www.bloomberg.com
16 Nov 2012
Infigen Energy and Suntech Power Co. cut the size of a solar plant proposed for Australia's New South Wales state to about a quarter of the original plan as they vie for federal funds.
The Australian company and China's Suntech Power want to develop a 35 MW solar project after failing in an attempt to get a government grant for a 150 MW plan, Miles George, managing director of Sydney-based Infigen Energy, said in a phone interview yesterday. The solar plant would be located next to Infigen Energy's 140.7 MW Capital wind farm, George said. "It's significantly smaller, but nevertheless a reasonable-scale project by world standards", he said, declining to provide a cost estimate for the plant.
The Infigen Energy and Suntech Power venture was referred to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency by Resources Minister Martin Ferguson in June after losing a bid for funds in the government's Solar Flagships Program. The government agency is in talks with Infigen Energy and Pacific Hydro Pty, about funding projects as the country moves toward a target of getting 20% of its power from renewable energy by 2020.
While the government in June awarded A$129.7 million to AGL Energy Ltd. and FirstSolar Inc. to build a 159 MW solar project in New South Wales, it scrapped a plan to provide A$464 million to an Areva SA venture after the Queensland government pulled funding for the 250 MW project.
Potential Projects
The renewable energy agency, set up last year to help the industry expand, is targeting smaller, "sensible-scale" solar power projects, George said in an e-mail. The government previously set the 150 MW requirement for solar plants seeking grants, said George, whose company has interests in 24 wind farms in Australia and the US
A program in Australian Capital Territory to develop as much as 40 MWs of solar power is a model, the renewable agency's chief executive officer, Ivor Frischknecht, said in a Nov. 12 phone interview "Smaller, not quite as ambitious, very clear in terms of what's intended", he said.
Infigen Energy has slumped 7.4% this year in Sydney trading following a 50% drop in 2011 as low prices of Renewable Energy Certificates discourage investment in new wind farms. Electricity retailers are required to purchase the certificates from developers of wind and solar plants as part of the government's policy to expand the industry.
Certificate Prices
Infigen Energy shares climbed 14% today to 25 ¢, the biggest gain in 13 months, compared with a 0.3% decline in Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index. The government last year revised its renewable energy program after an increase in household solar installations led to a glut of the certificates that pushed down prices.
Infigen Energy expects prices will rise next year, allowing some of the company's 1,300 MWs of potential projects to go ahead, according to George. Infigen Energy's plans include the Bodangora, Capital 2 and Flyers Creek wind farms in Australia. The price of Australia's Renewable Energy Certificates is forecast to rise toward A$50 ($52) by the end of the decade from about A$36 currently, Kobad Bhavnagri, a Sydney-based analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said yesterday.
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
U.K. biggest solar plant cleared for construction at airfield
www.businessweek.com
15 Nov 2012
Lark Energy, a unit of the homebuilder Larkfleet Ltd., won planning permission to develop a 32 MW solar park that will become the UK's largest photovoltaic plant.
The company intends to complete the 35 million-pound ($55 million) plant before April, when subsidies are due to be reduced, according to a statement on its website today. It will install 125,000 solar panels on 150 acres between the runways of a former military airfield in Wymeswold, which is between Leicester and Nottingham in central England.
The project covering the equivalent to about 87 soccer fields has more than six times more capacity than any U.K, solar park in operation. Its development is an indication that the cost of solar panels has fallen so much that developers are working on utility-scale plants too big to qualify for the most lucrative subsidies in Britain.
"Lark Energy has played a leading role in demonstrating how large scale renewable energy can be deployed quickly and with the support of the local community", Jonathan Selwyn, managing director of Lark Energy, said in a statement.
While the scale of the facility is big for Britain, it's less than half the size of the largest plants in Germany and Italy, which are the leading markets worldwide for solar power. The U.K, guarantees above market rates for solar power coming from plants smaller than 5 MWs, a cap intended to limit the cost to consumers of power from utility-scale plants.
Biggest Plants
TGC Renewables Ltd., another developer, said in June that it won approval for an 8 MW project in Devon that at the time was the biggest in the UK. Inazin Power Ltd., Hive Energy Ltd, and Good Energy Group Plc (GOOD), a U.K, retailer of clean energy, have announced plans for projects with 25 to 40 MWs this year, though those don't yet have planning permission.
Projects of this size qualify for two tradable green certificates, or ROCs, for each MW of solar power. The certificates currently pay about 39.5 pounds each during 15 years, which add up to one of the lowest solar subsidy rates in Europe. Under government proposals, solar plants will get 1.5 ROCs from April, a cut that's prompting a surge of larger-scale facilities before the changes come into force.
Lark's Wymeswold solar project received planning approval from Charnwood Borough Council on Nov. 8, the company said. The financing will provided by Hazel Capital LLP, a London-based investment manager. "We are delighted to be involved in this large, first-of-its-kind project in the UK", Ben Guest, Hazel Capital's managing partner, said. "We believe that larger industrial sites make great locations for solar projects going forward in the U.K".
15 Nov 2012
Lark Energy, a unit of the homebuilder Larkfleet Ltd., won planning permission to develop a 32 MW solar park that will become the UK's largest photovoltaic plant.
The company intends to complete the 35 million-pound ($55 million) plant before April, when subsidies are due to be reduced, according to a statement on its website today. It will install 125,000 solar panels on 150 acres between the runways of a former military airfield in Wymeswold, which is between Leicester and Nottingham in central England.
The project covering the equivalent to about 87 soccer fields has more than six times more capacity than any U.K, solar park in operation. Its development is an indication that the cost of solar panels has fallen so much that developers are working on utility-scale plants too big to qualify for the most lucrative subsidies in Britain.
"Lark Energy has played a leading role in demonstrating how large scale renewable energy can be deployed quickly and with the support of the local community", Jonathan Selwyn, managing director of Lark Energy, said in a statement.
While the scale of the facility is big for Britain, it's less than half the size of the largest plants in Germany and Italy, which are the leading markets worldwide for solar power. The U.K, guarantees above market rates for solar power coming from plants smaller than 5 MWs, a cap intended to limit the cost to consumers of power from utility-scale plants.
Biggest Plants
TGC Renewables Ltd., another developer, said in June that it won approval for an 8 MW project in Devon that at the time was the biggest in the UK. Inazin Power Ltd., Hive Energy Ltd, and Good Energy Group Plc (GOOD), a U.K, retailer of clean energy, have announced plans for projects with 25 to 40 MWs this year, though those don't yet have planning permission.
Projects of this size qualify for two tradable green certificates, or ROCs, for each MW of solar power. The certificates currently pay about 39.5 pounds each during 15 years, which add up to one of the lowest solar subsidy rates in Europe. Under government proposals, solar plants will get 1.5 ROCs from April, a cut that's prompting a surge of larger-scale facilities before the changes come into force.
Lark's Wymeswold solar project received planning approval from Charnwood Borough Council on Nov. 8, the company said. The financing will provided by Hazel Capital LLP, a London-based investment manager. "We are delighted to be involved in this large, first-of-its-kind project in the UK", Ben Guest, Hazel Capital's managing partner, said. "We believe that larger industrial sites make great locations for solar projects going forward in the U.K".
Nanosolar Completes 10.63 MW Solar Installation in Valencia Region of Spain
www.renewablesbiz.com
14 Nov 2012
Nanosolar Inc, today announced its largest solar photovoltaic (PV) installation to date, a 10.63 MW project in the town of Alfarrasi, which is located in the Valencia region of Spain. Developed by Smartenergy Invest AG and Advanta Capital Ltd., the new solar field is now the region's largest PV power plant to date. The plant was energized earlier this month and is expected to produce energy to power 4,000 households per year.
"Our installation supports Spain's national renewable energy action plan, which calls for renewable sources to account for at least 20% of the final energy consumption by 2020", said Stephan Hansen, executive vice president of Global Sales for Nanosolar. "The natural conditions in the Valencia region are excellent for photovoltaic and we expect Spain to be among the first countries to provide competitive solar electricity in Europe".
The Alfarrasi installation will be capable of producing 16,500 MWh per year. The total amount of electricity produced by this Nanosolar project represents a savings of more than 5,528 tons of CO₂ emissions each year, and is equivalent to planting approximately 142,000 trees.
"Nanosolar's innovative Utility Panel design made installation of our Alfarrasi system quick and simple", said Jose-Fidel Roig Agut, CEO of VALFORTEC, S.L., the Castellon, Spain-based EPC. "We were able to achieve a very cost-effective installation because of the unique design of Nanosolar's panels, and the ease with which they can be interconnected".
Bringing Clean Energy to Alfarrasi
The town of Alfarrasi is an ideal location for this solar installation, which encompasses over 50,000 panels across 65 acres of former agricultural land. The region features a semi-arid climate with very mild winters and long warm to hot summers. Solar irradiance is above-average with a typical annual temperature of 22.3° C (72.1° F) during the day and an annual irradiation of approximately 1,650 kW/m2.
"As businesses and consumers look for ways to be more reliant on clean, sustainable energy sources, multi-MW solar installations, such as the one in Alfarrasi, become even more important", said Horst Mahmoudi, senior partner at Smartenergy AG. "Nanosolar has been a great technology partner to work with on this project, providing cutting-edge utility panels with superior energy yields that will enable us to deliver the benefits of abundant solar across the Valencia region".
About Nanosolar Nanosolar designs, engineers, and manufactures innovative thin-film solar cells and panels based on printing CIGS (Copper, Indium, Gallium, Selenium) proprietary inks on low-cost aluminum foil. The company's current product, the Nanosolar Utility Panel, enables competitively priced peak power and installed system economics at utility-scale. Nanosolar operates the industry's first roll-to-roll solar cell printing factory at its headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and a panel-assembly factory in Luckenwalde, Germany. For more information, please visit www.nanosolar.com.
14 Nov 2012
Nanosolar Inc, today announced its largest solar photovoltaic (PV) installation to date, a 10.63 MW project in the town of Alfarrasi, which is located in the Valencia region of Spain. Developed by Smartenergy Invest AG and Advanta Capital Ltd., the new solar field is now the region's largest PV power plant to date. The plant was energized earlier this month and is expected to produce energy to power 4,000 households per year.
"Our installation supports Spain's national renewable energy action plan, which calls for renewable sources to account for at least 20% of the final energy consumption by 2020", said Stephan Hansen, executive vice president of Global Sales for Nanosolar. "The natural conditions in the Valencia region are excellent for photovoltaic and we expect Spain to be among the first countries to provide competitive solar electricity in Europe".
The Alfarrasi installation will be capable of producing 16,500 MWh per year. The total amount of electricity produced by this Nanosolar project represents a savings of more than 5,528 tons of CO₂ emissions each year, and is equivalent to planting approximately 142,000 trees.
"Nanosolar's innovative Utility Panel design made installation of our Alfarrasi system quick and simple", said Jose-Fidel Roig Agut, CEO of VALFORTEC, S.L., the Castellon, Spain-based EPC. "We were able to achieve a very cost-effective installation because of the unique design of Nanosolar's panels, and the ease with which they can be interconnected".
Bringing Clean Energy to Alfarrasi
The town of Alfarrasi is an ideal location for this solar installation, which encompasses over 50,000 panels across 65 acres of former agricultural land. The region features a semi-arid climate with very mild winters and long warm to hot summers. Solar irradiance is above-average with a typical annual temperature of 22.3° C (72.1° F) during the day and an annual irradiation of approximately 1,650 kW/m2.
"As businesses and consumers look for ways to be more reliant on clean, sustainable energy sources, multi-MW solar installations, such as the one in Alfarrasi, become even more important", said Horst Mahmoudi, senior partner at Smartenergy AG. "Nanosolar has been a great technology partner to work with on this project, providing cutting-edge utility panels with superior energy yields that will enable us to deliver the benefits of abundant solar across the Valencia region".
