Independent Power Projects Essential to Electrify Sub-Saharan Africa, New Report Finds

27.06.2016

A new World Bank report draws from experiences in five African countries to explain why independent power projects (IPPs) are crucial to help deliver electricity to the 600 million people without it in Sub-Saharan Africa. The report highlights the challenges policymakers face and factors that can lead to scaled-up and sustainable power sector investment.

Africa’s power sector needs far exceed most countries’ already stretched public finances, making it crucial for governments to attract greater levels of private investent to scale up generation capacity. To reach the scale required, governments must provide a sound investment climate and enabling environment, the report finds.

“Independent Power Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa – Lessons from Five Key Countries” Power projects on case studies carried out in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda – countries that have the most experience with IPPs in the region.

“Independent power projects now constitute the primary vehicle for private investment in the African power sector,” said Makhtar Diop, the World Bank’s Vice President for Africa. “The objective of this report is to identify key lessons that can help African countries attract more and better private investment.”

Currently, there are 126 IPPs in 18 Sub-Saharan countries, accounting for an installed capacity of 11 GW and $25.6 billion in investments. But to benefit more countries the report recommends these IPPs should be much larger and spread across the region.

Enabling factors for attracting more and better IPPs include:

More competitive procurement efforts from countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, which includes encouraging long-term contracts through a competitive bidding process. This can help secure reduced prices and help avert other issues, such as the possibility of a problematic contract. If direct negotiations are conducted, they should be done transparently.
Clear and conducive energy sector policies, structures and regulatory environment.
Systematic and dynamic power sector planning, including the ability to accurately project future electricity demand, determine best supply or demand management options and anticipate how long it will take to procure, finance, and build the required electricity generation capacity.
Financial viability of the public utilities is vital as they remain the principal off-takers of power produced by IPPs. Given the high-risk environment of most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, it will be important to provide proper mitigation through financial guarantees and security measures to attract new investors.

The report also finds that renewable energy IPPs are becoming more promising and can be viable if procured competitively.

The report concludes that all sources of investment need to be encouraged and for IPPs to flourish, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa need dynamic, least-cost planning linked to the timely, competitive procurement of new power generation capacity. This must be accompanied by effective regulations that encourage distribution utilities that purchase power to improve their performance and prospects for financial sustainability, thereby widening access to electricity.

www.worldbank.org

Ventura Oil Spill Misses the Ocean, but Damage on Land is Unclear

24.06.2016

Before the sun rose Thursday, Kirk Atwater’s wakeup call was a noxious breeze that filled his bedroom with fumes.

He stepped out of his ranch that overlooks an arroyo in the Ventura hills and saw a creek of thick, black goo traveling through the canyon that was dry just the day before.

A pipeline valve had somehow opened and sent thousands of gallons of crude oil down into an arroyo that flows through the city of Ventura and reaches the ocean near the Ventura Pier.

Atwater, 56, called 911 and the oil pipeline company. His early notice helped officials stop the oil in a drainage basin before it reached the ocean, but not before an estimated 29,400 gallons of unrefined crude bled into the canyon.

It marked the latest significant oil spill in California and underscored the hazards of the oil and natural gas industry along the Central Coast, where last year a corroded pipeline spewed 143,000 gallons of crude oil onto Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara.

“There’s no excuse for this happening,” said Henning Ottsen, a 74-year-old engineer who has lived for more than three decades across the canyon from where Thursday’s spill originated. Some of the oil flowed onto his property, coating rocks and foliage with black tar.

“We know the oil fields are back in the hills,” he said. “It should be assured they take care of the infrastructure and not let this sort of thing happen.”

County officials initially estimated that up to 210,000 gallons had flowed out of the pipe, but they later downgraded the figure. The oil flowed down a steep canyon slope and traveled about half a mile through Prince Barranca, a gorge that typically fills with water during storms.

The oil then pooled in a storm water basin, allowing officials to block the crude from flowing farther.

“There’s no way it can get to the ocean,” Ventura County firefighter Marisol Rodriguez said.

Still, residents were concerned that the toxic liquid would harm wildlife. Ottsen, whose ranch and garden sit about 60 feet above the barranca, said he typically sees coyote, deer and mountain lion tracks in the dirt during the mornings.

