USA slowly heading in right direction on renewable energy
We Have the Renewable Energy We Need to Power the World—So What’s Stopping Us?Alter Net, Tara Lohan November 8, 2013
“………The Biggest Hurdle Jacobson recently said on the “David Letterman Show,” “There is no technological or economic limitation to solving these problems; it’s a social and political issue, primarily.”……
The Washington Post published the results of a new Pew poll that found only Tea Partiers still cling to anti-science views about climate change; 25 percent of Tea Party Republicans believe in climate change, compared to 61 percent of non-Tea Party Republicans and 84 percent of Democrats.
Despite an outlier (yet vocal) conservative fringe, we’re slowly headed in the right direction. Time is of the essence. Can the change happen quickly enough?
“I think in some sectors it will naturally evolve very quickly like electric cars because they’re so efficient,” said Jacobson. “In other sectors, if we don’t push faster, then they’re just going to change really modestly or not fast enough. I’m pretty optimistic that once people understand what’s going on with the problems, in terms of climate, pollution, energy security, and once they understand there are technical solutions available and the economic solution is available, they will galvanize around those solutions.”
All the finger pointing can’t just be aimed at our elected officials—there has to be broad public support…….. Renewable projects should still be subject to environmental review, but barring that, it’s no longer acceptable to say that wind turbines or solar panels are too ugly to look at, especially by people who get electricity from coal, oil and gas yet share none of the burden of its extraction or burning.
When we talk about powering our future with renewable energy we have to understand that we’re still talking about impacts—but we have to weigh those against the impacts of continuing to power our world with ever more extreme methods of fossil fuel extraction.
This isn’t simply a matter of changing how we get energy. It means shifting the power dynamic in this country (and across the world), and literally putting power back in the hands of individual people and communities.
At this point, Mark Jacobson’s optimistic goal of 100 percent renewables by 2030 or even 2050 looks out of reach. But what if we aimed for 50 percent for starters, and focused our economy on resilience instead of endless growth? The right wing might kick and scream, but I doubt the world would come to an end. If we keep burning fossil fuels, however, our fate isn’t likely to be very pleasant http://www.alternet.org/environment/are-you-ready-100-percent-renewable-energy
Japan’s wind energy now supplied from both on and offshore
Solar power with diesel backup – a financial boon to mining sites
Of the 400 operating mine sites in Australia, 170 are either off-grid or connected to a smaller distribution network and needing to supply their own electricity. Natural gas and diesel dominate as fuel supplies for electricity generation and other energy uses. Rising prices of both of these fuels are leading mining companies to consider alternatives.
In South Africa, reliability of electricity supply has been a major issue for the mining sector, with electricity shortages in 2008 severely impacting operations and financial performance at a number of mine sites. The South African Government is addressing electricity supply issues through a renewable energy procurement programme….
Renewable energy, and in particular solar photovoltaic (PV), can offer significant benefits to mining companies. The unit cost of energy from solar PV is now below $US200/MWh in many locations compared to typical diesel generation costs of around $US300/MWh. This provides an opportunity for mining companies to reduce energy costs by reducing diesel consumption and maintenance costs with solar generation, particularly at sites with high day-time loads. The diesel engines are retained for night-time generation and as backup to the solar panels. Their operating life is also extended through lower annual operating hours.
Mining operations are strongly influenced by international commodity prices and operational focus can change rapidly in response to market signals. Diesel generators support this flexibility through their modularity and ability to be relocated to other sites if required. Solar modules also offer a degree of flexibility. With simple foundation systems and electrical reticulation, solar installations can theoretically be redeployed to other sites if mining operations need to close down. Recent trends in lease financing of solar modules provide further alignment with mining operations.
As panel prices continue to decrease and panel efficiency continues to increase, expect to see greater focus on renewable energy as a strategic consideration for mining operations. http://sourceable.net/grid-renewables-mining-energy-price-certainty/
Renewable energy future will shift balance of power between nations
How renewables will shift the balance of power REnewecomy, By Rick Bosman & Daniel Scholten on 5 November 2013 “……..We basically ask ‘what if renewable energy would power the contemporary world?’ and then explore what political concerns may be expected to arise between energy producer, consumer, and transit countries. …….
