Santa Fe Aiming for 100% Renewable Energy by 2025

04.09.2017

New Mexico’s capital has joined the growing movement of U.S. cities committing to 100 percent renewable energy.

On Wednesday, Santa Fe’s City Council unanimously adopted Mayor Javier Gonzales’ resolution directing City Manager Brian Snyde to develop a feasibility study on how the city can transition to renewables by 2025. Snyde will report the findings in 90 days.

“The City of Santa Fe has historically been a leader in the fight against global warming and has a responsibility to continue to set a positive example for other cities, states and countries to follow,” the resolution states.

“Such a transition to utilizing 100 percent renewable energy will promote employment opportunities and economic growth in our community, facilitate local control and ownership of the city’s energy options, and bring tangible benefits of using renewable energy to the community as a whole,” it adds.

Gonzales celebrated the city’s ambitious clean energy goal with a tweet saying there is “work to do, but here we go!”

The New Mexican reported that a quarter of the city’s energy already comes from renewable sources, mostly from solar.

According to the report, the mayor also introduced a resolution this week to amend the city’s investment policy to ensure that its fiscal agent, Wells Fargo, does not invest any city funds in fossil fuels.

Source: ecowatch.com

Breakthrough in Algae Production Could Usher in Desert Farming, Claim Scientists

04.09.2017

desert-2165985__340 — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Biologists from Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates have engineered a new form of microalgae that can grow rapidly in desert conditions, a discovery they claim could be used to sustainably produce biofuels, animal feed and other bio-based products in otherwise barren environments.

The researchers set out to discover whether they could boost the productivity of algae in very bright light, which is usually harmful to cells. They genetically engineered a form of microscopic algae known as diatoms, to boost its ability to grow and divide under desert light conditions.

Because diatoms are found in marine environments they don’t require freshwater for their production, meaning they could be produced in regions where freshwater is scarce.

The team, from NYU Abu Dhabi and UAE University, envision a cluster of “cell factories” in the Middle East that can produce high value bio-based products using little energy, and say they have already identified promising strains of diatoms in the UAE.

The algae can also be used to produce biofuel and animal feed, they suggest, with the added benefit of ingesting CO2 and emitting oxygen in the process.

“With this technology, algae can be grown in photo-bioreactors at a higher density and a faster pace, reducing cost and speeding up production,” said Weiqi Fu, PhD, a Research Scientist at NYU Abu Dhabi and the lead researcher of the study.

The breakthrough is a promising sign that in the future biofuel, animal food, fish feed and other types of production could be shifted to unproductive desert lands, relieving pressure on agricultural land.

Source: businessgreen.com

Solarplicity Set to Install Solar PV on 800,000 Low-Income Homes

04.09.2017

Solarplicity has set out plans to install solar PV panels on the rooftops of up to 800,000 homes in the next five years, as part of a £1bn programme to help the poorest households across England and Wales save hundreds of pounds a year in energy costs.

The scheme, which is backed by £192m in investment from Dutch firm Maas Capital, will see Solarplicity partner with social housing providers across England and Wales to install PV arrays at no cost to the tenants.

A Community Energy Scheme, set up by Solarplicity, will provide flat rate green energy tariffs to residents using power from the panels and other clean energy sources. The scheme will also distribute other energy saving technologies to tenants such as free LEDs and smart meters.

Solarplicity claim the access to cheaper green electricity will save tenants an average of £240 per year in energy compared to the cost of a standard variable tariff from one of the ‘Big Six’ energy companies, delivering total savings of £192m. The scheme is also set to create more than 1,000 new jobs, with many going to armed forces veterans who Solarplicity plans to retrain as green energy installers.

The programme was first announced in June, and further details of the investment from Maas Capita was set out in a statement on Saturday.

International Trade Minister Greg Hands welcomed further news of the investment, which according to Solarplicity was secured thanks to the support of the Department for International Trade.

“After a record year for new foreign investment into the UK, this initial £160m capital expenditure program will deliver massive benefits to some of the UK’s poorest households,” Hands said during a visit to a social housing development in West London, where PV panels were being installed. “As well as creating 1,000 jobs and delivering cheaper energy bills for up to 800,000 homes, it shows yet another vote of confidence in the UK as a place to invest and do business.”

The first 100,000 households are set to have solar panels installed over the next 18 months, with up to 800,000 households expected to benefit over five years. The North West will gain the most with 290,000 homes set to receive solar panels, followed by the North East with 184,000 and the Midlands with 154,000. More than 40 local authorities have already signed up to participate in the scheme.

In total Solarplicity said the £192m investment will unlock a solar installation programme worth £1bn.

“Today’s announcement is a reflection of our exciting growth in the energy market, backed by international capital investment through DIT,” chief executive David Elbourne said in a statement. “Solarplicity is committed to reducing energy bills for both solar and non-solar customers. Equipping them with the latest smart technologies, and 100 per cent renewable energy, they are guaranteed to save with our Fair Market Price.”

Source: businessgreen.com

How Model Grace Mahary is Bringing Renewable Energy to Impoverished Communities Across Africa

03.09.2017

As one of the most in-demand faces in modelling, she scores regular gigs for the likes of Givenchy and Chanel, in addition to having walked down that coveted Victoria’s Secret runway. But when this leggy runway veteran is off-duty, it’s charity that comes first. Her charity, to be precise, which aims to light up impoverished communities the world over – one household at a time – using solar panels.

