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Germany’s renewable energy use increases to 20%

Green Energy Use in Germany Passes 20 Percent of Total Power Mix Environmental News Network, 4 Sept 11, During the first half of 2011, Germany for the first time generated more than 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, a new report says. While the country’s total electricity demand remained stable during the first six months of 2011, the share generated by renewable sources increased from 18.3 percent to 20.8 percent, according to the German Association of Energy and Water Industries.
hat increase provides a boost to government initiatives to produce 35 percent of the country’s electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020, while phasing out all of the nation’s nuclear reactors, an aggressive target announced after the Fukushima disaster in Japan.
Alternative Energy and Fuel News: Green Energy Use in Germany Passes 20 Percent of Total Power Mix

September 5, 2011 Posted by | Germany, renewable | Leave a comment

Solar feed-in tariff law in Japan will stimulate business

new business opportunities within industries that offer products and services related to the generation of electricity using renewable energy sources, ranging from solar panels and wind turbines to equipment and systems for smart grids.

Feed-in tariff law a boon to renewable energy markets , asahi.com2 Sept 11, Japan’s new clean energy bill offers a tantalizing business bonanza and companies are scrambling to find an edge.The so-called feed-in tariff on renewable energy passed by the Diet on Aug. 26 requires utilities to purchase wind, solar and geothermal energy from households and businesses at above-market rates Continue reading →

September 2, 2011 Posted by | Japan, renewable | Leave a comment

Japan’s Parliament – vote for renewable energy tariff

The move has global implications, as the world’s third largest economy follows that of the world’s second-largest economy, China, and the world’s fourth-largest economy, Germany, in implementing feed-in tariffs in order to rapidly develop renewable energy.

Japan Creates Major Feed-In Tariff for Renewable Energy, SustainableBusiness.com News, By Paul Gipe   31 Aug 11, In a major breakthrough for the feed-in tariff movement worldwide, Japan’s upper chamber has approved a new law implementing a feed-in tariff policy for renewable energy. Continue reading →

September 1, 2011 Posted by | Japan, renewable | Leave a comment

China ramping up its renewable energy goals

China revises up 2015 renewable energy goals: report, by Jim Bai and Chen Aizhu; Editing by Ken Wills, BEIJING   Aug 29, 2011   (Reuters) – China will raise development targets for renewable energy such as wind power for the five-year period through 2015, state media reported on Tuesday, as the world’s top energy user and carbon emitter aims to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

The country aims to have 100 gigawatts (GW) of on-grid wind power generating capacity by the end of 2015 and to generate 190 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of wind power annually, the China Securities Journal reported, citing a government plan.

The goal was higher than a target of 90 GW proposed earlier by the National Energy Administration…..http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/30/us-china-energy-renewable-idUSTRE77T0CM20110830

August 30, 2011 Posted by | China, renewable | Leave a comment

Un Secretary General calls for renewable energy, energy efficiency

U.N. Secretary-General: Renewables Can End Energy Poverty Renewable Energy World, New Hampshire, USA  , — United Nation’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made renewable energy and its ability to lift the poorest nations to new levels of prosperity a central theme during his visit to Colorado on Wednesday. By Steve Leone, August 25, 2011   

With the Rockies as his backdrop, Ban toured the National Renewable Energy Laborary in Golden, where he inspected the flexible thin-film modules produced by Colorado-based Ascent Solar. The facility, he said, represents innovative approaches that for relatively little cost can connect remote areas to the global network of information and ideas.

If energy is the lifeblood of the world economy, Ban argues that renewable energy represents an infusion of humanity. Continue reading →

August 26, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, renewable | Leave a comment

Solar energy costs to beat fossil fuels, as China, Japan introduce feed in tariff

“The likelihood that Japan will follow China in rolling out major policy incentives to scale up renewable energy production is an exciting prospect. The demand created by these two Asian giants could well provide the global tipping point that accelerates the emergence of renewables as cost-competitive or indeed cost-beating alternatives to fossil fuel power generation.”

