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New Zealand to host Pacific energy summit

  AAP August 29, 2012  INTERNATIONAL energy superpowers could assist Pacific nations to establish renewable energy, with New Zealand set to host a summit bringing all sides together.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully, who is in Rarotonga attending the Pacific Islands Forum, says the Pacific energy summit will take place in April 2013.

It would be co-sponsored by Australia, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank and co-hosted by the European Union.

Renewable energy was a main talking point when New Zealand hosted the forum last year, and Mr McCully says the summit would be its legacy in ensuring the talk turns into action….
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/new-zealand-to-host-pacific-energy-summit/story-fn3dxix6-1226460856384

August 30, 2012 Posted by | OCEANIA, renewable | Leave a comment

Breakthrough to very cheap solar pholtovoltaics – from USA Dept of Energy

Photovoltaics from Any Semiconductor Berkeley Lab Technology Could Open Door to More Widespread Solar Energy Devices Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory USA Department of Energy JULY 26, 2012 Lynn Yarris (510) 486-5375  lcyarris@lbl.gov
A technology that would enable low-cost, high efficiency solar cells to be made from virtually any semiconductor material has been developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley.

This technology opens the door to the use of plentiful, relatively inexpensive semiconductors, such as the promising metal oxides, sulfides and phosphides, that have been considered unsuitable for solar cells because it is so difficult to
tailor their properties by chemical means….. http://newscenter.lbl.gov/feature-stories/2012/07/26/photovoltaics-from-any-semiconductor/…..http://newscenter.lbl.gov/feature-stories/2012/07/26/photovoltaics-from-any-semiconductor/

August 27, 2012 Posted by | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Unfair market advantages for oil and coal industries, against wind and solar

Why Conservative Attacks On Wind And Solar Energy? — Seeing the Forest,  by Dave Johnson. 26 Aug 12,  There has been a recent flurry of propaganda attacks on wind and solar energy by oil-and-coal-backed conservatives. A vitally important tax credit to help build a renewable energy industry in this country expires at the end of this year without Congressional action, and the old oil and coal industries — along with certain other countries —
want to make sure it does expire.

Background
The fossil-fuel industry is fully developed after many decades of government help. Going up against a fully-developed industry like oil and coal is enormously expensive, and the industry is trying to block from triggering private investment to help get us out from under its grip. It has nothing to do with government interfering in markets, or “picking winners and losers,” this is about us helping offset the enormous competitive advantage oil and coal have due to
government investment and assistance in oil and coal in prior decades.

We do this because We, the People see the benefits and prosperity that will come to us from developing these alternative energy industries. Oil and coal are, to put it mildly, entrenched in our economy, and, to put it mildly, make out very, very well because of that. Continue reading →

August 27, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, renewable | Leave a comment

Every USA State has big potential for renewable energy

NREL Study Shows Renewable Energy Potential in Every State http://www.rdmag.com/News/Feeds/2012/08/materials-nrel-study-shows-renewable-energy-potential-in-eve/   by National Renewable Energy Laboratory A new study of renewable energy’s technical potential finds that every state in the nation has the space and resource to generate clean energy.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory produced the study, U.S. RE Technical Potential, which looks at available renewable resources in each state. It establishes an upper-boundary estimate of development potential. Economic or market restraints would factor into what projects might actually be deployed.

The report is valuable for decision-makers and utility executives because it compares estimates across six renewable energy technologies and unifies assumptions and methods. It shows the achievable energy generation of a particular technology given resource availability – solar, wind, geothermal availability, etc. — system performance, topographic limitations, and environmental and land-use constraints.

The study includes state-level maps and tables containing available land area (square kilometers), installed capacity (gigawatts), and electric generation (gigawatt-hours) for each technology.

“Decision-makers using the study will get a sense of scale regarding the potential for renewables, and which technologies are worth examining,” said NREL’s Anthony Lopez, a co-author of the study. “Energy modelers also will find the study valuable.”

“This is intended to be a living document,” NREL’s Donna Heimiller, another co-author, added. “We’ll be frequently updating the information as we get more data.”

For more information go to the NREL website: http://www.nrel.gov/gis/re_potential.html.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

August 25, 2012 Posted by | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Tremendous growth in renewable energy in India

Renewable Energy As Solution And Responsibility, Huffington Post, Mohamed NasheedFormer President of the Republic of Maldives, 24 Aug 12
India’s power sector has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons lately. Last month, technical problems in India’s over-stretched electricity grid plunged half the country, some 600 million people, into darkness for up to two days, in the worst power outage in history.

Behind the stormy news reports, however, shines a brighter energy story. India’s renewable energy sector, and its solar sector in particular, is experiencing tremendous growth. Far from being a decrepit laggard in renewable energy India is fast becoming a leading light, with technology that has the potential toreduce carbon emissions on a global scale.   Renewable energy already accounts for some 12% of India’s total installed power capacity …. Continue reading →

August 25, 2012 Posted by | India, renewable | Leave a comment

China going for energy efficiency, to the tune of $372 billion

Seven Chinese cities and provinces will launch CO2 emissions trading schemes over the next two years ahead of a national scheme later in the decade, as China seeks to move away from traditional command-and-control measures to combat spiraling carbon emissions.

