Michael Gove Launches New UK Centre for Sustainable Oceans

27.10.2017

A new research centre to tackle challenges facing the UK’s seafood industry, marine wildlife and under-sea environment was officially launched yesterday by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

Based at the University of Exeter, the new Collaborative Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture Futures will bring together world-leading scientists to try and address key threats facing the aquaculture industry both at home and internationally, in a bid to support international food security and sustainable ‘blue’ growth.

It forms part of an existing alliance between the university and government research laboratory the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas).

Speaking at Cefas’ annual science conference at the launch of the new Centre yesterday, Gove said tackling the challenges facing the marine environment is vital to ensure a successful economic and environmental future for the UK’s marine industry.

“The new centre not only establishes our position as a world leader in marine science and sustainability, but will prove critical to the health of our fisheries and the economic vitality of our coastal areas – helping us in our continued drive to leave the environment in a better state for the next generation,” said Gove.

Key issues of focus for the Centre include providing scientific support to reduce the $6bn estimated annual losses due to aquaculture disease and ensuring sustainable development for the aquaculture industry.

Co-director of the Centre and Cefas pathologist Professor Grant Stentiford said applying science could help provide future generations with safe and sustainably farmed seafood as well keep the UK on track towards meeting national and international environmental commitments.

“For the first time, government and academic science related to aquaculture sustainability is coming together in support of development and consolidation of the global industry,” said Stentiford. “The Centre will co-design solutions in national, regional and global aquaculture sustainability and is uniquely positioned to support the rapidly expanding global aquaculture industry.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Report: EVs Greener than Diesel Even when Refuelled with Electricity from Coal-Fired Power Stations

27.10.2017

Electric vehicles are far greener than their diesel and petrol alternatives over their entire lifetime, even when powered using electricity generated with the dirtiest fossil fuels, according to a new report released today by VUB University in Brussels.

The report, which was compiled on behalf of campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E), factored in emissions from the manufacture of an electric vehicle and its battery, as well as energy consumption over the course of its lifetime.

It shows that even where an electricity grid is dominated by dirty energy sources, it is still greener to drive an electric car rather than a diesel or petrol alternative. In Poland, for example, where 90 per cent of electricity is generated using coal power, an electric vehicle emits 25 per cent less CO2 over its lifetime compared to a diesel.

As the proportion of renewable energy grows on a grid, the comparison between electric cars and combustion engine vehicles becomes even more favourable. In Sweden, where all grid electricity is generated by renewables and nuclear power, electric cars emit 85 per cent less carbon dioxide over their lifetime than diesels.

“Today an electric vehicle driving on Polish electricity – the most carbon intensive in the EU – still has a lower impact on the climate than a new diesel car,” explained Yoann le Petit, clean vehicles and e-mobility officer at T&E. “With the rapid decarbonisation of the EU electricity mix, on average electric vehicles will emit half the CO2 emissions of a diesel car by 2030 including the manufacturing emissions.”

The paper builds on research from power giant Drax earlier this year, which found that in the UK the rapid decarbonisation of grid energy means that emissions from electric cars have fallen by two-thirds over the last five years.

Electric cars currently make up just 1.7 per cent of new vehicles sold in Europe, but this figure is expected to grow rapidly over the coming years as electric vehicles become a staple of the mass market. Governments are keen to push the shift to electric – the European Commission is considering including a zero-emission sales quota in legislation later this year for example.

Source: businessgreen.com

UK Startup Winnow Raises $7.4 Million With Food Waste Reduction Tech

27.10.2017

Commercial food waste is a huge problem. In the UK alone it was estimated that in 2011 the cost of food wastage was £2.5 billion for the hospitality and food service sector. This equates to approximately 1.3 billion meals. Of this wastage, 75% was avoidable. UK startup Winnow has been helping businesses tackle this problem head on by using smart meter technology attached to waste bins in combination with their software system to track and report the food wastage of commercial kitchens.

Since its founding in 2013, the company’s customer base has been steadily growing, and it can now boast high profile names such as IKEA and the Costa Cruises as clients. In total, the Winnow system is installed in more than 600 kitchens in a total of 29 different countries. The results are speaking for themselves, and it’s estimated that Winnow has been able to reduce the annual food waste of its customers by 4,300 tonnes. This has both a financial impact, and an environmental impact.

