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

US Coal Plant Closures Likely To Eliminate 30 Million Tons Of Annual Coal Demand

01.05.2017

The United States is closing 46 coal-fired generating units at 25 electricity plants across 16 states over the next few years, transitioning to natural gas or intentionally closing them, and a new report shows that this will likely result in eliminating about 30 million tons of annual coal demand by the end of 2018.

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) published its new research brief last week, working step-by-step through the implications inherent in the expected coal-fired generating closures over 2017 and 2018 (the full list can be seen at the bottom). The brief concludes that the expected closures will eliminate about 28.2 million tons of annual coal demand by the end of 2018, worth nearly $1.1 billion (2016 prices).

The plant closures currently expected over the next few years are across 16 states — Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Coal producers in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana, and those in the Illinois Basin are expected to be the hardest hit — with two thirds of the expected annual demand losses predicted to stem from those two coal regions.

“Nearly 46 percent of the coal no longer required at these units, or 10.6 million tons, came from the Powder River Basin, and further 23.6 percent came from the Illinois Basin, making these the two hardest-hit regions,” said Seth Feaster, IEEFA data analyst and author of the report. Nearly 70% of coal that was purchased in 2016 was delivered to plants that will be closing.

“While some plants may have flexibility in which mine they purchase from, significant regional shifts in coal sourcing are unlikely, both because of economic reasons such as shipping costs and limits on changing the physical properties of the coal each plant uses,” the report explained. “This means that the coal shipments cited here are likely to represent permanent losses in demand for each mining region.”

The IEEFA also believe that coal mining operations in the Four Corners region of the Southwest US — Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico — will take a sharp hit from plant closures. Additionally, those with operations in Appalachia and the Uinta Basin of Utah will continue to be affected, having already suffered loss of demand.

As for individual coal producers, Peabody Energy and Cloud Peak Energy are both expected to suffer the most. IEEFA predicts that by the end of 2018, Peabody Energy will lose nearly 4.9 million tons of coal sales to nine different plants — the most of any company. Cloud Peak Energy will suffer losses of 4.1 million tons to five plants.

By the end of 2018, the plant closures detailed in this report will amount to a net capacity (by 2016 figures) of 16 gigawatts (GW), or approximately 5.7% of the total coal-fired US electricity generation capacity. These closures represent what the IEEFA believes is a long-term trend that will only likely continue. “Indeed, the transformative shift in electricity generation across the U.S. is likely to continue as intense cost competition from renewables and natural gas continues a trend toward more coal-fired plant closures and has even led to some nuclear plant retirements over the past few years.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

Starbucks Commits To “Green Direct” Tariff In Home State Of Washington

30.04.2017

The world’s most iconic coffee shop has committed to a new long-term renewable electricity tariff, the “Green Direct” tariff, in its home state of Washington in an effort to ensure all its local facilities are powered 100% by renewable energy.

Starbucks is one of several iconic brands which have subscribed to the new Green Direct project — essentially a long-term service agreement which aims to eventually produce enough renewable energy to power nearly 30,000 Washington homes. According to the largest investor-owned utility in the state of Washington, Puget Sound Energy, “Green Direct will make a difference by constructing a new renewable generating facility while our partners benefit from cost competitive prices and continued access to energy efficiency programs.” Experts believe that this first subscriber-style green tariff could serve as a model for other utilities across the country, giving companies and institutions the option to subscribe to the tariff in an effort to produce long-term renewable energy growth.

“Green Direct exemplifies the power of partnership,” said Kimberly Harris, president & CEO of Puget Sound Energy. “Working with the UTC and with customers like King County, we’ve been able to structure an industry-leading renewable energy program for our largest electric customers. We’re so excited to see this come together and for what it means to our customers and the region.”

Alongside Starbucks, other big-name subscribers to the tariff include REI and Target, as well as local governments and institutions.

“By partnering with Puget Sound Energy on their innovative Green Direct program, we’re able to power seven of our local Target stores with 100 percent clean energy,” said John Leisen, vice president of property management at Target. “This initiative is just one example of Target’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and promoting renewable energy solutions in the community we serve.”

Starbucks itself is aiming to ensure approximately 116 of its Washington State stores are all powered with green energy from Puget Sound Energy.