China to spend $372 billion on cutting energy use, pollution Planet Ark : 23-Aug-12 Kathy Chen and Stian Reklev China will plough $372 billion into energy conservation projects and anti-pollution measures over the next three-and-a-half years, part of a drive to cut energy consumption by 300 million tonnes of standard coal, the country’s cabinet said Tuesday.

A report from China’s State Council, or cabinet, said the investments will take China almost halfway to meeting its target to cut the energy intensity 16 percent below 2010 levels by 2015.

The government has earmarked $155 billion of the money for projects that shrink energy use, and while the plan did not detail which types of projects or sectors would benefit from the funds, a big share of the cash is expected to go to industry. Continue reading →

August 24, 2012 Posted by | China, ENERGY | Leave a comment

Michigan’s initiative for renewable energy jobs and economy

Counterpoint: More renewable energy will create jobs, rein in energy costs M Live Micigan, By Todd Fettig  , August 23, 2012, Opponents of increasing Michigan’s renewable energy standard should rethink their obstruction to more Michigan-made energy, more jobs, more clean air and water, and more opportunities for Michigan manufacturers and businesses to compete in the clean energy economy.


They should also rethink using paid and unpaid mouthpieces like former state Sen. Ken Sikkema and Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Rick Baker to spread misinformation and distortions about what the bipartisan Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs proposal will actually do.

Mark Fisk Just as flat-screen TVs that cost $6,000 in 2002 cost less than $450
today, renewable energy is also getting cheaper with innovation and new technology. Michiganders should know one fact up front: The Michigan Public Service Commission clearly states that renewable energy now costs $58 per megawatt/hour LESS than the cost of building a new coal plant. Continue reading →

August 24, 2012 Posted by | employment, renewable, USA | 1 Comment

New fast Lithium Ion Battery for electric cars

New Korean Lithium Ion Battery for EVs Charges in Under 1 Minute http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2012/08/21/korean-lithium-ion-carbonized-battery/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGreenOptimistic+%28The+Green+Optimistic%29#.UDbvH8FlT4Y By Ovidiu Sandru   August 21, 2012    A new lithium ion battery developed in Korea could make those long waiting times for an electric car to charge become history. A team of researchers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) claim they can build a battery that can charge in less than a minute, 30 to 120 times faster than a classic Li-Ion battery. Continue reading →

August 24, 2012 Posted by | energy storage, Reference, South Korea | Leave a comment

Huge solar rooftop system completed in Denmark

Largest N. Europe Rooftop Solar Power System Using REC Panels by Energy Matters, 24 Aug 12, Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) has announced completion of the largest rooftop solar panel system in Northern Europe.

The system sits atop the headquarters of insurance company Topdanmark in Ballerup, near Copenhagen in Denmark. Completed last week, the system features 3,042 REC Peak Energy Series solar panels and has an annual  production capacity of 752,000 kWh – enough to meet the needs of  almost 200 households.

600 tonnes of electricity generation related carbon emissions will be avoided through the system each year…. http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3353

August 24, 2012 Posted by | decentralised, Denmark | Leave a comment

Decentralised solar energy for a billion Indian villagers

Solar energy offers a ray of hope http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/article3806664.ece RAVI P BENJAMIN TERI is engaged in setting up solar charging stations in rural and Agency areas

With a view to easing the power situation, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), a global NGO, is engaged in setting up Solar Charging Stations in the rural and Agency areas in collaboration with the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

As part of the MNRE mandate to popularise the tapping of solar power, TERI has been introducing solar appliances, including home lighting systems, individual lanterns, and task lights, etc, in the villages which are experiencing long hours of power-cut. TERI State coordinator V. Murthy told The Hindu that nearly 100 SCSs were being set up in rural areas in the State. Solar lights and other appliances were being supplied to every home so that villages can overcome total darkness at the time of power interruption.

The objective of SCSs is mainly to recharge batteries which can be used for four to six hours every day. TERI is engaged in supply of solar lights as well as in opening charging stations manned by a single person. The stations can charge up to 50 lights at a time. Every village will have a local entrepreneur who will supply and maintain the solar lamps.

Every nine villages will have a technical resource person who will ensure smooth functioning of the SCSs. As many as 11 stations are operating in the district and 46 more are in the process of being set up. Thirty stations are operating in Srikakulam district, four in East Godavari district, and 40 are being established. Nine stations are running in Guntur, 12 in Karimnagar, and two in Adilabad. The local people in every village take care of the entrepreneur’s salary by paying for battery recharge.

Also, the nine villages contribute Rs.300 each to take care of the technician’s salary. Local NGOs engaged in Maa Thota and coffee plantations are working with TERI. TERI, Nabard, Vikasa, Kovel Foundation, and a host of NGOs are engaged
in the solar mission of lighting a billion lives.