“I’m very much of a hands-on type of person. I like to be on top of everything and enjoy watching a grassroots movement come to flourishing. I realized that Eritrea could use more financial aid, after visiting the country for the first time a couple of years ago,” the Canadian model whose parents immigrated from Eritrea shares, regarding her decision to start a charity of her own as opposed to joining an existing organization as an ambassador. “So I looked at this as an opportunity. Especially as an Eritrean woman,” Mahary adds.

The model philanthropist’s brainchild Project Tsehigh (Tsehigh means “sun” in Tigrinya and is the name of Mahary’s father), had been in fruition three and a half years prior to starting operations less than a year ago. The charity’s founder currently runs the nonprofit organization alongside her team of four, assisted by a growing crop of volunteers. For the sexy stuff – i.e. the ins and outs of clean energy solutions – she reached out to her uncle, a Germany-based electrical engineer who also acts as the nonprofit organization’s Chief Technology Officer. “I didn’t know much about renewable energy,” the model admits, who’s currently enrolled in an online course to learn more about the topic whilst working as a model. According to Project Tsehigh research, 70% of Eritreans currently live off the electrical grid. Access to electricity would directly improve living conditions of locals, as well as academic results of youths.

For the year 2017 Project Tsehigh set the goal of raising a five-figure sum, which should cover renewable energy for 100 households in the rural town of Maaya – project Tsehigh’s point of departure. “Maaya is almost two hours away from the capital Asmara. The local community has been very warm and receptive towards us, ever since the first encounter. Of course when they found out that we’d provide them with electricity, they got even more excited,” Mahary says, whose charity has already won the support of serial entrepreneur Russell Simmons. Simmons partnered with the renewable energy project for its second fundraiser, centered around the theme of yoga and meditation.

Said fundraisers which focus on physical activity, have become synonymous with Project Tsehigh’s approach to raising funds and awareness. Its first fundraiser went down in the form of a spinning class and the third, final fundraising event for 2017, is scheduled for fall. “People like this approach, because it’s not like your typical sit-down gala. Because of my background as an athlete, it makes sense to do it this way – it’s very personal. On top of that, I believe that internal clean energy is linked to external clean energy,” the former basketball player comments.

Proceeds from fundraising efforts are used for the manufacturing, shipping, and installation of rooftop solar panels. The first set of solar panels to arrive in Maaya, Eritrea, shall be installed this November. That means a 10W solar panel per household, three light bulbs, and a battery. “The money these households currently spend on non-renewable resources such as candles shall be stored as part of a sustainable plan which allows them to repurchase the solar panel battery and be self-sufficient,” the face of Cushnie et Ochs fall ad campaign says. Mahary concludes, “Our goal is to impact communities. Once we’ve brought renewable energy to these households, schools and hospitals shall follow. Our goal is to impact communities – one community a year.”

Source: forbes.com

Tesla Donates Solar Panels to Power 150 US Low-income Households

03.09.2017

Tesla - solarni - krov — Photo: tesla.com

Tesla has made a major donation of solar panels to America’s largest nonprofit solar installer to provide power for roughly 150 low-income households across the United States.

“Solar power has so many benefits for disadvantaged communities. It reduces pollution, helps financially strapped families live more affordably in their homes, and provides career opportunities for people who need good jobs,” said Erica Mackie, co-founder of GRID Alternatives.

“Achieving a transition to clean energy takes all of us, and we’re grateful for Tesla’s contribution to this work.”

Tesla’s donation of a 569 kW solar system also included approximately 15,000 hours of job training to support GRID Alternatives network of area worker volunteers. “Volunteering on a solar installation with GRID Alternatives is a great way to give back to your community while getting hands-on with solar technology.” reads the description for GRID’s Solar Installation Training Programs. Tesla will also further its role by partnering with GRID to match job openings with qualified trained professionals.

Tesla’s donation helps GRID further its goal of providing sustainable solar energy, energy cost savings and valuable hands-on solar experience to low-income families in the United States.

The Oakland-based company has installed almost 9,000 systems, resulting in $269,862,115 in lifetime savings and 33,528 participants trained.

Tesla’s generous donation aligns with their commitment to provide consumers with an affordable sustainable energy option, both on a residential level and commercial level. Already, the company has begun working with corporations like Home Depot and General Electric on solar powered energy systems.

Tesla has even expanded into the education sector, having partnered with colleges from around the world to provide cost-reducing energy storage.

The company recently produced a video detailing its role in leveraging a 100 kW solar system at The Cathedral College to charge and stores energy during the day, and powers a dormitory at night for roughly five hours per night.

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have made charitable donations in the past, pledging $37.5 million to Nevada’s public education system in 2014.

The solar donation can be seen as another positive step as Tesla works to increase solar energy usage around the world.

Source: teslarati.com

Oxford Launches On-Street Charging Trial for EV Users

02.09.2017

Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council have joined forces to launch a major new EV charging programme that will see 100 new charging stations installed on Oxford’s residential streets in the coming months.

The initiative, which kicked off earlier this week, is thought to be one of the largest of its kind anywhere in the world.

