Renewable Fashion: Putting An End To Needless Waste In The Apparel Industry

14.09.2016

Every year, millions of items of clothing with only tiny flaws such as fabric tears or broken zippers get thrown away. As a result,14 million tons of textiles are dumped into landfills.

This unnecessary waste horrified serial entrepreneur and environmentalist Jeff Denby, inspiring him to co-found The Renewal Workshop. The new company partners with the world’s best-loved, ethical apparel brands and retailers—including prAna, Toad & Co, Mountain Khakis, and Ibex—to renew their “unsellable” returns, thereby reducing excess inventory and landfill.

In their waterless, state-of-the-art factory in Cascade Locks, Oregon, The Renewal Workshop gives each garment new life as “renewed apparel.” Experts custom repair all the tiny flaws. Then each item is either sold back to the fashion brand or direct-to-consumers at TheRenewalWorkshop.com. The company is currently preselling renewed apparel items through an Indiegogo campaign. For any product that can’t be renewed, the company responsibly manages the upcycling, downcycling, or recycling in order to optimize the resources already invested in it.

In addition to renewing apparel, The Renewal Workshop uses data to advise its partners on design and production, in order to optimize the value of the resources already invested in their products. “We are creating the infrastructure and business models that will allow for a truly circular system for the apparel industry,” Denby said.

In his role as co-founder and co-CEO, Denby leads the creative side of the business including brand management, product design and development, packaging, e-commerce, and social media. Together with his co-founder, Nicole Bassett, they lead business development and cultivate an intentional culture and management structure based on the concept of self-directed “Teal” organizations.

Denby said that he has been “on a stumbling circuitous route” to his life purpose. He started down it twelve years ago, when he first entered a Chinese factory, which was manufacturing “everything from forks to furniture.” He soon discovered that there was a disconnect between design, brand, marketing, consumer assumptions, and the reality of how stuff gets made. Most businesses were in pursuit of the cheapest possible prices at an acceptable quality. The people making the products were not a consideration.

Source: forbes.com

Successful installation of world’s largest offshore wind turbine

14.09.2016

The first of 32 8MW wind turbines has been successfully installed at the Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm, under construction by DONG Energy in Liverpool Bay. The project is a joint partnership between DONG Energy (50%), PKA (25%) and KIRKBI A/S (25%).

At 195m, a bit taller than two Big Bens (96m), the MHI Vestas 8MW turbines are the largest in the world, and this is the first time they have ever been used in an offshore wind farm. Once completed, the 258MW wind farm will generate enough electricity to power over 230,000 UK homes.

Claus Bøjle Møller, Project Director at DONG Energy, said: “The installation of this world-first technology shows that DONG Energy is leading the way in offshore wind energy. By using bigger turbines, we’re able to bring down the cost of providing clean, renewable energy to homes around the UK. This first turbine is a significant achievement for the project, and we’re looking forward to producing the first green energy later this year.”

It is not the first time DONG Energy has pioneered new technology in this area. The project is being built alongside the existing Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm which itself was an innovative project for DONG Energy, as it was the first offshore wind farm to use the Siemens 3.6MW turbines now used widely across the industry.

When Burbo Bank Extension has been fully commissioned, expectedly in the first half of 2017, DONG Energy will have 18 offshore wind farms in production – 11 of these in the UK.

Source: dongenergy.com

China’s Oil Production Tanks, Foreign Oil Dependency Nightmare Intensifies

13.09.2016

It might seem disingenuous to call any country’s foreign oil dependency a nightmare, but that’s exactly what it is. A myriad of problems stem from foreign oil dependency, ranging from a massive transfer of wealth, to securing vital supply lines and shipping lanes to other geopolitical considerations.

As a major country becomes more dependent on foreign oil, that particular country’s geopolitical decisions and foreign policy become more limited or even forced, something the U.S. struggled with for nearly 40 years as oil demand was one of the major factors influencing U.S. foreign policy, especially in the Middle East, with subsequent allies and foes in the region up to the present.

Now, China, the world’s second largest crude oil importer, the world’s second largest economy and the fifth largest crude oil producer, will increasingly wrestle with this same quandary.

Amid troubled oil markets and a more than two-year oil price downturn that has seen oil prices plunge from $115 per barrel in the summer of 2014, to now trading in the paltry $40s range, well below the production break even point for many major producers, news came from China on Tuesday that the country’s crude oil output fell nearly 10% in August from the same period a year ago – to the lowest in more than six years.

Chinese crude production amounted to 16.45 million tonnes (3.87 million barrels per day) in August – the least on a daily basis since December 2009 and the second month of sharp declines.

The news comes as China’s oil imports reach record highs. As of last month, China’s oil imports had increased by 16% for the year, while the country is now set to pass the U.S. as the world’s largest crude oil importer.

Though some of this increase has been to fill the country’s strategic petroleum reserves, which reportedly are at or near full capacity, China’s foreign oil dependency rate, which hit 60% in 2013, has now exceeded that mark, and will likely remain above 60% for the long-term in light of its domestic production slowdown.

