www.spiegel.de
30 Aug 2012
After years of decline, Germany's shipyards are now pinning their hopes on offshore wind farms, a key component of the country's energy revolution. Some have converted entirely to building equipment for wind farms. But the initial euphoria has worn off as the true challenges of the transition become clear.
Two years ago, Tomas Marutz became the head of the Nordseewerke in Emden, Germany. The shipyard is one of the biggest and oldest in the country. But Marutz's most important task now is, he says, "to get shipbuilding out of people's heads".
That's no easy task for a man who speaks about ships like a father talking about his children. He is fascinating by the process of shipbuilding, from the lucky penny that is tossed under the first sheet of steel used in construction to the moment when a finished ship is launched from the docks. Building ships isn't just a question of "welding individual pieces together", he says. "It is a holistic creation".
But these days, Marutz doesn't have the chance to enjoy such moments. Submarines and container ships are no longer being built at the shipyard, which once belonged to German steel and shipbuilding giant Thyssen. Nowadays, the company is building towers and steel bases for wind turbines used in offshore wind farms off the German coast.
Read More…
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Maryland switches on 16 MW grid connected solar system
www.elp.com
29 Aug 2012
Baltimore, Constellation announced the completion of a 16.1 MW grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) solar installation in Emmitsburg, Maryland., as part of the state of Maryland's Generating Clean Horizons initiative.
Constellation financed, owns and operates the about $50 million solar facility on behalf of its customer, the state of Maryland. Electricity generated by the system is purchased by the state's Department of General Services and the University System of Maryland under 20 year solar power purchase agreements with Constellation.
The grid-connected system is expected to produce more than 20 million kW of emissions-free electricity per year. Generating the same amount of electricity using nonrenewable sources would result in the release of 17,981 metric tons of CO₂ annually, according to US EPA data.
The ground-mounted solar power plant was constructed by FirstSolar, using about 220,000 of its advanced thin film PV panels situated on 100 acres of land leased by Constellation from Mount St. Mary's University. In addition to the 16.1 MW system, Constellation developed a 1.6 MW solar power system on the site that will supply power directly to the university.
In February 2009, the Maryland Energy Administration, in partnership with the University System of Maryland and the Department of General Services, approved the award of four renewable energy projects under the Generating Clean Horizons program. The initiative was intended to spur the development of large-scale, commercial renewable energy projects, and the state issued requests for proposals for long-term power purchase agreements from renewable sources delivering clean power to the grid by 2014.
Constellation currently owns and operates more than 112 MW of solar installations that have been completed or are under construction for commercial and government customers throughout the US In Maryland, Constellation has developed nearly 25 MW of solar projects for customers, including Anne Arundel County, Coppin State University, General Motors, Maryland Science Center and McCormick & Co.
By structuring its solar projects as power purchase agreements or solar services agreements, Constellation offers solar installations that may require no upfront capital from customers and may provide fixed power costs that are less than projected market rates.
29 Aug 2012
Baltimore, Constellation announced the completion of a 16.1 MW grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) solar installation in Emmitsburg, Maryland., as part of the state of Maryland's Generating Clean Horizons initiative.
Constellation financed, owns and operates the about $50 million solar facility on behalf of its customer, the state of Maryland. Electricity generated by the system is purchased by the state's Department of General Services and the University System of Maryland under 20 year solar power purchase agreements with Constellation.
The grid-connected system is expected to produce more than 20 million kW of emissions-free electricity per year. Generating the same amount of electricity using nonrenewable sources would result in the release of 17,981 metric tons of CO₂ annually, according to US EPA data.
The ground-mounted solar power plant was constructed by FirstSolar, using about 220,000 of its advanced thin film PV panels situated on 100 acres of land leased by Constellation from Mount St. Mary's University. In addition to the 16.1 MW system, Constellation developed a 1.6 MW solar power system on the site that will supply power directly to the university.
In February 2009, the Maryland Energy Administration, in partnership with the University System of Maryland and the Department of General Services, approved the award of four renewable energy projects under the Generating Clean Horizons program. The initiative was intended to spur the development of large-scale, commercial renewable energy projects, and the state issued requests for proposals for long-term power purchase agreements from renewable sources delivering clean power to the grid by 2014.
Constellation currently owns and operates more than 112 MW of solar installations that have been completed or are under construction for commercial and government customers throughout the US In Maryland, Constellation has developed nearly 25 MW of solar projects for customers, including Anne Arundel County, Coppin State University, General Motors, Maryland Science Center and McCormick & Co.
By structuring its solar projects as power purchase agreements or solar services agreements, Constellation offers solar installations that may require no upfront capital from customers and may provide fixed power costs that are less than projected market rates.
Industry to ride "solar-coaster" as Victorian Government cuts support
Clean Energy Council
3 Sep 2012
The solar industry is bracing itself for yet another boom-bust cycle following today's decision by the Baillieu Government to slash the incentive for Victorians to purchase solar power systems, according to the Clean Energy Council.
Clean Energy Council Policy Director Russell Marsh said the national solar industry had seen so many ups and downs due to government policy changes that it had coined its own phrase – the "solar-coaster". "We're obviously disappointed at this decision to reduce support for solar power, which will make it harder for everyday Victorians to reduce their power bills and put industry jobs under pressure," Mr Marsh said.
"It is appropriate that the Victorian government reduces the level of its support scheme, given the recent reduction in the cost of solar power systems. However, the proposed feed-in tariff of 8¢ per kilowatt-hour is too low and does not reflect the fair and reasonable value of the electricity and other benefits that solar power systems provide to our energy system."
Mr Marsh said the Victorian solar policies to date had been very successful. "The solar industry now employs approximately 4800 Victorians and has stimulated $1.34 billion of private investment in Victoria. This change could have a serious negative impact on an industry that has been delivering major economic benefits to the state," he said.
Energy Minister Michael O'Brien announced today that the Victorian Government would reduce the level of support to householders under the Victorian feed-in tariff scheme from 25¢ per kilowatt-hour down to 8c at the beginning of next year.
Mr Marsh said recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed that Victorians from all walks of life were installing solar power systems to save on their electricity bills. "If you've thinking about installing solar power, it's definitely the time to do it – but you also need to make sure you do your research.
Download the Clean Energy Council’s consumer guide from www.solaraccreditation.com.au,” he said.
3 Sep 2012
The solar industry is bracing itself for yet another boom-bust cycle following today's decision by the Baillieu Government to slash the incentive for Victorians to purchase solar power systems, according to the Clean Energy Council.Clean Energy Council Policy Director Russell Marsh said the national solar industry had seen so many ups and downs due to government policy changes that it had coined its own phrase – the "solar-coaster". "We're obviously disappointed at this decision to reduce support for solar power, which will make it harder for everyday Victorians to reduce their power bills and put industry jobs under pressure," Mr Marsh said.
"It is appropriate that the Victorian government reduces the level of its support scheme, given the recent reduction in the cost of solar power systems. However, the proposed feed-in tariff of 8¢ per kilowatt-hour is too low and does not reflect the fair and reasonable value of the electricity and other benefits that solar power systems provide to our energy system."
Mr Marsh said the Victorian solar policies to date had been very successful. "The solar industry now employs approximately 4800 Victorians and has stimulated $1.34 billion of private investment in Victoria. This change could have a serious negative impact on an industry that has been delivering major economic benefits to the state," he said.
Energy Minister Michael O'Brien announced today that the Victorian Government would reduce the level of support to householders under the Victorian feed-in tariff scheme from 25¢ per kilowatt-hour down to 8c at the beginning of next year.
Mr Marsh said recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed that Victorians from all walks of life were installing solar power systems to save on their electricity bills. "If you've thinking about installing solar power, it's definitely the time to do it – but you also need to make sure you do your research.
Download the Clean Energy Council’s consumer guide from www.solaraccreditation.com.au,” he said.
German offshore wind sector needs more than just new law: executives
www.reuters.com
28 Aug 2012
(Reuters)-Changing regulations will not be enough to make Germany's planned offshore wind expansion work, executives and industry experts say, arguing the industry needs to find other ways to support one of the main pillars of the country's energy shift.
Germany's cabinet will discuss on Wednesday a draft law on expanding the use of offshore wind parks, a reaction to the slow expansion that network operators said was caused by insufficient regulation. "Certainly, the new law is a step in the right direction", Mike Winkel, head of renewable energy at E.ON, Germany's largest utility, told the annual Handelsblatt conference on renewable energy. "But the main goal has to be to get the grid connections done in time. Greater certainty for investors can only support this", he added.
He pointed to lengthy procedures to approve and connect offshore projects that were slowing down the offshore expansion. Grid operators are reluctant to build power lines at sea because they have to pay compensation should they break down. So many wind farms could lack the means to transfer the power they are generating back to the mainland.
The government is trying to address this bottleneck by passing on those costs to power consumers to reduce the risk for investors who have been very hesitant to invest in the offshore sector so far. That way, the government wants to make sure it can meet its goal of installing more than 10,000 MWs of offshore capacity by 2020, and 25,000 MW by 2030, to replace 20,500 MW in nuclear capacity gone by the end of 2022.
Read More…
28 Aug 2012
(Reuters)-Changing regulations will not be enough to make Germany's planned offshore wind expansion work, executives and industry experts say, arguing the industry needs to find other ways to support one of the main pillars of the country's energy shift.
Germany's cabinet will discuss on Wednesday a draft law on expanding the use of offshore wind parks, a reaction to the slow expansion that network operators said was caused by insufficient regulation. "Certainly, the new law is a step in the right direction", Mike Winkel, head of renewable energy at E.ON, Germany's largest utility, told the annual Handelsblatt conference on renewable energy. "But the main goal has to be to get the grid connections done in time. Greater certainty for investors can only support this", he added.
He pointed to lengthy procedures to approve and connect offshore projects that were slowing down the offshore expansion. Grid operators are reluctant to build power lines at sea because they have to pay compensation should they break down. So many wind farms could lack the means to transfer the power they are generating back to the mainland.
The government is trying to address this bottleneck by passing on those costs to power consumers to reduce the risk for investors who have been very hesitant to invest in the offshore sector so far. That way, the government wants to make sure it can meet its goal of installing more than 10,000 MWs of offshore capacity by 2020, and 25,000 MW by 2030, to replace 20,500 MW in nuclear capacity gone by the end of 2022.
Read More…
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Aura Systems joins forces with Cyclone Power to develop renewable power generation
www.power-eng.com
26 Aug 2012
Aura Systems, Inc, and Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc, announced that the two companies have formed a technology development alliance to combine the all-fuel Cyclone Engine with the AuraGen induction motor and control unit.
According to a release, the partners anticipate that the integrated renewable power generation system will be able to provide a turn-key distributed solution for customers looking to produce grid-tied or stand-alone electricity from renewable and waste resources.
Cyclone's steam engines are capable of converting recovered exhaust heat from industrial furnaces, biomass gasifiers and other waste sources into mechanical power. The AuraGen technology fits "extremely well" with Cyclone's engines, especially in applications where fluctuations in heat create variations in engine RPM. AuraGen units produce consistent rated power, at a range of engine speeds, as well as generating AC and DC power simultaneously in a variety of voltages.
Christopher Nelson, President of Cyclone, said, "Securing the partners needed to provide turn-key renewable power generator systems to our customers, both current and prospective, is an important part of our growth strategy. Aura has the generator technology, engineering team, production capabilities and resources to provide the electrical solution from start to finish. We are very pleased to be working with Aura and look forward to a long and successful working relationship".
Melvin Gagerman, Chairman and CEO of Aura, said, "We recognize the uniqueness of Cyclone's engine technology and the talents of its engineering team. This is an attractive partnership for Aura that we think provides an excellent market extension for our AuraGen product line".
26 Aug 2012
Aura Systems, Inc, and Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc, announced that the two companies have formed a technology development alliance to combine the all-fuel Cyclone Engine with the AuraGen induction motor and control unit.
According to a release, the partners anticipate that the integrated renewable power generation system will be able to provide a turn-key distributed solution for customers looking to produce grid-tied or stand-alone electricity from renewable and waste resources.
Cyclone's steam engines are capable of converting recovered exhaust heat from industrial furnaces, biomass gasifiers and other waste sources into mechanical power. The AuraGen technology fits "extremely well" with Cyclone's engines, especially in applications where fluctuations in heat create variations in engine RPM. AuraGen units produce consistent rated power, at a range of engine speeds, as well as generating AC and DC power simultaneously in a variety of voltages.
Christopher Nelson, President of Cyclone, said, "Securing the partners needed to provide turn-key renewable power generator systems to our customers, both current and prospective, is an important part of our growth strategy. Aura has the generator technology, engineering team, production capabilities and resources to provide the electrical solution from start to finish. We are very pleased to be working with Aura and look forward to a long and successful working relationship".
