Severe Chinese Air Pollution Cuts Solar Energy Potential As Much As 35%

25.10.2017

China is currently on track to install close to 50 GW worth of solar energy in 2017, nearly half of total global demand, but new research from Princeton University has concluded that China’s severe air pollution is “significantly reducing” the country’s solar energy output because the pollution is blocking light from the sun reaching solar installations.

China’s severe air pollution issues are no secret and have been a hot topic for years. Many will remember the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing, China, were beset by concerns for athletes’ health given the high levels of air pollution in the region. In 2009, research concluded that the Beijing Olympics were, unsurprisingly, the most polluted games ever.

But China has been making huge efforts to minimize its pollution levels, specifically as regards to pollution stemming from electricity generation. A study published last year concluded that coal combustion was the single largest source of air pollution-related health impact in China, contributing to 366,000 premature deaths in China in 2013 alone. One method that China has been relying on to reduce its energy-related air pollution is to transition toward renewable energy sources like solar. A report from 2014 revealed that China wanted to install 70 GW worth of solar by 2017 in an effort to reduce air pollution — an effort we can quite confidently say they achieved, considering China’s cumulative solar capacity at the end of the first half of 2017 was 112.34 GW.

However, all that hard work to reduce air pollution from coal combustion might be stuck in a circular loop of its own creation, according to new research from Princeton University and published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Specifically, the study, Reduction of Solar Photovoltaic Resources Due to Air Pollution in China, found that severe air pollution in China is blocking the light from the sun reaching solar panels to such a degree that in the most polluted areas of northern and eastern China, aerosol pollution is reducing the potential solar electricity generation by as much as 35%.

“Developing countries with severe air pollution that are rapidly expanding solar power, such as China and India, often neglect the role of aerosols in their planning, but it can be an important factor to consider,” said Xiaoyuan (Charles) Li, a Ph.D. candidate in Princeton’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the study’s lead author.

The issue is worse in winter, as well, with air pollution’s wintertime effect on solar electricity generation as significant as that of clouds.

The researchers used a solar photovoltaic performance model combined with satellite data from NASA instruments that measure irradiance from the sun and analyze aerosol components and clouds in the atmosphere. They conducted nine separate analyses spanning from 2003 to 2014 covering all of China in an effort to compare the impact of aerosols compared to clouds on solar electricity generation.

“Reduction in solar generation due to clouds has been a primary focus in the past,” said Denise L. Mauzerall, a professor of environmental engineering and international affairs at Princeton’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs who serves as Li’s faculty adviser and helped develop the study. “But this is the one of the first times atmospheric air pollution has been taken into account in determining solar photovoltaic cells’ ability to generate electricity.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Italy Sets Sights on 2025 Coal Power Phase-Out

25.10.2017

Termoelektrana, Ugalj, Zagađenje — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The Italian government today announced its intention to phase-out domestic coal-fired power by 2025 when it formally adopts its national energy strategy next month.

The move would see Italy join a growing list of nations committed to ending reliance on carbon-intensive electricity plants over the next 10 to 15 years.

The proposal is set out in a government consultation document published today, which aims to ensure Italy delivers on its target of sourcing 27 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, Reuters reports.

The energy strategy is expected to be adopted on 10 November.

Italy’s biggest energy utility Enel has also said it will not invest in new coal-fired power plants, according to the news agency.

Italy follows France, the UK and Canada in signalling an end-date for domestic coal fired power generation. France has set a phase out date of 2022, while the UK government was the first country to set a date for ending the use of unabated coal, declaring its last coal plant wouldclose by 2025. Canada recently announced it would phase out unabated coal power by 2030.

The commitment from Italy means some coal plants in country that have operated for as little as 15 years would have to be retired, further fuelling concerns some coal power projects could be left as stranded assets.

Earlier this month UK and Canada challenged more governments around the world to bring an end to coal-fired power generation, announcing plans to jointly launch a new global alliance at next month’s COP 23 climate summit in Bonn aimed at speeding up the transition to cleaner sources of electricity.

The Netherlands has also recently announced plans to close its five remaining coal plants by 2030, while the global coal sector was also recently hit by reports suggesting China is planning to stop or delay work on 151 planned or under construction coal facilities.

Chris Littlecott, programme leader for fossil fuel transition at think tank E3G, welcomed the announcement from the Italian government.

