Germany Breaks Record: 85% of Energy Comes From Renewables Last Weekend

05.05.2017

Germany’s “Energiewende”—the country’s low-carbon energy revolution—turned another successful corner last weekend when renewable energy sources nearly stamped out coal and nuclear.

Thanks to a particularly breezy and sunny Sunday, renewables such as wind and solar, along with some biomass and hydropower, peaked at a record 85 percent, or 55.2 gigawatts, and even came along with negative prices for several hours at the electricity exchange.

Conversely, coal use was at an all-time minimum. According to DW, on April 30, coal-fired power stations were only operational between 3 and 4 p.m. and produced less than eight gigawatts of energy, well below the maximum output of about 50 gigawatts.

“Most of Germany’s coal-fired power stations were not even operating on Sunday, April 30th,” Patrick Graichen of Agora Energiewende told RenewEconomy. “Nuclear power sources, which are planned to be completely phased out by 2022, were also severely reduced.”

Graichen added that days like Sunday would be “completely normal” by 2030 thanks to the government’s continued investment in the Energiewende initiative.

Following the Fukushima disaster in Japan, Germany announced in May 2011 that it plans to phase out nuclear and shut down all its nuclear power plants by 2022. That Sunday, nuclear power plants reduced their output from 7.9 to 5 gigawatts.

Germany’s ambitious energy transition aims for at least an 80 percent share of renewables by 2050, with intermediate targets of 35 to 40 percent share by 2025 and 55 to 60 percent by 2035.

Source: ecowatch.com

Polenergia Gains Approval for Second 600MW Baltic Offshore Wind Project

05.05.2017

Polish energy firm Polenergia has this week been given the green light by the Gdańsk regional environmental protection authority to develop a second 600MW offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea.

The legally-binding decision setting out the environmental requirements for the Polenergia Baltic Sea II (Polenergia Bałtyk II) project comes after the firm secured approval for the sister 600MW project Polenergia Baltic Sea III project last August, bringing total expected capacity for the wind farms to 1.2GW.

Located north of the coastline cities of Smoldzino and Leba in the Pomorskie region, the wind farms are set to be the largest ever built in Poland, Polenergia said.

Each wind tower will be a maximum of 300 metres in height and 250 metres in diameter with a generating capacity of 8-10MW.

Once the construction permits are granted, work on the wind farms is scheduled to begin in 2019, with the Baltic Sea III project set to come online in 2021-2022, before the Baltic Sea II project begins generating electricity in 2026.

Both projects have a 25 year lifespan, but after 2025 the company also expects to be able to acquire additional capacity that could potentially see both wind farm projects double in capacity to a maximum of 1.2GW, delivering up to 2.4GW in total.

By 2030, the company believes the two wind projects will have created 77,000 new direct and indirect jobs and deliver a PLN 60bn (£12bn) boost to the Polish economy.

“Polenergia Baltic Sea II and Polenergia Baltic Sea III Offshore Wind Farms are a strategic investment that will allow not only the company but, above all, the Polish economy to become the leader in this kind of venture,” said Jacek Głowacki, project director on Polenergia’s management board.

Source: businessgreen.com

Google and E.ON Team Up to Shine Light on German Rooftop Solar Potential

05.05.2017

Solarni paneli — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

E.ON and Google have teamed up to launch a solar “offensive” in Germany that will help simplify and streamline the process for identifying prime rooftop solar sites.

The duo announced yesterday that Google’s Project Sunroof platform, which uses satellite imagery, 3D modelling and machine learning to assess the solar potential of millions of rooftops, is expanding into Germany.

It marks the first time the tool has been made available outside of the US, where it found that almost 80 per cent of US rooftops are technically viable for generating solar power, rising to 90 per cent in sunnier states.

In Germany Project Sunroof will be able to assess the solar capability of around seven million buildings, covering major urban areas including Munich, Berlin, and the Ruhr region. The platform can help users identify a home’s potential solar capacity by calculating sunlight hours, weather data, roof pitch, and the level of shadows from surrounding buildings. It can also draw up plans for installing a solar system and estimate potential cost savings.

“With Sunroof, we are able to digitise sales of solar systems more intensively and thereby increase the appeal of photovoltaics,” Karen Wildberger, chief operating officer of E.ON, said in a statement. “It clearly demonstrates the potential benefits of digitalization for the ongoing shift in energy production.”

Homeowners that visit E.ON’s solar website to use the Project Sunroof tool will also be able to compile an energy bundle featuring solar PV panels, an Aura battery storage unit, and E.ON’s new Solar Cloud offering. Launched in March, SolarCloud allows E.ON customers with their own PV panels to ‘store’ their power in a virtual electricity account, to be drawn down when needed.

