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Tag: Solar Power

Victorian Labor government announces $797 million home energy package

Posted on by dishanth
Victorian Labor government announces $797 million home energy package

The package includes $191 million to extend the solar homes program to provide up to 42,000 additional rebates over a four-year period.

Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said a total of 140,000 households would be able to install solar panels with no upfront cost over the next two years and small businesses were also included.

The budget package also includes a solar battery rebate for 17,500 Victorian households over the next three years.

The solar panel program has proven popular since its introduction in 2018, with demand in the Victorian community far outstripping the scheme’s initial cap of 24,000 households over a nearly 12-month period.

 

 

Ms D’Ambrosio said the program was offering 65,000 rebates this financial year and 75,000 in the next financial year.

“There is a massive build-up of demand for this. Our aim is to meet that demand,” she said.

There will be 7500 battery rebates available in the current financial year.

Dr Nick Aberle from environmental lobby group Environment Victoria said; “This is the biggest ever boost to energy efficiency by a state government.”

“The clean jobs package announced by the Victorian Government today is a smart investment which will be critical to improving the health of Victorians, generating thousands of jobs and tackling climate change,” said the Climate Council’s CEO, Amanda McKenzie.

 

 

“Energy efficiency upgrades will be made available to those on low-incomes and renters, which will help to protect the health and wellbeing of many Victorian families during the summer and winter months, and save them money on their power bills,” she said.

Andrew McCarthy, the CEO of RACV Solar, said the huge take-up of renewables could be attributed to a consistent government approach to supporting renewable energy development.

“What it means is when you support renewable energy investment and particularly battery storage, which is the next stage of the evolution of the grid, you see those benefits flow through to all sectors of the economy,” he said.

 

 

Ms D’Ambrosio said with more people spending time at home during the pandemic, energy bills had soared and the package also included a one-off $250 power bill relief payment for eligible concession-card holders.

The program, through the government’s Victorian Energy Compare website, starts in February next year and is expected to provide bill relief to an estimated 950,000 households, she said.

“Not only are we slashing power bills for families, we’re putting money back in the pockets of Victorian families, we’re creating, supporting around 4000 jobs, about 1500 of which are new jobs,” she said.

Low-income earners will be able to replace their old gas, wood or electrical heaters with new energy-efficient appliances under a $33 million program.

 

 

The program is expected to save 250,000 households almost $1000 rebate off a $1700 reverse cycle heating and air-conditioning system.

“They actually are energy guzzlers and the bills people receive by using those inefficient and old systems is something we want to remove,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

The package also provides energy-efficiency upgrades to 35 social housing units across the state, targeting the homes and renters in greatest need.

Liberal Party opposition leader Michael O’Brien said anything that reduced power bills, which he argued had “gone through the roof” under the Labor government, was welcomed.

He said the $250 power bill relief payment on offer for eligible concession card holders could be more generous.

 

 

By David Twomey

Source Eco News

‘Astro-stays’ bring tourists and solar power to Himalayan villages

Posted on by dishanth
‘Astro-stays’ bring tourists and solar power to Himalayan villages

An Indian social business that leads Himalayan treks to set up solar micro-grids in remote mountain villages plans to expand its clean-energy work to other countries facing similar challenges, after winning a United Nations climate award.

Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) has brought solar electricity to more than 130 Indian villages, benefiting about 60,000 people, while setting up home-stays for tourists that have generated more than $100,000 in income for villagers.

By providing clean energy and livelihoods, the company has helped preserve fragile eco-systems and bridged the gender gap by training local women to become entrepreneurs, said Jaideep Bansal, GHE’s chief operating officer.

“Without access to basic facilities and better income opportunities, the villagers are likely to migrate to towns in search of jobs, accelerating cultural and social erosion in these areas,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“We are able to leverage tourism as a force for holistic development of remote mountain communities,” he said.

The Indian government deems all villages nationwide to be electrified because at least 10 per cent of households and public places have electricity. But power cuts are rampant, forcing residents to use diesel generators and kerosene lamps with noxious fumes.

Fast-dropping costs for solar power, combined with plenty of sun have made mini-grids and micro-grids an affordable option.

GHE identifies villages that lack access to reliable electric power, sometimes trekking up to six days to reach them.

More than 1,300 travellers have so far paid up to $3,500 each to join the hikes, with about a quarter of the charge going towards setting up the solar grid, Bansal said.