Geographical and Technical Characteristics of Renewable Energy
Our thought experiment starts by focusing on the geographical and technical characteristics of renewable sources and accompanying infrastructures and how they might shape a renewable energy system. Five important observations stand out in this regard:
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First and foremost, the availability of renewable sources of energy, especially that of wind and solar, far outstrips that of fossil fuels and uranium Continue reading
Japanese government lags on developing renewable energy
Viewpoint: Japan dawdles on a clear energy policy, The Spec.com Viewpoint: The Japan Times (excerpt), 4 Nov 13 Uncertainties hang over Japan’s energy policy 40 years after the global panic over oil supplies shocked the nation and prodded it to diversify into nuclear power. This reliance on nuclear power came to a halt following the March 2011 triple meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The government has yet to set a new direction.
While dismissing the idea of nuclear power phase-out as unrealistic and “irresponsible,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said his administration will try to “reduce as much as possible” Japan’s reliance on nuclear power. But little progress has been made toward this goal and the prime minister appears to consider nuclear energy to be a key part of his administration’s economic growth strategy.
The government is in the process of crafting a new medium- to long-term energy plan by the end of this year. In working out the plan, it should set a clear timeline to end Japan’s reliance on nuclear power while making serious efforts to expand renewable energy resources as much as possible……..
Diversification of energy supply remains a major challenge. Japan still relies on imports from the Middle East for more than 80 per cent of its oil. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power still account for only a tiny portion of Japan’s power needs. Japanese companies must make strenuous efforts to further improve energy-saving technologies and the government should vigorously promote renewable energy sources. These efforts will help create the basis for building a stable economy. http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/4190255-viewpoint-japan-dawdles-on-a-clear-energy-policy/
Big corporations increasingly investing in renewable energy
Why corporations like Microsoft are investing in renewable energy Microsoft joins the growing ranks of firms – including Walmart, Google and Ikea – that are investing in renewable energy. Do these deals make good business sense? Ucilia Wang theguardian.com, Tuesday 5 November 2013 In a move that underlines the growing appeal of corporate investment in renewable energy, Microsoft announced Monday that it will power one of its data centers with electricity from a Texas wind farm.
The software giant has agreed to buy all of the output from the 110MW wind farm for 20 years. The project, to be built by RES Americas, will send electricity into a local grid that serves a Microsoft data center in San Antonio. Construction is set to start next year and be completed in 2015……..
as the wind and solar markets grow, thanks in large part to federal and state tax breaks and other subsidies, the cost of building and owning renewable-energy projects – along with the price of renewable energy – has steeply declined. The average long-term price for wind power to US utilities plummeted to $40 per megawatt-hour, in 2012 contracts, from $70 per megawatt-hour in 2009, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report.
Meanwhile, the marketing benefit of investing in renewables remains strong. Buying wind power or owning wind farms, for example, represents a deeper commitment to fighting climate change than simply buying credits. ….. Continue reading
Germany’s grid copes with Renewable energy load – 59% of all energy produced
Germany Reaches 59% Renewable Energy Peak, Power Grid Doesn’t Blow Up http://www.the9billion.com/2013/10/30/germany-59-percent-renewable-energy-peak/ by JOHN JOHNSTON on 10/30/2013 Earlier this month on a very sunny and windy day, Germany managed to hit a peak of 59.1% renewable power generation, and what’s more, the heavily industrialized county’s power grid did not explode, Greentechmedia has pointed out. t was around midday on October 3, which just happened to be Germany’s annual Reunification Day holiday, when the sun was at its fullest and the significant peak was reached. Over the entire day, 36.4% of total electricity generation was achieved with solar and wind power; solar panels contributed 11.2% on their own. At its peak, solar accounted for 20.5 gigawatts.
Although the electrical grid withstood the large amount of renewable energy flowing to it, you’ll be pleased to know that electricity prices also dived. A drop in demand from big, conventional power plants led the electricity price index at 2:00pm to 2.75 cents per kilowatt hour. The index covers Germany, Austria, France, and Switzerland.
So there you have it. A country and large and industrialized as Germany can and did operate successfully, albeit on a national holiday, using a large percentage of renewable energy. And this is only the beginning.
Renewable energy storage – a cheaper method
The Future Of Renewable Energy Can Now Be Found Inside A Shipping Container Sitting Off The I-95 Corridor BUSINESS INSIDER, ROB WILE NOV 2 2013, If you want to see the future of renewable energy in the U.S., you should check out the large container sitting next to a nondescript office building off the I-95 corridor in Maryland.
Inside of it is a system that helps solve one of the key problems in the renewable industry: how to store power for longer periods of time in an economical way……. The parts to focus on are the inverter, the batteries, and the transformer.