“Italy’s positive commitment to phase out coal by 2025 demonstrates real international leadership as it completes its year holding the G7 Presidency,” he said in a statement. “Italy now joins its G7 peers in Canada, France and the UK in taking action to phase out coal power generation over the next decade. Together, they can lead a growing coalition of countries and regions that are now acting on coal.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Nicaragua Confirms it is to Join Paris Agreement, Leaving US Further Isolated

24.10.2017

climate-change — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The Paris Agreement has received a further boost ahead of next month’s annual UN climate summit, after Nicaragua confirmed it would sign and ratify the international treaty.

The Latin American nation had been one of just two countries not to sign the accord, alongside war-torn Syria. The Nicaraguan government opted out of the international agreement in protest at its largely voluntary nature, arguing it was not ambitious enough and represented a “path to failure”.

However, in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s announcement this summer that the US would trigger the process to quit the agreement reports suggested the Nicaraguan government was considering a change of heart.

Yesterday, Reuters reported that the Latin American government had issued an official statement confirming it now planned to sign up to the Paris Agreement.

Vice-president Rosario Murillo told local radio the relevant documents had already been submitted to the UN, suggesting the government had reversed its previous decision not to submit a national climate action plan as required by the Paris Agreement.

“It is the only instrument we have in the world that allows the unity of intentions and efforts to face up to climate change and natural disasters,” Murillo said of the treaty.

The move will leave the US further isolated as it prepares to attend the COP 23 Summit in Bonn. The US remains a signatory to the accord until the four year exit process runs its course. Under the process the earliest the US can formally leave the agreement is a day after the 2020 US presidential election, fuelling speculation that a any defeat for President Trump would result in the country’s time outside the agreement being short-lived.

The annual UN conference, which will this year be chaired by Fiji, is expected to be mainly focused on technical discussions about the rule book that will underpin the system of reporting, monitoring and updates when the Paris Agreement comes into full effect in 2020.

However, last week Fiji’s Prime Minister and chair of the summit Frank Bainimarama called for “absolute dedication” from delegates in pursuit of the Paris Agreement’s more ambitious goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5C.

Source: businessgreen.com

12 Global Cities Commit to Create Green and Healthy Streets By 2030

24.10.2017

On Monday, the mayors of London, Paris, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Quito, Vancouver, Mexico City, Milan, Seattle, Auckland and Cape Town committed to a series of ambitious targets to make their cities greener, healthier and more prosperous. By signing the C40 Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration, the pioneering city leaders pledged to procure only zero-emission buses from 2025 and ensure that a major area of their city is zero emission by 2030. The policies are designed to fight air pollution, improve the quality of life for all citizens and help tackle the global threat of climate change.

Signatories to the declaration “envision a future where walking, cycling, and shared transport are how the majority of citizens move around our cities.” The cities therefore commit to:
Increase rates of walking, cycling and the use of public and shared transport.
Reduce the number of polluting vehicles on city streets.
Lead by example by procuring zero emission vehicles for city fleets.
Collaborate with suppliers, fleet operators and businesses to accelerate the shift to zero emissions vehicles and reduce vehicle miles in cities.

“Air pollution caused by petrol and diesel vehicles is killing millions of people in cities around the world. The same emissions are also causing climate change,” said Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris and C40 chair. “In Paris we are taking bold action to prioritize the streets for pedestrians and cyclists. Working with citizens, businesses and mayors of these great cities we will create green and healthy streets for future generations to enjoy.”

Cities will report back every two years on the progress they are making towards the goals of the C40 Declaration.

“The largest sources of air pollution are also the largest sources of carbon emissions—and in many cities, transportation is the biggest culprit,” said UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change and C40 board president, Michael R. Bloomberg. “C40 Mayors understand thriving cities require clean air. By switching to cleaner vehicles, we can fight climate change and save many lives.”

Source: ecowatch.com

India To Auction 4.5 Gigawatts Of Wind Power Projects By February 2018

24.10.2017

Sticking to its announced road map to expedite wind energy auctions, India will put 4.5 gigawatts of capacity on the block by February 2018.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has announced that auctions of 1.5 gigawatts of capacity each will take place in October, December 2017 and February 2018. So far two auctions have been organized at the central level with 1 gigawatt capacity each.

Both the auctions have yielded record low tariffs. The first auction saw allocation of 1,050 megawatts capacity at the lowest tariff of ₹3.46/kWh (5.3¢/kWh) while in the second, 1,000 megawatts was allocated at the lowest tariff of ₹2.64/kWh (4.0¢/kWh). The latest tariff is cheaper than not only almost all thermal power plants but also almost all solar power plants in India.

