President Aquino has thumbed down proposals to avail of the expensive but long-term benefits of solar energy following the Philippines’ recent conflict with China – which now produces cheaper solar panels – to address the power crisis in Mindanao.
“If we go solar, they (China) are the cheapest producer. They will have another entry into controlling our economy. I think, it is not the wisest decision at this point,” he told Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who is advocating the renewable energy source.
“You already know that we are in disagreement with China on one particular issue which actually hasn’t been resolved as of today. There have been other instances that they have not been very friendly,” Aquino pointed out, citing the West Philippine Sea issue.
He related that there is an ongoing debate between the US and China over the use of solar energy.
“As you know there is an ongoing fight between America and China with regard to subsidies allegedly being given by the Chinese government that make the production of solar panels, and the costs that much cheaper,” Aquino explained further.
He made the pronouncements during the April 13 Energy Summit held at the Waterfront Hotel in Davao City, that was attended by key government officials like Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and Mindanao Development Authority chairperson Lualhati Antonino.
Malacanang hinted earlier that shifting to renewable energy sources is already part of the Aquino government’s long-term plan to address the energy problem in the country, particularly in Mindanao.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that while the government looks at adopting renewable sources of power, it may come at a premium and may have an impact on consumers’ electricity bills.
Some of the government critics have been calling on the government to carry out short-term and immediate solutions to the Mindanao power crisis by resorting to renewable energy.
“That is part of the long-term plan: to include more and more projects that involve renewable energy. Remember the Department of Energy (DOE) is also advocating alternative and renewable sources of energy. So that is already part of the plan,” Valte said over state-run dzRB.
Valte also said the government is already accelerating the rehabilitation of hydropower plants in Mindanao, particularly the Agus and Pulangi plants.
Those plants were designed to work for 30 years but have been operating for about 59 years, way beyond their original life span, Valte said. The rehabilitation of Agus plant will take about 30 months, while the Pulangi plant will take one month, she said.
2012年4月15日星期日
2012年3月29日星期四
Nalgonda village pioneers solar power revolution
At a time when the entire state has plunged into darkness due to unscheduled and prolonged power cuts, Nalgonda is gearing up to become a shining example of a power cut-free district. As a first step to achieve the distinction, Pagidipalli village in Bibinagar mandal in the district has successfully put behind power cut woes by installing solar panels.
Funded by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), the pilot solar scheme was launched in Pagidipalli a year ago. As part of the initiative, 63 solar stand-alone streetlights and 360 8-watt light emitting diode (LED) bulbs have been installed in the village at a cost of Rs15 lakh.
Pagidipalli has 230 households with a population of 1,500, majority of whom are either farmers or those who work in the surrounding factories.
This automatic system can provide light for 12 hours in the night. BEE distributed LED lamps to the households at 50% subsidy. "We don't have much problem in using them. If we face any problem with solar panels, Nedcap which has supported the initiative helps us," Ch Chandrasekhar, a villager, told TOI. He says that there is 70% decrease in their electricity bill after they started relying on solar power and LED lamps.The village panchayat played an active role in convincing the people to use solar bulbs when there was some resistance to the proposal. "Not just villagers but the village panchayat has also benefited from this. We are saving Rs 1 lakh per year ever since we switched over to this programme," V Venkatesh, former sarpanch, told TOI. Buoyed by the success, officials are planning to implement a similar project in Miryalaguda at a cost of Rs 5 crore.
The municipality is willing to allocate Rs 2.5 crore. Officials are mulling offering subsidy for those who are willing to take solar power connections. "We will hold discussions with the stakeholders including the residents of the town before implementing the project," Neelakantham, in-charge joint collector, said.
Funded by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), the pilot solar scheme was launched in Pagidipalli a year ago. As part of the initiative, 63 solar stand-alone streetlights and 360 8-watt light emitting diode (LED) bulbs have been installed in the village at a cost of Rs15 lakh.
Pagidipalli has 230 households with a population of 1,500, majority of whom are either farmers or those who work in the surrounding factories.