August 23, 2012 Posted by | decentralised, India | Leave a comment

Australians lead the world in distributed solar energy on housetops

Australians lead in fitting solar panels on homes, SMH, August 18, 2012 Ben Cubby AUSTRALIANS put more household solar panel systems on their roofs than anyone else in the world last year, new data from the Clean Energy Regulator and the International Energy Agency show. The statistic astonished many in the solar industry, given Australia’s small population compared with renewable energy market leaders such as European Union countries, China, Japan and the United States. Continue reading →

August 18, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, decentralised | Leave a comment

3 out of 4 Americans want clean, renewable, energy

U.S., Facing Drought, Wants More Clean Energy, Poll Says By Bloomberg – Aug 17, 2012 Three out of four Americans think the U.S. needs “to start focusing more” on clean-energy sources like wind and solar that require less water than conventional power generation as the country faces its most widespread drought since 1956, according to a think-tank survey.

The concern about water and its use is shared by 61 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of Democrats and 80 percent of independents, the Newton, Massachusetts-based, non-partisan Civil Society Institute said yesterday in a statement.

The Palmer Drought Index reported on Aug. 15 that drought covered 57.2 percent of the contiguous 48 states in July, the worst since December 1956, when 57.6 percent of the country was dry. About 50 percent of U.S. water withdrawn on average is used to cool and make steam at power plants, Seth Sheldon, an analyst at the institute, said in the statement…. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-16/u-s-facing-drought-wants-more-clean-energy-poll-says.html

August 18, 2012 Posted by | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Direct Investments in Renewable Energy Increasingly Attractive to Pension Funds, Insurers  Triple Pundit, By Andrew Burger | August 17th, 2012 Institutional investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies, are increasingly investing directly in wind, solar and other renewable energy projects, providing much needed capital to companies in the fast-growing clean energy sector even as banks, still suffering from accumulated bad loans and high debt levels, have tightened lending standards and struggle to raise capital to shore up their finances.

This is particularly true in Europe, where banks find themselves caught in a web of bad debts accumulated from prior their own housing and property lending and investments and subsequent government efforts to bail them out with sovereign debt, which has led them to purchase large amounts of euro zone treasury securities.  Multinational insurer Munich Re’s bought three UK wind farms with a combined 102-MW capacity, boosting the total amount it’s invested in renewable energy projects to more than €600 million ($737 million), Bloomberg News reported on Aug. 12 . Looking to reduce its reliance on bank loans, Swedish renewable energy project developer Arise Windpower AB is turning to pension funds and other institutional investors to help finance its new projects …. http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/08/renewable-energy-pension-funds/

August 18, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, renewable | Leave a comment

Pacific islands Tonga and Tokelau moving to 100% solar energy

Tonga joins Pacific solar drive to cheaper, safer, cleaner power REneweconomy By   17 August 2012 Last week, New Zealand-based Powersmart Solar officially switched on the first of three solar power systems being installed on the South Pacific archipelago of Tokelau. As reported on RenewEconomy earlier this month, Tokelau is replacing the diesel electricity systems that have powered its three atolls with solar power systems and battery storage.

But Tokelau is not the the only South Pacific nation currently undergoing a solar transformation. The Kingdom of Tonga switched on its own maiden solar plant at the end of last month – another New Zealand-funded project that, along with the plant at Tokelau’s Fakaofo atoll, are set to be the first of many to come in the region, according to NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully.

As is the case in Tokelau, the Tongan solar plant – Ma’ama Mai, which means “Let there be Light” – is part of a scheme to reduce the island nation’s dependence on fossil fuels and, in particular, diesel. According to reports, Tonga was consuming about 30 million litres of diesel a year; an average of about one litre every two seconds.

A collaborative effort between Tonga Power and NSW-based Meridian Energy, Ma’ama Mai’s nearly 6,000 solar panels will generate around 1MW a year, which equates to 4 per cent of electricity used on the main island of Tongatapu. For such a seemingly small amount, this will help Tonga save an estimated 470,000 litres of diesel – $NZ15 million-worth – over the 25-year-life of the plant.

According to an ABC News report, the plant was originally going to be funded by Tonga Power and the Tongan Government, but the World Bank would not loan Tonga any more funds, so New Zealand stepped in to cover the $7.9 million cost.

Already it is paying off, with the government announcing a reduction in the price Tongans pay for electricity from August 1. And this could just be the beginning – Tonga’s Minister for Public Enterprises, William Clive Edwards, says the aim is to have 50 per cent of the country’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2018; including solar, wind and biomass….. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2012/tonga-joins-pacific-solar-drive-to-cheaper-safer-cleaner-power-60042

August 17, 2012 Posted by | decentralised, OCEANIA | Leave a comment

Saudi Arabia to go solar energy in a big way

Kingdom eyes 40 GW solar energy by 2032 Saudi Gazette, August 16, 2012  JEDDAH – Saudi Arabia has set an ambitious target of installing more than 40 GW of solar power capacity by 2032, of which 60 percent would be from concentrated solar power (CSP) and remaining from photovoltaics (PV). Continue reading →

August 17, 2012 Posted by | renewable, Saudi Arabia | Leave a comment

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