These are the first auctions in India’s wind energy market. Buoyed by the success and competition among developers, several state governments have also initiated auctions while moving away from the feed-in tariff regime.

India has set a target for 60 gigawatts of operational wind energy capacity by March 2022 while the current operational capacity stands at around 38 gigawatts. In all likelihood the country would exceed this target. The central government has announced plans to auction 4-5 gigawatts every year while state governments will host separate auctions.

While highly beneficial to the government and power utilities, these auctions may pose financial threats to the bidders. Tariff bids have collapsed 24% in a matter of few months, highlighting the desperation among the project developers and turbine manufacturers. This increased competition is the direct result of states moving away from feed-in tariff regime to reverse auctions.

Recently completed projects under the feed-in tariff regime remain stranded, unable to inject power into the grid as power utilities have refused to procure this relatively costly power.

Source: cleantechnica.com

IDVORSKY ELECTRIC TRACTOR: Our Idea for a Sustainable Future

24.10.2017

Idvorsky Electric, električni traktor, Dalibor Marković, Nikola Popov, Ivan Jovanov — Foto: Privatna arhiva

In the current decades, the world is becoming more and more aware of how important it is to reduce the emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere, both in the field of industry and in the transportation. Also, there is an increase in the number of people who are turning to organic food production, without the use of pesticides and other chemicals, due to their health. But what’s the point of the most sophisticated organic seed and the minimal treatment of fruits and vegetables, when the soil is processed by agricultural machinery, which emits into the air, ground and water tons of exhaust gases, usually caused by impure oil and other fuels?

The road that Dalibor Marković, Nikola Popov and Ivan Jovanov have passed since the first mentioning of an electric tractor till today is pervaded through struggle, learning, research, satisfaction, enthusiasm and disappointments, delusions and failures, victories and defeats. Everything that one creative process of creating startup and innovation implies. In the current decades, the world is becoming more and more aware of how important it is to reduce the emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere, both in the field of industry and in the transportation.

Also, there is an increase in the number of people who are turning to organic food production, without the use of pesticides and other chemicals, due to their health. But what’s the point of the most sophisticated organic seed and the minimal treatment of fruits and vegetables, when the soil is processed by agricultural machinery, which emits into the air, ground and water tons of exhaust gases, usually caused by impure oil and other fuels?

Three young men from Serbia – Dalibor Marković, Nikola Popov and Ivan Jovanov – found a way to tackle this problem. They launched a startup project “Idvorsky Electric” and presented a fully electric lightweight tractor on the international competition. Not only is the electric tractor energy efficient, but it is also completely ecological. In our bulletin ECOMOBILITY you have a unique opportunity to get to know the team named by the middle name and the birthplace of our world-renowned scientist Mihailo Idvorski Pupin.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

On one occasion, at the end of 2015, three friends and colleagues from Faculty of Electrical Engineering were lively discussing profession and the future. The spirit of entrepreneurship inherent in their generation and the common desire to engage in innovation, inspired their conversation. The technological world, and especially a part of that world that is close to them, was full of exciting events and novelties. Display of the future that the new technology brings on a daily basis was no longer based only on the picture of the supercomputer, the Internet, smartphones, networked devices, and virtual reality anymore. Burning need for clean energy, as well as the awareness about sustainable development, have led to a large specter of innovations their branch – the electric power industry.They were especially fascinated by the electric vehicles development trend, as well as the main protagonist of this philosophy, Elon Musk and the achievements of his company “Tesla”.

– Nikola, the newest doctor of science from our company, mentioned during the discussion that frequent problems with old father’s tractor on the family estate prompted him to think about the electric version of a light tractor. Soon, his idea got us completely occupied, and wider audience found it very interesting – Ivan Jovanov, one of the three minds of this project, told us. And with their idea and just a few months of development, as the only team from the region called “Idvorsky Electric”, they finished in the final of the eminent startup competition, at the Stanford University, as part of a global entrepreneurial summit, which was personally hosted and supported by the then US President, Barack Obama. After this great experience and return from San Francisco, we quickly concluded that it is necessary to “pivot” around the original idea that we had taken to America, whose concept was to electrify the existing, old tractors. After deeper acquaintance with this multidisciplinary issue, we realized that, although it is technically possible to process the existing diesel tractors into electric, this type of end product would not achieve economic sustainability nor comparable functional capacity of a standard tractor – said Ivan and continued:

– A modern market requires that the goal of any innovation or technology transfer must be improved product functionality or some features, such as the impact on the environment, and clear economic viability. Electric cars, as pioneers of vehicle electrification, successfully acquired customers. Even those early, expensive versions, although highly unreliable and with the pronounced feature of range anxiety, found their wealthy customers and eco enthusiasts who recognized electric cars as the herald of a sustainable future or a kind of a status symbol. On the other side, the future user of an electric tractor, or any other operation tool, must have undoubtedly economic benefits as the basic condition for considering the purchase and using a product. Of course, there should be no doubts that among farmers there are elitists and those, who are early adopters of changes, but it certainly should not rely on it during positioning the electric tractor on the market.