The tourists work alongside engineers to install the micro-grids and fixtures, including street lights and LED lights, fans and mobile charging points in homes, he added.

The project has provided solar capacity totalling 360 kilowatts, avoiding about 35,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, according to a UN estimate.

GHE trains local youths and women to become electricians, and helps women set up home-stays and “astro-stays” that offer stargazing at night on solar-powered telescopes.

“Empowering women entrepreneurs through astronomy has helped reduce the gap in gender equality. It has also engendered greater interest in STEM subjects in women and children,” Bansal said, referring to science, technology, engineering and maths.

GHE’s model of tourism with environmental and social benefits is “easily replicable because of the simplicity in approach”, said the UN climate secretariat, announcing the winners of its 2020 global climate action awards this week.

The model is particularly relevant as sales of off-grid solar products fell sharply in the first half of the year with incomes hit because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Covid-19 crisis has derailed GHE’s expeditions this year. But it plans to expand tours to Madagascar, Sumatra and Nepal next year, and is partnering on other community-based tourism initiatives in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Kenya.

“We are looking at remote regions with similar development problems as the Indian Himalayas, where the concept of impact tourism and sustainable development can be applied,” Bansal said.

The idea, he added, is to create “low-carbon destinations” for travellers with clean technology and community participation.

This story was published with permission from Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women’s rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate.

 

 

Source: Eco Business

Australian outback cattle station to house world’s largest solar farm, powering Singapore

Posted on by dishanth
Australian outback cattle station to house world’s largest solar farm, powering Singapore

A cattle station halfway between Alice Springs and Darwin is set to house the world’s largest solar farm, with energy generated from the project to ultimately power Singapore.

Newcastle Waters, where casino mogul James Packer worked as a jackaroo for a year when his father, Kerry, owned the 10,000 sq km property, has been earmarked for the $20bn solar farm, according to the company responsible for the project, Sun Cable.

The 10-gigawatt solar farm, which will be visible from space if built, was granted major project status from the Morrison government in July and has attracted billionaire investors including Andrew Forrest and Mike Cannon-Brookes.

Sun Cable’s chief executive, David Griffin, told Guardian Australia the site would take up about 12,000 hectares, and that a referral for the project has been submitted to the Northern Territory’s Environmental Protection Authority – the first stage of a lengthy approvals process that is expected to allow construction to begin in late 2023, energy production by 2026 and export by 2027.

Speaking about the reasons for proposing the Newcastle Waters site, Griffin said its location was “a meeting point of a few key criteria”.

“It’s on the Adelaide to Darwin rail corridor, which is brilliant for our logistics given the enormous amount of material we’ll have to transport to the site,” he said. It was also within 30km of the Stuart highway, the main highway running through the sparsely populated Northern Territory.

“It’s a bit of a balancing act too, because it’s far south enough to get away from the main patch affected by the wet season, so it’s a steady solar resource throughout the year,” he said. “There’s plenty of sun and not many clouds.”

Griffin also said the site was not so far south that it made the costs of transmitting the electricity to Darwin too high, and that the existing land was “really ideal for construction of a solar farm as it’s extremely flat”.

Sun Cable has entered into an agreement with the current owners of Newcastle Waters, Consolidated Pastoral Company, to use the land. However, Griffin said he could not reveal the financial details of the deal.

Overhead transmission lines will send the electricity generated by Sun Cable to Darwin and feed into the state’s power grid, but Griffin said two-thirds of the power would be exported to Singapore by high-voltage direct current undersea cables.

There will be at least two cables, each with a diameter slightly smaller than a soccer ball, with Sun Cable able to provide about a fifth of Singapore’s electricity needs as the country looks to move away from its increasingly expensive gas-fired power system.

 

 

Griffin has also said the solar farm could supply power to remote communities in the Northern Territory that currently rely on expensive diesel generators for electricity.

Sun Cable expects the project will generate 1,500 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs during construction, and about 350 permanent jobs once in operation.

Griffin said Sun Cable was working on a training and employment opportunities plan so part of the workforce could be sourced from nearby Indigenous communities, and that supplies would be produced by local businesses.

Exporting solar energy has been flagged as a way Australia can expand its energy production while significantly reducing global emissions. Australia is responsible for about 1.4% of greenhouse gas emissions, which increases by 5% if fossil fuel exports are counted.

