Green Energy WA

Another company using flashy wind turbine technology to lure potential customers was SI Clean Energy, the Coffs Harbour-based outfit that was recently awarded the job of designing, supplying, installing and maintaining one the 136.5kW rooftop solar system for Coffs HarbourCity Council. (It also supplied and commissioned the solar inverters for the commercial solar farm in Alice Springs.) Despite its main business being designing, installing and maintaining clean power systems, dominating SI Clean Energy’s display was a massive prototype for the unique-looking Honeywell Wind Turbine, which it will be distributing in Australia for the massive Fortune 100 US technology development company, Honeywell.

Made by WindTronics, it is a gearless wind turbine that features a Blade Tip Power System (BTPS) that the company describes as “breakthrough technology,” allowing the turbine to start producing energy at wind speeds of 2mph (3.2km/h) and to remain operational until 38 mph (62km/h). How it works is that the gearless system eliminates mechanical resistance and drag, while the BTPS, which is based on a system of magnets and stators, captures energy at the tips of the blades, where the speed is the greatest. The turbine’s increased operational span means the turbines can be used by companies, industries and communities in areas where the wind resource is less than ideal.

SI Clean Energy sales rep Haydn Fletcher told CS the mining industry was a prime target for the technology, as it is designed for use at the point of energy consumption, and has few moving parts to reduce maintenance requirements. The 6 ft (diameter), 109kg (they’re made of polycarbonate, aluminum and steel) turbines can be mounted on a rooftop, a ballast, or a pole, and the power can be connected directly to the building, to the grid, or to batteries. Each turbine can produce up to 1500kWh per year depending on height and location – that’s up to 15-20 per cent of the average household’s annual electricity needs, according to the US DOE. It is also quieter than most turbines, producing less than 35 decibels at 10 feet with “negligible vibrations.”

The solar energy scene is developing in Australia with a remarkable pace. The impressive thing is that everyone in Australia is trying their hard to push this green project forward regardless of them being individuals, companies or even a part of the government.

And speaking of efforts, I’m bringing today some fresh news that will make you jump if you’re a solar energy enthusiast who lives in Australia. The news is that “Beyond Zero Emission”, which is a nonprofit and independent organisation that works on funding and encouraging renewable energy based projects, is gathering efforts to construct a “Solar Thermal Power Plant” at Port Augusta, Australia.

The project’s idea itself belongs to last year, it first began when “Beyond Zero Emission” has teamed up to make the Playford B station make environment friendly changes or face the danger of closure. The Playford B station encountered this fate due to their not so environment friendly practices; we are not saying they are doing something illegal but here is the thing: Playford B is a facility that’s basically powered by coal acquired from Leigh Creek Coal Mine. Their gases emission were estimated by 1,77 million tons according to Carbon Monitoring. As you can see, that was very environment damaging.

Beyond Zero Emission’s idea was to convert this environment damaging facility into a solar thermal energy generator by installing the according equipment there. The whole process consists in placing giant mirrors in a sun exposed field to enable a total solar energy suction and injection into pipes full of a special fluid. The heated fluid is pumped afterward into a heat exchanger in order to create the steam that drives a steam turbine.

Back to the subject, Beyond Zero Emission’s confirms that this solar thermal planting is going to be more rewarding and powerful than the existing Playford B station and is going to generate more than 40% of the total Australian electricity demand.

This initiation was highly supported by the Port Augusta Council which is the main reason that Beyond Zero Emission are going to hold a presentation concerning this project on the 29th of October 2011, 3:30 p.m at Cooinda Club. This is definitely something that shouldn’t be missed as it might change that face of the solar energy scene in Australia forever.

Make sure to stay tuned as we will follow with further updates as soon as there are any! Thanks for reading.

Story Basma J. 26th Sep 2011
Green Energy WA

THE Baillieu government has quietly cut access for most households to a second incentive to install new rooftop solar panels.

It follows the decision last month to slash the state’s ”premium” feed-in tariff paid by retailers for rooftop solar from 60¢ to 25¢ a kilowatt for power fed into the grid.

Under the changes, the government will also restrict access to the state’s ”standard” feed-in tariff – in place since 2004 – for new solar panel systems generating less than five kilowatts, the lion’s share of installations.

