Issue #154 (week of October 30 to November 3)
TRENDS in RENEWABLE ENERGIES
(the condensed version)
Canadian Association for Renewable Energies
(forward to colleagues in renewables)
This is the weekly summary of most articles carried last week.
It is a 'heads up' service only; for details, go to
http://www.solaraccess.com/sanews/trends/default.asp
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- A new wind energy project in Australia has the potential to
improve the effectiveness of wind for power generation in remote
locations by integrating wind into existing diesel grids. The
Denham facility features an innovative flywheel system to store
short term energy that is generated by the turbine, allowing the
wind unit to maximize the renewable energy supplied to the grid.
Energy stored in the flywheel is supplied over short periods to
smooth fluctuations in the wind regime, which allows diesel
generators to stay idle and reduce fuel consumption and engine
wear. German turbine manufacturer Enercon will make the
control technology a standard for new turbines installed on diesel
grids. The three wind turbines will provide half of the town's
electricity requirements and, on a windy day, can meet full
demand. It will reduce consumption of diesel fuel by 450,000
litres each year, resulting in the displacement of annual
greenhouse gases by 1,400 tonnes.
- The installation of solar panels on the roof of a federal building
in downtown Chicago has been completed. The EPA, DOE and
GSA put the PV panels on the Metcalfe Federal Building, which
is headquarters of the local EPA office. It is the first office
building in the Loop to have a solar energy system, and the
agency hopes it will start a trend.
- Europe can install 50 percent more wind energy facilities by
2020 than it recently predicted, according to EWEA. In 1996, it
predicted that 40,000 MW of wind capacity would be installed
across the continent by 2010. That level was the same as the
target set in the European Commission's 1997 White Paper on
Renewable Energy. Since 1993, the market has grown at more
than 40 percent per year, with 1999 setting a record with 3,000
MW installed and moving past 9,500 MW, surpassing the 8,000
MW goal that EWEA had set for 2000. The 2010 target of 40,000
MW will be achieved well before that date and, within a decade,
wind capacity will reach 60,000 MW. Of this, 5,000 MW will be
offshore. By 2020, the total will be 150,000 instead of 100,000
MW, of which 50,000 MW will be offshore.
- The U.S. government has dedicated one of the largest solar
energy systems in the country. The center near Washington has
2,800 PV panels that will generate 100 kW of electricity. It is the
largest multi-celled thin-film solar power system and the latest in
the Million Solar Roofs initiative that has installed 100,000 solar
roofs since 1997, almost double the goal of 51,000 by 2000. The
facility in Maryland is occupied by the GSA, and will be a
showcase for renewable energy technology in the Capital. It is
designed to be a highly visible project that will serve as a
working model on which future PV installations can be based.
- A 130 MW wind farm has been announced for west Texas. AEP
will install 87 turbines to generate 515 kWh of electricity for
30,000 residential customers of TXU. The Trent Mesa Project is
the fourth major wind power agreement reached by TXU, and
establishes the utility as a major wind supporter with contracts to
purchase 361.5 MW from wind turbines. Including this deal, TXU
will obtain more than 1.3 billion kWh of renewable energy each
year from wind farms in west Texas, enough for 75,000 homes. It
will buy power from the facility for at least ten years. The site
could develop up to 250 wind turbines.
- The European Commission wants to fund projects that will
diversify the continent's energy supply and reduce emissions
from the use of energy. EESD has issued a call for proposals 4)
that involves funding of EUR 240 million for projects that address
the priorities of the EU Energy policy, such as the diversity and
security of energy supply and the mitigation of the effects of
energy supply and use in climate change. Submission deadlines
are March and February, and briefings will be held in Brussels to
explain how to submit technology proposals. Short-term target
include application driven fuel cells, clean urban transit, gas
power generation and the integration of renewable energy
systems (RES) and distributed generation of energy systems into
sustainable communities. PV has a very high potential, but the
cost must be reduced by an order of magnitude if the technology
is to become cost-effective in the long term, it says. The target in
wind energy is to overcome bottlenecks which hinder the full
exploitation of onshore wind energy and to stimulate offshore
exploitation.
- A major U.S. solar energy firm has sold off its subsidiaries so it
can concentrate purely on solar energy. The restructuring will
allow it to expand its position as the world's leading supplier of
tools to manufacture PV modules, and officials see the PV
industry expanding rapidly due to the demand for power and the
opportunities created by electric utility deregulation.
- A merchant bank in Canada has formed a subsidiary to invest
in emerging power generation and energy storage technologies.
The group will make equity investments in a range of companies
employing emerging power generation and storage technologies,
and will focus on growth opportunities in the restructuring of the
global energy marketplace. "The depletion of fossil fuels, along
with severe price swings, have increased the belief that energy
alternatives are a strategic, as well as economic imperative," say
officials. "The environmental impact of existing energy sources
and the continued growth of the green movement have brought
new emphasis to the total cost of older power generation
techniques and their effect on the planet." It will invest in solar
PV, wind power, fuel cells, microturbines, hydrogen production
and storage, electromechanical batteries, hybrid vehicle
components, advanced portable power sources, and other
technologies in the growing trend toward distributed generation.