“It’s a freeway for the animals,” he added.

Capt. George Struble of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said there were no reports of animals affected.

The cause of the spill is under investigation by a team of state and federal agencies, according to Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Mike Lindbery. Investigators with the state Office of Spill Prevention also arrived to assess the site, an agency spokeswoman said.

Owned by Colorado-based Crimson Pipeline LLC, the 10-inch underground pipeline was installed in 1941 and is up to date on state and federal inspections, according to Kendall Klingler, a spokeswoman for the company.

The pipeline, however, had been undergoing maintenance Wednesday and was not at its full rate of flow or pressure, Klingler said. The valve that was the source of the oil had been replaced Wednesday, she added.

The pipeline company offered a lower estimate of the spill than county officials, saying that no more than 25,200 gallons had been released.

Crimson Pipeline is responsible for the cleanup effort and deployed contractors to lay down large, absorbent booms in the barranca to mop up the crude. On Thursday afternoon, workers in white haz-mat suits hiked down to the canyon with industrial pumps and planned to vacuum the pools of liquid that formed along the riverbed. A caravan of trucks would then haul the liquid away.

Officials could not provide a timetable for the cleanup.

State agencies were working in concert with the pipeline company to monitor the cleanup effort, Klingler said.

Source: www.latimes.com

Which countries have plans for all new cars to be electric, and when?

24.06.2016

electric-car-2783573__340 — Photo: Pixabay

Plug-in electric cars currently make up a fairly small percentage of the millions of new vehicles sold globally. But within the next two decades, they may be the only new cars available for sale in certain countries. Multiple countries have announced plans to end the sale of new internal-combustion cars as a way to cut carbon emissions.

So which one will be the first?

Norway is likely the friendliest nation in the world for electric cars, and it was the first to discuss making all new cars electrically powered (whether via batteries or hydrogen fuel cells). The Scandinavian country already offers generous incentives to electric-car buyers, and has built up substantial charging infrastructure. Electric cars already account for an average 24 percent of new-car sales in Norway, but certain politicians are pushing for them to make up 100 percent of new-car sales by 2025. This goal was first proposed last August by Ola Elvestuen, a member of Norway’s parliament and Chair of the Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment.

Norway’s major political parties have now agreed to this “complete ban” on new internal-combustion cars, The Independent reported earlier this month. The Netherlands is also moving to end sales of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2025. In April, the Dutch parliament passed a motion to that effect, although it would still have to be approved by the senate to become law. Hybrids would still be allowed under the proposed rule, and internal-combustion cars sold before 2025 would be grandfathered for operation until the ends of their lives.

Like Norway, the Netherlands boasts significant electric-car incentives, and electric cars account for a greater share of sales than in most countries. Both Norway and the Netherlands also have concentrated populations, meaning short average commuting distances that won’t tax shorter-range electric cars. That’s less true of Germany, where electric cars currently account for a relatively low percentage of sales. Yet Deputy Economy Minister Rainer Baake believes the country should ban sales of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2030. Baake believes an emission-free car fleet is the only way to meet Germany’s goal of cutting carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050, according to Bloomberg.

The government also wants to put 1 million electric cars on German roads by 2020. Right now, electric cars only account for about 0.6 percent of new-vehicle sales in Germany, although an incentives program approved by lawmakers in May could help boost sales. The country with the most ambitious electric-car goal, though, may be India. Rather than simply ending sales of new internal-combustion cars, India’s government wants to make all cars in the country electric by 2030. This would hinge on an incentive program that would allow people to buy electric cars very cheaply. However, the proposal faces the challenge of instigating mass electric-car adoption in one of the world’s most populous nations, and creating the necessary infrastructure to support all of those new cars.

Many Indian homes do not have access to electricity at all, and the country currently relies heavily on fossil fuels to generate power. But with some of the worst air pollution in the world, India may have the greatest incentive of any country to make all of the cars on its roads electric.

Source: www.greencarreports.com

AET Completes 5MW Solar Project in Puerto Rico

24.06.2016

Applied Energy Technologies (AET) announced that it has completed a 5MW solar installation project with Rosendin Construction Puerto Rico, in Juncos, Puerto Rico. The modules added to the project are Hanwha Q Cells 300W. The installation is expected to generate power to a Medtronic Pharmaceuticals site.