In particular, it is designed to help residents of Oxford living in the city’s narrow terraced streets where parking is often on the road and based on availability, making the installation of personal charge points very difficult.

“The project has global scientific significance because we know surprisingly little about how electric vehicle users and local communities adapt to new charging infrastructure, especially if this is provided on residential streets where availability of a parking space is not guaranteed,” Dr Tim Schwanen, director of University of Oxford’s Transport Studies Unit, said of the project.

The first phase will involve the installation different charging technologies and access arrangements to see which is most effective at encouraging EV uptake among urban and rural residents.

This will see 30 charging stations installed – 10 for the general public, 10 for members of a Co-Wheels Car Club and 10 for individual households. These will be up and running by October, and after a 12-month trial the most successful solutions will be rolled out at around 100 sites across Oxford’s residential streets.

“The pilot element of the project is a learning experience – identifying the best charging solutions for different situations and locations and using our assets in better, smarter ways will help minimise costs,” Ian Hudspeth, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said in a statement. “We hope to take what we have learnt from this project and look at how we can support on street charging across the whole of Oxfordshire.”

Meanwhile officials at the City of London are planning the first green taxi ranks with EV charging points later this year. Planning documents, first reported on by Bloomberg, suggest the first on-street taxi charging in the square mile will be located on Noble Street and Ropemaker Street, next to the headquarters of banking giants Lloyds and Macquarie.

The 22kW chargers, known as “semi-rapid chargers”, will be able to “top up” an electric taxi’s charge by around 40 per cent in just over half an hour. Final decision on the installations are expected later this year.

Source: businessgreen.com

Moscow Installs First Traffic Light Using Solar Power

02.09.2017

Moscow’s red lights are now solar-powered. The announcement came from Russia’s Center for Traffic Organization.

The Russian news agency, TASS, quoted Vadim Yuryev, the head of the Russian Center for Traffic Organization, saying, “Traffic lights of the new system have two independent sources of energy: a wind generator and a solar battery.”

He went on to say, “Traffic lights using alternative energy sources would be a wonderful solution in traffic organization in new, distanced districts of Moscow, where it is problematic to quickly connect the facilities to the city energy supplies.”

According to UPI, the change was implemented just one week after the Russian Center for Energy Efficiency claimed the total reduction in the country’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 is the equivalent of slowing down the impacts of climate change for an entire year.

Source: renewableenergymagazine.com

New Mexico AG Seeking Carbon Emissions Reduction

01.09.2017

co2-emissions — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The New Mexico Attorney General’s Office and consumer advocates are petitioning state regulators to consider a new energy standard they say would protect utility customers and shareholders from the costs and risks associated with future environmental regulations.

The proposed standard calls for electric utilities to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants that serve customers in the state by 4 percent a year through 2040. Supporters say that could amount to a reduction of several million tons of carbon dioxide, considered a prime contributor to global warming.

Steve Michel, the energy policy chief with the environmental group Western Resources Advocates, presented the proposal to the Public Regulation Commission on Wednesday. It will be up to commissioners whether to begin the rulemaking process, which would include gathering comments, technical workshops, and public meetings. Michel argued the importance of transitioning to cleaner energy sources, saying utilities can face significant costs if they wait until regulations are in place. He also said there would be environmental benefits to curbing the state’s reliance on coal-fired power plants.

“It’s almost certain that the U.S. is going to have to address carbon pollution. It’s just something that has to be done,” he said in an interview. “This proposed regulation would assure utilities in the state are well-positioned to address that as it emerges.”

The shift already is happening among investor-owned utilities. The state’s largest electric provider, Public Service Co. of New Mexico, is preparing to shutter part of its coal-fired power plant in northwestern New Mexico by the end of the year and it has invested almost $270 million in 15 solar generation facilities. The utility plans to add more solar to its portfolio under a plan submitted to regulators earlier this year.

Public Service Co. spokesman Pahl Shipley said the utility would reserve its comments on the clean energy standard until a final version of the proposed rule is drafted.

Michel told the commission that New Mexico’s utilities are well-positioned to comply with the standard given their current plans.

The push for more regulations and laws aimed at curbing emissions in New Mexico has waned somewhat in recent years as it appeared the federal government would be taking the lead in forcing utilities to divest themselves of coal-generated electricity.

That interest was renewed among environmental groups and some elected leaders when the administration of President Donald Trump indicated it would pull out of the 2015 Paris climate accord, an agreement signed by nearly 200 nations to reduce carbon emissions. Trump has also promised to help promote the use of U.S. produced coal. Attorney General, Hector Balderas, said his office supports the petition because he believes states, cities, and businesses will have to fill what he referred to as a regulatory void.

“This proposed clean energy standard would have New Mexico begin to do that,” he said.

A preliminary report recently produced by 13 federal agencies states the annual average temperature is already 1.18 degrees warmer the last 30 years than it was from 1901 to 1960. If carbon pollution continues unabated, the report suggests temperatures are projected to rise another 4.83 degrees by mid-century and 8.72 degrees by the end of the century, or a few degrees less if emissions are cut somewhat.

