California is planning on solving the green energy storage solution

Tehachapi Energy Storage Project

We all know the benefits of green energy. It is free, it’s becoming more and more accessible and it is environmentally friendly. Still, it is not perfect yet. And one of the most challenging issues of green energy sources is identifying a storage solution for the power excess. Although it does not sound as a difficult thing when it comes to home panels, when we speak of utility companies, the situation changes.

But there is still hope as Southern California Edison is prepared to accept that challenge. They have launched the Tehachapi Energy Storage Project, a large-scale project that uses lithium-ion batteries (608,832 of them, to be precise), in order to save electricity. So, in the two couple of years, the 32 megawatt-hours array will gather leftover energy for the close sources and also from a wind turbine area. SCE will study what happens and pay attention to the lithium-ion packs, in order to improve their efficiency.

Even if this will not happen overnight, it is good to know there is a chance of improvement in the green energy field. So don’t expect to see this type of batteries soon, even if the test is a success. The batteries are only working in s small city. It will take a while until they can work a larger city, and even China’s record-setting storage system tops out at 36 megawatt-hours. But this doesn’t make it a less important step for the renewable energy field. SO this will make it easier for those who want to benefit from green enegy.

Ukraine’s Association of Alternative Fuel and Energy Market Participants is now part of Global 100% Renewables

Ukraine's renewble Assocation, Ukraine solar, Ukraine's independence

Ukraine Renewable energy

The renewable energy from Ukraine is going global as their biggest organization in the clean energy sector is now part of the worldwide infrastructure that has the purpose of providing 100% of the electric power we neeed.

As the Ukrainian association’s President, Vitaliy Daviy, claims, this collaboration between them and the Association of Global 100% Renewables can result in creating a sure path for the European country on the road to the global energy community but also to develop a place where people contribute to the growth of renewable energy at a national level.

Renewable energy for Ukraine’s independence

“Today as never before, Ukraine needs an active and effective implementation of the sustainable development principles in the energy sector, in particular in the development of renewable energy. Ukraine is tied to Russia in accordance with gas supply and nuclear fuel. The only way to avoid this destructive addiction is a fundamentally new model of energy supply for the country. Global Initiative 100% Renewables aims to complete rejection of the world economy from traditional fuels and energy. This is our vector of the development,” reports the head of APEU .

One of the most remarkable personalities of Global 100% Renewables is the person who created the European legislative “green” tariff model for the development of renewable energy, also former member of the Bundestag Hans-Josef Fell.

Gas and oil versus alternative energy

He believes that Ukraine’s best solution for independence is green energy, in addition the rejection the Russian gas and the diminishment of nuclear energy. This being said, the collaboration between APEU and Global 100 % Renewables can be an important incentive for the fulfillment of this strategy.

“Gas and oil dependence of Ukraine has always been one of the key reasons of political crises in the country. Wind and solar power, biogas production can potentially make Ukraine independent of energy imports in a few years. Moreover, the development of renewable energy is a very efficient way to promote the overall growth of the national economy,” as international experts announce.

Ukraine’s Association of Alternative Fuel and Energy Market Participants is now part of Global 100% Renewables

Ukraine Renewable energy

Renewable energy for Ukraine’s independence

“Today as never before, Ukraine needs an active and effective implementation of the sustainable development principles in the energy sector, in particular in the development of renewable energy. Ukraine is tied to Russia in accordance with gas supply and nuclear fuel. The only way to avoid this destructive addiction is a fundamentally new model of energy supply for the country. Global Initiative 100% Renewables aims to complete rejection of the world economy from traditional fuels and energy. This is our vector of the development,” reports the head of APEU .

Gas and oil versus alternative energy

“Gas and oil dependence of Ukraine has always been one of the key reasons of political crises in the country. Wind and solar power, biogas production can potentially make Ukraine independent of energy imports in a few years. Moreover, the development of renewable energy is a very efficient way to promote the overall growth of the national economy,” as international experts announce.

Solar energy is now more efficient by replacing lead with tin

Tin-based solar cells

It has been a long time since human kind first started using the sun’s en energy for their activity. Not so long ago solar cells were invented. With their help people are able free energy in the everyday activities, for different devices from calculators to satellites.

