Australian authorities have approved a bill stipulating that by 2020 the country will receive 20 % of total energy mix from renewable sources.
The bill’s draft was voted for in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
The former government’s plans in 2001 were much more modest – 5% of energy derived from renewables by 2020. However, the new act is not widely supported. Senator Bob Brown, the head of “green” opposition party Australian Greens, for example, thinks that solar, wind and hydro power should bring no less than 30 of the country’s total energy mix. According to him, this objective is able to attract about 31 billion if Australian dollar investments ($26 billion) into green energy sector, and will allow to create 26 thousand jobs for Australian people.
Act’s critics claim it may cause Australian electricity process soaring, as the consumption will grow and greenhouses gases emissions won’t reduce. Even if 20% of country’s energy mix are generated from renewables, carbon dioxide emissions in 2020 will still exceed 2000 rates by 20%.
Currently, Australia receives 8% of energy from solar, wind and hydro power. Early in July the local authorities approved the first stage of 600-turbine wind power plant near Broken Hill in New Southern Wales. In its full capacity, the plant will be able to cover energy needs of 430,000 households. Moreover, the highest capacity plant is going to be built in Australia. Tender for its construction will be announced this year, its winner will start the construction in the first half of 2010.
By 2020 1/5 of Australian electricity will be generated from green sources
September 2nd, 2009Electricity Bills to Swell in Japan as Utilities Are Switching to Solar Power Sources
August 25th, 2009According to the new national Japanese solar power program, companies in this country will pay 9 billion yen more for electricity in order to stimulate the development of renewable energy technologies.
Japanese Trade Ministry report admits that the government will oblige all Japanese companies to purchase excessive amount of energy and pay the double price to help installing solar panels. This program will be implemented in November; however the customers of country’s major electricity generators will start paying twice as much as they used to in April.
Such decision of the Japanese government was hinted by similar programs in Spain and Germany, which are designed to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gas and minimize the negative effect on the environment. This plant will reduce the expenses on solar panel installation and allow Japanese energy companies to increase their output of solar energy 40-fold by the year 2030.
In accordance with the plan of the Japanese trade ministry, country’s households (having less that 10 kW capacity) are going to pay approximately 30 yen / month more and this quantity will soon rise to about 90 yen. As for the business units, the increase for them makes up to 24 yen per kilowatts-hour.
New Zealand National Electricity Generator Buys a US Solar Power Plant
August 25th, 2009Meridian Energy Ltd., New Zealand’s national energy company, covering about 30% of nation’s total energy requirements, reported about the purchase of a solar power plant in the US, and will be using it to develop New Zealand’s potential, as well as to influence and be aware of the changes in the renewable energy market in the States. According to the company’s officials, the plant cost Meridian Energy Ltd. about $5.4 and it includes a 5 MW capacity plant in California, that’s going to be commissioned into new ownership by the end of this year.
Meridian Energy Ltd. has made a deal with San Francisco- based company Pacific Gas & Electricity Co., and, according to the contract, all the energy generated by this Californian plant will be purchased by Meridian’s new partner.
Currently Meridian Energy Ltd. is starting to explore the possibilities of opening solar power utilities on some of the Pacific Islands, where diesel power plants are still prevailing.
Company’s officials say this purchase will help them gain useful experience necessary for the expansion on Pacific islands and Australia, as well as on the territory of the New Zealand. Another important benefit the company received from buying American solar power plant is a grip in the US market, allowing it to explore new investment opportunities there.
Being a national electricity company Meridian owns also wind and hydro power facilities, capable to provide electricity to approximately 200 thousand customers all over New Zealand.
Denver airport plans solar power for its fuel farm
August 25th, 2009International Airport in Denver plans to invest about $7 million in construction of a solar power plant, able to cover the energy needs of airport’s systems of fuel storage and distribution. This system will be an addition to the airport’s 2MW photovoltaic system, situated close to the terminal.
The managers of the airport are planning to make a deal with two companies, which are going to construct a 1.6 MW plant and all they need is the permission from the City Council. They are willing to allocate 9 acres of airport’s land for the project.
