchanges or hydrogen pumps) as they did with diesel and liquefied petroleum gas.
Research by McKinsey & Co found that by 2030, consumers would pay a premium of between 7% and 20% for a clean energy car. Toyota, Honda, General Motors and Hyundai have talked of putting fuel-cell cars on the market in the next few years. Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche says his company will release such a vehicle in 2014.
17 Oct 2011, Page: 53
The Mercedes-Benz B-class F-cell is one of the first cars of its kind: a high performance, zero emissions vehicle that runs on hydrogen and oxygen fuel-cells. While the fuel-cells are currently very expensive, being constructed using expensive materials like platinum, European Union expert and Z GW board member Werner Tillmetz believes the advent of peak oil will be the turning point.Speaking from southern Germany, Mr Tillmetz estimates that the world has used half of its oil reserves and has nearly reached the limit of how much oil can be produced per day, but the demand for cars grows exponentially. Mr Tillmetz, who was with Daimler for 15 years, says electric battery cars have a limited range, but foresees fuel-cells being used for longer trips and battery electric cars being used in cities. Christian Mohrdieck from Daimler says both options are being developed. It is worth noting that in Australia, an electric car would most likely use energy derived from a coal-fired power station.
Johannes Arnold from the DLR Institute of Technical thermodynamics believes that some kind of hybrid of the two systems is a likely outcome. General Motors, Toyota and Honda are focused on fuel-cells, while B MW and Volkswagen are moving towards battery electric. Mr Tillmetz says petrol stations would need to add a new product (in the form of battery exchanges or hydrogen pumps) as they did with diesel and liquefied petroleum gas.
Research by McKinsey & Co found that by 2030, consumers would pay a premium of between 7% and 20% for a clean energy car. Toyota, Honda, General Motors and Hyundai have talked of putting fuel-cell cars on the market in the next few years. Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche says his company will release such a vehicle in 2014.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Farasan Island cradle of Saudi solar power generation
www.saudigazette.com.sa
4 Oct 2011
JIZAN-The Kingdom's first solar-powered electricity-generating plant, located on Farasan Island and launched on Saturday, marks the beginning of a new era in the country, Ali Saleh Al-Barrak, President of Saudi Electricity Company, said in a speech at the event. The 500 kW plant, which will save transferring the equivalent of 28,000 barrels of diesel fuel to Farasan Island, is an example of ongoing efforts to address the Kingdom's ever-increasing need for electricity, he said.
The plant, inaugurated by Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al-Suwayid, Undersecretary of the Governorate of Jizan region, has been linked with Jizan area's main distribution network, which annually produces about 864,000 kW, Al-Barrak said. Setting up the facility, which was constructed according to an agreement with Showa Shell Sekiyu, a Japanese company, is part of the Saudi Electricity Company's work to introduce clean energy in the country, he said.
Jun Arai, President of Showa Shell Sekiyu, said at the event that the plant would help conserve the natural beauty of Farasan Island. His firm, which financed setting up the plant and built its structures, machinery and photoelectric panels, will own it for 15 years before it is transferred to the Saudi Electricity Company, Arai said. Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Saudi Aramco's President and CEO, and Shigeru Endo, the Japanese ambassador to the Kingdom, also attended the event on the island, which is in the southwest corner of Saudi Arabia, about 50 km off the Jizan coast. Establishing the plant is part of the country's effort to address its need for more energy, Al-Barrak said. Since 2006, annual growth in demand exceeded 8%, peak loads jumped from 23,000 MWs to 48,000 MWs and the same growth rate is expected to continue in the next decade, he said.
Growth in household and industrial consumption has created a need for the Saudi Electricity to build more power-generating plants and created a challenge for Saudi Aramco to secure fuel it needs in the coming years, he added. As part of its efforts to help meet those needs, the Saudi Electricity Company has approved several studies and research projects relating to clean energy and selected several places as possible sites for harnessing wind power, Al-Barrak said. There is also ongoing coordination with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, he added.--SG/SPA
4 Oct 2011
JIZAN-The Kingdom's first solar-powered electricity-generating plant, located on Farasan Island and launched on Saturday, marks the beginning of a new era in the country, Ali Saleh Al-Barrak, President of Saudi Electricity Company, said in a speech at the event. The 500 kW plant, which will save transferring the equivalent of 28,000 barrels of diesel fuel to Farasan Island, is an example of ongoing efforts to address the Kingdom's ever-increasing need for electricity, he said.The plant, inaugurated by Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al-Suwayid, Undersecretary of the Governorate of Jizan region, has been linked with Jizan area's main distribution network, which annually produces about 864,000 kW, Al-Barrak said. Setting up the facility, which was constructed according to an agreement with Showa Shell Sekiyu, a Japanese company, is part of the Saudi Electricity Company's work to introduce clean energy in the country, he said.
Jun Arai, President of Showa Shell Sekiyu, said at the event that the plant would help conserve the natural beauty of Farasan Island. His firm, which financed setting up the plant and built its structures, machinery and photoelectric panels, will own it for 15 years before it is transferred to the Saudi Electricity Company, Arai said. Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Saudi Aramco's President and CEO, and Shigeru Endo, the Japanese ambassador to the Kingdom, also attended the event on the island, which is in the southwest corner of Saudi Arabia, about 50 km off the Jizan coast. Establishing the plant is part of the country's effort to address its need for more energy, Al-Barrak said. Since 2006, annual growth in demand exceeded 8%, peak loads jumped from 23,000 MWs to 48,000 MWs and the same growth rate is expected to continue in the next decade, he said.
Growth in household and industrial consumption has created a need for the Saudi Electricity to build more power-generating plants and created a challenge for Saudi Aramco to secure fuel it needs in the coming years, he added. As part of its efforts to help meet those needs, the Saudi Electricity Company has approved several studies and research projects relating to clean energy and selected several places as possible sites for harnessing wind power, Al-Barrak said. There is also ongoing coordination with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, he added.--SG/SPA
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