Geothermal Energy Could Support Central American Low-Carbon Economic Development

23.08.2017

The vast geothermal potential throughout Central America could be a key tool in the low-carbon economic development of the region according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.

Central American countries currently rank among the world’s top countries in terms of installed geothermal energy share, but have the potential to increase their installed geothermal capacity up to 20 times, if governments in the region are able to adopt the necessary policy and regulatory frameworks designed to support geothermal deployment, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). As of the most recent figures from the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) (October, 2016, PDF) the global geothermal power production figure sits at 13.8 GW (gigawatts), but if current growth trends continue could expand to more than 23 GW in 2021.

Specifically, the GEA report highlighted “Developing nations in Central America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific are accelerating their geothermal development through more attractive fiscal incentives and geothermal-specific legislation.”

Central American countries already have impressive geothermal capacity, such as Costa Rica, which currently has 207 megawatts (MW) worth of geothermal capacity, but by 2024 will likely add at least another 165 MW. Close behind is El Salvador with 204 MW, and Nicaragua a long way down with 55 MW — although, IRENA’s figures differ from the GEA’s, which currently estimate Nicaragua’s current capacity at around 109 MW, with another 10 MW in the pipeline.

The future of geothermal energy in Central America was the central focus of a workshop held in El Salvador on Monday, organized by IRENA and LaGeo, El Salvador’s state-owned generator of electricity from geothermal resources, and in association with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeitis (GIZ).

“Central America holds some of the world’s most promising geothermal resources, that if utilised can help the region secure and deliver, inexpensive electricity while stimulating low-carbon economic growth,” said Gurbuz Gonul, Acting Director of Country, Support and Partnerships at IRENA. “Through the sharing of knowledge, experience and lessons learned from the leading geothermal countries in Central America, this workshop will help establish the building blocks for the stable, long-term policy framework needed to overcome barriers in geothermal development.”

“The development of more geothermal projects in the Central America region can boost the economy and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases,” said Ms. Tanja Gabriele Faller, Regional Director of GIZ’s Programme for the Promotion of Geothermal Energy in Central America. “Our Program for the Promotion of Geothermal Energy, implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Government, supports this type of exchange of experiences, a resource as valuable as geothermal energy has to be tackled from different perspectives. For several years we have been working together with IRENA because we share its commitment to support countries in their transition to a renewable energy future.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Renewable Energy Can Deliver 25% Of India’s Energy Demand By 2030

23.08.2017

A new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency has concluded that India can meet a quarter of its energy demand with renewable energy sources by 2030.

The new study published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on Tuesday, Renewable energy prospects for India, concluded that increasing India’s renewable energy capacity to meet a quarter of its energy demand would end up saving twelve times more than it costs. Specifically, the report identified that increasing renewable energy deployment could save the Indian economy twelve times more than it costs by the year 2030, creating a significant number of jobs, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and ensuring cleaner air and water — which in turn reduce health-related costs.

“Balancing economic growth and development, environmental protection, and energy security is a real challenge in India that can be tackled by enabling more renewable energy deployment,” said Dolf Gielen, Director of Innovoation and Technology at IRENA. “Through this report we have attained a better understanding of India’s renewable energy potential, that can assist in guiding the country’s energy policy in a way that is both economically and envionrmentally attractive.”

The authors of the report from the beginning create one of two roads India can walk down:

“In one direction lies a future heavily reliant on fossil fuels; and in the other, a more diverse energy mix based on greater use of renewables. If India follows the first route, it risks locking its energy system into today’s pattern – with increasing levels of air pollution, uncertainties around meeting its sustainability targets and concerns about supply and sourcing for coal, oil and natural gas.”

Many concerns have been leveled against India’s reliance upon fossil fuels — with the world’s second-largest coal demand after China. The authors of the report also point out that India is expected to be “the country most driving worldwide demand increases” in coal from 2020 onward, with demand expected to double in the next decade.

The other road, however, one more reliant upon renewable energy, is a road the Indian Government is attempting to explore and develop. The report outlines areas in which India can act to unlock the country’s increasingly-vast renewable energy potential. Specifically — and unsurprisingly, for anyone who has paid even the slightest bit of attention to India’s recent renewable energy capacity growth — solar energy will play a significant role moving forward, representing the country’s second largest source of renewable energy with 16%, followed by wind energy with 14% and hydropower with 7%.