 

 

By 

Source: The Guardian

Twin peaks: South Australia reaches 100% solar, and then 100% wind power in same week

Posted on by dishanth
Twin peaks: South Australia reaches 100% solar, and then 100% wind power in same week

It was a big week for South Australia last week. First, as we wrote at the time, the state reached 100 per cent solar power (of state demand) for the first time on Sunday, October 11.

Then, just a few days later, the state reached 100 per cent wind power (of state demand), on Thursday, October 15.

This was not the first time for wind, as it occurs reasonably often and for sometimes lengthy periods, but the fact that the two events occurred within days of the other are nevertheless important milestones. And although the transition to clean energy is far from complete, it does give some insight into what the state Liberal government’s target of “net 100 per cent renewables” by 2030 might look like.

It also came in a week when the state premier and energy minister formally opened construction of two significant projects in and around Port Augusta – including the country’s biggest wind-solar hybrid plant (317MW), and the 86MW second stage of the Lincoln Gap wind project, which is expected to grow to a total of 452MW.

 

 

We are indebted to Glenne Drover, from the Australian Institute of Energy, for noting the twin milestones and posting it on LinkedIn a few days ago.

It comes in a spring full of renewable energy and other records, at state and national level. The share of both wind and solar is reaching record levels, the share of renewables is above 30 per cent for the first time, and new minimum demand levels are being set in South Australia and Victoria, reflecting the growing influence of rooftop solar.

The commentary on Drover’s his post made for fascinating reading, and an insight into the state of the energy debate in Australia, and elsewhere for that matter.

It ranged from the those who moaned that solar couldn’t provide 100 per cent of the energy supply for 24 hours (apparently the sun goes down every evening, who knew?), to the energy trader from Shell who celebrated that gas also delivered 100 per cent of the state’s demand at one point (well, it didn’t quite, but nearly).

AEMO chief executive Audry Zibelman put it in some perspective, noting that the combination of rooftop solar (992MW) and large scale solar (313MW) fuelled the state’s electricity needs for a 30-minute period, a first in Australia and for any major jurisdiction globally.

She said the milestone affirms the world-leading scale and pace of transition underway in Australia’s power system.

“The domination and successful integration of rooftop solar in South Australia foreshadows the rebuilding of jurisdictional power systems in Australia,” Zibelman said in an emailed statement.

What the state will need is a lot more storage – either in the form of big batteries, virtual power plants or the numerous pumped hydro plants that have been mooted, but appear stuck in regulatory and policy limbo.

The case for storage was undermined by AEMO’s Mike Davidson, who in a comment on the LinkedIn post noted that “storage is next”, and also pointed to the key role that wind and solar played in keeping Victoria’s Portland smelter running when the main link between Victoria and South Australia was blown down in a storm earlier this year, and Victoria’s biggest load was hanging on to the end of the S.A. grid.

 

 

By , founder and editor of Renew Economy, and is also the founder of One Step Off The Grid and founder/editor of The Driven. Giles has been a journalist for 35 years and is a former business and deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review.

Source: Renew Economy

 

 

EHL Group announces Azura Wave Energy, Australia’s first renewable energy solution that creates long-term Regional Jobs with Local technology

Posted on by dishanth
EHL Group announces Azura Wave Energy, Australia’s first renewable energy solution that creates long-term Regional Jobs with Local technology

Australian and New Zealand based EHL Group have developed an offshore wave technology system to convert the abundant 24/7 potential energy for grid integration and produce zero emission potable water via new onboard desalination technology. AZURA reduces the impact on current water sources (artesian bores, environmental river flows, etc) assisting the water and energy supply security of Australian coastal towns and regional island communities. Identifying the ongoing challenges of climate change, and the need for emissions reductions, the systems have been under development since 2004 and are now Commercial Ready. 

Rigorous development and engineering have expanded the system capabilities so the AZURA Wave Technology system can produce potable water, energy, or both from a single unit. Utilising the resource that surrounds us with higher efficiency, 24/7 uptime, and without the horizonal impact or land use of wind turbines and solar farms. AZURA is additionally suited to supply energy to forecast hydrogen production facilities in coastal locations, close to export gateways. The AZURA will form part of the supply mix ensuring energy supply if the sun is not shining or the wind not blowing.