- A major U.S. manufacturer of solar energy products has
received the first approval for a PV system with battery storage.
The packaged solar electric power is the first to be approved
under the PV Buildings Program of FSEC, and approval allows
utilities to apply for rebate funds under state incentives. The
SunUPS system is a standardized package that can generate up
to 5 kW of back-up power, and includes mounting systems for all
types of roofs, pre-wired and self-contained power electronics,
system wiring and hardware, and an installation manual.
- Renewable energy technology has enormous potential, but
realizing that potential will require continued promotion of
significant research with a long-term market expansion to reduce
costs, according to a U.N. committee on environment and
sustainable development. The representative from Zimbabwe
says renewable energy is needed for a sustainable future, and
that the realization of the role of renewables in developing
countries must be associated with technology transfer and
capacity building. Renewable energy applications are
constrained by high capital costs and lack of financial and human
resources, and increased efforts are necessary to support the
wider use of solar energy in rural areas. Experiences with solar
home systems have been very encouraging, but must involve
local communities and to financially support the dissemination of
solar energy technologies in order to implement the World Solar
Programme. Similar comments were made during the U.N.
meeting by representatives from India, Kenya and China.
- The use of solar PV to generate electricity for the utility grid is
quickly taking over from its traditional market in stand-alone
applications, according to a report prepared for the IEA. The
cumulative installed capacity of larger PV systems in 20 nations
in 1992 was 109.7 MW, and had increased to 506.2 MW by
1999, according to the analysis. The annual increase in the first
six years was 22 to 28 percent, and this growth accelerated to 31
percent in 1999. The 20 IEA reporting countries were responsible
for the installation of 121 MW of the global shipment of 201 MW.
"A clear trend towards distributed grid-connected has emerged,
with the total percentage of grid-connected systems exceeding
that for stand-alone systems in the IEA countries," report authors
Raye Thomas and Lisa Dignard, although Canada did not follow
that global trend. In 1999, Canada placed 1,326 of its total 1,356
kW into off-grid applications, but the 30 kW of grid-connected PV
systems indicates "a significant increase over previous years"
and provides evidence that "Canada is at last moving towards
grid-connected and BIPV systems where Japan and Europe have
been showing the way in recent years."
- Britain's Department of Social Security is leading the federal
government in the use of renewable energy. DSS was the first
government department to have a building with fully renewable
electricity supplies and it is expanding to 30 more offices. The
electricity is generated from wind turbines and landfill gas.
- Renewable energy will be a major plank in the policy platform
of the Green Party of Canada in the campaign leading to the
federal election. "Clean and renewable sources of energy like
wind, solar, small hydro, and fuel cells will be the foundation of a
sustainable Canadian economy," says the party. It promises to
promote renewable energy by "leveling the playing field in the
energy industry by ending subsidies to nuclear and fossil fuel
technologies, and working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
It promises to provide incentives for renewable energy through
incentives such as a tax credit of 5¢ a kWh for green energy
producers, and rebates for green energy consumers. It would
redirect research funding toward field trials for renewable
technologies to encourage their reliability and efficiency, and
promote energy conservation in order to lessen Canada's current
dependency on fossil fuel and nuclear power plants.
- A U.S. supplier of green power wants a regulatory agency in
Pennsylvania to overturn a decision that gives 300,000
customers to its competition. GME has formally challenged an
agreement by PECO to transfer the residential customers to NPC
and has filed legal papers in Pennsylvania that describe the
PECO/NPC agreement as "not in the public interest." It claims
that PECO ignored its bid that is better for the environment. Both
GME and NPC proposed to provide 2 percent of electricity from
renewable sources, but GME claims there is a substantial
difference in the remaining 98 percent.
- The Canadian government has provided $641,000 during the
last two years to encourage the installation of renewable energy
systems across the country. The Renewable Energy Deployment
Initiative was launched in 1998 with $4 million a year and is
designed to stimulate demand in the non-residential market for
space and water heating systems that use solar thermal, solar air
heating, advanced biomass and earth energy technologies. Forty
applications were approved during the first two years,
representing $4.4 million in projects and receiving $641,000 in
REDI contributions. Companies receive an incentive of 25
percent of purchase and installation costs, while the level is 40
percent for systems located in areas not served by the grid.
Another 30 applications were received during the first seven
months of this fiscal year, representing a value of an additional
$3.2 million in installations. Of the total of 70 approved
applications, 53 are in Quebec and Ontario.
- President Clinton has signed a bill that includes an increase of
$65 million for solar and renewable energy technologies at DOE.
Two appropriations bills include the energy and water bill and the
veterans affairs and housing bill. The budget for energy research
is designed to reduce U.S. reliance on oil and to lower fuel bills.
