Posts Tagged by solar
From Guest-Blogger Joshua Okomo: Global Investment in Renewables Exceeds Non-renewables
| January 24, 2012 | Posted by okomo under Renewables - Business |
Assessment of energy investment in the world shows a clear path to bigger investment in renewable than non renewable. Clean energy technology is making clear progress globally, in some countries current and planned deployment of renewable far outstrip investment in non renewable energy.
More aggressive clean energy policies are required, including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and implementation of transparent, predictable and adaptive incentives for cleaner, more efficient energy options. Due to government support and investors strategy for capital returns, solar PV and wind power are achieving strong growth. However for many developing countries where the natural potential for solar and wind power is even higher, much effort is needed in solar and wind power deployments.
Related posts:
From Guest Blogger Jim Stack: Hawaii — Land of Oil or Renewables
| December 1, 2011 | Posted by jstack6 under Renewables - Science |
Hawaii has been known as a land of paradise. They have a great climate and can grow anything anyplace. But did you know Hawaii runs most of paradise on oil-generated electricity? Of course, all of the oil is imported too.
Recently becuase of fast growing prices they started looking at renewable energy in Hawaii. They found they have great solar, wind, hydro wave and currents and even geothermal energy. They are now just starting to develop these great renewable energy sources.
In Hawaii they have have many small islands and micro grids that are not connected. This makes it difficult to combine all the great renewable energy sources they have into an efficient grid. Read More
Related posts:
By Guest-Blogger Don: Wanted, People Who Can Grow a Company by 8% (per month)
| October 25, 2011 | Posted by Donald W under Photo-voltaics |
I was giving a speech earlier this month about Energy Security, and while preparing the speech came upon some stark realizations about electrical generation in the US:
1) Solar is equivalent to an insignificant rounding error for electrical generation in the US.
2) Coal will remain by far the dominant form of electrical generation assuming the status quo for at least 5 years and will probably be the first or second generator for 10 years.
3) Assuming current trends, solar not be out producing petroleum product (petroleum liquids, petroleum coke) for about 4½ to 5 years.
4) Growth of 40% per year in 5 years solar will still be a rounding error for electrical generation in the US.
5) With growth of 60% per year in 5 years solar will finally achieve the status of being a rounding error for electrical generation in the US. Read More
Related posts:
Talking Renewable Energy on “Getting Your Money’s Worth”
| October 12, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Science |
Many years ago I donated 90% or so of my neckties to charity as I almost never wear one anymore. But I’m glad I didn’t get rid of them all, as here I had a rare opportunity a couple of weeks ago when I was in New York City and taped an episode of “Getting Your Money’s Worth,” in which I discuss renewable energy with show host Judith West. (The video displays better on Internet Explorer than other browsers.)
It was actually quite a rocket ride, where Judith asked about solar, wind, fossil fuels, electric transportation, and a range of other subjects concerning the politics of clean energy.
Related posts:
Guest Post: Arizona Utility Signs up to Solar, Biogas and Wind PPAs
| January 4, 2011 | Posted by Aedan-Kernan under Renewables - Business |
Tucson Electric Power has signed up to solar photovoltaic array projects with capacities of 35MW, 25MW and 5MW; single-axis tracking PV arrays with capacities of 12MW, 4MW and two of 5MW each, a concentrating PV plant with capacity of 12MW and two of 2MW each; a 50MW wind project; and a 2.2MW landfill gas generator project. The desert city company emphasises that none of the projects require water. The utility company expects to be buying power from the first of these renewable energy projects in 2012.
Related posts:
[The Vector] Nanotechnology – A Disappointment? (Part Two)
| December 17, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Energy Storage |
(continued from an earlier article)
Down in the Quantum World
Nano particles are less than 100 nanomicrons in width, meaning that a human hair is approximately 80,000nm wide. Down at the molecular level, materials behave differently to the way they behave in larger volumes. Because so little is known about material behaviour at nano level at the International Forum on Chemical Safety at Dakar in 2008, 71 governments and 12 international organizations recommended the application of the Precautionary Principle to it. The principle states that anyone proposing a new initiative in a risky area must prove their initiative is safe before they carry it out.