It comes as utilities are increasingly seeking to gain an early mover advantage in the decentralised energy system, which is putting growing numbers of consumers in control of the production and consumption of their energy.

While Project Sunroof will only cover about 40 per cent of the German population initially, Google and E.ON plan to expand it to cover the majority of the population in the coming years.

Source: businessgreen.com

New Solar PV Additions To Exceed 1,000 Gigawatts Between 2017 & 2026, Predicts Navigant

04.05.2017

The global installed capacity of distributed solar PV between 2017 and 2026 is expected to reach 429 gigawatts, while an additional 591 gigawatts of utility-scale solar are also expected to come online during the same period, according to new figures from Navigant.

According to new research published by Navigant Research this week in its latest Market Data: Global Distributed Solar PV report, global capacity additions for distributed solar PV in 2016 dropped slightly from 2015 figures, declining by 3% to 21.9 gigawatts (GW), and accounting for 29% of the 74.8 GW total installed solar PV capacity in 2016. Distributed solar PV capacity additions generated revenue worth $33.8 billion, while the global blended average price for solar installations dropped from $2.28/W in 2015 to $1.89/W in 2016, continuing the overall trend in the renewable energy industry of ever-declining prices.

The big news from the report, however, was Navigant’s market forecast for the distributed and utility-scale solar PV industry. Specifically, Navigant predicts that the distributed solar PV market will add 429.1 GW worth of new capacity between 2017 and 2026, and generate revenue of around $528.9 billion. The utility-scale solar industry is expected to add 591.7 GW of new capacity.

Navigant Research believes that China and the United States will remain strong key markets for distributed solar, despite the fact that there will be a geographic shift of some measure to countries with high irradiation continue to look to solar as a means of efficient and economically viable new energy source. Navigant believes that India will likely continue its growth and become a major distributed solar PV market in the next few years, while markets in Latin America and the Middle East will also emerge.

Solar PV module prices and installations costs are also predicted to decline at a rate of about 4% and 10% depending on the maturity of the market, and Navigant Research predicts that costs will likely reach a global average in the range of $1.20/W by 2026, regardless of geographic location.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Nespresso Bid to Recycle Coffee Pods

04.05.2017

coffee-beans — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The coffee company Nespresso – part of the Swiss multinational Nestlé – is to trial a scheme to make it easier for consumers to recycle their used aluminium capsules in the UK, in the face of a growing environmental backlash against increasingly popular single-serve pods, many of which end up in landfill.

A six-month pilot, starting this week in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, will allow Nespresso Club members to recycle their used capsules through their council household recycling service, using special purple bags provided by the company. The borough’s 190,000 residents will only be able to put out capsules made by Nespresso.

Most other capsules on the market are not made of aluminium, usually consisting of mixed plastic and sometimes foil, which require different recycling processes. The dregs of leftover coffee remaining in the pod also make them difficult to process in standard municipal recycling plants. Nespresso has defended its use of aluminium, saying it helps keep the coffee fresh.

The company said it was responding to its users, who have requested more convenient recycling through their local council-run scheme. The trial is part of a project to give customers more convenient recycling options.

“We launched our own dedicated recycling services seven years ago,” said Francisco Nogueira, managing director of Nespresso UK and Ireland. “Every week we are seeing an increase in the volume of capsules being sent in by customers through our system. But we know there is still much to be done and recycling through the municipal system is something our members have asked for.”

The bags of aluminium capsules will be sent to Nespresso’s recycling facility in Congleton, while the waste coffee grounds will be extracted and turned into compost. Nespresso capsules are included in other national recycling schemes such as the Green Dot programme in Germany as well as in a number of other countries, including France and Canada. But in the German city of Hamburg, coffee capsules have been banned from state-run buildings as part of a drive to cut waste.

Nespresso introduced the first single-serve coffee machine in 1986, initially using only its own-brand pods. But after Nespresso’s patents began to expire in 2012, competitors started to offer capsules and machines compatible with the Nespresso system.

Nestlé would not say what proportion of its capsules are recycled, instead focusing on its recycling “capacity” – which it says is 100 per cent. Market research company Mintel estimated the UK coffee pods market to be worth £182m in 2016 in its most recent study, up from £158m in 2015, and forecast to reach £206m this year. According to their research, 29 per cent of Britons own a coffee pod machine.

The move was welcomed by Trewin Restorick, chief executive of environmental charity Hubbub, who said: “Nespresso pods are mainly aluminium and can be recycled whereas many of their competitors’ pods are mixed plastic which currently can’t be recycled. But using aluminium only makes sense from a resource point of view if the discarded aluminium is recycled, otherwise it is a very carbon intensive way for consumers to get their coffee. Nespresso needs to scale up the recycling process quickly.”