Michel said the 4 percent target identified in the proposal is consistent with the reductions scientists say would be needed to limit increases in temperature to prevent the most catastrophic effects of climate change. He also said the program would be consistent with similar efforts in California and the nine eastern states that participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Source: power-eng.com

Croatia to Raise Fees for Renewable Energy Production

01.09.2017

elektricna-energija — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Croatia will next month increase incentive fees aimed at stimulating the production of renewable energy, in turn slightly raising electricity bills for consumers, the government said on Thursday.

“The average electricity bill will be 22.90 kuna ($3.67) higher per month. This is the first such correction for energy production from renewable sources in the last four years”, Energy Minister, Tomislav Coric, told a cabinet session.

The fee – a fixed price for energy consumed – will be raised to 0.11 kuna from 0.04 kuna per kilowatt-hour. The Croatian energy market operator will define a new tariff system and quotas for eligible green energy producers, it said. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said the increase resulted from commitments taken earlier to boost the use of renewables.

Croatia, which imports some 40 percent of its electricity, mostly relies on hydropower for domestic production. Including hydropower, it meets 28 percent of its energy demand with renewable sources such as the wind and solar power.

Since 2007, when the renewables support scheme was introduced, the European Union’s newest member has added more than 600 megawatts in green energy capacity.

Source: reuters.com

Could City Waterways Ease Air Pollution?

01.09.2017

Waterways offer new transport options in some towns and cities, but there are still some challenges to overcome Once bustling thoroughfares for boats of all kinds, to some entrepreneurs the rivers in major cities are a source of untapped potential.

They envisage passenger vessels expanding beyond sightseeing trips and becoming a daily means of travel for residents. If successful it could ease the pressure on congested roads and crowded public transport and help tackle air pollution.

But boat operators face some major challenges. They have to be able to scale up their services to carry larger numbers of passengers, as well as trying to reduce the environmental impact of boats dependent on high-polluting diesel fuel.

French company SeaBubbles shows the challenge faced on scale. It has been testing its electric water taxi, powered by lithium batteries, along the Seine in Paris this summer. CEO Anders Bringdal says he wants to make waterway transport easier, as well as reducing its associated noise and pollution levels.

He says the company plans to build multiple docking stations at several piers so dozens of boats can be zipping along the river at any one time. However, the craft can only accommodate four passengers. Some of those trying to grow also face administrative battles to use waterways.

In Japan, Tokyo Water Taxi is hoping to have a fleet of 60 yellow vessels on the network of rivers and canals flowing into Tokyo Bay in time for the capital hosting the 2020 Olympic Games, having launched its first two diesel-powered boats last summer.

“The Odaiba area of downtown Tokyo in particular could benefit,” says CEO Hajime Tabata. “The volume of traffic for land transportation is often at maximum capacity, so waterways could be used to alleviate the congestion.”

Despite its ambitions, however, the biggest challenge for Tabata’s company is the lack of available landing piers, with more than 100 wharfs along Tokyo’s waterways subject to a complex web of regulations and ownership disputes.

In other cities, travelling by water is already more commonplace. In Hong Kong, the Star Ferry fleet carries more than 70,000 people over the bay between Hong Kong island and Kowloon each day. And in Istanbul, around 300,000 people a day use a variety of private ferries and water taxis to cross the Bosphorus, the river that divides the city in two.

But this is still only a fraction of the commuters and holidaymakers travelling in both cities. And ferries and water taxis have not prevented Istanbul being rated one of the most congested cities in the world.

These ferries and water taxis are also all running on diesel fuel, part of a maritime industry that contributes a growing amount of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particular matter alongside carbon dioxide emissions.

In London, MBNA Thames Clippers has been slowly building a service geared toward daily commuters as well as tourists, helped by Transport for London’s decision to integrate ticketing, allowing Londoners to hop on and off boats by swiping their Oyster and contactless cards. It carried 4 million passengers in 2016.

But while the company claims its retrofitted catamarans have cut particulate emissions by 50% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 40%, the boats are still powered by diesel.

There are examples of boat operators changing this. In Hamburg, one operator has added a hybrid-powered ferry to its fleet crossing the Elbe river, a prototype vessel that uses both diesel and electric power sources.

And in Southampton, a company called REAPsystems has developed a hybrid system for water taxi boats, one able to switch easily between a fuel engine and electric motor.

The company will take their hybrid water taxi boat to Venice next year, where a hotel operator will run it on a passenger route through the canals and out to the airport throughout the summer.

“We wanted to show that a more sustainable system is possible – hybridisation is a step toward getting rid of diesel,” said REAPsystems’ founder Dennis Doerffel. “Ultimately we have to replace existing transport technologies, if they pollute, with more sustainable ones.”

However, without a growth in passenger numbers, the major investments in cleaner river transport technology are unlikely to come to fruition, says Rupert Fausset, a transport and energy expert at Forum for the Future.

“It remains very challenging to scale up river transport and make it sustainable too,” says Fausset. “But I’m an optimist, so I would not rule out people developing more sustainable systems using new kinds of propulsion and new fuel cells in the future.”

(Source: Guardian)

EXPLAINED: Tesla’s Patent for Making Solar Shingles Stick Together

31.08.2017

How SolarCity’s concept of overlapping solar cells connected by a conductive paste might help Tesla hit its cost and performance targets.