Aaron Faust, VP of business development for AET, said: “It is a privilege to be selected for another project in the Caribbeanand South American market. Our engineering team is earning its reputation for providing thorough analysis so that every component of a project is taken into consideration to ensure quality, while also keeping costs down for the customer.”

For this installation, AET’s engineering team had to account for 145 miles per hour wind load, a higher than average wind load for solar systems. Utilising AET’s Rayport-G ECO wind tunnel test, the company was able optimise the posts of the system to save on cost.

Ronald Hopgood, division manager of Rosendin, added: “AET was a clear choice for this project because of their experience in managing and delivering utility-scale projects. AET’s system is backed by their expert engineering and wind tunnel analysis, making their system an ideal fit for the unique site conditions of this project.”

Source: www.pv-tech.org

Solar Impulse Arrives in Europe, Pointing the Way to the Future of Transportation

24.06.2016

Solar Impulse landing in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States of America — Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, May 12th 2016: Solar Impulse successfully landed at Tulsa International Airport with Bertrand Piccard at the controls. Departed from Abu Dhabi on march 9th 2015, the Round-the-World Solar Flight will take 500 flight hours and cover 35’000 km. Swiss founders and pilots, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg hope to demonstrate how pioneering spirit, innovation and clean technologies can change the world. The duo will take turns flying Solar Impulse 2, changing at each stop and will fly over the Arabian Sea, to India, to Myanmar, to China, across the Pacific Ocean, to the United States, over the Atlantic Ocean to Southern Europe or Northern Africa before finishing the journey by returning to the initial departure point. Landings will be made every few days to switch pilots and organize public events for governments, schools and universities.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, May 12th 2016: Solar Impulse successfully landed at Tulsa International Airport with Bertrand Piccard at the controls. Departed from Abu Dhabi on march 9th 2015, the Round-the-World Solar Flight will take 500 flight hours and cover 35’000 km. Swiss founders and pilots, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg hope to demonstrate how pioneering spirit, innovation and clean technologies can change the world. The duo will take turns flying Solar Impulse 2, changing at each stop and will fly over the Arabian Sea, to India, to Myanmar, to China, across the Pacific Ocean, to the United States, over the Atlantic Ocean to Southern Europe or Northern Africa before finishing the journey by returning to the initial departure point. Landings will be made every few days to switch pilots and organize public events for governments, schools and universities. — Photo: ABB

Seville, Spain, and Zurich, Switzerland, June 23, 2016 – Earlier yesterday, Solar Impulse, a groundbreaking solar aircraft, completed a 71-hour transatlantic flight from New York to Seville in the course of its remarkable round-the-world journey, which began last year in Abu Dhabi. The airplane relies on the newest generation of solar cells, batteries and lightweight composites to accomplish the once seemingly impossible task of flying around the globe without consuming any fossil fuels. The project clearly demonstrates how new technologies are currently opening the door to a new era of fully sustainable transportation.

One of the aircraft’s two pilots, André Borschberg, remarked, “This aircraft is essentially a flying smart grid, using the energy collected from renewable sources and then providing it efficiently to users who may require it at a different period of time from when it was generated.” Solar Impulse, which has a wingspan greater than a 747 but weighs about as much as an ordinary passenger car, uses a high-capacity lithium-polymer battery system to permit it to fly through the night as well as in full sunlight.

The project’s other pilot, Bertrand Piccard, who is Solar Impulse’s initiator and chairman, said, “The world could be much more efficient if all of these technologies were implemented on a wide scale. This is exactly what our partners at ABB are doing – applying these innovations in a way that the entire world can use them.”

In fact, Solar Impulse serves as just one strong current example of how advanced technologies are revolutionizing the world of transportation. ABB’s CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer noted that the company provides an expanding range of products and solutions that increase the efficiency of transport systems while reducing their environmental impacts on multiple fronts. “At ABB, we seek to find new ways to run the world without consuming the earth,” said Spiesshofer.

Regenerative braking systems in electric trains, trams and other vehicles are also contributing to significant improvements in energy efficiency. ABB’s ENVILINE product portfolio incorporates regenerative braking and other high-efficiency strategies to reduce energy consumption in direct current rail traction systems by as much as 30 percent.