However, more pain will follow. Sinopec , one of China’s three state-owned oil majors, said that it expects its crude production to also fall another 16% for the second half of the year to 147 million barrels from 175 million barrels from the same period last year.

Last month, Sinopec Chairman Wang Yupu said that the company had shut down aging wells and reduced output to counter the decline in crude oil prices.

This also highlights another problem for China. Its onshore oilfields are maturing. Onshore fields represent approximately 80% of China’s current crude oil production capacity, while 20% of production is from shallow offshore reserves as of 2015, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest analysis of China’s energy sector.

Not only are China’s onshore fields maturing while new fields need to be developed, but the economics of the low oil price environment will mostly hinder development of new fields to offset the drop in production.

China can turn to offshore development, but offshore development is also expensive, while trying to develop any resources in the geopolitically tense South China Sea would add more fuel to the fire of that ongoing geopolitical drama, pitting the U.S., the Philippines, and Vietnam against China.

The way out for China is not easy to foresee. However, the result of China’s oil production dilemma is easy to understand – increased foreign oil dependency.

Beijing will have to intensity its already massive global oil search, increasing reliance in places from troubled South Sudan, to Niger, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Angola, Russia, and Venezuela, among others.

Perhaps China should consider taking advantage of U.S. shale oil exports. Though posing a potentially embarrassing geopolitical about-face for Beijing, at least U.S. production offers security of supply. The same argument can be made for an increase in Chinese procurement of American liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Beijing, who until a few years ago, saw energy independence as a key part of national security, has to reformulate a plan– one with no easy answers.

Source: forbes.com

Insights from Higher Wind and Solar Generation in Eastern Grid, USA

12.09.2016

A new study from the United States Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) used high-performance computing capabilities and innovative visualization tools to model, in unprecedented detail, how the power grid of the eastern United States could operationally accommodate higher levels of wind and solar photovoltaic generation. The analysis considered scenarios of up to 30 percent annual penetration of wind and solar.

Whereas previous studies have investigated operations in one-hour intervals, NREL’s Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study (ERGIS) analyzed a year of operations at 5-minute intervals, the same real-time interval used by grid operators for scheduling resources.

“By modeling the power system in depth and detail, NREL has helped reset the conversation about how far we can go operationally with wind and solar in one of the largest power systems in the world,” said the Energy Department’s Charlton Clark, a DOE program manager for the study. “Releasing the production cost model, underlying data, and visualization tools alongside the final report reflects our commitment to giving power system planners, operators, regulators, and others the tools to anticipate and plan for operational and other important changes that may be needed in some cleaner energy futures.”

For the study, NREL produced a high-resolution model of the entire Eastern Interconnection, including Canada, an important power trading partner with the United States. NREL modeled more than 5,600 electricity generators and more than 60,000 transmission lines in a power system that spans from Florida to Maine and portions of Canada and as far west as New Mexico.

ERGIS considered four hypothetical scenarios to analyze how the Eastern Interconnection might function in 2026, when the power system could have significantly less power generation from fossil fuels. The scenarios vary according to how wind, solar, and natural gas are used to replace the fossil fuel generators. The scenarios also differ according to the amount of new transmission lines that are assumed. Simulations occur in a modeling framework that mirrors the security constrained unit commitment (SCUC) and economic dispatch (SCED) process used by system operators. The SCUC and SCED determine the operation of the power system according to a variety of constraints, including marginal costs and defined operating reserve requirements. The capital costs, land use and siting, market design, gas pipeline, and other factors that would need to be addressed under the scenarios were not considered. This study also did not look at all aspects of reliability considered by system planners and operators, including system dynamics and AC power flow.

“Our work provides power system operators and regulators insights into how the Eastern Interconnection might operate in future scenarios with more wind and solar energy,” said Aaron Bloom, NREL project leader for the ERGIS study. “More importantly, we are sharing our data and tools so that others can conduct their own analysis.”

Among other findings, ERGIS shows that as wind and solar power generation increase:

The operation of traditional power sources (such as coal, natural gas, and hydropower) changes -Turning up or down more quickly to accommodate seasonal and daily variations of wind and solar in order to maintain the balance between demand and supply. In addition, traditional generators would likely operate for shorter periods of time as wind and solar resources meet more of the demand for electricity. Flows of power across the Eastern Interconnection change more rapidly and more frequently. During periods of very high wind and solar generation (e.g., 40 percent or more of daily load), model regions trade frequently and in large volumes according to new net load patterns. Regulatory changes, market design innovation, and flexible operating procedures are important to achieving higher levels of wind and solar. Looking at a year of operations at a 5-minute level, ERGIS shows that the power system can meet loads with variable resources-like wind and solar-in a variety of extreme conditions. However, technical feasibility depends on other transmission and generation operators providing the necessary ramping, energy, and capacity services; wholesale market design changes; and various capital expenditures, all of which will have financial and other implications that may need to be addressed and were outside of this study.