By reducing the amount of food that a commercial kitchen wastes, the kitchen can improve its bottom line and profitability. This is especially important given the very tight margins that restaurants and similar businesses operate on. In addition to this, when less food is being wasted, it saves on the CO2E emissions that would have been contributed by the extra food production. This saves somewhere in the region of 19,000 tonnes of CO2E emissions per year.

The strength of the company hasn’t gone unnoticed, and in its recent funding round it managed to raise $7.4 million in growth capital. Investors include Circulatory Capital, D-Ax and Mustard Seed.

Winnow co-founder and CEO Mark Zornes is understandably optimistic about the new funding round and its performance to date. “The hospitality sector is quickly waking up to the opportunity that food waste presents,” he said in a statement. “We are encouraged by some of our biggest clients now having the confidence to make public commitments to reduce food waste, and we expect the rest of the industry to follow suit doing the right thing for their businesses and for the planet.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

World’s Largest Coal Miner Launches 200 Megawatt Solar Power Tender

27.10.2017

The solar blitzkrieg in India has now attracted the world’s largest coal miner as well.

Earlier this month, Solar Energy Corporation of India issued a tender on behalf of Coal India Limited for setting up two solar power projects of 100 megawatts capacity each at the planned Neemuch-Mandsaur solar power park in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

SECI will call for bids and auction the projects on behalf of two subsidiaries of Coal India Limited — Northern Coalfields Limited and Southeastern Coalfields Limited. The solar power park will have an eventual installed capacity of 500 megawatts — 250 megawatts each at Neemuch and Mandsaur.

Project developers will be required to use only Indian-made solar modules to set up the projects. As Coal India Limited is a government-owned company it may be allowed to stipulate this condition even though India lost a case to implement Domestic Content Requirement at the World Trade Organisation.

The tender issuance is a follow-up to the agreement signed between Coal India and SECI in June last year for the development of 200 megawatts in Madhya Pradesh. Coal India has announced a target to set up a total of 1,000 megawatts of solar power capacity over the next few years.

The projects in Madhya Pradesh will form the first phase of this capacity addition. Additional projects will be set up in Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Maharashtra. SECI has been assigned to auction all these projects for Coal India.

Another coal mining company — NLC India Limited — has also announced ambitious plans to set up solar power plants. NLC India itself participated in an auction organized by the government of Tamil Nadu and secured rights to develop 709 megawatts. Additionally, it also auctioned a 20 megawatt solar power project in Andaman & Nicobar Islands which will also be equipped with 28 MWh of storage capacity.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Still No Takers For One Of India’s Cheapest Solar Projects

27.10.2017

Solairedirect, an international solar developer backed by French energy major Engie, is currently behind schedule for setting up a 250 megawatt solar power project in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh as there are no buyers identified for the power to be generated.

According to media reports, NTPC Limited — India’s largest power generation company and owner of the solar park where the 250 megawatt project is scheduled to come up — is still looking for final buyers of the electricity from the project. The project was allocated to Solairedirect in April of this year at a record-breaking tariff of Rs 3.15/kWh (4.8¢/kWh).

By convention, the power utilities of Andhra Pradesh were suppose to sign a power purchase agreement with NTPC to procure electricity from the project. However, these utilities have already contracted a large volume of solar power from the projects they themselves have auctioned under the state government’s policy; NTPC allotted the 250 megawatt project under the central government’s policy.

The two power utilities in Andhra Pradesh stated that they do not require any additional solar power at the moment as they have enough to meet their renewable purchase obligation, and that NTPC should look for new buyers. As a result, Solairedirect has been been officially awarded the project.

It is highly surprising that even after nearly six months NTPC has not been able to contract a buyer for the project, as the tariff of Rs 3.15/kWh (4.8¢/kWh) is one of the lowest solar power prices in India and is also cheaper than most of thermal power plants in India. The average tariff of thermal power plants owned by NTPC itself is Rs 3.20/kWh (4.9¢/kWh).

The development may also cast doubts over the future of the Kadapa solar power park development. According to the Solar Energy Corporation of India, Kadapa solar park will have an installed capacity of 1 gigawatt.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Clemson University Set To Test World’s Most Powerful Wind Turbine

26.10.2017

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has signed an agreement with Clemson University in South Carolina to test the world’s most powerful wind turbine, a 9.5 megawatt wind turbine, helping to elevate the United States as one of the world’s leading testing and research locations for offshore wind.

