Renewable Market tops $100 Billion in 2007

Just in case you're wondering if this renewable energy thing is real or just another flash in the pan like the 1970's solar boom and bust, look at the below article which states that the renewable energy market is growing to very real numbers world-wide.

From Market Watch.com

By Steve Gelsi
Last update: 10:53 a.m. EST Jan. 2, 2008

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The amount of new money invested in the so-called clean energy sector grew 35% to $117 billion in 2007, according to London-based research firm New Energy Finance. "The clean energy sector weathered last summer's credit crunch well, partly because non-financial drivers such as regulation, political will and fears over energy supplies remain strong," New Energy Finance said. "It was also helped by a shift in focus from more mature wind and biofuels markets in Western Europe and the U.S. towards Asia, Brazil and other developing countries." Wind power continued to lead the way, but the year also saw strong growth in solar power and energy efficiency. Investments in biofuels fell back from 2006's record year, in the face of rising corn and soy bean costs.

US' largest solar photovoltaic system flipped on in Nevada

From Endgadget

Its nice to see that our military is stepping out to lead in the use of renewable energy sources. I've often heard that the military is one of the biggest agents for social change in the country. It was the first to desegregate, pushed for new technology until industry overtook it and provides a lot of young folks who would never have an opportunity at a bigger and better life the chance to see what is out there in the world and then come back to this great country and try something different than they would have otherwise. I regret that currently there is such a price to be paid for that opportunity and pray that those brave young Americans will come home soon to find their place in the new green economy.

Posted Dec 30th 2007 8:47AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Sure, we've seen monolithic solar farms before, but the 14-megawatt Nellis solar energy system is a beast that stands alone -- for now, at least. As of today, this farm is hailed as America's "largest solar photovoltaic system," but if all goes to plan, Cleantech America will grab those honors when it completes a massive 80-megawatt project in neighboring California. Nevertheless, this system -- which is housed at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada -- will reportedly generate "30 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually and supply approximately 25-percent of the total power used at the base, where 12,000 people live and work." Of course, some 140 acres of land have been covered with 72,000 solar panels in order to make it happen, but it's not like anything else is going out there (CES and rabid gambling notwithstanding).

[Via MetaEfficient, image courtesy of CleanTech]

Tags: air force, AirForce, alternative energy, AlternativeEnergy, green, Nellis Air Force Base, NellisAirForceBase, nevada, photovoltaic, solar, solar farm, solar power, solar-powered, SolarFarm, SolarPower

Nanosolar says they are on the way to $0.99 a watt

This is big news as Nanosolar, a privately held company, has been hard at work for the past 5 years to make solar cells by simply printing the material on to the substrate. Of course, these do not have the same energy density or watt producing capacity per area as silicon based systems, but since they will be so much cheaper, buting a few more yards of the stuff will still be much more cost effective.

Read more about it here.

Energy Bill Update: Senate Approves Compromise Legislation

From Renewable Energy Access.com

December 14, 2007

Washington, D.C. [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]

After a hard-fought battle on the political playing field, the renewable energy industries have suffered a difficult defeat. The Senate voted yesterday evening on an Energy Bill that left out the investment and production tax credits and a renewable portfolio standard (RPS), avoiding a Presidential veto but dramatically reducing the role of renewables in Congress' energy plan.

After the vote, some Democratic Senators said they would revisit both the RPS and tax provisions in the next session of Congress.

The Bill passed by a vote of 85-12. It now goes back to the House for approval and then to the President to be signed into law. The White House issued a statement yesterday saying that it would accept the Bill.

“The failure to pass critical policy provisions to reduce energy costs for business owners and homeowners, protect our energy infrastructure against acts of nature and terrorism, and fundamentally reduce emissions causing respitory diseases and global climate change was an abdication of duty to the American people by a minority of legislators from both parties and The Administration," said Scott Sklar, President of the Stella Group, a renewable energy marketing and policy analysis firm.

The new piece of legislation includes a 40% increase in fuel economy standards, a 36 billion gallon renewable fuel mandate and increased energy efficiency standards for new federal buildings. The Bill did not, however, include extensions of the tax incentives that provide a stable, predictable investment climate for distributed generators and large-scale project developers.