Japan’s Feed In Tariffs Could Accelerate Global Solar Grid Parity, Renewable Energy News,   24 Aug 11,. New legislation in place in China and laws about to be enacted in Japan could be the global tipping point for renewables achieving grid parity with fossil fuel based power generation sooner than most expected. Continue reading →

August 25, 2011 Posted by | India, Japan, renewable | Leave a comment

100% renewable energy to run Germany’s railways

Germany’s road to a 100% renewable railway, Nuclear power was once a go-to source for keeping German trains on the go. Fukushima changed that. In response to Japan’s nuclear disaster, Germany decided to put the brakes on its nuclear plants by 2020. Now, Deutsche Bahn, the country’s biggest electricity consumer, is looking elsewhere. Smart PLanet, By Melissa Mahony | August 24, 2011 

The national railway operator plans to switch over entirely to renewable energy by 2050. Continue reading →

August 25, 2011 Posted by | Germany, renewable | Leave a comment

Even with the recession, renewable energy performing well across the globe

Special report:Renewable energy sector grows despite recession, The Citizen, 13 August 2011, Paris. The renewable energy (RE) sector continues to perform well despite continuing economic recession, incentive cuts, and low natural-gas prices, the Renewables 2011 Global Status Report (GSR) released last month has shown.

In 2010, renewable energy supplied an estimated 16 per cent of global final energy consumption and delivered close to 20 per cent of global electricity production. Renewable capacity now comprises about a quarter of total global power-generating capacity. Including all hydropower (estimated 30 GW added in 2010), RE accounted for approximately 50 per cent of total added power generating capacity in 2010.

In 2010, existing solar water and space heating capacity increased by an estimated 25 gigawatts-thermal (GWth), or about 16 per cent. The report was commissioned by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) and produced in collaboration with a global network of research partners.

“The global performance of renewable energy despite headwinds has been a positive constant in turbulent times”, says Mr Mohamed El-Ashry, chairman of REN21’s Steering Committee. “Today, more people than ever before derive energy from renewables as capacity continues to grow, prices continue to fall, and shares of global energy from renewable energy continue to increase.” …..http://thecitizen.co.tz/sunday-citizen/40-sunday-citizen-news/13743-special-reportrenewable-energy-sector-grows-despite-recession.htm

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August 15, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, renewable | Leave a comment

United States Army Going Green

Army to build green-energy capabilities, Fierce Government August 12, 2011 — By , The Army plans to launch large-scale renewable and alternative energy projects on Army installations, Army Secretary John McHugh said Aug. 10. The Army predicts it will invest up to $7.1 billion over the next 10 years to meet its energy goals; this will produce 2.1 million megawatt hours of power annually, the service estimated in a statement.

What Army envisions as “an economically viable, large-scale renewable energy infrastructure,” will begin with a task force, McHugh said, to address energy security, escalating fuel prices and compliance with green-government mandates. The Energy Initiatives Office Task Force, which will be part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, will be fully operational by Sept. 15, he said……For more:- see the Army press release    http://www.fiercegovernment.com/story/army-build-green-energy-capabilities/2011-08-12

August 13, 2011 Posted by | renewable, USA | 1 Comment

Australian soldiers to wear portable solar power

Super slim solar cell a success, The Age, Ben Cubby August 12, 2011 ’A typical solar cell is about 0.2 millimetres thick, which is 200 micrometres  thinner than a human hair or a sheet of paper, will soon be used by Australian soldiers on patrol in Afghanistan as a portable power source. The solar cells, invented by researchers at the Australian National University, can be used to cover helmets, tents or clothing and recharge electronic gear such as night vision goggles.

They also have extensive potential in civilian applications, including recharging phones and computers, because a square metre of lightweight solar panel can generate 140 watts of power and yet be rolled up into a ball afterwards. ’A typical solar cell is about 0.2 millimetres thick, which is 200 micrometres – that’s too thick to bend, it would shatter,” the project’s chief investigator, Andrew Blakers, said. ”But these cells are about 45 microns thick, so they are flexible and also about the same efficiency as commercial solar cells. By comparison, really fine quality merino wool is about 18 microns thick.” In practice, many square metres of panel could be unfurled from a box about the same size as a wine cask   http://www.theage.com.au/national/super-slim-solar-cell-a-success-20110811-1iot3.html

August 12, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, renewable | Leave a comment

USA govt report – renewable energy outstrips nuclear

Renewable Energy Consumption Passes Nuclear, Earth Techling, by Steve Duda, August 9th, 2011 Renewable energy consumption in the United States recently exceeded current and historical consumption levels for nuclear energy, a government study reports.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, during the first quarter of this year a combination of nuclear outages related to plants shutting down for refueling and the start of the high water season for hydropower generation caused the shift in consumption. Seasonal variations in renewable energy, said the EIA,  ”are dominated by the annual cycle of water availability for hydroelectric power production. Hydropower constitutes a significant yet highly variable portion of total renewable energy consumption, accounting for 31% of renewable energyconsumption in 2010.”