About Nanosolar Nanosolar designs, engineers, and manufactures innovative thin-film solar cells and panels based on printing CIGS (Copper, Indium, Gallium, Selenium) proprietary inks on low-cost aluminum foil. The company's current product, the Nanosolar Utility Panel, enables competitively priced peak power and installed system economics at utility-scale. Nanosolar operates the industry's first roll-to-roll solar cell printing factory at its headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and a panel-assembly factory in Luckenwalde, Germany. For more information, please visit www.nanosolar.com.
Lights fade: $700m Mallee solar park misses out on federal funding
www.sunraysiadaily.com.au
13 Nov 2012
PLANS for a $700 million Mallee solar park, described as one of the largest solar power station projects in the world, may be scuttled after the proposal again failed to attract federal funding. Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) yesterday said it would not pursue the EnergyAustralia (formerly TRUEnergy) project despite an available funding increase of half a billion dollars.
The agency said it was forced to make "tough decisions" to increase renewable energy uptake in regional and remote Australia. Member for Mildura Peter Crisp last month said he was "genuinely worried" about EnergyAustralia's bid to establish the Mallee Solar Park south of Mildura, despite the State Government committing $100 million towards the proposal.
Under the banner of TRUEnergy, the Federal Government had twice rejected funding for the project, which Mr Crisp said would have provided "a very substantial investment in Mildura". Mr Crisp yesterday said he hoped the project would have attracted federal funding.
"But we do have another solar power station under way with Silex Systems, as well as a number of other companies who have shown interest", Mr Crisp said. "The solar park was going to be a pretty major investment, but it was always a concern when it missed out on the main funding rounds. "Naturally, I'm disappointed, but the opportunities and credentials of Mildura are so good that I am confident that someone else will come along.
13 Nov 2012
PLANS for a $700 million Mallee solar park, described as one of the largest solar power station projects in the world, may be scuttled after the proposal again failed to attract federal funding. Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) yesterday said it would not pursue the EnergyAustralia (formerly TRUEnergy) project despite an available funding increase of half a billion dollars.
The agency said it was forced to make "tough decisions" to increase renewable energy uptake in regional and remote Australia. Member for Mildura Peter Crisp last month said he was "genuinely worried" about EnergyAustralia's bid to establish the Mallee Solar Park south of Mildura, despite the State Government committing $100 million towards the proposal.
Under the banner of TRUEnergy, the Federal Government had twice rejected funding for the project, which Mr Crisp said would have provided "a very substantial investment in Mildura". Mr Crisp yesterday said he hoped the project would have attracted federal funding.
"But we do have another solar power station under way with Silex Systems, as well as a number of other companies who have shown interest", Mr Crisp said. "The solar park was going to be a pretty major investment, but it was always a concern when it missed out on the main funding rounds. "Naturally, I'm disappointed, but the opportunities and credentials of Mildura are so good that I am confident that someone else will come along.
Monday, 26 November 2012
Australia to decide on funding solar projects within six months
www.bloomberg.com
13 Nov 2012
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which plans to allocate A$2.2 billion ($2.3 billion) in government funds to help the industry, expects to decide within six months whether to invest in two solar projects. The government agency, set up last year, said it's in discussions with Pacific Hydro Pty and Fotowatio Renewable Ventures about funding their proposed solar plant in New South Wales and is talking with Infigen Energy (IFN) and Suntech Power Co. (STP) about another solar project in the state.
While a venture including Areva SA (AREVA) abandoned plans for a A$1 billion solar thermal project in Australia after failing to get funding from the renewable agency, other solar ventures are going ahead as the country moves toward a target of generating 20% of its power from clean energy by 2020. "Why hasn't more solar happened?" Ivor Frischknecht, who started as chief executive officer of the renewable energy agency in August, said in a phone interview yesterday. "Large-scale solar today still needs a subsidy, and various subsidy programs haven't been as successful as everybody would have hoped, but I think we've learned a lot from the past".
FirstSolar Inc. (FSLR) and AGL Energy Ltd. (AGK) in June won A$129.7 million in government funds to build a 159 MW solar project across two sites in New South Wales. Silex Systems Ltd. (SLX) announced last year it would get as much as A$75 million in federal funds for a solar plant in the state of Victoria.
‘Waiting to Happen’
"There are a number of projects out there waiting to happen or proceeding on schedule", he said. Decisions on the solar photovoltaic ventures in Australia's most populous state will be made "as soon as possible", he added. Australia had 1,936 MWs of solar projects using photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight into electricity, including just 19 MWs at large-scale plants, Bloomberg New Energy Finance said last month. A large-scale solar project is defined by BNEF as having capacity of more than 1 MW.
By comparison, Germany and Italy installed more than 7,000 MWs each last year, making them the world's two biggest markets for the technology. The Australian renewables agency released its funding strategy yesterday, seeking to encourage clean energy projects in locations where consumption is forecast to increase and fossil fuel-based generation costs are the highest. "We're trying to further the penetration of renewable energy particularly into diesel-powered areas of remote Australia", said Frischknecht, previously investment director of Australian venture capital fund Starfish Ventures.
Solar PV
ARENA's board decided it wouldn't fund the 250 MW Solar Dawn Project proposed by Paris-based Areva and Wind Prospect Group Ltd, partly because the Queensland government withdrew A$75 million of funding, said Frischknecht, who started as the agency's CEO in August. "The relative cost of PV to solar thermal has moved so dramatically, and that was such a large project, it just didn't seem fantastic value for money", Frischknecht said.
The agency also plans to make smaller investments, potentially A$10 million or less, in emerging renewable energy technologies across the country, he said. "There's a lot of activity at the smaller end of town", he said. "We are getting applications on a weekly basis, if not more frequently, and I would be disappointed if we weren't able to announce some of those in the next few months".
13 Nov 2012
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which plans to allocate A$2.2 billion ($2.3 billion) in government funds to help the industry, expects to decide within six months whether to invest in two solar projects. The government agency, set up last year, said it's in discussions with Pacific Hydro Pty and Fotowatio Renewable Ventures about funding their proposed solar plant in New South Wales and is talking with Infigen Energy (IFN) and Suntech Power Co. (STP) about another solar project in the state.
While a venture including Areva SA (AREVA) abandoned plans for a A$1 billion solar thermal project in Australia after failing to get funding from the renewable agency, other solar ventures are going ahead as the country moves toward a target of generating 20% of its power from clean energy by 2020. "Why hasn't more solar happened?" Ivor Frischknecht, who started as chief executive officer of the renewable energy agency in August, said in a phone interview yesterday. "Large-scale solar today still needs a subsidy, and various subsidy programs haven't been as successful as everybody would have hoped, but I think we've learned a lot from the past".
FirstSolar Inc. (FSLR) and AGL Energy Ltd. (AGK) in June won A$129.7 million in government funds to build a 159 MW solar project across two sites in New South Wales. Silex Systems Ltd. (SLX) announced last year it would get as much as A$75 million in federal funds for a solar plant in the state of Victoria.
‘Waiting to Happen’
"There are a number of projects out there waiting to happen or proceeding on schedule", he said. Decisions on the solar photovoltaic ventures in Australia's most populous state will be made "as soon as possible", he added. Australia had 1,936 MWs of solar projects using photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight into electricity, including just 19 MWs at large-scale plants, Bloomberg New Energy Finance said last month. A large-scale solar project is defined by BNEF as having capacity of more than 1 MW.
By comparison, Germany and Italy installed more than 7,000 MWs each last year, making them the world's two biggest markets for the technology. The Australian renewables agency released its funding strategy yesterday, seeking to encourage clean energy projects in locations where consumption is forecast to increase and fossil fuel-based generation costs are the highest. "We're trying to further the penetration of renewable energy particularly into diesel-powered areas of remote Australia", said Frischknecht, previously investment director of Australian venture capital fund Starfish Ventures.
Solar PV
ARENA's board decided it wouldn't fund the 250 MW Solar Dawn Project proposed by Paris-based Areva and Wind Prospect Group Ltd, partly because the Queensland government withdrew A$75 million of funding, said Frischknecht, who started as the agency's CEO in August. "The relative cost of PV to solar thermal has moved so dramatically, and that was such a large project, it just didn't seem fantastic value for money", Frischknecht said.
The agency also plans to make smaller investments, potentially A$10 million or less, in emerging renewable energy technologies across the country, he said. "There's a lot of activity at the smaller end of town", he said. "We are getting applications on a weekly basis, if not more frequently, and I would be disappointed if we weren't able to announce some of those in the next few months".
Wind farm blows some good for firefighters
www.abc.net.au
16 Nov 2012
The operators of a South Australian wind farm say it may have provided important information for fighting the bushfire near Port Lincoln. The Cathedral Rocks wind farm was near the fireground, and its operator, EnergyAustralia, says wind farms collect data including wind speed and direction. Steve Brown says his company gave the information to the Country Fire Service and believes it was helpful in the overall effort, particularly with wind change.
"It's important for the CFS to know when the wind is going to change, because you can imagine, they can be fighting a fire on a one-km front and it might have a ten-km tail, but if the wind changes, then it suddenly becomes a ten-km front", he said. "And the sooner they know about that, the more ready they can be to fight it, but perhaps more importantly get out of its way".
16 Nov 2012
The operators of a South Australian wind farm say it may have provided important information for fighting the bushfire near Port Lincoln. The Cathedral Rocks wind farm was near the fireground, and its operator, EnergyAustralia, says wind farms collect data including wind speed and direction. Steve Brown says his company gave the information to the Country Fire Service and believes it was helpful in the overall effort, particularly with wind change.
"It's important for the CFS to know when the wind is going to change, because you can imagine, they can be fighting a fire on a one-km front and it might have a ten-km tail, but if the wind changes, then it suddenly becomes a ten-km front", he said. "And the sooner they know about that, the more ready they can be to fight it, but perhaps more importantly get out of its way".
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
100 jobs at risk as turbine maker misses contract
www.standard.net.au
16 Nov 2012
THE head of Keppel Prince in Portland has warned that up to 100 jobs are at risk after developers for a planned $260 million wind farm near Ballarat tendered the project to an overseas company. Company general manager Steve Garner told The Standard he was informed last weekend that project managers REpower Systems, representing energy-giant Meridian Energy, had chosen a South Korean-based manufacturer because their turbines cost $100,000 less.
News of the development has sparked calls from across business, trade unions and politics to protect the manufacturing industry from cheaper overseas imports. "We have been advised that all 64 towers for the Mount Mercer wind farm will now be coming from a company in Korea", Mr Garner said. "We were banking on it, but they (Meridian Energy) decided to go for cheap imports".
Keppel Prince is now only one of two builders of turbines in Australia following last month's collapse of RPG Australia, which produced turbines from sites in South Australia and Queensland. But Mr Garner warned the company only had enough work to go through until April next year and was now reliant on winning a contract to build 90 turbines in Snowtown in South Australia. "I'm fighting for whatever I can get", Mr Garner said.
The company head has been outspoken after a previous contract was awarded to a foreign producer, but he said the issue had become urgent. "We'll certainly be looking at shutting down our wind section of the business", he said. While praising energy companies AGL Energy and Pacific Hyrdo for supporting local industry, Mr Garner hit out at Meridian Energy and REpower Systems for selecting overseas companies. "We would love to see tariffs imposed on this so we can have Australian-made jobs", he said.
Keppel Prince previously lost a tender for another wind farm development for Gunning in New South Wales in 2009. It is currently building 17 turbines for a project in Gullen Range, however the remainder of the 73 turbines are being made by another company in China.
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union organiser Mark Solly said members at Keppel Prince were still stunned by this week's news. "This is just a kick in the guts for the workers in Portland--there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel", Mr Solly said. "This whole renewable energy thing was meant to be a saviour". The union leader said staff at the site were bewildered by the news. He said union and community meetings were likely to take place in Portland next week.
16 Nov 2012
THE head of Keppel Prince in Portland has warned that up to 100 jobs are at risk after developers for a planned $260 million wind farm near Ballarat tendered the project to an overseas company. Company general manager Steve Garner told The Standard he was informed last weekend that project managers REpower Systems, representing energy-giant Meridian Energy, had chosen a South Korean-based manufacturer because their turbines cost $100,000 less.