Electric buses and other EVs are now becoming much more practical and are rapidly gaining in acceptance thanks to the development of new fast-charging stations, which can recharge the battery packs in the latest vehicles in just minutes rather than hours. A new public bus system in Geneva and one currently under construction in Namur, Belgium, make use of fast-chargers from ABB to provide cost-efficient zero-emission transport. Urban e-mobility stands to improve air quality and reduce congestion in city centers around the world.

Recent innovations have been providing more sustainable solutions in marine transport as well. ABB’s Azipod propulsion systems, which place electric drive motors in submerged pods that extend beneath the hulls of large ships, deliver dramatic increases in efficiency and maneuverability. The company’s OCTOPUS solution uses big data, smart sensors and advanced connectivity to provide guidance to ship operators on the most efficient routes to follow, while also giving warnings of potential hazards.

Solar Impulse represents just the opening stage of a new golden age of environmentally friendly transportation. “We are seeing huge new opportunities in the field of sustainable transport,” commented Spiesshofer. “Recent technological developments are opening the way to major advances in energy efficiency and productivity. We are only just beginning to realize the full potential of these changes.”

Source: www.abb.com

Maldives Urges Rich Countries to Rapidly Ratify Paris Climate Agreement

24.06.2016

coral-reef- — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Rich countries must ratify the climate change agreement reached in Paris last December, one of the world’s most at-risk nations has warned.

Thoriq Ibrahim, environment and energy minister of the Maldives, told the Guardian that there was “no time to waste”, in ratifying the agreement that was reached more than six months ago, and that it should be a matter of urgency for industrialised countries.

So far, almost the only countries to have passed the accord into law are the small islands most at risk from rising sea levels, and other smaller developing nations.

France became the first large industrialised nation to ratify the Paris agreement only earlier this month, although a ceremony was held in New York in April at which countries were supposed to affirm their commitment to the international agreement.

At Paris, nearly 200 countries agreed to hold global warming to no more than 2C above pre-industrial levels. Most of the world’s biggest economies came forward with their own domestically-binding targets for cutting carbon in the next decade or longer.

For the poorest nations, likely to be most affected by climate change, the ratification is an urgent matter, said Ibrahim.

“France’s ratification is not only another indication of how seriously the international community takes the Paris agreement, but it also brings us another step closer to having it take effect,” he said. “Small island states were the first 14 countries to ratify the agreement and deposit their instruments of approval with the UN. We encourage all countries, large and small, to do the same.”

He added: “The faster we bring the climate agreement into force, the faster we can take the action required. And we have no time to waste.”

One of the key issues for the Maldives is the damage being done to coral reefs, an issue recently highlighted by a major Guardian investigation into the plight of the world’s most famous corals, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The Maldives have also experienced a high degree of coral bleaching, a sign of the death of reefs that comes from warming waters, pollutants and other environmental problems.

Ibrahim said: “Analysis of the most recent data from the government research station shows variable levels of coral bleaching. We are closely monitoring the situation through assessment of permanent [coral] sites. It is important that we understand the recovery process on a scientifically sound basis.”

Coral reefs are a key attraction for tourists to the Maldives, where visitors are one of the key drivers of the local economy. The government is sensitive about the impacts of global warming on the islands’ reefs, fearing that people will stop coming if the reefs are in danger.

Ibrahim said the government and the private sector were conducting research into reef health, with a view to helping the reefs recover from their bleaching. But the future survival of the reefs would be dependent on the world keeping to the limits on carbon agreed in Paris.

“It is important that we keep anthropogenic impacts to a minimum at the critical time of recovery,” he said. “We intend to widen the scope of environmental impact assessments of developments on reefs so that project activities that impact corals and coral reef habitats will be minimised.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tesla Makes Offer to Acquire SolarCity

23.06.2016

Tesla’s mission has always been tied to sustainability. They seek to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable transportation by offering increasingly affordable electric vehicles. And in March 2015, Tesla launched Tesla Energy, which through the Powerwall and Powerpack allow homeowners, business owners and utilities to benefit from renewable energy storage.