However, the leading renewable energy sources that will drive India’s energy demand are various forms of biofuel — for transport, as well as for generating electricity and heat — which will account for 62% of final renewable energy use in the REmap in 2030 scenario described in the report.

“With one of the world’s largest and most ambitious renewable energy programmes, India is taking a leading role in the energy transformation both regionally and globally,” added IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin. “India possesses a wealth of renewable resources, particularly for solar and bioenergy development, which can help meet growing energy demand, power economic growth and improve energy access, as well as boost overall energy security.”

The five Areas for Action outlined by the IRENA authors delineate key areas in which further work is needed for India to significantly increase its renewable energy development. They are: Establishing transition pathways for renewable energy, Creating an enabling business environment, Integrating renewable energy, Managing knowledge, Unleashing innovation.

Source: cleantechnica.com

China Brings 13.5 Gigawatts of Solar PV Online in a Single Month

23.08.2017

China has installed 24.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar PV in the first six months of 2017, including an extraordinary 13.5GW in the month of June alone, as developers rushed to complete installations to capitalise on a higher feed-in tariff that expired on July 1.

According to the data from the China PV Industry Association (CPIA), the 24.4GW of new capacity — a combination of large and small scale — represented an increase of 9% year on year. It is also equivalent capacity to Australia’s entire coal fleet, and more than four times its installed solar capacity.

The boost in installations was also accompanied by a 28% jump in the amount of solar cells produced in the first half to 32GW, while the output of solar modules rose 26% to 34GW.

“June was prime time for developers making sure their systems were connected to the grid in order to enjoy the 2016 FITs, which were reduced between 13 and 19 per cent from July 1,” consultant Frank Haugwitz wrote recently.

Haugwitz, the director of Asia Europe Clean Energy (Solar) Advisory Co, says China is now poised to smash through its 2020 target of 105GW total capacity for solar, with installations already reaching 102GW, and another 20GW to 25GW expected in each of the following three years.

That, he says, will take total capacity by the end of 2020 to between 166GW and 187GW — more than three times the total capacity of Australia’s grid — all in solar.

Total installed solar PV power generation capacity amounts to 101.82GW, made up of 84.39GW at utility-scale and 14.73GW distributed solar PV.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Wind and Solar Power Costs Offset Through Health and Environmental Benefits

22.08.2017

Obnovljivi izvori energije — Foto: Pixabay

The rollout of renewable energy across the US has earnt its costs back through savings on public health thanks to the cleaner air it enabled, according to a study published last week by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The researchers found that between 3,000 and 12,700 premature deaths have been averted between 2007 and 2015, thanks to improved air quality as renewables are increasingly favoured over fossil fuels such as coal for electricity generation.

Financial savings from better air quality – including avoided deaths, fewer sick days and climate change mitigation – amounted to between $35bn and $220bn over the same period, the researchers concluded.

Using the central predictions from the scientists, the most likely savings total around $88bn, or seven cents per kWh for wind and four cents per kWh for solar – roughly the total federal and state subsidy support for the two technologies.

“The monetary value of air quality and climate benefits are about equal or more than state and federal financial support to wind and solar industries,” lead author Dr Dev Millstein concluded.

However, the report authors also point out that the benefits and costs of renewables technologies vary widely by region. For example in California, where the rollout of solar is largely displacing gas off the electricity grid, air quality gains are relatively low. In comparison the deployment of wind in the upper Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions is having a much more tangible impact on local air quality as it cuts the proportion of coal burnt for electricity.

Source: businessgreen.com

Faraday Grid Launches New ‘Backbone’ Platform to Usher in Smart Grids

22.08.2017

električna-mreža — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Smart grid start-up Faraday Grid and its investor, Canada-based renewables developer Amp, have unveiled a new platform they claim will “revolutionise” how electricity is produced, distributed, bought and consumed around the world.

Unveiled last week, Emergent uses a combination of smart software and Faraday’s power flow technology to enable any person or device to trade electricity with any another market participant using market-based, real time pricing.

Faraday and Amp say Emergent – which has been established as a separate company – is comparable to the technology that underpinned the mass deployment of the internet.

“We are creating a new technology ‘backbone’ for electricity grids that will stimulate innovation and change how we think about and use electricity,” Andrew Scobie, executive chairman at Faraday grid, explained in a statement. “In the future, an electricity grid enabled by our platform will act as a communications network and marketplace, as well as a distributor of power to consumers, and will allow multiple users and technologies to interact seamlessly and in real time.”

