Month: April 2011

Solar steam generation power plant opens in Spain

Concentrated solar power plants use lenses or mirrors to heat fluid – such as synthetic oil – which in turn is used to generate high-pressure steam to drive a conventional turbine. A new experimental solar steam generation power plant that opened last week in southern Spain is aiming to improve on the efficiency of existing systems by using water as the direct working fluid and incorporating novel methods for storing the energy, so it can be dispensed even on cloudy days or at night.
The pilot plant is located in the municipality of Carboneras, and is the result of a collaboration between the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, or DLR) and Spanish utility company Endesa. It was officially put into use on March 31st.
The water in the receiver tubes is kept at a pressure of up to 120 bar (1740 psi), which results in the creation of superheated 500C (932F) steam. That higher temperature allows the whole process to work more efficiently, bringing down the cost of solar thermal power generation and making it a more viable option.
Heat gathered by the plant can be stored in both sensible and latent forms, for use in creating energy when the sun isn’t brightly shining. In the sensible heat system, heat from the steam is absorbed by a concrete storage system, so it can later be released to create more steam and drive the turbine. In the latent heat system, the steam is used to heat salt, which absorbs energy when it reaches a temperature of 305C (581F) and changes from a solid to a liquid state. When the salt cools back down below 305 degrees and reverts to its solid form, that energy is released.

Source: www.gizmag.com

Gujarat, India – ready for solar

The state policy of Gujarat in India, with a population of 50 million, is one of the drivers in Indian solar. Gujarat has the fastest growing economy in the country. Another driver is the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission with an initial feed-in tariff structure, which is already under fire from opponents. That plan, in three phases, looks for one gigawatt to be commissioned by 2013, half of which will be CSP (see diagram below). The state of Rajasthan proposes 550 megawatts in a reverse bidding process.
Julian Hawkins,Senior VP of Sales and Marketing at Abound Solar, who had just returned from a long trip to India, sees a number of factors in India’s favor: There’s a lot of sun and a market for power in the country. In Abound’s case, India’s hot weather makes thin film’s temperature coefficient a better fit than crystalline silicon. Gujarat is a dusty place, according to Hawkins, and the diffused light in that environment is also better suited for their thin-film modules. Hawkins sees Gujarat as a “very business focused state,” that is “making sure that the grid is ready for solar.”
Gujarat has a target of installing one gigawatt by the end of 2012 and three gigawatts by 2016 under a fixed tariff structure.
Source: www.greentechmedia.com

Blue Sky Energy Unveils Universal Communication Module

Blue Sky Energy, Inc., a leading manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) battery charge controllers introduces the Universal Communication Module (UCM) for its Solar BoostTM family of Maximum Power Point Tracking solar charge controllers. Blue Sky Energy’s IPN network based charge controllers coordinate their activities and share resources over the proprietary IPN network. The new UCM provides is a full featured communication bridge or gateway between IPN network based charge controllers and external system, including remote access over the Internet.
According to Melanie Cullen, V.P. of Operations and Marketing, “We are excited to bring the UCM’s web enabled capability to the charge controller market place. The UCM is compatible with all of Blue Sky Energy’s IPN compatible charge controllers and provides multiple standard communication interfaces including RS-485 Modbus, Ethernet based Modbus/IP, FTP data upload, and a built in web site server. Unlike other web enabled products the UCM’s built in web site server allows remote access to all charge controller data and setup parameters over the Internet without a subscription. If an IPN-ProRemote display is present on the IPN network it’s full featured battery system monitoring functionality and associated setup become available as well. The UCM also provides 128 days of data logging of key performance parameters which may be downloaded from the UCM’s web site.”
Source: www.renewableenergyworld.com

SolarCity sees U.S. panel prices tumbling in 2011

Solar panel prices in the United States are likely to drop by 20 cents per watt this year, according to the head of SolarCity, one of the nation’s largest photovoltaic solar service companies.
That drop would put the price of the panels that convert sunlight into electricity at about $1.40 per watt on average, or about 12.5 percent below prices quoted at the beginning of 2011.
Chief Executive Officer Lyndon Rive said the decline will help privately held SolarCity, which buys the panels from manufacturers and installs them for homes and businesses, to reach its cost-cutting target of 5 to 8 percent this year.
Prices for solar panels have dropped by about 75 percent in the past decade, and make up less than half the total cost of installing a rooftop system.
Most major solar manufacturers are increasing their output capacity of solar panels this year in a bid to grow their market share, even as key markets in Europe trim spending on the subsidies that are crucial to the fast-growing industry.
That could lead to a glut of solar panels on the market, squeezing margins at companies such as Trina Solar, First Solar Inc and SolarWorld AG.
However, market experts say those price declines are necessary to help the renewable power source compete with other sources of energy such as natural gas and coal, as well as reduce its dependence on government supports.

Source:  www.reuters.com

Renewable energy based on the principle of entropy

In nature, the diffusion of river water into salty seawater leads to a slight rise in temperature, and this energy could be captured to generate electricity. The conventional means of capture has been through osmotic power. Fresh water and salt water are separated by a membrane, and the salt water draws fresh water through the membrane, causing an increase in pressure. The pressure can then be used in a variety of ways, for example to turn a turbine. The Norway-based company Statkraft is testing one such osmotic power facility.
A team of researchers from Stanford University  approached the problem from a different angle and came up with a more compact system. As reported by Andy Extance at the Royal Society of Chemists, the Stanford system uses a battery to draw energy through a crystal lattice made of manganese dioxide nanorods, which pack a large surface area into a small space.