The company’s long-term ambition, a Nespresso spokeswoman said, was to enable more recycling of used capsules via council collection services.

Source: businessgreen.com

It’s Official: Block Island Now Powered by Nation’s First Offshore Wind Farm

04.05.2017

wind-turbine — Photo-ilustration: Pixabay

Block Island, the smallest town in the country’s smallest state, is now powered by Rhode Island’s Deepwater Wind, the nation’s first offshore wind farm.

Block Island Power Company officially silenced its diesel generating plant in the early hours on Monday, meaning its 2,000 electric customers now have access to clean, renewable energy.

The utility’s interim president, Jeffery Wright, told The Block Island Times that the town’s electrical system was “successfully transferred” to the wind farm and National Grid’s Sea2Shore submarine cable on May 1 at 5:30 a.m.

The town’s switch ends nearly a century of dependency on costly, nosy and polluting generators that burn 1 million gallons of diesel fuel annually, Wright told Newsday.

Block Islanders will save $25 to $30 a month off their electricity bills with a starting cost of 24 cents per kWh, according to InsideClimate News.

Wright told Rhode Island Public Radio that switching to clean energy eliminates the risks of transporting diesel fuel to the island.

“(The fuel) gets loaded onto a truck, it gets transported over here, it gets unloaded out of the truck and the risk of a spill is always something we’re concerned with, and that risk right now was diminished a lot,” he said.

Deepwater Wind’s 30 megawatt Block Island wind farm consists of five wind turbines. Company CEO Jeffrey Grybowski said it’s “our honor to celebrate this historic milestone with Block Islanders.”

“We’re confident that the example Block Island has set will inspire communities up and down the Eastern Seaboard to chart their own path toward a renewable future,” he added.

Source: ecowatch.com

Wind + Solar Provide Majority of New Generating Capacity in Q1

04.05.2017

According to the latest issue of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) monthly Energy Infrastructure Update (with data through March 31), wind and solar provided 50.84 percent of the new electrical generating capacity added to the U.S. grid during the first quarter of 2017.

Thirteen “units” of wind totaling 1,479 MW combined with 62 units of solar (939 MW) exceeded the 2,235 MW provided by 21 units of natural gas and 102 MW provided by one unit of nuclear power. There was also 1-MW of capacity from “other” sources (e.g., fuel cells). In the first three months of the year, no new generating capacity was provided by coal, oil, hydropower, biomass or geothermal.

Moreover, the pace of growth of new solar and wind capacity is accelerating. For the first quarter of 2017, new capacity from those sources is 18.07 percent greater than that added during the same three-month period in 2016 (2,418 MW vs. 2048 MW).

Renewable sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar and wind) now account for almost one-fifth (19.51 percent) of the nation’s total available installed generating capacity: hydropower (8.48 percent), wind (7.12 percent), solar (2.17 percent), biomass (1.41 percent) and geothermal (0.33 percent).

By comparison, at the end of 2016, renewables provided 19.17 percent of the total generating capacity. If current growth rates continue, renewables should top 20 percent before the end of this year.

Generating capacity by renewable sources is now more than double that of nuclear power (9.10 percent) and rapidly approaching that of coal (24.25 percent).

“The Trump administration’s efforts to reboot coal and expand oil drilling continue to be proven wrong-headed in light of the latest FERC data,” noted Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign.

“Once more, renewables—led by wind and solar—have proven themselves to be the energy sources making America great again.”

Source: ecowatch.com

US Wind Sector Has Best Quarter Since 2009, With More Than 2,000 MW Installed

04.05.2017

The US wind energy sector had its best quarter since 2009, installing 908 utility-scale wind turbines totaling 2,000 megawatts of new capacity.

New figures published Tuesday by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) highlight the strongest quarter for the US wind energy sector in eight years, installing 908 utility-scale wind turbines totaling 2,000 megawatts (MW). New capacity spanned the whole country, from Rhode Island and North Carolina to Oregon and Hawaii. Unsurprisingly, Texas led the way with 724 MW of new capacity, followed by Kansas with 481 MW, which is a great quarter for the Great Plains.

“We switched on more megawatts in the first quarter than in the first three quarters of last year combined,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA, in releasing the U.S.Wind Industry First Quarter 2017 Market Report. “Each new modern wind turbine supports 44 years of full-time employment over its lifespan, so the turbines we installed in just these three months represent nearly 40,000 job years for American workers.”

According to the AWEA, the strong start to the year “reflects how 500 factories in America’s wind power supply chain and over 100,000 wind workers are putting stable, multi-year federal policy to work.” They also pointed to research published by Navigant Research earlier this year which showed that the US wind energy industry will drive more than $85 billion in economic activity between 2017 and 2020, and install 35 gigawatts (GW) of new wind capacity. One of the key drivers for the development of the US wind industry at the moment is the Production Tax Credit, which was signed for a multi-year extension in late 2015.