“As part of Starbucks ongoing Global Responsibility efforts, we’re proud to support the advancement of renewable energy sources in regionally relevant ways,” said Rebecca Zimmer, Starbucks director of Environmental Impact. “We’re proud of our commitment to bring greener power to our stores, and now through our relationship with Puget Sound Energy, our partners (employees) in the Puget Sound can see this come to life, right in their community.”

Source: cleantechnica.com

80% of Heat Records Worldwide Linked to Climate Change

29.04.2017

Klimatske promene — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Record-breaking extreme weather events all over the globe, including increased temperatures and rainfall, can be linked to climate change, according to new research.

Most scientific research examines the links between climate change and specific weather events, but a first-of-its-kind study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences used a new framework to take a comprehensive look at climate measurements worldwide.

The study found that over 80 percent of heat records worldwide were linked to climate change, while climate change influenced 57 percent of driest-year records and 41 percent of five-day precipitation records.

“Our results suggest that the world isn’t quite at the point where every record hot event has a detectable human fingerprint, but we are getting close,” lead author Noah Diffenbaugh told USA Today.

Source: ecowatch.com

Australia’s Solar Capacity Reaches 6 Gigawatts, Is Expected To Double By 2020

28.04.2017

Australia’s total solar power capacity has reached 6GW and is expected to double over the next few years as Australian households continue to invest in rooftop panels to reduce electricity bills, and the large-scale solar sector takes off after years of promise.

The latest industry analysis on installed capacity – released by the Australian Photovoltaic Institute – shows that rooftop solar capacity has now reached 5.6GW and large-scale solar capacity is now at 496MW, and growing fast.

The leading state in rooftop solar remains Queensland, with 1.72GW of rooftop solar – that makes it, as we reported here, bigger than the state’s largest coal generator. NSW and Victoria also have more than 1GW of rooftop solar capacity, with South Australia having the highest penetration (32 per cent) among residential dwellings.

As of April 2017, there was a total of 1.67 million PV installations in Australia, covering 21 per cent of suitable rooftops, which is the highest penetration of rooftop solar in the world. In total, these solar installations collectively generate 8,400 gigawatt hours of electricity each year, which meets approximately 3.3 per cent of Australian demand.

The data suggests that the rate of installation of rooftop solar is also accelerating. After establishing a record March quarter, the rate of installations for the year to date is up significantly in all the major states.

Interestingly, the biggest growth is coming from Western Australia, which has installed 43MW so far this year, outstripping Victoria, as locals prepare for the likely imminent removal of the state-based subsidy that has hidden the true cost of electricity from consumers.

The subsidy accounts for around one-third of the cost of power, and the new Labor government has flagged its removal to help it address the state’s soaring budget deficit. That is likely to make rooftop solar even more attractive – which explains the 71 per cent jump in installations so far this year.

The Sunwiz data – sourced from the Clean Energy Regulator – also highlights the solar hotspots in Australia, including the towns and suburbs where households without rooftop solar are in the minority.

For example, two-thirds of all households in Baldivis in Western Australia and Elimbah in Queensland now have rooftop solar. (See our story here on sister site One Step Off The Grid).

“With batteries now readily available on the market, many people are taking this opportunity to install both solar and batteries – or to upgrade the size of their existing solar systems,” says Sunwiz analyst Warwick Johnston. “The price of solar has dropped low enough, and power prices are rising high enough, for this to make economic sense for many commercial operators, too.”

APVI chair Dr Renate Egan said Australian homeowners, commercial businesses and large-scale solar farms had all contributed to an extra 1GW of solar being added to the grid over the past year.

“Solar power now makes up 11 percent of our country’s total electricity generation capacity with more solar added to the system in 2016 than any other fuel type,” Egan said in a statement.

By 2020, the total is expected to double again, with Sunwiz forecasting at least 800MW of rooftop solar to be installed this year and following years, and Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasting more than 3,000MW of large scale solar to meet the legislated renewable energy target as solar matches wind power on costs (see graph above).

By 2040, the amount of solar capacity could have risen 10-fold from its current levels. BNEF, as this graph to the right illustrates, is predicting 33GW of rooftop solar and 27GW of large-scale solar as solar power becomes the primary source of electricity generation in Australia.