The amount of electricity bought from these companies will almost fully cover the energy need of the fuel farm, situated in the airport. This energy will be bought with a 10% discount from the commercial price.
If the airport gets the Council approval, the project will be finished by the end of the year.
Kramer Industries Contributes in Renewable Energy Development
August 25th, 2009EPV Solar, Inc company is one of the leaders in production of solar panels and even won the award of Clean Energy Manufacturer of the Year in New Jersey, where it’s based.
EPV Solar, Inc is using Kramer Industries blasting medium in its production, blasting away a clean edge on the modules’ surfaces with the help of Kramer Industries’ aluminum oxide granulates, that are perfect for the EPV. Such edge isolation involves filling glass panels with silicone and blasting a 10 mm edge clean before the panels are encapsulated.
Kramer Industries officials claim they are happy their company is making such a contribution in the development of a company doing business in renewable energy technologies, which has a significant potential and is able to inspire other businesses in this field.
Being one of the most considerable producers of blasting and tumbling media, Kramer Industries Company often consults its buyers on how to make the most of their products in the process of manufacturing. As for the blasting media the company produces, it is a compilation of great variety of dry abrasive materials, like crushed glass and glass beads, silicon carbide, pumice, corn cob grit, plastic, steel and walnut shell grit, and, of course aluminum oxide, which possesses the ideal abrasiveness to cut the surfaces.
Thin-film amorphous solar modules, produced by EPV Solar, Inc., are being marketed by the company throughout the world. There is a constant demand for this product in different countries and the company is expecting a stable growth in the future.
As for Kramer Industries, it offers a great variety of blasting media for various stages of production. It has a full range of equipment, starting from barrel tumblers to blasting systems and is supplying its equipment to cleaning companies and workers all over the world.
Edison Utility Takes Part in Large Solar Power Projects
August 25th, 2009California Edison Company made an agreement with First Solar Company that is planning to build solar power plants in Arizona. Southern California Edison has agreed to buy electricity to cover the needs of about 170 thousand households.
The projects to be built will have the capacity of 550 MW of photovoltaic electricity comparing to natural gas plants with the capacity of approximately 1,000 MW. The construction of the first of two plants with the capacity of 250 MW will start in 2012 in Arizona Riverside County, and the construction of second plant will start in 2013 in San Bernardino County on the northern east of Arizona. Due to the construction of the two plants, which is planned to finish by the end of 2015, the state will receive hundreds of workplaces for builders.
As for the financial conditions of the deal, Southern California Edison didn’t disclose any numbers, however it is reported that by the time the construction ends First Solar will have sold the two plants to investors.
Edison agreed to participate in this deal to approach the 2010 state standards or generating 20 percent of energy from renewable sources. By 2030 this amount will rise up to 33 percent. Last year the company generated 16 percent of renewable energy, and about 65 percent of total amount of country’s solar energy.
As for meeting the 20% standard, Edison officials say they will easily derive this amount of energy from renewables; however they are not sure whether they can deliver it to customers, because of transmission problems, so it’s possible, the company won’t be able to meet the standards by 2010.
Meanwhile, Edison’s partner, First Solar is one of the leaders of photovoltaic energy production leaving all its competitors behind due to lower cost of production. The yield First Solar is going to get from the deal with Edison is estimated in $1.3 billion. The yearly revenues of First Solar are increasing significantly during the last couple of years, which makes this company very attractive to the investors.
Texas Citizens Want More Renewables
August 25th, 2009Recent polls among Texans show that the majority of state’s citizens realize the necessity to increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources, namely solar and wind power. People are even willing to pay more for alternative energy, because such development is advantageous both for the economy and the environment. Today the most of energy Texans use comes from oil and natural gas, sources of which may soon deplete.
Fortunately, the natural resources Texas possesses allow the state to make use of alternative energy and help the country to become less dependent on external imports of energy.
The survey conducted among people of all major nationalities, political views and genders suggests that most people support the financial help to develop alternative energy sources; they agree that companies trying to do business in this field require special incentives, such as long-term loans, investments and tax reduction to become independent.