Melvin Gagerman, Chairman and CEO of Aura, said, "We recognize the uniqueness of Cyclone's engine technology and the talents of its engineering team. This is an attractive partnership for Aura that we think provides an excellent market extension for our AuraGen product line".
Growing demand for Renewable energy
www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au
27 Aug 2012
THE new 2012 Australian Energy Update report shows strong growth in the use of renewable energy, according to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE). "Renewable energy (excluding biomass) recorded the strongest consumption growth in 2010 11 at 21%, followed by natural gas and oil consumption which both increased by 7%" said BREE Executive Director and Chief Economist Professor Quentin Grafton.
"The strongest final energy consumption growth was observed in the mining and transport sectors. "Total energy consumption, including transformation activity, increased by 3% in 2010 11 to 6100 petajoules, supported by stronger economic growth". Total final energy consumption in Australia grew by 2% to 3839 petajoules in 2010 11. Total electricity generation remained, more or less unchanged at about 253 000 GWs in 2010 11 with declines in coal-fired generation offset by increased generation from natural gas and renewable energy sources (including solar, wind and hydroelectric).
"A 3% fall in energy production in 2010-11 to 16,640 petajoules, reflected lower production of coal, crude oil and uranium oxide primarily due to weather-related events" according to Professor Grafton. "Energy statistics and their analysis are critical to industry, government and the community to make better decisions about our energy future,
2012 Australian Energy Update
27 Aug 2012
THE new 2012 Australian Energy Update report shows strong growth in the use of renewable energy, according to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE). "Renewable energy (excluding biomass) recorded the strongest consumption growth in 2010 11 at 21%, followed by natural gas and oil consumption which both increased by 7%" said BREE Executive Director and Chief Economist Professor Quentin Grafton.
"The strongest final energy consumption growth was observed in the mining and transport sectors. "Total energy consumption, including transformation activity, increased by 3% in 2010 11 to 6100 petajoules, supported by stronger economic growth". Total final energy consumption in Australia grew by 2% to 3839 petajoules in 2010 11. Total electricity generation remained, more or less unchanged at about 253 000 GWs in 2010 11 with declines in coal-fired generation offset by increased generation from natural gas and renewable energy sources (including solar, wind and hydroelectric).
"A 3% fall in energy production in 2010-11 to 16,640 petajoules, reflected lower production of coal, crude oil and uranium oxide primarily due to weather-related events" according to Professor Grafton. "Energy statistics and their analysis are critical to industry, government and the community to make better decisions about our energy future,
2012 Australian Energy Update
One in five big Japan firms wants exit from atomic power by 2030
www.reuters.com
27 Aug 2012
(Reuters)-About one in five big Japanese firms wants to see the share of nuclear power in the electricity supply reduced to zero by 2030, a Reuters poll showed, amid a growing anti-nuclear clamor after last year's Fukushima atomic disaster. But underlining concerns about a rise in energy costs without atomic power, the rest of the respondents supported a continued role for nuclear power, with the biggest group opting for a share of 15%.
The poll comes as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda considers options for a medium-term energy plan while vowing to reduce reliance on atomic energy without saying by how much or when. Energy policy has become a major headache for Noda and his Democratic Party of Japan, its ratings battered ahead of a general election likely to take place in November and give the ruling party a drubbing.
The government is considering three options for its energy portfolio: reduce nuclear power's role to zero as soon as possible, aim at 15% by 2030, or seek a 20 25% share by the same date. The share was about 30% before the disaster, which forced the government to scrap a 2010 plan to boost nuclear power's share to more than half of electricity needs by 2030. In the Reuters poll, 19% of big firms sought to cut nuclear power's role to zero, but 39% called for 15% by 2030, as a majority of companies brace for slower economic growth as reliance on nuclear power declines.
One-quarter said they wanted to see a 20 25% share and the remainder called for even greater percentages, according to the poll of 400 big firms, taken alongside the monthly Reuters Tankan business sentiment survey. A total of 268 responded during the August 6 21 survey period.
The poll reflects to some extent the stance of Japan's major business lobby, Keidanren, which advocates the need for nuclear power out of concern that high energy costs could force firms to move overseas, costing jobs and growth. "It's unrealistic for Japan to ditch nuclear power in 15 years or so", one rubber company said in the survey. "It should inevitably become around 15% while we seek alternative energy sources for overage reactors". The poll compared with a government survey of nearly 300 people which showed almost half-by far the largest group-favored the zero option.
Meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused radiation to spew over large areas, forcing more than 160,0000 people to flee. In the following months, all of Japan's remaining reactors were shut for safety checks. Two reactors resumed operations last month. The Reuters poll found 85% seeking more strict safety standards and measures for restarting the rest of the reactors which remain shut, mostly for safety checks.
To cope with increased electricity costs amid a prolonged shutdown of reactors, 69% said they would cut expenditure and 36% would seek cheaper power suppliers, according to the poll, which allowed respondents multiple choices. Underlining conditions of prolonged deflation, 26% said they would pass the cost on to their customers, while 13% would shift operations out of Japan, according to the poll. Since last year's disaster, 15% of firms have boosted in-house power generation, while 80% made no change in their power procurement, the poll showed.
27 Aug 2012
(Reuters)-About one in five big Japanese firms wants to see the share of nuclear power in the electricity supply reduced to zero by 2030, a Reuters poll showed, amid a growing anti-nuclear clamor after last year's Fukushima atomic disaster. But underlining concerns about a rise in energy costs without atomic power, the rest of the respondents supported a continued role for nuclear power, with the biggest group opting for a share of 15%.
The poll comes as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda considers options for a medium-term energy plan while vowing to reduce reliance on atomic energy without saying by how much or when. Energy policy has become a major headache for Noda and his Democratic Party of Japan, its ratings battered ahead of a general election likely to take place in November and give the ruling party a drubbing.
The government is considering three options for its energy portfolio: reduce nuclear power's role to zero as soon as possible, aim at 15% by 2030, or seek a 20 25% share by the same date. The share was about 30% before the disaster, which forced the government to scrap a 2010 plan to boost nuclear power's share to more than half of electricity needs by 2030. In the Reuters poll, 19% of big firms sought to cut nuclear power's role to zero, but 39% called for 15% by 2030, as a majority of companies brace for slower economic growth as reliance on nuclear power declines.
One-quarter said they wanted to see a 20 25% share and the remainder called for even greater percentages, according to the poll of 400 big firms, taken alongside the monthly Reuters Tankan business sentiment survey. A total of 268 responded during the August 6 21 survey period.
The poll reflects to some extent the stance of Japan's major business lobby, Keidanren, which advocates the need for nuclear power out of concern that high energy costs could force firms to move overseas, costing jobs and growth. "It's unrealistic for Japan to ditch nuclear power in 15 years or so", one rubber company said in the survey. "It should inevitably become around 15% while we seek alternative energy sources for overage reactors". The poll compared with a government survey of nearly 300 people which showed almost half-by far the largest group-favored the zero option.
Meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused radiation to spew over large areas, forcing more than 160,0000 people to flee. In the following months, all of Japan's remaining reactors were shut for safety checks. Two reactors resumed operations last month. The Reuters poll found 85% seeking more strict safety standards and measures for restarting the rest of the reactors which remain shut, mostly for safety checks.
To cope with increased electricity costs amid a prolonged shutdown of reactors, 69% said they would cut expenditure and 36% would seek cheaper power suppliers, according to the poll, which allowed respondents multiple choices. Underlining conditions of prolonged deflation, 26% said they would pass the cost on to their customers, while 13% would shift operations out of Japan, according to the poll. Since last year's disaster, 15% of firms have boosted in-house power generation, while 80% made no change in their power procurement, the poll showed.
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Report warns of India nuclear power safety
www.upi.com
23 Aug 2012
NEW DELHI, Aug. 23 (UPI)--An Indian government auditing agency criticized India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board for not being truly autonomous and for its lack of a radiation safety policy. India's Comptroller and Auditor General, in a report released Wednesday, warned that a Fukushima or Chernobyl-like disaster could occur in India if the government doesn't address nuclear safety, NDTV reports.
While AERB is responsible for supervising safety issues for the plants, it doesn't have power to make rules, enforce compliance or impose penalty in cases of nuclear safety oversight, the report states. No legislative framework is in place for decommissioning of nuclear power plants, says CAG. Furthermore, AERB doesn't have a mandate other than the prescribing of codes, guides and safety manuals on decommissioning.
The report says that in the 13 years since AERB's safety manual was issued, "none of the nuclear power plants in the country, including those operating for 30 years, and those which had been shut down, had any decommissioning plan". India's 20 nuclear plants have an installed capacity of 4,780 MWs. The government aims to generate 20,000 MWs of power from nuclear power by 2020. But proposed construction sites have faced fierce opposition from locals and activists.
The auditing agency also said that AERB had no radiation safety policy in place. "At the policy level, AERB has not yet prepared a radiation safety policy even after three decades of its existence. Standard setting is an essential part of the functions of a regulatory authority", the report said. AERB Secretary R. Bhattacharya told the publication Livemint that "there's no document that says 'Radiation Safety Policy,' but we have detailed codes and guides on managing ionising and non-ionising radiation". "It's at the core of what we do", Bhattacharya said.
Independent experts say changes are necessary at AERB. "The formation of AERB has never been an open, transparent process", Livemint quoted M.P. Ram Mohan, a fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute and a nuclear policy researcher, as saying. "Also, a law to manage hazardous nuclear waste has been in draft discussions for years now. Hopefully, CAG's report could trigger some action".
NTPC, the country's largest power producer, separately announced this week that it has put on hold its plans to set up nuclear power projects jointly with Nuclear Power Corporation of India, reports The Hindu newspaper. An unnamed NTPC official in The Hindu report said around 40 engineers from NPCIL's Mumbai office who were being trained to build nuclear plants have been relocated to NTPC's thermal power plants.
23 Aug 2012
NEW DELHI, Aug. 23 (UPI)--An Indian government auditing agency criticized India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board for not being truly autonomous and for its lack of a radiation safety policy. India's Comptroller and Auditor General, in a report released Wednesday, warned that a Fukushima or Chernobyl-like disaster could occur in India if the government doesn't address nuclear safety, NDTV reports.
While AERB is responsible for supervising safety issues for the plants, it doesn't have power to make rules, enforce compliance or impose penalty in cases of nuclear safety oversight, the report states. No legislative framework is in place for decommissioning of nuclear power plants, says CAG. Furthermore, AERB doesn't have a mandate other than the prescribing of codes, guides and safety manuals on decommissioning.
The report says that in the 13 years since AERB's safety manual was issued, "none of the nuclear power plants in the country, including those operating for 30 years, and those which had been shut down, had any decommissioning plan". India's 20 nuclear plants have an installed capacity of 4,780 MWs. The government aims to generate 20,000 MWs of power from nuclear power by 2020. But proposed construction sites have faced fierce opposition from locals and activists.
The auditing agency also said that AERB had no radiation safety policy in place. "At the policy level, AERB has not yet prepared a radiation safety policy even after three decades of its existence. Standard setting is an essential part of the functions of a regulatory authority", the report said. AERB Secretary R. Bhattacharya told the publication Livemint that "there's no document that says 'Radiation Safety Policy,' but we have detailed codes and guides on managing ionising and non-ionising radiation". "It's at the core of what we do", Bhattacharya said.
Independent experts say changes are necessary at AERB. "The formation of AERB has never been an open, transparent process", Livemint quoted M.P. Ram Mohan, a fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute and a nuclear policy researcher, as saying. "Also, a law to manage hazardous nuclear waste has been in draft discussions for years now. Hopefully, CAG's report could trigger some action".
NTPC, the country's largest power producer, separately announced this week that it has put on hold its plans to set up nuclear power projects jointly with Nuclear Power Corporation of India, reports The Hindu newspaper. An unnamed NTPC official in The Hindu report said around 40 engineers from NPCIL's Mumbai office who were being trained to build nuclear plants have been relocated to NTPC's thermal power plants.
Electricity prices spark welcome political collaboration
Clean Energy Council
23 Aug 2012
Today's inquiry into Australia's rising electricity prices is welcome news for both consumers and the clean energy industry, according to the Clean Energy Council. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said rising electricity prices could only be addressed through political collaboration and a genuine will to address the issue in good faith for the benefit of all consumers.
"The news that all sides of politics will work together on this issue is extremely welcome. There is no silver bullet solution to rising power bills, but the kinds of steps that we have seen in Parliament today are very much in the right direction", Mr Green said.
The Australian Parliament also passed the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Bill today and a progress report was released on the National Energy Savings Initiative-a policy designed to help consumers save on their bills through and reduce peak electricity demand.
Mr Green said energy efficiency was one of the most effective policy solutions that governments could introduce to both reduce emissions and protect consumers from rising electricity bills.