It could increase even further, if plans to create “solar export fuels”, using renewables such as solar and wind to create hydrogen and then “green ammonia” to supply Asian economies such as South Korea and Japan, hungry for clean fuels to replace imported coal and LNG.

In any case, by 2040 the nature of the grid will have changed dramatically, and will have become more “distributed” – as predicted by the new head of the Australian Energy Market Operator Audrey Zibelman.

The key features will be localised and flexible generation. Batteries – and BNEF predicts there will be at least 15GW of them – will provide a large amount of flexibility, but so too will other forms of flexible generation, including demand response.

Coal capacity might have reduced to just 5GW by that time, with gas also taking a role in delivering flexible generation, although this will largely depend on the future cost of batteries, with some already suggesting that the combined cost of large-scale solar and battery storage is already beating gas, and could be “well under” $100/MWh – and current wholesale electricity prices – within a few years.

Developers of large-scale solar projects already report fierce competition for power purchase agreements, with bidding under $70/MWh in some cases and heading towards $60/MWh.

Those developers that have the equity behind them, and access to low-cost finance, are choosing to go the “merchant” route, where they can tap into high wholesale electricity prices and – for a few years more at least – high prices for large scale renewable energy certificates.

Consumers – both household and business – are facing the opposite problem, landed with not just the increased costs of wholesale power, but the high price of transport (networks) and retail margins. Hence their huge interest in rooftop solar and storage.

Source: cleantechnica.com

100% Clean Energy Bill Launched by Senators to Phase Out Fossil Fuels by 2050

28.04.2017

Solarni paneli — Photo-ilustration: Pixabay

Ahead of the People’s Climate March, Senators Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders and Ed Markey stood beside movement leaders to introduce legislation that will completely phase out fossil fuel use by 2050. The “100 by ’50 Act” outlines a bold plan to support workers and to prioritize low-income communities while replacing oil, coal and gas with clean energy sources like wind and solar.

“100 is an important number,” said 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben. “Instead of making changes around the margins, this bill would finally commit America to the wholesale energy transformation that technology has made possible and affordable, and that an eroding climate makes utterly essential. This bill won’t pass Congress immediately—the fossil fuel industry will see to that—but it will change the debate in fundamental ways.”

The “100 by ’50 Act” would put a halt to new fossil fuel infrastructure projects like Keystone XL and the Dakota Access pipeline, and fracked gas pipelines facing opposition from tribes and landowners. Instead of new fossil fuel infrastructure, the bill invests hundreds of billions of dollars per year in clean energy—enough to create four million jobs. These large-scale clean energy investments prioritize black, brown and low-income communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

“While fossil fuel billionaires supporting Trump’s administration put profits before people, we now have a legislative roadmap to phase out this dirty industry once and for all,” said 350.org Executive Director May Boeve. “This bill deploys clean energy in communities that need it most and keeps fossil fuels in the ground. From Standing Rock to the Peoples Climate March, movement leaders have been calling for these solutions for years. This bill is proof that organizing works, and it’s the beginning of an important conversation.”

The issues covered by the bill reflect the demands of the climate movement, from Standing Rock to the fossil fuel divestment campaign, to the fight to keep fossil fuels in the ground. The content stands in bright contrast to Trump’s vision of a more polluted America where fossil fuel billionaires profit at the public’s expense. While this precedent setting bill is unlikely to pass during the Trump administration, similar bills are being considered at the state and local level in California, Massachusetts, New York and elsewhere across the country.

At a press conference held by Senators Merkley and Sanders, speakers included representatives from climate and environmental justice groups, progressive organizations and more. A crowd of supporters carried banners and signs reading “100% Clean Energy For All,” and, “Keep Fossil Fuels In The Ground.” The event was part of an ongoing week of action leading up to the People’s Climate March on April 29, when thousands of people are converging in DC and around the country to march for jobs, justice and the climate.

Source: ecowatch.com

South Australia Sets New Record Wind Output Of 1,540 Megawatts On Anzac Day

28.04.2017

Wind - Power — Foto - ilustracija: Pixabay

South Australia set a new record for wind output on Tuesday, the Anzac Day public holiday, reaching 1,540MW just before midnight – a significant lift on its previous record of 1,400MW set just two weeks earlier.