We were particularly fascinated by Elon Musk and the achievements of his “Tesla” company

The whole idea of the construction of this tractor is based on the technology wave advanced for the development of electric cars. However, this variation of the topic of electric vehicles – as well as others that have already come to life along with cars – like electric trucks and buses – requires a complete development and custom design of the new powertrain technology for the needs of a particular vehicle.

This challenge would not only involve the engineering of the electric tractor itself, but also a creation review of the entire concept of using this tractor (infrastructure of charging, maintenance, business model, and economics of use, etc.), considering that similar products do not exist on the market yet.

– With our, almost tremendous effort, as well as advice of good people of similar enthusiasm, professionals in the field of agriculture, mechanical engineering and technology, we have succeeded in setting the hypothesis of a sustainable model of an electric tractor, after considerable time spent on researching and working on basic engineering – explains Ivan.

Detailed modeling and complete analysis of the technical and economic sustainability of the concept have become the task of a serious feasibility study. The proportions and width of the challenges of such a project outweigh the power of the three enthusiasts. Only a feasibility study requires a dedicated team of experts of various specialties, organization and means for its development, which are estimated at around 120,000 euros.

– The final development, general and detailed design, prototype and product organization of electric tractors are far away at this moment, considering that investments in this kind of projects, even in much more stimulating development environments, exceed tens or even hundreds millions of dollars – Ivan is real.

The further course of this project is critical and very uncertain, but the Idvorsky team never loses hope.

– Mоney and other social conditions have to be provided, to meet materialization of this project in Serbia. Our contribution to launching the spark is certainly not sufficient. However, it has generated valuable knowledge and experience which belongs to the future so that our efforts are not in vain.

Adapted by: Tamara Zjačić and Vera Rakić

This story first appeared in our bulletin ECOMOBILITY that was published in July, 2017.

Indian Module Makers Beat Chinese Prices In 300 Megawatt Tender

24.10.2017

In a major boost for the Indian solar module and cell manufacturers, Energy Efficiency Services Limited recently acquired 300 megawatts of modules for multiple uses. The order has come at a time when Indian manufacturers await a decision by the government to levy anti-dumping duties on Chinese modules.

According to media reports, four Indian companies agreed to supply a total of 300 megawatts of solar modules to the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) for use at rooftop solar power systems and to power rural sub-stations for agricultural purposes.

Adani Green Energy is said to have quoted the lowest price of modules at ¢0.30/watt. Three other companies — Tata Power Solar, Bharat Heavy Electrics Limited, and Central Electronics agreed to supply the modules at the above price.

The modules will be used for setting up rooftop solar power systems at government buildings owned by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation in India’s capital city. The municipal body has identified several buildings which it plans to cover with rooftop solar power systems aggregating to 20 megawatts capacity.

Due to the lowest bids placed by the module manufacturers, the cost of generation at the NDMC rooftop solar power systems would likely be ₹4.87/kWh (7.5¢/kWh) for the first year with 3% escalation every year for 25 years. This may seem quite high compared to the utility-scale solar power tariffs but Delhi has limited solar energy resources and land availability which pushes up the cost of generation.

The modules would also be used in Maharashtra at various rural sub-stations that power the water pumps for farmers across the state. Solar power systems of 0.5 to 2 megawatts in capacity will be installed at these sub-stations and will be used to supply electricity to the water pumps. The cost of generation in this case will likely be ₹3.00/kWh (4.6¢/kWh). The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company currently supplies electricity to the water pumps at ₹6.00/kWh but is unable to bill the farmers as they are exempted from paying power bills. Thus, these small solar power systems would create savings of 50% for the state’s power utility.

EESL was recently in the news for ordering 10,000 electric sedans for various departments of the Indian government. It had also issued a tender for setting up thousands of charging stations for electric vehicles.

Source: cleantechnica.com

GE Renewable Energy Continues Strong 2017 Growth

24.10.2017

GE Renewable Energy recorded yet another strong quarter with $3 billion in orders and double the growth in its international onshore wind orders, according to figures pulled out of GE’s larger third-quarter earnings report published last week.