"Although all sides of politics recognise the value of using energy more efficiently, the devil is well and truly in the detail. Brokering a coordinated national solution to energy efficiency across jurisdictions remains a substantial challenge, but it was extremely heartening to see bipartisan support for today's Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Bill in the Parliament", he said.
Mr Green said a smarter energy system was required which empowered consumers to make more efficient use of the power we all need to use. "The inquiry is a great opportunity for the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors to drive real change in the market, removing the barriers in the national framework to their ongoing development".
23 Aug 2012
Today's inquiry into Australia's rising electricity prices is welcome news for both consumers and the clean energy industry, according to the Clean Energy Council. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said rising electricity prices could only be addressed through political collaboration and a genuine will to address the issue in good faith for the benefit of all consumers."The news that all sides of politics will work together on this issue is extremely welcome. There is no silver bullet solution to rising power bills, but the kinds of steps that we have seen in Parliament today are very much in the right direction", Mr Green said.
The Australian Parliament also passed the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Bill today and a progress report was released on the National Energy Savings Initiative-a policy designed to help consumers save on their bills through and reduce peak electricity demand.
Mr Green said energy efficiency was one of the most effective policy solutions that governments could introduce to both reduce emissions and protect consumers from rising electricity bills.
"Although all sides of politics recognise the value of using energy more efficiently, the devil is well and truly in the detail. Brokering a coordinated national solution to energy efficiency across jurisdictions remains a substantial challenge, but it was extremely heartening to see bipartisan support for today's Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Bill in the Parliament", he said.
Mr Green said a smarter energy system was required which empowered consumers to make more efficient use of the power we all need to use. "The inquiry is a great opportunity for the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors to drive real change in the market, removing the barriers in the national framework to their ongoing development".
Wave energy facility operational
democratherald.com
22 Aug 2012
(US) NEWPORT — One of the first public wave energy testing systems in the United States began operation this week off the Oregon coast near Newport. It will allow private industry and academic researchers to test new technology. The Ocean Sentinel is a $1.5 million device developed by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center, or NNMREC, at Oregon State University.
OSU described it as "a major step forward for the future of wave energy" and said it should do its first testing within days — a "WetNZ" device developed by private industry.
The mobile wave energy test device will be used by many companies and academic researchers in the quest to develop wave energy technology, measure and understand the wave resource, and study the energy output and other important issues, OSU said.
"The Ocean Sentinel will provide a standardized, accurate system to compare various wave energy technologies, including systems that may be better for one type of wave situation or another," said Sean Moran, ocean test facilities manager with NNMREC.
"We have to find out more about which technologies work best, in what conditions, and what environmental impacts there may be," Moran said. "We're not assuming anything. We're first trying to answer the question, 'Is this a good idea or not?' And if some technology doesn't work as well, we want to find that out quickly, and cheaply, and the Ocean Sentinel will help us do that."
Experts say that, unlike some alternative energy forms such as wind power, it's probable that no one technology will dominate the wave energy field.
Read More…
22 Aug 2012
(US) NEWPORT — One of the first public wave energy testing systems in the United States began operation this week off the Oregon coast near Newport. It will allow private industry and academic researchers to test new technology. The Ocean Sentinel is a $1.5 million device developed by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center, or NNMREC, at Oregon State University.
OSU described it as "a major step forward for the future of wave energy" and said it should do its first testing within days — a "WetNZ" device developed by private industry.
The mobile wave energy test device will be used by many companies and academic researchers in the quest to develop wave energy technology, measure and understand the wave resource, and study the energy output and other important issues, OSU said.
"The Ocean Sentinel will provide a standardized, accurate system to compare various wave energy technologies, including systems that may be better for one type of wave situation or another," said Sean Moran, ocean test facilities manager with NNMREC.
"We have to find out more about which technologies work best, in what conditions, and what environmental impacts there may be," Moran said. "We're not assuming anything. We're first trying to answer the question, 'Is this a good idea or not?' And if some technology doesn't work as well, we want to find that out quickly, and cheaply, and the Ocean Sentinel will help us do that."
Experts say that, unlike some alternative energy forms such as wind power, it's probable that no one technology will dominate the wave energy field.
Read More…
Polymer-based organic solar cells set world record in efficiency
revmodo.com
22 Aug 2012
We can preach about the environmental benefits of solar power all we want, but until it costs the same as fossil fuels, we're not going to see energy companies tearing up oil fields to erect solar farms.
The good news is that the quest for cheaper solar power just took a giant leap forward: Chinese researchers set a new world record in power conversion efficiency for polymer-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. The 9.31% efficiency was certified by the Newport Technology & Application Center's Photovoltaic Lab in Long Beach, Calif.
Unlike traditional, rigid solar cells, organic solar cells are made from flexible polymer. Instead of bulky wires, polymer solar cells use organic electronics, a branch of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules. As a result, OPV is lightweight, has a better performance in low light and is easier to manufacture, making it a potentially cost-effective renewable energy technology on par with current conventional energy technologies. Organic solar cells do not require exotic and toxic materials, so the final solar cell is nontoxic, an important factor for end-of-lifetime disposal or recycling.
Read More…
22 Aug 2012
We can preach about the environmental benefits of solar power all we want, but until it costs the same as fossil fuels, we're not going to see energy companies tearing up oil fields to erect solar farms.
The good news is that the quest for cheaper solar power just took a giant leap forward: Chinese researchers set a new world record in power conversion efficiency for polymer-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. The 9.31% efficiency was certified by the Newport Technology & Application Center's Photovoltaic Lab in Long Beach, Calif.
Unlike traditional, rigid solar cells, organic solar cells are made from flexible polymer. Instead of bulky wires, polymer solar cells use organic electronics, a branch of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules. As a result, OPV is lightweight, has a better performance in low light and is easier to manufacture, making it a potentially cost-effective renewable energy technology on par with current conventional energy technologies. Organic solar cells do not require exotic and toxic materials, so the final solar cell is nontoxic, an important factor for end-of-lifetime disposal or recycling.
Read More…
Monday, 27 August 2012
BOC to fuel Scotland s first fleet of hydrogen buses
www.equities.com
BOC, the industrial gases and clean energy business, is to provide the refuelling technology for Scotland s first fleet of hydrogen-powered buses. The project, which includes funding from the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, the Technology Strategy Board and the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, aims to have 10 buses operating on the streets of Aberdeen by 2014.
Launching the programme at Aberdeen s Marischal Hall, Scotland s First Minister Alex Salmond said, Hydrogen buses will produce zero local emissions. Aberdeen is already Europe s offshore energy capital and this exciting new project can help position it as a leading city for low carbon technology and green transport. With a strong group of project partners, this initiative will boost Scotland s profile as a key hydrogen technology hub and a world-leading investment location for pioneering low carbon energy and transport systems.
Aberdeen City Council leader Barney Crockett commented: This funding is a vital contribution to Aberdeen City Council and its partners work to introduce a fleet of hydrogen buses to the area. I believe this initiative will stimulate further innovative hydrogen technology projects and attract even more high-level investment to this city. It is a crucial step towards Aberdeen becoming a world-leading, smart hydrogen city.
For BOC, a member of The Linde Group, the project represents another stage in establishing hydrogen power as a viable transport option in the UK. Nick Rolf, BOC Innovation Manager for Hydrogen Systems, noted: This will be the UK s largest demonstration of hydrogen fuel-cell buses and cements Aberdeen s position as a pioneer in the field of low carbon mobility. The project will also provide a template for the production of hydrogen from renewable sources on a scale that is unmatched elsewhere in the UK.
The hydrogen-powered buses will be operated on First and Stagecoach bus routes in the city by early 2014 and refuelled at Scotland s first commercial-scale hydrogen refuelling station, which will be owned and operated by BOC. The design of this state-of-the-art station will also allow the refuelling of hydrogen-powered passenger cars as they become available in the future.
A novel aspect of this project is that the hydrogen will be produced by electrolysis. A 1MWe electrolyser provided by BOC will split ordinary water into hydrogen and oxygen. Scottish & Southern Energy Power Distribution (SSEPD) will work with BOC to harness the electricity from a nearby wind farm to power the electrolyser which will also operate in a grid balancing capacity. The hydrogen produced will be stored for use with the bus fleet but can be converted back to electricity to supplement mains supplies at times of peak demand.
BOC, the industrial gases and clean energy business, is to provide the refuelling technology for Scotland s first fleet of hydrogen-powered buses. The project, which includes funding from the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, the Technology Strategy Board and the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, aims to have 10 buses operating on the streets of Aberdeen by 2014.
Launching the programme at Aberdeen s Marischal Hall, Scotland s First Minister Alex Salmond said, Hydrogen buses will produce zero local emissions. Aberdeen is already Europe s offshore energy capital and this exciting new project can help position it as a leading city for low carbon technology and green transport. With a strong group of project partners, this initiative will boost Scotland s profile as a key hydrogen technology hub and a world-leading investment location for pioneering low carbon energy and transport systems.
Aberdeen City Council leader Barney Crockett commented: This funding is a vital contribution to Aberdeen City Council and its partners work to introduce a fleet of hydrogen buses to the area. I believe this initiative will stimulate further innovative hydrogen technology projects and attract even more high-level investment to this city. It is a crucial step towards Aberdeen becoming a world-leading, smart hydrogen city.
For BOC, a member of The Linde Group, the project represents another stage in establishing hydrogen power as a viable transport option in the UK. Nick Rolf, BOC Innovation Manager for Hydrogen Systems, noted: This will be the UK s largest demonstration of hydrogen fuel-cell buses and cements Aberdeen s position as a pioneer in the field of low carbon mobility. The project will also provide a template for the production of hydrogen from renewable sources on a scale that is unmatched elsewhere in the UK.
The hydrogen-powered buses will be operated on First and Stagecoach bus routes in the city by early 2014 and refuelled at Scotland s first commercial-scale hydrogen refuelling station, which will be owned and operated by BOC. The design of this state-of-the-art station will also allow the refuelling of hydrogen-powered passenger cars as they become available in the future.
A novel aspect of this project is that the hydrogen will be produced by electrolysis. A 1MWe electrolyser provided by BOC will split ordinary water into hydrogen and oxygen. Scottish & Southern Energy Power Distribution (SSEPD) will work with BOC to harness the electricity from a nearby wind farm to power the electrolyser which will also operate in a grid balancing capacity. The hydrogen produced will be stored for use with the bus fleet but can be converted back to electricity to supplement mains supplies at times of peak demand.
Wind turns corner for green, ethical investors
www.irishtimes.com
21 Aug 2012
ETHICAL INVESTMENT-two words that you might imagine have gone somewhat out of fashion in these financially fatigued days. Not, it appears, when it comes to Northern Ireland, where the opportunity to "earn a return on an ethical investment" has inspired a new wave of investors to take a chance on a pioneering green energy venture.
Drumlin Wind Energy Co-operative-which hopes to raise up to £3.4 million to build the North's first community wind farm co-op-says it has been pleasantly surprised by the response to its public share offering.
The Drumlin Wind Energy Co-op launched its offering in Belfast in June and it has attracted more than £562,755 of investment so far-which its directors say has "exceeded expectations". The co-op wants to build and operate five 250kW single wind turbines in locations including Pomeroy, Kells, Larne and Ballyclare. Drumlin Wind was set up by Energy4All-a not-for-profit organisation in the UK owned by the community co-operatives it creates.
Energy4All emerged in the mid-1980s following the arrival in the UK of a Swedish company that successfully exported the Swedish concept of community ownership of wind farms. This led to the creation of the UK's first community wind farm co-op-Baywind in Cumbria-which now has more than 1,300 members and is proud to boast "profits".
Baywind created Energy4All to help other UK communities create locally owned wind farm ventures; today it administers a total of seven additional co-ops which have attracted more than £15 million of investment.
Drumlin Wind, which has a board of local directors, needs to raise minimum capital of £1.5 million to enable it to install two wind turbines in the North. If it fails to raise the minimum amount, everyone who has invested to date will get their money back.
Read More…
21 Aug 2012
ETHICAL INVESTMENT-two words that you might imagine have gone somewhat out of fashion in these financially fatigued days. Not, it appears, when it comes to Northern Ireland, where the opportunity to "earn a return on an ethical investment" has inspired a new wave of investors to take a chance on a pioneering green energy venture.
Drumlin Wind Energy Co-operative-which hopes to raise up to £3.4 million to build the North's first community wind farm co-op-says it has been pleasantly surprised by the response to its public share offering.
The Drumlin Wind Energy Co-op launched its offering in Belfast in June and it has attracted more than £562,755 of investment so far-which its directors say has "exceeded expectations". The co-op wants to build and operate five 250kW single wind turbines in locations including Pomeroy, Kells, Larne and Ballyclare. Drumlin Wind was set up by Energy4All-a not-for-profit organisation in the UK owned by the community co-operatives it creates.