Users will have far more choice over when and where they buy their electricity, he explained, enabling smaller scale prosumers to sell their electricity and storage assets into the grid while energy consumers will be able to swiftly respond to fluctuations in price and energy supply to purchase their desired energy mix.

Source: businessgreen.com

100 UK Firms Promise Electric Fleets by 2020

22.08.2017

electric - car - battery — Foto - ilustracija: Pixabay

More than 100 companies have now promised to integrate electric cars into their corporate fleet under the government-backed electric car campaign, Go Ultra Low.

The milestone was reached on Friday after Ovo Energy, Oxford City Council, Santander UK, Swansea University and Gatwick Airport joined the initiative, which sees companies pledge that electric vehicles will make up at least five per cent of their fleets by 2020.

They join the likes of Britvic, the London Fire Brigade and Microsoft UK in making the pledge, although many plan to go further than the five per cent target – Santander, for example, said 10 per cent of its 1,400-strong fleet would be electric by the end of the decade.

Climate Change Minister Claire Perry said the news was the latest sign the UK is investing in innovative green technologies. “This government backs companies that make the switch to low emission vehicles through grants and incentives – it’s good for business, good for the air we all breathe and good for reducing the amount of greenhouse gas we produce,” she said in a statement welcoming the news.

The cheaper running costs and greener carbon profile are making EVs an increasingly popular choice for work-related driving. Research conducted by the Go Ultra Low campaign earlier this year found that 69 per cent of people without access to an electric company car said they would choose one if they could. Meanwhile data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed companies accounted for 65 per cent of new EV registrations in the first six months of this year.

“The UK government wants every new car and van in Britain to be ultra-low emission by 2040, and the corporate sector has a huge role to play in achieving this goal,” Poppy Welch, head of Go Ultra Low, said in a statement. “Forward-thinking organisations are well on the road to emission-free and low-cost motoring, taking significant numbers of EVs onto their fleets, learning where they are fit for purpose.”

Source: businessgreen.com

AEMO Will Trial Ability Of Wind Farms To Stabilize South Australia’s Grid

22.08.2017

An Australia-first trial to demonstrate the ability of wind farms to provide crucial grid stabilising services traditionally supplied by “baseload” coal and gas plants, is now set to begin in October.

The South Australia-based trial, first flagged in February, and originally scheduled for June, will use the recently completed 100MW Hornsdale 2 wind farm, by French renewables developer Neoen, who has put $300,000 towards the trial, alongside another $300,000 from ARENA.

The trial, which is being conducted in conjunction with the Australian Energy Market Operator, will test the ability of Hornsdale 2 to provide frequency control and ancillary services (FCAS) – a critical component of grid security that is traded on the NEM while remotely controlled by AEMO.

This will be followed by a NEM trial, which will run for 48 hours to test Hornsdale’s ability to fully participate in the electricity and FCAS markets.

The wind farm is also the location of the Tesla big battery, with a total of 100MW/129MWh of Tesla Powerpacks to be installed by December 1, to provide both fast response services in case of a network fault, and to time shift wind capacity and help meet peak demand periods.

This will allow AEMO to assess modifications to wind forecasting, bidding and energy management systems to support on-going provision of FCAS from Australia’s grid-connected wind and solar farms.

The trial holds particular importance in the Australian market, where FCAS has traditionally been provided by coal and gas plants. Currently, in SA, only a few gas generators provide FCAS, leading to massive price spikes when the service is called upon.

Indeed, many insist that only “synchronous” fossil fuel generators can provide this so-called “inertia” to the grid – a myth that has been used to justify calls for new coal and gas power capacity to be built in Australia as more variable renewable energy is brought online.

But AEMO believes that encouraging wind farms to provide FCAS will add more fuel choice to the narrow market, and lower prices.

And both AEMO and ARENA – and undoubtedly, Neoen, and other renewable energy developers – hope it will test the NEM’s ability to fully integrate renewables and further facilitate Australia’s transition towards a grid powered mostly, and eventually completely, by renewable energy.

“This is an opportunity to enable wind and solar generators to fully participate in the NEM and add to system stability in addition to generation,” ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said in comments on Thursday.

“The evolving generation mix in the NEM is changing the way AEMO operates both the grid and market. This trial will enable us to test new and emerging technologies that could supply services the market will need in future,” said AEMO CEO Audrey Zibelman.

