Major wind and solar projects still in development

Major wind and solar projects still in development

CYNDY COLE Sun Staff Reporter | Posted: Monday, December 28, 2009 5:00 am | (0) Comments

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This year saw the construction of the state's first large-scale wind farm, with wind turbines in excess of 400 feet installed southeast of Winslow between Heber and Holbrook, to power Salt River Project.

The project was launched due to the efforts of a rancher who took wind measurements on his land, using equipment and help from Northern Arizona University.

Closer to Coconino County and the western Navajo Nation, no major wind or solar projects are under construction, though a number have been proposed, and one large wind farm is proposed to break ground west of Flagstaff next year on the Navajo Nation.

A residential pilot project through APS proposes to add solar panels to 200 Doney Park homes, however.

Wind developers proposing a wind farm east of Flagstaff near Interstate 40 have no agreement to sell power to a utility, as utilities can still buy subsidized power cheaper out of state. That project has the permitting it needs, but no buyer.

Another proposed wind farm closer to Meteor Crater needs further studies, and others have been proposed on the Babbitt Ranches and near Cameron.

Two national companies are vying to install large wind turbines near Cameron, but the Navajo Nation so far has approved neither.

"The project is -- it's not dead, it could still happen -- but there's been no decision as to who the developer should be," said Ben Axelman, of Citizens Energy, one of the two companies proposing the wind turbines.

As for solar power, Arizona Public Service is required by the state to add more renewable energy to its supplies, including from residences.

Partly to study solar energy would affect the local electricity distribution system when concentrated in one area, APS proposed this year to add solar panels to 200 Doney Park household rooftops, at no cost to customers.

APS needed state approval for the idea, estimated to cost $14.7 million; if received, customers would have a portion of their electricity bill locked in for 20 years, and the power flowing from their roofs would feed back to the grid.

Environmental groups, including Grand Canyon Trust and the Sierra Club, began some efforts this year to pressure owners of Navajo Generating Station in Page into cleanup, or closure regardless of cleanup.

The power plant discharges tens of thousands of tons of nitrogen oxides, and other particulates that air monitoring specialists working for the National Park Service say degrade air quality at the Grand Canyon.

The Page facility and another coal-fired plant near Holbrook could be further affected by federal legislation that proposes to cap greenhouse gas emissions.

Cyndy Cole can be reached at 913-8607 or at ccole@azdailysun.com.

Posted in Local, Science on Monday, December 28, 2009 5:00 am

Middle East/Med Region Could Solar Power World 3 Times Over

The sunny MENA (Middle East- North Africa) region and its associated countries could solar power the world, Maurice reports. This map-maker left out Israel.

Middle Eastern and North African countries, often referred to under the umbrella term MENA countries, have the potential to create more than 3 times the world’s power needs, according to a new study reported in the Dubai-based Khaleej Times.

Countries that move fast, the study suggests, could have the competitive advantage. Who could take the lead: MENA countries, especially ones located on the Arabian Peninsula, as well as others like Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel could be. These countries are no strangers to the notion of solar energy, and Green Prophet has covered countless articles touting solar energy in the Middle East.

One of the region’s leading solar energy development countries, Israel, has even been asked by the UN to increase its development of solar energy. Despite being an instrumental innovator through companies such as BrightSource or Solel, Israel’s own use of solar power at home more closely resembles that of a developing nation.

The Khaleej Times article pointed out that countries in the MENA region have the “greatest potential for solar regeneration” supplying 45% of the world’s energy sources possible through renewable energy. Renewable energy sources of interest in this region include Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City as well as its hosting of the World Renewable Energy Agency headquarters . Known as IRENA, this center could fuel development in the whole region.

A big problem, however, is under-funding of renewable energy projects, due to a big abundance of oil and other fossil fuels, says Beirut based Ibrahim El Hussenei, a partner in the London based energy project development company, Booz & Company whose representatives were present at the COP 15 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

“Renewables in much of the Mena region are underfunded or not funded at all, in part due to the region’s abundant supplies of fossil fuels,” said Ibrahim El-Husseini, a partner at Booz & Company.