The first quarter also boasts 1,781 MW of new long-term contracts for wind, the most in a first quarter since 2013. The growing number of Fortune 500 companies and utilities which are looking to the wind industry for new capacity continues to grow.

Interestingly, the figures published by the AWEA this week differ slightly from figures published simultaneously by the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) in its latest Energy Infrastructure Update for March. According to FERC, wind energy installed only 1,479 megawatts for the first quarter. Where the difference lies, I’m unsure.

Overall, according to figures also published this week by the US Energy Information Administration, wind energy accounted for 8% of the operating electric generating capacity in the United States during 2016, more than any other renewable energy technology. In fact, wind turbines have contributed more than a third of the nearly 200 GW of new utility-scale electricity generating capacity added since 2007.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Metro Mayors Urged to Turn UK Cities Green

04.05.2017

Across the UK yesterday voters go to the polls to elect the first six ‘Metro Mayors’ to take charge of some of the country’s largest city regions.

The Mayors, who together will create a new tier of political leadership in Britain, are being urged by green groups to harness their powers to make the UK’s city regions greener, cleaner environments to live and work in.

A joint call from green groups today – backed by the National Trust, Green Alliance, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the Campaign for Better Transport and The Wildlife Trust – urges the new mayoral cohort to take “urgent actions” to curb the environmental impact of city regions.

“Devolution aims to unlock the potential of England’s cities, but metro mayors will be the key,” Green Alliance acting director Tamsin Cooper said in a statement.”Cities have to be resilient to climate change and grow their low carbon economies if they are to thrive and grow in the long term. The new metro mayors have an historic opportunity to use their new status to accelerate environmental action, creating sustainable city regions around the country.”

Metro Mayors are set to be elected in six regions today: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Tees Valley, West Midlands and the West of England.

The mayors’ powers to deliver strategic plans and manage key budgets including transport, housing and the natural environment will be key to delivering greenhouse gas emission cuts and improvements in environmental sustainability across the UK, campaigners argue.

For example, the Metro Mayors will control a single transport budget for their region, which campaigners say should be used to invest in public transport, walking, cycling and electric vehicle infrastructure in order to cut carbon emissions and improve air quality.

Moreover, all the voting regions have areas of poor air quality in breach of legal limits set by the EU and reports this week have suggested the government is keen to devolve much of the responsibility for complying with the targets to local government as part of its imminent air quality plan.

Meanwhile, the new mayors are also being urged to invest more in public open spaces to improve wellbeing for citizens and boost natural habitats for wildlife.

“A healthy natural environment is the foundation of a thriving economy and a healthy society, with high quality, accessible wildlife-rich environments attracting investment and talent to a city,” Stephen Trotter, England director of The Wildlife Trust, said in a statement. “Making our cities greener and better places to live and work therefore has to be an urgent priority for the new mayors.”

Source: businessgreen.com

Highly-efficiency renewable energy – KPA Unicon to deliver power plant for Termoflorestal LDA to Juncal, Portugal

03.05.2017

Biomasa elektrana — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Termoflorestal LDA and KPA Unicon have signed a contract of Unicon Altius 5 MWe power plant delivery to Juncal, Porto de Mos, Portugal. The power plant will operate on renewable fuel and provide efficient power generation for the local electricity grid as well as steam for biomass drying process at the neighboring pellet plant. “RFB raw material”, namely dry wood dust, will be used as fuel for the power plant. The plant will be handed over to the customer in November 2018.

The contract covers the design of the power plant, the delivery of the main process equipment, including a boiler with auxiliary systems, turbine, generator, condensation system, flue gas cleaning equipment and a high-tech PlantSys system that enables remote operation and monitoring of the plant.

Termoflorestal LDA is responsible for land planning and foundation works, buildings, steel structures, ducts and piping which will be purchased in accordance with the KPA Unicon’s design and initial data. Termoflorestal LDA performs installation works under the KPA Unicon’s construction management and installation supervision. KPA Unicon ensures the commissioning of the power plant and training of the personnel.

KPA Unicon and Termoflorestal LDA have jointly optimized the concept of the project, it will utilize the advantages of both parties, which will ensure cost-effective and responsible energy production. The power plant will use burners for dry and pulverized biomass burning, based on the “Unicon Pellet” technology developed by KPA Unicon. “Biomass-based boiler plants using this combustion technology are built mainly in Scandinavian countries, so it is great to have exported our technological know-how to other parts of southern Europe, where such technology is not yet widespread,” says Olli-Pekka Aarnio, Key Account Manager KPA Unicon.