The Australian Energy Market Operator says it was forced to intervene to ensure that at least two gas-fired generators remained on line – and it imposed controlled pricing over the period to ensure that occurred.

AEMO has been required to have at least two large gas generators working at all times under new rules imposed by the South Australia state government last year following the state-wide blackout in September and other rolling stoppages since then.

It is interesting to note that the surge in wind energy in the late evening came just as the state’s electric hot water systems are switched on under their controlled load arrangements. This represents around 190MW of demand, and was timed to switch on then to give the coal generators something to do at night-time. They, of course, are now closed.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Air Pollution Can Cut Solar Panel Efficiency By Up To 25%

28.04.2017

Izgradnja solarne elektrane — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

A new study has disturbing news for India’s solar power industry. It claims that dust and particulate matter (often a by-product of diesel engines) can reduce solar panel efficiency by 17% to 25%. Half this reduction comes from dust and particles deposited on the surface of solar panels which form a physical barrier to the passage of sunlight.

That’s according to Duke University professor Mike Bergin, who led the study. The rest of the reduction comes from ambient haze from atmospheric pollution, a condition known as solar dimming. “This study thus shows that improving air quality can lead to a big improvement in solar energy yield,” says Bergin. “Cleaning panels is not enough.” Many solar power plants today include systems that periodically wash the solar panels to remove dust, dirt, pollen, and bird droppings.

Dust can have a significant effect on solar panel output. A 2016 study in Baghdad, for example, found an 18.74% decline in efficiency for solar modules left uncleaned for a month. Another 2014 paper from Colorado, found that up to 4.1% of light transmission was lost due to dust buildup.

But losses from air pollution have received less attention. In one 2013 study, researchers investigated the power output of ten PV systems in Singapore during a haze episode caused by forest fires in Indonesia. That study found that lower air quality caused system output to decline by up to 25% over a 10 week period. On one day in particular, output was reduced by a staggering 50% according to Andre Nobre, lead author and head of operations at Cleantech Solar in Singapore. The study did not look at particulate deposits because frequent rain keeps solar panels clean in Singapore, he noted. “For a city like New Delhi, you have the added effect [of] soiling on the panels from the fact that it is a much drier and dirtier city.”

The Bergin study is the first to quantify the combined impact of ambient particles and deposited matter. He and his colleagues analyzed deposits on solar panels at the IIT campus in Gandhinagar and tracked energy yield before and after cleaning. Power generation increased 50% after each cleaning, the study found.

Air pollution is now a factor in solar power plant business decisions, says Nobre, whose company has solar projects across Asia including India. “Developers like ourselves will be extra cautious when signing power purchase agreements with clients with facilities located in highly polluted zones,” Nobre said. “Our returns are impacted by air pollution, which in turn end up increasing electricity tariffs we are able to offer. As the fleet of PV systems is drastically growing in India, there could be millions of dollars in revenue being lost,” he says.

Source: cleantechnica.com

Apple to Power Oregon Data Center with Wind Energy

27.04.2017

Apple recently disclosed a deal to purchase 200 MW of wind power from the Montague Wind Farm for its Prineville, Oregon data center. The news was announced in the company’s annual environmental responsibility report, and it is being dubbed as the “first Apple-created wind project.”

Construction on the first phase of the Montague Wind Power Project is scheduled to begin in September, with energy generating late next year. The 404-MW wind farm is owned by Montague Wind Power Facility, a wholly owned subsidiary of Avangrid Renewables LLC, and it will be capable of producing 560 million kWh annually.

According to the Oregon Department of Energy, the Montague Wind Facility will be located in Gilliam County, Oregon, in the high desert east of the Cascade Mountains nearby several other wind projects.

In a separate announcement, Apple maintains it has plans to buy power from a 56-MW project called Solar Star Oregon II, under construction a few miles from the Prineville complex. Two micro-hydro projects, generating 12 million kWh of energy per year, are also powering the data center.

Source: windpowerengineering.com

Deep-Sea Mining Could Help Develop Mass Solar Energy but Only at a Cost to the Environment

27.04.2017

Scientists have just discovered massive amounts of a rare metal called tellurium, a key element in cutting-edge solar technology. As a solar expert who specialises in exactly this, I should be delighted. But here’s the catch: the deposit is found at the bottom of the sea in an undisturbed part of the ocean.