The funding for renewable energy will help to achieve greater
energy security, reduce pollution, and create new high-tech
industries and jobs, according to the White House.
- The state of Pennsylvania has reaffirmed its plan to purchase
electricity that is generated from renewable energy. DGS has
renewed an agreement to buy green power from GME and will
pool the demand from a number of state agencies in order to
obtain competitive pricing and benefit taxpayers, but also to
commit to buying a significant percentage of electricity generated
from renewable sources. An agreement was signed at GME's
wind farm in Garrett, where eight turbines on a former coal strip
mine generate 10.4 MW of power. The commercial transaction is
the first since GME signed a brand licence agreement with BP
earlier this year. The contract will supply 37,500 MWh to a half
dozen government accounts, representing 5 percent of the DGS
aggregated power purchase for 2001.
- Five firms from around the world will vie for the award as the
"Best Renewables Company" at an annual ceremony organized
by the Financial Times. "The total sum of solar power output
does not match that of a relatively small combined heat and
power plant," explains the judging criteria for renewable energy.
"Wind power has yet to reach the total capacity of the world's
single largest dam in Brazil. Yet everybody knows that the
potential remains enormous and that renewable energy offers a
promising route to the future." Nominees for Best Renewables
Company are Energia Hidroelectrica de Navarra, Hydro-Quebec,
National Wind Power, Verbund and Xcel Energy. Winners will be
announced on November 30.
- More than 3000 runners are expected to compete in the city's
first "Run for a Green LA" in November. The event is organized
by the municipal utility, DWP, to promote greater awareness and
participation in environmental programs. The Green LA Program
provides new renewable energy to the city and increases the use
of environmentally friendly electric vehicles. It includes the
"Green Power for a Green LA" program that offers DWP
customers an opportunity to bring new energy resources to Los
Angeles. To date, 60,000 customers have signed up for green
power, making it the largest effort of its kind in the U.S. Programs
include 14 separate energy efficiency initiatives, plus the Solar
PV buy-down program of $3 to $5 per watt installed. Green
power is a replacement for electricity from polluting power plants.
- The emission of carbon dioxide in the U.S. rose by 1.3 percent
last year, says EIA, typical of the 1.4 percent average annual
growth rate experienced during the 1990's, but in sharp contrast
to the 0.1 percent growth reported in 1998. The growth in carbon
emissions could have been higher if weather patterns last year
had been normal and if generation from nuclear reactors had
been lower. Emissions in 1999 rose to 1,527 million tonnes of
carbon equivalent from 1,507 in 1998. Carbon accounts for more
than 80 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
and comes from the use of fossil fuels for heating, transportation
and the generation of electricity.
- Renewable energy could be important to U.S. energy security
and a clean air strategy, and corn growers want Congress to
enact ethanol legislation before it adjourns for the elections.
Expanded ethanol usage would improve the air and renewable
fuels legislation has bipartisan support, claim the farmers'
association. A new national energy policy would end dependence
on imported oil by increasing the use of ethanol-blended fuels,
and use the millions of bushels of excess corn that are piling up
on farms across the country. "Passing legislation to create a
renewable fuels standard for gasoline is the best way to address
both of these conditions in a comprehensive way," they say.
- A Canadian fuel cell company has teamed with a New Jersey
firm to develop a hydrogen generating system. The work will
develop Millennium's proprietary hydrogen generation system for
use with Ballard's portable power fuel cell products.
- The government of Italy may allocate 1.5 percent of revenue
from a carbon tax to promote renewable energy sources. The
government may amend its budget to encourage a reduction of
fossil fuel use, and to meet the European goal of using more
renewable energy.
- The Brazilian agency Aneel will tender construction of 30
hydroelectric plants during the next year, representing 8,500 MW
of capacity. The Ita hydro plant demanded investments of US$1
billion from a private consortium.
- The first phase of the 64 MW Olkaria III geothermal project in
Kenya has passed operation tests. Ormat will increase the 13
MW output by 4 MW by December as an emergency power
supply, and by 50 percent in the next few months. New wells will
be drilled to move toward 100 MW. Kenya's current geothermal
capacity is 45 MW, but 2,000 MW of potential. Seventy percent
of its electricity comes from hydroelectric, 26 percent from
thermal and 4 percent from geothermal. Ormat provided funding
of $35 million for the project.
- A solar training course for rural electrification has ended in
Harare. The two-week course focused on developments in solar
PV and training to strengthen energy R&D through capacity
building. There were 33 participants from Zambia, Malawi,
Mozambique, Swaziland, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
- Taking Solar Power To New Heights
(article on South Africa's transition from coal to solar)
- To Frustration of Some, Vermont Slow to Embrace Renewables
(article on the trend to solar in the northeast US)
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TRENDS in RENEWABLE ENERGIES has been produced by
the Canadian Association for Renewable Energies since 1997.
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