“AEMO supports and encourages a framework for new technologies that ensures power system security yet continues to encourage competition. This trial is an essential step towards a more efficient and competitive FCAS market that ultimately benefits consumers,” she said.

Neoen Australia managing director, Franck Woitiez, said the partnership signals the shift towards a more sustainable Australia focused on exploring future energy supply services.

“South Australia in particular is leading the charge to secure a more sustainable energy future so we’re proud to be working with ARENA and AEMO on this trial at our Hornsdale Stage 2 Wind Farm.

“This project will show the potential of renewable resources like solar and wind power to provide Australia with controllable, clean energy that can keep pace with future demand,” Woitiez said.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Green Investment Group Sells 70MW of Energy Assets to Bioenergy Infrastructure Group

21.08.2017

postrojenje-biomasa — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The Green Investment Group, known until Friday as the Green Investment Bank, has offloaded more than 70MW of low-carbon energy capacity for an undisclosed sum.

The deal follows the conclusion of the controversial sale of the Green Investment Bank last week, which saw Australian lender Macquarie take ownership of the bank set up in 2012 by the UK government to drive investment in emerging green infrastructure sectors.

In total the GIG sold 20 assets, including 15 anaerobic digestion plants, four biomass and waste-to-energy facilities, and a materials recovery facility to specialist investor Bioenergy Infrastructure Group, it was announced today.

BIG said the deal, which closed on Friday, marked an important step in the company’s ambition to more than double its assets over the next five years. “BIG’s aim is to support the future development of the UK’s biomass and waste-to-energy capacities – and therefore enable these technologies to make a growing contribution to the UK’s low carbon, electricity-intensive economy,” CEO Hamish McPherson said in a statement.

“And by investing in and supporting a network of efficient, technologically advanced biomass and waste-to-energy facilities, we can positively impact regional economic growth and job creation in the process,” he added.

Green groups and politicians heavily criticised the sale of Green Investment Bank, warning of signs Macquarie planned to sell off its core assets on the private market – a claim it fiercely denied. However, earlier this year Macquarie did admit it intended to sell off some of the bank’s earlier stage green investments, worth around £230m.

Source: businessgreen.com

Solar Plants Are Cropping Up On Farms

21.08.2017

If the United States wants to kick its coal habit, it will need to install a lot more solar power. That raises an important question: Where should all those panels reside?

They could always go live on a farm upstate.

Increasingly, solar companies are working with farmers to install solar panels on their land. Photovoltaic arrays are decidedly low-impact, meaning farmers can continue to raise livestock or grow crops on land covered in solar panels.

Many farmers are turning to solar to cut electricity costs. A lemon and avocado grower in California relies on two photovoltaic arrays to save the company half a million dollars a year. Smaller outfits are using solar panels locally to power electric fences, wells, irrigation systems and other equipment. This helps farmers save money on the cost of building power lines to bring electricity to remote parts of their farms. Nationally, around 8,000 farms generate solar power onsite.

Many are leasing their fields to solar developers in need of flat land clear of trees and other obstructions. This practice has become so popular that the Solar Energy Industries Association published a guide for landowners. Recently, former president Jimmy Carter got in on the act. He set up a community solar array on his Georgia peanut farm nearly 40 years after he installed solar panels at the White House.

In some parts of the South, solar arrays have proved more lucrative to farmers than cash crops like cotton, soybeans and peanuts, which have seen falling prices in recent years. In North Carolina, solar companies pay rents up to $1,400 an acre, which is far more than what most farmers could earn from planting crops or raising livestock.

“There is not a single crop that we could have grown on that land that would generate the income that we get from the solar farm,” Dawson Singletary, a North Carolina tobacco grower, told Bloomberg. Singletary leased part of his land to a local solar developer. He says the income has helped him keep his farm.

Just as solar can be a boon to farming operations, farmers can help keep solar arrays online. A Texas solar firm contracted a breeder to deploy dozens of sheep to mow the grass at at an installation near San Antonio. The panels generate power and provide shade to the sheep, and the sheep keep the grass from growing so tall it obscures the panel. Sheep are particularly well-suited to this task because, unlike goats, they won’t chew on cables or climb atop the panels.