“Dust combustion technology brings this project to a very special synergy effect, because the power plant will use as fuel a part of already dried and ground biomass dust from the neighboring pellet plant. This is a logistically ideal solution that saves fuel and ensures high efficiency with a small carbon footprint”, Aarnio continues.

“The decision to choose KPA Unicon to supply our thermoelectric power station, relies essentially on the high performance of its technological solutions with more than 25 years’ experience from all over the world. The professionalism demonstrated, the tests and prior analyzes to the available fuel in our country (Forest Residual Biomass) and the commitment assumed regarding the performance of the Central, allowed us to advance to this new project.” Says Rui Carrera, administrator of Termoflorestal LDA.

Termoflorestal LDA is new company which is put up for this power plant project. Termoflorestal as company has strong relationship to the Justo SGPS Group, with the necessary confidence for such an investment.

KPA Unicon provides responsible energy solutions for efficient energy production. The company specializes in boiler and power plant projects. The solutions utilize biomass fuels as well as fossil fuels sustainably. KPA Unicon also provides operation and maintenance services, and offers support during the whole life cycle of plants. KPA Unicon’s headquarters are located in Pieksämäki, Finland. The company employs 250 energy industry professionals.

Agreements Signed For 120 Megawatts Of Solar Projects In Nigeria

03.05.2017

solar-panels- — Photo-ilustration: Pixabay

Two more project developers have signed financial risk agreements for utility-scale solar power projects in Nigeria, strengthening the country’s roadmap towards becoming a major solar power market in Africa.

Local companies Afrinegia Nigeria Limited and CT Cosmos Nigeria Limited signed put/call option agreements with the Ministry of Power Works and Housing. Afrinegia Nigeria Limited will develop a 50-megawatt solar power project while CT Cosmos Nigeria Limited will set up a 70-megawatt solar power project.

A put/call options agreement helps in the mitigation of financial risk to the project developers. These agreements transfer the payment risk from the state-owned company Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) directly to the ministry.

The agreements are part of Nigeria’s push towards large-scale deployment of solar power projects across the country. In July of last year, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) signed power purchase agreements with more than 10 companies willing to develop around 975 megawatts of solar power capacity.

Subsequently, more companies, including Scatec Solar, a joint venture of Nigus Greenergy and Volt Renewables, Phanes Group, and GreenWish Partners, also signed similar power purchase agreements with NBET.

In 2015, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission approved feed-in tariff regulations for renewable energy sourced electricity. As per the provisions of the regulations, electricity distribution companies will be required to source at least 50% of their total procurement from renewable energy sources. The Commission also mandated that the balance 50% electricity would have to be sourced from NBET.

Source: cleantechnica.com

DUSKA DIMOVIC: Mankind Lives Beyond the Capacity of Nature

03.05.2017

One of the most prominent actions in Serbia’s public life that deals with nature is ‘Earth Hour‘. It is an action that is being implemented throughout the world and the creators of this emprise are the representatives of WWF organisation. To turn off the light for an hour is a symbolic message that by savings and energy efficiency we think about the future of the planet. WWF is an abbreviation of the World Wide Fund for Nature. At the beginning of its operation in 1961 this abbreviation represented the following – the World Wildlife Fund of the World Wide Fund for Wildlife. In the spotlight were rare animal species, ecosystems and eco habitats.

This is certainly the biggest and the most prestigious organisation engaged in nature conservation. It operates in over 90 countries and has around 5 million supporters. Mrs. Duška Dimović is the executive manager of WWF programme in Serbia. We talked with her about climate change and the activities that are carried out, bearing in mind that she often travels, attends working meetings and that she is au courant with all global activities of the WWF.

EP: WWF is an international organisation and the operation of your branches around the world is focused on the protection of nature, animals and plants. What is your global strategy when it comes to climate change? Are there any specific campaigns, programmes and goals to which you aspire?

Duška Dimović: Climate change affects everyone, plants, animals and people. Consequences are felt across the planet, ecosystems are threatened, as well as the welfare and safety of people. Climate change reminds us that despite the rapid technological development we are fully dependent on nature that is natural resources and natural cycles. For this reason, WWF as a global organisation whose primarily concern is the protection of nature, sees climate change as the biggest challenge for our planet and a large part of our activities we direct in that direction. The main drivers of climate change are certainly CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, which our civilisation still relies on. Mitigation is necessary, that is measures of climate change by reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases in order to reduce the effects of climate change. WWF intensively promotes the need for reduction of emissions and abandoning the conservative development strategies that are mainly based on fossil fuels. On the other hand for us it is very important to work on adaptation to climate change, that is raising our ability to adapt to changed conditions. Preserved nature and healthy ecosystems are very important for that.