Renewable energy industry developments combined with the region’s potential in wind and solar power could create significant advantage for countries that move to capitalise on them.

The worldwide demand for energy will result in the need for countries in both the Middle East and North Africa to turn to renewable energy, especially solar power, to help supply this growing energy need, he suggests. Walid Fayed, another Booz and Company  executive, said that another 80 to 90 Gigawatts of power will be needed.

This power, according to both Fayed and El Houssenei, will be needed from solar and other forms of renewable energy to help satisfy world demand.

What we can squeeze from the sun?

The two most important forms of power from solar energy are from PV photovoltaic cells and concentrated solar power (CSP). The latter use mirrors and lenses to direct the sun and can be seen in the inventions of Israeli companies like Zenith Solar and Aora Solar.

The CSP mirrors and lenses are used in larger solar power plants such as those providing power for utility companies, while ones using photovoltaic (PV) panels are typically used for smaller power plants, according to the news report. The drawback for large solar plants in desert areas like in the MENA region, however, are sandstorms and other types of dust problems which have a negative impact on the efficiency of solar mirrors or panels. (But not if you use nano tech to self-wash the panels).

The Masdar City project in Abu Dhabi is one that will be using PV panels on a large scale. A number of smaller projects incorporating solar panels are also in use around the region, the Kaleej Times article noted.

The use of  solar energy technology could be very beneficial by countries in the MENA region, and will “free more oil and natural gas for export and enhance oil producing countries positions as major energy exporters,” the author in the article noted, especially when these supplies become more scarce world wide.

Renewables could enhance the export value of the region’s traditional energy assets. Fossil fuels will remain the dominant source of energy for the foreseeable future. In addition, Opec’s share of world oil supply is expected to grow from its current figure of 42 per cent to 52 per cent by 2030, according to the Opec World Oil Outlook 2008.

Though not mentioned in the article (for obvious political reasons) solar energy technology cooperation between these countries and Israel, a major world solar energy innovator, could be very beneficial in the long run. It may already be happening, but behind closed doors, away from the sun. We can hope.

“Both solar technologies could be deployed widely throughout the region. The Masdar Initiative in Abu Dhabi recently commissioned the first large-scale PV installation in the region. Smaller installations are proliferating, mainly in areas far from the grid,” Fayad said.

::Kahaleej Times.com

More on Middle East solar energy:
Targets for Solar Deployment in the Middle East
California’s PG&E Looks to Invest $1.5 Billion in Bright Source
Simple Solar Solutions for Hot Water: Will Jordan Seize the Opportunity?

Image via Unicef

Acciona obtains a preallocation of 1100 MW for renewables in Spain

Acciona obtains a preallocation of 1100 MW for renewables in Spain 27 de diciembre de 2009

The five CSP projects presented by the company, totaling 250 MW, have been entered in the Register. The preallocation of 29 wind energy parks has been obtained for a total of 824 MW, plus two biomass plants (30 MW).

Acciona has obtained a preallocation in the Special Regime Register for 36 renewable electricity generation installations totaling 1,104 MW, of which 824 MW are in wind power parks, 250 MW in CSP and 30 MW in biomass. The electricity produced in these facilities, representing 12% of the capacity preallocated by the Ministry of Industry, will be remunerated under the Special Regime in Spain as established in Royal Decree-Law 6/2009.

Acciona has obtained the registration of the five Concentrating Solar Power facilities (CSP) projects it had presented, all of them with a capacity of 50 MW: Alvarado (also called ‘La Risca’); Palma del Río I and Palma del Río II (in Andalusia), and Orellana and Majadas (in Extremadura). These 250 MW have been included in Phase 1 of the four established by the Spanish Cabinet on November 13th, which means that the facilities can enter service as soon as their construction is completed. They represent 28% of the CSP capacity preallocation in this first phase and 11% of the total preallocated capacity.

Twenty-nine wind power projects have also been entered in the Register totaling 824.25 MW (13% of the preallocated total in this technology) and 774.75 MW in attributable terms (12%).