It is not always easy to gauge the performance of GE’s renewable energy division because it is a division of a larger company, so we are sometimes reliant upon the parent company extracting the information from their overall quarterly earnings report. Given the company’s stature, therefore, it is unsurprising that GE Renewable Energy made some noise this past week given that it recorded revenue of $2.9 billion, a 5% year-over-year increase. The company also took in $3 billion worth of orders, including increased international onshore wind orders.

Some of the key highlights from GE Renewable Energy’s third quarter included supplying 600 MW (megawatts) worth of wind power to Australia, including to the Cooper’s Gap wind project, the country’s largest onshore wind farm. GE Renewable Energy also provided 87 wind turbines worth 150 MW to Pakistan and 50 MW worth of wind turbines to Oman and the Gulf region.

GE Renewable Energy also has its hands in the hydropower and offshore wind industries, but both had quieter quarters. The company signed a deal during the third quarter to rehabilitate units 5 to 8 of Hydro Quebec’s La Grande II plant in Canada and was selected to provide 3X Synchronous Condenser and associated equipment for Araraquara project in Brazil.

Meanwhile, GE Renewable Energy also shipped during the third quarter nacelles and blades for the 18 MW demo wind offshore wind project in Xinghua Gulf to China, and boasted construction work in Israel and Germany.

Source: cleantechnica.com

India’s Largest Generator Achieves First-ever 100 Million kWh Solar Generation In A Month

23.10.2017

solar-panels- — Photo-ilustration: Pixabay

India’s largest power generator NTPC Limited achieved a unique feat that signals the company’s direction in the future. The company reported over 100 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of solar power generation in a month for the first time ever, achieved in August 2017.

According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), solar power plants owned by NTPC across the country generated a total of 103 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity in August 2017. This was a 14.4% increase from the electricity generated in July 2017. India’s total solar power generation between July and August 2017, on the other hand, increased by a measly 0.3%.

The small increase in India’s total solar power generation between July and August 2017 could be explained by the heavy rainfall in the southern region where a large majority of the country’s solar power capacity is installed. The same is reflected in NTPC’s own generation in the southern region. Solar power generation from NTPC projects in 2017 in the southern region has declined from a high of 41 million kilowatt-hours in March to 32 million kilowatt-hours in August.

NTPC’s solar power generation during the first 8 months of 2017 was 657 million kilowatt-hours, up 237% compared to the generation during the same period in 2016. In comparison, India’s total solar power generation increased 87%, from 6,977 million kilowatt-hours to 13,020 million kilowatt-hours during the first 8 months.

The southern region remains the largest contributors to NTPC’s total solar power generation. During the first 8 months, the company’s solar power projects in the southern region generated 298 million kilowatt-hours, representing a share of 45%; this was closely followed by projects in the northern region where the total generation was 230 million kilowatt-hours, or 35% of the company’s total generation.

NTPC owns some of the largest solar power parks in the country in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. At 103 million kilowatt-hours in August 2017, NTPC’s solar power generation is more than that of the entire eastern region and north-eastern region; this signifies the size of NTPC’s solar power portfolio which it plans to increase to 15 gigawatts over the next few years.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Jeff Bezos Launches 253 MW Amazon Wind Farm Texas From 300 Feet Up

23.10.2017

From atop a wind turbine Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos launched the company’s largest wind farm yet, the 253 MW Amazon Wind Farm Texas project, which will provide more than 1 million MWh of clean energy annually.

Commerce and cloud computing company Amazon announced a year ago the development of the 253 MW (megawatt) Amazon Wind Farm Texas project, which is made up of 100 wind turbines and is one of 18 wind and solar projects currently launched across the United States, while there are another 35 more to come. Amazon boasts that all their operating and planned wind and solar projects will generate the equivalent electricity enough to power 330,000 homes each year.

“Investing in renewable energy is a win-win-win-win – it’s right for our customers, our communities, our business, and our planet,” said Kara Hurst, Amazon’s Worldwide Director of Sustainability. “We now have 18 wind and solar projects across the U.S. with more than 35 projects to come. These are important steps toward reaching our long-term goal to power our global infrastructure using 100% renewable energy. We’d like to thank the leaders at LCE, the Scurry County community, and our partners across the country who are helping us continue to bring new renewable energy online.”

“I applaud Amazon’s leadership in supporting renewable power. Corporations like Amazon have become a major force in the transition to renewable power, and with their involvement, we look forward to producing power in Scurry County for years to come,” said Declan Flanagan, founder and CEO of LCE.