The standard feed-in tariff requires electricity retailers to pay households and businesses that install renewable-energy systems generating up to 100 kW the same price for energy fed into the grid as they charge for power taken out, which is typically between 20¢ and 24¢ a kilowatt.

The changes mean households installing smaller solar systems will now only be able to apply for the ”transitional” 25¢ tariff in place for five years. The standard tariff does not have a cut-off date.

Critics of the feed-in tariffs argue that they increase the cost to all electricity consumers as energy retailers bear the main costs.

The changes took the Clean Energy Council by surprise, with policy director Russell Marsh saying the group only learnt about it late on Thursday night when legislation for the 25¢ tariff reached Parliament.

That is despite discussions with the Department of Primary Industries over several months about the future of Victoria’s feed-in tariffs.

A spokeswoman for Energy Minister Michael O’Brien said: ”When the transitional feed-in tariff is introduced from 1 January, the standard feed-in tariff will not be available to customers who are eligible for the transitional feed-in tariff. “The rate of 25¢ will be the second-most-generous legislated rate in Australia”.

The state government will commission the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission to inquire into the design of future feed-in tariffs, with a report expected to be completed in 2012.

The opposition’s energy spokeswoman, Lily D’Ambrosio, said: ”It is becoming more evident that the Baillieu government is forcing the small-scale solar energy industry to take a long walk over a very short cliff to its possible demise next year.”
She said the legislation to put in place the new transitional 25¢ tariff also allowed the minister to shut it down any time before the guaranteed five years.

Read More SMH Here

18th Oct 2011

Thousands rally nationally against CSG.

Another company using flashy wind turbine technology to lure potential customers was SI Clean Energy, the Coffs Harbour-based outfit that was recently awarded the job of designing, supplying, installing and maintaining one the 136.5kW rooftop solar system for Coffs HarbourCity Council. (It also supplied and commissioned the solar inverters for the commercial solar farm in Alice Springs.) Despite its main business being designing, installing and maintaining clean power systems, dominating SI Clean Energy’s display was a massive prototype for the unique-looking Honeywell Wind Turbine, which it will be distributing in Australia for the massive Fortune 100 US technology development company, Honeywell.

Made by WindTronics, it is a gearless wind turbine that features a Blade Tip Power System (BTPS) that the company describes as “breakthrough technology,” allowing the turbine to start producing energy at wind speeds of 2mph (3.2km/h) and to remain operational until 38 mph (62km/h). How it works is that the gearless system eliminates mechanical resistance and drag, while the BTPS, which is based on a system of magnets and stators, captures energy at the tips of the blades, where the speed is the greatest. The turbine’s increased operational span means the turbines can be used by companies, industries and communities in areas where the wind resource is less than ideal.

SI Clean Energy sales rep Haydn Fletcher told CS the mining industry was a prime target for the technology, as it is designed for use at the point of energy consumption, and has few moving parts to reduce maintenance requirements. The 6 ft (diameter), 109kg (they’re made of polycarbonate, aluminum and steel) turbines can be mounted on a rooftop, a ballast, or a pole, and the power can be connected directly to the building, to the grid, or to batteries. Each turbine can produce up to 1500kWh per year depending on height and location – that’s up to 15-20 per cent of the average household’s annual electricity needs, according to the US DOE. It is also quieter than most turbines, producing less than 35 decibels at 10 feet with “negligible vibrations.”

The Australian solar industry not only innovates to light the cities of Australia using renewable energy, it also advocates to battle various eco challenges by producing an array of technological advancements aside from the utilization of solar panels.

It is an excitement for all the Australian community to foresee the outcomes of their nation’s battle with the eco challenges. One of the most looked after results is the production of solar cars, which in the near future will ride all across Australia.

The solar powered vehicles are designed to produce natural powered mechanisms, which will supply the Australians’ need for alternative transportation medium.
The advocacy for the solar cars will be presented at World Solar Challenge that will be participated by numerous Technical Universities and Colleges around Australia. Such advocacy, according to some Australian eco challenge fighters, will serve as an off shoot for the nation to give up the unhealthy use of fossil fuels, and to give way for a more meaningful and environmental use of renewable energies.

The development of the solar cars is only added to the current development in Australia’s solar cities. Through these achievements, one can say that despite of the odds that the Australian solar industry had encountered before and will all the queries that it is facing, the industry for the renewables still finds some way to be productive and efficient for the betterment of the Australian people.