 

 

Following successful prototype ocean testing over 2 x 18 month deployments at the US Navy’s Wave Energy Testing Site (W.E.T.S) and third party validation from the University of Hawaii and University of Oregon, commercialisation is underway, EHL Group will now place an energy only unit at the W.E.T.S facility in Hawaii with co-funding and support from the US Department of Energy and US Navy. EHL are also hopeful of engaging support from Australian business and Government to assist the build and placement of a Water / Energy AZURA unit in the energy rich waters off Victoria. The AZURA is the first verified wave energy technology verified to supply energy to the US grid.

EHL’s Australian Director, Michael Byrne stated “EHL plan to establish the key manufacturing facility for these and future units in Western Victoria to create long-term Regional jobs, community growth, and establishing a new export industry niche. Support from Councils and Regional business has been enthusiastic, but Australian renewables generation funding seems centred on wind and solar which are both predominately not made in Australia. EHL are passionate about retaining this opportunity here and investing in Australia’s future jobs growth and manufacturing capability, but we run the risk of this technology being lost offshore”

With economic growth and environmental impact being critical at this time of focussed recovery, EHL Group encourages State and Federal Government to take action to further this project and maximise the positive results for long-term Australian jobs and industry.

EHL Group are an Australian and New Zealand based engineering and project company with offices and workshops in Hamilton – Victoria, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand and New Plymouth, New Zealand.

 

 

Source: Eco Voice

How to Reduce Commercial Electricity Demand Charges

Posted on by dishanth
How to Reduce Commercial Electricity Demand Charges

The way companies are billed for energy use is changing in the UK.

This guide explains how businesses can reduce their commercial electricity demand charges as soon as possible, and why.

 

Energy costs

The two most significant energy costs for a business are the rate paid per unit used and demand charges.

Demand charges are measured in kW and represent the amount of energy consumed at a single point in time.

Energy consumption is measured in kWh and is the total amount of energy used over a given period.

What’s the difference between demand charge and usage?

Imagine you drive from London to Glasgow. You drive for a few minutes at a maximum of 75mph; this top speed represents your demand charge (kW). So 75mph is your peak kW demand.

The 412 miles you cover, at varying speeds, are your overall consumption (kWh). Your energy bill is measured by taking this number of kilowatt hours (kWh) and multiplying it by the predetermined unit rate your business pays for energy.

It’s essential to understand your business energy bill before we look at how to reduce your demand charge.

 

Understanding your bill

 

Triad

The UK’s demand charge price is based on its ‘Triad’ system. ‘Triads’ are three, half-hour periods in the UK winter when energy demand is at its highest.

The Triad dates must be at least ten days apart. They typically fall on weekdays, between 4 pm-7 pm, November to February and during periods of cold weather. The National Grid often has to fire up expensive coal and gas-powered stations to meet industrial and domestic demand during these windows.

The National Grid uses the Triad method to determine Transmission Use of System charges (TNUoS) for large companies. The more power a company uses on these three Triad dates, the higher the bill will be. The Triad determines a company’s ‘demand charge’.

The Triad dates are announced retrospectively to ensure companies do not deliberately reduce consumption on those days. With big money at stake, many companies do try to guess Triad timings and reduce their consumption – known as Triad Avoidance – to save money on bills.

Ofgem, the UK government regulator for electricity and gas markets, wants to scrap Triad by 2022 and replace it with a fixed charge system. Businesses will fall into one of four fixed payment bands, based on previous energy use and demand charges.

 

Distribution Use of System (DUoS)

The Distribution Use of System (DUoS) is paid to Distribution Network Operators (DNO) to carry electricity from the high voltage transmission grid to industrial, commercial and domestic users.

There are three price units, colour-coded red, amber and green, which vary depending on the supplier and include bank holidays.

Red is the peak time of highest demand and the most expensive time to draw power down from the grid. Typically, from 16.00 to 19.00, Monday to Friday.

Amber is generally daytime business hours, typically from Monday to Friday from 07.00-16.00 and 19.00-21.00.

Green represents night charges, when demand is lowest, typically from 21.00-24.00 and 00.00-07.00 and from Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday.

 

Other charges on a company bill

There is the Climate Change Levy (CCL) tax; businesses pay less by boosting energy efficiency and reducing their carbon emissions. The bill also includes contributions to the maintenance and running of meters, and everything comes plus VAT.