A UK solar firm simply made the land beneath its projects available for grazing. “I am very happy to be able to continue grazing my livestock within the same fields amongst the rows of panels,” said one sheep farmer of an installation in Cornwall. “My sheep keep the site looking fantastic and prevent any overgrowth shading of the panels.” The company also planted wildflowers around the installation to support bees.

Others have done the same. A Minnesota honey producer installed more than a dozen hives at a nearby solar array and planted wildflowers and other plants favored by pollinators under the panels. Rob Davis of the clean-energy advocacy group Fresh Energy persuaded the beekeepers to set up the hives at the installation.

As Davis told National Geographic, “We realized that rural Minnesota, and rural areas of the country, needed to be able to see that they would benefit from this transition to clean energy.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

West Antarctic Ice Sheet May Hide World’s Largest Volcanic Range

21.08.2017

iceberg-antarctica — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The ice sheets of Antarctica may be hiding the world’s largest volcanic range, according to a new study from the University of Edinburgh. The new work discovered around 100 “new” volcanos in the Antarctic region, some of which are as tall as 3,850 meters.

These findings are notable because as the ice sheets in Antarctica melt, and pressure on these volcanos is thus relieved, an outburst of volcanic activity is a real possibility. Earlier research has provided tantalizing evidence that as ice sheets and glaciers melt, there’s often a marked uptick in volcanic and seismic activity, which lasts for quite some time.

So, the potential here is for the melting ice sheet in West Antarctica to kick off volcanic activity in the region — which would itself greatly contribute to the speed at which regional ice sheets melt. The potential is also there for the release of large amounts of greenhouse gases directly from the volcanos.

In relation to this, it’s probably worth mentioning the fact that there are known to be coal deposits in Antarctica, which could potentially be ignited underground through volcanic or seismic activity. While such an event is perhaps not too likely, it should be remembered that some earlier mass extinction events were precipitated by the ignition of vast underground coal seams.

The press release provides more: “They analysed the shape of the land beneath the ice using measurements from ice-penetrating radar, and compared the findings with satellite and database records, as well as geological information from aerial surveys.

“Scientists found 91 previously unknown volcanoes, ranging in height from 100 to 3850 metres. The peaks are concentrated in a region known as the West Antarctic Rift System, spanning 3,500 kilometres from Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf to the Antarctic Peninsula.

“… Their results do not indicate whether the volcanoes are active, but should inform ongoing research into seismic monitoring in the area. Volcanic activity may increase if Antarctica’s ice thins, which is likely in a warming climate, scientists say. Previous studies and the concentration of volcanoes found in the region together suggest that activity may have occurred in previous warmer periods.”

The new study is detailed in a paper published in the Geological Society Special Publications series.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Australian Wind Energy Continues To Deliver Record Low Prices

21.08.2017

Just three months after Origin Energy stunned the renewables industry with a record low power off-take deal for the 530MW Stockyard Hill Wind Farm in Victoria, AGL Energy has delivered more of the same, securing an off-take price of below $60/MWh through the sale of its 453MW Coopers Gap Wind Farm, between Kingaroy and Dalby in Queensland’s south-east.

AGL said on Thursday it had reached financial close on the Sunshine State wind farm – which will be one of Australia’s biggest, once completed in 2019 – with the $22 million sale of the project to the Powering Australian Renewables Fund.

The deal includes AGL writing a PPA for electricity and associated renewable energy certificates of less than $60/MWh for an initial five years, with an option to extend the agreement for another five years at the same – or even lower – price.

In a media statement, AGL said it expected the project to cost a total of around $850 million, funded through a combination of PARF partners’ equity and a lending group including Westpac, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Societe Generale, DBS Bank, Mizuho Bank and ABN Amro.

The result is undoubtedly a good one for AGL, which created PARF just one year ago, in partnership with the Queensland Investment Corporation, with the goal of using it to underwrite 1,000MW of large-scale renewables to be operated and managed by AGL.

After making its first acquisition in November 2016, buying up the 102MW Nyngan and 52MW Broken Hills solar farms as seed assets, it has managed to keep growing its portfolio, adding the 200MW Silverton NSW wind farm in January 2017.

“More than 800 MW of projects have now been vended into PARF in its first 12 months of operation,” said AGL CEO Andy Vesey in comments on Thursday.

“The strong support we have received from our equity partners and lenders for these projects is testament to the readiness of the private sector to invest in Australia’s energy transformation.”

