Green Energy WA

The eclipse threatens to become total. Marked by the placement into receivership of the French manufacturer Photowatt and sealed by the poor results of German manufacturer Q-cells, the prospects of the European market of solar energy have turned black in the last recent months. The decrease in tariffs for photovoltaic electricity determined by several governments has also contributed to this depression. Accused of breaking prices in a contest of global overproduction, Beijing has become the champion of a very challenging industry.

“The Chinese have made a bet, and they won,” observes Paolo Frankl, Head of Renewable Energy Division at the International Energy Agency (IEA). After being present on the photovoltaic market for a little less than five years, Beijing has taken advantage of incentives offered in Western countries to develop their photovoltaic park. With tens of billions of euros invested, the country became, in 2007, the largest producer of modules in the world. Today, the majority of cells installed in Europe are of Chinese origin. From the ten largest manufacturers of solar panels are 3 ones Chinese that are Suntech, Yingli and Trina Solar.

Basma – Green Energy International News Correspondent – 11/02/2012

Solar Expo “ACTUS” In Morocco
The first edition of the Solar Expo “ACTUS” was held this weekend in Marrakech. The show brought together some fifty national and international exhibitors led by Rachid Bouguern initiator and director of this appointment.
Solar energy (photovoltaic, hydro, wind, and biomass) has become an essential resource during the past recent years. Cost control, environment preservation, promoting economics and energy saving are the reasons why people start replacing their old energy resources with renewable ones. And during these days, a widespread enthusiasm concerning renewable energy in Morocco is being witnessed. The Solar Living Expo was therefore necessary, by itself. Many expert exhibitors, gathered at the convention center for four days, with several projects: facilitating national and international agreements, making the show a major center of growth, enhancing the Moroccan offer, to relate the various operators in the sector … The show provides a platform of solar energy in Africa and a place to meet and exchange between developers and consumers. For a country like Morocco, solar energy is a part of the future. The Kingdom has, according to Rashid Bouguern enormous potential thanks to the great sunshine this time of year. Moreover, it is a significant economic asset, given the soaring price of crude.

Success for a first

Several conferences were held during the show. Their goal was to educate operators and consumers on different topics: energy saving, environment protection, sustainable development, security, and development of solar energy in Maroc. The solar Living Expo also educates visitors about the latest technology updated in this area. The future should be bright for this show since solar energy is an inexhaustible wealth.

Basma – International Green Energy Correspondent – 23/02/2012

Water runs dark, trees are dying and the air we breathe gets thicker and thinker by the moment. There are several solutions to these problems, but oddly, the source that got the whole thing going may actually be the answer to solving the poor choices made for the planet. Solar power got the entire process going and may be the solution to getting it back on track.

In its intentional use, solar power gave us heat and light. As evolution worked its magic solar power was not an alternative source of power, it was ‚ “the- source of power as it warmed the earth and moved the air. Now, our ‚ modern‚ technology has evolved to a point where we can once again use solar power to warm and move our air. But why should we use solar power when the same planet that gave us the sun gave us the coal to accomplish the same task? There are many reasons, and most of them are of the kind that people can identify with; they are self serving and entirely hedonistic.

Solar leads to cost savings

All one has to do these days is open up an electric and heat bill to see how much it costs to heat and light your home. Solar power is a great way to just about eliminate the costs associated with lighting and heating your home. For those that are using solar powered heating and lighting equipment today there is little if any cost associated with heating and lighting their homes. Yes, there is an up-front cost to installing these units but pay back times through cost savings and tax credits are getting shorter and shorter due to better technology and awareness. These current users report that they actually make money from using solar power systems just by paying a little closer attention to how they use the power that they have. For the most part, they indicate that a 30 second glance at back-up batteries for piece of mind is all the extra time required to start saving money.

Money maker

Some may say that piece of mind doesn’t go very far when it comes to a series of cloudy days. Batteries, they say, can run out or get low. From all reports, however, cloudy day issues, in a majority of the world‚ s climates, are not an issue. In fact, a majority of users find that they have an excess of electricity that ends up just going to waste. Or so most people- once – thought. Although the entire US is not quite there yet most sates require that utilities buy back excess power generated from those desiring to remain on the power grid. Although it may sound a bit odd, solar power users find that their electric meters actually run backward quite a bit of the time when solar power systems are in use. God forbid there were a few weeks of nothing but clouds and cold, but if there are the owner is free to use the power that they sold back to the utility. Past the home front, add a water wheel and a wind mill and you have a nice little income generator with the electric utility paying you.

Off the grid

There is a certain segment of the population that just does not want to be connected to the ‚ grid‚ , as the power and information society calls it. For these people solar power is a great option. Solar units are fairly low cost and getting lower cost every day. They can also withstand a 1‚ hailstone traveling at 50mph. For survivalists or even for a farmer that needs to irrigate his crops in the middle of nowhere, solar is the way to go.