How to reduce commercial electricity demand charges
Businesses can choose one or many of a multi-pronged approach to reduce demand charges.

Trying to second guess the Triad dates may adversely affect operations; the switch to a fixed payment band means it’s best to reduce overall energy consumption and round down peaks.

 

Half Hourly meters

The first step to reducing demand charges is to install a Half Hourly (HH) electricity meter. HH meters send an accurate usage reading every 30 minutes, down a phone line and directly to an energy supplier.

Your company may already have a HH meter fitted. Take a look at the S number on a recent bill – it’s in a small box and contains six multi-digit figures. If the top left number reads 00, then a HH meter is fitted.

HH meters can provide an accurate overview of when and how much electricity a business uses and removes the need to take regular readings. Energy suppliers can tailor a price plan based on a business’s exact needs. If they cannot help, shop around with other suppliers.

 

Ways to reduce demand charges

Optimise the when and how a company uses energy

Half Hourly meter data readings show the times a company uses a lot of electricity. Lower those by:

• Shifting energy-intensive processes to times with cheaper rates if possible
• Spreading energy use across the working day/night.
• Installing battery storage units – charge them during periods of low demand/cost and use their energy during energy peaks.

See if your company can use energy at times that take advantage of the red/amber/green pricing in the Distribution Use of System (DUoS).

Multi-site businesses can switch to a plan that covers all locations. More extensive industrial operations can use multiple meters across one site to help spread energy use better.

This may seem complicated and time-consuming – online energy marketplaces help businesses bridge the knowledge gap.

 

Look to renewables

Several localised energy solutions can reap long-term dividends on a company’s investment in them.

Battery storage systems charge overnight when energy prices are lower. A company then uses during expensive rate times and avoids paying premium energy rates.

Even more efficient is the installation of solar panels, small wind turbines, hydro energy or biomass systems. Having renewable energy sources on-site lowers Climate Change Levy payments and reduces the amount of energy drawn from the National Grid. On a windy night, a business’s wind turbine could even charge a battery storage system for free.

 

Make your business energy efficient

Underlying everything is overall business energy use. All reductions in use will help lower bills and lower your peak periods of energy use.

Heating and air conditioning
Heating and air conditioning can double energy bills. Make sure the premises are well insulated and that your company heats or cools only vital areas.

A smart thermostat positioned in an optimum site, e.g. not in a corridor, should be set to a higher temperature when cooling (recommended 24°C/75°F) and lower when heating (recommended 19°C/66°F).

Use fans in summer rather than air conditioning and keep all equipment in tip-top shape for best performance. Some buildings can recycle heat from ovens or other areas to warm office spaces or hot water tanks.

Motor Controls and Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) can help, too. A VFD alters the voltage input of appliances and can run an air conditioning unit at less than 100% of its usual power.

 

Lighting

A company spends up to 40% of its electricity bill on lighting, according to the UK government.

It’s good practice to reduce a company’s overall energy footprint, which in turn will help bring down demand charges.

• Switch to energy-efficient LED light bulbs – they use up to 90 per cent less energy than conventional lightbulbs.
• Turn off all lights when they are not in use.
• Swap switches for motion sensors.
• Replace old lighting fixtures with modern fittings that send out more light.

Commercial demand charges may soon change in the UK. It’s best practice to reduce your company’s demand charge and electricity use and source as quickly as possible.

 

 

By Ovidiu Sandru

UK provides £27m green loan to solar-powered water project in Ghana

Posted on by dishanth
UK provides £27m green loan to solar-powered water project in Ghana

The UK government has agreed to provide a £27m green loan to support the use of solar energy to sterilise drinking water for rural communities in Ghana, using technology developed by UK-based firm Aqua Africa, it announced today.

The direct UK Export Finance (UKEF) loan to the Ghanaian government follows an agreement between Aqua Africa and the country’s sanitation and water resources ministry in support of a project that is aiming to alleviate up to 225,000 people in Ghana from daily water poverty.

The project is now set to begin next month with community engagement exercises and a ground delivery plan. The first phase will then see filtration units deployed to deliver water to 75 communities starting in January next year, providing clean water to 22,500 people, according to the project partners.

The following 18 months will then see five further phases deliver the rollout of the water pipe systems to the remaining 200,000 people, while deploying smart metering and cashless payment systems to provide income from water sales, they explained.