People often have an idealised view of solar as the perfect clean-energy source. Direct conversion of sunlight to electricity, no emissions, no oil spills or contamination – perfect. This, however, overlooks the messy reality of how solar panels are produced.

While the energy produced is indeed clean, some of the materials required to generate that power are toxic or rare. In cadmium-telluride-based solar cells, for example, the cadmium is toxic and the telluride is hard to find.

Cadmium telluride is one of the second generation “thin-film” solar cell technologies. It’s far better at absorbing light than silicon, the bedrock of solar-power tech, so its absorbing layer doesn’t need to be as thick. A spread of cadmium telluride just one thousandth of a millimetre thick will absorb around 90 per cent of the light it receives. It’s cheap and quick to set up compared to silicon and uses less material.

As a result it’s the first thin-film technology to effectively make the leap from the research laboratory to mass production. Cadmium telluride solar modules now account for around 5 per cent of global installations and, depending on how you do the sums, can produce lower-cost power than silicon solar.

But cadmium telluride’s Achilles heel is the tellurium itself, one of the rarest metals in the earth’s crust. Serious questions must be asked about whether technology based on such a rare metal is worth pursuing on a massive scale.

There is a longstanding divide in opinion about this. The abundance of data for tellurium suggests a real issue but the counter-argument is that no-one has been actively looking for new reserves of the material. After all, platinum and gold are similarly rare but demand for catalytic converters – which platinum is chiefly used for – means in practice we are able to find plenty.

The discovery of a massive new tellurium deposit in an underwater mountain in the Atlantic ocean certainly supports the “it will turn up eventually” theory. And this is a particularly rich ore, according to the British scientists involved in the MarineE-Tech project – a collaboration between UK universities, the National Oceanography Centre and their counterparts in Brazil. While most tellurium is extracted as a by-product of copper mining and so is relatively low yield, samples taken from the seabed contain concentrations 50,000 times higher than on land.

Extracting from the sea would be formidably hard and very risky for the environment. The top of the mountain where the tellurium has been discovered is still a kilometre below the waves, and the nearest land is hundreds of miles away.

Mining is never a good thing for the environment. It can uproot communities, decimate forests and leave huge scars on the landscape. It often leads to groundwater contamination, despite whatever safeguards are put in place.

Given the technical challenges and the pristine ecosystems involved, it’s easy to imagine the devastation that deep-sea mining could cause. No wonder it has yet to be implemented anywhere yet, despite plans off the coast of Papua New Guinea and elsewhere. Indeed, there’s no suggestion that tellurium mining is liable to occur at this latest site any time soon.

But the mere presence of such resources, or the wind turbines or electric car batteries that rely on scarce materials or risky industrial processes, raises an interesting question. These are useful low-carbon technologies, but do they also have a requirement to be environmentally ethical?

There is often the perception that everyone working in renewable energy is a lovely tree-hugging, sandal-wearing leftie but this isn’t the case. After all, this is now a huge industry, one that is aiming to eventually supplant fossil fuels, and there are valid concerns over whether such expansion will be accompanied by a softening of regulations.

We know that solar power is ultimately a good thing but do the ends always justify the means? Or to put it more starkly: could we tolerate mass production of solar panels if it necessitated mining and drilling on a similar scale to the fossil fuels industry, along with the associated pitfalls?

To my mind the answer is undoubtedly yes, we have little choice. After all, mass solar would still wipe out our carbon emissions, helping curb global warming and the associated apocalypse.

What’s reassuring is that even as solar becomes a truly mature industry, it has started from a more noble and environmentally sound place. Cadmium telluride modules for example include a cost to cover recycling, while scarce resources such as tellurium can be recovered from panels at the end of their 20-year or more lifespan (compare this with fossil fuels, where the materials that produce the power are irreparably lost in a bright flame and a cloud of carbon).

The impact of mining for solar panels will likely be minimal in comparison to the oil or coal industries but it will not be zero. As renewable technology becomes more crucial, we perhaps need to start calibrating our expectations to account for this.

At some point mining operations in search of solar or wind materials will cause damage or else some industrial production process will go awry and cause contamination. This may be the Faustian pact we have to accept, as the established alternatives are far worse. Unfortunately nothing is perfect.

Source: independent.co.uk

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