News of the development has sparked calls from across business, trade unions and politics to protect the manufacturing industry from cheaper overseas imports. "We have been advised that all 64 towers for the Mount Mercer wind farm will now be coming from a company in Korea", Mr Garner said. "We were banking on it, but they (Meridian Energy) decided to go for cheap imports".
Keppel Prince is now only one of two builders of turbines in Australia following last month's collapse of RPG Australia, which produced turbines from sites in South Australia and Queensland. But Mr Garner warned the company only had enough work to go through until April next year and was now reliant on winning a contract to build 90 turbines in Snowtown in South Australia. "I'm fighting for whatever I can get", Mr Garner said.
The company head has been outspoken after a previous contract was awarded to a foreign producer, but he said the issue had become urgent. "We'll certainly be looking at shutting down our wind section of the business", he said. While praising energy companies AGL Energy and Pacific Hyrdo for supporting local industry, Mr Garner hit out at Meridian Energy and REpower Systems for selecting overseas companies. "We would love to see tariffs imposed on this so we can have Australian-made jobs", he said.
Keppel Prince previously lost a tender for another wind farm development for Gunning in New South Wales in 2009. It is currently building 17 turbines for a project in Gullen Range, however the remainder of the 73 turbines are being made by another company in China.
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union organiser Mark Solly said members at Keppel Prince were still stunned by this week's news. "This is just a kick in the guts for the workers in Portland--there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel", Mr Solly said. "This whole renewable energy thing was meant to be a saviour". The union leader said staff at the site were bewildered by the news. He said union and community meetings were likely to take place in Portland next week.
Solar funding round leaves Mildura in the dark
www.theage.com.au
12 Nov 2012
A huge solar power farm intended for the north-western Victorian town of Mildura is in doubt after the EnergyAustralia-backed project again missed out on federal government funding. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) today unveiled its investment plan for 2012 15 and its general funding strategy aimed at promoting the development of renewable energy, particularly in regional Australia.
ARENA, which was launched in July, increased the funding available for investment, including for the Solar Flagships Program it inherited, from $1.7 billion to $2.2 billion. Even so, the agency had to make "tough decisions" on its allocation, Greg Bourne, chair of ARENA, said in a statement. ARENA decided not to commit funds to EnergyAustralia's proposed Mallee Solar Park, costing as much as $700 million to develop, because of its "broad similarity" to a thin-film solar photovoltaic project being built by AGL Energy and FirstSolar.
"We are obviously disappointed with the decision", a spokeswoman for EnergyAustralia, formerly TRUEnergy, said. "We believe we submitted a strong and competitive proposal that would have provided economic and environmental benefits to the State, however we understand we were up against some other good projects", she said. "We will continue to assess what funding options are available".
The federal government has already committed $129.7 million and the NSW government $64.9 million to the AGL Energy-FirstSolar's sites in Nyngan, west of Dubbo, and Broken Hill. "We are also continuing discussions with Moree Solar Farm and Infigen Energy-Suntech Power on potential projects based on their short-listed Solar Flagships Program applications", Mr Bourne said. the Mallee Solar Park had missed out on a previous flagship grant. The Baillieu government had pledged funding for the project if it succeeded in securing federal funds after the Brumby government had promised to tip in as much as $100 million.
The 600 hectare solar park would reportedly have been 180 MWs in size and created as many as 200 jobs. John Forrest, the Federal MP for Mallee, described the $700 million project as potentially "be one of the largest solar power stations globally" that would be "a project of both State and national significance", according to a report on his website.
Also ruled out for ARENA funding was the 250 MW Solar Dawn Project solar thermal project proposed to be built near Chinchilla in south-western Queensland. That venture aims to construct a solar field of mirrors, steam boiler tubes and a "power block" over 450 hectares.
ARENA plans
ARENA has $3.2 billion funding locked in until 2020 to help renewable energy technologies move from research, development and demonstration to commercialisation, although some of the funds are already earmarked for projects support by the Australian Solar Institute and other government bodies that will be rolled into the agency.
Among its list of priorities released today, ARENA said the majority of its funds over the next three years will be directed to energy generation projects "that are closest to commercial viability and where investment will accelerate this outcome".
"We have around about $2 billion yet to be allocated", Mr Bourne told Fairfax Media. Solar, which along with geothermal technologies, received much of the assigned funding, is likely to be remain a priority. "On a world stage we do actually have pretty much world leadership still in the solar photovoltaic area", he said. "That's very, very hard to say about any other technology in the pie-charts that are around".
Beyond the identification of technologies where Australia has an edge or the prospect of grabbing one, the agency will also work on removing obstacles to their take-up. "Is it possible to set up conditions (enabling) a cascade of change to occur?", Mr Bourne said".It may be that we can make a small in investment in the removal of some of those roadblocks".
Among the agency's activities will be efforts to explore the opportunities of off-grid and near-grid energy generation. The funding may also extend to identifying potential for renewable transport fuels. The Energy White Paper released by the government last week, forecast the share of Australia's power generation will double to 20% by 2020 and double again to 40% by 2035 and reach a half share by 2050. The latter target may require as much as $200 billion in investment to achieve, the report said.
12 Nov 2012
A huge solar power farm intended for the north-western Victorian town of Mildura is in doubt after the EnergyAustralia-backed project again missed out on federal government funding. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) today unveiled its investment plan for 2012 15 and its general funding strategy aimed at promoting the development of renewable energy, particularly in regional Australia.ARENA, which was launched in July, increased the funding available for investment, including for the Solar Flagships Program it inherited, from $1.7 billion to $2.2 billion. Even so, the agency had to make "tough decisions" on its allocation, Greg Bourne, chair of ARENA, said in a statement. ARENA decided not to commit funds to EnergyAustralia's proposed Mallee Solar Park, costing as much as $700 million to develop, because of its "broad similarity" to a thin-film solar photovoltaic project being built by AGL Energy and FirstSolar.
"We are obviously disappointed with the decision", a spokeswoman for EnergyAustralia, formerly TRUEnergy, said. "We believe we submitted a strong and competitive proposal that would have provided economic and environmental benefits to the State, however we understand we were up against some other good projects", she said. "We will continue to assess what funding options are available".
The federal government has already committed $129.7 million and the NSW government $64.9 million to the AGL Energy-FirstSolar's sites in Nyngan, west of Dubbo, and Broken Hill. "We are also continuing discussions with Moree Solar Farm and Infigen Energy-Suntech Power on potential projects based on their short-listed Solar Flagships Program applications", Mr Bourne said. the Mallee Solar Park had missed out on a previous flagship grant. The Baillieu government had pledged funding for the project if it succeeded in securing federal funds after the Brumby government had promised to tip in as much as $100 million.
The 600 hectare solar park would reportedly have been 180 MWs in size and created as many as 200 jobs. John Forrest, the Federal MP for Mallee, described the $700 million project as potentially "be one of the largest solar power stations globally" that would be "a project of both State and national significance", according to a report on his website.
Also ruled out for ARENA funding was the 250 MW Solar Dawn Project solar thermal project proposed to be built near Chinchilla in south-western Queensland. That venture aims to construct a solar field of mirrors, steam boiler tubes and a "power block" over 450 hectares.
ARENA plans
ARENA has $3.2 billion funding locked in until 2020 to help renewable energy technologies move from research, development and demonstration to commercialisation, although some of the funds are already earmarked for projects support by the Australian Solar Institute and other government bodies that will be rolled into the agency.
Among its list of priorities released today, ARENA said the majority of its funds over the next three years will be directed to energy generation projects "that are closest to commercial viability and where investment will accelerate this outcome".
"We have around about $2 billion yet to be allocated", Mr Bourne told Fairfax Media. Solar, which along with geothermal technologies, received much of the assigned funding, is likely to be remain a priority. "On a world stage we do actually have pretty much world leadership still in the solar photovoltaic area", he said. "That's very, very hard to say about any other technology in the pie-charts that are around".
Beyond the identification of technologies where Australia has an edge or the prospect of grabbing one, the agency will also work on removing obstacles to their take-up. "Is it possible to set up conditions (enabling) a cascade of change to occur?", Mr Bourne said".It may be that we can make a small in investment in the removal of some of those roadblocks".
Among the agency's activities will be efforts to explore the opportunities of off-grid and near-grid energy generation. The funding may also extend to identifying potential for renewable transport fuels. The Energy White Paper released by the government last week, forecast the share of Australia's power generation will double to 20% by 2020 and double again to 40% by 2035 and reach a half share by 2050. The latter target may require as much as $200 billion in investment to achieve, the report said.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Cordillera power blowing in the wind
manilastandardtoday.com
11 Nov 2012
(Philippines)--A wind power plant in Mountain Province will add 15 MWs of electricity in Cordillera highlands over the next three to five years, making the region a major source of green energy. PhilCarbon Inc, chairman Rufino Bomasang says his company is committed to help generate electricity without harming the environment and the host communities. "We plan to build 25 wind turbines along the Pilao-Langsayan ridge", he tells Manila Standard, referring to the location across Sagada and Besao towns. "Each turbine is designed to generate 600 kWs".
Bomasang notes the increased economic activities in the highlands due to the influx of locators and visitors and as the transient population continue to ratchet up energy demand more than the present supply level can meet. PhilCarbon president Ruth Yu-Owen says the host community will be entitled to a royalty of one centavo per kW generated with the aggregate amount to be divided among the barangay, with 25% share; town, 40%; and province, 35%.
"Our company will be paying its business permit and real property taxes to the municipal governments", she says. "We hope that with our operations, Sagada and Besao will be elevated from fifth class to fourth class towns". PhilCarbon says the project is covered by service contract 2011 12 048. The company, accredited by the Energy Department, undertakes concept, feasibility and finance packaging in renewable sources for power generation related to the trading of carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol.
The country's first wind power plant of 20 turbines generating 33 MW was completed in August 2008 in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, facing the West Philippine Sea with a loan assistance from the Danish International Development Agency. A second wind farm is rising along the Verde Strait in Puerto Galera, Mindoro Oriental, designed for 48 MW with turbines supplied by Eolica S.L. Unipersonal of Italy.
11 Nov 2012
(Philippines)--A wind power plant in Mountain Province will add 15 MWs of electricity in Cordillera highlands over the next three to five years, making the region a major source of green energy. PhilCarbon Inc, chairman Rufino Bomasang says his company is committed to help generate electricity without harming the environment and the host communities. "We plan to build 25 wind turbines along the Pilao-Langsayan ridge", he tells Manila Standard, referring to the location across Sagada and Besao towns. "Each turbine is designed to generate 600 kWs".
Bomasang notes the increased economic activities in the highlands due to the influx of locators and visitors and as the transient population continue to ratchet up energy demand more than the present supply level can meet. PhilCarbon president Ruth Yu-Owen says the host community will be entitled to a royalty of one centavo per kW generated with the aggregate amount to be divided among the barangay, with 25% share; town, 40%; and province, 35%.
"Our company will be paying its business permit and real property taxes to the municipal governments", she says. "We hope that with our operations, Sagada and Besao will be elevated from fifth class to fourth class towns". PhilCarbon says the project is covered by service contract 2011 12 048. The company, accredited by the Energy Department, undertakes concept, feasibility and finance packaging in renewable sources for power generation related to the trading of carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol.
The country's first wind power plant of 20 turbines generating 33 MW was completed in August 2008 in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, facing the West Philippine Sea with a loan assistance from the Danish International Development Agency. A second wind farm is rising along the Verde Strait in Puerto Galera, Mindoro Oriental, designed for 48 MW with turbines supplied by Eolica S.L. Unipersonal of Italy.
Scientists unlock nature's hydrogen secrets
www.radioaustralia.net.au
10 Nov 2012
Professors Rob Stranger and Ron Pace from the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University (ANU) have used computer modelling to reveal the molecular structure of the photosynthesis reaction site in plants. Professor Pace says the discovery takes a leaf out of nature's handbook, for the first time identifying the specific water molecules in a plant's photosystem that are converted into oxygen. "Nature very early on in the evolutionary process on Earth figured out how to do this particular piece of chemistry with close to 100% efficiency", he said.