Energy4All emerged in the mid-1980s following the arrival in the UK of a Swedish company that successfully exported the Swedish concept of community ownership of wind farms. This led to the creation of the UK's first community wind farm co-op-Baywind in Cumbria-which now has more than 1,300 members and is proud to boast "profits".
Baywind created Energy4All to help other UK communities create locally owned wind farm ventures; today it administers a total of seven additional co-ops which have attracted more than £15 million of investment.
Drumlin Wind, which has a board of local directors, needs to raise minimum capital of £1.5 million to enable it to install two wind turbines in the North. If it fails to raise the minimum amount, everyone who has invested to date will get their money back.
Read More…
Asia eyes green energy in Australia
www.theasset.com
21 Aug 2012
Renewable energy currently comprises around 9% of Australia's energy generation against the Australian Government's renewable energy target of reaching 20% generation by 2020.
With a carbon pricing scheme in place since July, along with several well funded federal and state government financing schemes, the shift to renewable energy has become one of the main themes in the Australian energy industry.
In addition to connecting renewable power to the national grid, there are a range of mining and infrastructure projects around the country which have started planning to use standalone and dedicated renewable sources, from wind to solar and even tidal power.
Wind ventures
With such a solid focus on increasing renewable output, the sector has attracted strong interest from international investors and energy companies. In keeping with the trend elsewhere in the economy, mainland Chinese companies have been prominent, particularly in wind, which is currently the most developed of the renewable sectors in Australia.
Investors from other Asian countries have been active as well, and their interest has spanned not only wind but also geothermal and bioenergy.
Perhaps the first of these forays was the Roaring 40s wind power joint venture, formed in 2005 by Hong Kong CLP Group and state-owned Hydro Tasmania. That venture was unwound last year with the assets being split between the partners, but in its six-year history, Roaring 40s was a major pioneer of wind farm development both in Australia and overseas, with projects in India, Hong Kong and mainland China.
In Australia, those wind projects were centred in South Australia-an early adopter with wind now comprising more than 30% of the state's energy mix-and in Hydro Tasmania's home state. In the break-up of the Roaring 40s joint venture, Hydro Tasmania took the Tasmanian projects while CLP Group emerged with the two South Australian wind farms.
Those assets were subsequently transferred to CLP Group's Australian subsidiary TRUEnergy, which is considering selling one of the wind farms, the 111MW (MW) Waterloo project. ANZ Bank was recently hired to advise on that sale.
TRUEnergy retains a 50% interest in the smaller 66MW Cathedral Rocks project, in partnership with Spanish company ACCIONA Energy. It also has plans for a large 180MW solar farm in Victoria, a plan which has received backing from Ted Baillieu, the current Premier of Victoria.
Read More…
21 Aug 2012
Renewable energy currently comprises around 9% of Australia's energy generation against the Australian Government's renewable energy target of reaching 20% generation by 2020.
With a carbon pricing scheme in place since July, along with several well funded federal and state government financing schemes, the shift to renewable energy has become one of the main themes in the Australian energy industry.
In addition to connecting renewable power to the national grid, there are a range of mining and infrastructure projects around the country which have started planning to use standalone and dedicated renewable sources, from wind to solar and even tidal power.
Wind ventures
With such a solid focus on increasing renewable output, the sector has attracted strong interest from international investors and energy companies. In keeping with the trend elsewhere in the economy, mainland Chinese companies have been prominent, particularly in wind, which is currently the most developed of the renewable sectors in Australia.
Investors from other Asian countries have been active as well, and their interest has spanned not only wind but also geothermal and bioenergy.
Perhaps the first of these forays was the Roaring 40s wind power joint venture, formed in 2005 by Hong Kong CLP Group and state-owned Hydro Tasmania. That venture was unwound last year with the assets being split between the partners, but in its six-year history, Roaring 40s was a major pioneer of wind farm development both in Australia and overseas, with projects in India, Hong Kong and mainland China.
In Australia, those wind projects were centred in South Australia-an early adopter with wind now comprising more than 30% of the state's energy mix-and in Hydro Tasmania's home state. In the break-up of the Roaring 40s joint venture, Hydro Tasmania took the Tasmanian projects while CLP Group emerged with the two South Australian wind farms.
Those assets were subsequently transferred to CLP Group's Australian subsidiary TRUEnergy, which is considering selling one of the wind farms, the 111MW (MW) Waterloo project. ANZ Bank was recently hired to advise on that sale.
TRUEnergy retains a 50% interest in the smaller 66MW Cathedral Rocks project, in partnership with Spanish company ACCIONA Energy. It also has plans for a large 180MW solar farm in Victoria, a plan which has received backing from Ted Baillieu, the current Premier of Victoria.
Read More…
Thursday, 23 August 2012
How offshore wind turbines could be more efficient
phys.org
17 Aug 2012
As wind farms are increasingly sited offshore rather than on land, and installed at water depths of up to 40 metres, a Cambridge University engineer is urging the wind power industry to look again at the design of the heavy supporting towers and foundations used out at sea in order to improve the energy payback achieved.
Jim Platts of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) believes that the wind power sector could achieve significantly higher payback ratios if turbine manufacturers used guyed towers (towers held in place by steel cables) made in composite materials rather than free-standing towers made in conventional steel materials.
A preliminary study undertaken at IfM suggests that payback ratios for offshore wind farms could be doubled if the industry embraced new construction methods.
"The development of the wind turbine industry, and the way in which it works with the civil engineers who make the heavy supporting towers and foundations, which are not visible out at sea once the turbines are installed, mean that we have ignored something which is almost embarrassingly obvious in our race to meet the targets set for renewable energy production", said Platts.
"We urgently need to reduce the high levels of energy embedded in offshore wind turbines which make them both ineffective in energy payback and costly in financial terms. We can do this fairly easily if we invest in more innovative methods for making and installing the towers and foundations that support them".
Read More…
17 Aug 2012
As wind farms are increasingly sited offshore rather than on land, and installed at water depths of up to 40 metres, a Cambridge University engineer is urging the wind power industry to look again at the design of the heavy supporting towers and foundations used out at sea in order to improve the energy payback achieved.Jim Platts of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) believes that the wind power sector could achieve significantly higher payback ratios if turbine manufacturers used guyed towers (towers held in place by steel cables) made in composite materials rather than free-standing towers made in conventional steel materials.
A preliminary study undertaken at IfM suggests that payback ratios for offshore wind farms could be doubled if the industry embraced new construction methods.
"The development of the wind turbine industry, and the way in which it works with the civil engineers who make the heavy supporting towers and foundations, which are not visible out at sea once the turbines are installed, mean that we have ignored something which is almost embarrassingly obvious in our race to meet the targets set for renewable energy production", said Platts.
"We urgently need to reduce the high levels of energy embedded in offshore wind turbines which make them both ineffective in energy payback and costly in financial terms. We can do this fairly easily if we invest in more innovative methods for making and installing the towers and foundations that support them".
Read More…
Renewable energy sparks new interest from investors
au.news.yahoo.com
20 Aug 2012
Australia is tipped to figure prominently in takeover activity across the power utility sector over the next couple of years as investors eye renewable energy assets and the NSW privatisation. PricewaterhouseCooper's half-yearly analysis of the Asia Pacific power sector out today says the new carbon tax and the plan to source 20% of Australia's electricity from renewable sources by 2020 is fuelling interest in renewable energy assets.
There is also a growing focus on the proposed privatisation of NSW's remaining power stations. PwC says interest is both from Australian energy retailers and "a number of Asian players looking at the opportunity to acquire substantial generation capacity".
Chinese companies could figure prominently as they are increasingly looking for growth offshore to make up for domestic tariff restrictions which limit their ability to pass on costs. Both Chinese and Japanese groups have been active in Australia over the past few years, including China Shenhua's purchase of windfarms in Tasmania last year.
The value of M&A deals in the Asia Pacific sector more than tripled in the June half to $US23.6 billion ($22.6 billion) from $US7.5 billion for the same time last year. But $US12.5 billion of the latest figure was attributable to the partial nationalisation of the scandal-plagued Tokyo Electrical Power Company in the wake of last year's earthquake and tsunami. Significantly, deal-making in renewable energy held firm during the June half at $US680 million, while the rest of the world more than halved.
20 Aug 2012
Australia is tipped to figure prominently in takeover activity across the power utility sector over the next couple of years as investors eye renewable energy assets and the NSW privatisation. PricewaterhouseCooper's half-yearly analysis of the Asia Pacific power sector out today says the new carbon tax and the plan to source 20% of Australia's electricity from renewable sources by 2020 is fuelling interest in renewable energy assets.
There is also a growing focus on the proposed privatisation of NSW's remaining power stations. PwC says interest is both from Australian energy retailers and "a number of Asian players looking at the opportunity to acquire substantial generation capacity".
Chinese companies could figure prominently as they are increasingly looking for growth offshore to make up for domestic tariff restrictions which limit their ability to pass on costs. Both Chinese and Japanese groups have been active in Australia over the past few years, including China Shenhua's purchase of windfarms in Tasmania last year.
The value of M&A deals in the Asia Pacific sector more than tripled in the June half to $US23.6 billion ($22.6 billion) from $US7.5 billion for the same time last year. But $US12.5 billion of the latest figure was attributable to the partial nationalisation of the scandal-plagued Tokyo Electrical Power Company in the wake of last year's earthquake and tsunami. Significantly, deal-making in renewable energy held firm during the June half at $US680 million, while the rest of the world more than halved.
As smart electric grid evolves, engineers show how to include solar technologies
phys.org
17 Aug 2012
Reza Arghandeh of Blacksburg, Va., a doctoral candidate in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, won the best student paper award at the 20th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, held in conjunction with the American Society of Mechanical Engineering Power 2012 Conference at Anaheim, Calif.. His advisor is Robert Broadwater, professor of electrical and computer engineering, who specializes in electric power system analysis and design.
In their paper, they acknowledge that solar power resources are "intermittent, seasonal, and non-dispatchable". However, the current national climate with its deregulation policies, electricity tariffs, control strategies and demand management are "significant tools for flexible and resilient operation of power systems with photovoltaic adoption levels", Arghandeh argued.
"Selling the household generated electricity into the electric energy market and the storage of electricity in storage systems and demand control systems provide a variety of economic opportunities for customers and utility companies to use more renewable resources", he added.
Some residential houses are already doing just this-selling power back to an electrical distribution industry. But Arghandeh and Broadwater's work provides an optimization algorithm for a Distributed Energy Storage (DES) system on a broad scale. The system they developed presents a fleet of batteries connected to distribution transformers. The storage system can then be used for withholding distributed photovoltaic power before it is bid to market, Arghandeh explained.
"Withholding distributed photovoltaic power, probably gained from rooftop panels, represents a gaming method to realize higher revenues due to the time varying cost of electricity", he said.
Read More…
17 Aug 2012
Reza Arghandeh of Blacksburg, Va., a doctoral candidate in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, won the best student paper award at the 20th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, held in conjunction with the American Society of Mechanical Engineering Power 2012 Conference at Anaheim, Calif.. His advisor is Robert Broadwater, professor of electrical and computer engineering, who specializes in electric power system analysis and design.
In their paper, they acknowledge that solar power resources are "intermittent, seasonal, and non-dispatchable". However, the current national climate with its deregulation policies, electricity tariffs, control strategies and demand management are "significant tools for flexible and resilient operation of power systems with photovoltaic adoption levels", Arghandeh argued.
"Selling the household generated electricity into the electric energy market and the storage of electricity in storage systems and demand control systems provide a variety of economic opportunities for customers and utility companies to use more renewable resources", he added.
Some residential houses are already doing just this-selling power back to an electrical distribution industry. But Arghandeh and Broadwater's work provides an optimization algorithm for a Distributed Energy Storage (DES) system on a broad scale. The system they developed presents a fleet of batteries connected to distribution transformers. The storage system can then be used for withholding distributed photovoltaic power before it is bid to market, Arghandeh explained.
"Withholding distributed photovoltaic power, probably gained from rooftop panels, represents a gaming method to realize higher revenues due to the time varying cost of electricity", he said.
Read More…
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Solar electricity generation makes a lot of cents
www.power-eng.com
12 Aug 2012
The outlook for makers of photovoltaic cells is much sunnier in Australia than New Zealand. feed-in tariffs in Australia, which see homeowners paid good prices for what energy their solar panels produce above what they use, has driven a 431% increase in the installations of solar panels there since 2010. In New Zealand, there are about 20,000 solar installations-just over 1% of the country's 1.6 million houses. Europe accounts for about 71% of the world's installed solar capacity.
Roy and Jenny Gardner installed 10 solar panels on their southern English home about a year ago and expect to see the scheme pay for itself in under a decade. "They make enough money to pay for our electricity annually", Mrs Gardner said. "We are paid 43 pence [86¢] for every unit generated and a further 3 pence [6¢] for half the units produced. The government has since been cutting down on the units paid and anyone now investing in this scheme will now only be paid 16 pence [32¢] a unit".