This automatic system can provide light for 12 hours in the night. BEE distributed LED lamps to the households at 50% subsidy. "We don't have much problem in using them. If we face any problem with solar panels, Nedcap which has supported the initiative helps us," Ch Chandrasekhar, a villager, told TOI. He says that there is 70% decrease in their electricity bill after they started relying on solar power and LED lamps.The village panchayat played an active role in convincing the people to use solar bulbs when there was some resistance to the proposal. "Not just villagers but the village panchayat has also benefited from this. We are saving Rs 1 lakh per year ever since we switched over to this programme," V Venkatesh, former sarpanch, told TOI. Buoyed by the success, officials are planning to implement a similar project in Miryalaguda at a cost of Rs 5 crore.
The municipality is willing to allocate Rs 2.5 crore. Officials are mulling offering subsidy for those who are willing to take solar power connections. "We will hold discussions with the stakeholders including the residents of the town before implementing the project," Neelakantham, in-charge joint collector, said.
2011年10月23日星期日
Solar energy coming to Swampscott schools
Construction will begin on solar projects at Swampscott Middle School and High School after an agreement was reached with Constellation Energy.
The solar panels, which are part of planned sustainability and cost-savings improvements at the two schools, will provide Swampscott School District long-term, fixed electrical power prices at less than projected market rates. A 383.2 kW DC solar power system is planned at the High School and a 67.62 kW DC solar power system is planned at the Middle School.
Energy products and services provider Constellation Energy , through its retail energy business, will finance, own and maintain the solar power systems, and Swampscott School District will purchase all of the electricity generated by the solar panels under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Johnson Controls, Inc. will provide engineering, procurement, and construction services for the solar installations. As part of a separate energy performance contact for the town of Swampscott, Johnson Controls, Inc. will conduct energy efficiency upgrades at the schools.
“Dr. Celli and I have been working for more than a year to make this extremely important project a reality,” said Swampscott Town Administrator Andrew Maylor. “This is part of our long-term goal to reduce our energy costs and thereby make the community more financially sustainable.” Maylor continued, “we are proud to be a municipal leader in arena of renewable energy.”
"On behalf of the Swampscott Schools, I am excited to partner with the Town on such an important project that will impact the Town of Swampscott well into the future,” said Superintendent Dr. Lynne Celli.
The solar installations will be comprised of 1,960 roof-mounted photovoltaic crystalline panels. They are expected to generate approximately 530,580 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the first year. The high school PV system is expected to provide electricity equivalent to roughly one-third of the school’s electrical consumption.
Generating the same amount of electricity using nonrenewable sources would result in the release of 366 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent emissions from 71 passenger vehicles annually, according to U.S. EPA data.
The solar panels, which are part of planned sustainability and cost-savings improvements at the two schools, will provide Swampscott School District long-term, fixed electrical power prices at less than projected market rates. A 383.2 kW DC solar power system is planned at the High School and a 67.62 kW DC solar power system is planned at the Middle School.
Energy products and services provider Constellation Energy , through its retail energy business, will finance, own and maintain the solar power systems, and Swampscott School District will purchase all of the electricity generated by the solar panels under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Johnson Controls, Inc. will provide engineering, procurement, and construction services for the solar installations. As part of a separate energy performance contact for the town of Swampscott, Johnson Controls, Inc. will conduct energy efficiency upgrades at the schools.
“Dr. Celli and I have been working for more than a year to make this extremely important project a reality,” said Swampscott Town Administrator Andrew Maylor. “This is part of our long-term goal to reduce our energy costs and thereby make the community more financially sustainable.” Maylor continued, “we are proud to be a municipal leader in arena of renewable energy.”
"On behalf of the Swampscott Schools, I am excited to partner with the Town on such an important project that will impact the Town of Swampscott well into the future,” said Superintendent Dr. Lynne Celli.
The solar installations will be comprised of 1,960 roof-mounted photovoltaic crystalline panels. They are expected to generate approximately 530,580 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the first year. The high school PV system is expected to provide electricity equivalent to roughly one-third of the school’s electrical consumption.
Generating the same amount of electricity using nonrenewable sources would result in the release of 366 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent emissions from 71 passenger vehicles annually, according to U.S. EPA data.
2011年10月17日星期一
Solar Energy's Future Remains Bright
Spending less on one's monthly energy bill -- that's appealing. Saving the environment at the same time, says Ryan Park, "that's icing on the cake."
In an August video interview, Park, director of business development for California-based REC Solar and a recent finalist on the reality television show The Bachelorette, told HuffPost that he sees solar as an "important piece of our energy future."