Professor Stranger says the work offers clues as to how scientists can create alternative fuel. "The part of the plant's photosystem that is important to this process is called the oxygen-evolving-complex (OEC)", he said. "If we can steal nature's secrets and understand how the OEC performs its chemistry, then we can learn to make hydrogen much more efficiently, and hydrogen is the fuel for a totally renewable fuel future".
Professor Pace says that while scientists know the OEC contains four manganese atoms and a calcium atom, they have been trying for decades to determine the exact structure of the system and how it works. "Our work confirms the OEC structure and means researchers can progress new fuel developments based on photosynthesis", he said.
New method
Scientists have been splitting water molecules to create hydrogen gas for decades, but the process requires electricity. Professor Stranger says the current system of using electricity from other sources to create hydrogen is wasteful and not ideal. "This has been a very big challenge for chemists and scientists", he said. "We did computer modelling to try and rationalise [how photosynthesis does it] and try and make sense of it. "So did a lot of other people worldwide, but they didn't get anywhere with it, but we were able to".
Professor Pace says other scientists had less luck because they underestimated nature's creativity. "It turns out that nature very cleverly doesn't charge the process up more than is absolutely necessary", he said. "That's what's confused our colleagues because they believed that the chemistry wasn't quite that clever. "We can see now that you don't need to use as much electric charge as was previously thought, which is very important. "The more you do that, the more dangerous you make this reaction, which is already the most dangerous reaction in nature".
The next step for the two scientists is to publish their findings before handing it over to a laboratory to try and mimic the process of photosynthesis, something they believe will be a reality within five years. But Professor Pace is quick to ease thoughts the future will involve leaving a car in the sun and fuelling it up with a garden hose. "If I was a shonk I'd tell you yes", he said. "But in fact that's not the way I see it sensibly happening".
10 Nov 2012
Professors Rob Stranger and Ron Pace from the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University (ANU) have used computer modelling to reveal the molecular structure of the photosynthesis reaction site in plants. Professor Pace says the discovery takes a leaf out of nature's handbook, for the first time identifying the specific water molecules in a plant's photosystem that are converted into oxygen. "Nature very early on in the evolutionary process on Earth figured out how to do this particular piece of chemistry with close to 100% efficiency", he said.Professor Stranger says the work offers clues as to how scientists can create alternative fuel. "The part of the plant's photosystem that is important to this process is called the oxygen-evolving-complex (OEC)", he said. "If we can steal nature's secrets and understand how the OEC performs its chemistry, then we can learn to make hydrogen much more efficiently, and hydrogen is the fuel for a totally renewable fuel future".
Professor Pace says that while scientists know the OEC contains four manganese atoms and a calcium atom, they have been trying for decades to determine the exact structure of the system and how it works. "Our work confirms the OEC structure and means researchers can progress new fuel developments based on photosynthesis", he said.
New method
Scientists have been splitting water molecules to create hydrogen gas for decades, but the process requires electricity. Professor Stranger says the current system of using electricity from other sources to create hydrogen is wasteful and not ideal. "This has been a very big challenge for chemists and scientists", he said. "We did computer modelling to try and rationalise [how photosynthesis does it] and try and make sense of it. "So did a lot of other people worldwide, but they didn't get anywhere with it, but we were able to".
Professor Pace says other scientists had less luck because they underestimated nature's creativity. "It turns out that nature very cleverly doesn't charge the process up more than is absolutely necessary", he said. "That's what's confused our colleagues because they believed that the chemistry wasn't quite that clever. "We can see now that you don't need to use as much electric charge as was previously thought, which is very important. "The more you do that, the more dangerous you make this reaction, which is already the most dangerous reaction in nature".
The next step for the two scientists is to publish their findings before handing it over to a laboratory to try and mimic the process of photosynthesis, something they believe will be a reality within five years. But Professor Pace is quick to ease thoughts the future will involve leaving a car in the sun and fuelling it up with a garden hose. "If I was a shonk I'd tell you yes", he said. "But in fact that's not the way I see it sensibly happening".
Australia’s Pacific Hydro may expand retail electricity business
www.businessweek.com
8 Nov 2012
Pacific Hydro Pty, the Australian renewable energy producer, may expand its retail business to New South Wales state and sell power to residential customers.
Pacific Hydro, a unit of Industry Funds Management Pty, in September started a retail-energy arm targeting businesses in the states of South Australia and Victoria. That reduces the company's reliance on retailers Origin Energy Ltd. (ORG), AGL Energy Ltd. (AGK) and TRUEnergy Holdings Pty Ltd., Lane Crockett, Pacific Hydro Australia's general manager, said today. "That's an alternative avenue to market", he said in an interview in Melbourne. "We'll be looking to expand that business, and that might provide opportunities so we don't have to rely on the big three".
Australia set a target of generating 41,000 GWs of electricity from renewable sources by 2020, or 20% of its projected needs. As demand slows, that target may end up being 25% of the country's energy mix prompting calls from power companies such as TRUEnergy Holdings to lower it. Uncertainty over whether the target will remain in its current form is hurting investment, Crockett said. Pacific Hydro also sees an opportunity in selling clean power to homes, Crockett said. "We think there's a story there to potentially market a green product to the average household", he said.
Pacific Hydro and partner Fotowatio Renewable Ventures are seeking funds from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency for a solar power project in New South Wales after losing a competition for federal government funds earlier this year, Crockett said. That project may have the capacity to produce as much as 60 MWs of electricity, he said. "We've been in discussions with ARENA", he said, declining to speculate on when the organization will decide.
8 Nov 2012
Pacific Hydro Pty, the Australian renewable energy producer, may expand its retail business to New South Wales state and sell power to residential customers.
Pacific Hydro, a unit of Industry Funds Management Pty, in September started a retail-energy arm targeting businesses in the states of South Australia and Victoria. That reduces the company's reliance on retailers Origin Energy Ltd. (ORG), AGL Energy Ltd. (AGK) and TRUEnergy Holdings Pty Ltd., Lane Crockett, Pacific Hydro Australia's general manager, said today. "That's an alternative avenue to market", he said in an interview in Melbourne. "We'll be looking to expand that business, and that might provide opportunities so we don't have to rely on the big three".
Australia set a target of generating 41,000 GWs of electricity from renewable sources by 2020, or 20% of its projected needs. As demand slows, that target may end up being 25% of the country's energy mix prompting calls from power companies such as TRUEnergy Holdings to lower it. Uncertainty over whether the target will remain in its current form is hurting investment, Crockett said. Pacific Hydro also sees an opportunity in selling clean power to homes, Crockett said. "We think there's a story there to potentially market a green product to the average household", he said.
Pacific Hydro and partner Fotowatio Renewable Ventures are seeking funds from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency for a solar power project in New South Wales after losing a competition for federal government funds earlier this year, Crockett said. That project may have the capacity to produce as much as 60 MWs of electricity, he said. "We've been in discussions with ARENA", he said, declining to speculate on when the organization will decide.
Solar photovoltaic diesel hybrid system to power one of Australia’s remotest locations
www.electronicsnews.com.au
8 Nov 2012
An off-grid, sustainable power supply developed by a Curtin University PhD student is being used to power one of the hottest and most remote locations in Australia.
Shaji Mathews from the University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is developing uninterrupted power supplies for remote locations and, in conjunction with Regen Power, has designed and installed an innovative solar photovoltaic diesel hybrid system for the Veterans Retreat at Meentheena Station, 75 km east of Marble Bar.
The retreat is for veterans of military, medical, police and other services to help them cope with experiences of past conflicts and events. While the remoteness of the site makes it an ideal location to unwind, visitors battle with the extreme temperatures, so the Veterans Retreats of Western Australia approached Regen Power to develop a cost-effective, uninterrupted power supply system. With the nearest petrol station located some 200 km away, Mathews developed a diesel generator which can run on variable speed to reduce the retreat's fuel needs, yet still meet power requirements in case of solar power shortages.
"This is the first variable speed generator of this type and I'm pretty sure success of this combination system will give a big boost to remote applications", Mathews said. "Current hybrid systems require a large battery storage bank or a big diesel generator to meet peak load, and running a new or upgraded grid is expensive. We can supply year-round power without a huge capital investment, making it affordable for those with limited funds".
The system includes 32 panels, a 38 kW energy storage battery system and the variable speed diesel generator, providing 24 hour power to the retreat, which incorporates facilities for caravans and camping, a donga with four self-contained rooms, a house and a shed. solar panels have been mounted to the rooftop of the house and donga while the battery bank is located in an air-conditioned and insulated sea container.
"The new power system allows residents to have air conditioners, lighting and refrigerators in each room and to use appliances at any time. Previously, only their absolute basic electrical needs, such as refrigeration, were powered using a small petrol generator", Mathews said.
The solar panels will generate an average of about 30 kW of electricity per day. The solar hybrid system can meet almost 10 kW peak power on a sunny day and around 5 kW power at night. "Our experiments have proven that the variable speed generator can achieve a fuel saving of up to 40% compared to a conventional diesel generator in remote applications", he said.
8 Nov 2012
An off-grid, sustainable power supply developed by a Curtin University PhD student is being used to power one of the hottest and most remote locations in Australia.
Shaji Mathews from the University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is developing uninterrupted power supplies for remote locations and, in conjunction with Regen Power, has designed and installed an innovative solar photovoltaic diesel hybrid system for the Veterans Retreat at Meentheena Station, 75 km east of Marble Bar.
The retreat is for veterans of military, medical, police and other services to help them cope with experiences of past conflicts and events. While the remoteness of the site makes it an ideal location to unwind, visitors battle with the extreme temperatures, so the Veterans Retreats of Western Australia approached Regen Power to develop a cost-effective, uninterrupted power supply system. With the nearest petrol station located some 200 km away, Mathews developed a diesel generator which can run on variable speed to reduce the retreat's fuel needs, yet still meet power requirements in case of solar power shortages.
"This is the first variable speed generator of this type and I'm pretty sure success of this combination system will give a big boost to remote applications", Mathews said. "Current hybrid systems require a large battery storage bank or a big diesel generator to meet peak load, and running a new or upgraded grid is expensive. We can supply year-round power without a huge capital investment, making it affordable for those with limited funds".
The system includes 32 panels, a 38 kW energy storage battery system and the variable speed diesel generator, providing 24 hour power to the retreat, which incorporates facilities for caravans and camping, a donga with four self-contained rooms, a house and a shed. solar panels have been mounted to the rooftop of the house and donga while the battery bank is located in an air-conditioned and insulated sea container.
"The new power system allows residents to have air conditioners, lighting and refrigerators in each room and to use appliances at any time. Previously, only their absolute basic electrical needs, such as refrigeration, were powered using a small petrol generator", Mathews said.
The solar panels will generate an average of about 30 kW of electricity per day. The solar hybrid system can meet almost 10 kW peak power on a sunny day and around 5 kW power at night. "Our experiments have proven that the variable speed generator can achieve a fuel saving of up to 40% compared to a conventional diesel generator in remote applications", he said.
Scotland approves 85MW Highlands wind farm
www.upi.com
7 Nov 2012
GLASGOW, Scotland, Nov. 7 (UPI)--An 85 MW wind farm in the Scottish highlands has been approved despite the objections of hikers who say spectacular views of the moors will be ruined. Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing announced Monday planning approval had been granted to the Beinneun wind farm, near Fort Augustus in the Highlands, to be developed by RidgeWind Ltd., of Lyneham, England.
Ewing said the wind farm will put $48 million into the Highland economy during the two-year construction period, including $1.6 million for local communities, while providing 90 construction jobs with three permanent full-time positions. "Once it is up and running, it will save thousands of tons of CO₂ each year, and it is expected that the savings made will 'pay off' the carbon footprint of constructing the site in less than two years", he said. "The wind farm will also produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 40,000 homes".
The new wind farm continues a push to tap the energy potential of the windswept northern Scottish moors and highlands, during which it has granted 30 onshore wind farm applications since 2007. Another 45 energy applications are pending, including 37 for onshore wind projects. Many of the Scottish wind turbine projects have drawn the opposition of local residents who object to their visual impacts and their perceived effects on the tourism industry and issues of local control.