Scientists are always trying to develop ways to improve these cell’s efficiency. With this in mind they created a special solar cell. This type of cell uses tin and not lead perovskite as the way to harvest the light. This was quickly seen as the next boom of the photovoltaic industry.

This type of cell is also eco-friendly and it was first developed by American scientists from the Northwestern University in Illinois. They were the ones to find out ways in which the new type of cell can be used with “bench” chemistry or the traditional method where scientists do the chemical mixing themselves. The type of chemistry mentioned is not always safe as some of the chemical reactions may be harmful to humans. As far as lead is concerned, it is considered to be a toxic element and it is poisonous not only if you swallow it but also if you inhale it. The first type of solar cells are made of lead perovskite.

The new types of solar cells are consisted of tin-based perovskite and they can be as efficient as the lead-based ones and they harvest light in the same way with the help of two electronic layers that make them safe to use. In addition to this, tin made solar cells are absorbing most of the visible light spectrum, and the salt in perovskite can be dissolved and come back to normal state with no heating needed, as the scientists report.

“This is a breakthrough in taking the lead out of a very promising type of solar cell, called a perovskite.Tin is a very viable material, and we have shown the material does work as an efficient solar cell. While tin and lead belong to the same group in the table of elements, the lead-free solar cell already recorded an efficiency of six percent, which the researchers considered as a very good starting point” are the words of lead author of the study Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, a Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

SMA Launches the Sunny Boy Smart Energy

Niestetal, April 25, 2014—SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA) launches the new Sunny Boy Smart Energy in Germany. The first wall-mountable, mass-produced PV inverter with an integrated lithium-ion battery is immediately available for delivery.

The new inverter Sunny Boy

This new product awarded the Product Innovation Prize at Intersolar 2013 is currently the simplest storage solution available for typical residential PV applications. Furthermore, it can also be used as part of the SMA Integrated Storage System Solution.

Using solar electricity even longer

With the Sunny Boy Smart Energy, owner-operators can now use solar power even after sunset. Thanks to the integrated battery with a capacity of approximately 2 kWh, generated PV electricity that is not needed in the home can be stored for later use. This increases self-consumption—which makes a positive contribution to the environment and great sense financially—and therefore independence from rising electricity prices. “When combined with the Sunny Home Manager, self-sufficiency quotas of 50% are common on an annual average basis,” said Product Manager Thomas Thierschmidt.

Optimized battery capacity

The VDE-certified lithium-ion battery integrated in the Sunny Boy Smart Energy has an effective, application-oriented capacity of approximately 2 kWh. This value is crucial because it enables ideal economical operation of the battery. Because the increase in self-consumption levels off with increasing storage capacity, the battery utilization factor decreases. In addition, thanks to the battery, virtually all generated PV energy can be used, even with active power limitation. “Our long-standing expertise in storage systems shows us time and again that the small storage battery is not only extremely viable but also affordable,” said Thierschmidt.

A core component in the SMA Integrated Storage System

The Sunny Boy Smart Energy, which is available in power ranges of 3.6 kW and 5 kW, is one of the core components of the SMA Integrated Storage System alongside the Sunny Home Manager. As the first wall-mountable, mass-produced PV inverter with an integrated lithium-ion battery, this new product awarded the Product Innovation Prize at Intersolar 2013 is currently the simplest storage solution available for typical residential PV applications.

For greater independence, for the success of the energy transition

The Sunny Boy Smart Energy fosters greater independence in the scope of the intelligent energy management of SMA Smart Home. It is also perfectly designed to help fuel the energy transition, thanks to its storage function. “The future Smart Grid for the decentralized and renewable electricity supply must rely on electrical storage systems. To be able to establish a system-appropriate storage capacity within the utility grid capacity, an easy-to-install and affordable product is needed. In this respect, the Sunny Boy Smart Energy supports the energy transition unlike virtually any other device,” said Thierschmidt.

About SMA

The SMA Group generated sales of €932.5 million in 2013 and is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants. As an energy management group, SMA offers innovative key technologies for future powersupply structures. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented in 21 countries.