It’s now time to complete the picture. Tesla customers can drive clean cars and they can use our battery packs to help consume energy more efficiently, but they still need access to the most sustainable energy source that’s available: the sun.

The SolarCity team has built its company into the clear solar industry leader in the residential, commercial and industrial markets, with significant scale and growing customer penetration. They have made it easy for customers to switch to clean energy while still providing the best customer experience. We’ve seen this all firsthand through our partnership with SolarCity on a variety of use cases, including those where SolarCity uses Tesla battery packs as part of its solar projects.

So, Tesla is excited to announce that Tesla today has made an offer to acquire SolarCity. To see Tesla’s offer visit site.

Source: www.teslamotors.com

SolarCity Expands to Houston Area, Launches Popular Solar Service for the First Time

23.06.2016

HOUSTON – SolarCity, America’s #1 solar power provider, is making its popular solar service available to homeowners in Greater Houston for the first time. SolarCity makes it possible for area homeowners to go solar for as little as $40 per month, with design, installation, financing, monitoring and a performance guarantee included. SolarCity will also provide and install a Nest Thermostat at no additional cost for qualifying customers.

SolarCity and local retail electricity provider MP2 Energy give Houston-area customers, whose transmission service provider is CenterPoint Energy, access to full net metering benefits through a unique partnership. The partnership allows SolarCity customers that use MP2 as their retail electricity provider to receive retail credit against future electricity use for any solar electricity they provide back to the utility grid during the day.

SolarCity allows customers to purchase a solar power system outright or finance the purchase of a solar system via a customized solar loan, or lease the solar panel system for the benefit of all the solar power it provides. The company has leveraged its installation volume—SolarCity installed more residential solar in 2015 than the next 50 competitors combined—to negotiate extremely favorable terms with financing partners on behalf of its customers. SolarCity also provides battery storage systems to customers that can allow customers to continue to have access to electricity during storm-related power outages.

SolarCity is currently scouting the Houston area for its first installation center, and expects to hire 50-100 local staff in sales, installation and related fields this year.

Source: www.solarcity.com

EIB Agrees New Investment Totalling EUR 7.4 Billion

22.06.2016

The Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank approved EUR 7.4 billion of new financing for 38 projects across Europe and around the world. Negotiations for the approved loans are expected to be finalised in the coming months.

The Board approved EUR 3 billion of new EIB financing for seventeen projects backed by the EU budget guarantee under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI). This includes research and development of new wind turbines in Germany, investment in research intensive early stage life science companies in Ireland and the UK, equity financing of small infrastructure projects in France and energy transmission in Italy.

The EFSI initiative will also support safety improvements at Vilnius airport and three biomass power plants in the Lithuanian capital and in Portugal, as well as roll-out of 4G mobile internet in Sweden and the Netherlands. Lending under the Investment Plan for Europe is also expected to support SME investment in Spain, Greece, Italy and Portugal.

A total of EUR 1 billion, also backed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments guarantee, was approved for a new initiative, intended to reduce harmful emissions in the European shipping industry through investment in energy efficient technologies and financing for retrofitting existing vessels and financing new environmentally friendly ships.

“The EIB is delivering on the Investment Plan for Europe. We have already approved projects that account for over a third of the final goal of mobilising EUR 315 billion in new investment. The diversity and scale of new EIB loans approved today and backed by the EU budget guarantee shows that the Plan is unlocking new investment that will transform services and accelerate investment and growth. This new financing backed by the EFSI guarantee will help accelerate pioneering drug treatment, improve security of energy supply and improve airport safety. These are truly innovative projects that benefit all Europeans”, said European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer.

New financing for strategic investment approved by the EIB Board also included upgrading of the water network in the Spanish region of Vizcaya, upgrading 7 hospitals in Stockholm, social housing in Berlin, including accommodation for refugees, extension of two geothermal power plans in Iceland and construction of a new deep water port in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Transport projects approved by the monthly board meeting include upgrading rail signalling in northern Italy and 40 new tram cars for the City of Helsinki. New urban investment including education, renewable energy, energy efficiency, transport, social care, culture and water schemes in the cities of Szeged in Hungary, Oulu in Finland, Presov in Slovakia as well as towns across Germany were backed also backed by the EIB Board.