Thirteen of the wind farms (total capacity 441.45 MW) are located in the region of Valencia: Boira, Losilla, Salomon, Benalaz, Benalaz II, El Mulatón, Las Bodeguillas, La Solana, Rincón del Cabello and Alto Palancia III (the acquisition of the last-named will be completed by the end of this year), all 100% owned by the company, and Peñas de Dios, Peñas de Dios II and Cerro de la Nevera, in which the company has a 50% stake through Renomar.

Five windparks (total capacity 159.6 MW) are located in Andalusia: Viento de Alcalá, Castellana, Loma de Lázaro, Llano del Espino and Cerro Gaviria. Another five, totaling 126 MW, are situated in the region of Castilla y León: Celada I, Celada V, Peña Nebina, Sierra Sesnández and Cerro de la Mira. A further five are in Castilla-La Mancha: El Relumbrar, Peralejo, Escepar, Villamayor and El Chaparro (total capacity 92 MW) and one in Galicia: Goa (5.20 MW).

In the field of biomass, two projects by Acciona have been entered in the preallocation Register: Miajadas and Alcázar de San Juan, with 30 MW (34% of the preallocated total). Given that the capacity objectives stated for this technology in the National Renewable Energy Plan 2005-2010 have not been achieved, the Register will remain open for the presentation of new applications for preallocation of biomass plants.


www.acciona.com

Christmas Cracker: Crocs and Nukes

environmentalresearchweb blog

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Christmas Cracker: Crocs and Nukes

There has been plenty of bad news about nuclear power recently (e.g. see my last but one blog), but in the seasonal spirit of ‘good will to all’, here is something a little bit more positive- and lighthearted!

The UK is planning to get around 8% of its electricity from nuclear plants at some point after 2020- and around 30% from renewables. It might be argued that, instead of trying to compete with renewables, coal and gas in the electricity market, which may prove hard, perhaps nuclear ought to look to other markets.

Top of the range options include the production of hydrogen, and possibly other synfuels, that could be used in vehicles- that is a high added value product. I looked at some of the emerging ideas for hydrogen and synfuel production in an earlier post. http://environmentalresearchweb.org/blog/2009/09/nuclear-or-solar-hydrogen.html

The US Department of Energy’s new ‘Next Generation Nuclear programme’, with up to $40 million on offer for an initial planning phase, is now looking at the idea of extending the application of nuclear energy ‘into the broader industrial and transportation sectors’. But high temperature reactors of the type being explored are still some way off- work on South Africa’s Pebble Bed Modular Reactor was recently halted due to financial constraints.

Less speculatively, you don’t need new technology: conventional nuclear plants, like all steam raising power stations, produce a lot of waste heat. There has been much talk recently of using some of this for local heat networks - linked to nuclear ‘Combined Heat and Power’ plants. Some plants in Russia already do this, as I noted in an earlier post. http://environmentalresearchweb.org/blog/2009/07/pipe-dreams.html Selling heat as well as power can improve their economics.

Heat from the turbines at nuclear plants is already quite widely used for other purposes. For example the 5400 MW nuclear plant at Gravelines, near Dunkirk, feeds waste heat to a Sea Bass farm, which evidently produces around half of all worlds’ farmed sea bass. And the existing Olkiluoto nuclear power station in western Finland, provides heat for growing Latvian zilga grapes in a nearby vineyard. Even more exotically, there is a large tourist crocodile farm at Civeaux in Provence, fed with heat from a nearby nuclear plant. I’m sure there are other examples.

Perhaps more practically, nuclear plants have been used for the desalination of sea- water. For example, in Japan, I’m told, ten desalination facilities linked to pressurised water reactors operating for electricity production have yielded 1000-3000 cubic metres/day each of potable water, and over 100 reactor-years of experience have accrued, while Pakistan plans a desalination plant coupled to its KANUPP reactor near Karachi. Morocco is also, it seems, planning nuclear-powered desalination, as is China (at Yantai, producing 160,000 cu m /day, using a 200 MW reactor). And S. Korea and Argentina have each developed small PWR-type reactors designed for cogeneration of electricity and potable water.