Announced earlier this week, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind and Clemson University announced that the latter would conduct all the testing and verification of the former’s V164-9.5 megawatt (MW) wind turbine’s gearbox and main bearings at the University’s state-of-the-art 15 MW test bench. Further, the $35 million investment made by MHI Vestas into Clemson will direct $23 million over five years to Clemson and additionally stimulate a dozen high-tech jobs.

More importantly, it is also highly likely that the V164-9.5 MW wind turbine will be the model implemented through the first round of major offshore wind projects in the United States.

“We are delighted to have found such world-class facilities to carry out vital testing of the world’s most powerful wind turbine,” said Jakob Søbye, senior director of technology at MHI Vestas. “The testing and verification of the gearbox and bearings will allow us to optimize the performance and reliability of the wind turbine.”

Clemson University’s test bench is the largest advanced wind energy testing facility and one of the world’s most-advanced, which was opened back in November of 2013. Located at a former Navy warehouse with easy access to rail and water transport, the Clemson test bench is built to test both onshore and offshore wind turbine machinery in a way that simulates 20-years worth of wear and tear. Clemson University’s development of the test bench was supported by a $47 million Energy Department investment as well as about $60 million in outside funding.

“MHI Vestas’ decision to partner with Clemson to test its most powerful wind turbine is a testament to the expertise of our faculty and staff working at the test facility,” said Robert Jones, Clemson executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “The work that will be done as result of this partnership also will further Clemson’s efforts to establish the university as a leader in technologies related to the production of alternative energy sources, and hopefully will lead to further research and economic engagement opportunities for Clemson.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Open Ocean Wind Farms Could Power the World

26.10.2017

Two Californian scientists have worked out how to achieve a wind-powered world that provides the entire planet with wind energy without spoiling the view with turbines on every hilltop.

The answer: take wind farming onto the high seas. The force of the winds sweeping across the open ocean would be enough to generate 18 billion kilowatts—which is about the global annual energy demand right now.

The scientists report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that although the best that wind farms on land can deliver is electricity at the rate of 1.5 watts per square meter, the mid-latitudes of the North Atlantic could do much better: up to 6 watts per square meter.

In a calculation that is overtly hypothetical, they evaluate winds as so much kinetic energy to be exploited. Ocean wind speeds are at least 70 percent higher than wind speeds over land. Surface winds in the North Atlantic can reach 11 kms per second and 13.5 kms per second in the Southern Hemisphere, which would be enough in theory to take generating rates up to 20 or even 80 watts per square meter.

Research at this level does not answer the world’s energy problems: instead it sets out, once again, the viable possibility of a world driven by renewable energy, rather than the fossil fuels that drive ever-higher greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, and potentially catastrophic global warming and climate change.

And it is one step onwards from a cascade of such thinking over the past few years. In 2013, scientists at the University of Delaware worked out that wind, solar and renewable sources could deliver almost all the energy needs of the U.S.

Other groups—including one at Stanford University in the U.S.—have not just backed up this reasoning but extended it, with a roadmap for at least 139 of the 197 nations that in December 2015 resolved to take steps to contain global warming to no more than 2°C by 2100.

But the laws of thermodynamics present practical problems. One of these is that, because energy is always conserved, a wind farm inevitably “saps” the energy of the wind that slams into the turbines, leaving a weaker wind for the next turbine in its path.

So although, in theory, winds could deliver at the rate of 60 to 80 watts per square meter, this “turbine drag” would slow the winds at every stage.

Even so, engineers could look forward to a harvest of 3 to 5 watts per square meter, which is much higher than the best available on land.

Someone had to do the sums. “Are the winds so fast just because there is nothing out there to slow them down? Will sticking giant wind farms out there just slow down the winds so much that it is no better than over land?” asked Ken Caldeira, senior scientist at the global ecology department at the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford.

“The real question is can the atmosphere over the ocean move more energy downward than the atmosphere over land is able to?”

In principle, their answer is: yes, it can. Open ocean wind farms spread across 3 million square kilometers of ocean could in theory harness so much more of the atmosphere’s energy and generate all the power the world needs right now.