The House had originally passed a Bill that included the tax provisions and a RPS, but the Senate rejected the legislation. After the vote, some Democratic Senators said they would revisit both the RPS and tax provisions in the next session of Congress.

While the omission of those provisions is considered a setback by the industry, Congressional leaders are hailing the passage of the Bill as a bipartisan success. Trade groups in Washington such as the American Wind Energy Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association have promised they will continue to lobby Congress for tax credit extensions before they expire in December of 2008.

Using Micro Turbines for the home

If you have a stream flowing on you property, you can generate electricity in the same manner as a PV user does. By tying the micro turbine into a grid-tied connector, you can run your electric meter backwards as long as your state supports net-metering. There are well established companies that produce fine micro turbines like Home Hydro Power in the US and Energy Systems and Designs from Britain. From Today's Zaman Micro turbines to generate electricity for households

It is now possible to generate electricity using small rivers and even shallow brooks thanks to the brand new micro turbines developed and produced by Turkish Electromechanics Industry (TEMSAN).

Micro turbines will render it possible to generate electricity even from a small brook, though it will meet only the needs of an ordinary house. TEMSAN, committed to manufacturing turbine and generator equipment for hydroelectric power plants and designing and producing micro turbines and transformer substations under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, has recently completed its four-year long studies and managed to design 12 different turbine prototypes. The prices of these turbines vary from YTL 3,000 to YTL 40,000 depending on their capacity and strength. A micro turbine, able to produce 3 kilowatt/hour (kWh) of power, meets all the electricity needs of four houses -- from illumination to temperature control. Turbines with a capacity of 100 to 200 kWh, on the other hand, are enough to supply electricity for moderate-sized villages and even small-sized towns. It is not necessary to get a license or to establish a company to install micro turbines on rivers or brooks. Anyone is able to get one of these turbines and install it under the guidance of local ministry representative. They will also be able to sell the electricity to the local electricity network. Hamit Akdere, a fish farm operator in Sivas, was the first to acquire and run one of these micro turbines. He notes that this system is "extremely profitable" as long as there is water to spin the turbine. "The electricity generated by these turbines will contribute significantly to meeting the country's energy hunger," Turkey's Energy Minister Hilmi Güler has said on several occasions since the project began in 2003. "In the past, people used to say 'water flows in vain and Turks just watch'. This will no longer be the case," Güler stressed frequently. If micro turbines start being widely used across the country, they will supply at least 10 percent of Turkey's total annual electricity usage -- in other words they will produce around 3,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity. TEMSAN General Manager Osman Kadakal pointed out that conventional hydroelectric plants could only be constructed on large rivers with high flow potential, whereas micro turbines can get electricity from even small streams. Kadakal also notes that it is possible to install numerous micro turbines on rivers as long as the depth and strength of the river's water flow allow it. Although this technology is new for Turkey, it is already in use in many countries. This method is especially useful in countries with an abundance of small rivers. Electricity-hungry workshops, like foundry works, are usually established around such small rivers in these countries. The turbines are designed to also cover some major risks. For example, they utilize high-capacity batteries that immediately step in if the turbines are broken or temporarily out of service. Kadakal said the micro turbines are 100 percent Turkish products and no foreign technology was used in manufacturing them. A separate research and development body is employed to develop micro turbines for this. A single micro turbine of the smallest capacity can produce enough electricity to cover all electricity needs of two ordinary houses and costs around YTL 3,000, excluding batteries and other supplements. Assuming that the cost of electricity for homes is roughly Ykr 10 per kilowatt-hour -- which comes out to around YTL 880 in one year, taking into consideration the annual average consumption amounts in Turkey, these machines will pay for themselves in just two years. They also work with no operational costs. The Energy Productivity Law, passed by Parliament in May 2007, allows the generation of electricity from small rivers provided that a person or institution establishes a plant with a maximum capacity of 200-kilowatt (KW). The law also exempts them from having a production license or owning a company for generation so long they use the electricity only for their own needs.

13.12.2007

İSMAİL ALTUNSOY ANKARA