Mind you, renewables can also do this. The various Concentrated Solar Power plants being built of planned in North Africa can desalinate sea-water. And in Texas, Renew Blue’s wave-powered ‘Sea Dog’ water pump device is near completion, on a platform in the Gulf of Mexico. It will desalinate sea-water. Some could then be sold in bottles, rather than Perrier and the like.

I know the risks of contamination with nuclear material are miniscule, but somehow, personally, I’d prefer my water to be kept well away from radioactivity. So, if I needed bottled water, I’d prefer Renew Blues’ offering. But then some spa waters are very mildly radioactive, which was once claimed to be part of their curative value. And, it might be a bit of a stretch, but these days the nuclear industry sometimes argues that low levels of radiation aren’t that dangerous: http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RSRadiationrisksquestioned0312092.html

On balance though, I think I will stick to beer. Happy Xmas drinking, whatever your choice!

Tags:

Posted by Dave Elliott on December 26, 2009 1:16 PM

IQE poised for growth with advanced solar technology

A hi-tech company in Cardiff is poised to take advantage of the global growth in solar power generation with its next generation solar technology.

High-efficiency solar cells are being developed by IQE in Cardiff – including one of the first photo-voltaic (PV) devices of its kind in the world using semiconductor materials.

Project manager Rob Harper said the development of the world class product will position IQE for strong growth in the future, securing and creating highly skilled jobs at its Cardiff plants.

The technology developed at IQE uses specially engineered layers known as multi-junctions to convert different parts of the solar spectrum into electrical energy.

A higher percentage of solar radiation can be harvested using this method compared to other types of solar cells.

IQE’s solar cells are already capable of converting around 40% of solar radiation into electrical power and further research is being conducted to improve this.

By concentrating sunlight using inexpensive lenses and mirrors, the amount of active solar cell material can be reduced, further lowering the overall unit cost.

Known as concentrating photo-voltaic (CPV) this approach is suited to large installations of 5MW and above, and works best in regions with high levels of direct sunlight.

Although CPV is a new technology and accounts for less than 0.5% of currently installed PV power, a number of large CPV installations are under way in Australia, the US, Spain, Italy and Greece.

CPV has substantial market potential because of its high conversion efficiencies, and industry experts anticipate a compound annual growth rate of 45% between 2009 and 2015.

IQE, whose manufacturing facility and global headquarters was established in St Mellons, Cardiff in 1988, has recently produced the world’s first triple junction devices with a new, patented combination of semi-conductor materials.

This is attracting the attention of CPV manufacturers worldwide because it has the potential to provide improved efficiency at lower cost.

IQE is already established as a leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor materials for wireless products and is now gaining recognition as a world leader in materials technology for CPV.

The global PV market has created more than 75,000 high-quality, skilled jobs in Europe alone since 2004.

The onset of ‘grid parity’, where PV electricity will be equal to or cheaper than existing carbon-based electricity, is also approaching.

Countries with high levels of solar irradiation and high electricity prices such as Italy and Spain are predicted to reach parity as early as next year. Germany will reach parity in 2015 and most other European countries by 2020.

The investment in R&D has been supported by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, said the work being undertaken by IQE was already having a significant impact globally.

“This green technology has massive growth potential.

“Wales is already making its mark in the rapidly expanding green low-carbon sectors which have potential for extensive future growth and job creation which supports our green jobs strategy.”

Environment Minister Jane Davidson said: “The technology being developed by IQE is a great example of how Wales can be at the forefront of developing renewable technology that will play a significant part in the future and help create economic opportunities and sustainable jobs.”

Solar Reserve chose Tonopah for the radiation

TONOPAH -- The U.S. Bureau of Land Management held a public hearing at the Tonopah Convention Center last Thursday regarding the proposed 100-megawatt solar plant called the Crescent Dunes project.

It would be owned by Tonopah Solar, a subsidiary of SolarReserve.

The proposed plant, the third in Nevada, would be located off Pole Line Road, approximately 11 miles northwest of Tonopah.

Representatives of SolarReserve, the BLM and HDR Engineering were on hand to answer questions about the project in an open house forum.

Tom Seley, Tonopah field manager with the BLM, welcomed the group and explained the meeting was the start of the environmental impact statement (EIS) process and the BLM would accept public comments on the proposed project through today, Dec. 24.