Their position was taken up last week by Conservative Party Energy Minister of State John Hayes, who told The Daily Mail last week "enough was enough" and "we can no longer have wind turbines imposed on communities". The comments reflected a bitter divide between Tory leaders and British Energy Secretary Ed Davey, a Liberal Democratic government coalition partner, over the proliferation of wind farms in the Scottish, Welsh and English countryside, reports indicated.
The Beinneun wind farm, though in a remote area about 150 miles north of Glasgow, has likewise drawn opposition from lovers of the area's scenic beauty. It is also near a special protection area for two rare breeding bird species, the black-throated diver and common scoter. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland said the cumulative impact of Beinneun in combination with the neighboring 20 turbine Millennium wind farm "will overwhelm the landscape due to the increased number of turbines at the location".
The group disputed an environmental assessment that found the impact on the area's landscape to be negligible, noting the it contains a popular hill walking summit at Meall Dubh--a "Corbett" of "significant interest to mountaineers from all over the U.K". "Should the development be consented, the views from here would be dominated by turbines in an otherwise relatively wild area", the mountaineering group said. "Turbines would be included in the majority of the arcs of view from this summit".
Also affected would be views from a popular tourist route along the A87 motorway through the Highlands, it said. However, Scottish Natural Heritage found that the Beinneun wind farm could be accommodated without "major problems" for wildlife or landscape.
"We support renewable energy as a key means of addressing the climate change threat", Steve North, SNH operations manager for South Highland, said in a December statement. "The challenge for us all is to balance the needs of the renewable energy sector with those of nature and people's enjoyment of the outdoors. "The proposed wind farm at Beinneun would not have any major effect on local wildlife. We've also advised that removal of some turbines would avoid any impacts on views from the A87, an important tourist route".
7 Nov 2012
GLASGOW, Scotland, Nov. 7 (UPI)--An 85 MW wind farm in the Scottish highlands has been approved despite the objections of hikers who say spectacular views of the moors will be ruined. Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing announced Monday planning approval had been granted to the Beinneun wind farm, near Fort Augustus in the Highlands, to be developed by RidgeWind Ltd., of Lyneham, England.
Ewing said the wind farm will put $48 million into the Highland economy during the two-year construction period, including $1.6 million for local communities, while providing 90 construction jobs with three permanent full-time positions. "Once it is up and running, it will save thousands of tons of CO₂ each year, and it is expected that the savings made will 'pay off' the carbon footprint of constructing the site in less than two years", he said. "The wind farm will also produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 40,000 homes".
The new wind farm continues a push to tap the energy potential of the windswept northern Scottish moors and highlands, during which it has granted 30 onshore wind farm applications since 2007. Another 45 energy applications are pending, including 37 for onshore wind projects. Many of the Scottish wind turbine projects have drawn the opposition of local residents who object to their visual impacts and their perceived effects on the tourism industry and issues of local control.
Their position was taken up last week by Conservative Party Energy Minister of State John Hayes, who told The Daily Mail last week "enough was enough" and "we can no longer have wind turbines imposed on communities". The comments reflected a bitter divide between Tory leaders and British Energy Secretary Ed Davey, a Liberal Democratic government coalition partner, over the proliferation of wind farms in the Scottish, Welsh and English countryside, reports indicated.
The Beinneun wind farm, though in a remote area about 150 miles north of Glasgow, has likewise drawn opposition from lovers of the area's scenic beauty. It is also near a special protection area for two rare breeding bird species, the black-throated diver and common scoter. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland said the cumulative impact of Beinneun in combination with the neighboring 20 turbine Millennium wind farm "will overwhelm the landscape due to the increased number of turbines at the location".
The group disputed an environmental assessment that found the impact on the area's landscape to be negligible, noting the it contains a popular hill walking summit at Meall Dubh--a "Corbett" of "significant interest to mountaineers from all over the U.K". "Should the development be consented, the views from here would be dominated by turbines in an otherwise relatively wild area", the mountaineering group said. "Turbines would be included in the majority of the arcs of view from this summit".
Also affected would be views from a popular tourist route along the A87 motorway through the Highlands, it said. However, Scottish Natural Heritage found that the Beinneun wind farm could be accommodated without "major problems" for wildlife or landscape.
"We support renewable energy as a key means of addressing the climate change threat", Steve North, SNH operations manager for South Highland, said in a December statement. "The challenge for us all is to balance the needs of the renewable energy sector with those of nature and people's enjoyment of the outdoors. "The proposed wind farm at Beinneun would not have any major effect on local wildlife. We've also advised that removal of some turbines would avoid any impacts on views from the A87, an important tourist route".
Push to back wind power
sl.farmonline.com.au
6 Nov 2012
Wind farming advocates turned out in force to the official launch of the Victorian Wind Alliance at Portland last week. The newly-formed group was founded two weeks ago to provide a voice for people in support of the wind farms. The launch, which was held at the Keppel Prince wind tower manufacturing facility in south-west Victoria last Thursday, saw about 80 wind workers and community members sign the alliance's statement of support. To date, the group has about 600 supporters.
Keppel Prince Engineering managing director Steve Garner-who is also a member of the alliance-admitted his interests were aligned with wind farming but added one of the understated benefits of the issue was jobs. "One the wind turbines alone, we employ about 100 people", he said. The business has been making wind towers for about 12 years. "The work has been very patchy", Mr Garner said. "We've been working on getting political support on both sides of the government to retain the renewable energy target and it looks as though it will stay now, which means more jobs".
Apart from providing clean energy, he said it provided "green" jobs. "People feel good about what they are doing, because they know they are contributing to a sustainable future", he said. "And you've really got to ask yourself how many carbon emissions a coal-fired power station emits and whether you want a sustainable energy future or not".
The Federal Government has set a goal to provide 20% of the country's energy through renewable energy by 2020, and the alliance say Victoria needs to act quickly to jump on the opportunities wind farms provide. Mr Garner added that one of the biggest obstacles to wind power development in Australia had been the amended planning zones, which have put big restrictions on new developments. Now wind farms can not be built within 2km of homes.
Mr Garner said the restrictions had brought the wind power sector to a standstill. However, he hoped the Victorian Wind Alliance would be a platform to the lobby the State Government. "We want to government to see the positive side of wind farms, such as the ability to switch to renewable energy and the potential of job creation", he said. "We want the current planning laws to be restricted or loosened. It's bad policy". He also said community opposition was another big obstacle. "There are a lot of myths about wind turbines, about noise and ill health, which haven't been proven", he said. "The community have been misinformed and we want to set the record straight".
The launch of the Victorian Wind Alliance occurred on the same day the Mitchell Shire Council unanimously rejected an application for a proposed 16 turbine wind farm, to be built south east of Seymour in central Victoria. Infigen Energy were planning to erect the $100 million 'Cherry Tree Wind Farm' that would see 160 metre towers constructed on the Trawool Valley. But the plans were rejected last week by councillors at a meeting that attracted more than 100 people.
"The council decided to oppose the plans, after hearing 117 individual objections, one group objection and five letters of support", a council spokesperson said. The mains concerns were location but some community members raised the topic of health effects and noise levels from the wind turbines. The spokesperson added many of the objectors were not opposed to wind or renewable energy but rather their impacts. "They don't want this on their backdoor", he said.
Australian Environment Foundation executive director Max Rheese, who spoke at an earlier meeting regarding the Cherry Tree Wind Farm meeting in August, said there was strong community opposition to the plans. "We don't see any economic benefits to wind power given it is subsidised by electricity providers and tax payers", he said. "And there is growing evidence that wind farms are making some people sick". He said the AEF wanted a moratorium on new wind farms being built, until health effects had been investigated. The proposed Cherry Tree Wind Farm will now be decided by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) later this month.
6 Nov 2012
Wind farming advocates turned out in force to the official launch of the Victorian Wind Alliance at Portland last week. The newly-formed group was founded two weeks ago to provide a voice for people in support of the wind farms. The launch, which was held at the Keppel Prince wind tower manufacturing facility in south-west Victoria last Thursday, saw about 80 wind workers and community members sign the alliance's statement of support. To date, the group has about 600 supporters.
Keppel Prince Engineering managing director Steve Garner-who is also a member of the alliance-admitted his interests were aligned with wind farming but added one of the understated benefits of the issue was jobs. "One the wind turbines alone, we employ about 100 people", he said. The business has been making wind towers for about 12 years. "The work has been very patchy", Mr Garner said. "We've been working on getting political support on both sides of the government to retain the renewable energy target and it looks as though it will stay now, which means more jobs".
Apart from providing clean energy, he said it provided "green" jobs. "People feel good about what they are doing, because they know they are contributing to a sustainable future", he said. "And you've really got to ask yourself how many carbon emissions a coal-fired power station emits and whether you want a sustainable energy future or not".
The Federal Government has set a goal to provide 20% of the country's energy through renewable energy by 2020, and the alliance say Victoria needs to act quickly to jump on the opportunities wind farms provide. Mr Garner added that one of the biggest obstacles to wind power development in Australia had been the amended planning zones, which have put big restrictions on new developments. Now wind farms can not be built within 2km of homes.
Mr Garner said the restrictions had brought the wind power sector to a standstill. However, he hoped the Victorian Wind Alliance would be a platform to the lobby the State Government. "We want to government to see the positive side of wind farms, such as the ability to switch to renewable energy and the potential of job creation", he said. "We want the current planning laws to be restricted or loosened. It's bad policy". He also said community opposition was another big obstacle. "There are a lot of myths about wind turbines, about noise and ill health, which haven't been proven", he said. "The community have been misinformed and we want to set the record straight".
The launch of the Victorian Wind Alliance occurred on the same day the Mitchell Shire Council unanimously rejected an application for a proposed 16 turbine wind farm, to be built south east of Seymour in central Victoria. Infigen Energy were planning to erect the $100 million 'Cherry Tree Wind Farm' that would see 160 metre towers constructed on the Trawool Valley. But the plans were rejected last week by councillors at a meeting that attracted more than 100 people.
"The council decided to oppose the plans, after hearing 117 individual objections, one group objection and five letters of support", a council spokesperson said. The mains concerns were location but some community members raised the topic of health effects and noise levels from the wind turbines. The spokesperson added many of the objectors were not opposed to wind or renewable energy but rather their impacts. "They don't want this on their backdoor", he said.
Australian Environment Foundation executive director Max Rheese, who spoke at an earlier meeting regarding the Cherry Tree Wind Farm meeting in August, said there was strong community opposition to the plans. "We don't see any economic benefits to wind power given it is subsidised by electricity providers and tax payers", he said. "And there is growing evidence that wind farms are making some people sick". He said the AEF wanted a moratorium on new wind farms being built, until health effects had been investigated. The proposed Cherry Tree Wind Farm will now be decided by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) later this month.
Pacific islands drop diesel for 100 percent solar power
www.trust.org
5 Nov 2012
The island nation of Tokelau switched on the third and final installment of its new solar power grid last week, earning praise around the world as the first country to become entirely solar-powered--except it's not a country. Made up of three tiny tropical atolls-a few specks in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean-Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand, whose government's international aid and development programme advanced the $7 million to fund the project, aimed at replacing Tokelau's diesel-powered energy grid.
"Electricity expenses make up a huge portion of their budget in Tokelau, which makes it hard for them to invest and look toward the future, so there's a very clear financial argument for this system", said Michael Bassett-Smith, managing director of Powersmart Solar, New Zealand's largest solar power company, which directed the project. Now, as a result of the project, "not only does the New Zealand aid programme save money from not having to import diesel, but Tokelau has a very clear sense of the price of their energy".
Though its economy runs almost entirely on the sale of fishing licenses and Internet domain names and the atolls boast "at most" five motor vehicles, Tokelau still imported over 2,000 barrels of diesel per year at a cost of $1 million New Zealand dollars ($825,000) to provide electricity to its approximately 1,400 people. According to Mika Perez, Tokelau's director of economic development, natural resources and the environment, the jump to solar power is both a cost-saving measure and a commitment to environmental sustainability on the frontier of climate change.