Develop a new technology

Man at his basic is a curious being. What if? Is always being thought about whether it‚ s just a casual thought during the day or figuring out how to get to Mars. Advancing technology is just who man is. Using solar may satisfy our current environmental issues but it also satisfies our intellectual needs. If solar power isn‚ t used it won‚ t advance and our need to know won‚ t be satisfied. Intellectually, solar is a great idea.

Leave the world a better place

Throughout time man has found a way to screw up the planet in one way or another. Most of the time, man has screwed up because of ignorance or with good intentions. Using solar, at the moment, appears to be one of those good intentions. It may end up being a bad thing 200 years down the road, but for now, it may be one of the only ways to leave the world a little better then when we got here.

Remember you can buy your solar power and solar hot water from Green Energy WA

More than 20 000 jobs and an investment of over U.S. $ 3 billion, is the benefit to come from the solar energy project as announced the DACC Associates LLC MAMSKA Guinea-LTD and the utility of Guinea (EDG) announced on Tuesday, January 24 in Conakry.

The solar power project of 1000 MW is 100% funded by the U.S. partner DACC. In its activities, it will be assisted by international financial companies involved in the sector of renewable energy, said the president of Guinea Mamaska. This project, adds Mamady Kaba Sinkoun, will produce energy to sell to the EDG. After reaching the objectives of the project on an area of ​​about 6 to 7 years, plants and materials will return to the Guinean government.

However, the partner has set up a factory manufacturing solar panels with international standards to meet the demands at the country and export to the nearby regions. An ambition of size that is! In the future, we can see with how Guinea will become, if this project to be realized, the first African country to have a manufacturing facility on its soil.

In the first instance, or the pilot phase, the project wants to put in the Boke region a production of 50 MWC that will be distributed as follows: Boke 5 MWp with an annual production of 43,200 MWh, the village of Kamsar 5 MWp for annual production of 43,200 MWh and the mines 40 MWp for an annual production of 345,000 MWh.

Second, Mamska-DACC plans to install solar photovoltaic for all the mines in Guinea. Then, build solar power plants in the prefectures and Rural Communities Development (CRD). It should also notice that the power to be installed in each prefecture will vary between 3 MWp to 5 MWp, depending on the size of the region concerned and the needs of application.

The work on this project will soon begin to allow Guinea to have electricity 24/24 when we know that the electric current service, even in Conakry, remains to be desired.

Basma- International Green Energy News Correspondent – 25/01/2012.

“Interclima + elec” opens tomorrow in Paris. This is opportunity to discover the most innovative solutions that combine energy efficiency and renewable energy for the sake of homes and building comfort. Focus on some trends of the show.

Energy efficiency has become a “flagship” topic in the news. As a proof, ADEME has recently conducted a study to identify skills and employment needed in the construction sector. This study shows that the turnover related to energy efficiency is expected to grow from 47% to 330%, with a need for 69,000 jobs by 2014.

This need is accompanied by changes in certain professions (such as masonry, plumbing, heating …) where training will be needed to achieve energy efficiency in buildings. Another study (RN Quality Ifop) shows that 73% of the French rely on renewable energy. Nearly one in three people reportedly plans to equip themselves and 25% of respondents said they were more interested in renewable energy in 2011.

The 2012 edition of Interclima turns around these two major themes that are energy efficiency and renewable energy. The show welcomes 638 exhibitors and is waiting for more than 85 000 visitors.

Trends

Heat Pumps

Often recommended as part of a renovation of heating, the heat pump produces high temperature, hot water and feeds radiators or underfloor heating. It is the ideal all-in-one, offering for both comfort and hot water.

The CO2 heat pump produces hot water using CO2 as a refrigerant. This technology is a true green alternative to traditionally used refrigerants. CO2 is a natural refrigerant gas completely neutral in terms of ensuring high performance.

New Generators

Building a house according to the BBC or RT 2012 is based on a bioclimatic design, an enhanced thermal insulation and air tightness control. Faced with these developments, the generators are transformed: gas boilers or oil condensing impose and display up to 110% efficiency by recovering heat from flue gas and boilers.

The Multi-Energy Systems

Condensation, heat pumps and individual solar water heater… All these techniques are now totally under control and can even be combined to produce customized systems that offer the best performance and comfort. A Solar system coupled with a condensing boiler, a heat pump or boiler with a wood boiler… or a wood boiler associated with a condensing oil boiler or heat pump coupled with a boiler … all combinations are possible.

The Combined Or Hybrid Solar PV-T

The combined photovoltaic or thermal solar system (the hybrid solar captor) is a unit of mixed solar energy production, generating heat through a thermal sensor (T) and electricity using a Photovoltaic module (PV). This provides, separately or simultaneously, an additional heating, a domestic hot water and electricity.