That still leaves all the other problems unsolved: the challenge of engineering turbines fit for the open ocean and of catering for seasonal variations in wind energy; of collecting the generated current and delivering it to the world’s cities, and the even bigger problem of the national and global politics involved. But sophisticated modeling says there is nothing on Earth to prevent it being done.

“While no commercial-scale deepwater wind farms yet exist, our results suggest that such technologies, if they become technically and economically feasible, could potentially provide civilization-scale power,” the scientists wrote.

Source: ecowatch.com

Regenerative Agriculture: Our Best Hope of Cooling the Planet

26.10.2017

klimatske-promene — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Another report sounding the alarm about climate change. Another missed opportunity to talk about the most promising solution: regenerative agriculture.

The New York Times cited a new report by the notoriously conservative Government Accountability Office (GAO), which said “climate change is costing taxpayers billions.”

CNN also reported on the GAO study, which calls on Trump to “craft appropriate responses.”

The CNN coverage noted several initiatives to combat climate change undertaken under the Obama administration, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan, which sought to lower carbon emissions on a state-by-state basis, and the Paris climate agreement, which saw almost every country agree to voluntary limits on future carbon emissions.

The current climate-denying Trump administration wants to scrap those, and other climate initiatives, in favor of prioritizing corporate profits.

But that’s not why I’m writing today. I’m writing because once again, a major report on the costs—financial, social, environmental, political—of doing nothing to slow runaway global warming focuses exclusively on reducing carbon emissions. As usual, this new report fails to mention that even if we achieved zero emissions tomorrow, we’re still in big trouble—unless we draw down and sequester the billions of tons of carbon already in the atmosphere.

And once again, a major report on global warming fails to acknowledge that we have the tools readily at our disposal to draw down that carbon, and we know how to use them. They are regenerative agriculture and land-use practices outlined in a recent Stanford Woods Institute report, which says:

If you want to do something about global warming, look under your feet. Managed well, soil’s ability to trap carbon dioxide is potentially much greater than previously estimated, according to Stanford researchers who claim the resource could “significantly” offset increasing global emissions. They call for a reversal of federal cutbacks to related research programs to learn more about this valuable resource.

The federal government has no problem subsidizing, to the tune of $20 billion/year—GMO monoculture crops that degrade the soil and play a significant role in making global warming worse.

But Congress has no problem cutting back research on how to improve soil health as a means of combatting global warming?

Fortunately, other governments are incorporating “the soil solution” into their policies and plans to combat global warming. The most significant is France’s “Four for 1000: Soils for Food Security and Climate” Initiative launched by the French government at the Paris climate summit in December 2015.

In the U.S., some states are taking steps of their own to enact regenerative agriculture policies, notably California, Vermont and Massachusetts.

If your state isn’t on the list, maybe it’s time you start building a Regeneration Movement in your own community?

It’s time to stop ignoring our best hope of cooling the planet. If federal lawmakers won’t help, we need to make sure our local and state officials get on board.

Source: ecowatch.com

51-Turbine Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project Moves Forward

26.10.2017

Thurston County is requesting proposals for qualified firms to prepare a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) for review of a planned 51-turbine wind-powered electrical generation project on 19,654-acres of land that straddles the Thurston and Lewis county boundary, less than 7 miles southwest from Clear Lake.

The wind turbines would be located on Weyerhaeuser timber lands east and south of Skookumchuck Lake. The proposal by Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project LLC includes a 5-acre operations and maintenance yard, a 15-mile electrical transmission line and access roads. Of the 51 turbines, eight would be located within Thurston County.

The turbines would be built on top of ridges to maximize wind exposure, and including the rotor blades, would be about 499-feet tall. The operations and maintenance yard would be located on Weyerhaeuser-owned property at 16340 Vail Loop Road SE in South Thurston County. A new transmission line to transport electricity to the existing Puget Sound Energy Tono sub-station would be located in Lewis County.

Access to the turbines would be over Weyerhaeuser timber roads. The proposed facility has a capacity of up to 176 megawatts. A memorandum of understanding was approved by Lewis County commissioners Monday, designating Thurston County as the lead agency under SEPA.

Construction is proposed to start in the fall of 2017 and take nine to 15 months to complete, with operations starting Dec. 31, 2018. During construction, about 300 workers would be employed. During operations, about five employees would be needed.

According to a Supplemental Application for Special Use, Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project LLC stated, “The proposed project will be located on private land used for timber harvesting, and will not be incompatible with uses already occurring on the site. The project will not be located within a neighborhood and will not affect neighborhood character.”

Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project LLC stated, “The project will not impede the view of open spaces, mountains or other natural landscapes in the area. The form and shape of wind turbines, while not identical to forest resources, are similar in their vertical dimension and blend in to tree-covered ridgelines.”
Some area residents are concerned about the wind turbine project.

“I am opposed to the construction of the proposed wind farm on Weyerhaeuser land in the Skookumchuck area,” wrote Robert Schilt of Rainier, to Thurston County.

His concerns include wind farms “are built in areas that are used by migrating birds with a significant death toll.” Schilt said it would be better to trash the proposal and have the state declare hydroelectric power as “green.”

Yelm citizen Roberto Mazzarella also wrote a letter to the county. He’s concerned about increased risk of wildfires from the project.

“Wind turbines catch fire because highly flammable materials such as hydraulic oil and plastics are in close proximity to machinery and electrical wires,” Mazzarella wrote. “These can ignite a fire if they overheat or are faulty. Lots of oxygen, in the form of high winds, can quickly fan a fire inside a turbine.”

Mazzarella also worries that because the wind farm is located among clear-cut land covered by dry brush, emergency responders will have a difficult time accessing fires in such remote land.

Rella Schafer of Yelm is another citizen opposed to the wind farm.

“I do not support the Skookumchuck wind energy project,” she wrote, adding “… most important are the many deaths to the avifauna and bats, and nocturnal migratory birds and bats.”

For those concerned about light pollution, Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project LLC in a response to the county stated, “No daylight glare is expected from the tower or turbine rotor structure. It is anticipated that aircraft warning lighting will be required. … This will likely consist of one or more white strobe lights in the daytime and one or more red flashing lights at night on each tower string. … These lights are for pilots.”

As the project moves forward, the Board of Lewis County Commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding on Monday that lays out the roles of each agency involved in the project.

Lee Napier, the county’s community development director, said the proposal continues to evolve, but stated that currently the company will construct facility operations in Thurston County, while most of the wind turbines would be located in Lewis County.

According to the memorandum of understanding, Lewis County would only take on the responsibilities required of a cooperating agency.

“As a cooperating agency, Lewis will provide adequate staffing resources to ensure active participation in the environmental review process, and shall contribute data and information relevant to the process,” states the agreement.

Napier said the project is not only being permitted by Thurston and Lewis counties, but stated there are a variety of other agencies involved.

“Each time they have reviewed it, it changes a little bit,” she said of the project.

Source: chronline.com

TransCanada Selling Ontario Solar Power Holdings in Move Against Renewable Energy Trend

26.10.2017

TransCanada Corp. is offloading its only solar power holdings in a $540-million deal as it moves against the industry trend of investing more in renewables.

The company said Wednesday it was selling the eight facilities in Ontario with 76 megawatts of capacity to a subsidiary of Axium Infrastructure Canada II L.P., with plans to spend the proceeds on its $24-billion in near-term capital projects.

The sale leaves TransCanada’s renewable portfolio with 365 megawatts of wind power through its partial ownership of Cartier Wind, after the company sold its hydropower and wind generation assets in the U.S. earlier this year to help fund its $13-billion (U.S.) takeover of Columbia Pipeline Group.

The moves come as Canada’s other pipeline giant, Enbridge Inc., has been adding to its renewable portfolio while also making big acquisitions on the pipeline front.

In February, Enbridge bought an effective 50 per cent ownership of the 497-megawatt Hohe See wind project in Germany with plans to invest $1.7 billion in its construction, while last year it bought a 50 per cent interest in French offshore wind company Eolien Maritime France SAS for $282 million and acquired the 249-megawatt Chapman Ranch wind project in Texas that will cost an estimated $400 million to build.

Enbridge is also partnered in the development of the 400-megawatt Rampion wind project in England, which it says should be online next year, and owns operational solar and wind assets elsewhere in North America.

The diversification strategy at Enbridge is part of a bigger trend in the industry, with especially European oil and gas majors ramping up their investments in renewables.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance said this week that many big energy companies are investing in renewable energy as pressure mounts for them to diversify, estimating oil majors have completed 428 deals and spent an estimated $6.2 billion over the past 15 years to buy into clean energy companies.