But Vesey – who recently attended a meeting of energy retail chiefs in Canberra to discuss the problem of Australia’s world-topping electricity prices – was keen to stress that public policy settings remained vital to maintain investor momentum.

“Certainty on energy policy, including the implementation of the recommendations of the Finkel Review, will enable more projects of this kind to go ahead and help place downward pressure on energy prices by increasing supply,” he said.

AGL COO Brett Redman said the Coopers Gap deal has demonstrated the effectiveness of the investment model, the falling price and increasing efficiency of renewables technology and the key role it had to play in Australia’s future energy market.

The project, which will be developed by GE and Catcon, will use 123 specially designed GE turbines to produce around 1,510,000MWh of energy annually – enough to power more than 260,000 average Australian homes.

For GE, the Coopers Gap contract will bring the global giant’s total installed wind capacity to almost 1.4GW in Australia by 2019, when the wind farm is expected to be completed. It is GE’s first wind project in Queensland.

“That’s the largest number of megawatts in a single year by any GE onshore wind country outside the United States, ever,” said Pete McCabe, GE’s global president and CEO of GE Renewable Energy’s Onshore Wind business.

McCabe, too, took the opportunity of this week’s news to call for strong and stable renewable energy policy in Australia.

“Australia is a great market for wind, and today is GE’s second largest region globally for our Renewables business. While we see lots of opportunities in Australia, we need to continue to have policy certainty to drive investment.”

GE said the successful formula for its bid for Cooper’s Gap included custom-designed 115-metre towers for the 3.8MW turbines, to get the optimal wind speed.

The engineering team – which included German wind engineering “boffin” Dr Joerg Winterfeldt – had to ensure that the design of the taller tower avoided vibration when the blades turn and also fit within the logistical puzzle of not being too heavy or wide to cross all the roads and bridges from port to site.

Source: cleantechnica.com

South Miami = 1st City Outside California To Enact Rooftop Solar Mandate

21.08.2017

Solarni paneli, krovovi — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Yes, South Miami, Florida, supports the Paris Climate Agreement. The city has reason to do so, as concerns are large that Miami and surrounding areas will sink into the wild blue ocean before the end of the century if action isn’t taken. Trying to do its part more, in July, South Miami became the first city outside of California to require that solar panels be installed on roofs of all new homes.

Florida politics often lack clarity and ease of environmental support. Still, South Miami got the message loud and clear and decided to follow California’s lead. The backward politics of wasting millions of dollars on misleading policy proposals and TV ads is not the way to go. South Miami, luckily, understands that.

This move syncs up South Miami with 6 cities in California that have begun requiring solar be installed on all new homes or even all new buildings (residential and commercial). In Florida, a state that slips all too often with environmental progress, things are indeed taking a turn. Climate Central reports that the South Miami City Commission voted 4–1 in July to approve the new solar mandate law.

It is no secret that South Florida is one of the most threatened regions due to climate change. Climate Central continues that Mayor Philip Stoddard says the city is trying to cut its carbon footprint to help avert what seems like an impending crisis in the region. As sea levels and storm surges rise, cities are finally waking up to the reality and the loss of seaside land.

“We’re down in South Florida where climate change and sea level rise are existential threats, so we’re looking for every opportunity to promote renewable energy,” Stoddard said. “It’s carbon reduction, plain and simple. We have a pledge for carbon neutrality. We support the Paris Climate Agreement.”

So much construction took place in recent years, it is unfortunate that this encouragement is only coming now, but better now than never.

“The new law won’t put solar panels on all the region’s homes and it won’t significantly cut climate pollution, but it is the first concrete step by a city outside of California to require renewable energy to be considered as part of the design of any new home.” There are actually some places in China that require this as well, but South Miami seems to be the first city outside of California with such a requirement.

“Action to expand renewables on the local level is critical at a time when the federal government has stepped back from advocating for renewable energy,” said Jeremy Firestone, director of the Center for Carbon-free Power Integration at the University of Delaware.

As many have noted before, cities have had to take up more responsibility as Republicans have claimed control of the US federal government, with Donald Trump in the White House (some of the time). Climate Central emphasizes: “President Obama made support for rooftop solar a part of his Climate Action Plan, which the Trump administration has abandoned.”