With the persistent empowerment of the solar industry, Australia has been able to light up some of it’s cities with renewable energy. Alice Springs, Blacktown, Central Victoria, Townsville, Moreland, Perth and Adelaide are now considered as Australia’s solar cities.

These cities are undergoing solar power utilization trials, which involve the utilization of energy options for homes and businesses that will determine the adequateness of renewable energy. These trials are also being held to determine whether or not the use of solar power will be cost and wise effective for various consumers.

The outcomes of the trials will help the nation’s energy officials to know if the Australian community can truly benefit from the renewable resources, and how could these consumers reduce their energy consumption.

So far, the trials are gaining positive results as the solar cities exhibit lower household energy consumption accompanied by increasing energy efficiency; the solar cities are also exhibiting downward movement on electricity bills by putting off electricity infrastructure promotions; and by having an increase in the uptake of renewable energy.

Also, the Solar Cities Program has gathered numerous impressive outcomes for each of the involved cities. Townsville in particular have reduced its electricity consumption within 68% of its consumer, thus the city profited 7% of electricity savings.

Today, the Australian solar industry is lighting up Adelaide’s central market through the installation of the innovative solar photovoltaic. The success of such energy upgrade was made possible through the efforts of the Adelaide Solar City consortium.

The Australian government sees the program for Solar Cities as an avenue for the Australian community to have cost effective and sufficient supply of energy. Henceforth, the success of the trials for the Solar Cities will assure a sunny future, not only for Australian, but also for the Australian solar industry.

Where are the grants paid by the government to the solar power enterprises that should benefit the Australian community? Where are these subsidies? These are only some of the queries going around the Australian solar industry.
Despite of the positive movement in the market of the solar panels, the Australian solar industry, specifically the solar state and federal government are being questioned about the subsidies that are supposed to be coming out to promote more industrial projects.
According to Australian Environment Minister Greg Combe, the listing of the prices for different services and materials used for the renewables sometimes possesses some biased options, and are often too costly, thus he emphasized that to be able to avoid the downfall on the solar subsidies, the Australian government proposes to advocate carbon pricing, which according to the state’s official, is the “the most efficient, lowest cost way of reducing pollution.”
In response, Queensland’s Energy Minister Stephen Robertson emphasized that the solar program in totality in their city thus became successful beyond these queries. According to the minister, the effectiveness of the solar programs “does a lot more than just help reduce carbon emissions”. He then proudly commented that Queensland’s Solar Bonus Scheme came to be the most successful solar scheme type in Australia.
The solar program in Queensland offers the city’s community a cost-affordable access in the utilization of the solar energy, hence, allowing the Queenslanders to save a lot from their electricity bills, and create more profit from working on in various eco-friendly jobs.

Australia’s peak body for renewable energy has welcomed Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s renewed commitment yesterday to the national 20 per cent Renewable Energy Target (RET).

Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Matthew Warren said the Howard Government introduced the original Mandatory Renewable Energy Target in 2001.

“The Coalition has been a key supporter of both the expanded Renewable Energy Target in 2009 and the changes to the scheme last year. All sides of politics are committed to delivering 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity from renewable energy by 2020, a policy that will unlock more than $20 billion of private investment,” said Mr Warren.

“Australia has some of the world’s best clean energy resources, including sunshine, wind, waves, geothermal hot rocks, biomass and more. It’s in the public interest to harness them better. The RET is a critical policy that will help us develop our natural clean energy advantages and reduce approximately 380 million tonnes of greenhouse gases by 2020.”

Mr Warren said that although the Australia was still in the early years of the Renewable Energy Target, there had already been some encouraging signs.

“South Australia’s greenhouse emissions have dropped by 18 per cent over the last five years, mostly due to the increased use of wind power,” he said.

“Solar power systems and solar hot water systems have helped hundreds of thousands of Australians to save on their power bills. In the process, these investments by householders have also helped to reduce electricity demand and delay major investment in new electricity generating assets in several states for years. This ultimately represents a saving for all energy users.

“Thousands of new jobs have been created across the country, in diverse sectors like manufacturing of towers for wind farms in Victoria, research and development of solar power in NSW and construction of biomass power plants in Queensland. This industry has grown despite the global financial crisis.

“The Coalition has repeatedly expressed its support for the RET, and this bipartisanship is absolutely crucial for creating the confidence investors need to make billion dollar investments,” Mr Warren said.