One of the biggest questions facing Tesla’s new Solar Roof product is how it will overcome the technical and cost-effectiveness challenges that have prevented other building-integrated photovoltaic contenders from breaking into the rooftop solar market.

This week, Tesla was granted a patent that could help answer some of those questions. The patent, first reported by CB Insights, is for a “method for curing conductive paste applied to two adjacent photovoltaic structures” — i.e., solar cells arranged in a “cascading” or overlapping structure, just like Tesla’s Solar Roof.

While it’s not clear if Tesla is using the methods described in the patent for its current Solar Roof production, the concept has been kicking around for some time. The patent application was first filed by SolarCity in May 2016, six months before its $2.6 billion acquisition by Tesla.

It’s also a much different approach than the standing-seam metal roof developed by SolarCity’s R&D unit, code-named “Steel Pulse,” that Tesla CEO Elon Musk reportedly called a “piece of ****” when he first saw it last spring. Tesla abandoned that project and switched to overlapping solar tiles, a product that was unveiled to the public in October — although that demo wasn’t actually wired up to generate electricity.

Tesla started taking orders in May, and announced the first working installations in August, with Musk and Tesla CTO JB Straubel getting the first ones. It also started releasing pricing data, with an average price of $21.85 per square foot, which is cost-competitive with standard tile or slate roofing products, but still more expensive than today’s solar panels on a cost-per-watt basis.

Tiled solar panels also face a core challenge — getting electricity to flow from one tile to the next efficiently, while protecting against rain, wind, heat and the other rooftop conditions that can erode a system’s performance over time.

The problem with convection ovens is that “the heating efficiency of such approaches is typically low, because most of the heat may escape to the environment,” the patent states. What’s more, “air must be circulated to ensure that there is effective and even convection occurring on the strips,” and “an uneven airflow can result in temperature non-uniformity on the strips.”

Heating surfaces provide more uniformity, but because they need to be cool before the solar cells are placed on them, “heating up and cooling down can take a long time, thus reducing the throughput of the fabrication system,” it noted. “In addition, heating and cooling of a large thermal mass can consume a large amount of energy, and can cause large thermal stresses to be applied to the tool.”

Tesla’s patent describes the two main parts of the system — the carrier of the solar wafers that runs underneath, and the heating element that sits above. The wafer carrier includes polybenzimidazole (PBI) plastic, a kind of plastic with very low thermal conductivity, to “ensure that the heat emitted from the heater is mostly trapped between the heater and the substrate carrier and, thus, can efficiently cure the conductive paste.” It also includes a “number of components separated by air gaps to allow an individual component to expand when heated.”

The heating element that sits above the conveyor belt also has a number of features, including a “radiation block” with “a substantially dark colored coating” to improve its efficiency, that “can include an anodizing coating or a high-emissivity coating,” with a thickness of between 1 and 100 microns.

“A well-designed system that can efficiently heat the strips without damaging the photovoltaic junctions can reduce the time needed for curing the conductive paste to a period between 25 and 60 seconds,” the patent notes.

By the way, Tesla’s tempered glass solar shingles are using a hybrid of technology from Panasonic and Silevo, which SolarCity bought for $200 million in 2014. That is not the same technology as most of the building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products we’ve seen come and go over the past decade or so, which have used lower-efficiency thin-film solar materials that have been unable to compete with polysilicon solar panels.

Energy Conversion Devices went bankrupt chasing the dream of flexible BIPV through its Uni-Solar subsidiary. Even Dow Chemical wasn’t able to make a go with its Powerhouse line of roof shingles with built-in thin-film PV — it discontinued the product last year.

Source: greentechmedia.com

GORAN VASIĆ: Strong Support for Renewable Energy Sources in Vojvodina

31.08.2017

The Guarantee fund of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina was founded on 18 December 2003. and since then has provided a credit line from banks by concluding agreements on business cooperation with those financial institutions that are willing to support the program activities of the Fund and the conditions of crediting. In addition, this institution actively seeks to educate and inform the public about renewable energy sources and the benefits that they bring. That is why they organized an international conference ‘Promoting renewable energy sources: biomass in agriculture’ held on 12 May, 2015 in Novi Sad as a part of Novi Sad Agricultural Fair. For a special edition RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, we talked to Mr. Goran Vasić, the Director of the Guarantee Fund of AP Vojvodina, about the results and efforts that this institution invests in the change. At the time of this interview, there was a competition for energy efficient equipment necessary for the use of renewable energy sources, and it relates exclusively to the territory of Vojvodina.

EP: The Guarantee fund of AP Vojvodina provides guarantees for loans granted for financing the procurement of energy efficient equipment and equipment necessary for the use of renewable energy sources. What exactly does your institution support and in what way?