Fast Facts from the Analysis

The maximum penetration of wind and solar was 60 percent over a five-minute interval. The maximum annual curtailment of wind and solar was 6.2 percent. Wind and solar generation result in a 30 percent reduction in generation and commitment from coal and natural gas plants in the high wind and solar scenarios. Over the baseline scenario, CO2 emissions were reduced by up to 33 percent annually in our high wind and solar scenarios.

Peregrine Supercomputer: Power for an Efficient, Integrated Energy Future

NREL developed new modeling and analytical approaches that were executed using Peregrine, the lab’s ultra-efficient supercomputer. Peregrine has a peak performance of 2.25 petaflops (2.25 million billion calculations per second). That combination of computing power and innovative modeling techniques enabled NREL to remove simplifying assumptions included in other power systems models, increase fidelity of the modeled results, and reduce the processing time for ERGIS calculations from 19 months on a desktop computer to 19 days. The ERGIS team also took advantage of additional resources in NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility.

“We developed visualization tools that allow us to see how energy moves through the grid in space and time, and through those tools we could see patterns and events that weren’t visible in the static data points and plots,” said Bloom.

Source: sciencedaily.com

ABB Introduces the World’s most Efficient Electric Propulsion System for Marine Vessels

12.09.2016

abb-azipod-xl ABB’s Azipod XL model increases fuel efficiency by up to an additional 10 percent

Zurich, Switzerland, September 2016 – Azipod XL, the latest version of ABB`s market leading podded electric propulsion system, further increases vessel fuel efficiency to an unprecedented level of up to 20 percent compared to modern shaft line propulsion systems. The efficiency gain of the new version is achieved by a unique nozzle system that accelerates the water flow into the propeller to increase thrust, and by redesigning the thruster for reduced water resistance. Since the first installation 25 years ago, Azipod propulsion systems have accumulated more than 12 million running hours with an availability of 99.8%, saving over 700,000 tons of fuel, helping to reduce the maritime carbon dioxide footprint.

An industry standard for the marine industry, Azipod propulsion is a gearless steerable propulsion system with the electric drive motor located in a submerged pod outside the ship hull. Having 360-degree maneuverability, it is used to steer and drive a broad variety of vessels at the same time.

“We continuously strive to advance our technology to the benefit of our customers and the environment, as part of our Next Level strategy. Azipod XL is a perfect example for this approach as it represents the biggest jump in the systems’ fuel efficiency in recent years,” said Peter Terwiesch, president of ABB’s Process Automation division. “To put it in perspective, replacing all existing Azipod units with the new model would save the shipping industry an additional 2.2 million tons of fuel and 7 million tons of carbon dioxide over the next 25 years.”

The Azipod XL concept can be designed to give high bollard pull thrust at lower speed and still have good characteristics at higher speeds. Thus it fits vessels such as tugs and offshore construction vessels. Other suitable ship types are ferries and LNG tankers.

Azipod XL’s features include the capability for advanced condition monitoring utilizing ABB’s concept of the Internet of Things, Services and People (IoTSP) and its Integrated Operations Centers for Marine, continuously monitoring equipment and performance parameters of more than 600 vessels.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leading global technology company in power and automation that enables utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs about 135,000 people.

Source: abb.com

Indian Scientists Design Solar Tree to Save Space for Solar Power Generation

12.09.2016

NEW DELHI — Indian scientists have designed a “solar tree” that they hope will help overcome one of the key challenges the country faces in the generation of solar power.

With photovoltaic panels placed at different levels on branches made of steel, “solar trees” could dramatically reduce the amount of land needed to develop solar parks.

“It takes about four-square meters of space to produce energy which otherwise would have required 400 square meters of space. So almost 100 times the space is saved, which as you know is very valuable,” said Daljit Singh Bedi, chief scientist at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in New Delhi, whose laboratory in Kolkata developed the tree.

A scarce resource in India, acquisition of land to develop roads, factories and other infrastructure is a sensitive issue that has led to frequent and sometimes violent protests from displaced people.

Scientists estimate the energy generated by a solar tree would be sufficient to light up five homes. They say the space-saving tree would not only make it easier to increase solar power generation to light up homes and streets in cities, but also in rural areas where farmers are unwilling to give up large tracts of land for solar panel installations.

The solar tree will also harness more energy compared to rooftop panels. “This design, it facilitates placement of solar panels in a way that they are exposed more towards sun and that way they are able to harness 10 to 15 per cent more energy, which is more or less equivalent to one hour more than the conventional format,” said Bedi.

India’s pledge to reduce its carbon emissions relies heavily on increasing the generation of solar energy. The world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India pledged at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris last year to slow the rate at which it emits greenhouse gases by one third over 2005 levels by 2030.

To achieve this, India has set an ambitious target of generating 40 percent of its total capacity from renewables by 2030 and reducing its reliance on polluting coal-based thermal energy. In the sun-drenched country, the main focus will be on solar power.

While the falling cost of photovoltaic panels in recent years has made solar power much more viable, and investment has been flowing into the growing sector, worries remain about acquiring large tracts of land to set up solar parks.