"The industrial nations are contributing to climate change through emissions of fossil fuels into the atmosphere, affecting Tokelau, indirectly, quite a bit", said Perez. Now, "Tokelau will take the lead in harnessing the sun to provide renewable energy, and other countries will look at us and know that we are doing something about it, and they should do their part".
Read More…
5 Nov 2012
The island nation of Tokelau switched on the third and final installment of its new solar power grid last week, earning praise around the world as the first country to become entirely solar-powered--except it's not a country. Made up of three tiny tropical atolls-a few specks in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean-Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand, whose government's international aid and development programme advanced the $7 million to fund the project, aimed at replacing Tokelau's diesel-powered energy grid."Electricity expenses make up a huge portion of their budget in Tokelau, which makes it hard for them to invest and look toward the future, so there's a very clear financial argument for this system", said Michael Bassett-Smith, managing director of Powersmart Solar, New Zealand's largest solar power company, which directed the project. Now, as a result of the project, "not only does the New Zealand aid programme save money from not having to import diesel, but Tokelau has a very clear sense of the price of their energy".
Though its economy runs almost entirely on the sale of fishing licenses and Internet domain names and the atolls boast "at most" five motor vehicles, Tokelau still imported over 2,000 barrels of diesel per year at a cost of $1 million New Zealand dollars ($825,000) to provide electricity to its approximately 1,400 people. According to Mika Perez, Tokelau's director of economic development, natural resources and the environment, the jump to solar power is both a cost-saving measure and a commitment to environmental sustainability on the frontier of climate change.
"The industrial nations are contributing to climate change through emissions of fossil fuels into the atmosphere, affecting Tokelau, indirectly, quite a bit", said Perez. Now, "Tokelau will take the lead in harnessing the sun to provide renewable energy, and other countries will look at us and know that we are doing something about it, and they should do their part".
Read More…
Nuclear industry funded Japan's safety experts, report claims
au.finance.yahoo.com
4 Nov 2012
Four out of the six members of a government team drafting new safety standards for nuclear reactors have received thousands of dollars in grants from the nuclear industry, according to a report. The four experts have received between 3 million yen ($37,000) and 27 million yen each in grants, donations and compensation in the past three to four years, Kyodo News reported late on Saturday, citing data disclosed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).
The NRA said the members "have been selected in line with rules, and there should be no problem", shrugging off concerns that judgments could be swayed, the report said. The NRA requires experts to disclose remuneration and donations, but has no rules for disqualifying them in light of such information, it said.
Of the four recipients, Akira Yamaguchi, an Osaka University professor, received a total of at least 27.14 million yen in donations and research grants from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., a manufacturer of nuclear plant equipment, and other relevant entities, it said. Akio Yamamoto, a professor at Nagoya University, received a total of 10.1 million yen from Japan Atomic Power Co., a builder and operator of nuclear power plants, among others, it said.
Tsukuba University professor Yutaka Abe received a total of 5 million yen from parties including a laboratory of Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO₂, while Japan Atomic Energy Agency researcher Tomoyuki Sugiyama received a total of 3 million yen from Nuclear Fuel Industries, it said.
Meanwhile, TEPCO, the operator of crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, plans to set up a regional headquarters in Fukushima prefecture to better oversee local reconstruction, decontamination and compensation payments, Kyodo and other media said.
4 Nov 2012
Four out of the six members of a government team drafting new safety standards for nuclear reactors have received thousands of dollars in grants from the nuclear industry, according to a report. The four experts have received between 3 million yen ($37,000) and 27 million yen each in grants, donations and compensation in the past three to four years, Kyodo News reported late on Saturday, citing data disclosed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).
The NRA said the members "have been selected in line with rules, and there should be no problem", shrugging off concerns that judgments could be swayed, the report said. The NRA requires experts to disclose remuneration and donations, but has no rules for disqualifying them in light of such information, it said.
Of the four recipients, Akira Yamaguchi, an Osaka University professor, received a total of at least 27.14 million yen in donations and research grants from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., a manufacturer of nuclear plant equipment, and other relevant entities, it said. Akio Yamamoto, a professor at Nagoya University, received a total of 10.1 million yen from Japan Atomic Power Co., a builder and operator of nuclear power plants, among others, it said.
Tsukuba University professor Yutaka Abe received a total of 5 million yen from parties including a laboratory of Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO₂, while Japan Atomic Energy Agency researcher Tomoyuki Sugiyama received a total of 3 million yen from Nuclear Fuel Industries, it said.
Meanwhile, TEPCO, the operator of crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, plans to set up a regional headquarters in Fukushima prefecture to better oversee local reconstruction, decontamination and compensation payments, Kyodo and other media said.
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Cash rebate for solar panels slashed
www.news.com.au
4 Nov 2012
NEW research has smashed the myth that solar panels are middle class welfare for the rich as the Gillard government prepares to reduce cash subsidies. From July 1, 2013, cash rebates for solar panels will be slashed in half, an event solar companies traditionally use as a marketing exercise to boost sales. In a bid to urge politicians not to tamper with the rebates, the Solar Council of Australia has ranked every electorate in Australia.
The surprising statistics ranking the penetration of solar panels and hot water systems in every electorate finds that climate change advocate Malcolm Turnbull's electorate of Wentworth has the lowest take up of solar panels in Australia. But Julia Gillard's working class electorate of Lalor in Melbourne's western suburbs scored the Number 2 spot with 25,000 households installing solar PV or hot water systems Independent Rob Oakeshott's regional electorate of Lyne was the top electorate in NSW.
Mortgage belt and marginal seats where families are sensitive to rising electricity prices have embraced solar panels. But in a case of do as we say, not as we do, federal electorates with more Greens voters have fewer solar panels than anywhere else in the country including Health Minister Tanya Plibersek's inner city electorate of Sydney, Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese's electorate of Grayndler. The Greens' only federal lower house seat, Adam Bandt's electorate of Melbourne, has one of the lowest take ups of solar panels in Australia with just 3,000 households going solar.
More apartment blocks and businesses are a big part of the reason why inner city electorates have fewer solar panels. John Grimes, Chief Executive of the Australian Solar Council, predicted support for solar power would be a hot issue in the 2013 election with four million Australians now living in houses with solar panels. "The surprising data in here is the more you earn the less likely you are to install solar,'' he said. "What we've seen is really strong take up in the mortgage belt and the regional areas.
Falling prices of Chinese manufactured panels has kept the cost of installing solar reasonable in recent years despite declining federal cash rebates and state feed-in tariffs. But Rod Sims, the chairman of Australian's consumer watchdog the ACCC and a critic of solar panels on public policy grounds warned families should not be frightened into going solar by the industry. "The original subsidies for solar panels were simply obscene,'' he told the Sunday Telegraph. "It's those subsidies people are paying for in their electricity prices.''
"For an individual, they should do the sums. I don't blame an individual for taking advantage of very high subsidies. But I would say don't assume electricity prices are going to be sky high. Don't fall for an argument they are going up 500% in the next five years.'' Opposition climate change spokesman Greg Hunt said the government had established a system where people phantom credits are being paid for renewable energy that is not being created. "There's a flood of certificates on the market. Some people are waiting up to 12 months to get their cash back on rebates for solar panels,'' he said.
4 Nov 2012
NEW research has smashed the myth that solar panels are middle class welfare for the rich as the Gillard government prepares to reduce cash subsidies. From July 1, 2013, cash rebates for solar panels will be slashed in half, an event solar companies traditionally use as a marketing exercise to boost sales. In a bid to urge politicians not to tamper with the rebates, the Solar Council of Australia has ranked every electorate in Australia.
The surprising statistics ranking the penetration of solar panels and hot water systems in every electorate finds that climate change advocate Malcolm Turnbull's electorate of Wentworth has the lowest take up of solar panels in Australia. But Julia Gillard's working class electorate of Lalor in Melbourne's western suburbs scored the Number 2 spot with 25,000 households installing solar PV or hot water systems Independent Rob Oakeshott's regional electorate of Lyne was the top electorate in NSW.
Mortgage belt and marginal seats where families are sensitive to rising electricity prices have embraced solar panels. But in a case of do as we say, not as we do, federal electorates with more Greens voters have fewer solar panels than anywhere else in the country including Health Minister Tanya Plibersek's inner city electorate of Sydney, Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese's electorate of Grayndler. The Greens' only federal lower house seat, Adam Bandt's electorate of Melbourne, has one of the lowest take ups of solar panels in Australia with just 3,000 households going solar.
More apartment blocks and businesses are a big part of the reason why inner city electorates have fewer solar panels. John Grimes, Chief Executive of the Australian Solar Council, predicted support for solar power would be a hot issue in the 2013 election with four million Australians now living in houses with solar panels. "The surprising data in here is the more you earn the less likely you are to install solar,'' he said. "What we've seen is really strong take up in the mortgage belt and the regional areas.
Falling prices of Chinese manufactured panels has kept the cost of installing solar reasonable in recent years despite declining federal cash rebates and state feed-in tariffs. But Rod Sims, the chairman of Australian's consumer watchdog the ACCC and a critic of solar panels on public policy grounds warned families should not be frightened into going solar by the industry. "The original subsidies for solar panels were simply obscene,'' he told the Sunday Telegraph. "It's those subsidies people are paying for in their electricity prices.''
"For an individual, they should do the sums. I don't blame an individual for taking advantage of very high subsidies. But I would say don't assume electricity prices are going to be sky high. Don't fall for an argument they are going up 500% in the next five years.'' Opposition climate change spokesman Greg Hunt said the government had established a system where people phantom credits are being paid for renewable energy that is not being created. "There's a flood of certificates on the market. Some people are waiting up to 12 months to get their cash back on rebates for solar panels,'' he said.
SGI-Mitabu secures funds for 50MW plant in Indonesia
www.pv-tech.org
2 Nov 2012
SGI-Mitabu, a company formed by two Australian firms The Solar Guys International and Mitabu Australia, has announced that it has secured the necessary finances to fund the first phase of its planned 250MW PV projects in Indonesia.
Earlier this year, SGI-Mitabu signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to develop 250MW of solar power projects across Indonesia under the company's One Solar Watt Per Person programme. The programme aims to deliver one watt of solar power for every person in Indonesia--equivalent to 250MW of PV capacity. SGI-Mitabu is hoping to extend this programme to incorporate other countries in South East Asia.
As part of the first phase, SGI-Mitabu will build a 50MW PV system which represents the company's first utility-scale solar power project in Indonesia. It is understood that the plans are still at an early stage. However, speaking to PV-Tech, The Solar Guys International confirmed that the installation will probably utilise Kyocera Solar's 320W c-Si poly PV modules which are designed specifically for large-scale projects.
The company also confirmed that the 50MW ground-mounted project will be built on a site covering 60-80 hectares in addition to land for a "tourism facility". According to the company, the installation will feature a first-of-a-kind design and will become an iconic installation in the country. As a result, it is expected to act as a tourist attraction.
"We're delighted to be partnering with the Indonesian Government to roll out the One Solar Watt Per Person program in Indonesia that will deliver clean, renewable solar power to this great country", said The Solar Guys International's Director Dane Muldoon. "Our projects are all fully funded under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model and every installation will either displace dirty and expensive fossil fuel power generation or bring reliable power to remote communities for the first time".
Mitabu Australia's Director Dr. M Rusydi added: "Many financiers view solar power as just a 'green' product. We see solar power as being the fastest way to deliver the crucial clean energy infrastructure needed in countries like Indonesia".
2 Nov 2012
SGI-Mitabu, a company formed by two Australian firms The Solar Guys International and Mitabu Australia, has announced that it has secured the necessary finances to fund the first phase of its planned 250MW PV projects in Indonesia.
Earlier this year, SGI-Mitabu signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to develop 250MW of solar power projects across Indonesia under the company's One Solar Watt Per Person programme. The programme aims to deliver one watt of solar power for every person in Indonesia--equivalent to 250MW of PV capacity. SGI-Mitabu is hoping to extend this programme to incorporate other countries in South East Asia.