Despite the cut, Ivan Posa, who spent $25,000 on 20 solar panels at his Hamilton home three years ago, envies the British scheme. His family bulldozed an old home on their rural Tuhikaramea Rd section two years ago and began building a four-bedroom home which they crowned with 20 solar panels.
Solar power, installed by specialists What Power Crisis, were complemented by a $20,000 wind turbine which, together, should make the Posas self sufficient. Mr Posa, a retired farmer, cannot be certain how self sufficient he, wife Deb, and children Mili, 17, and Zach, 15, are but guesses it is about 80% at the moment. That is with an unfinished house and underfloor heating, an idea borrowed from ancient Rome, which Mr Posa jokes would cause the lights in Hamilton to go out if it was turned on full bore.
"When I started the house building I thought it was an opportunity to install solar panels from the start", he said. "It's hard to work out where power pricing is going to go and the price of panels is relatively competitive at the moment". In fact, the cost of photovoltaic cells has fallen by about 80% this year to about $1.25 a watt, causing the likes of WEL Networks to investigate the economic viability of building solar power stations in the region.
WEL Networks chief executive Dr Julian Elder said the British market had experienced unprecedented growth. "New Zealand is well behind Europe due to many factors, but mainly the lack of feed-in tariffs and subsidies". At the moment an abundance of renewable energy, such as hydroelectric and wind, meant it was more cost-effective for power generators to expand existing facilities such as the Te Uku wind farm. Mark Hanson, acting communications manager for retail at Mighty River Power, said the state-owned company was not involved in any form of solar power investigation. "The company's priority is with its geothermal programme and potential wind farm developments,' he said.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority chief executive Mike Underhill said: "We have a high amount of untapped large-scale renewable energy. The other thing that we have got is a high number of renewable power stations. There's 3000 MWs of current available from consented sites and if they come off that's where the new generation is going to come from for the next 15 to 20 years".
But from a homeowner's perspective, hooking a home up to solar panels is a no-brainer. Just three weeks ago a similar sized photovoltaic project at the Forlong family home in Howden Rd, Frankton, where the same company installed 18 solar panels, cost $12,000. Dad Howard Forlong, a director at Forlongs department store in Frankton, got the idea from a stall at the National Agricultural Fieldays.
When he sat down with a chartered accountant he realised that installing the panels at the house he shares with his wife, Helen, and children Harrison, 17, Stephanie, 16, and Jonathan, 13, would pay for itself in about seven years. "It's got a 9.6% return on investment, compared to 4% if I put it in the bank". he said.
In the three weeks since he threw the switch he has saved $22 on his power bill. As well as generating their own electricity, both the Posa and Forlong families receive a one-for-one credit for energy they do not use that is fed into the national grid. That means their solar panels can earn them money on a sunny day when they are out or on holiday. "We are on an import and export tariff", Mr Posa said. "We tend to use a lot more [and export less] in the winter and use a lot less [and export more] in the summer. It's hard for us to put an exact figure on it at the moment".
Britton Broun, media adviser to the Economic Development Group for the Business, Innovation and Employment Ministry, said New Zealand differed from other countries as it had a national electricity system dominated by grid-scale renewable generation. "Last year, 77% of New Zealand's electricity came from renewable sources. This is one of the highest levels of renewable electricity generation in the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development].
"The government has a target of generating 90% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025, so more grid-scale renewable electricity generation is anticipated. Consequently, there is less drive for domestic-scale renewable electricity generation here than in many other countries. Instead, the government's push has tended to be for more energy-efficient homes through insulation standards, efficient household heating, and encouraging energy efficiency".
12 Aug 2012
The outlook for makers of photovoltaic cells is much sunnier in Australia than New Zealand. feed-in tariffs in Australia, which see homeowners paid good prices for what energy their solar panels produce above what they use, has driven a 431% increase in the installations of solar panels there since 2010. In New Zealand, there are about 20,000 solar installations-just over 1% of the country's 1.6 million houses. Europe accounts for about 71% of the world's installed solar capacity.
Roy and Jenny Gardner installed 10 solar panels on their southern English home about a year ago and expect to see the scheme pay for itself in under a decade. "They make enough money to pay for our electricity annually", Mrs Gardner said. "We are paid 43 pence [86¢] for every unit generated and a further 3 pence [6¢] for half the units produced. The government has since been cutting down on the units paid and anyone now investing in this scheme will now only be paid 16 pence [32¢] a unit".
Despite the cut, Ivan Posa, who spent $25,000 on 20 solar panels at his Hamilton home three years ago, envies the British scheme. His family bulldozed an old home on their rural Tuhikaramea Rd section two years ago and began building a four-bedroom home which they crowned with 20 solar panels.
Solar power, installed by specialists What Power Crisis, were complemented by a $20,000 wind turbine which, together, should make the Posas self sufficient. Mr Posa, a retired farmer, cannot be certain how self sufficient he, wife Deb, and children Mili, 17, and Zach, 15, are but guesses it is about 80% at the moment. That is with an unfinished house and underfloor heating, an idea borrowed from ancient Rome, which Mr Posa jokes would cause the lights in Hamilton to go out if it was turned on full bore.
"When I started the house building I thought it was an opportunity to install solar panels from the start", he said. "It's hard to work out where power pricing is going to go and the price of panels is relatively competitive at the moment". In fact, the cost of photovoltaic cells has fallen by about 80% this year to about $1.25 a watt, causing the likes of WEL Networks to investigate the economic viability of building solar power stations in the region.
WEL Networks chief executive Dr Julian Elder said the British market had experienced unprecedented growth. "New Zealand is well behind Europe due to many factors, but mainly the lack of feed-in tariffs and subsidies". At the moment an abundance of renewable energy, such as hydroelectric and wind, meant it was more cost-effective for power generators to expand existing facilities such as the Te Uku wind farm. Mark Hanson, acting communications manager for retail at Mighty River Power, said the state-owned company was not involved in any form of solar power investigation. "The company's priority is with its geothermal programme and potential wind farm developments,' he said.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority chief executive Mike Underhill said: "We have a high amount of untapped large-scale renewable energy. The other thing that we have got is a high number of renewable power stations. There's 3000 MWs of current available from consented sites and if they come off that's where the new generation is going to come from for the next 15 to 20 years".
But from a homeowner's perspective, hooking a home up to solar panels is a no-brainer. Just three weeks ago a similar sized photovoltaic project at the Forlong family home in Howden Rd, Frankton, where the same company installed 18 solar panels, cost $12,000. Dad Howard Forlong, a director at Forlongs department store in Frankton, got the idea from a stall at the National Agricultural Fieldays.
When he sat down with a chartered accountant he realised that installing the panels at the house he shares with his wife, Helen, and children Harrison, 17, Stephanie, 16, and Jonathan, 13, would pay for itself in about seven years. "It's got a 9.6% return on investment, compared to 4% if I put it in the bank". he said.
In the three weeks since he threw the switch he has saved $22 on his power bill. As well as generating their own electricity, both the Posa and Forlong families receive a one-for-one credit for energy they do not use that is fed into the national grid. That means their solar panels can earn them money on a sunny day when they are out or on holiday. "We are on an import and export tariff", Mr Posa said. "We tend to use a lot more [and export less] in the winter and use a lot less [and export more] in the summer. It's hard for us to put an exact figure on it at the moment".
Britton Broun, media adviser to the Economic Development Group for the Business, Innovation and Employment Ministry, said New Zealand differed from other countries as it had a national electricity system dominated by grid-scale renewable generation. "Last year, 77% of New Zealand's electricity came from renewable sources. This is one of the highest levels of renewable electricity generation in the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development].
"The government has a target of generating 90% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025, so more grid-scale renewable electricity generation is anticipated. Consequently, there is less drive for domestic-scale renewable electricity generation here than in many other countries. Instead, the government's push has tended to be for more energy-efficient homes through insulation standards, efficient household heating, and encouraging energy efficiency".
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Reaping the rewards of wind power
www.power-eng.com
13 Aug 2012
ONE OF THE biggest renewable energy projects every conceived of in this country is the Spirit of Ireland. First proposed three years ago, it envisages using coastal-based pump storage facilities to turn Ireland into a net exporter of electricity. The proposal, which was first conceived by TCD Professor of Applied Physics Igor Shvets, seeks to resolve the biggest issues facing those involved in wind generated electricity, namely what to do when the wind is not blowing.
Some 50 potential sites have been located along Ireland s Atlantic coast. The Spirit of Ireland would use the excess energy generated by several large wind farms to pump seawater up to a reservoir at the top of a cliff. The water is released when the wind is slack, turning a turbine which generates huge amounts of electricity. Pump storage is a proven technology that is used in countries such as Italy and Japan to generate electricity. There is a small one at Turlough Hill in Co Wicklow. What puts the Spirit of Ireland on another level is the use of seawater for electricity generation.
The proposal is still in the planning stages, but the backers of Spirit of Ireland are hoping that it will be the largest part of a mosaic of interlocking renewable energy projects in the future. The overall cost of the project is estimated at EUR 3.6 billion. The first round of sourcing funding has been taking place over the last month and it is hoped to raise seed capital which will be used to fund environmental assessments and initial outlines of the Spirit of Ireland project with the aim to have it built within five to six years.
In the meantime, the Spirit of Ireland group has set up Irish Energy Co-operatives. The purpose behind the project is to form a network of community-based renewable energy initiatives to feed into a common grid.
Read More…
13 Aug 2012
ONE OF THE biggest renewable energy projects every conceived of in this country is the Spirit of Ireland. First proposed three years ago, it envisages using coastal-based pump storage facilities to turn Ireland into a net exporter of electricity. The proposal, which was first conceived by TCD Professor of Applied Physics Igor Shvets, seeks to resolve the biggest issues facing those involved in wind generated electricity, namely what to do when the wind is not blowing.
Some 50 potential sites have been located along Ireland s Atlantic coast. The Spirit of Ireland would use the excess energy generated by several large wind farms to pump seawater up to a reservoir at the top of a cliff. The water is released when the wind is slack, turning a turbine which generates huge amounts of electricity. Pump storage is a proven technology that is used in countries such as Italy and Japan to generate electricity. There is a small one at Turlough Hill in Co Wicklow. What puts the Spirit of Ireland on another level is the use of seawater for electricity generation.
The proposal is still in the planning stages, but the backers of Spirit of Ireland are hoping that it will be the largest part of a mosaic of interlocking renewable energy projects in the future. The overall cost of the project is estimated at EUR 3.6 billion. The first round of sourcing funding has been taking place over the last month and it is hoped to raise seed capital which will be used to fund environmental assessments and initial outlines of the Spirit of Ireland project with the aim to have it built within five to six years.
In the meantime, the Spirit of Ireland group has set up Irish Energy Co-operatives. The purpose behind the project is to form a network of community-based renewable energy initiatives to feed into a common grid.
Read More…
Cape Cod wind farm tiptoes ahead
online.wsj.com
10 Aug 2012
Philip Scudder said his ferry company here was once a vocal opponent of the alternative-energy proposal that blew into Cape Cod nearly a decade ago. The US's first offshore wind farm? In the middle of pristine Nantucket Sound? He wondered how his boats carrying vacationers bound for Martha's Vineyard would navigate around the turbines.
But now, Mr. Scudder, a 13th generation Cape Codder and part of the family that owns Hy-Line Cruises, supports Cape Wind, the proposal to place 130 wind turbines, with the highest blade tip reaching 440 feet above water, some five miles offshore. He says it would bring not only clean energy but economic opportunity: Hy-Line is now shopping for vessels to eventually give "eco-tours", educational boat rides out to see the turbines up close.
Mr. Scudder illustrates the conflicting views on the long-debated project in an area known as the jewel of Massachusetts and a vacation land for the affluent. After a decade, Cape Wind developer Energy Management Inc, is beginning geological survey work in the sound, a precursor to its goal of starting construction next year.
But whether the wind farm is built remains to be seen. Cape Wind has yet to receive all the approvals it needs to start construction. Opposition is firm and has included wealthy Cape Cod homeowners from the late Sen. Edward Kennedy to Republican donor and energy businessman William Koch.
The Obama administration is pushing for more renewable-energy projects, both on and offshore. This week, the Interior Department said it was assessing a proposal by the North American arm of Statoil STO +0.20% ASA, a Norwegian energy company, for a wind farm off the coast of Maine.
The Interior Department approved Cape Wind in 2010. The project calls for the off-white wind turbines in a 25 square-mile area in a shallow part of the sound, a triangular body of water surrounded by Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. The closest vantage point would be nearly five miles away in Mashpee, next to Barnstable.
The turbines are "majestic and beautiful", and on a clear day would appear "like a half-inch sailing mast on the horizon", said Jim Gordon, the president of Energy Management, Cape Wind's developer.