Two months later, many critics would question such optimism. The recent failure of another California solar panel manufacturer, Solyndra, which received half a billion dollars in loan guarantees from the federal government before crashing, has left the viability of solar under intense scrutiny.
In a recent follow-up interview, Park acknowledged the Solyndra bankruptcy has "cast a shadow over the whole industry," but added that the response to a single company's demise was "way overblown." He said Solyndra's failure was "not indicative for the future real winners," suggesting the current state of the solar industry is analogous to technology industry during the dot-com era, when several companies rose rapidly while others experienced dramatic demises.
As Thomas Maslin, a senior analyst for the North American solar power sector with IHS Emerging Energy Research, told HuffPost's Tom Zeller last month that such competition is just a sign of the solar industry "becoming more mature."
While Solyndra's concept of a lightweight, quickly installable panel was initially attractive, Park thinks it "never had a chance," especially as the price of more conventional silicon panels plummeted. In the end, the more efficient technology won.
"It's unfortunate that our government placed financial bets on the wrong technologies, but the good news is the industry as a whole is advancing rapidly down the cost curve," said Park, noting that during his 10 years in the business he's seen the solar cell prices fall from around nine dollars a watt to below three dollars a watt.
"Imagine where we'll be in 10 more" years, he added. "It's exciting."
It should come as no surprise that Park's house is fitted with solar panels and a tankless water heater. (People who watched the latest season of The Bachelorette may remember Park's long-winded pitch of the latter technology while on a date with Ashley.) He also drives a Prius, which he said he plans to replace soon with an all-electric car.
As Park told HuffPost, studies have shown that over 30 percent of electric vehicle owners also have solar electric systems. If the two are paired -- with the car, in effect, charged by the sun -- then the cost of driving a mile is 80 percent less than traveling by gas-powered car.
"It makes financial sense and environmental sense," he said.
In an August video interview, Park, director of business development for California-based REC Solar and a recent finalist on the reality television show The Bachelorette, told HuffPost that he sees solar as an "important piece of our energy future."
Two months later, many critics would question such optimism. The recent failure of another California solar panel manufacturer, Solyndra, which received half a billion dollars in loan guarantees from the federal government before crashing, has left the viability of solar under intense scrutiny.
In a recent follow-up interview, Park acknowledged the Solyndra bankruptcy has "cast a shadow over the whole industry," but added that the response to a single company's demise was "way overblown." He said Solyndra's failure was "not indicative for the future real winners," suggesting the current state of the solar industry is analogous to technology industry during the dot-com era, when several companies rose rapidly while others experienced dramatic demises.
As Thomas Maslin, a senior analyst for the North American solar power sector with IHS Emerging Energy Research, told HuffPost's Tom Zeller last month that such competition is just a sign of the solar industry "becoming more mature."
While Solyndra's concept of a lightweight, quickly installable panel was initially attractive, Park thinks it "never had a chance," especially as the price of more conventional silicon panels plummeted. In the end, the more efficient technology won.
"It's unfortunate that our government placed financial bets on the wrong technologies, but the good news is the industry as a whole is advancing rapidly down the cost curve," said Park, noting that during his 10 years in the business he's seen the solar cell prices fall from around nine dollars a watt to below three dollars a watt.
"Imagine where we'll be in 10 more" years, he added. "It's exciting."
It should come as no surprise that Park's house is fitted with solar panels and a tankless water heater. (People who watched the latest season of The Bachelorette may remember Park's long-winded pitch of the latter technology while on a date with Ashley.) He also drives a Prius, which he said he plans to replace soon with an all-electric car.
As Park told HuffPost, studies have shown that over 30 percent of electric vehicle owners also have solar electric systems. If the two are paired -- with the car, in effect, charged by the sun -- then the cost of driving a mile is 80 percent less than traveling by gas-powered car.
"It makes financial sense and environmental sense," he said.
2011年10月12日星期三
Rooftop solar panels overloading electricity grid
Power distribution lines and home wiring were designed for electricity to flow from power stations to appliances, but households with solar panels do the reverse of this.
One of Australia's biggest electricity network providers, Ausgrid, yesterday warned that there was a "significant likelihood" that costs would have to rise because of the impact of the solar photovoltaic cells.
In a letter to the NSW pricing regulator, obtained by The Australian, Ausgrid warns that in areas with a high concentration of solar cells, voltage levels can rise and this can have "consequences for appliances and equipment in customers' homes". It can also cause solar systems to switch off.