“It takes quite a bit of time which results in cost escalation and all those things,” said Amit Kumar at the Energy and Resources Institute, a research institute in New Delhi.

But will solar trees provide a sustainable option? Kumar cautions that innovations that aim at concentration of solar power so far have not made much headway.

“Unless we put those [trees] on a large scale, [only] then will we be able to get that answer,” he said.

However Indian officials like Bedi are optimistic.

“When we talk about plantation of trees, we would now talk about plantation of solar trees,” he said.

Source: voanews.com

Elopak Becomes a CarbonNeutral® Company and now Offers CarbonNeutral® Packaging to its Customers

12.09.2016

Elopak is pleased to announce it is now a CarbonNeutral® company and is also able to exclusively offer CarbonNeutral® packaging to its customers. With this, Elopak is fulfilling its vision of carbon neutrality, in line with its ambitious environmental strategy; Future Proofed Packaging.

“Since 2012 Elopak has envisioned becoming carbon neutral as a company and offering carbon neutral beverage cartons. Now, we have achieved this milestone, well-ahead of schedule. Elopak wishes to achieve absolute sustainability and be a company with zero net impact on the environment, and our carbon neutrality program brings us several steps closer to this vision”, says Niels Petter Wright, CEO of Elopak.

After having reduced its own greenhouse gas emissions by investing in energy efficiency and phasing in renewable electricity, Elopak is taking the next step by achieving carbon neutrality and supporting projects with verified carbon savings, which also have a positive impact on people’s lives and the environment. Kristian Hall, Director Corporate Environment at Elopak, explains the concept of carbon neutrality: “Achieving carbon neutrality means that Elopak’s residual greenhouse gas emissions are offset by projects outside of our value chain, which have a very positive effect on local livelihoods and the environment. Specifically, Elopak is supporting a Ugandan cooking stove project, as well as a REDD+ rainforest protection project in Borneo, where 65 000 hectares of tropical rainforest are being preserved. By becoming carbon neutral in our products and operations, we are sending a strong signal to our customers and to end users of our packaging, that we are taking our environmental responsibility seriously and are taking positive action where we can”.

The carbon neutral certification is in accordance with The Carbon Neutral Protocol and has been verified by an independent third-party, Anthesis Consulting Group.

This announcement comes only months after Elopak became the first packaging company to join the RE100 campaign, committing to sourcing 100% renewable electricity from 2016 onwards for all its production and administration units worldwide, excluding two joint ventures.

Source: elopak.com

Cities Are at the Frontline of the Energy Transition

12.09.2016

Cities dominate energy demand, and by extension are responsible for a significant share of carbon emissions. In 2013, the world’s urban areas accounted for about 64% of global primary energy use and produced 70% of the planet’s carbon dioxide emissions. These shares will rise as cities grow and urban economic activity expands. As the world seeks to make more efficient use of its energy resources, increase energy security and meet global climate targets, it is essential that cities take a leading role in the energy transition.

Thankfully, there are a wide range of solutions for reducing the carbon footprint and improving the energy efficiency of urban areas. For example, according to IEA analysis presented in the special section on urban energy systems in Energy Technology Perspectives 2016 (ETP 2016) the gradual evolution of urban transport systems to encourage walking, cycling and public transit could save $21 trillion by 2050, while at the same time making a significant dent in greenhouse gas emissions. But the longer action is delayed, the greater the chances that inefficient choices will be “locked-in” for decades to come. This focus on urban energy systems in ETP 2016 provides policymakers at both national and local levels the tools and analysis necessary to set realistic targets to encourage immediate action.

Policy at the national level must encourage the deployment of clean energy technologies, and include greenhouse gas emission reduction targets (such as those under the Paris Agreement), carbon pricing mechanisms, and investment in energy research, development and demonstration.

But these targets must then be complemented by action at the local level. To meet their renewable energy targets, cities can provide detailed solar maps giving valuable information on expected energy yields and installation costs for buildings and houses in various neighbourhoods for example. On transportation and fossil fuel emissions, cities can also invest in the long-term development of walking and cycling infrastructure. For energy efficiency, cities can take a leading role in adopting, monitoring and enforcing building energy codes for new construction.

There are cities that are already taking serious action. Some small towns in the United States are already running entirely on renewable power, including Aspen, Colorado, and Burlington, Vermont. Bigger cities have set ambitious goals, with Copenhagen, Denmark, aiming to be carbon neutral by 2025. San Diego, California, aims to be 100% powered by renewable sources by 2035, and Vancouver, Canada, by 2050.

Even some of the world’s biggest cities are seeing encouraging results. Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan with a population of 3.7 million and like many other cities in the world, rapid urbanisation has increased energy use, caused traffic jams, and led to spikes in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2010, the city decided to tackle the issue and improve its energy management, doing its part to mitigate climate change. The Yokohama Smart City Project began as a five-year pilot in three districts. It has since been deployed to the entire city, covering about 435 square kilometres. The project uses smart grids to manage the energy needs of households, buildings and local communities. It introduced about 37 megawatts of solar PV generation spread over 265 locations across the city (enough to power more than 9 000 Japanese households) has deployed over 2,000 electric vehicles, and has seen great success in using incentives to limit electricity use.