Royal Dutch Shell CEO Ben van Beurden said earlier this year that he expects the company to spend as much as $1 billion a year by 2020 on its New Energies division.

TransCanada spokesman Terry Cunha said the company continues to pursue growth opportunities in the power market across North America, considering both environmental and financial advantages.

The company bought the Ontario solar plants in 2013.

TransCanada’s 6,200-megawatt energy portfolio consists of nuclear, natural gas, co-generation and wind facilities, including the Bruce Power nuclear plant and a 900-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant under construction in Napanee, Ont.

In its corporate social responsibility report in September, Girling said that respected authorities forecast natural gas and oil will continue to be dominant energy sources for decades to come, and that outlook is reflected in the make-up of TransCanada’s business and growth plans.

Greenpeace senior energy strategist Keith Stewart said in an email that the strategy shows the company is out of touch with current trends.

“It looks like TransCanada has given up on even pretending to take climate change seriously,” said Stewart.

“The company is doubling down on a sunset industry because oil and gas is what it knows, but long-term investors should recognize that selling your solar farms to finance pipelines is the equivalent of cancelling your Netflix subscription so you can get a premium membership at Blockbuster.”

Source: thestar.com

Report: UK’s ‘Outdated’ Onshore Wind Ban Blocks Cheapest Form of New Energy

25.10.2017

The government’s “outdated” ban on developing new onshore wind farms on mainland Britain is blocking access to the cheapest available form of new electricity generation, and having a negative impacts on bills, climate change targets, and businesses.

That is the conclusion of new research by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) think tank, which estimates electricity from 1GW of new onshore wind farms would cost £30m a year less than obtaining the same amount of power from new offshore wind farms, even when recent cost reductions from the offshore wind sector are taken into account.

Moreover, new onshore wind development costs in the UK would be as much as £100m a year lower per GW when compared to new nuclear or biomass plants, the report argues, adding that they wouldalso prove cheaper than new gas plants.

Since 2015, onshore wind farms in the UK have been denied access to any form of government support, effectively placing a freeze on new development.

Ministers said in the recent Clean Growth Strategy that remote islands of Scotland would be eligible to apply for support in the spring 2019 Contracts for Difference auction, potentially opening the door to some new projects in future.

However, the government has consistently failed to respond to repeated industry calls for well-located onshore wind farms to be allowed to compete for price support contracts.

The ECIU estimates that continuing to bar onshore wind farms from competing for contracts could cost the UK £1bn over four to five years when compared to developing other new power plants. The think tank is now calling for a policy rethink ahead of the findings of the energy costs review headed by Professor Dieter Helm, which is expected shortly.

ECIU director Richard Black described the ongoing block on mainland onshore wind farms as “perverse” given the UK’s windy weather and findings suggesting it is the cheapest form of new power generation around.

“For a government committed to making energy cheaper, this risks not only locking people into higher bills, but also runs contrary to its aim of having the lowest energy costs in Europe,” he said in a statement.

He also pointed to analysis carried out before the recent record-breaking offshore wind auctions showing that new onshore wind could be built without the need for subsidy, at below £50/MWh, even when additional costs relating to intermittency are taken into account.

“David Cameron promised no new subsidies for onshore wind,” Black argued. “But it now doesn’t need a subsidy – research indicates fixed-price contracts would more than pay for themselves. So, given that the government also knows it needs new low-carbon policies the question is, why not enable onshore wind where local people want it and where it won’t harm wildlife, while continuing to support a healthy mix of other low-carbon energy generation?”

Elsewhere, today’s ECIU report also argues the UK is set to fall to bottom place among comparable EU nations in terms of wind farm efficiency and that without further investment in new technology the country risks losing its place as a global leader in wind energy.

Dr Jonathan Marshall, ECIU energy analyst, said changing tack on onshore wind policy would be widely supported by the public.

“People are overwhelmingly in favour of renewable forms of energy, and onshore wind is one of the most popular forms of generation; surveys show that people are far keener on living next to an onshore wind farm than a fracking site or a small nuclear reactor,” he said. “The opportunity of repeating the British success story on offshore wind should also be a powerful motivator, and there would be added benefits in diversifying the UK’s energy mix. A policy rethink on onshore wind looks increasingly overdue.”

Responding to the report today, a spokesperson for BEIS said the government does “not believe that more large-scale onshore wind power is right for England”.