Goran Vasić: The Guarantee Fund of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina was established on 18 December 2003 by the decision of the Assembly of AP Vojvodina. The Fund is registered in the Register of Funds on 15 April 2004 and on that day it gained a legal status. The mission of the fund is to provide easier access to financial markets and favourable credit conditions (lower interest rates, longer loan repayment periods, longer grace period) for farmers, micro, small and medium-sized companies, cooperatives and entrepreneurs from the territory of AP Vojvodina, by issuing guarantees as means to reduce the risks of commercial banks. The vision of the Fund is continuous development into a stable, competent and reliable financial organization that tends to reconcile its business rules with the business practices of similar institutions in the European Union. The main objectives of granting guarantees are encouraging: increase in employment, export, competitiveness, the development of areas and branches that have an impact on changes in economic structure, that is the optimal use of corporative advantages of AP Vojvodina, more dynamic and balanced regional development of AP Vojvodina, the reduction of the level of effective interest rates on loans. We operate so that we conclude an agreement on business cooperation with the banks that are willing to provide their credit lines to support program activities of the Fund and to adapt credit conditions (interest rate, term and method of loan repayment) to those that are defined in the work program of the Fund and in the competitions that the Fund announces for granting guarantees for providing loans designed for financing certain economic activities.

EP: In what amount have the projects in the field of EE and RES been supported? What is their development like? Could you please describe, in detail in terms of time and purpose, what has been realized so far?

Goran Vasić: On this occasion, I present to you a summary of total competitive activities for the period 2005 – 2015. It is a table which shows issued guarantees according to their purpose.

EP: Do you cooperate with funds from the EU and which funds are those? Do you exclusively support the project in Vojvodina? Tell us something more about that international cooperation and development plan of the Guarantee Fund of AP Vojvodina in the future.

Goran Vasić: In 2015 the Guarantee Fund of AP Vojvodina continued, previously established cooperation with the European Association of Mutual European Guarantee Societies – AECM, founded in 1992 in Brussels and today has 40 members. Most of them are member states of the European Union. But there is also Russia, Turkey and Montenegro. The Associations gathers private guarantee schemes, public institutions, guarantee funds and development banks. All these institutions have a mutual main goal to support small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs, who have good projects, but do not have adequate provided funds for their financing by commercial banks. In addition to promoting instrument to support SMEs by providing guarantees, The Association of Guarantee Funds represents the interests of its members in the European Commission. The Fund submitted an application for membership in 2015 and became a member of this Association. As a member of this Association, the Fund will be recognized in the European Union, and the most important benefits will be the possibility to exchange
information and experiences with Association members from other countries and easier providing and withdrawal of funds from the European Union. Among others, Associate members are: Austrian AWS, Croatian HAMAG, Turkish „Teskomb”, Bulgarian national guarantee fund NGF and German VDB. The table shows the level of the guarantee portfolio and the number of guarantees issued in 2014 for stated members of The European Association of guarantee institutions.

Within the Association there are guarantee institutions whose target is supporting energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. They are predominantly located in Germany and our intention is to establish cooperation and thus create conditions for knowledge transfer and implementation of good practices. Special attention will be given to projects of energy rehabilitation of buildings with the collective housing with a large number of apartments where you have problems with coordinating and guaranteeing investments. Particularly interesting are the cases when due to the lack of will or the financial means of several apartment owners, planned investments of dozen of owners, who are ready and willing to undertake the investment, come to a halt. Guarantee fund started in August 2014 a project entitled “Promotion of renewable sources: biomass use by farmers in Vojvodina” which is jointly funded by the Heinrich Boll Foundation and the Fund, according to the Partnership agreement for the implementation of this project that the Fund concluded with the Heinrich Boll Foundation. The project objectives are fully coordinated with the priorities established by the Work program of the Fund. The Project’s overall goal is the promotion of production and use of biomass in agricultural production in AP Vojvodina, which will enable building trust and informing farmers in Vojvodina about the use of agricultural biomass as energy source, development and promotion of financial instruments for the production and use of biomass from agricultural production and increased use of renewable energy sources. As a result of this project a publication “Promoting the application of biomass in small and medium-sized farms in Vojvodina” was created and promoted in May 2015 during the International Agricultural Fair. On that occasion an international conference was organized and dedicated credit line was promoted, which was supported by the following banks: AIK bank, Banca Intesa, Credit Agricole, Hypo Alpe Adria, Komercijalna bank, ProCredit.

THE LIST OF AREAS THAT WILL BE CREDITED IN THE FUTURE

1. Buildings:

Replacement of the heating system: Replacing old heating systems with modern systems and conventional boilers for central heating with modern and more efficient condensing boilers. Replacement of the cooling system: Cooling space involves the purchase of coolers – new compressors with 8 cm of thermal insulation without Freon R-22. Insulation of external walls and roofs. This means that the exterior walls and ceilings are without any external insulation. Measures must contain the installation of appropriate materials for thermal insulation materials (for example, styrodur, and mineral wool) and that the thickness is in accordance with the standards of energy efficiency. Replacement of external windows. This includes windows with a single glaze/ non-insulated windows or old windows with double-glazed windows. Windows with single glazing or old double-glazed windows must be replaced with double-glazed windows with modern thermal – insulated glazing as a minimum standard for windows. Replacement of external doors. External doors that are not thermally insulated have to be replaced with the modern preinsulated door. Replacement of unregulated heating pumps for central heating with new, electronically controlled pumps. The existing built-in pumps of hot water heating systems operate without electronic control. It is necessary to replace them with pumps with electronic regulation.