In essence we are focused on working with the local population which is directly exposed to the consequences of climate change, preservation and enhancement of ecosystems and their adaptability to rapid climate change, acceleration of transition to renewable energy sources and of course the reduction of emissions. One of the most popular campaigns is ‘Earth Hour’ when we invite people to turn off the lights in their homes for an hour. This symbolic action reminds us that every hour is an hour for our planet and that energy efficiency is necessary. With the help of this campaign which involves millions of people and thousands of cities around the world, we turn attention to the consequences of climate change and to the necessity for a responsible attitude towards our planet.

Photo: WWF

EP: The definition of climate change states that they are directly or indirectly attributed to human activities. How do you comment that, does the functioning of mankind self-destructive to that point or the practices can be changed in industry, mining, power plants and alike?

Duška Dimović: Human activities are definitely the main cause of climate change. The problem is that most people still believe that natural resources are inexhaustible and that nothing special will happen if we continue with the current behaviour that relies on fossil fuels and intensive use of natural resources. Ecosystems still have capacities to mitigate our negative actions, but it is obvious that this capacity is decreasing and that we feel drastic economic and social consequences. ‘Living Planet Report’, published by WWF, shows the change in the status of biodiversity, ecosystem and human consumption of natural resources. By following the status of species in nature, the index of living planet follows the status of ecosystems, and this index fell by 30 percent from 1970.

This global trend suggests that we are degrading natural ecosystems at a level which has not been recorded in human history, we are using more resources than we have, ecological footprint is increasing and we are creating ecological deficit. This means that we consume and destroy ecosystems faster than they need to renew and regenerate. Ecological footprint represents the sum of all ecological services that people ‘demand’ from a certain area. It includes biologically productive areas (or bio capacity) needed for crops, grassland, residential areas, fishing and forest areas. Data on ecological footprint warn us that humanity lives beyond the capacity of the planet. The natural resources of our planet are plants, animals, soil, water, atmosphere and even the people themselves. We all together make the part of ecosystem of our planet, which means that if there is a biodiversity crisis, our health and livelihoods will also be in danger.

EP: What would be the main WWF’s observation when it comes to Serbia? We know that the amount of water in river basins has declined, what other data can you share with us?

Duška Dimović: In Serbia, the risk of natural resources was significantly greater than the risk of technological accidents, according to the data of the International Database on Disasters (EM-DAT). Natural disasters accounted for 62 percent in the total number of disasters. The floods dominate among natural disasters with 55 percent of the total number. Most models for the future predict greater frequency of extreme climate conditions such as floods, landslides, fires, droughts, etc. The effects of natural disasters are significantly enhanced by proportionally bad economic situation in the country. Also, this risk was recognised at political levels, and thus the improvement of prevention systems, defence against disasters and mitigation of its consequences have been recognised by many national governments and international organisations as a priority.

According to the research of climatologists, Serbia is in the group of countries that will be very exposed to climate change in the near future. The consequences are already visible, we have frequent floods, droughts, water regimes are perturbed. It is difficult to talk about concrete changes in ecosystems, since we do not have developed monitoring system (biomonitoring) at the national level, but it is obvious that drying of the forests is more and more present, as well as the changes in distribution of certain species, invasive species that are spread due to global warming that cause damage in agriculture and forestry, rapid changes in some natural habitats, primarily in high mountains and those related to water.

EP: In your opinion, what would be the necessary measures for preserving plant and animal species despite climate scenarios which envisage a rise in temperature?

Duška Dimović: The measures for emission reductions are equally important as the adaptation measures to climate change. The adaptation to climate change in terms of plant and animal species’ protection as well as the protection of their habitats means focusing on the most vulnerable habitats and species as well as on those ecosystems which provide us with services which we depend on, such as water supply, water treatment, mitigation of floods consequences, mitigation of extreme weather conditions and alike. Reduction of gas emissions which increase the effect of greenhouse gases, saving the electricity and the use of environmentally friendly solutions for the electricity production are of critical importance. Serbia has a great potential for energy savings and the improvement of energy efficiency. It is also necessary to switch to cleaner, renewable energy sources, such as geothermal energy, biomass, wind, sun and water but primarily in a sustainable way.

Mitigation of climate change can be effective only with the strong cooperation of all sectors. We have a week tradition of joint planning and decision-making, but we must rapidly work on it. Water as a resource is certainly the centre of attention when we talk about the climate change, but also water management is very complex due to the interests of many sectors. We have to improve our relationship with water and natural water habitats significantly, because this is not important only for nature but also for people that is for energetics, agriculture, industry and all other sectors.Together with its partners, WWF has prepared the study ‘Assessment of Vulnerability to Climate Change’ in which we analysed five sectors in detail: water management, public health, agriculture, energetics and biodiversity. In each of them, significant exposure and vulnerability to climate change has been identified as well as the possibility of the development of adaptation system. It is necessary to pay great attention to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems that are of great importance in adaptation to climate change and thus by preserving the nature we protect ourselves.