Ghana’s Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, said the green loan was the country’s first, and would play a key role in the push to deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals covering climate action, clean water, and sanitation.

“The fulfilment of our basic human needs in our environment is essentially dependent on adequate clean water,” she said. “Increasing water coverage requires a consistent investment on year to year basis since population growth and demand for water keeps increasing. That is why we welcome wholeheartedly the investment in the Aqua Africa Project.”

The move comes amid growing criticism of UKEF – the government’s overseas finance and credit agency – over its role in supporting fossil fuel projects abroad. A BBC Newsnight investigation in January found the agency had financed £6bn of fossil fuel projects around the world since 2010, and separate statistics published by Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee show that between 2013 and 2018 96 per cent of UKEF’s support of global energy projects went to fossil fuel ventures.

However, reports have recently indicated the government has ordered a review of UKEF and could be poised to soon rule out the use of loan guarantees for overseas fossil fuel projects, amid fears continuing to allow financing for such activities could undermine the UK’s climate leadership ambitions ahead of its hosting of the crucial COP26 global climate summit next year.

Today’s water sanitation loan forms part of a £140m package of financial support for Ghana announced today by the UK government, which also includes over £70m in direct loans and guarantees to support the construction of a major new commercial road between Tema and Aflao, and over £50m to help build a new regional hospital in Koforidua.

The direct loans come at no cost to the taxpayer and shows how the UK’s expertise “is making a lasting and real difference to communities across the globe”, said the UK’s Exports Minister Graham Stuart.

“We are proud to lead the world in our efforts to transition to net zero emissions and UKEF is backing British exporters to support other countries to meet their Paris climate goals,” he said of the water sanitation project. “UKEF’s support for Aqua Africa demonstrates this government’s commitment to exporters with green credentials by ensuring they have the support needed to win international business during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.”

 

 

By Michael Holder

Source: Business Green

Climate explained: Why does geothermal electricity count as renewable?

Posted on by dishanth
Climate explained: Why does geothermal electricity count as renewable?

Geothermal electricity produces emissions but is categorised with wind and solar power as a renewable source of power. Why? Can we reduce the emissions geothermal plants produce?

Geothermal resources occur where magma has come up through the Earth’s crust at some point in the distant past and created large reservoirs of hot rock and water.

 In New Zealand, the Taupo Volcanic Zone has 23 known geothermal reservoirs. Seven of these are currently used to generate more than 15 per cent of New Zealand’s electricity supply.

Continuous but finite energy source

The geothermal reservoirs are vast in both size and stored energy. For example, the Ngatamariki reservoir extends over seven square kilometres and is more than a kilometre thick.

The geothermal resource is more consistent than hydro, solar and wind, as it doesn’t depend on the weather, but the geothermal heat in a reservoir is finite. Environment Waikato estimates that if the thermal energy in New Zealand were extracted to generate 420MW of electricity, the resource would likely last for 300 years. The current generation is more than twice this rate, so the reservoirs will last about half as long.

Geothermal energy is extracted by drilling up to 3km down into these hot zones of mineral-laden brine at 180-350 degrees Celsius. The engineering involves drilling a number of wells for extraction and re-injection of the brine, and the big pipes that connect the wells to the power plant.

The power plant converts the thermal energy into electricity using steam turbines. These plants generate nearly continuously and can last for more than 50 years.

 

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wairakei_Power_Station)

 

Greenhouse gas emissions

The brine contains dissolved gases and minerals, depending on the minerals in the rocks the water was exposed to. Some of these are harmless, like silica which is basically sand. But some are toxic like stibnite, which is antimony and sulphur.

Some gases like carbon dioxide and methane are not poisonous, but are greenhouse gases. But some are toxic. For example, hydrogen sulfide gives geothermal features their distinctive smell. The carbon dioxide dissolved in geothermal brine normally comes from limestone, which is fossilised shells of sea creatures that lived millions of years ago.

The amount of greenhouse gas produced per kWh of electricity generated varies, depending on the reservoir characteristics. It is not well known until the wells are in production.

The New Zealand Geothermal Association reports the greenhouse gas emissions for power generation range from 21 grams CO2 equivalent per kWh to 341gCO2(equiv)/kWh. The average is 76gCO2(equiv)/kWh. For comparison, fossil fuel generation emissions range from 970 to 390gCO2(equiv)/kWh for coal and gas combined cycle plants.