“Scurry County has long been a hub for the energy industry and we’re excited to expand our commitment to wind power generation with Amazon and LCE. The wind industry has boosted the Texas economy with jobs, revenue to area landowners, and property taxes that support our schools,” said Scurry County Judge Ricky Fritz.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Victorian Government Passes 40% By 2025 Renewable Energy Target

23.10.2017

The Andrews Labor Government in Victoria, Australia, has successfully passed through the State’s Legislative Council its ambitious renewable energy target of 25% renewable energy by 2020 and 40% by 2025.

The southern Australian state of Victoria announced its plans to introduce the country’s most ambitious renewable energy target back in August. Australian states have had to lead the way on renewable energy development, as the country’s Federal Government refuses to acknowledge the dire threat of climate change and remains thoroughly beholden to the country’s fossil fuel industry.

This was solidified earlier this month when the Federal Government announced that it would not implement a countrywide clean energy target in favour of its own National Energy Guarantee policy — a move out of line with all advice, support, and common sense. However, despite the near-universal condemnation of the Government’s decisions, Bloomberg New Energy Finance this week published research which suggests the National Energy Guarantee could nevertheless deliver a 42% renewable energy share by 2030 — the exact same share enshrined in the original Clean Energy Target proposal.

Regardless, State ambition has been the most important driving factor in Australia’s renewable energy industry for the past few years. While this was primarily driven by South Australia, its eastern neighbour Victoria has since stood up, and this week successfully passed the Victorian Renewable Energy Target through the State’s Legislative Council.

The Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Bill 2017 introduces a target of reaching 25% renewable energy by 2020 and 40% by 2025. The government hopes that the target will cut the average cost of power in Victoria by approximately $30 a year for households, $2,500 a year for medium businesses, and $140,000 a year for large companies.

Further, it is hoped that the target will create up to 11,000 jobs, not to mention providing much-needed electricity generation to the national market.

“This is an historic day and I’d like to thank all of the community campaigners who’ve been such passionate advocates for this important legislation,” said Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. “Renewable energy creates jobs and will help drive down power prices for Victorian households and businesses.”

“These legislated targets remain the one constant for renewable energy investor confidence in Australia and the message is clear — Victoria is open for business.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Renewable Energy Share Hits All-Time High In India — 13.2% of Electricity

23.10.2017

Rapid increases in installed capacity and favourable weather conditions pushed renewable energy generation in India to an all-time high earlier this year.

In July 2017, the share of renewable energy generation among India’s total electricity generation and imports touched 13.2%, the highest ever in the country. Total electricity generation and imports in India during July 2017 totalled 98.1 billion kilowatt-hours, while total renewable energy generation was 12.9 billion kilowatt-hours.

In June 2017, total renewable energy generation in India had crossed the 10 billion kilowatt-hour mark for the first time ever. June, July, and August 2017 together were also the three-month period when renewable energy generation in India was over 10 billion kilowatt-hours for three consecutive months.

The reason for this sharp jump in July was the large wind capacity exposed to high-speed monsoon winds. Of the 12.9 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy generation in July, 76.2% (or 9.8 billion kilowatt-hours) were generated by wind energy projects, again the highest ever.

Due to the high wind energy generation this financial year (April 2017 to March 2018), India seems on track to meet the non-solar renewable purchase obligation target. The country is aiming at 9.5% share of non-solar renewable energy in total power consumption. During the first 5 months of the financial year, the share of non-solar renewable energy generation stood at 7.24%.

Solar power, on the other hand, lagged significantly during the first 5 months, with a share of just 1.58% compared to the full year target of 4.75%.

In FY2016–17, India has missed out on solar and the overall renewable energy purchase obligation. Against a targeted non-solar renewable energy procurement of 8.75%, it could manage just 5.51%. The solar power target was 2.75% whereas the actual generation was just 1.11%. The overall renewable energy generation was 6.62% against the procurement target of 11.50%.

For the period of April to August 2017, wind energy generation in India is up 28% in 2017 compared to the previous year, while solar power generation is up 84%. Total renewable energy generation is up 25% this compared to the previous year.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Vestas, Tesla, Windlab, & Australian CEFC Partner On World’s First Utility-Scale Hybrid Wind, Solar, & Storage Project

22.10.2017

A world first renewable energy project has taken its first steps in Australia, with big-name companies Vestas, Tesla, and Windlab backed by Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation partnering on a $160 million, 60 MW hybrid wind, solar, and energy storage project.