As part of the first phase, SGI-Mitabu will build a 50MW PV system which represents the company's first utility-scale solar power project in Indonesia. It is understood that the plans are still at an early stage. However, speaking to PV-Tech, The Solar Guys International confirmed that the installation will probably utilise Kyocera Solar's 320W c-Si poly PV modules which are designed specifically for large-scale projects.
The company also confirmed that the 50MW ground-mounted project will be built on a site covering 60-80 hectares in addition to land for a "tourism facility". According to the company, the installation will feature a first-of-a-kind design and will become an iconic installation in the country. As a result, it is expected to act as a tourist attraction.
"We're delighted to be partnering with the Indonesian Government to roll out the One Solar Watt Per Person program in Indonesia that will deliver clean, renewable solar power to this great country", said The Solar Guys International's Director Dane Muldoon. "Our projects are all fully funded under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model and every installation will either displace dirty and expensive fossil fuel power generation or bring reliable power to remote communities for the first time".
Mitabu Australia's Director Dr. M Rusydi added: "Many financiers view solar power as just a 'green' product. We see solar power as being the fastest way to deliver the crucial clean energy infrastructure needed in countries like Indonesia".
Solar capability enhanced with battery ‘smoother’
www.sciencewa.net.au
3 Nov 2012
WESTERN Australian based company Magellan Power has developed a unique device to address electricity fluctuations that occur with some alternative energy technologies. Renewable energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal are growing industries in Australia and research is focused on the pursuit of more efficient energy transmission. In particular, solar farms have an issue with power surges and lulls that occur due to changeable weather conditions.
"When the grid experiences large changes in the injection of solar power, for example on cloudy days, the generators work hard to keep up", Magellan Power's Jolleh Abshar says. "If a large cloud passes by, then the solar injection level will suddenly drop and generators will need to work hard to keep the power flowing".
This lack of reliability has caused WA electricity utility, Horizon Power to bring in new specifications, effective from July this year requiring solar farms to have 'smoothing devices'--a relatively new technology, installed. Chief Technical Officer for Magellan Power, Lindsay Meek says their Solar Smoother uses an integrated cell battery management system. "Our system consists of batteries and a bi-directional inverter and the lithium ensures that the batteries aren't compromised by the heavy work load", she says.
It uses similar battery technology to hybrid powered vehicles. A number of similar units called Grid Power Support Systems have already been sold to Ergon Energy in Queensland, to solve issues with their solar power and to smooth electricity flow in old single earth return (SWER) lines. The success of these first commercial placements has seen Magellan Power refining their product to the point where they now also offer smaller residential units (RUSS).
The Solar Smoother is a key solution for a 45KW solar project at the Carnarvon Police and Justice Complex, which is currently under tender. Plans are underway for another project for a local council in the Pilbara, where a Solar Smoother is again the preferred solution. Magellan believes it has the only Solar Smoother specifically designed to smooth solar power. The technology can be applied to both existing and prospective electricity supply sources in Australia and internationally.
3 Nov 2012
WESTERN Australian based company Magellan Power has developed a unique device to address electricity fluctuations that occur with some alternative energy technologies. Renewable energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal are growing industries in Australia and research is focused on the pursuit of more efficient energy transmission. In particular, solar farms have an issue with power surges and lulls that occur due to changeable weather conditions.
"When the grid experiences large changes in the injection of solar power, for example on cloudy days, the generators work hard to keep up", Magellan Power's Jolleh Abshar says. "If a large cloud passes by, then the solar injection level will suddenly drop and generators will need to work hard to keep the power flowing".
This lack of reliability has caused WA electricity utility, Horizon Power to bring in new specifications, effective from July this year requiring solar farms to have 'smoothing devices'--a relatively new technology, installed. Chief Technical Officer for Magellan Power, Lindsay Meek says their Solar Smoother uses an integrated cell battery management system. "Our system consists of batteries and a bi-directional inverter and the lithium ensures that the batteries aren't compromised by the heavy work load", she says.
It uses similar battery technology to hybrid powered vehicles. A number of similar units called Grid Power Support Systems have already been sold to Ergon Energy in Queensland, to solve issues with their solar power and to smooth electricity flow in old single earth return (SWER) lines. The success of these first commercial placements has seen Magellan Power refining their product to the point where they now also offer smaller residential units (RUSS).
The Solar Smoother is a key solution for a 45KW solar project at the Carnarvon Police and Justice Complex, which is currently under tender. Plans are underway for another project for a local council in the Pilbara, where a Solar Smoother is again the preferred solution. Magellan believes it has the only Solar Smoother specifically designed to smooth solar power. The technology can be applied to both existing and prospective electricity supply sources in Australia and internationally.
Australia's largest battery-based renewable energy storage system to be built on Tasmanian island
www.pacetoday.com.au
1 Nov 2012
Australian energy storage company Ecoult has been awarded the Hydro Tasmania contract to supply the largest battery based renewable energy storage system in Australia for the King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP).
The 3 MW / 1.6 MWh UltraBattery storage system will complement other elements of Hydro Tasmania's KIREIP, the aim of which is to significantly reduce King Island's reliance on diesel fuel to supply the island's energy needs. The storage system will have the capacity to power the entire island for up to 45 minutes.
Ecoult CEO John Wood said the UltraBattery storage system would shift and smooth renewable energy generated on King Island and will help maintain stability of the power grid. "Ecoult's UltraBattery solutions support the utilisation of renewable energy by storing energy in periods where there is excess generation and making it available when it is needed to better match demand", Wood said.
"Ecoult energy storage solutions are an important complement for renewable energy generation and this implementation is another boost for the environment as it will support the overall KIREIP solution that reduces reliance on diesel", he said. Hydro Tasmania's Manager of Renewable Asset Development Simon Gamble said the KIREIP brings together a portfolio of new and existing technologies, combined in novel ways to increase renewable energy use on King Island.
"KIREIP will enable demonstration of a world-leading power system that can deliver more than 65% of King Island's annual needs from renewable energy, and do it without any loss of reliability or grid stability and at a price lower than the diesel power alternative", Gamble said. "As well, the KIREIP will lower CO₂ emissions by 95% through the use of sustainable clean energy sources, including biodiesel".
KIREIP is an initiative of Hydro Tasmania and is being developed with the assistance of the Australian Government's Renewable Energy Demonstration Program and the Tasmanian Government. Formed in 2007 by the CSIRO Australia, Ecoult was acquired by the US-based East Penn Manufacturing Company in 2010. East Penn (founded in 1946) manufactures the UltraBattery Storage Blocks in their manufacturing facility at Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, USA.
1 Nov 2012
Australian energy storage company Ecoult has been awarded the Hydro Tasmania contract to supply the largest battery based renewable energy storage system in Australia for the King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP).
The 3 MW / 1.6 MWh UltraBattery storage system will complement other elements of Hydro Tasmania's KIREIP, the aim of which is to significantly reduce King Island's reliance on diesel fuel to supply the island's energy needs. The storage system will have the capacity to power the entire island for up to 45 minutes.
Ecoult CEO John Wood said the UltraBattery storage system would shift and smooth renewable energy generated on King Island and will help maintain stability of the power grid. "Ecoult's UltraBattery solutions support the utilisation of renewable energy by storing energy in periods where there is excess generation and making it available when it is needed to better match demand", Wood said.
"Ecoult energy storage solutions are an important complement for renewable energy generation and this implementation is another boost for the environment as it will support the overall KIREIP solution that reduces reliance on diesel", he said. Hydro Tasmania's Manager of Renewable Asset Development Simon Gamble said the KIREIP brings together a portfolio of new and existing technologies, combined in novel ways to increase renewable energy use on King Island.
"KIREIP will enable demonstration of a world-leading power system that can deliver more than 65% of King Island's annual needs from renewable energy, and do it without any loss of reliability or grid stability and at a price lower than the diesel power alternative", Gamble said. "As well, the KIREIP will lower CO₂ emissions by 95% through the use of sustainable clean energy sources, including biodiesel".
KIREIP is an initiative of Hydro Tasmania and is being developed with the assistance of the Australian Government's Renewable Energy Demonstration Program and the Tasmanian Government. Formed in 2007 by the CSIRO Australia, Ecoult was acquired by the US-based East Penn Manufacturing Company in 2010. East Penn (founded in 1946) manufactures the UltraBattery Storage Blocks in their manufacturing facility at Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, USA.
Five more suburbs reject coal seam gas mining
www.northernstar.com.au
5 Nov 2012
RESIDENTS of 25 roads from the five suburbs in the south of the Clarence Valley have declared their communities CSG-free. In a ceremony yesterday at the Kungala/Lanitza RFS Hall, declarations for the roads were handed to Clarence Valley Councillor Sue Hughes. Each declaration said the road was protected by the "will of the community". The event was the end of a long processs of surveying 432 residents (over the age of 16) in Lanitza, Kungala, Braunstone, Wells Crossing and Halfway Creek with the simple question-"Do you want your roads and lands CSG Free?".
CSG-Free Community co-ordinator (Clarence LGA) Lynette Eggins said eight residents said no, six were unsure but 95.6% stated they did not want gas fields in their community. "The CSG Free Communities Strategy is a grassroots democracy process", said Ms Eggins. "The NSW government has failed to protect farmers and communities from invasive gas fields. Now these communities have decided to take charge of their own destiny.
"These declarations are strong statements from the people, declaring their intent to defend their community from an invasive and reckless industry, an industry that poses risks to water, land values, farming land and the health of families".
In accepting the declarations from representatives of individual roads, Cr Hughes said it was fantastic to see the community becoming so active in the fight against CSG. "You don't want it here and I don't want it here. We want our water to be safe from toxins and chemicals".
Cr Hughes said she would table the declarations at CVC's December meeting. Ewingar, in the Upper Clarence, declared itself CSG-free earlier this year. Cr Richie Williamson accepted the declaration at a ceremony in Lismore. "Across the Northern Rivers, communities are running with this grass-roots process", said Annie Kia from Lock the Gate Alliance Northern Rivers, who was instrumental in developing the initiative early this year.
"So far, a total of 11,590 people have responded to the survey in more than 60 communities. "Of these, 96% said yes to wanting their road and community gas-field free. Astonishingly, only 1% said no to going Gasfield Free, with 3% not sure. "This is about self-determination. Communities have a right to protect existing industries, their land, water and health".
5 Nov 2012
RESIDENTS of 25 roads from the five suburbs in the south of the Clarence Valley have declared their communities CSG-free. In a ceremony yesterday at the Kungala/Lanitza RFS Hall, declarations for the roads were handed to Clarence Valley Councillor Sue Hughes. Each declaration said the road was protected by the "will of the community". The event was the end of a long processs of surveying 432 residents (over the age of 16) in Lanitza, Kungala, Braunstone, Wells Crossing and Halfway Creek with the simple question-"Do you want your roads and lands CSG Free?".
CSG-Free Community co-ordinator (Clarence LGA) Lynette Eggins said eight residents said no, six were unsure but 95.6% stated they did not want gas fields in their community. "The CSG Free Communities Strategy is a grassroots democracy process", said Ms Eggins. "The NSW government has failed to protect farmers and communities from invasive gas fields. Now these communities have decided to take charge of their own destiny.
"These declarations are strong statements from the people, declaring their intent to defend their community from an invasive and reckless industry, an industry that poses risks to water, land values, farming land and the health of families".
In accepting the declarations from representatives of individual roads, Cr Hughes said it was fantastic to see the community becoming so active in the fight against CSG. "You don't want it here and I don't want it here. We want our water to be safe from toxins and chemicals".
Cr Hughes said she would table the declarations at CVC's December meeting. Ewingar, in the Upper Clarence, declared itself CSG-free earlier this year. Cr Richie Williamson accepted the declaration at a ceremony in Lismore. "Across the Northern Rivers, communities are running with this grass-roots process", said Annie Kia from Lock the Gate Alliance Northern Rivers, who was instrumental in developing the initiative early this year.