The gases have to be removed from the brine to use it in the plant, so they are released to the atmosphere. The toxic gases are either diluted and released into the atmosphere, or scrubbed with other substances for disposal. The Mokai power plant supplies carbon dioxide to commercial growers who use it in glasshouses to increase the growth rate of vegetables.

 

Finding ways to use less energy

All energy-conversion systems can be made better by employing engineering expertise, investing in research and enforcing regulations, and through due diligence in the management of the waste products. All energy-conversion technology has costs and consequences. No energy resource should be thought of as unlimited or free unless we use very small quantities.

New Zealand is in a period of energy transition, with a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The production and use of coal is already in decline globally and oil and gas are expected to follow.

We tend to think about energy transition in terms of technologies to substitute “bad” energy with “green” energy. But the transition of how energy is produced and consumed will require a massively complex re-engineering of nearly everything.

The installed capacity for wind and solar has been growing over the past decade. In 2018, however, New Zealand consumption of electricity generated by wind and solar was 7.72PJ, while oil, diesel and LPG consumption was 283PJ and geothermal electricity was 27PJ. Another consideration is lifetime; wind turbines and solar panels need to be replaced at least three times during the lifetime of a geothermal power plant.

A successful energy transition will require much more R&D and due diligence on products, buildings and lifestyles that need only about 10 per cent of the energy we use today. An energy transition to build sustainable future systems is not only possible, it is the only option.

Susan Krumdieck is professor and director at the Advanced Energy and Material Systems Lab at the University of Canterbury.

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

 

 

Source: Stuff

Rapid shift to renewables could lead Australia to cheap power, 100,000 jobs

Posted on by dishanth
Rapid shift to renewables could lead Australia to cheap power, 100,000 jobs

A new analysis suggests a rapid expansion of renewable energy over the next five years could establish Australia as a home for new zero-emissions industries, cut electricity costs and create more than 100,000 jobs in the electricity industry alone.

The briefing paper by Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE), a Melbourne based climate change thinktank, presents an alternative vision to the conservative Liberal-National government’s gas-fired recovery plan’

It argues the shift to a clean electricity grid is inevitable and there are opportunities in accelerating it, rather than slowing it down.

Renewable energy investment in Australia fell 50 per cent last year.

Guardian Australia reports the work is backed by the former Liberal Party prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who described the central thesis of the report as “compellingly right”.

 

 

“That is, we have the opportunity to have zero emissions and cheap energy in Australia if we get over the political roadblock that has bedevilled the debate for so long,” Mr Turnbull told Guardian Australia.

The report is the first stage of a “million jobs plan” being developed by the thinktank. Mr Turnbull is a member of an advisory board supporting the project.

It recommends Australia aims to build 90 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity and 20GW of batteries over five years, a project it estimates would create 22,000 ongoing and 124,000 construction jobs.

 

 

It describes the goal as ambitious, but “an evolution, not a revolution” given 11GW was installed in 2018 and 2019.

It cites a report by consultants Rystad Energy that found 133GW of large-scale solar, wind and battery projects are in development and about a quarter have planning approval.

The report said reaching the target would require governments to send investors “an unequivocal signal” of support for large-scale renewable projects.

 

 

Its three main recommendations include underwriting new “renewable energy industrial zones” with long-term fixed electricity prices of $50-55 a megawatt-hour in regional centres such as Gladstone, the Hunter Valley, the Latrobe Valley and Whyalla to support new clean industries, such as green hydrogen and zero emissions metals.

 

 

It says transmission lines around the country, many of which are already proposed by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), would need to be fast-tracked, with governments intervening to overcome regulatory hurdles.

It calls for local content requirements for wind turbines, batteries and transmission components, saying it could create 15,000 manufacturing jobs.

The report says a wind energy manufacturing industry could be created quickly by converting disused factories, as has happened in Geelong, where part of an old Ford site is being used to make wind turbine components.

 

 

“Leading turbine-maker Vestas has indicated that, given sufficient demand, it would expand manufacturing in Australia,” it said.

BZEs’ chief executive, Eytan Lenko, said the shift to at least 100 per cent renewable energy was inevitable, having been flagged more clearly than any technological transition in history, with only the timeframe in question.

Guardian Australia reports Mr Lenko said the group supported the government and the National Covid-19 Coordination Commission’s (NCCC) goal of expanding manufacturing through cheaper energy costs, but evidence suggested renewable energy was a cheaper and more sustainable path to recovery than gas.