Source: www.cleantechnica.com

New study regarding sustainable biomass

More efficient land use could see England produce enough biomass to meet around four per cent of current UK electricity demand without affecting environmental sustainability or food production.
That is the conclusion of a major new study funded by the UK Energy Research Centre examining the potential of planting short rotation energy crops on unused agricultural land.
It suggests that growing lignocellulosic crops such as willow and poplar on marginal land could yield 7.5 million tons of biomass, of which the South West and North West could produce around a third.
The researchers said that converting marginal land to biomass plantations would not only be sufficient to generate approximately four per cent of current UK electricity demand, but would meet approximately one per cent of total energy demand, including heat.
This would represent a considerable increase on today’s levels, whereby dedicated energy crops account for less than 0.1 per cent of UK electricity, despite biomass being listed in 2009’s Renewable Energy Strategy as having “an important role” in meeting government targets of sourcing 30 per cent of electricity, 12 per cent of heat and 10 per cent of transport energy from renewable sources by 2020.
The use of biomass and biofuels has been hindered by fears over sustainability, EU standards which the UK government has failed to enact, and concerns that using land for energy crops damages food supplies.
But the paper said that new technology will mean that fuels can increasingly be produced from short rotation lignocellulosic crops without affecting food production because the trees can be grown on poor quality agricultural land – unlike current cellulosic biofuels typically derived from wheat and maize.
Source: www.businessgreen.com

Dutch Company to Invest in Bulgarian Solar Power Park

Dutch company Infinity Energy Holding AG will invest EUR 50 M in a solar power installation near the Bulgarian town of Devnya, near the Black Sea city of Varna.The announcement was made by the Chair of the Management Board of the company, Tjalling Halbertsma, after a meeting with the governor of the Varna district, Dancho Simeonov.
At present, the company is building the first part of the installation, which is expected to have a power of 5 MW. It has to be completed by the end of the year. In Bulgarian, Infinity energy Holding AG has contacts and is working with the company Solarpro. In Halbertsma’s words, the construction of the second part of the solar park, which will have a power of 10 MW, will begin after the Bulgarian Parliament adopts the law which defines the rates for sale of electricity from solar installations.
He also said that his company is interested in building wind farms in Bulgaria as well
The interest in Renewable Energy and in specific PV has been steadily growing for a number of years in the Balkan region. This region will continue to develop, and present opportunities for local and international businesses. A strong will to become less depended on fossil fuels is driving the market development.
Source: www.renewableenergyworld.com

Geothermal Leaders to Gather in the Nation’s Capital for GEA Geothermal Energy Technology and International Development Forum

As the geothermal industry is poised for record setting expansion, leaders will gather in Washington DC on Wednesday, May 4 for the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) 2011 Geothermal Energy Technology and International Development Forum which will be held at The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
“Our industry is developing rapidly here in the United States, but the growth of geothermal power abroad has been fantastic as well,” said Karl Gawell, GEA Executive Director. “Our program is going to allow us to see how and where these many projects are coming along, while also giving an update on the many new technologies that are coming into the geothermal market.”
The Forum was developed in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Over two-hundred industry leaders, foreign diplomats, financiers and government officials are expected to participate.
“Having the Departments of Commerce and Energy, as well as leaders from such a broad spectrum of geothermal supporters, as a part of this event will provide a great insight into where the geothermal industry currently stands and where it will be going over the next few years,” Gawell said.
The program showcases geothermal projects, trends, and governmental policies in the U.S. and around the world. Topics covered will include the geothermal market today, projects under development in the U.S. and internationally, outlook for the future of the geothermal market, jobs and money, new technologies, and federal agency support at home and abroad. The Forum will also feature an expo area.
Source: www.renewableenergyworld.com

Tata Steel is investing in solar paint

Tata Steel has said it is investing around £10m in a trio of Welsh research projects working to commercialise emerging low carbon building technologies, such as paint on solar cells that could turn homes, offices and factories into mini power stations.
Tata yesterday cut the ribbon on the £6.5m Sustainable Building Envelope Centre at Shotton in North Wales, where it will test new integrated heating, energy and ventilation systems on the fabric of buildings, including pioneering dye solar cell technology.
Earlier this week, Tata also said it would expand an £11m photovoltaics project, also at Shotton, to develop a manufacturing process for Dyesol’s dye solar cells. The decision allows the project to enter a second phase in June, meaning that Tata will expand the workforce from 30 to 50, at a cost of about £3.5m a year, with further investments yet to be determined.
Peter Strikwerda, managing director of Tata Steel Colors, said that Dyesol technology is at the heart of its plan to develop a new range of coated steel products capable of generating renewable energy for use on the roofs and walls of buildings.
Source: businessGreen

Solar Water Heating is on the Rise for Commercial Applications in the U.S.

AltaTerra Research announced the release of its highly anticipated report today, entitled, “Solar Water Heating on the Rise: Tapping into Commercial Solar Thermal.”  The report is one of the first professional market research studies of how customers are installing solar water heating. It addresses customer-facing issues, including the value proposition and suitability to and rate of adoption in particular industry types. It also profiles how and why current customers are installing solar water heating systems.
Sample findings from the report include:
  • The United States solar water heating market is now growing at about 20 percent per year in the commercial sector—a significant upturn from long-term trends.
  • For most customers, solar heating lowers energy expenditures.
  • Pilot installations are raising market acceptance and triggering follow-on purchases.
In a development that bodes well for the potential of a robust commercial market, solar thermal power purchase agreements are starting to take root in some areas.
“The market for commercial solar water heating systems in the United States is on the rise, growing an estimated twenty percent in 2010.  The U.S. commercial market is benefiting from new incentives programs and an increase in corporate and commercial customers seeking to meet resource efficiency goals and hedge against rising energy prices,” said the report’s lead author Eric Paul.
Source: www.renewableenergyworld.com