There is growing momentum behind the role of the city in taking action on climate and sustainability. Ten years ago the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group was established as a global network of cities that are developing and implementing policies to reduce emissions. Today, the C40 network consists of more than 75 cities, representing more than 550 million people. As part of the C40 network, Paris has committed to reducing CO2 emissions in municipal buildings, in part by undertaking deep renovations of 600 public schools to save 65 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. More than 2 000 of such measurable actions have been taken by C40 cities around the globe.

Cities are naturally positioned to make these kinds of changes. The density of human, economic and intellectual capital in the world’s cities can be a driving force for the acceleration of clean energy development and deployment. As more and more cities take the opportunity to act as innovation hubs and test beds for sustainable urban energy technology, the closer the whole world will be to providing secure, sustainable and affordable energy for all.

Source: iea.org

From Istanbul to Nordkapp in a Tesla with Saša Cvetojević

09.09.2016

download Cvetojević will travel from Istanbul to Nordkapp.

Elon Musk of Tesla Motors once said: “If something is important enough, you have to try it, even if it is likely that the idea will fail.” Musk was also correct when he predicted the growth in production of electric cars, which are slowly but surely spreading to Europe as well. With one such electric car, Croatian entrepreneur Saša Cvetojević will travel 10,000 kilometres. He and a Tesla car will start their journey in Istanbul and go to Nordkapp, reports N1 on September 7, 2016.

“People mistakenly think that travelling in cars driven by ‘normal’ engines, with a display which tells them how much fuel they have, is the safest was to travel, but actually with electric cars we have all the information we need”, explained Cvetojević. “You would actually have to intentionally try and behave very irresponsibly to remain without electricity in the middle of a road”, explained Cvetojević, who did admit that in some countries it might be more of a challenge, since many Eastern European countries still do not have a system of charging stations.

“The goal is to go travel over Europe from its southernmost to its northernmost point. However, an electric car can go through countries where there is no infrastructure”, he said. “Of course, it is possible to charge a car without a specialized station. It can be recharged at any outlet, and the only difference is time.” With super-charger “it takes about 15 to 20 minutes, while with an ordinary socket you may need a whole night and a little bit more. There is also a possibility of using a stronger home socket, which would take about five hours”, explained Cvetojević.

He believes that Croatia, just like many other countries, has made a mistake with the system of charging stations which are like islands and are not sufficiently connected. But, it is even worse not to have charging stations at all. “It will not always be easy, especially in countries where there are no charging stations, but we want to prove that it is possible.”

Range of one fully charged electric car is about 700 kilometres, but only if you drive very, very slowly. A more realistic range is 400 kilometres. If you drive fast, then the range is about 200 kilometres. You drive for about 3 to 3.5 hours and then stop for half an hour.

As for the Croatian market, currently there are over one thousand owners of electric cars. “We are a tourist country, and every day people from abroad call me and ask for charging stations, and how to reach them.” It seems that Croatian market, due to purchasing power, at present is not interesting enough for the major players. They have now installed two stations, one in Split and another one in Senj.”

“There will always be two drivers in the car. Four of us will go on this voyage, including a photographer. People will be able to follow us on the internet”, said Cvetojević. You can follow the voyage here.

Source: total-croatia-news.com

Photo: teslaelectricconnection.com

Costa Rica Has Been Running on 100 Percent Renewables for Two Months

09.09.2016

Costa Rica ran on 100 percent renewable energy for 76 straight days between June and August this year, according to a new report, demonstrating that life without fossil fuels is possible – for small countries, at least.

This is the second time in two years that the Central American country has run for more than two months straight on renewables alone, and it brings the 2016 total to 150 days and counting.

According to Costa Rica’s National Centre for Energy Control (CENCE), 16 June 2016 was the last day this year that fossil fuels-based energy was used by the national grid. (Data for September is still forthcoming.)

Since then, the country has been powered on a mix of hydro, geothermal, wind, and solar energy, with hydro power providing about 80.27 percent of the total electricity in the month of August.

Geothermal plants contributed roughly 12.62 percent of electricity generation in August, while wind turbines provided 7.1 percent, and solar 0.01 percent.

Just like last year, when Costa Rica managed to power itself for a total of 299 days without burning oil, coal, or natural gas, 2016’s milestone was helped along by heavy rainfalls at the country’s four hydroelectric power facilities.

While the achievement is undoubtedly impressive, and something that should definitely be celebrated as proof that a range of renewable energy sources can lessen a country’s reliance on fossil fuels, it’s important to note that Costa Rica’s success is largely due to its size.

It has a total area of about 51,000 square kilometres – about half the size of the US state of Kentucky – and it has a population of just 4.9 million people.

That relatively small population means a whole lot less energy is needed in Costa Rica than, say, the US, as Maria Gallucci reports for Mashable:

“This nation of 4.9 million people generated about 10,713 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2015, according to a July report from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The United States, by contrast, generated about 373 times more electricity, with roughly 4 million gigawatt-hours of total generation in 2015, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.”