“We are pleased to see that established technologies, such as onshore wind and solar, are driving costs down,” BEIS said in a statement. “If this continues, and they have local support, they may play a significant role in the energy mix in future. We’re committed to supporting the development of onshore wind projects in the remote islands of Scotland and will set out further details shortly.”

But RenewableUK executive director Emma Pinchbeck welcomed the findings of the report, and called on the government to let the lowest cost options for energy compete on the market. “Having seen the record-breaking fall in the cost of offshore wind last month, we now need to discover how much the cost of onshore wind has fallen too – and that hasn’t been possible because it’s been excluded from competitive auctions,” Pinchbeck said in a statement. “New onshore wind, in places where there it has public support, can help Ministers achieve their goal of making energy costs for UK consumers the lowest in Europe.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Azure Power Wins 250 Megawatt Solar Project In India At Record Tariff

25.10.2017

Solarna-energija — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

An auctioned organized by India’s largest power generating company, NTPC Limited, yielded the lowest-ever tariff for a solar project obligated to use Indian-made solar modules.

NYSE-listed Azure Power secured the bid to set up a 250 megawatt solar power project at a tariff of Rs 3.14/kWh (4.8¢/kWh). Several other developers participated in the auction with bids ranging between Rs 3.14/kWh (4.8¢/kWh) to Rs 4.95/kWh (7.6¢/kWh). Interestingly, this was the first time ever that a foreign module manufacturer had participated in the auction that requires developers to use only Indian-made modules. Canadian Solar Holdings had offered to set up 100 megawatts.

Waaree Energies and Adani Green Energy had also participated in the auction albeit unsuccessfully; both the companies own substantial solar cell and module manufacturing facilities in India.

The last auction that mandated Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) was secured by Tata Power Solar at a tariff of Rs 4.84/kWh (7.4¢/kWh). The power purchase agreement for the project was signed in December 2016. The latest auction, thus, marks a huge correction of 35% from the previous auction.

Azure Power is one of the leading solar power developers in India with a portfolio of more than 1.6 gigawatts. With the latest auction the company will now be the largest supplier of electricity to NTPC Limited and its subsidiary NVVN Limited.

The company also recently raised Rs 200 crore ($30.5 million) in debt funding from Dutch development agency FMO. The funds will be used for setting up 300 megawatts of capacity currently under construction. It also raised $500 million through green bonds issue earlier this year. With an interest yield of 5.5% for the issue, investors had offered to invest over $1 billion.

Source: cleantechnica.com

The Netherlands Will Miss 2020 Renewables Targets, Government Review Shows

25.10.2017

Despite recent investments into new wind energy capacity, the Netherlands will miss its 2020 targets for renewables and greenhouse gas emissions reductions by a fair margin, according to a government review published last Thursday.

The review findings are that renewable energy will provide (based on current projections) only around 12.4% of the country’s energy supply by 2020 — well under the 14% target that was set for 2020 as part of the agreement with the European Union.

Accompanying the projected failure to achieve the above discussed renewable energy goal, the review also notes that the country’s efforts to achieve a greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 25% (as compared to 1990 levels) by 2020 as part of the Kyoto Protocol deal are likely to fall short. Current projections show the country achieving an only 23% emissions reduction by 2020 (as compared to 1990 levels).

“Green campaigners said the figures showed the government had to do more, quickly. ‘If we keep on like this the Netherlands will still be bungling at the bottom of European lists in 2030,’ the Dutch Union for Renewable Energy, representing renewables companies, said,” as reported by Reuters.

“Economic Affairs Minister Henk Kamp said the projections had improved since last year, due to ‘the successful roll-out of wind energy on the sea’. Stung by a court ruling in 2015 that found the Dutch government was failing to live up to its obligations, Kamp began a more ambitious roll-out of wind turbine farms in the North Sea and earmarked 100 million euros ($118 million) in extra spending to combat climate change.

“Parties in a new government this month agreed to close five coal-fired plants by 2030 and increase taxes on polluters.”

The new review predicts that the share of the Dutch energy mix held by renewable energy will increase to 23.9% by 2030 — well under the European Union goal of a 27% share by 2030. Correspondingly, the government review projects that greenhouse gas emissions will only be reduced (as compared to 1990 levels) by 34% by 2030 — well under the goal of 40%.