UK at the top of the list in European PV: largest market of the year

UK PV market

Who would have said that a country where is mostly rains would end up being so solar-friendly? Well apparently it is possible as U.K is rapidly moving towards the top on the list with the largest markets of the year. Developing more than 120 big scale PV farms, UK grew the attraction for project developers, as NPD Solarbuzz says.

UK at the top in EU PV market, as the ground-mounted solar PV farms develop

Over 100 large-scale solar PV farms in the British country have been approved and are said to be finished this year as NPD Solarbuzz UK Deal Tracker reports.

NPD Solarbuzz Vice President, Finlay Colville, says “In the past six months, the Department of Energy and Climate Change released the United Kingdom’s Solar PV Roadmap and Solar PV Strategy reports, restating aspirations to hit 20 GW of cumulative capacity by 2020.”

As far as the amount of new solar PV capacity is concerned, the analysts say that U.K is at 2.875 GW for 2014, meaning that approximately 1.72 GW will be added in this semester.

Even the last leader of the market, Germany, didn’t reach this figure as it has 2.6 GW.

Future plans for the UK PV market

The main purposes of the solar market leader will also concern rooftop and ground-mounted systems and solar PV farms are said to be the main provider in 2014.

Until the end of the month , over 325 PV farms in the 10 MW category will be completed. This means over 60 different sites will be installed. Moreover, 444 large-scale ground-mounted solar PV farms are being installer at the time, with the help of Renewable Obligation scheme. The last one are to be completed until the beginning of the next year.

“With the U.K. projected to be the largest solar PV market in Europe in 2014, global component suppliers and project developers need to quickly understand the dynamics of the U.K. solar PV industry,” added Colville. “Aligning with suitable partners and choosing the most attractive PV projects in the pipeline will ultimately determine the winners and losers over the next 12 months.”

Good news in the renewable market: solar-powered laptops are available for $350

renewable energy, solar-powered lapotop, solar energy computer

Solar-powered laptop

The very first solar-powered laptop was released by Ubuntu Sol. The new personal computer guarantees 10 hours of battery life with a two hour charge.

The company that developed the what appears to be a premiere in both solar and it industry is a Canadian one and it is called WeWi Telecommunications. This announcement was made as in 2011 Samsung launched a solar netbook NC215S that is also working with the help of solar energy but is not considered to be a laptop computer

$350 solar-powered computer

The recently launched laptop is said to release for only US$350, with an impressive list of specifications. The computer has an integrated GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, WIFI, 3G/4G LTE capabilities and a 10 hour-lasting battery that is completely charged in about two hours of sunlight.

When charging the Sol laptop is completely transformed. When it is not being charged, the laptop seems a little bigger than other laptops in its category, but that is only because the upper side is converted into a portable solar array. This array charges the laptop if it is unfolded into four solar panels connected to the laptop with a power cable.

David Snir, Ubuntu Sol’s creater, believes that solar panels have to be placed in direct sunlight in order to be able to charge the battery of the computer while every panel produces about 10 W per square foot.

Solar based laptop, suitable for everyone with adventure need

The laptop has generally been received with good remarks from reviewers. Still, the opinions varied especially when it came to the time needed for charging. So, while some claim half a day is no enough to fully charge the laptop, others reported their device charged after only a couple of hours of clear sky.

The laptop designed to be rough, long-lasting and portable is suited for everyone but may be useful to military, adventurers, researchers and students that use computers in locations with no or little power.

European scientists just made the first “green” jet fuel that uses sunlight

Green jet fuel

The project is called Solar-Jet and it exploits the sun for heating metal oxide. After that, 700 °C water and carbon monoxide go into the reactor. This leads to the creation of a synthetic gas that combines of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The final step is the compression of that and the conversion into a fuel that imitates kerosene.

If this works on a bigger scale, it can lead to a source of sustainable and ascendable supply of fuel for planes, cars and some other vehicles.

With the purpose of reducing toxic emissions, Europeans created the first renewable jet fuel that works on water and carbon dioxide

If this is proved on a larger scale, this project could mean a new beginning in the renewable energy industry by making possible an on-demand reserve of fuel that are used in planes, cars and other different type of vehicles.