Read More…
10 Aug 2012
Philip Scudder said his ferry company here was once a vocal opponent of the alternative-energy proposal that blew into Cape Cod nearly a decade ago. The US's first offshore wind farm? In the middle of pristine Nantucket Sound? He wondered how his boats carrying vacationers bound for Martha's Vineyard would navigate around the turbines.
But now, Mr. Scudder, a 13th generation Cape Codder and part of the family that owns Hy-Line Cruises, supports Cape Wind, the proposal to place 130 wind turbines, with the highest blade tip reaching 440 feet above water, some five miles offshore. He says it would bring not only clean energy but economic opportunity: Hy-Line is now shopping for vessels to eventually give "eco-tours", educational boat rides out to see the turbines up close.
Mr. Scudder illustrates the conflicting views on the long-debated project in an area known as the jewel of Massachusetts and a vacation land for the affluent. After a decade, Cape Wind developer Energy Management Inc, is beginning geological survey work in the sound, a precursor to its goal of starting construction next year.
But whether the wind farm is built remains to be seen. Cape Wind has yet to receive all the approvals it needs to start construction. Opposition is firm and has included wealthy Cape Cod homeowners from the late Sen. Edward Kennedy to Republican donor and energy businessman William Koch.
The Obama administration is pushing for more renewable-energy projects, both on and offshore. This week, the Interior Department said it was assessing a proposal by the North American arm of Statoil STO +0.20% ASA, a Norwegian energy company, for a wind farm off the coast of Maine.
The Interior Department approved Cape Wind in 2010. The project calls for the off-white wind turbines in a 25 square-mile area in a shallow part of the sound, a triangular body of water surrounded by Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. The closest vantage point would be nearly five miles away in Mashpee, next to Barnstable.
The turbines are "majestic and beautiful", and on a clear day would appear "like a half-inch sailing mast on the horizon", said Jim Gordon, the president of Energy Management, Cape Wind's developer.
Read More…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
U.S. Army opens bids to buy $7 billion in renewable energy
www.forbes.com
8 Aug 2012
The US Army is looking for a few good renewable energy projects. Some $7 billion worth. On Tuesday the Army began accepting bids for green energy installations that will be deployed on military bases and facilities across the US The Army will sign contracts to buy the electricity generated by solar, wind, geothermal and biomass projects for up to 30 years. "It is the intent of the government only to purchase the energy that is produced and not to acquire any generation assets", the Army stated in the solicitation. "The contractor shall develop, finance, design, build, operate, own and maintain the energy plant".
In other words, instead of paying the local utility for its electricity, a base would pay a solar power company like SolarCity or Sungevity. That creates business for renewable energy companies as well as economies of scale that in the long run can lower the cost of green power. The program is part of a Department of Defense initiative to meet at least 25% of energy demand on its bases from renewable sources by 2025. The military is also aiming its bases to become "net zero" consumers of electricity-generating more power than they use by installing solar and other renewable energy systems.
The Army said projects that generate fewer than 4 MWs would be set aside for small businesses. It will also consider giving preference to small businesses for installations that generate between 4 MWs and 12 MWs of electricity but would accept unrestricted bids for projects greater than 12 MWs. Ground-mounted and rooftop solar systems have been built on a number of military bases in recent years and Silicon Valley startup SolarCity is installing photovoltaic panels on 120,000 units of privately managed military housing across the country as part of its SolarStrong initiative. The Army's move follows Monday's announcement that the Department of Defense will open 16 million acres of land in the West for renewable energy development.
8 Aug 2012
The US Army is looking for a few good renewable energy projects. Some $7 billion worth. On Tuesday the Army began accepting bids for green energy installations that will be deployed on military bases and facilities across the US The Army will sign contracts to buy the electricity generated by solar, wind, geothermal and biomass projects for up to 30 years. "It is the intent of the government only to purchase the energy that is produced and not to acquire any generation assets", the Army stated in the solicitation. "The contractor shall develop, finance, design, build, operate, own and maintain the energy plant".
In other words, instead of paying the local utility for its electricity, a base would pay a solar power company like SolarCity or Sungevity. That creates business for renewable energy companies as well as economies of scale that in the long run can lower the cost of green power. The program is part of a Department of Defense initiative to meet at least 25% of energy demand on its bases from renewable sources by 2025. The military is also aiming its bases to become "net zero" consumers of electricity-generating more power than they use by installing solar and other renewable energy systems.
The Army said projects that generate fewer than 4 MWs would be set aside for small businesses. It will also consider giving preference to small businesses for installations that generate between 4 MWs and 12 MWs of electricity but would accept unrestricted bids for projects greater than 12 MWs. Ground-mounted and rooftop solar systems have been built on a number of military bases in recent years and Silicon Valley startup SolarCity is installing photovoltaic panels on 120,000 units of privately managed military housing across the country as part of its SolarStrong initiative. The Army's move follows Monday's announcement that the Department of Defense will open 16 million acres of land in the West for renewable energy development.
Who's paying to fight AGL wind farms?
www.businessspectator.com.au
9 Aug 2012
Climate Spectator has been provided with an e-mail sent by Sarah Laurie, CEO of the anti-wind farm lobby group the Waubra Foundation, which indicates the Foundation has been using tax-deductible donations to support a court case against AGL Energy's Hallett wind farms in South Australia. According to Australian Taxation Office guidance, this appears to directly contradict the Waubra Foundation's privileged status as a charity for which donations are tax deductible.
In the interests of full disclosure, the e-mail is reprinted in full at the bottom of this article. It opens by thanking recipients for already donating money to support a court case by Bill Quinn.
Quinn is attempting to restrict the operation and development of the Hallett wind farm development for exceeding EPA noise requirements. Climate Spectator understands that Bill Quinn lives around 8 km from the nearest wind turbine.
The e-mail makes the usual claims about there being a cover-up to obscure the evidence of infrasound generated by wind turbines causing health impacts, and asks for further "tax deductible" donations to collect further noise data to aid the legal campaign.
This poses three key questions:
1. Why is the Waubra Foundation funding noise measurements and not epidemiological studies?
If the Waubra Foundation was genuinely interested in identifying whether wind turbines have impacts on health, it doesn't need to do any noise monitoring. Instead, it would be far better served funding epidemiological studies evaluating the statistical prevalence of illnesses amongst people living close to wind turbines versus similar populations that don't live near turbines.
Ideally such studies should be undertaken in regions that have had wind turbines in place for a considerable time period, such as Denmark, so that any subtle long-term effects would have had time to become evident. This was the key tool that identified an unambiguous link between tobacco smoke and lung cancer. Also such studies should be done by independent university researchers at arm's length from the Waubra Foundation, who's board and staff have clearly already made their minds up.
Yet considering the Waubra Foundation's supposed focus on health research, its website does not contain a single mention of it commissioning any kind of long-run epidemiological study by university researchers with expertise in the area. Instead the website is filled with links to press stories and two websites overseas that purport to have found a link between wind turbines and health ailments.
Read More…
9 Aug 2012
Climate Spectator has been provided with an e-mail sent by Sarah Laurie, CEO of the anti-wind farm lobby group the Waubra Foundation, which indicates the Foundation has been using tax-deductible donations to support a court case against AGL Energy's Hallett wind farms in South Australia. According to Australian Taxation Office guidance, this appears to directly contradict the Waubra Foundation's privileged status as a charity for which donations are tax deductible.
In the interests of full disclosure, the e-mail is reprinted in full at the bottom of this article. It opens by thanking recipients for already donating money to support a court case by Bill Quinn.
Quinn is attempting to restrict the operation and development of the Hallett wind farm development for exceeding EPA noise requirements. Climate Spectator understands that Bill Quinn lives around 8 km from the nearest wind turbine.
The e-mail makes the usual claims about there being a cover-up to obscure the evidence of infrasound generated by wind turbines causing health impacts, and asks for further "tax deductible" donations to collect further noise data to aid the legal campaign.
This poses three key questions:
1. Why is the Waubra Foundation funding noise measurements and not epidemiological studies?
If the Waubra Foundation was genuinely interested in identifying whether wind turbines have impacts on health, it doesn't need to do any noise monitoring. Instead, it would be far better served funding epidemiological studies evaluating the statistical prevalence of illnesses amongst people living close to wind turbines versus similar populations that don't live near turbines.
Ideally such studies should be undertaken in regions that have had wind turbines in place for a considerable time period, such as Denmark, so that any subtle long-term effects would have had time to become evident. This was the key tool that identified an unambiguous link between tobacco smoke and lung cancer. Also such studies should be done by independent university researchers at arm's length from the Waubra Foundation, who's board and staff have clearly already made their minds up.
Yet considering the Waubra Foundation's supposed focus on health research, its website does not contain a single mention of it commissioning any kind of long-run epidemiological study by university researchers with expertise in the area. Instead the website is filled with links to press stories and two websites overseas that purport to have found a link between wind turbines and health ailments.
Read More…
U.S. military's big plan for renewable energy projects
www.forbes.com
6 Aug 2012
The US Department of Defense plans to open up 16 million acres of its land for renewable energy development, which it hopes will create a boom of solar, wind and geothermal projects and provide clean power to military bases, the department announced Monday.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on promoting renewable energy generation projects on public land that has historically been restricted for military uses. About 13 million of those 16 million acres are located in western US, where a lot of solar, wind and geothermal power development already has been taking place on private and other types of public land.
The administration has been making a strong push for renewable energy development by funding both technology research and power generation projects since the President Obama took office in 2009. The administration wants to accomplish two key goals by supporting renewable energy: creating jobs and finding alternative, cleaner and more abundant power sources domestically. Last month, Salazar unveiled a roadmap for speeding up solar power project development on 285,000 acres of public land in six western states.
The government support for renewable energy has indeed propelled the development of advanced materials and equipment and the construction of some of the largest solar power plants in the country. It also has attracted vocal critics, notably Republicans, who have used the bankruptcy of government-funded solar panel maker Solyndra last fall to accuse the administration of political favoritism and mismanaging public money.
The Monday announcement by the Defense and Interior departments involved not only land set aside for the military but also offshore locations near military installations. The goal is to promote onshore and offshore energy projects, such as erecting wind turbines in the sea. The MOU calls for the military and the the Interior's Bureau of Land Management to run a pilot project to oversee solar power plant development at military bases in Arizona and California. The military has been vocal about its support of renewable energy, from electricity to transportation fuels, that it says will help it become more self-sufficient and reduce its vulnerabilities in the battle fields.
The vast majority of the military bases rely on power from nearby utilities, and they depend on backup generators during blackouts, said Dorothy Robyn, deputy under secretary of defense for installations and environment, during a conference call on Monday. The military is keenly interested in creating "microgrids" for its bases. A microgrid is a mostly self-sufficient base of power generation and storage, which allows for banking the electricity (using batteries or other technologies) for later use. A microgrid can still be connected to the regular electric grid, but it will take power from local utilities only when its own power plants aren't able to generate enough to meet the demand. "Renewable energy will allow a military base to maintain critical operations for weeks or months if an electric power grid goes down", she said.
The military wants to attract developers and private investments for building solar, wind and other renewable electricity power projects on its land. It plans to lease the land to developers and buy some or all of the power from each project for its own use, and any unused power will be sold local utilities, Robyn said. Each of the military services plans on getting 1 GW of renewable energy installed near its bases by 2025.
6 Aug 2012
The US Department of Defense plans to open up 16 million acres of its land for renewable energy development, which it hopes will create a boom of solar, wind and geothermal projects and provide clean power to military bases, the department announced Monday.Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on promoting renewable energy generation projects on public land that has historically been restricted for military uses. About 13 million of those 16 million acres are located in western US, where a lot of solar, wind and geothermal power development already has been taking place on private and other types of public land.
The administration has been making a strong push for renewable energy development by funding both technology research and power generation projects since the President Obama took office in 2009. The administration wants to accomplish two key goals by supporting renewable energy: creating jobs and finding alternative, cleaner and more abundant power sources domestically. Last month, Salazar unveiled a roadmap for speeding up solar power project development on 285,000 acres of public land in six western states.
The government support for renewable energy has indeed propelled the development of advanced materials and equipment and the construction of some of the largest solar power plants in the country. It also has attracted vocal critics, notably Republicans, who have used the bankruptcy of government-funded solar panel maker Solyndra last fall to accuse the administration of political favoritism and mismanaging public money.
The Monday announcement by the Defense and Interior departments involved not only land set aside for the military but also offshore locations near military installations. The goal is to promote onshore and offshore energy projects, such as erecting wind turbines in the sea. The MOU calls for the military and the the Interior's Bureau of Land Management to run a pilot project to oversee solar power plant development at military bases in Arizona and California. The military has been vocal about its support of renewable energy, from electricity to transportation fuels, that it says will help it become more self-sufficient and reduce its vulnerabilities in the battle fields.