2. The use of renewable energy sources:

Solar thermal systems for domestic hot water. The installation of new solar thermal system for preparation of domestic hot water, with flat collectors. Maximum collector area is 50 m2. Replacement of conventional heat production system with electric heat pumps with heat sources which can be soil, water or air. The installation of a network photovoltaic system. The installation of new photovoltaic system with solar PV panels. The system has to be connected to the grid.

3. Lighting:

Replacement of incandescent (classic) bulbs with new CFL bulbs. Space is illuminated with classical incandescent bulbs, which should be replaced with modern CFL bulbs. Replacement of old fluorescent lamps with modern T5 lamps with electronic ballast. According to the current situation, space is illuminated with older fluorescent lamps (T8 or T12) with electromagnetic ballast. Those fluorescent lamps should be replaced with modern fluorescent lamps (T5) with electronic ballast. Usually, it is necessary to replace the lamps together with lighting elements.

4. Agricultural equipment:

New agricultural machinery (tractors, harvester) with Tier III or Euro 3A engine as well as multifunctional machines with a minimum of three functions. Agricultural tools. Agricultural tools which can be financed are those that reduce energy consumption during field works with improved treatment systems (reduced tillage, protective treatment, processing into strips) and sowing (direct sowing in furrows and direct sowing in holes). Heat recovery in dairies. This measure includes the installation of heat recovery system for dairies. The heat from the extracted milk will be used during the cooling process for pre-heating of lukewarm and warm water. Installation of a simple heat exchanger and installation of the heat exchanger with an additional condenser of the cooling system can be financed. The new harvester with Tier III or Euro 3A engine. Replacement of the irrigation system. Procurement of new irrigation systems with the pump driven by energy efficient engine.

Interview by: Vesna Vukajlović

This interview was originally published in the Bulletin of Energy Portal “Renewable Energy”, on June 1, 2016.

MEXICO: Cactus Gas Possible Future Of Biofuel

31.08.2017

Kaktus opuncija — Foto-ilustracija: Wikimedia

The prickly pear cactus is such a powerful symbol in Mexico that they put it smack in the middle of the national flag. It was considered sacred by the ancient Aztecs, and modern-day Mexicans eat it, drink it, and even use it in medicines and shampoos. Now scientists have come up with a new use for the bright green plant: producing renewable energy.

Instantly recognizable with its jumble of spiny discs—its bright red fruit protruding like fat fingers from each one—the prickly pear cactus is farmed on a massive scale in Mexico. Its soft inner flesh plays a starring role in a plethora of favorite national dishes: tacos, soups, salads, jams and even candies. Believed by some to have healing powers, the cactus is also used in blood pressure medications, anti-hair loss shampoos, skin creams and diet juices.

“Since before the Spanish conquistadors arrived, we have eaten prickly pear cactus. It’s our tradition and our culture,” said Israel Vazquez, who has farmed the cactus for the past 20 years on a small plot in Milpa Alta, a neighborhood on Mexico City’s south side.

The cactus’s thick outer layer, with all those spines, has always been a waste product—until researchers developed a biogas generator to turn it into electricity.

Straight to the source

The pilot project was launched in May at Milpa Alta’s sprawling cactus market. The far-flung neighborhood is a splash of green amid the smog and concrete of this Latin American mega-city, thanks in part to its more than 2,800 hectares (some 7,000 acres) of fields of prickly pear cactus, known in Spanish as “nopal.” Farmers in straw sombreros trickle into these fields every morning at dawn to work the long rows of cactus that flow from the lower flanks of the dormant Teuhtli volcano.

The area produces 200,000 tons a year of prickly pear cactus—up to 10 tons of which ends up as waste on the floor of the cactus market each day. A local green energy start-up called Energy and Environmental Sustainability—Suema, by its Spanish acronym—got the idea to develop a biogas generator to turn that waste into energy.

They decided to build it right at the source: the bustling cactus market, where hundreds of workers start each day by cleaning up the waste left from the day before.

Cactus power

Oil-producing Mexico has emerged as a green energy leader in recent years.

It won praise in 2015 when it became the first emerging country to announce its emissions reduction targets for the United Nations climate accord, ambitiously vowing to halve them by 2050.

To get there, it is seeking to generate half its energy from renewable sources. Last year, green energy made up 15.4 percent of its energy mix—though just 0.1 percent was from biogas. Suema is looking to change that with its generator, which will ultimately produce 175 kilowatt hours—enough electricity to keep some 9,600 low-energy light bulbs burning.

The generator—a giant silver cylinder surrounded by an intricate web of pipes—churns together organic waste with a special mix of bacteria and heats it to 55 degrees Celsius (131 Fahrenheit) to produce biogas. The leftovers can then be used as compost.

When it reaches full capacity around November, the generator will be able to process three to five tons of waste a day, producing 170 cubic meters (45,000 gallons) of biogas plus a little more than one ton of compost. The $840,000 project, funded mostly by the Mexico City government, is popular at the cactus market.

“It’s a good idea, because now all this waste will do something productive,” said vendor Evangelina Lara, 45, wearing a red apron and wielding the knife she uses to clean her stock.

The Mexico City government’s scientific development chief, Bernardino Rosas, hopes the generator will be the first of many.

“Our vision is to reproduce this type of project” at each of the city’s more than 300 produce markets, making them energy self-sufficient, he told AFP.