Plus Costa Rica’s primary industries are tourism and agriculture, rather than more energy-intensive industries such as mining or manufacturing.

But just because the country is small and is doing better at ditching fossil fuels than most, that doesn’t mean it’s going to rest on its laurels.

As Gallucci reports, a massive hydroelectric project called Reventazón, run by the Costa Rica Electricity Institute (ICE), will come online later this month, after six years of construction, which means even more hydro power is in store.

“Revantazón is the largest public infrastructure project in Central America, after the Panama Canal,” says Gallucci. “The dam’s five turbines will have a generating capacity of 305.5 megawatts – enough to power around 525,000 homes.”

We can’t wait to see how far Costa Rica can go with their extensive renewable energy sources. Let’s hope 365 days of zero fossil fuels is on the horizon.

Source: sciencealert.com

The Pollution-free Benefits of Cooking without Power

09.09.2016

No one likes to be stuck in a sweltering kitchen on a hot sunny day. When the weather is gorgeous, summer evenings should be spent outside, not slaving away over air-polluting kitchen appliances. A recent study from California has brought to light just how toxic kitchen appliances can be. Gas powered ovens were found to put a lot of dangerous chemicals into the air without homeowners being aware of it. Though the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cracks down on industrial pollution, they don’t have an effective way to monitor pollution levels in the home environment, meaning that the levels of toxins that build up in well-used kitchens can reach staggeringly unsafe levels without families having a clue.

Think of it this way, if your house was a public space, the EPA might be knocking on your door. Without proper ventilation, gas ranges can produce air pollution levels that far exceed what is considered safe for people to breath in. The scientists behind this study were so disturbed by their research findings that they believe it should become a public health priority to educate the public about the air pollution dangers of cooking over gas stoves.

Don’t be a victim of your own home’s pollution. There are steps you can take right now to reduce your exposure to toxic indoor chemicals. One fantastic option is to occasionally move your cooking process to the backyard. Making your food outside can be an enjoyable, low-cost way to cook that’s as fun to do as the results are to eat. Best of all, these four techniques require no fuel source besides the sun and a little bit of firewood.

So step outside that sweaty kitchen, enjoy the outdoors, and have some fun experimenting with different ways to make dinner.

Preserve nutrients with a solar dehydrator

The freezer works when you have electricity, but how could you hope to preserve your garden produce if the power goes out? Dehydrating food is an age-old process that prevents bacteria from spoiling your food while retaining nutrients, all without relying on added salts and sugars. Don’t think of solar drying as merely a hobby; it can revolutionize the way you approach your food.

Electric counter top dehydrators are noisy, energy-sucking devices, so consider using a solar dehydrator instead! There are lots of variations in design, but a basic model uses plywood and is essentially made of two parts: a heat collector and dehydrator box. Food is thinly sliced and positioned on screen trays so that warm air can hit each piece from every angle. Sunlight passes through the clear glass top of the dehydrator box and the heat gets trapped inside, working to dry the food pieces inside it. Some dehydrators also contain an absorber plate that indirectly heats the food while removing excess moisture from the system.

For best success, make sure to dehydrate food when it is at peak ripeness in order to get maximum flavor and nutrients out of it. You can expect a moisture-rich food like tomatoes to take two days to dry in a system like this.

There are a few things that are important to keep in mind when planning to use a solar dehydrator. First, remember that multiple sunny days in a row are usually necessary for getting your food completely dry. Food might spoil in the dehydrator box if the sun goes away for too long. Also, keep in mind that recipes taste different when prepared with dehydrated food. They won’t taste worse, they’ll just have a different texture and consistence. Cooking time will also go up because it takes a while for dehydrated food to regain moisture. But, if you can work around these obstacles, you will find that solar dehydrators are an innovative, dead easy way to get yourself some cooking time outside of the kitchen.

Need a little more advice? This link will tell you what you need to know.

In summary

Cooking dinner doesn’t have to happen between four walls and a roof. Take the initiative to step outside and you might find that your most innovative and delicious recipes will be created under the inspiration of the open air. Once you’ve tasted home-fired pizza from your earth oven or eaten a savory stew straight from a Dutch oven, you might find that your regular kitchen no longer holds the same appeal.

Be bold. Go outside. A whole world of fossil-fuel-free culinary experimentation awaits you.

Source: naturalcave.com

UK Will Miss its 2020 Renewable Energy Targets, Warn MPs

09.09.2016

Urgent action is needed if UK is to meet its targets, particularly for heating and transport

The UK will fail to meet its targets on renewable energy generation, with take-up of clean fuels for heating and transport falling badly behind aims, MPs have warned.

The findings of the influential energy and climate change committee (ECC) show that ministers have little clear plan for meeting the 2020 target to meet 15% of energy needs from renewable sources.

This includes a target to generate 30% of electricity from wind, solar and other low-carbon sources by the end of the decade, and to generate 12% of heating energy and 10% of transport fuels from clean sources by the same date.