The vast majority of the military bases rely on power from nearby utilities, and they depend on backup generators during blackouts, said Dorothy Robyn, deputy under secretary of defense for installations and environment, during a conference call on Monday. The military is keenly interested in creating "microgrids" for its bases. A microgrid is a mostly self-sufficient base of power generation and storage, which allows for banking the electricity (using batteries or other technologies) for later use. A microgrid can still be connected to the regular electric grid, but it will take power from local utilities only when its own power plants aren't able to generate enough to meet the demand. "Renewable energy will allow a military base to maintain critical operations for weeks or months if an electric power grid goes down", she said.
The military wants to attract developers and private investments for building solar, wind and other renewable electricity power projects on its land. It plans to lease the land to developers and buy some or all of the power from each project for its own use, and any unused power will be sold local utilities, Robyn said. Each of the military services plans on getting 1 GW of renewable energy installed near its bases by 2025.
Monday, 13 August 2012
German Wind Power Installation up 26%
onlinetes.com
7 Aug 2012
Germany installed 26% more new wind-power capacity in this year's first half than a year earlier, an industry group said Wednesday--the latest sign of a lasting renewable energy boom as Europe's biggest economy phases out nuclear power. More than 400 turbines with a combined capacity of some 1,000 MWs--roughly equivalent to one nuclear power plant--were installed, up from about 800MW in same period last year, according to the Wind Energy Association.
There should be an even sharper increase over the whole of 2012, taking into account manufacturers' order books and already-planned projects, the group's head Hermann Albers told reporters in Berlin. The wind turbines installed in the first six months brought the total capacity to over 30,000 MWs, producing 9.2% of the country's electricity, up from 7.7% in 2011, a utility industry group said last week. "The figures show that we are on the right track as a country regarding wind power. As the backbone of the energy switchover, it can replace nuclear power cheaply and efficiently", says Albers.
He stressed that the wind industry aims at tripling its electricity share by 2020, mostly thanks to new offshore wind farms and the replacement of older wind turbines with new and more efficient ones. Germany decided following Japan's 2011 Fukushima disaster to speed up phasing out its nuclear power plants, shutting them down within a decade and betting on renewable energies instead.
Before Fukushima, nuclear power in Germany produced a little more than 20% of the country's electricity needs--about the same share it had in the U.S, and in Japan. It has since fallen well below 20%. Wind, solar and other renewable power sources--helped by subsidies and investment incentives--produced about 25% of the country's electricity in the first six months, up from 21% for all of 2011, according to figures from the BDEW utility industry group. Solar power also continues to boom as house owners are keen to install panels on their roofs, and its share rose by almost half from 3.6% to 5.3%.
7 Aug 2012
Germany installed 26% more new wind-power capacity in this year's first half than a year earlier, an industry group said Wednesday--the latest sign of a lasting renewable energy boom as Europe's biggest economy phases out nuclear power. More than 400 turbines with a combined capacity of some 1,000 MWs--roughly equivalent to one nuclear power plant--were installed, up from about 800MW in same period last year, according to the Wind Energy Association.
There should be an even sharper increase over the whole of 2012, taking into account manufacturers' order books and already-planned projects, the group's head Hermann Albers told reporters in Berlin. The wind turbines installed in the first six months brought the total capacity to over 30,000 MWs, producing 9.2% of the country's electricity, up from 7.7% in 2011, a utility industry group said last week. "The figures show that we are on the right track as a country regarding wind power. As the backbone of the energy switchover, it can replace nuclear power cheaply and efficiently", says Albers.
He stressed that the wind industry aims at tripling its electricity share by 2020, mostly thanks to new offshore wind farms and the replacement of older wind turbines with new and more efficient ones. Germany decided following Japan's 2011 Fukushima disaster to speed up phasing out its nuclear power plants, shutting them down within a decade and betting on renewable energies instead.
Before Fukushima, nuclear power in Germany produced a little more than 20% of the country's electricity needs--about the same share it had in the U.S, and in Japan. It has since fallen well below 20%. Wind, solar and other renewable power sources--helped by subsidies and investment incentives--produced about 25% of the country's electricity in the first six months, up from 21% for all of 2011, according to figures from the BDEW utility industry group. Solar power also continues to boom as house owners are keen to install panels on their roofs, and its share rose by almost half from 3.6% to 5.3%.
Wind power hits 57% mark in Colorado
money.cnn.com
6 Aug 2012
Xcel Energy's Ponnequin Wind Farm on the Colorado-Wyoming border. The wind farm helped the utiltiy produce 57% of its power from wind one night this spring-a U.S, record.
During the early morning hours of April 15, with a steady breeze blowing down Colorado's Front Range, the state's biggest utility set a U.S, record--nearly 57% of the electricity being generated was coming from wind power.
As dawn came and the 1.4 million customers in Xcel Energy's service district began turning on the lights, toasters and other appliances, the utility's coal and natural gas-fired power plants ramped up production and brought wind's contribution back closer to its 2012 average of 17%. Utilities have long been wary of placing too much finicky renewable power on the grid.
"A lot of utilities don't want to contract large amounts of wind because it's volatile", said Amy Grace, a wind analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. "Anything over 25%, and utilities get nervous". Colorado's overnight high-water mark demonstrated that utilities can indeed incorporate cleaner power sources into the mix. It also provides hope that, under the right conditions and policies, wind will be able to provide a significantly larger share of the nation's power than its current 3% rate.
Read More…
6 Aug 2012
Xcel Energy's Ponnequin Wind Farm on the Colorado-Wyoming border. The wind farm helped the utiltiy produce 57% of its power from wind one night this spring-a U.S, record. During the early morning hours of April 15, with a steady breeze blowing down Colorado's Front Range, the state's biggest utility set a U.S, record--nearly 57% of the electricity being generated was coming from wind power.
As dawn came and the 1.4 million customers in Xcel Energy's service district began turning on the lights, toasters and other appliances, the utility's coal and natural gas-fired power plants ramped up production and brought wind's contribution back closer to its 2012 average of 17%. Utilities have long been wary of placing too much finicky renewable power on the grid.
"A lot of utilities don't want to contract large amounts of wind because it's volatile", said Amy Grace, a wind analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. "Anything over 25%, and utilities get nervous". Colorado's overnight high-water mark demonstrated that utilities can indeed incorporate cleaner power sources into the mix. It also provides hope that, under the right conditions and policies, wind will be able to provide a significantly larger share of the nation's power than its current 3% rate.
Read More…
Harvesting green tidal energy
power-eng.com
5 Aug 2012
Ocean power is an endless source of renewable green energy. It is clean, environmentally acceptable and economically cheap. Electricity generation from ocean energy is based on tidal power, wave energy, ocean thermal energy conversion, ocean winds and salinity gradients. Among these, three well developed technologies are tidal power, wave energy and ocean thermal energy conversion. Tidal energy is a form of hydroelectric that converts the tidal power into electricity. It requires large tidal differences.
This difference between the mean high-water volume and the mean low-water volume of an estuary is called tidal prism. The term 'tidal prism' can be defined as the total amount of water that flows into a harbor or flows out again with movement of the tide in water flow. Tidal energy has been used since the,Roman times and in the middle Ages in Europe to run early tide mills. No doubt, this energy is pollution free and environment friendly. Therefore, world must think to replace fossil fuel based energy by this green energy.
In the present time, a number of countries have already been, using tidal power to generate electricity. World's largest plant for the generation of electricity from tidal power is in La Rancee in France. A number of tidal power based power stations have been established in North America. India has planned to generate electricity from tidal power very soon. Bangladesh has to think about this to overcome its present electricity crisis and the future energy security. The position and shape of Bangladeshi coast and its Islands are favorable for the establishment of tide based power station.
Tides result from the gravitational attraction of the Earth-Moon-Sun system acting on the earth's ocean. Tides are long period waves that result in the cyclical that generate electricity from horizontally flowing tidal currents like wind turbines. Tidal energy is predictable than,wind power and solar power, but cannot be used to generate electricity at consistent level constantly. Twice in every 12.42 hours (24 hours in some locations) the tidal current speed and hence the electricity generation capacity falls to zero. If tidal power is required to produce a sustained based load for local grid, then some form of energy storage or back-up will be needed.
Read More…
5 Aug 2012
Ocean power is an endless source of renewable green energy. It is clean, environmentally acceptable and economically cheap. Electricity generation from ocean energy is based on tidal power, wave energy, ocean thermal energy conversion, ocean winds and salinity gradients. Among these, three well developed technologies are tidal power, wave energy and ocean thermal energy conversion. Tidal energy is a form of hydroelectric that converts the tidal power into electricity. It requires large tidal differences.
This difference between the mean high-water volume and the mean low-water volume of an estuary is called tidal prism. The term 'tidal prism' can be defined as the total amount of water that flows into a harbor or flows out again with movement of the tide in water flow. Tidal energy has been used since the,Roman times and in the middle Ages in Europe to run early tide mills. No doubt, this energy is pollution free and environment friendly. Therefore, world must think to replace fossil fuel based energy by this green energy.
In the present time, a number of countries have already been, using tidal power to generate electricity. World's largest plant for the generation of electricity from tidal power is in La Rancee in France. A number of tidal power based power stations have been established in North America. India has planned to generate electricity from tidal power very soon. Bangladesh has to think about this to overcome its present electricity crisis and the future energy security. The position and shape of Bangladeshi coast and its Islands are favorable for the establishment of tide based power station.
Tides result from the gravitational attraction of the Earth-Moon-Sun system acting on the earth's ocean. Tides are long period waves that result in the cyclical that generate electricity from horizontally flowing tidal currents like wind turbines. Tidal energy is predictable than,wind power and solar power, but cannot be used to generate electricity at consistent level constantly. Twice in every 12.42 hours (24 hours in some locations) the tidal current speed and hence the electricity generation capacity falls to zero. If tidal power is required to produce a sustained based load for local grid, then some form of energy storage or back-up will be needed.
Read More…
Scorching summer dries up hydro power
www.power-eng.com
5 Aug 2012
The hot, dry summer means there's not much hydroelectric in your hydroelectric bill this summer. In Ontario, consumers use "hydroelectric" as shorthand for electricity. But technically, hydroelectricity means power generated by water. With not much rain and lots of evaporation this summer, rivers and lakes are at low levels, so there's less water to whirl the turbines at hydroelectric generating stations.
How much less? The amount of hydroelectric power produced in Ontario dropped 20% this July compared with July a year ago, according to the Independent Electricity System Operator. In fact, Ontario got more power from natural gas-fired generators in July than it did from its hydroelectric stations. Gas-powered generation jumped 33% from a year earlier. That meant hydroelectric contributed 17% of Ontario's power supply in July, while gas-fired units churned out 20%.
Hydropower also took up some of the slack as hydroelectric production dropped, increasing by 7% year over year. The total amount of power generated in the province was a fraction of a% higher this year than last. Ontario Power Generation generates most of the province's hydroelectric power. Early in the year, there was plenty of wet weather in the northwest, said OPG spokesman Ted Gruetzner, but it was a different story elsewhere.
"Through the central, northeast and eastern parts of the province, we didn't get much snow, and we haven't had much rain, so the reservoirs are down", he said in an interview. The biggest drops in production were at OPG's smaller hydroelectric stations; total production was down a more modest 10% at the big hydroelectric stations at Niagara Falls and Cornwall.
The other power source with a dramatic production drop was coal, which was down 42% from the year before. The province continues to shut down coal-fired units as it aims to cease coal generation by the end of 2014; in July, it produced 5% of the province's power, down from close to 9% a year ago. Combined output from renewable power sources such as wind, solar and biomass was little changed.
5 Aug 2012
The hot, dry summer means there's not much hydroelectric in your hydroelectric bill this summer. In Ontario, consumers use "hydroelectric" as shorthand for electricity. But technically, hydroelectricity means power generated by water. With not much rain and lots of evaporation this summer, rivers and lakes are at low levels, so there's less water to whirl the turbines at hydroelectric generating stations.
How much less? The amount of hydroelectric power produced in Ontario dropped 20% this July compared with July a year ago, according to the Independent Electricity System Operator. In fact, Ontario got more power from natural gas-fired generators in July than it did from its hydroelectric stations. Gas-powered generation jumped 33% from a year earlier. That meant hydroelectric contributed 17% of Ontario's power supply in July, while gas-fired units churned out 20%.
Hydropower also took up some of the slack as hydroelectric production dropped, increasing by 7% year over year. The total amount of power generated in the province was a fraction of a% higher this year than last. Ontario Power Generation generates most of the province's hydroelectric power. Early in the year, there was plenty of wet weather in the northwest, said OPG spokesman Ted Gruetzner, but it was a different story elsewhere.
"Through the central, northeast and eastern parts of the province, we didn't get much snow, and we haven't had much rain, so the reservoirs are down", he said in an interview. The biggest drops in production were at OPG's smaller hydroelectric stations; total production was down a more modest 10% at the big hydroelectric stations at Niagara Falls and Cornwall.