More than EUR 3.1 billion of the new lending approved by today’s EIB board meeting, will improve access to finance by small business across Europe, including in Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Turkey . Dedicated lending programmes will support investment by start-up companies and the self-employed in Portugal, by SME’s working with the Spanish innovation agency CDTI and by smallholder farmers and agricultural companies across Africa.

All projects, including those earmarked for support under the EU budget guarantee, need to receive approval of the EIB Board prior to loan contracts being finalised. Loans and guarantees approved by the Board of Directors will be finalised in cooperation with promoters and beneficiaries, and figures may vary.

Source: www.eib.org

Investment Plan for Europe: EIB support Helsinki’s “second city centre”

22.06.2016

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a loan agreement with YIT of Finland, in support of energy efficiency in an urban development project in Helsinki. The loan is guaranteed under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

“We are glad to contribute to “the second centre of Helsinki” as the Tripla project has been dubbed. Urban development and energy efficiency in the pursuit of more sustainable and competitive cities are strategic priority objectives of the EIB, also in connection to our commitment of at least 25% of all our lending going towards climate action. The fact that Tripla will be a near-zero energy building fits very well with that. Importantly, the EIB loan in support of the Tripla project is guaranteed under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), part of the Juncker-Commission’s Investment Plan for Europe, which allows the EIB to expand its support for energy efficiency projects, amongst other things.” said Vice-President Jan Vapaavuori, responsible for EIB operations in Finland.

The EU Bank provided a EUR 130 million loan in support of the construction of Tripla near-zero energy building project in Helsinki, Finland. Apart from commercial real estate, the project also comprises a completely refurbished railway station and large parking facilities. The project is the cornerstone of commencing a multi-billion urban development and renewal scheme for the Pasila area of the Finnish capital, until recently a sizable rail and transport area but due to house some 12.000 residents by 2040. The Tripla building will be the biggest shopping centre in Finland by number of businesses and will serve as an important transport hub for the citizens.

The operation is fully guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments, part of the Juncker-Commission’s Investment Plan for Europe. The other financiers supporting the project are the Nordic Investment Bank, Danske Bank and Handelsbanken.

Source: www.eib.org

Photo: www.visithelsinki.fi

Australians Have Spent almost $8bn on Rooftop Solar since 2007

22.06.2016

Solar Citizens says since the 2012-13 financial year, rooftop solar owners have saved about $1bn on their household bills each year.

Australian households and small businesses have invested more than $1bn a year in rooftop solar over the past five years, spending a total of almost $8bn since 2007, new calculations show.

In its latest State of Solar report, Solar Citizens – which campaigns for, and represents the interests of, solar owners – has for the first time estimated Australian’s out-of-pocket investment in rooftop solar, how much money it has saved consumers, and how much carbon it has abated.

Overall, it found Australians have spent $7.8bn on rooftop systems since the 2007-08 financial year, an estimate based on the total amount of solar capacity installed and the cost of those systems.

But since the 2012-13 financial year, Solar Citizens calculated solar owners saved about $1bn on their energy bills each year, with those in the Northern Territory leading the way, saving an average of $1,989 each in the 2014-15 financial year.

In total, solar owners have saved $4.4bn since the 2007-08 financial year.

Although 60% of solar owners said they primarily bought solar systems for financial reasons, 38% said they did so for environmental reasons, according to a poll of 4,300 Solar Citizens supporters from January.

And when it came to environmental outcomes, the report estimated solar owners will avoid 6.3m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2016 – which they found is equivalent to taking a third of all trucks off Australian roads.

The report tried to emphasise the political weight solar owners now have, with about 5 million people living in homes with solar systems.

Source: www.theguardian.com

EU Environment Ministers recognize need for a bold reform of the EU carbon market

21.06.2016

Brussels, 20 June 2016 – Key EU Environment Ministers discussing the reform of the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) after 2020 today acknowledged that the Paris Agreement created new conditions for this process, and called for ensuring that a review of the level of ambition in the ETS takes place in the near future. In reaction to the debate at the Environment Council today, Wendel Trio, director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe said:

“The Ministers discussed the obvious: the ETS needs an overhaul to be in line with the Paris Agreement goals. Ministers stressed the need for a five year review clause in the ETS Directive, to be able to adapt it to the potential increase of the EU climate target for 2030. It is high time for the EU leaders to step forward and accept that the Paris Agreement requires a revision of all EU policy tools, including the ETS in due time. Only bold reforms can turn the ETS into a functioning policy tool. It is painfully obvious that with the weak reform proposals currently on the table, the ETS will not drive any emission cuts for many years to come, let alone help the EU meet the ambitious Paris Agreement goals.”