The Breakdown: 3, 4, 5 And 6 In 1!

Ventilation systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated to meet the economic and environmental concerns of housing today. They include a set of solutions for ventilation, filtering, heating, cooling, ECS production and dehumidification. They thus ensure a renewed healthy air permanently, a comfortable atmosphere and heat in winter, a refreshed atmosphere in summer and warm water all year.

For this new edition, the exhibition is expecting 638 exhibitors and more than 85,000 visitors.

Basma – International Green Energy Correspondent – 06/02/2012

On thursday Quebec City has put into operation a system of photovoltaic solar panels placed on the roof of the building F.-X.-Drolet in Saint-Roch. This experimental facility will produce 15 kilowatts of electricity, which is estimated at 3000$ in savings.

The system includes 60 solar panels of the monocrystalline type with a power of 250 watts each. Fixed on the flat roof of the building with a metal structure, they are all oriented to the same direction to receive maximum sunlight.

A monitoring system and a weather station were established to a daily monitoring. “We’re going to combine what we consumed every month and every year. We will have everything computerized to follow up on it,” said Jean Lemay, an engineer and energy manager in the maintenance division of the Department of Building Management of the City.

The energy produced is directly redistributed into the building. A parallel connection with the Hydro-Québec reduces spending power of the City without having to store the energy produced in batteries.

For now, the solar photovoltaic system is a booster, says Lemay, and the electricity used comes mainly from Hydro-Quebec. “We still have a good use here. There is a garage with lots of ventilation and air conditioning,” he said.

The implementation of the system cost more than $ 150 000 to the City. Alone PV system represented an investment of $ 134 100 plus tax and the monitoring system, $ 12 500 plus taxes.

Experts estimate that the City may benefit from annual savings of $ 2,000 to $ 3,000. Jean Lemay says that the project goal is not profitability. The photovoltaic solar system of the building F.-X.-Drolet is intended as a demonstration project and adaptation of new technologies.

For his part, Vice President of the Executive Committee, François Picard, believes that this investment will pay for itself within two years. “Usually, when making changes to systems or geothermal, the traffic lights to LED, condensing boilers, etc.. we are able to enter our investment in a period of about two years, “he said.

Future To The Solar PV

Quebec City is given two years to evaluate its new system. If the results are inconclusive, new municipal buildings could benefit from this type of energy. “Over a period of two years, we should have a good profile, good information. We will also learn how the system behaves when there is snow and storms. The installation was completed before the holidays and up until this day, it never had to be cleared manually. As soon as the sun appears, the snow melts. This is encouraging,” said Jean Lemay. Tests had previously been made in a wind tunnel before installation of the panels.

The project of green electricity from the City is a continuation of its efforts to improve the energy efficiency of its municipal buildings and promote sustainable development. The results of all actions taken by Quebec since 2003 allow recurring annual savings of nearly $ 6 million.

Basma – International Green Energy News Correspondent – 27/01/2012

Google announced in November 22, 2011 the termination of seven projects, including an improvement of solar energy.

As the search engine had then announced that it published the data from the research projects abandoned “Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal” (RE <C, for “renewable energy cheaper than coal”), a project announced four years before.

Promise kept, with the publication yesterday of a blogging company (dedicated to open source) data and code for the project REHopS (heliostat optical simulation) software to simulate heliostats (solar devices turns).

Among the published data and codes, says Google, we can find enough cheaper heliostats designs, as well as wind measurements made for thirty days with ultrasonic anemometers and some data obtained in a heliostat NASA wind tunnel.

700 Million Euros Invested In Renewable Energy

Important detail: contrary to what several papers announced last November , Google has not ”abandoned renewable energy,” but its own research in this area.

The company has in fact neither given up investing in this area (more than $ 915 million - 700million - mainly in 2011 and in solar and wind power) nor increasing the share of electricity it consumes from renewable sources - 25% in 2010, 30% in 2011 and 35% expected in2012.

Basma – International Green Energy Correspondent – 02/02/2012

In the desert south of Tunisia, a group of entrepreneurs in renewable energy, NUR Energy Ltd, and Tunisian Top Oilfield Services created what may be the most ambitious solar renewable energy project to date.

With the support of the Foundation Desertec (Desertec.com) NUR Energy launched the TuNur to export solar energy from North Africa to Europe, linking Tunisia to Italy via a line of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC), and in the Italian power grid to provide 2000 MW of electricity constantly. When completed, TuNur will be the most extensive solar energy project in the world. And with the threatening reality of climate change, limited supplies of traditional energy sources and examples of recent nuclear and oil disasters, renewable energy is no longer an idealistic choice but a necessity. As a human species, we cannot afford not to rush into such projects.