The other power source with a dramatic production drop was coal, which was down 42% from the year before. The province continues to shut down coal-fired units as it aims to cease coal generation by the end of 2014; in July, it produced 5% of the province's power, down from close to 9% a year ago. Combined output from renewable power sources such as wind, solar and biomass was little changed.
Renewables winning the energy race
Clean Energy Council
31 Jul 2012
A report released today by the Federal Government shows that clean energy such as wind, solar and landfill gas will be among the lowest-cost sources of electricity within the next 20 years under current policies. Clean Energy Council Deputy Chief Executive Kane Thornton said the report confirmed that the way Australia generated and consumed energy was changing-fast.
"While the recent public debate often oversimplifies Australia's energy choice as 'clean vs cheap', this report shows the argument is now desperately out of date. Renewables are rapidly becoming the lowest cost source of energy and, by building renewable energy now, we are able to create the diversity of sources we need to have low cost and reliable energy in the future", Mr Thornton said.
"We welcome comments from Energy Minister Martin Ferguson that a number of renewable energy technologies could have some of the lowest levelised costs of any energy source within the next two decades. "Every government in the country has underestimated the ability of renewable energy to improve in efficiency and come down in price. This report goes some way towards addressing the balance. "
Mr Thornton said the report showed the importance of the Renewable Energy Target to drive the take-up of clean energy in Australia and why policymakers needed to provide stable policy support so that this full potential could be realised. "The Renewable Energy Target is designed to deliver 20% of Australia's electricity from renewable sources such as the sun, the wind, the waves, bioenergy and others by 2020 at the lowest cost to consumers. The scheme allows technologies to effectively compete against each other to drive down the cost of renewable power for everyone", he said.
"The majority of the energy sector has called for the policy to be left alone in order to provide investment-grade policy support certainty necessary to unlock tens of billions of dollars in private investment between now and the end of the decade. "Renewable energy takes advantage of our free and abundant natural resources and can provide an insurance policy against the volatile price of fossil fuelled electricity such as gas, which has been rising in recent years. In contrast, the cost of renewable energy has been dropping rapidly. In the case of landfill gas generation, the costs are already on par".
The Australian Energy Technology Assessment, by the independent Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics, looked at cost estimates for 40 electricity generation technologies under current policy settings including the carbon price and the Renewable Energy Target.
31 Jul 2012
A report released today by the Federal Government shows that clean energy such as wind, solar and landfill gas will be among the lowest-cost sources of electricity within the next 20 years under current policies. Clean Energy Council Deputy Chief Executive Kane Thornton said the report confirmed that the way Australia generated and consumed energy was changing-fast."While the recent public debate often oversimplifies Australia's energy choice as 'clean vs cheap', this report shows the argument is now desperately out of date. Renewables are rapidly becoming the lowest cost source of energy and, by building renewable energy now, we are able to create the diversity of sources we need to have low cost and reliable energy in the future", Mr Thornton said.
"We welcome comments from Energy Minister Martin Ferguson that a number of renewable energy technologies could have some of the lowest levelised costs of any energy source within the next two decades. "Every government in the country has underestimated the ability of renewable energy to improve in efficiency and come down in price. This report goes some way towards addressing the balance. "
Mr Thornton said the report showed the importance of the Renewable Energy Target to drive the take-up of clean energy in Australia and why policymakers needed to provide stable policy support so that this full potential could be realised. "The Renewable Energy Target is designed to deliver 20% of Australia's electricity from renewable sources such as the sun, the wind, the waves, bioenergy and others by 2020 at the lowest cost to consumers. The scheme allows technologies to effectively compete against each other to drive down the cost of renewable power for everyone", he said.
"The majority of the energy sector has called for the policy to be left alone in order to provide investment-grade policy support certainty necessary to unlock tens of billions of dollars in private investment between now and the end of the decade. "Renewable energy takes advantage of our free and abundant natural resources and can provide an insurance policy against the volatile price of fossil fuelled electricity such as gas, which has been rising in recent years. In contrast, the cost of renewable energy has been dropping rapidly. In the case of landfill gas generation, the costs are already on par".
The Australian Energy Technology Assessment, by the independent Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics, looked at cost estimates for 40 electricity generation technologies under current policy settings including the carbon price and the Renewable Energy Target.
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
VCAT approval for Bald Hills windfarm - finally
7 Aug 2012
After various appeals from wind farm opponents and an unnecessary delay by the planning Mr Minister, Matthew Guy, the Bald Hills wind farm has finally received approval to go ahead after the VCAT decision on August 3, 2012.
This is a win for common sense, due process and the environment and hopefully a nail in the coffin of politically supported wind farm opposition and climate change denial.
Hopefully preparatory work will commence on South Gippsland's third wind farm before the end of August.
After various appeals from wind farm opponents and an unnecessary delay by the planning Mr Minister, Matthew Guy, the Bald Hills wind farm has finally received approval to go ahead after the VCAT decision on August 3, 2012.
This is a win for common sense, due process and the environment and hopefully a nail in the coffin of politically supported wind farm opposition and climate change denial.
Hopefully preparatory work will commence on South Gippsland's third wind farm before the end of August.
California on course for renewable energy
www.upi.com
3 Aug 2012
California's utilities have surpassed the state's goal of 20% of energy from renewable sources, state regulators said. The California Public Utilities Commission said that 2011 showed the greatest year-to-year increase in the capacity of renewable generation achieving commercial operation, and 2012 is already on track to far surpass 2011. California's mandated target set in 2003, known as the Renewable Portfolio Standard, says utilities must average 20% renewable energy in the power they sell customers from 2011 13, increasing to 33% by 2020.
From 2003 11, California installed 2,871 MWs of renewable energy capacity. In 2012, the state is expected to add almost another 2,800 MWs, the commission says. The state's major investor-owned utilities--Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison--had reached the target, the commission says, collectively securing 20.6% of electricity sold from renewable sources.
By 2020, sun-generated power, not including small-scale rooftop solar, is projected to account for about 11% of all power sold by those three major utilities, which sell 68% of the electricity provided to California retail customers. "Let's not underestimate 11%", says Adam Browning, executive director of Vote Solar, a San Francisco nonprofit, Climatewire reports. "That's a massive, massive investment", Browning said. "You're talking about a major shift in resources and in money going from fossil fuels to renewable energy".
While last year solar accounted for about 1% of PGE's renewable energy mix, the utility expects that share to soar to 40% by 2020. "We're about to see solar on a project scale larger than almost anywhere in the world", Aaron Johnson, director of renewable energy policy and strategy at PGE, was quoted as saying by Silicon Valley's Mercury News. "Planning for the 33% (RPS MetOcean target) began four or five years ago. There's no way to get from here to there (the 33% target) without solar".
And Southern California Edison says its share of solar could also rise to 40% of its renewable energy mix by 2020 from about 6% last year. California's solar industry has created 26,000 jobs, or 1 in-4 solar jobs nationwide, states a study by the University of California Berkeley law school. Currently there are 12 utility-scale solar photovoltaic plants with a 2,200 MW capacity under construction in California, and an additional 62 plants with 11,600 MWs of capacity under development.
3 Aug 2012
California's utilities have surpassed the state's goal of 20% of energy from renewable sources, state regulators said. The California Public Utilities Commission said that 2011 showed the greatest year-to-year increase in the capacity of renewable generation achieving commercial operation, and 2012 is already on track to far surpass 2011. California's mandated target set in 2003, known as the Renewable Portfolio Standard, says utilities must average 20% renewable energy in the power they sell customers from 2011 13, increasing to 33% by 2020.
From 2003 11, California installed 2,871 MWs of renewable energy capacity. In 2012, the state is expected to add almost another 2,800 MWs, the commission says. The state's major investor-owned utilities--Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison--had reached the target, the commission says, collectively securing 20.6% of electricity sold from renewable sources.
By 2020, sun-generated power, not including small-scale rooftop solar, is projected to account for about 11% of all power sold by those three major utilities, which sell 68% of the electricity provided to California retail customers. "Let's not underestimate 11%", says Adam Browning, executive director of Vote Solar, a San Francisco nonprofit, Climatewire reports. "That's a massive, massive investment", Browning said. "You're talking about a major shift in resources and in money going from fossil fuels to renewable energy".
While last year solar accounted for about 1% of PGE's renewable energy mix, the utility expects that share to soar to 40% by 2020. "We're about to see solar on a project scale larger than almost anywhere in the world", Aaron Johnson, director of renewable energy policy and strategy at PGE, was quoted as saying by Silicon Valley's Mercury News. "Planning for the 33% (RPS MetOcean target) began four or five years ago. There's no way to get from here to there (the 33% target) without solar".
And Southern California Edison says its share of solar could also rise to 40% of its renewable energy mix by 2020 from about 6% last year. California's solar industry has created 26,000 jobs, or 1 in-4 solar jobs nationwide, states a study by the University of California Berkeley law school. Currently there are 12 utility-scale solar photovoltaic plants with a 2,200 MW capacity under construction in California, and an additional 62 plants with 11,600 MWs of capacity under development.
Not enough wind power
www.standard.net.au
24 Jul 2012
WIND energy potential is vastly underutilised in Victoria, according to the Climate Change Commission, which has called for more emphasis on renewables in the face of environmental challenges. The commission's 12th report released yesterday said the state's installed wind power capacity, including installations in south-west Victoria, was only a fraction of the total resources that could be harnessed.
"As a comparison, Denmark and Victoria have similar onshore wind speeds yet in 2010 Denmark had about seven times the installed onshore wind capacity of Victoria", the report said. "Wind turbines can provide a useful second income source for Victorian landowners. "The wind farm would also provide farmers with payments of up to $250,000 annually". The report lists solar and biomass as other viable energy sources.
Chief climate commissioner Professor Tim Flannery said Victoria should be making a sharp shift to renewable energy. "Victoria has got fabulous wind resources, the envy of places like Europe, and fantastic solar resources too", Professor Flannery said. "So the renewable energy capacity for the state is massive and it's barely being tapped at the moment". A graphic in the report shows the south-west coastal region as having one of the state's highest average yearly wind speeds of seven metres per second and faster at 65 metres above ground. There are 19 south-west wind farms either operating, being constructed or planned.
The report predicts climate-related extreme events to increase in frequency and intensity, with conditions for large and intense bushfires likely to become more common in the future. "The number of "very high" and "extreme" fire danger days could increase significantly during the next few decades", it says. "Global sea level rise is tracking near the highest levels. This means a potential one-metre rise during this century is a serious risk threatening Victoria's iconic beaches and thousands of residential and commercial buildings.
"The next chapter of the climate story is how Victoria and Australia can find solutions that minimise the risks of climate change while providing extra benefits for our health, community, economy and environment. "Harnessing clean energy, taking advantage of new economic opportunities and building sustainable communities can all provide new opportunities for Victorians". The report says much of south-east Australia has become drier in the past 40 years, with Victoria experiencing a 10-20% reduction in autumn and winter rain in the past 20 years.
24 Jul 2012
WIND energy potential is vastly underutilised in Victoria, according to the Climate Change Commission, which has called for more emphasis on renewables in the face of environmental challenges. The commission's 12th report released yesterday said the state's installed wind power capacity, including installations in south-west Victoria, was only a fraction of the total resources that could be harnessed.
"As a comparison, Denmark and Victoria have similar onshore wind speeds yet in 2010 Denmark had about seven times the installed onshore wind capacity of Victoria", the report said. "Wind turbines can provide a useful second income source for Victorian landowners. "The wind farm would also provide farmers with payments of up to $250,000 annually". The report lists solar and biomass as other viable energy sources.
Chief climate commissioner Professor Tim Flannery said Victoria should be making a sharp shift to renewable energy. "Victoria has got fabulous wind resources, the envy of places like Europe, and fantastic solar resources too", Professor Flannery said. "So the renewable energy capacity for the state is massive and it's barely being tapped at the moment". A graphic in the report shows the south-west coastal region as having one of the state's highest average yearly wind speeds of seven metres per second and faster at 65 metres above ground. There are 19 south-west wind farms either operating, being constructed or planned.
The report predicts climate-related extreme events to increase in frequency and intensity, with conditions for large and intense bushfires likely to become more common in the future. "The number of "very high" and "extreme" fire danger days could increase significantly during the next few decades", it says. "Global sea level rise is tracking near the highest levels. This means a potential one-metre rise during this century is a serious risk threatening Victoria's iconic beaches and thousands of residential and commercial buildings.
"The next chapter of the climate story is how Victoria and Australia can find solutions that minimise the risks of climate change while providing extra benefits for our health, community, economy and environment. "Harnessing clean energy, taking advantage of new economic opportunities and building sustainable communities can all provide new opportunities for Victorians". The report says much of south-east Australia has become drier in the past 40 years, with Victoria experiencing a 10-20% reduction in autumn and winter rain in the past 20 years.
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