Interview by: Vesna Vukajlović

India’s ‘Fruit of the Gods’ Could Make Solar Cells Cheaper and More Efficient

03.05.2017

Scientists at the Institute of Technology (IIT)-Roorkee in India are investigating if commonly available fruits and fruit juices could help make solar cells cheaper and more efficient.

The researchers were able to fabricate Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC) by extracting the anthocyanins—or the plant pigments—from plums, black currants, berries and a black plum called jamun as inexpensive sensitizers.

“We extracted the pigment using ethanol and found that anthocyanin was a great absorber of sunlight,” lead researcher Soumitra Satapathi, assistant professor at IIT-Roorkee, told Quartz India.

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells, also known as Graztel Cells, are thin film solar cells comprised of a porous layer of titanium dioxide coated photoanode, a layer of dye molecules that absorbs sunlight, an electrolyte for regenerating the dye and a cathode, PTI reports.

While Dye Sensitized Solar Cells are not yet as efficient as conventional silicon-based solar cells, the emerging technology has been touted as a low-cost alternative since titanium dioxide is cheap and widely available. These cells could have a lot of potential in India, since the country is rapidly expanding its solar capacity and has pledged to have an energy mix of 40 percent renewable sources by 2030.

Satapathi explained to PTI that the the dark color of jamun and abundance of jamun trees on the IIT campus “clicked the idea that it might be useful as a dye in the typical Dye Sensitized Solar Cells.” (Fun fact, the sweet and juicy jamun fruit is indigenous to South Asia and is nicknamed in India as “the fruit of the Gods.”)

According to the study, published in the Journal of Photovoltaics, the anthocyanin extracts of blackcurrant and mixed berry juice had the highest power conversion efficiencies of 0.55 percent and 0.53 percent.

“Widespread availability of these fruits and juices, high concentration of anthocyanins in them, and ease of extraction of anthocyanin dyes from these commonly available fruits render them novel and inexpensive candidates for solar cell fabrication,” the study’s authors stated.

Furthermore, “anthocyanins are naturally occurring biodegradable and nontoxic molecules that are extracted using techniques that involve negligible low cost to the environment and therefore can provide ecofriendly alternatives to synthetic dyes for [Dye Sensitized Solar Cells] production.”

Source: ecowatch.com

Atlanta Becomes 27th City to Commit to 100% Renewables

03.05.2017

photovoltaic-solar — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a measure Monday establishing a community-wide goal of transitioning 100 percent to renewable energy by 2035. The legislation was introduced by city councilman Kwanza Hall, who is also a candidate for Atlanta mayor.

“We know that moving to clean energy will create good jobs, clean up our air and water and lower our residents’ utility bills,” Hall said after the vote. “We never thought we’d be away from landline phones or desktop computers, but today we carry our smartphones around and they’re more powerful than anything we used to have. We have to set an ambitious goal or we’re never going to get there.”

The Atlanta Office of Sustainability has been directed to develop a plan by January 2018 to meet the 100 percent renewable energy goal across all city operations by 2025 and community-wide by 2035.

Georgia’s capital and most populous city is following in the footsteps of 26 other municipalities across the U.S. that have announced similar renewable energy goals, including large cities such as San Diego, Salt Lake City and Chicago. Notably, a number of U.S. cities—Aspen, Colorado; Burlington, Vermont; Greensburg, Kansas; Kodiak Island, Alaska; and Rockport, Missouri—have already hit their clean energy targets.

Atlanta is the largest city in the U.S. South to set this ambitious commitment, which “will create good local jobs for Atlanta residents, reduce air pollution and associated public health risks, reduce the strain on water resources and save consumers money,” the measure states.

Ted Terry, director of the Sierra Club’s Georgia Chapter, applauded the city council’s vote. “Just days after hundreds of thousands marched for climate action across the globe, city leaders here in Atlanta are answering the call,” Terry said in a statement.

“Cities like Atlanta must lead the way in confronting the threat of climate change and accelerating the transition to 100 percent clean energy. Today’s commitment will inspire bold, ambitious leadership from cities throughout the United States and pave the way for a healthier and stronger Atlanta.”

Atlanta, as well as the state of Georgia, has taken commendable strides in the renewable energy sector, the Sierra Club pointed out. Citing data from the Department of Energy, solar makes up the largest share of Georgia energy generation jobs. 5,261 people in Georgia have clean energy jobs compared to 2,535 in the fossil fuels industries. And, according to Shining Cities 2017 report by Environment America, Atlanta ranks 40th out of the 50 most populous U.S. cities in solar photovoltaic installations.