The achievement was made public by the researchers that have been working on the Solar-Jet project for the past four years and spent the last years developing a solar reactor that utilizes focused sunlight to heat up metal oxide.

The renewable jet fuel could be useful to planes, cars and other vehicles

“The basic idea is to reverse the combustion process. What we do is take carbon dioxide and water vapour, and introduce energy to produce fuel” said the person in charge of at the DLR Institute of Combustion Technology in Stuttgart, Patrick Le Clercq, according to dailymail.

The fallowing step is the compression. After that the gas is sent to Shell, where it is converted into a hydrocarbon fuel that is a lot like kerosene during a process called Fischer-Tropsch.

“This large-scale method is already in widespread use throughout the world and has been certified for aviation purposes. This means the fuel produced using this technique will not need to undergo any new, extensive testing and certification procedures,” added Le Clercq.

The project is currently at the experimental stage and only has a glassful of jet fuel produced in laboratory conditions that use simulated rays. Still, scientists think that this could represent a way cheaper and environmentally-friendly fuel.

Solar-Jet collaborates with German Aerospace Center (DLR), ETH Zürich, Bauhaus Luftfahrt and Shell.

Google collaborates with SunPower for leasing solar panels to homeowners

Goggle Inc. and solar panel producer Sun Power Corp shaking hands for leasing

The two companies will put $250 million in leasing solar systems to homeowners. The search engine giant is investing nearly $100 million, while the solar panel maker is contributing with $150 million. Google declared that the purpose of this program is to facilitate the procces of going green for thousands of homeowners in the U.S.A.

“Using the fund… we buy the solar panel systems. Then we lease them to homeowners at a cost that’s typically lower than their normal electricity bill”, said Google.

Gooogle supports green energy

Google and SunPower put $250 million in solar panels leasing program

Google invests in solar

The Mountain View technology giant’s plans come after a major boost in financing methodes. The number of homeowners that can benefit from the leasing program is growing and than they buy them outright.

Solar energy based companies are also in search of creative methods of investing in their business.

Solar leasing not for everyone

Solar producers that collaborate with homeowners regularly have difficulties when they are trying to pursue traditional banks to put their money into anything that isn’t a large-scale project, as analysts report. A lot of investment firms do not know the uncertainties that come with solar energy and don’t want to wait out the payout period, that can last many years.

Google seems to be very interested in long term investments in solar energy project in the upcoming years.

The company mentioned has invested in solar leasing before with the help of SolarCity and Clean Power Finance. In November, the company announced its plans to contribute with up tp $80 million for six utility scale solar facilities in two states: California and Arizona.

Apple wants to go 100% green

Apple has plans to embrace green energy

Apple adopts a green policy in order to reduce pollution

Apple goes green

Apple announced initiatives Monday to offer free recycling of its products, as well as plans to use renewable energy sources at its 420 worldwide stores.

Apple is willing to recycle freely all the old products and promises to use green energy for all the stores, offices and data centers in order to bring down the pollution level made by tits devices and online services.

The technology giant gave more details about a greener Apple company in a special section at the section made especially for clean energy launched on Monday. This section’s purpose is to accentuate the iPhone and iPad producer is enlarging confidence in renewable energy and is polluting less with its used electronics.

Apple goes green policy

The electronics company has been rewording its customers from the over 400 stores if they brought iPhones and iPods that could be recycled. They were rewarded with gift card. The company founded by Steve Jobs is now recycle any used Apple device with zero costs.

Taking into account the fact that Apple sold more than 1 billion iPhones, iPods, iPads and Mac computers, this comes as a huge progress. The procedure is valid for electronics that cannot be thrown away as they contain toxins. Their products sand for about 2% of the emissions in 2012 as the statistics from Greenpeace say. Some of the largest electricity demands come from data center that house the stacks of computers that process search requests, store photos and email, and stream video. These services often consume more electricity than China, the U.S., Japan, India and Russia. Being the world’s largest technology company, Apple wants to bring more environmental solutions than problems.

Moreover, the company is not doing this just for good publicity. As a recent review says, Greenpeace is praising Apple and it describes it to be “the most innovative and most aggressive in pursuing its commitment to be 100 percent renewably powered.”