Ministers from several EU countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden and the UK intervened on the need to bring the ETS in line with the Paris Agreement, and called for a review clause to be included in the ETS Directive, the EU to be prepared for the UNFCCC review in 2018, efforts to increase the low carbon price or raising the Linear Reduction Factor, amongst others.

According to CAN Europe, in order to align the ETS with the Paris Agreement and keep the 1.5oC Paris goal within reach:

– the massive glut of surplus pollution permits should be permanently cancelled (by 2020, the ETS surplus will have grown to up to 4.4 billion; this is more than the EU emits annually; under current reform proposals, these can be fully carried over to the next trading period);

– both the 2030 target and the annual Linear Reduction Factor should be substantially raised in the run up to the next UN political moment in 2018 and then revised every five years;

– the starting point for reductions after 2020 should be at actual emissions level (projected to be around 38% below 2005 emissions by 2020; this would significantly reduce the total number of pollution permits).

Source: www.caneurope.org

V.V.

ABB Inverter Dramatically Boosts Performance of Solar Power Installations

21.06.2016

Zurich, Switzerland, June 20, 2016 – ABB’s PVS980 central inverter – an essential component in every solar installation that converts direct current (DC) produced in solar panels into alternating current (AC) for use by electrical grids – increases the amount of incoming solar power connected to a single inverter by as much as 40 percent: a dramatic improvement that completely changes the economics of a solar installation. Thanks to its increased power, the PVS980 central inverter also allows operators to use 30 percent fewer inverters than previously.
The high power 1500 VDC central inverter PVS980 is capable of processing more incoming direct current power from photovoltaic (PV) panels through one inverter, reducing the total number of inverters needed onsite, which helps reduce overall costs across the lifetime of a solar plant. Central inverters are used for applications such as large field installations as well as large arrays installed on buildings and industrial facilities. Originally introduced at Intersolar as a concept last year, the PVS980 is now shipping commercially and has already seen strong interest among customers, with a number of pilot projects in place.

Another attribute of the new inverter is that it is designed to seamlessly integrate into digital smart grids and operate efficiently in reducing the carbon footprint of electricity consumption.

ABB engineers have improved the compactness of the device, enabling a power density increase of more than 40 percent making it possible to build large power rated inverters in the same physical size. Avoiding external air entering the critical compartments of the inverter, the inverter can operate from below freezing to extreme heat in 100 percent humidity without jeopardizing functionality. The very wide temperature operating range, designed to withstand the toughest environments, is working without derating to up to 50°C with a water- and dustproof outdoor enclosure.

Using ABB’s innovative self-contained cooling system, the central inverter does not require refilling of liquids, and has no pumps or valves that need to be serviced. With optional remote condition monitoring, plant operators are able to gain operational data and more accurately plan maintenance.

“ABB has pushed the boundaries of development in the inverter area once again,” said Sami Atiya, President of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion division. “In line with our Next Level strategy, ABB is fully committed to the solar industry, strongly investing in R&D and regularly launching pioneering products to the market.”

ABB promotes complete inverter station solutions for the solar industry, including inverters, transformers and switchgear. ABB’s solutions are state-of-the-art in the industry, with installations in all major countries (US, India, Japan and China), and with an installed base of more than 22 GW. Offering complete solutions is a key part of ABB’s Next Level strategy.

Source: www.abb.com

Stanford Scientists Develop Efficient Zinc-air Battery

20.06.2016

Stanford University scientists have created an advanced zinc-air battery with higher catalytic activity and durability than similar batteries made with platinum and other costly catalysts. The results, published in the journal Nature Communications, could lead to the development of a low-cost alternative to conventional lithium-ion technology widely used today, the researchers said.