A flurry of announcements were published Thursday confirming the development of a 60 MW (megawatt) hybrid wind, solar, and energy storage by Australia’s international wind energy company Windlab. The AUD$160 million Kennedy Energy Park set to be built in central north Queensland as a joint venture between Windlab and Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation of Japan.

Kennedy Energy Park will be the first wind, solar, and storage hybrid generator connected to Australia’s national electricity network via a single connection point. It also serves as an industry-leading project demonstrating the complementary nature of the three technologies and proving their ability to work together. Vestas — who will provide the wind turbines for the project — describes the project as a “world first” of its kind.

The Kennedy Energy Park will consist of 43.2 MW worth of wind, made up of twelve Vestas V136, 3.6MW turbines; 15 MW worth of AC, single-axis tracking solar; and a 4 MWh Li Ion battery storage provided by Tesla.

Upon completion, Kennedy will be able to generate approximately 210,000 MWh of electricity per annum, which is the equivalent of enough electricity to supply over 35,000 average Australian homes.

“We believe Kennedy Energy Park will demonstrate how effectively wind, solar and storage can be combined to provide low cost, reliable and clean energy for Australia’s future”, said Roger Price, Windlab’s Executive Chairman and CEO. “The broader adoption of projects like Kennedy can address the recommendations of the Finkel review and ensure that Australia can more than meet its Paris Commitments while putting downward pressure on energy prices”.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to join Windlab on this project, which places Vestas at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions and is a testament to how we are providing solutions that make renewable energy more cost-competitive and grid compliant,” said Johnny Thomsen, Senior Vice President, Product Management for Vestas. “With 35 years of experience in meeting complex grid requirements and developing advanced power plant controllers, Vestas has the foundation to also lead the way in hybrid solutions.”

“Hybrid solutions combining wind, solar and storage hold a huge potential for Australia,” added Clive Turton, President of Vestas Asia Pacific. “Kennedy Phase I has the potential to leverage Australia’s abundant renewable energy resources and be a giant leap forward for the country in reaping those resources while ensuring a consistent and reliable electricity supply. Kennedy shows that Vestas, together with visionary partners like Windlab, can provide the solutions.”

Meanwhile, Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) similarly announced on Thursday that it will invest AUD$94 million into the project.

“This is a landmark project for Queensland and Australia, creating a new model for renewable energy that brings together the benefits of wind, solar and battery storage to overcome intermittency and improve reliability.” said CEFC Wind Sector Lead Andrew Gardner.

“Financing three separate technologies on one site was a complex undertaking that had not previously been achieved in Australia. As the sole debt financier for this project, our goal was to demonstrate the bankability of large-scale, integrated hybrid renewable energy projects for the future. We expect such projects to become an increasingly important part of Australia’s electricity system, with complementary battery storage addressing the intermittency of wind and solar generation to support grid stability.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Solar Panels Might Get More Efficient Thanks to a Butterfly

22.10.2017

peacock-butterfly-1655724__340 — Foto: Pixabay

A common sight in the forests and meadows of India is the common rose butterfly. Known for its velvety black wings and colorful body and tail, the common rose spends its day gathering nectar from flowers like zinnias and Egyptian Starcluster. But soon, the common rose might be known for something else—making our solar panels more efficient.

“I was in a conference and somebody was presenting about butterflies and their nanostructures, and I was intrigued,” says Radwanul Siddique, lead author of a recent paper published in the journal Science Advances. Siddique’s paper uses these butterfly nanostructures as inspiration for a new type of solar cell design that can absorb more sunlight than traditional solar panels.

“A lot of insects have structural colors, where their colors come from nanostructures,” says Siddique. For instance, the bright blues and greens of many Morpho butterflies are caused by tiny tree-like shapes in the wings, less than a millimeter across. These nanostructures absorb and reflect different colors of light at different angles, so the butterfly appears to ‘shimmer’ and change colors in the air.

The common rose butterfly has a similar trick. Its velvety black wings get their color from tiny microscopic holes that trap and absorb light, giving the butterfly a blacker color than would be possible otherwise. And to an engineer like Siddique, who works with solar cells, a type of structure that absorbs more light is exactly what he needed.

Siddique and his colleagues examined the nanostructures of the common rose butterfly under a scanning electron microscope and attempted to recreate those structures with a solar cell. By adding tiny microscopic holes to the solar cell, Siddique’s team dramatically increased the solar cell’s efficiency.