"So far, a total of 11,590 people have responded to the survey in more than 60 communities. "Of these, 96% said yes to wanting their road and community gas-field free. Astonishingly, only 1% said no to going Gasfield Free, with 3% not sure. "This is about self-determination. Communities have a right to protect existing industries, their land, water and health".
Snowtown welcomes windfarm
www.northernargus.com.au
31 Oct 2012
Communities surrounding the $439 million 90 turbine Stage II Snowtown , Barunga Gap, wind farm are excited to see development begin. At the official ceremony to turn the first sod on Thursday, community members, Snowtown Lions Club representatives and other landowners joined the celebration.
Ros Large and Fay Welke from the Snowtown Lions Club said the support they received from TrustPower's community funding went a long way. "We think the wind farm is absolutely wonderful", Mrs Large said. The Lions Club hosted a number of TrustPower employees and executives last Wednesday night. "No one disagrees with windfarms in this area,.. their community funding helps us with the Lend A Hand program that helps anyone or any organisation who needs it", she said.
Some landowners give up some of their land up for a turbine or two, while others are involved in a less direct way. Colwyn Millard is part of a native grasslands revegitation program. At his South Hummocks property, he is growing native grasses to revegetate the land that is changed for the turbines. Wakefield Regional Council Mayor James Maitland said there was little negativity toward the windfarms in the area and he commended the work and support of New Zealand company TrustPower which built Snowtown I four years ago. TrustPower has appointed Siemens to build Snowtown II wind farm.
Once complete the wind farm will have the capabilities of generating a further 270 MWs of renewable power for South Australia. With the build of the new Snowtown II wind farm, Snowtown as a region will boast a combined renewable energy generation total of up to 370 MWs.
"Snowtown is a perfect location for renewable wind generation. From the time we first considered the Snowtown site we have been delighted with the willingness of landowners, the community and local authorities to work with TrustPower to make this investment in the state of South Australia possible", TrustPower chief executive Vince Hawksworth said.
Siemens Australia CEO and managing director Jeff Connolly said the wind farm took renewable energy generation in Australia to the next level. "The rotor blades are superior-cast in one-piece they are structurally and aerodynamically best suited for strong wind conditions. This combined with the world's most efficient gearless direct-drive wind technology, will deliver a wind farm amongst the most technically-advanced and most economically efficient in Australia", he said.
Mr Connolly went on to say that it was a huge milestone not only for Siemens but in South Australia", he said. Bruce Harker from TrustPower said the company was an experienced developer. "It is the sixth development and will be the largest. Although they are a small company TrustPower will also work hard to ensure their commitment to community projects, they will work hard with the local groups, to give back to the community", he said.
Representing Premier Jay Weatherill, Minister for Industrial Relation Russell Wortley turned the first sod. "Wind power is an increasingly critical part of the world's energy mix and is an accelerator in the move towards the more sustainable new electricity age", he said. A guest of honour at the ceremony was the Danish Ambassador to, Borge Petersen.
31 Oct 2012
Communities surrounding the $439 million 90 turbine Stage II Snowtown , Barunga Gap, wind farm are excited to see development begin. At the official ceremony to turn the first sod on Thursday, community members, Snowtown Lions Club representatives and other landowners joined the celebration.Ros Large and Fay Welke from the Snowtown Lions Club said the support they received from TrustPower's community funding went a long way. "We think the wind farm is absolutely wonderful", Mrs Large said. The Lions Club hosted a number of TrustPower employees and executives last Wednesday night. "No one disagrees with windfarms in this area,.. their community funding helps us with the Lend A Hand program that helps anyone or any organisation who needs it", she said.
Some landowners give up some of their land up for a turbine or two, while others are involved in a less direct way. Colwyn Millard is part of a native grasslands revegitation program. At his South Hummocks property, he is growing native grasses to revegetate the land that is changed for the turbines. Wakefield Regional Council Mayor James Maitland said there was little negativity toward the windfarms in the area and he commended the work and support of New Zealand company TrustPower which built Snowtown I four years ago. TrustPower has appointed Siemens to build Snowtown II wind farm.
Once complete the wind farm will have the capabilities of generating a further 270 MWs of renewable power for South Australia. With the build of the new Snowtown II wind farm, Snowtown as a region will boast a combined renewable energy generation total of up to 370 MWs.
"Snowtown is a perfect location for renewable wind generation. From the time we first considered the Snowtown site we have been delighted with the willingness of landowners, the community and local authorities to work with TrustPower to make this investment in the state of South Australia possible", TrustPower chief executive Vince Hawksworth said.
Siemens Australia CEO and managing director Jeff Connolly said the wind farm took renewable energy generation in Australia to the next level. "The rotor blades are superior-cast in one-piece they are structurally and aerodynamically best suited for strong wind conditions. This combined with the world's most efficient gearless direct-drive wind technology, will deliver a wind farm amongst the most technically-advanced and most economically efficient in Australia", he said.
Mr Connolly went on to say that it was a huge milestone not only for Siemens but in South Australia", he said. Bruce Harker from TrustPower said the company was an experienced developer. "It is the sixth development and will be the largest. Although they are a small company TrustPower will also work hard to ensure their commitment to community projects, they will work hard with the local groups, to give back to the community", he said.
Representing Premier Jay Weatherill, Minister for Industrial Relation Russell Wortley turned the first sod. "Wind power is an increasingly critical part of the world's energy mix and is an accelerator in the move towards the more sustainable new electricity age", he said. A guest of honour at the ceremony was the Danish Ambassador to, Borge Petersen.
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Shutting down nuclear plant begins a long process
www.thenorthwestern.com
28 Oct 2012
CARLTON (US) --It will be decades before the Kewaunee Power Station site is returned to pastoral Lake Michigan shoreline, and even then its used nuclear fuel might remain. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has strict rules regarding the decommissioning of nuclear reactors, but within those rules is a lot of flexibility regarding when some steps are completed. Overall, a reactor owner has 60 years to complete the process.
Dominion Resources Inc, announced on Oct. 22 that it would shut down the one-reactor Kewaunee Power Station in spring 2013. It cited the low cost of producing electricity and soon-to-expire agreements for selling the plant's output as reasons for the closing. It had tried for 18 months to sell the plant, but failed to find a buyer.
Next, the operator must submit a written certification that it ceased operations to the NRC within 30 days of shutting down. Within two years it must submit a post-shutdown decommissioning activities report, which triggers the first of several public meetings.
The NRC allows reactor operators to choose one of three decommissioning processes. One is immediate dismantling and another allows for radioactive contaminants--which would include more than spent fuel--to be stored on site until radioactivity decays sufficiently to allow restricted release of the property.
Dominion chose a method called SAFSTOR in NRC parlance. The facility is maintained and monitored in a condition that allows radioactivity to decay, after which it is dismantled and the property decontaminated.
Daniel Stoddard, senior vice president of nuclear operations for Dominion, said the first step would be to transfer radioactive fuel rods from the reactor to the spent fuel pool in the plant, where they would stay for five to seven years. After that, they will be placed in dry-cask storage at an exterior location on site.
Stoddard said "eventually, the federal government will take title to the fuel as it is required to do", but there's no indication when that will be. Since the federal government abrogated its responsibility to create a national repository for spent nuclear fuel, which was supposed to have been completed in 1998, the NRC has had to devise other plans. The NRC said decommissioning costs range from $300 million to $400 million, but some have been as much as $1 billion, according to reports.
28 Oct 2012
CARLTON (US) --It will be decades before the Kewaunee Power Station site is returned to pastoral Lake Michigan shoreline, and even then its used nuclear fuel might remain. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has strict rules regarding the decommissioning of nuclear reactors, but within those rules is a lot of flexibility regarding when some steps are completed. Overall, a reactor owner has 60 years to complete the process.Dominion Resources Inc, announced on Oct. 22 that it would shut down the one-reactor Kewaunee Power Station in spring 2013. It cited the low cost of producing electricity and soon-to-expire agreements for selling the plant's output as reasons for the closing. It had tried for 18 months to sell the plant, but failed to find a buyer.
Next, the operator must submit a written certification that it ceased operations to the NRC within 30 days of shutting down. Within two years it must submit a post-shutdown decommissioning activities report, which triggers the first of several public meetings.
The NRC allows reactor operators to choose one of three decommissioning processes. One is immediate dismantling and another allows for radioactive contaminants--which would include more than spent fuel--to be stored on site until radioactivity decays sufficiently to allow restricted release of the property.
Dominion chose a method called SAFSTOR in NRC parlance. The facility is maintained and monitored in a condition that allows radioactivity to decay, after which it is dismantled and the property decontaminated.
Daniel Stoddard, senior vice president of nuclear operations for Dominion, said the first step would be to transfer radioactive fuel rods from the reactor to the spent fuel pool in the plant, where they would stay for five to seven years. After that, they will be placed in dry-cask storage at an exterior location on site.
Stoddard said "eventually, the federal government will take title to the fuel as it is required to do", but there's no indication when that will be. Since the federal government abrogated its responsibility to create a national repository for spent nuclear fuel, which was supposed to have been completed in 1998, the NRC has had to devise other plans. The NRC said decommissioning costs range from $300 million to $400 million, but some have been as much as $1 billion, according to reports.
Senate inquiry powers up consumers
Clean Energy Council
1 Nov 2012
The Clean Energy Council has welcomed a call by the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices to introduce an increased focus on empowering consumers to take control of their power bills, as well as removing the barriers to the introduction of technologies such as solar power. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said the Senate committee inquiry report, released today, was a valuable step in encouraging politicians, industry and consumer groups to work together on reforming Australia's electricity system.
"Vulnerable consumers and businesses are struggling with their electricity bills. This inquiry process shows how technologies like solar power and solar hot water can help to protect people from rising power prices," he said. "But we now have a situation where consumers are getting paid below the fair value for their solar electricity, for example. The recommendation in the report to remove barriers to greater use of solar power, cogeneration and tri-generation is a recognition of the importance of these technologies. "Solar power contributes significant value to the electricity system, but this hasn't been properly recognised by state governments in recent times."
Mr Green said energy efficiency technology was a particularly cost effective way to help households cut the bills while doing all the things that are necessary to bring up a family or stay comfortable in cold or hot weather.
"Energy poverty continues to be a serious problem for many ordinary Australians. We need effective actions that enable communities to cut the size of power bills by not only becoming highly efficient producers and users of energy, but also having access to high quality, impartial information about the easiest ways to save money and make better use of customer-driven technologies such as smart meters," said Mr Green.
"Australia needs a cleaner, smarter and more affordable electricity system and there are no easy or silver bullet solutions. The Senate committee is to be congratulated on the work it has done to inform the political action that we need to deliver a major reform process."
1 Nov 2012
The Clean Energy Council has welcomed a call by the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices to introduce an increased focus on empowering consumers to take control of their power bills, as well as removing the barriers to the introduction of technologies such as solar power. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said the Senate committee inquiry report, released today, was a valuable step in encouraging politicians, industry and consumer groups to work together on reforming Australia's electricity system."Vulnerable consumers and businesses are struggling with their electricity bills. This inquiry process shows how technologies like solar power and solar hot water can help to protect people from rising power prices," he said. "But we now have a situation where consumers are getting paid below the fair value for their solar electricity, for example. The recommendation in the report to remove barriers to greater use of solar power, cogeneration and tri-generation is a recognition of the importance of these technologies. "Solar power contributes significant value to the electricity system, but this hasn't been properly recognised by state governments in recent times."
Mr Green said energy efficiency technology was a particularly cost effective way to help households cut the bills while doing all the things that are necessary to bring up a family or stay comfortable in cold or hot weather.
"Energy poverty continues to be a serious problem for many ordinary Australians. We need effective actions that enable communities to cut the size of power bills by not only becoming highly efficient producers and users of energy, but also having access to high quality, impartial information about the easiest ways to save money and make better use of customer-driven technologies such as smart meters," said Mr Green.
"Australia needs a cleaner, smarter and more affordable electricity system and there are no easy or silver bullet solutions. The Senate committee is to be congratulated on the work it has done to inform the political action that we need to deliver a major reform process."
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