These targets were set under the EU’s renewable energy plan, but ministers are still required to meet them despite the Brexit vote. The UK is faring best on renewable electricity, the target for which may be met if current trends continue, but the proportion of renewable energy used for transport has fallen in the last year, and heating remains a significant problem.

Angus MacNeil, the Scottish National party MP who chairs the committee, said: “The experts we spoke to were clear: the UK will miss its 2020 renewable energy targets without major policy improvements. Failing to meet these would damage the UK’s reputation for climate change leadership. The government must take urgent action on heat and transport to renew its efforts on decarbonisation.”

The report findings are the latest warning over the UK’s waning attractions for renewable energy investors.

Heating and transport fuels are particular problems because there are few options available other than fossil fuels. For instance, ground source heat pumps are difficult to install, biomass heating can produce soot particles, and biofuels – made from plants – are controversial as they can contribute to deforestation if not closely managed.

The MPs said that the rearrangement of government departments that has resulted in the closure of the Department of Energy and Climate Change, with its responsibilities bundled into an enlarged Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, could be an opportunity for renewed focus on meeting the targets. However, they also warned that these priorities could be lost as ministers cope with the implications of leaving the EU.

Dr Robert Gross, director of the centre for energy policy and technology at Imperial College London, told the Guardian that even in electricity generation, the sector closest to meeting the 2020 targets, progress was slowing because of government policy.

He said the Conservative government’s decision last year to effectively end public support for onshore wind, which is the cheapest form of renewable energy generation, and to slash support for solar power and offshore wind, were making a major difference.

“Leaving the EU does not mean that the UK can simply forget these targets,” he said. “UK legislation is predicated on them. The UK still wishes to take a leading role in the climate debate, and backsliding on targets is not consistent with doing so.”

He said there had also been a lack of progress in constructing district heating systems, a feature of many continental European cities, whereby hundreds or thousands of homes are heated from a central source, often reusing the otherwise wasted heat that is a byproduct from fossil fuel power stations or rubbish incineration.

Sir Brian Heap, research associate at the centre for development studies at the University of Cambridge, called on ministers to take note. “More research and effective policy decisions are needed to achieve [the targets] which should be addressed urgently,” he said.

The report by the ECC committee, which continues to operate as a select committee although the department it scrutinises has been reorganised, came as proponents of renewable energy celebrated the installation of the UK’s first 8MW wind turbine, in Liverpool Bay. Under construction by the Danish company Dong Energy, the Burbo Bank windfarm will eventually comprise 32 of the 195-metre giant turbines, each with blades 80 metres long.

The blades in question are the first to have been manufactured for offshore wind turbines in the UK, made on the Isle of Wight and assembled in Belfast by MHI Vestas. When completed the windfarm will supply enough electricity to power 230,000 homes.

Source: theguardian.com

JinkoSolar Announces Withdrawal from EU PV Price Undertaking

09.09.2016

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) on September 8th, 2016 announced its withdrawal from the European Union photovoltaic (PV) price undertaking (UT) agreement.

Under the terms of the UT agreement that JinkoSolar was party too, Chinese companies selling solar cells and solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in the EU must sell at a price above a fixed Minimum Import Price (MIP).

Chinese solar manufacturers that did not accept the UT agreement faced anti-dumping (AD) and anti-subsidy (AS) duties, which for JinkoSolar were 41.2% and 6.5%, respectively.

After careful strategic consideration, the Company believes that the UT agreement is no longer conducive to the ongoing expansion of its business in the EU, reads the press release.

The Company believes that trade protectionism only harms fair competition in the market, hinders the development of the entire PV industry, and hurts PV consumers.

“After carefully reviewing our EU operations, we believe that the current MIPs no longer accurately reflect the current market price environment given that average selling prices (ASPs) in all major EU markets continue to decline, and seriously erode our competitiveness in those markets,” said Xiande Li, Chairman of JinkoSolar.

“We feel our competitiveness and market power were being unfairly hampered and have opted to withdraw from the UT agreement. We believe that we will be in a better position to leverage our strong brand name, industry-leading technology, global production facilities, and large customer base once we withdraw from the UT agreement. We remain committed to our European customers and will continue to supply them with the high quality, reliable products we have become synonymous with.”

Source: solarserver.com

Opel Ampera-e ad Highlights ‘Fun to Drive’ Aspect of Electric Cars

09.09.2016

General Motors’ European marketing people appear to be taking a different tack with the upcoming Opel Ampera-e electric car.

Set to debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show later this month, the Ampera-e is essentially a Chevrolet Bolt EV with a nose job.

Aside from some minor cosmetic changes, it will be identical to the 200-mile Chevy electric car.

It will even be built alongside the Bolt EV in Michigan, and exported to Europe to be sold by GM’s German Opel division. This YouTube video previews that car in a manner not typical of electric-car advertising.

In the video, an Ampera-e lines up for a drag race against a handful of sporty Opel models—including racing versions of the automaker’s Adam and Astra small cars. Perhaps not surprisingly for a promotional video, the Ampera-e beat them all.