Many of Texan energy companies already have an agreement with the authorities to generate certain percentage of electricity from renewable resources, and Texas citizens believe that such agreements should be obligatory for all the companies producing energy, even if it is more expensive for the state and the people.
The people surveyed also say, they are willing to buy rather expensive appliances for homes to get alternative energy if they help them save on there electric bills over time.
The poll suggests tat energy-saving programs are the fastest and the cheapest way to build up the efficient economy and achieve independence in energy issues. Although these programs require initial capital, they will necessarily pay off in during short period of time.
Sunforce Solar Kit ( 10×123 Watt Sharp panels )
August 21st, 2009Sunforce solar kit is a great solution for people, wanting to get remote electricity source for there homes or boats in a rather green way. Sunforce solar kit contains ten cost-effective and absolutely environment-safe 123 Watt Polycrystalline Sharp solar cells, which easily installed and maintained. The panels sold within the kit can be connected together into multi-panel device, they are completely waterproof, therefore can be used outside. The Sunforce solar kit is sold with a 25 year warranty, proving its durability. The maximum capacity of each panel makes up to 123W or 7.16 Amps.
Sunforce solar kit can be used for different purposes, starting from battery charging to creating mini power stations. A 400-pound solar kit except for panels consists of 10 brackets to mount the panels and a voltage tester. The package box is 59.5-inch long and 27.0-inch wide.
Rutabaga may become a cost-effective biofuel source
August 19th, 2009Michigan State University scientists are working on the project of transforming rutabaga into a biofuel source.
The idea of this project is based on the fact that rutabaga together with its oily seed can be genetically modified to produce more oil. In the course of experiments its leaves, shafts and roots will be capable to produce oil instead of starch.
Rutabaga is not very popular food product and this is actually one of the plant’s advantages. Using corn, soybeans and other food plants in producing biofuel made experts predict deficit of these products in the near future. There’s a suggestion that biofuel boom is able to cause provisions prices to soar.
Another reason why Christoph Benning and his colleagues look at rutabaga is because this plant does not require any special conditions and is resistant to cold temperatures being successfully cultivated in the north of the USA. In other words, this plant is capable to make the US independent from foreign biofuel importers. The main researchers’ aim is to modify the rutabaga so that it would produce several times more oil than canola or rapeseed, which currently is the major biofuel source in the world.
Because of some peculiarities of rutabaga blooming, there is no danger of cross pollination of genetically modified and ordinary crops.
To cultivate the first generation of genetically modified rutabaga in university greenhouses scientists needed approximately a year. Even if things go as planned it might take up to 15 years to make rutabaga biofuel viable.
India’s Solar Plans
August 19th, 2009Last week India’s Prime Minister has publicly approved of its “national solar mission”. This will be a huge project aimed at India’s solar energy development. Nowadays the quantity of electricity India gets from solar power plant amounts to 3 GW and this number is planned to increase to 20 GW by 2020 and 200 GW by 2050. This is going to be a part of national climate change strategy and it will cost India approximately $ 20 billion.
Not so long ago India’s government claimed it doesn’t approve of the objectives of Kyoto protocol and will not reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. No wonder, most of India’s economy sectors are based on carbon fuel. But, seeing the renewable sources incentives of the Indian government such claims obviously are caused by the fear to worsen already difficult conditions Indians have to live in.
India’s plans seem huge and almost impossible, taking into account the fact that the total yearly amount of solar energy generated in the world equals to 16.5 GW. India’s solar mission is the most massive project of this kind. If it is successful, India will become the world leader in solar energy production, attract a lot of new investments and create millions of jobs.
Indian experts say that if their calculations are correct, the price of solar electricity will become equal to that of mineral fuel in the nearest 5 or 10 years. But to achieve this India needs not only capital flow and governmental control, but also creating beneficial conditions for the development of solar power economy like those created in Germany and Japan. These countries are receiving minimal solar activity but their solar power economy is extremely developed.