In Queensland, some new applications for rooftop solar systems have been rejected and Energex now urges customers to check that a solar PV system can be installed without threatening the operation of the network.
In Western Australia, Horizon Power has set limits on how much renewable energy can be installed in a system without affecting the power supply. Horizon is rejecting applications for new renewables installations in Exmouth and Carnarvon, and accepting them only from households, schools and not-for-profit organisations in Broome and Leonora.
Energex spokesman Mike Swanston said it was becoming difficult for electricity distribution authorities to set up the power system to ensure correct voltages when some houses in a street had solar and others did not.
"It is similar to the water network - the pipes get smaller and the pressure is designed to be lower as you get closer to the house," Mr Swanston said. "Start pumping water backwards into the smaller household pipes, and all sorts of strange things happen."
Energy Networks Association acting chief executive John Deveraux said the problem would only get worse as more rooftop solar panels were installed and the systems got bigger.
In southeast Queensland alone, more than 22,300 rooftop solar systems were installed in the first three months of this financial year - more than the 19,000 installed in the 2009-10 financial year, according to Energex.
Federal Labor's target of producing 20 per cent of electricity from renewable sources such as solar power by 2020 has pushed up demand for the rooftop PV systems. So, too, have state-based schemes that pay generous feed-in tariffs to households for injecting power back into the grid.
Meanwhile, a flood of cheap solar panels being made in Asia and imported into Australia has offset moves by the government and some states to wind back their subsidies.
Power quality problems are worse in rural areas as the network is sometimes weaker and there is generally more space, meaning that bigger solar PV systems with capacities of 5 kilowatts or more are being installed, compared with the 1kW-3kW systems more common in urban areas.
Essential Energy, which operates powerlines in country NSW and parts of southern Queensland, wants NSW to follow Queensland's lead on introducing a cap on solar PV systems of 5kW to avoid power quality problems.
Endeavour Energy, which runs the network in Sydney's greater west, warns that some solar panel installers have not done voltage checks and other measurements to ensure the solar PV system operates adequately.
"The biggest problem we've got with the accelerated rollout is making sure every installation is fully compliant," Endeavour's general manager of network development, Ty Christopher, said.
Adelaide solar panel installer Chris Hart said the problems were worse in the summer months, when airconditioner use added to the stress on the system.
Mr Hart, who owns EcoSouth Solar Electricity, said areas with a lot of solar panels pushed the voltage up to the maximum allowable level, triggering shutdowns in the individual systems and taking the load off the grid.
He said solar systems "drop out for a few minutes" when voltages get too high, a phenomenon known as "tripping out".
"Then they try to come online again and it pushes the voltage up again and it's very wearing," he said. "That's the problem with having too much solar in an area where the local authority hasn't got enough wires or copper in the street to hold the voltage down."
Mr Hart said the size of conductors and cables in the streets would have to be upgraded "so it can handle lots of solar, versus times when there's lots of load and no solar".
One of Australia's biggest electricity network providers, Ausgrid, yesterday warned that there was a "significant likelihood" that costs would have to rise because of the impact of the solar photovoltaic cells.
In a letter to the NSW pricing regulator, obtained by The Australian, Ausgrid warns that in areas with a high concentration of solar cells, voltage levels can rise and this can have "consequences for appliances and equipment in customers' homes". It can also cause solar systems to switch off.
In Queensland, some new applications for rooftop solar systems have been rejected and Energex now urges customers to check that a solar PV system can be installed without threatening the operation of the network.
In Western Australia, Horizon Power has set limits on how much renewable energy can be installed in a system without affecting the power supply. Horizon is rejecting applications for new renewables installations in Exmouth and Carnarvon, and accepting them only from households, schools and not-for-profit organisations in Broome and Leonora.
Energex spokesman Mike Swanston said it was becoming difficult for electricity distribution authorities to set up the power system to ensure correct voltages when some houses in a street had solar and others did not.
"It is similar to the water network - the pipes get smaller and the pressure is designed to be lower as you get closer to the house," Mr Swanston said. "Start pumping water backwards into the smaller household pipes, and all sorts of strange things happen."
Energy Networks Association acting chief executive John Deveraux said the problem would only get worse as more rooftop solar panels were installed and the systems got bigger.