Julie Way, director of development for SolarReserve, gave an overview of the proposed solar plant and said the reason for choosing this location is the solar radiation levels in this area are among the best in the world.

Way also said, "This site is in a largely undeveloped area with good site access as well as access to NV Energy's existing transmission system, minimizing the length and cost of new transmission lines required.

"The demand for renewable energy is growing and the more renewable energy we can produce, the more we can reduce our dependence on non-renewable sources of energy. The 'fuel' needed for wind and solar power is free and not subject to cost fluctuations, making it a more affordable alternative."

The project would be a boost to the local economy by creating about 450 construction jobs at its peak and about 45 permanent operating jobs once completed, and it would also generate significant property tax revenues to benefit the local community.

The project will use SolarReserve's concentrating solar power technology with storage, and have the capability to produce a nominal 100 MW of energy.

If all the permits are received by December 2010, as planned, the plant would be operational in 2013.

The proposed facility will use concentrating solar power, or CSP, technology, and be equipped with an integral storage system. The technology generates power from sunlight by focusing energy from a field of sun-tracking mirrors called heliostats onto a central receiver.

Liquid salt, which flows similar to water when melted, is circulated through the receiver, collecting the energy gathered from the sun. The heated salt is then routed to an insulated storage tank, where it is stored with minimal energy losses.

When electricity is to be generated, the hot salt is routed to heat exchangers to produce steam used to generate electricity in a conventional steam turbine cycle. The salt is then sent to the cold salt storage tank, ready to be reheated by the sun and reused the following day.

This unique technology allows the renewable energy to be stored and extracted on demand.

The stable electricity supply reduces grid reliability impacts from other intermittent renewable energy sources. This also allows the salt to produce electricity even when there is no sunlight, if needed.

SolarReserve's CSP technology does not require the use of natural gas and associated combustion emissions to maintain operating stability as some other solar technologies do.

One of the groups concerned with the project was the Tonopah Astronomical Society. Several of its members attended the meeting to find out if there would be light pollution from the plant that would affect Tonopah's dark skies.

Way explained that during the day, the receiver, which is mounted on top of the tower, will glow as it absorbs solar energy, but there is no solar energy at night so the receiver will not be operating then.

The rest of the lighting at the plant will be designed to be downcast to minimize light pollution and at night will be limited to use only in areas necessary for worker safety.

The tower will be a concrete structure approximately 538 feet high, on which a receiver approximately 100 feet tall is mounted. A maintenance crane will be mounted on top of the receiver for an overall height of 653 feet.

The proposed project involves two right-of-way applications, one for the site which is approximately 7,860 acres, and the transmission corridor which is approximately 3,680 acres.

Once the comment period was closed yesterday, the comments and reports were to be reviewed and the draft EIS will be prepared and released sometime around June 2010.

Once the draft EIS is released, notice will be published allowing the public 45 days to comment.

The plant would interconnect with the north part of NV Energy's system at the Anaconda mine area.

Rather than taking questions from audience members as a whole, the representatives were set up at tables throughout the convention center and answered questions on a one-on-one basis.

Tonopah resident Clair Blackburn said, "I think this will be a great project and a great boost for Tonopah. They put my fears to rest about the possible light pollution."

Nye County Commissioner Joni Eastley said, "This is an exciting project for Tonopah and Nye County, and we hope it's just the first of many similar projects in the area."

Eco Tech: Keahole Solar Power's new farm generates renewable energy even after ...

Eco Factor: Solar power plant capable of generating green electricity even after dark.

Keahole Solar Power has installed an array of micro-scale concentrating solar power concentrators at the Holaniku Solar Farm on Hawaii’s Big Island, which will be able to generate renewable energy even after sunset, overcoming the biggest hurdle in global solar adoption.

The farm consists of a thousand solar collectors covering 3.8 acres that are capable of generating 2MW of thermal energy. All this energy is used to heat 8000 gallons of water which runs through Electratherm organic rankine cycle waste heat generators.

This system can operate on a temperature difference of just 20 degrees, which enables the plant to function efficiently after dark and during overcast days.

Via: GreenPacks/Treehugger