Source: ecowatch.com

Wind Power Surges to Eight Per Cent of US Generating Capacity in 2016

03.05.2017

Wind power accounted for eight per cent of total US electricity generating capacity in 2016, according to the latest figures from the federal government’s Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The agency revealed yesterday that wind turbines have contributed more than a third of the near-200GW of utility-scale power capacity added across the country over the past decade, with more than half of US wind capacity located in just five states: Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, California, and Kansas.

Texas alone accounts for almost a quarter of US wind capacity, delivering 13 per cent of the state’s electricity generation last year, the EIA added.

The figures also show that in three states – Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma – wind makes up at least 25 per cent of in-state, utility-scale generating capacity, as Midwestern regions start to take advantage of favourable wind resources.

Overall, US wind capacity grew significantly from its 4.7 per cent share of net power generation the previous year, and 4.4 per cent in 2014.

The agency said the upsurge in US wind capacity reflected a “combination of improved wind turbine technology, increased access to transmission capacity, state-level renewable portfolio standards and federal production tax credits and grants”.

However, as of December 2016, there were still as many as nine US states with no operational utility-scale wind facilities whatsoever, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Virginia.

And, although wind makes up eight per cent of the total US generating capacity, it provided just five per cent of total US power generation in 2016 due to the capacity factors of turbines.

“Capacity factors, which measure actual output over a certain period as a percentage of the total ability of the turbine to generate given sufficient wind, average between about 25 per cent and 40 per cent for wind generators and vary based on seasonal patterns and geographical location,” the EIA explained.

Until late last year all US wind capacity was on land, but there are signs the US is now moving towards developing more offshore wind farms, with the country’s first offshore wind project entering into operation off the coast of Rhode Island in December 2016, according to the EIA.

Meanwhile, two further projects off the coasts of Ohio and Virginia are also seeking regulatory approval to proceed with development.

It follows EIA figures last year which showed US carbon emissions from energy during the first half of 2016 had reached their lowest level in 25 years.

Source: businessgreen.com

SunPower Oasis Platform Permits Faster, Less Expensive Solar Power Plant Installations

02.05.2017

SunPower is now offering its fully integrated Oasis Solar Power Plant platform to solar power developers and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) providers worldwide via its new SunPower Solutions business unit.The new unit will leverage the company’s extensive history of developing, financing, constructing, operating, and maintaining solar power plants over the past ten years. That experience allows SunPower to complete a solar power plant faster and for less money, leading to more affordable renewable energy for utility customers.

“The SunPower Oasis platform delivers competitive cost of energy with the proven reliability and quality of SunPower technology in a fully pre-engineered complete solution,” says SunPower president and CEO Tom Werner. “Through SunPower Solutions, we enable solar power plant customers around the world to achieve the same standards of excellence with respect to installation speed, quality, and performance that we have demonstrated in over 1,000 large-scale solar power plant projects on six continents since 2004.”

“The market for solar power plants is rapidly globalizing, with solar power now the most competitive form of new electricity generation in many countries,” Werner adds. “In most emerging markets, there is not yet a significant base of installed solar capacity and limited experience siting, designing, constructing and operating large-scale solar facilities. SunPower’s fully-integrated Oasis platform allows local developers and EPC companies new to solar power to minimize risk to project construction schedules and ensure reliable operation while delivering competitive cost of energy.”

At the present time, SunPower Solutions has operations in more than 10 countries and has signed contracts this year to supply SunPower power plant technology to projects in North America, Europe, and Oceania. In total, those projects will provide almost 200 megawatts of clean, renewable solar power.

The SunPower Oasis Power Plant is a complete system that can be installed quickly at minimum cost. Each installation makes the best possible use of the available site, which maximizes value for customers. It features 50% fewer parts than conventional solar plant systems and has an integrated solar tracker design that streamlines construction and reduces operations and maintenance costs.

“Every part of the Oasis platform is engineered to maximize energy yield, delivering a more efficient, reliable solution for long-term energy production,” continued Werner. “The SunPower Oasis platform uses drones and our proprietary software to quickly survey sites and select the optimal layout to achieve project financial and energy goals. Oasis trackers are designed to flexibly accommodate steeper slopes and minimize on-site grading. EPC companies appreciate that Oasis is fast and easy to install, and end customers benefit from up to 67 percent more lifetime energy density from a given site.”

Each Oasis Power Plant uses SunPower P-Series solar panels, which are cost effective and more efficient than conventional panels over the lifetime of the system. They are sealed to prevent moisture intrusion and benefit from unique interconnection technology that eliminates the most common solar panel failure mode. SunPower was recently chosen by Toyota as the provider for the rooftop solar system atop the company’s new US headquarters in Plano, Texas.

Source: cleantechnica.com

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