So why does adding some tiny holes make a solar panel better? Mostly, it’s because those tiny holes greatly increase absorption at extreme angles. Most solar panels have to be pointed directly at the sun in order to generate the most amount of energy. When they’re angled off to the side, they’re much less efficient. Thanks to the tiny holes catching more angled light, Siddique’s solar cells are around three times as efficient at extreme angles.

That could be great news for homeowners with rooftop solar installations. Rooftop solar panels are often fixed, which means they only generate lots of power for a few hours per day. With Siddique’s design, their solar panels could produce more power at all daylight hours, which would translate to more power at more times.

And if you’re thinking that adding lots of tiny holes to solar panels can’t be cheap, the solution to that problem can be found in the common rose butterfly too. The butterfly makes the holes in its wings pretty cheaply, after all, and Siddique and his team borrowed the butterfly’s methods for their own research.

All the butterfly has to do to create its nanostructures is to combine some proteins together. Due to chemical interactions, those proteins automatically form into the right nanostructure. Siddique’s team created artificial versions of those proteins and applied them to solar cells, creating a cheap and scalable way to produce more efficient solar panels.

With any luck, a few years of development will be all it takes to start placing solar panels with Siddique’s design on rooftops around the world.

Source: popularmechanics.com

Regreening The Earth Could Lower Carbon Levels As Much As Ending Use Of Fossil Fuels

21.10.2017

green-forest — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

There’s a new study out spearheaded by The Nature Conservancy and published in the Proceedings Of The National Academy of Sciences which presents a series of 20 steps that can be taken to naturally mitigate the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Taken together, the effect on carbon levels would be equivalent to stopping the use of fossil fuels entirely.

Here is the abstract of the study:
trees lower carbon levelMost nations recently agreed to hold global average temperature rise to well below 2 °C. We examine how much climate mitigation nature can contribute to this goal with a comprehensive analysis of “natural climate solutions” (NCS): 20 conservation, restoration, and/or improved land management actions that increase carbon storage and/or avoid greenhouse gas emissions across global forests, wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural lands.

We show that NCS can provide over one-third of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed between now and 2030 to stabilize warming to below 2 °C. Alongside aggressive fossil fuel emissions reductions, NCS offer a powerful set of options for nations to deliver on the Paris Climate Agreement while improving soil productivity, cleaning our air and water, and maintaining biodiversity.

More importantly, the authors believe most of the strategies they recommend can be implemented at a cost of no more than $100 per ton of carbon dioxide, with some costing as little as $10 per ton. Comparatively, some of the carbon capture technologies being tested today will cost as much as $1,000 per ton.

Replanting forests, protection of peatlands that store carbon dioxide, and improved management of agricultural and grasslands could constitute more than a third of the actions needed to meet the climate targets established by the COP21 Paris climate accords, the researchers say.

Their research shows the benefits of reforestation would be 30% greater than a UN panel thought possible in 2014. “Better stewardship of the land could have a bigger role in fighting climate change than previously thought,” they say.

Combined, “regreening of the planet” would be equivalent to ending the burning of all oil worldwide. Overall, better management of nature could keep more than 11 billion ton of carbon dioxide emission out of the atmosphere each year by 2030. That alone is equal to all of China’s annual emissions from burning fossil fuels today.

“Fortunately, this research shows we have a huge opportunity to reshape our food and land use systems,” Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, said in a statement following the release of the report.

“If we are serious about climate change, then we are going to have to get serious about investing in nature,” added Mark Tercek, chief executive officer of The Nature Conservancy, which led the study.

What the report implies but doesn’t say directly is that clear cutting of existing forests for grazing and farming has a direct and serious impact on global carbon dioxide levels. “Trees Are Cool,” reads a popular bumper sticker. They are also essential to keeping global average temperature rise below 2º C. We need to stop cutting them down while planting new ones.

Source: cleantechnica.com

1...270271272...405 Page 271 of 405

Newsletter

Calendar of events

2025 May

Events for 31 May

Events for 1 June

Events for 2 June

Events for 3 June

Events for 4 June

Events for 5 June

Events for 6 June

Events for 7 June

Events for 8 June

Events for 9 June

Events for 10 June

Events for 11 June

Events for 12 June

Events for 13 June

Events for 14 June

Events for 15 June

Events for 16 June

Events for 17 June

Events for 18 June

Events for 19 June

Events for 20 June

Events for 21 June

Events for 22 June

Events for 23 June

Events for 24 June

Events for 25 June

Events for 26 June

Events for 27 June

Events for 28 June

Events for 29 June

WRITE US