“These mandates will have an effect locally,” Firestone said. “As to the larger effect, they would hopefully move states to increase the fraction of the (electricity) generation that has to be dedicated toward renewable energy.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Canadian Solar Posts Strong Second Quarter With Increased Shipments & Revenue

20.08.2017

Canadian Solar, one of the world’s largest solar power companies, this week posted strong second quarter results with increased revenue and shipments, but traders were immediately, if temporarily, concerned by Q3 revenue guidance below analyst expectations.

Total Canadian Solar module shipments for the second quarter reached an impressive 1,745 MW (megawatts), well up on the 1,480 MW shipped in the first quarter, in excess of the company’s own second quarter guidance of between 1,530 MW to 1,580 MW, and up on the 1,290 MW shipped in the second quarter a year ago.

Net revenue for the quarter tells a different story, however, but a story well within the company’s guidance. Net revenue for the second quarter of 2016 for shipments worth 1,290 MW was $805.9 million. A year later, however, on shipments of 1,745 MW, net revenue was 692.4 million — compared to $677 million taken in during the first quarter of 2017 and second quarter guidance of between $615.0 million to $635.0 million. Of course, this is well within expectations considering the spiraling decreases in solar costs over the past few years, but it is nevertheless an interesting example of just how dramatically solar has declined in price recently.

“Q2 was a solid quarter, with solar module shipments, revenue and gross margin all coming in above guidance,” said Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar.

“We are pleased with our second quarter results,” added Dr. Huifeng Chang, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Canadian Solar. “The higher module shipments were driven by strong demand for solar modules in China, India, Japan and the U.S., with the gross margin improvement due to higher than expected average selling price and better cost controls.”

While the quarter was a strong one, trading in the immediate aftermath of the company’s earnings report fell dramatically, with investors concerned with expected revenue of between $805 million to $825 million coming in below analyst expectations. However, trading stabilized by the end of the day and through Tuesday, continuing the up-and-down rollercoaster ride that has been the company’s share prices over the last month. The company expects shipments to be in the range of approximately 1.65 GW and 1.70 GW.

Source: cleantechnica.com

As New Electric Vehicles Come to Market, Older Models Get Discounted

20.08.2017

Nissan Leaf, elektromobil — Photo: Pixabay

As new electric vehicles (EVs) like Tesla’s much-anticipated Model 3 continue to hit the market with considerable fanfare, choices for consumers multiply. Existing EVs are now being priced to sell more quickly in many cases.

Electrek reported that new Leafs have been selling at a rock bottom $13,000 in Florida and Ohio. This may be in part due to new vehicles coming on the market, but it is mainly due to a partnership between Nissan and local electric utilities that beefs up the existing federal incentives to purchase EVs.

A similar partnership in San Diego now means up to $10,000 in discounts for consumers looking to get either a BMW i3 or a Nissan Leaf. Add in the $2,500 California rebate and the $7,500 federal tax credit for purchasing an EV, and the cost of your Leaf in San Diego is now less than $15,000, with the i3 running under $25,000.

If you’re not in one of these incentive US states, you can still grab the federal incentive. Plus, with more and more EVs coming to market, dealers may just want to make room for newer models and offer you a bargain.

(source: Futurism)

Wind and Solar Power Helped Prevent Up To 12,700 Deaths

19.08.2017

The massive increase in wind and solar energy helped prevent the premature deaths of up to 12,700 people over a nine-year period in the US, according to new research which illustrates the wider benefits of ditching fossil fuels beyond limiting global warming.

The lower carbon emissions were worth billions of dollars as a result of the avoidance of the range of problems caused by fossil fuels, according to a paper about the study published in the journal, Nature Energy.

The UK Government has pledged that the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned from 2040 – a deadline criticised by environmentalists as being too far in the future to make a difference. In contrast, Norway plans to phase out such vehicles by 2025.

According to the Royal College of Physicians, about 40,000 deaths a year in the UK are “attributable to exposure to outdoor air pollution”, which has been associated with “cancer, asthma, stroke and heart disease, diabetes, obesity and changes linked to dementia”.

The new research, which was funded by the US Department of Energy, found there had been significant declines in major air pollutants between 2007 and 2015.

Carbon dioxide fell by 20 per cent, sulphur dioxide by a staggering 72 per cent, nitrogen oxide by 50 per cent and tiny particles known as PM2.5 by 46 per cent.

While some of this was due to fossil fuels being replaced by renewable energy, tougher emission regulations also played a part. Sulphur dioxide emissions fell from nine million tonnes in 2007 to 2.5 million tonnes in 2015 after coal power plants were forced to fit equipment that filters the gas out to meet air quality standards.