Aztec legend

In Aztec mythology, Huitzilopochtli—the god of the sun, war and human sacrifice—tore out the heart of a treacherous prince named Copilli and threw it into a lake.

The first prickly pear cactus supposedly grew on an island in that lake—its juicy red fruit symbolizing Copilli’s heart.

According to the legend, Huitzilopochtli told the Aztecs to build a city at the spot where they found the cactus, which would have an eagle sitting atop it eating a snake.

The story has it that this is where the Aztecs built their capital, Tenochtitlan—over whose ruins the Spanish conquistadors built Mexico City.

Today, the prickly pear cactus with the eagle eating the snake is a national symbol—so much so that it appears at the center of Mexico’s green, white and red flag.

This all makes the cactus a very fitting fuel for Mexico’s future, said Horacio Chavira, deputy director for rural development in Milpa Alta.

“The prickly pear cactus is so Mexican that it’s a symbol of our identity,” he said.

(source: AFP)

High-tech Electronics Made from Autumn Leaves

31.08.2017

biomass-leaves — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Northern China’s roadsides are peppered with deciduous phoenix trees, producing an abundance of fallen leaves in autumn. These leaves are generally burned in the colder season, exacerbating the country’s air pollution problem. Investigators in Shandong, China, recently discovered a new method to convert this organic waste matter into a porous carbon material that can be used to produce high-tech electronics. The advance is reported in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, by AIP Publishing.

The investigators used a multistep, yet simple, process to convert tree leaves into a form that could be incorporated into electrodes as active materials. The dried leaves were first ground into a powder, then heated to 220 degrees Celsius for 12 hours. This produced a powder composed of tiny carbon microspheres. These microspheres were then treated with a solution of potassium hydroxide and heated by increasing the temperature in a series of jumps from 450 to 800 C.

The chemical treatment corrodes the surface of the carbon microspheres, making them extremely porous. The final product, a black carbon powder, has a very high surface area due to the presence of many tiny pores that have been chemically etched on the surface of the microspheres. The high surface area gives the final product its extraordinary electrical properties.

The investigators ran a series of standard electrochemical tests on the porous microspheres to quantify their potential for use in electronic devices. The current-voltage curves for these materials indicate that the substance could make an excellent capacitor. Further tests show that the materials are, in fact, supercapacitors, with specific capacitances of 367 Farads/gram, which are over three times higher than values seen in some graphene supercapacitors.

A capacitor is a widely used electrical component that stores energy by holding a charge on two conductors, separated from each other by an insulator. Supercapacitors can typically store 10-100 times as much energy as an ordinary capacitor and can accept and deliver charges much faster than a typical rechargeable battery. For these reasons, super capacitive materials hold great promise for a wide variety of energy storage needs, particularly in computer technology and hybrid or electric vehicles.

The research, led by Hongfang Ma of Qilu University of Technology, has been heavily focused on looking for ways to convert waste biomass into porous carbon materials that can be used in energy storage technology. In addition to tree leaves, the team and others have successfully converted potato waste, corn straw, pine wood, rice straw and other agricultural wastes into carbon electrode materials. Professor Ma and her colleagues hope to improve even further on the electrochemical properties of porous carbon materials by optimizing the preparation process and allowing for doping or modification of the raw materials.

The super capacitive properties of the porous carbon microspheres made from phoenix tree leaves are higher than those reported for carbon powders derived from other biowaste materials. The fine scale porous structure seems to be key to this property, since it facilitates contact between electrolyte ions and the surface of the carbon spheres, as well as enhancing ion transfer and diffusion on the carbon surface. The investigators hope to improve even further on these electrochemical properties by optimizing their process and allowing for doping or modification of the raw materials.

Source: sciencedaily.com

India Exempts Solar Power Parks From Environmental Assessment Rules

31.08.2017

In an attempt to expedite the implementation of large-scale solar power parks across the country, India has issued a clarification exempting these projects from obtaining environmental clearances.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy recently issued a clarification stating that the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 2006, will not be applicable to solar power parks. This move will exempt solar park developers from obtaining some environmental clearances required to set up several other power and infrastructure projects. These exemptions have been extended to solar PV and solar thermal power plants.

Solar parks will, however, have to follow the regulations under the Hazardous and Other Waste (Management and Trans-Boundary Movement) Rules, 2016, for disposal of solar PV panels at the end of the projects’ life. Clearances will also be needed for water usage and regulations of water and air pollution rules. Solar park developers will also be required to conform to forecast and coastal regulations if the planned parks fall in those areas.

The Ministry had to issue these clarifications as it has received several queries in this regard. With these exemptions the Indian government hopes to push the development of solar power parks which will likely form the backbone of India’s massive ‘100 gigawatts by March 2022’ target.

The government had initially set a target of 20 gigawatts through solar power parks, and this was subsequently increased to 40 gigawatts. Auctions of projects in solar power parks have seen a sharp correction in tariff bids over a very short period of time. This has made solar power a very attractive source of electricity for power utilities which, until now, had given preference to large hydro power projects and thermal power projects due to cost considerations. Low tariffs of solar power projects created a significant disruption in the Indian power sector forcing the power utilities to reexamine at their power procurement basket.

Source: cleantechnica.com

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