Yet, according to the Friends of the Earth report, regulatory systems in the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan and other countries treat all particles the same; that is, they do not recognise that nanoparticles of familiar substances may have novel properties and novel risks. Carbon nanotubes for use in electronics, energy applications and vehicle parts may be associated with the cancer mesothelioma, for example. Although many nanomaterials now in commercial use pose greater toxicity risks than the same materials in larger particle form, if a substance has been approved in bulk form, it remains legal to sell it in nano form. Read More
Related posts:
Nanotechnology – A Sandwich Without the Beef? (Part One)
| December 13, 2010 | Posted by Aedan-Kernan under Energy Storage |
The ability of nanotechnologies to deliver cost-effective renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions has come under attack in a recently released report by the environmental campaigning organisation Friends of the Earth.
The nano technology industry has over-promised and under-delivered, according to the report. The performance of nano-based renewables has been considerably less than predicted. Efficiency of solar energy conversion by nano solar panels is still about 10% behind that achieved by silicon panels, while the energy and environmental costs of the nanotechnology industry are far higher than expected.
Related posts:
From Guest Blogger SolarLighting: Can We Copy the solar success of NJ to the Other States of the US?
| September 27, 2010 | Posted by solarlighting under Photo-voltaics |
We are very glad to see that the solar industry is developing fast in the US. It is now a major economic driver for the country. When generating great amount of electricity, the solar industry is also creating many job opportunities for the US. As for this solar industry I mean PV, because most of equipments use electricity rather than thermal energy, so you will see solar street light rather than solar Thermal Street light. All states are trying to improve their local solar deployment. It is obvious that the California is leading the solar development of the country, accounting for about 50% of the PV install in the country.
Related posts:
[The Vector] Solar Thermal – Getting Competitive
| August 8, 2010 | Posted by Aedan-Kernan under Solar Thermal |
The Spanish Solucar PS10. Source: afloresm
Despite Spain’s enthusiastic promotion of solar generation, there are other areas of the world where solar can operate much more efficiently. Countries in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the southern states of the US, have higher solar power generation potential. The German-led Desertec project to generate power for Europe in the Sahara continues to progress. A number of North African countries, including Egypt, are interested in getting involved.
At the same time, utility-scale solar generation is becoming more competitive. Reports that suggest this include the following:
Related posts:
2GreenEnergy at the Intersolar Show
| July 12, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Solar Thermal |
I’m headed up to San Francisco to the Intersolar show tomorrow morning for a couple of days of meetings, and, of course, checking out the show itself.
I just realized that I’m entering my fourth decade of attending trade shows now. I remember seeing a gawky kid with glasses at a show in the early 80s, and someone said, “Oh, that’s Bill Gates. He has a software company. I wonder if it will go anywhere?” Since then, I can’t count how many events I’m traipsed through in Europe and North America, on some mission or another.
One thing I find interesting is what I call the “tone” of the show. Of course, the promoters of all shows represent that theirs is the most exciting event in the universe — even in subject matter areas that most people find dull as dishwater. But beneath the loud music and the flashing lights, I try to read the true feelings that underlie the show.
A good example is the auto shows, which I often attend to see the alternate fuel vehicles and to meet the people associated with them. The car shows in Los Angeles and Detroit these last couple of years still have the glitz and the pretty girls — but there is something palpably wrong: people aren’t buying cars, and the OEMs are obviously scaling way back — on everything: promotions — even entire product annoucements. People still wear smiles — because it’s their job to do so — but you can almost hear them thinking, “Wow, this is terrible.”
It will be interesting to see what Intersolar is like. Obviously, the solar industry is under some real pressure, with precipitous drops in PV prices with the attendent distressed margins, and a horrible environment for capital formation. Then you have what could be called the recalcitrance of the traditional energy industry. As I’ve often said, these fossil fuel people aren’t going away anytime soon — ecological disaster or no. I would think that this, combined with the overall economic climate, would tend to cast a kind of pallor over the place.
On the other hand, the solar thermal industry — far less mature than PV — boasts some terrific breakthroughs in technologies that are very interesting indeed.
We’ll see what happens — and what that “tone” will be like. I’ll update you on my travels. If you happen to be there and want to say hello, please hit “contact.”