Interestingly, the report predicts that there will be more jobs within the country in the renewals energy sector by 2020 than in the fossil fuel sector.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Nantes Chooses Breakthrough ABB E-Bus Technology

25.10.2017

World’s fastest flash-charging connection technology from ABB to power first fully electric 24-meter buses

ABB has won a $20 million order from Swiss bus manufacturer HESS to supply its flash-charging technology for 20 e-buses and related infrastructure for the French city of Nantes. The buses will be operated by public transport operator, Société d’Economie Mixte des Transports de l’Agglomération Nantaise (Semitan).

Batteries mounted on the roofs of the Nantes buses will be charged in 20 seconds with a 600-kilowatt boost of power at selected stops while passengers are embarking and disembarking. It takes less than one second to connect the bus to the charging point, making it the world’s fastest flash-charging connection technology. A further 1 to 5 minutes charge at the terminus at the end of the line enables a full recharge of the batteries.

ABB’s flash-charging technology and onboard traction equipment, which make the flash-charging possible, are part of its innovative TOSA (Trolleybus Optimisation Système Alimentation) solution, which is the world’s leading technology of its kind.

The fleet will run on the Busway Bus Rapid Transit (Line 4) route connecting the historic center of Nantes with municipalities on the southern side of the river Loire. The new bus system will increase passenger capacity by 35 percent enabling sustainable transport for about 2,500 commuters every hour.

Since the route’s inauguration in 2006, passenger numbers have increased, leading to overcrowded buses. The 24 meter long, fully electric buses from HESS will be the first of their kind in the world to be equipped with the flash-charging technology, enabling a higher passenger capacity, emission-free public transport and noise reduction. The buses are expected to be operational by the end of 2018.

“This revolutionary technology requires no overhead lines and provides silent, zero-emission mass transit as a viable alternative to fossil fuel powered buses, offering a model for future urban transportation,” said Claudio Facchin, president of ABB’s Power Grids division. “The project exemplifies our commitment to deliver customer value through technology and innovation, and reinforces our position as a partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid, in line with our Next Level strategy.”

Each of the new e-buses can carry 151 passengers and will be equipped with energy-efficient ABB drivetrain technology, comprising traction and auxiliary converters, permanent magnet traction motors, roof-mounted battery units and energy transfer systems.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing more than a 125-year history of innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization and driving the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolutions. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 136,000 employees.

(Source: abb.com)

Hydroelectric Power is Most Damaging to Ecology

25.10.2017

Mala hidroelektrana — Foto-ilustracija: Wikimedia/Dr Richard Murray

Hydroelectric power is the most damaging to ecological systems, followed by solar power and wind power, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reports, citing a study. The study was conducted by the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Shenzhen’s Southern University of Science and Technology and James Cook University of Australia.

The researchers assessed the environmental impact of renewable energy on the environment by comparing hydroelectric power, solar energy, and wind energy.

The results were published in the Trends in Ecology and Evolution journal on Monday. The study found that hydroelectric power does the most damage to the ecology, followed by solar power and wind power.

Researchers said reservoirs constantly emit carbon dioxide, the main source of the greenhouse effect, as well as biogas and nitrogen monoxide, all of which are harmful to the environment.

The biogas can be released by rotten plants at the bottom of reservoirs. As the current passes through the turbines and drainage channels, the biogas dissolved in the water can also be released, they said.

In addition, construction of dams for hydroelectricity lowers biodiversity in the areas where they are located because a large number of trees have to be cut down.

The study cited the Cheow Larn Reservoir in southern Thailand as an example, saying its construction has seriously damaged the neighboring tropical rainforest, where tigers and other wild animals inhabit.

Statistics show that worldwide, about 3,700 large hydroelectric dams were under construction or being planned as of March 2014. Nine in 10 were in developing countries.

The study showed that solar power plants can result in the elimination of certain plant species, as evidenced in the southwestern United States.

US authorities estimated the number of birds dying from hitting solar panels range from about 38,000 to 138,000 a year.

While wind power is less ecologically damaging, the study said about 570,000 birds die after crashing into the wind turbines each year. Breeding is also affected by noise from the turbines.

Dr. Luke Gibson, an HKU honorary assistant professor who was in charge of the study, called on governments and power companies around the world to consider the impact on the ecology when making plans for renewable energy facilities.

(source: ejinsight)

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