The inverter is used to convert the electricity generated by Konterra’s new rooftop solar panels, which come with the system, into a usable current to power either the building or the local grid. The battery, which is actually just an off-the-shelf lithium ion package, can be tapped by the local grid to temporarily charge or discharge excess power in the surrounding area.
Finally, the transformer can remove the Konterra building from the grid in case of a regional power outage, providing up to four hours-worth of backup supply. Current renewable storage set ups are pretty expensive. This system helps make it more economical………..http://www.businessinsider.com.au/konterra-solar-2013-11
Most of Nicaragua’s energy now comes from renewable sources
Winds of Change: Nicaragua’s renewable energy revolution By Tim Rogers / Nicaragua Dispatch November 3, 2013 Nicaragua remains one of the most attractive countries in Latin America for investment in renewable energies, according to “Climatescope 2013,” an annual report and index measuring the ability of 26 nations to foster low-carbon energy growth.
The report, produced by the Inter-American Development Bank and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, ranks Nicaragua third in the region––and first in Central America––for its “high penetration of renewable energies in the country’s energy matrix and the important influx of investment (in renewable energies) in proportion to the small size of its economy.” Nicaragua, which ranked second to Brazil in last year’s inaugural report, ceded the number two spot to Chile in this year’s index, but continued to show its potential to compete with larger economies in the region.
According to the Climatescope 2013, Nicaragua’s installed capacity for renewable energies reached 36% last year, up from around 30% the year before. Nicaragua’s Ministry of Energy and Mines says that percentage has since grown to around 52% in 2013, meaning most of the country’s energy is now provided by renewable sources (compared to only 20% six years ago). Nicaragua last year attracted $292 million investment in additional renewable energy production, as the country seeks to shift its energy matrix to 92% renewable by 2016…….. http://www.nicaraguadispatch.com/news/2013/11/nicaragua-ranks-third-in-region-for-renewable-energy-market/8309
African bank backs renewable energy
Africa must look at renewable energy Standard Bank Wed, 2013/10/30 – Power is key to economic growth and competitiveness in Africa. The continent has massive potential to use renewable energy sources as it seeks to address an electricity shortage that has left more than half of the continent’s one billion people without access to power. Ntlai Mosiah, who heads up the Power, Infrastructure & TMT (Technology, Media, Telecoms) team at Standard Bank Group, looks at the opportunities and costs of untapping this resource.
Questions have been raised about whether renewable energy might be too expensive for Africa given the abundance of cheap coal, but it is now clear that this has changed as the cost of renewable technology is steadily falling while the capital expenditure costs of coal-fired power stations are rising Continue reading
Focus shifts to investing in renewable energy – German power provider RWE
RWE’s “business of renewable energy will provide stable value contributions and remain the only area for growth investments”
Germany’s RWE looks for renewable energy push Eco News, 30 Oct 13 Germany’s major power producer RWE recently surprised by revealing it was departing from its traditional business model and would “create value by leading the transition to the future energy world”.
Now, RWE is looking for new ways to boost its renewable power business, including partnerships with investors, according to an internal document seen by Reuters Newsagency.
In the past Germany’s largest power producer, has traditionally based its business model based on large-scale thermal power production.
European media reports say the new strategy was decided on at a meeting of RWE’s Supervisory Board in the Polish capital, Warsaw, in September and will be revealed publicly soon.
RWE plans to “develop new partnership models with financial investors” to fund renewable projects, according to the document.
Its technological focus has been on wind power, which is better suited to larger utilities due to its plant-sized parks and requires large investments. A steep drop in wholesale power prices and a boom in renewable energy, which has driven conventional power plants into loss-making territory, have hit hard at RWE, along with other German utilities E.ON and EnBW.
RWE, which is scheduled to report nine-month results on November 14, could not immediately be reached for comment.
RWE’s “business of renewable energy will provide stable value contributions and remain the only area for growth investments”, Reuters reports the document saying….. http://econews.com.au/news-to-sustain-our-world/germanys-rwe-looks-for-renewable-energy-push/
New research for more efficient solar panels, and storage systems
The group is now turning its attention to developing applications such as energy storage solutions utilizing the reverse side of solar cells.
Solar Panels (Batteries Included) http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3999 28 Oct 13 As power companies grow more belligerent and households start considering leaving the grid altogether; the topic of energy storage is becoming increasingly popular. One development could see solar panels also fulfil the role of batteries by using the same material that creates the electricity – silicon.