The growth in solar and wind power was dramatic, increasing tenfold from about 10 gigawatts in 2007 to roughly 100GW in 2015.

“From 2007 to 2015, solar and wind power deployment increased rapidly while regulatory changes and fossil fuel price changes led to steep cuts in overall power-sector emissions,” the researchers wrote in the paper.

“We find cumulative wind and solar air-quality benefits of … $29.7bn to $112.8bn [during 2007 to 2015] mostly from 3,000 to 12,700 avoided premature mortalities.”

The researchers, led by Dr Dev Millstein of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, also estimated the increased generation of renewable energy was worth between $5.3bn and $106.8bn in “cumulative climate benefits” over the same period.

These include “changes to agricultural productivity, energy use, losses from disasters such as floods, human health and general ecosystem services”.

Sam Bright, a lawyer at environmental activist group ClientEarth, which has twice successfully sued the Government over sub-standard air quality plans, said it was clear that “moving away from coal brings major health benefits”.

But he added: “It’s essential that we make sure we use the opportunity the end of coal gives us to create the energy system of the future.

“That means replacing coal power stations with renewables, yes, but also making sure energy efficiency is top of the agenda and we build storage and flexibility into the system to lower and manage demand.

“A cleaner, more flexible energy system will mean fewer emissions of those pollutants that are harming people and our planet.”

Nina Schrank, energy campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: “Our energy system is radically transforming. Milestones such as the falling costs of offshore wind and solar, and the first working day without coal in Britain, are coming thick and fast as we move towards a low carbon economy. Now research also suggests that renewable power could be beginning to clean up the air by displacing some fossil fuels, but we need so much more.

“Our Government should prioritise speeding up the energy transition and making the UK a world leader in clean, green technology. Public opinion polls show that more than three quarters of people in the UK already support renewable energy. It’s time to grasp the enormous potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency, which can give us cleaner air, skilled jobs and fair bills, whilst also helping towards our climate targets.”

Source: independent.co.uk

TESLA TINY HOUSE: A Perfect Home to Show off Solar Power Potential (PHOTO)

19.08.2017

Tesla has a new way to demonstrate the possibilities of its home solar products to potential customers – using a ‘tiny house’ on wheels, which it can tow on a rolling tour with a Tesla Model X. The Tesla Tiny House made its official debut in Australia, where it will welcome visitors at Melbourne’s Federation Square, before taking off for a cross-country Australian tour.

The tiny house contains a Tesla mobile design studio and configurator to help home owners configure a solar plus energy storage system for their home.

Of course, the ‘Tesla Tiny House’ is itself 100% powered by renewable energy with a small solar installation:

“Powered by 100% renewable energy via a 2 kW solar system and Powerwall, Tiny House contains a mobile design studio and configurator which can calculate how your home can generate clean energy from the sun using solar panels, storing it in Powerwall to use throughout the day and night, which can all be monitored and controlled by the Tesla app.”

Here are a few specs that the company listed:

Weight – 2 tonnes
Dimensions – 6m x 2.2m x 4m
Solar generation – 2kW PV system of 6 panels
Solar storage – 1 x Tesla Powerwall
Exterior – Clad in locally sourced, chemical-free, sustainable timber

It is setting out on a tour of Australia hitting all major cities, but people can also request for Tesla Tiny House to come to their town through Tesla’s website.

They can expect one-on-one educational sessions with Tesla staffs to learn about Tesla’s energy products:

“The tour is designed to provide a one-on-one educational experience on how to integrate Powerwall and solar to seamlessly power an entire home 24/7, allowing Australian consumers to gain control and understanding of their power use.”

Australia is a very important market for Tesla’s energy products. The country has the world’s highest per capita penetration of rooftop solar with 15% of households using solar for a total of 1.5 million households across the country.

Tesla execs recently said that they expect that eventually, all those households will have energy storage systems, which is why they made the country one of the first markets to get early Powerwall 2 installations.

The company has yet to offer solar installations in the country since their services are still linked to SolarCity, which only operated in the US and Mexico, but that could be about to change following the acquisition.

Outside of the residential market, Tesla is also making strides at the utility level in Australia after having won a contract for a massive 100 MW/129 MWh energy storage system to help stabilize the South Australia grid, which has recently suffered from important outages.

(source: Electrek)

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