“There have been increasing demands for high-performance, inexpensive and safe batteries for portable electronics, electric vehicles and other energy storage applications,” said Hongjie Dai, a professor of chemistry at Stanford and the lead author of the study. “Metal-air batteries offer a possible low-cost solution.”

According to Dai, lithium-ion batteries have attracted the most attention, despite their limited energy density (energy stored per unit volume), high cost and safety problems. “With ample supply of oxygen from the atmosphere, metal-air batteries have drastically higher theoretical energy density than either traditional aqueous batteries or lithium-ion batteries,” he said. “Among them, zinc-air is technically and economically the most viable option.”

Zinc-air batteries generate electricity by combining atmospheric oxygen and zinc metal in a liquid electrolyte, with a byproduct of zinc oxide. When the process is reversed during recharging, oxygen and zinc metal are regenerated.

“Zinc-air batteries are attractive because of the abundance and low cost of zinc metal, as well as the non-flammable nature of the aqueous electrolytes, which make the batteries inherently safe to operate,” Dai said.

“Primary (non-rechargeable) zinc-air batteries have been commercialized for medical and telecommunication applications with limited power density. However, it remains a grand challenge to develop electrically rechargeable batteries, with the stumbling blocks being the lack of efficient and robust air catalysts, as well as the limited cycle life of the zinc electrodes.”

High-performance electrodes are necessary to catalyze the oxygen-reducing reaction during discharge and oxygen production during recharge, he said. In zinc-air batteries, both reactions are sluggish. In recent years, Dai’s group has used nanotechnology to develop novel electrocatalysts with higher catalytic activity and greater durability than conventional electrodes made with platinum, iridium and other precious metals.

For the Nature Communications study, the research team created electrode catalysts made of cobalt oxide, a nickel-iron compound and carbon nanomaterials. “We found that these catalysts greatly boosted battery performance,” Dai said. “We achieved record high-energy efficiency for a zinc-air battery, with a high specific energy density more than twice that of lithium-ion technology.”

The novel battery also demonstrated good reversibility and stability during long charge and discharge cycles over several weeks. “This work could be an important step toward developing practical, rechargeable zinc-air batteries,” Dai said.

Source: news.stanford.edu

Solar Impulse 2 Begins Transatlantic Stretch of Global Journey

20.06.2016

The sun-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft set off from New York’s JFK airport early on Monday, embarking on the transatlantic leg of its record-breaking flight around the world to promote renewable energy.

The flight, piloted by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, is expected to take about 90 hours – during which Piccard will only take short naps – before landing at Spain’s Seville airport.

“It’s my first time taking off from JFK,” Piccard said over a live feed from the aircraft as he headed into the night sky at approximately 2.30am.

The voyage marks the first solo transatlantic crossing in a solar-powered airplane, and is one of the most difficult legs in Solar Impulse 2’s journey around the world.

“Goodbye NewYork! Now looking forward to the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean and reaching Europe in a few days,” Piccard tweeted, posting a picture of the darkened sky and city lights below.

The plane, which is no heavier than a car but has the wingspan of a Boeing 747, is being flown on its 22,000-mile (35,000-kilometre) trip by two pilots taking turns, Piccard and Swiss entrepreneur Andre Borschberg.

“I’m in the cockpit this time, but we’re flying together,” Piccard told Borschberg before takeoff.

The pair have alternated legs of the journey, with Borschberg piloting the flight’s final Pacific stage, a 4,000-mile (6,437-kilometer) flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii.

The 118-hour leg smashed the previous record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history.

The plane, now on the 15th leg of its east-west trip, set out on 9 March, 2015 in Abu Dhabi, and has taken the aircraft across Asia and the Pacific to the United States with the sun as its only source of power.

“Smooth takeoff and all Si2 systems have been checked here at the Mission Control Center for the Atlantic Crossing,” Borschberg posted on Twitter soon after Solar Impulse 2’s departure.

Prince Albert of Monaco, a patron of the project, gave the flight the go-ahead from its mission control center in Monaco, telling Piccard “you are released to proceed.”

A third of the journey still remains for the plane, which will fly through Europe and on to the Middle East back to Abu Dhabi after crossing the Atlantic.

The single-seat aircraft is clad in 17,000 solar cells. During night-time flights it runs on battery-stored power.

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