Joining this is a multi-year upward trend in renewable consumption driven by increasing consumption of biofuels and wind capacity additions. In the context of this study, renewable energy consumption is defined beyond electric power generation from hydro, wind, solar, and geothermalsources. Sources including biofuels for transportation (such as ethanol and biodiesel) and biomass (such as wood and wood wastes) for space heating and industrial steam production as well as for electric power generation are counted as renewable resources……http://www.earthtechling.com/2011/08/renewable-energy-consumption-passes-nuclear/

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August 11, 2011 Posted by | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Solar energy becoming cheaper than coal

 it’s too bad our elected leaders see no value in spurring the next generation of energy technology rather than preserving tax cuts for oil and coal companies that are making record profits

5 breakthroughs that will make solar power cheaper than coal, Mother Nature Network, Karl Burkart, 8 Aug 11 Solar technology charges forward despite Washington’s backward march. Continue reading →

August 9, 2011 Posted by | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Scotland’s renewable energy revolution

On-farm energy gets major boost in Scotland  Farmers Guardian, August 5, 2011 | By David Boderke, RENEWABLE projects in Scotland’s agriculture sector have been given a major boost with the announcement of a new Agri-Renewables Strategy.Announcing the strategy at the Black Isle Show, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said it will ‘ensure land managers can benefit from the renewables revolution and unlock the green energy potential of their land’.

Welcoming the announcement, NFU Scotland’s president, Nigel Miller said the Scottish Government’s commitment to develop the strategy and, in particular, to simplify the planning process, were ‘spot on’.Mr Lochhead said: “Scotland is currently experiencing a renewables revolution and I want to see farmers, crofters and land managers working with local communities to ensure they grasp the benefits for their businesses and the nation…..
He said the strategy, which he hoped would be in place by summer 2012 ‘at the latest’, will be developed in co-operation with industry representatives and will build on the Scottish Government’s existing renewables activity in the agricultural sector.
On-farm energy gets major boost in Scotland | News | Farmers Guardian

August 5, 2011 Posted by | renewable, UK | Leave a comment

Renewable energy development – the rational German example

Oh, the beauty of a system that is easy to understand and predictable……

Germany Shows How Renewable Energy Should Be Done, Daily Finance, ByTravis Hoium, The Motley Fool 08/01/11   Germany is doubling its efforts to be a renewable-energy power over the next 50 years, and it’s expanding beyond just solar power. After the country put thekibosh on exploding solar installationsby cutting feed-in tariffs (FIT), it has increased the FIT for biomass, geothermal, and offshore wind while simplifying solar rates. The wet blanketcurrently covering the German nuclear industrymeant the country needed to find a way to push renewable-energy installations to meet national renewable-energy goals before plants began closing. Continue reading →

August 2, 2011 Posted by | Germany, renewable | Leave a comment

Germany’s strategic approach to renewable energy and energy efficiency

This package of proposals forms the basis for Germany’s confidence that it can phase out one source of energy and phase in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The combination of a mix of policies (emissions trading, standards, regulations, incentives) with planning and investments in the longer-term infrastructure is the pathway Germany has chosen.

How Germany plans to succeed in a nuclear free, low-carbon economy, | guardian.co.uk, 29 July 11, Germany plans to meet ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets while it phases out nuclear power  Germany has taken some fundamental energy decisions in recent months, ones that are interesting for other countries to study and learn from. The most “famous” decision recently has been to phase out nuclear power in the next ten years. This move builds on years of debate and a societal decision after Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident to move away from nuclear energy.

There has been much less focus, however, on the phasing in of other sources of energy. Nor has there been much focus on how Germany can remain the economic powerhouse of Europe, and the world’s second largest exporting country, while removing a significant source of energy from its grid.

This phase-in story is vital to understand, especially taking into account that Germany plans to meet ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets while it phases out nuclear power. So, how will this work?……. Continue reading →

July 30, 2011 Posted by | Germany, renewable | Leave a comment

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