 

 

“We want to end up in the same space, it’s just the underlying technology that’s different,” Mr Lenko said.

“To us, it’s completely obvious. We don’t have a competitive advantage with gas, America has a cheaper gas industry than we do, but we do have unlimited renewable energy capacity.

“That’s the future, and the trend is unstoppable in terms of costs.”

The report is part of a growing global call for governments to respond to the economic shock of the coronavirus crisis with policies that also help tackle the climate crisis.

 

 

Guardian Australia reports assessments before the pandemic found solar and wind backed by storage were likely to be the cheapest source of new electricity in many cases, but the government and the NCCC have emphasised gas, a fossil fuel, as the key to driving economic recovery.

The government continues to reject international and domestic calls to set a target of net zero emissions.

BZE released a report calling for 100 per cent renewable energy a decade ago.

It now says this goal is uninspiring, and that Australia could reach it simply by maintaining the installation rate of the past two years.

 

Solar panels and windmills in the power plant

 

It quotes Darren Miller, chief executive of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), who has suggested the country could and should aim for a six-or-seven-fold increase in electricity generation to power new clean industries.

Research group BloombergNEF found the cost of solar panels had fallen 85 per cent over the past decade and onshore wind energy 49 per cent.

 

 

Mr Lenko said in 10 years nobody would be talking about building too much solar.

“It’s on such a fast cost decline, it will be completely non-controversial to make use of it to power industry,” he said.

 

 

Source: http://econews.com.au/

By  David Twomey

Government gives go-ahead for Britain’s largest solar farm

Posted on by dishanth
Government gives go-ahead for Britain’s largest solar farm

Hive Energy’s proposed 350MW Cleve Hill solar project secures backing from Planning Inspectorate despite local conservation concerns

Plans for Britain’s largest ever solar farm have been given the go-ahead despite concerns over local environmental impacts, paving the way for the 350MW subsidy-free project in Kent to begin operating in 2022.

Cleve Hill Solar Park, which also includes plans for a co-located battery storage facility, would see 800,000 solar panels erected across 900 acres of farmland roughly three miles west of Whitstable. The project is expected to boast enough capacity to power around 91,000 homes, according to the developers.

British firm Hive Energy, which is jointly developing the project alongside German company Wirsol, claims the project is set to attract £27.25m of investment to the region over the next 25 years, but objections have been raised that the project could damage local marshland.

 

The site in Kent earmarked for the 350MW Cleve Hill solar park

 

Local politicians and activists raised concerns the battery storage facility could pose a fire risk and that the project may damage local ecosystems. Due to the size of the project, planning consent was called in by the government for a final decision.

But today the plans were given the green light, with Planning Inspectorate chief executive Sarah Richards stressing that it gave “full consideration to local views” before making its recommendation.

Hive Energy said it was “delighted” with the decision, claiming the solar park – plans for which were first announced in 2017 – would help reduce the UK’s dependence on fossil fuels and lower CO2 emissions by 68,000 tonnes a year.

“Our belief is that renewable energy generation is the most important thing that is going to happen to our planet over the next 50 years,” said Giles Redpath, CEO of Hive Energy. “Solar energy is unique. It has the power to transform the world.”

“We are proud to lead the way, together with our partners at Wirsol, to deliver the UKs largest solar park,” he added. “Due to be operational by 2022, the Cleve Hill Solar Park offers a real solution to our urgent climate needs and showcases the potential for the UK to lead the green recovery.”

The news tops off a big week for subsidy-free solar in the UK, with NextEnergy Capital having secured £100m financing for two projects in South Wales and Worcestershire, and Statkraft having signed a deal with Warrington Borough Council to buy electricity from a solar-battery park in York.

Chris Hewett, chief executive of the Solar Trade Association (STA), also welcomed today’s decision, arguing that solar could play a key role in boosting the UK economy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

“Today the government has shown that it recognises the vital contribution solar can make to Britain’s energy mix,” he said. “This is a major milestone on the road towards a UK powered by clean, affordable renewables. With the right policies we can expect to see an 8GW pipeline of solar projects unlocked and rapidly deployed, swiftly creating a wealth of skilled jobs and setting us on the path towards a green recovery.”

 

 

Source: https://www.businessgreen.com/

By Michael Holder