What is really unique about this project is that it is a true South-North cooperation which highlights not only the socio-economic benefits that such an association can bring (TuNur expected that the project will create about 20 000 jobs more than welcome in Tunisia), but also takes into account the environmental impact, which led to the choice of the technology (solar thermal power plants) and the overall design of the project. And to not accelerate the process of desertification, TuNur use very little water in a closed system and recycle the steam produced by this process using mirrors reflecting sunlight to a storage tower, turning the Sahara into a resource that can both lead the local economy and meet the growing demand for low carbon electricity.

Unlike other ambitious projects, where idealism, high costs and poor timing clashed with the harsh reality of pipeline construction giant solar, the project of NUR TuNur Energy has come.

Basma – International Green Energy Correspondent – 02/02/2012

Back in 2010 Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmon, proclaimed that by 2025 all of Scotland would be powered by 100% renewable energy, with an interim target of 31% by 2011. In the past four years the Scottish Government approved 42 renewable energy projects, and in 2009 27.4% of electricity demand came from renewables. Scotland was well on its way to achieving their ambitious targets, despite the doubts from sceptics. 2011 has been and gone and Scotland easily exceeded the goal of 31% causing Minister Salmon to return with a new target; 100% by 2020.

“Because the pace of development has been so rapid, with our 2011 target already exceeded, we can now commit to generating the equivalent of 100% of Scotland’s own electricity demand from renewable resources by 2020. By then we intend to be generating twice as much electricity as Scotland needs — just over half of it from renewables, and just under half from other conventional sources. We will be exporting as much electricity as we consume. So we will continue to work with industry and Governments at local, UK and European level to build on what we have achieved. We will now move still further and faster to secure our place as the green energy powerhouse of the continent of Europe.”

Currently Scotland boasts 7GW of renewable energy projects, mostly in offshore wind farms, but also in wave and tidal power. In fact they already have an estimated quarter of Europe’s offshore wind and tidal energy resource and a tenth of its potential wave capacity. But in order to achieve 100% clean energy by 2020 a lot of investment is needed. The Department for Energy and Climate Change recently released figures showing that the renewable energy sector received more than £750 million last year, and another £46 billion is to be invested in the construction of 17GW of power in the future. It is all part of the grand plan to become Europe’s renewable energy leader.

Whilst renewable energy is the sector, the Scots are focussing their efforts on offshore wind farms. This will be hugely helped by the recently declared partnership with Masdar, the Abu Dhabi clean energy company. The pooled resources of both institutions will be used to research and advance clean technology development. Salmond acknowledged that “the costs of offshore wind will have to be reduced by 20% to be competitive,” as will the costs of efficiently transporting electricity over long distances. But the aim is clear; the commercialisation of offshore wind farms. It is the big prize, and will give Scotland a strong foothold in one of the most promising industries of the future; which could reportedly be worth $30 billion. Needless to say, Scotland’s hopes are as high as their ambitions.

By. James Burgess of Oilprice.com

via Scotland Well on the Way to Achieving 100% Renewable Energy by 2020.

More than 20 000 jobs and an investment of over U.S. $ 3 billion, is the benefit to come from the solar energy project as announced the DACC Associates LLC MAMSKA Guinea-LTD and the utility of Guinea (EDG) announced on Tuesday, January 24 in Conakry.

The solar power project of 1000 MW is 100% funded by the U.S. partner DACC. In its activities, it will be assisted by international financial companies involved in the sector of renewable energy, said the president of Guinea Mamaska. This project, adds Mamady Kaba Sinkoun, will produce energy to sell to the EDG. After reaching the objectives of the project on an area of ​​about 6 to 7 years, plants and materials will return to the Guinean government.

However, the partner has set up a factory manufacturing solar panels with international standards to meet the demands at the country and export to the nearby regions. An ambition of size that is! In the future, we can see with how Guinea will become, if this project to be realized, the first African country to have a manufacturing facility on its soil.

In the first instance, or the pilot phase, the project wants to put in the Boke region a production of 50 MWC that will be distributed as follows: Boke 5 MWp with an annual production of 43,200 MWh, the village of Kamsar 5 MWp for annual production of 43,200 MWh and the mines 40 MWp for an annual production of 345,000 MWh.

Second, Mamska-DACC plans to install solar photovoltaic for all the mines in Guinea. Then, build solar power plants in the prefectures and Rural Communities Development (CRD). It should also notice that the power to be installed in each prefecture will vary between 3 MWp to 5 MWp, depending on the size of the region concerned and the needs of application.

The work on this project will soon begin to allow Guinea to have electricity 24/24 when we know that the electric current service, even in Conakry, remains to be desired.

Basma- International Green Energy News Correspondent – 25/01/2012.