Granted, the race covered a distance of only 30 meters (98 feet), not the quarter-mile of typical drag races. While the electric Opel isn’t exactly underpowered, it’s unclear whether the Ampera-e would have been able to maintain its lead over a longer race.

Like the Bolt EV, the Ampera-e is powered by a 150-kilowatt (200-horsepower) electric motor, which also produces 266 pound-feet of torque. GM quotes a 0 to 50 kph (0 to 31 mph) time of 3.2 seconds, and a top speed of 93 mph.

It previously quoted the Bolt EV’s 0 to 60 mph time as “under 7.0 seconds,” and the Ampera-e will likely offer similar performance. If nothing else, the race illustrates the advantage of an electric motor’s instant torque delivery.

The dragstrip video actually ends with words that must seem like heresy to those marketers who think “green” always and only when discussing electric cars. The words in question? “Fun to drive.”

Owners know that electric cars can often simply be nicer to drive than equivalent internal-combustion models, but that’s not something carmakers have been willing to emphasize in advertising.

Source: greencarreports.com

Historic Day for Australian Solar: 12 new PV Plants Totaling 482 MW Get USD 92 Million Support

08.09.2016

Twelve new large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants are set to be constructed across Australia, tripling the amount of energy produced from utility-scale solar.

The 12 PV projects totaling 482 MW have been chosen as part of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) multi-million dollar large-scale solar round. They are expected to unlock almost USD 1 billion of commercial investment and boost regional Australian economies.

ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said Australia’s big solar industry was coming of age thanks to ARENA support, ensuring large-scale solar was a competitive, sustainable energy option.

“ARENA is working to accelerate Australia’s shift to a sustainable, affordable and reliable energy future and our work supporting the development of Australia’s large-scale solar industry is central to this vision,” Frischknecht said.

Six PV plants in Queensland, five plants in New South Wales and one plant in Western Australia are slated for funding, in a major milestone that’s expected to triple Australia’s large-scale solar capacity from 240 MW to 720 MW.

“They will provide enough energy to power 150,000 average Australian homes and deliver one tenth of the new capacity required to meet Australia’s 2020 renewable energy target. Regional economies will benefit massively from the growing big solar industry, with 2,300 direct jobs and thousands more indirect jobs expected to be created by this round,” Frischknecht added.

“It is now up to successful companies to deliver these projects in line with ARENA’s requirements, which could see all plants built by the end of next year. This is an aggressive timetable to lock in financing, off take arrangements, connection agreements and required approvals. Several are seeking debt financing for projects through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation’s complementary large-scale solar program.”

Source: solarserver.com

European Circular Economy Project Kicks off in Wales

08.09.2016

A new Europe-wide project intended to help smaller businesses enter the circular economy and operate in a more sustainable and profitable way has kicked off in Wales.

A recent study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) identified the potential economic benefits of a circular economy as being more than £2 billion, while a WRAP/Green Alliance study predicts up to 30,000 new jobs could be created.

The Circular Economy for SMEs (CESME) project has been established to support SMEs to enter the green economy and future-proof their business in a greener and more sustainable way. Supported by €1.73million of Interreg Europe funding and including 10 partners from six European countries, the project is intended to share experiences, identify best practice and provide a step-by-step guide for SMEs.

The project also aims to provide policy makers with the knowledge and understanding of the benefits of the circular economy and advise how support packages can be used to help SMEs to enter the circular economy.

Wales hosted the first partner event in May, which saw all 10 partners gather in Cardiff and hear from a number of circular economy experts including the Ecodesign Centre Wales and WRAP Cymru.

Delegates visited local SME Orangebox in Hengoed, winner of the 2002 Wales Environment Award. The company undertook a pilot project in 2014 to design an office chair that is 98% recyclable with the potential to generate sales of £5 million per annum and £2.5million of added value for Orangebox’s supply chain.

Cabinet secretary for environment and rural affairs, Lesley Griffiths said: “Wales has a strengthening global reputation for green growth and we recognise the opportunities the circular economy will bring. Sharing valuable expertise will help us break down barriers for SMEs and bring this vision into reality.”

The CESME project is expected to last four years with the first phase focussed on working with policy makers to shape and improve selected policy instruments and the second phase working with SMEs.

The CESME project was initiated by the Business Development Centre in North Denmark, who act as project lead. The project partnership includes overall 10 partners from six European countries: Denmark (DK), Italy (IT), Finland (FI), Bulgaria (BG), United Kingdom (UK) and Greece (GR).

Other partners are Metropolitan City of Bologna (IT), ERVET SpA – Emilia Romagna Development Agency (IT), Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia (FI), JPYP Business Service (FI), Bulgarian Association of Municipal Environmental Experts (BG), Welsh Government (UK), Development Agency of Eastern Thessaloniki’s Local Authorities (GR) and the Region of Central Macedonia (GR).

The project is reported to have a total budget of €1,730,000 and will be co-funded by Interreg Europe Programme. Its foreseen duration is four years.

Source: recyclingwasteworld.co.uk

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