Scientists at Vanderbilt University have found a way to create supercapacitors using silicon structures coated in graphene.
While supercapacitors can be recharged much faster and have a longer service life; one of their challenges is size. Energy storage capabilities of supercapacitors is directly tied to the surface area available; meaning the devices tend to be bulky.
The need for a large surface area is being addressed to a degree through the use of nanotechnology to create microscopic ridges, valleys and pores on materials. Continue reading
Japan can succeed with a zero nuclear energy policy
Japan can reject nuclear energy Channelling money and resources into constructing a recycling society based on natural resources is a better bet than building disposal sites for toxic waste Gulf News, By Junichiro
Koizumi Former prime minister of Japan October 24, 2013 I believe that the Japanese government and the Liberal Democratic Party should adopt a zero nuclear energy policy. Pursuing this policy will unify the people in their effort to transform themselves into a recycling-oriented society that relies on nature as a source of energy, not nuclear power generation. Alternatives to nuclear power as an energy source will certainly be discovered by those with sufficient know-how…….
Political leaders should establish a council that brings together the wisdom of nuclear power experts and intellectuals who support a zero nuclear energy policy. This should be followed by efforts to implement policies proposed by the panel.
Success in advancing this process would help secure the technical experts needed to decommission nuclear reactors, while also coming up with various ideas to help create jobs and develop alternative energy sources…… Continue reading
Germany’s people powered renewable energy success
Three reasons Germans are killing it on renewable energy http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/three-reasons-germans-are-killing-it-on-renewable-energy-56628 By John Farrell on 24 October 2013 CleanTechnica Germany is racing past 20% renewable energy on its electricity grid, but news stories stridently warn that this new wind and solar power is costing “billions.” But often left out (or buried far from the lede) is the overwhelming popularity of the country’s relentless focus on energy change (energiewende).
How can a supposedly expensive effort to clean up the energy supply be so popular?
1. It’s about the cost, not the price
Most news stories focus on the cost of electricity in Germany, which has some of the highest rates per kilowatt-hour in the world. But they don’t note that the average German electricity bill – about $100 a month – is the same as for most Americans. Germans are much more efficient users of energy than most, so they can afford higher rates without having higher bills. (Note to self: check out options for energy efficiency).
Ger,amy’s people-powered renewabl eenergy success
2. It’s about vision Continue reading
Rapid development in wind power technology promises greater energy supply
Wind power could generate 18% of global power by 2050 http://www.enn.com/business/article/46587 Wind power could generate up to 18% of the world’s electricity by 2050, compared with 2.6% today, according to new IEA research. The Technology Roadmap: Wind Energy — 2013 Edition finds that nearly 300 gigawatts of current wind power worldwide must increase eight- to ten-fold to achieve the roadmap’s vision, with the more than USD 78 billion in investment in 2012 progressively reaching USD 150 billion per year.
The report, an update of a document first published in 2009, envisages a much larger penetration of wind power than the 12% share on global electricity generation by 2050 considered in the first roadmap.
It sees China overtaking OECD Europe as the leading producer of wind power by 2020 or 2025, with the United States ranked third. Wind power deployment under this vision would save up to 4.8 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions per year by 2050, with China providing by far the largest reductions. The reduction is equivalent to more than the current European Union annual emissions.
Recent improvement in wind power technologies as well as the changing global energy context explain the higher long-term target. Turbines are getting higher, stronger and lighter, while masts and blades are growing even faster than rated capacity, allowing turbines to capture lower-speed winds and produce more regular output. This facilitates installation in places beyond the best windy spots on mountain ridges or seashores as well as integration into power systems despite the variability of winds.
The cost of land-based wind power is close to competitive with other sources of electricity in an increasing set of circumstances. In some countries such as Brazil, wind power has prevailed over fossil alternatives in auctions for long-term power purchases, thanks to the hedge it provides against possible future price increases for fossil fuels. Offshore wind power remains expensive and technically challenging today, but has an important long-term potential. The roadmap lists the actions — by governments, industry , research centres, etc. — to target a reduction in wind power costs of 25% on land and 45% offshore by 2050.
But several obstacles could delay progress, including financing, grid integration issues and difficulties with permits and public acceptance. To achieve high penetrations of variable wind power without diminishing system reliability, improvements are needed in grid infrastructure and in the flexibility of power systems as well as in the design of electricity markets.
1 This Month
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