In southeast Queensland alone, more than 22,300 rooftop solar systems were installed in the first three months of this financial year - more than the 19,000 installed in the 2009-10 financial year, according to Energex.
Federal Labor's target of producing 20 per cent of electricity from renewable sources such as solar power by 2020 has pushed up demand for the rooftop PV systems. So, too, have state-based schemes that pay generous feed-in tariffs to households for injecting power back into the grid.
Meanwhile, a flood of cheap solar panels being made in Asia and imported into Australia has offset moves by the government and some states to wind back their subsidies.
Power quality problems are worse in rural areas as the network is sometimes weaker and there is generally more space, meaning that bigger solar PV systems with capacities of 5 kilowatts or more are being installed, compared with the 1kW-3kW systems more common in urban areas.
Essential Energy, which operates powerlines in country NSW and parts of southern Queensland, wants NSW to follow Queensland's lead on introducing a cap on solar PV systems of 5kW to avoid power quality problems.
Endeavour Energy, which runs the network in Sydney's greater west, warns that some solar panel installers have not done voltage checks and other measurements to ensure the solar PV system operates adequately.
"The biggest problem we've got with the accelerated rollout is making sure every installation is fully compliant," Endeavour's general manager of network development, Ty Christopher, said.
Adelaide solar panel installer Chris Hart said the problems were worse in the summer months, when airconditioner use added to the stress on the system.
Mr Hart, who owns EcoSouth Solar Electricity, said areas with a lot of solar panels pushed the voltage up to the maximum allowable level, triggering shutdowns in the individual systems and taking the load off the grid.
He said solar systems "drop out for a few minutes" when voltages get too high, a phenomenon known as "tripping out".
"Then they try to come online again and it pushes the voltage up again and it's very wearing," he said. "That's the problem with having too much solar in an area where the local authority hasn't got enough wires or copper in the street to hold the voltage down."
Mr Hart said the size of conductors and cables in the streets would have to be upgraded "so it can handle lots of solar, versus times when there's lots of load and no solar".
2011年4月13日星期三
Call Climate embraces electricity savings of solar panels
Few people have ever watched their electricity meter run backwards. Scott Call of Kaysville is one of those few. The cause of this phenomenon can be seen if you look up to his roof: 16 solar panels.
Call, the manager of Call Climate in Centerville, installed the solar panels one month ago. To date, these solar panels have produced 181 KWh of energy, and this in winter weather with very few full-sun days. According to Call, on April 6, a partly sunny day last week, his solar panels produced 18.5 KWh. The average daily usage in his home is 21 KWh.
The solar power system that Call has installed in his home is the product of a partnership between two companies: Westinghouse (the manufacturer of the solar panels) and Lennox (the manufacturer of the air conditioner). Call explained that the panels feed power directly to his air conditioner, which is the largest energy-consuming household appliance. If more power is supplied than the air conditioner needs, the energy then feeds into the rest of his home’s energy demands. And if more power is supplied than his home needs, the energy then feeds back into the city’s power grid, and his home’s electricity meter runs backwards.
“Everyone needs to do their part in being energy-conscious,” said Call, “I think panels are the way of the future. As more people use them, it will help this world stay a little greener and last a little longer.”
In addition, Call said that he likes to experiment with the Lennox products he sells at his business. He likes to be able to “tell customers how and why their purchases will affect their homes. These solar panels are an investment in their homes and in their futures.” Call also believes that offering the solar panel/energy-efficient products sets him apart from others in the industry, a smart move given that “the cost of energy is going only one direction…up.”
As Lennox introduced their solar panel-powered air conditioners, Call responded by taking two courses at Salt Lake Community College in solar photo voltaics. These courses, along with a few solar panel system installations, qualify Call to take the national NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) examination and become a certified solar panel installer.
The cost of a solar power system can range anywhere from $4,150 for two panels to be installed, to about $24,000 for a system that would supply all the electricity needs of a home. Call said that his company can design a system for each home based upon the energy bills over the past year and the average usage per day. To make a solar panel system even more affordable, there are state and federal tax credits. For example, the $4,150 cost of two solar panels would qualify for $1,400 in combined tax credits from the state and federal governments.
Each utility company has its own net metering agreement with solar panel owners. In Kaysville, the city’s power company installs a bi-directional meter that allows for excess power to be supplied back into the city’s power grid.
Call praises Lennox for “helping people save energy and money on the biggest energy consumer in their homes—their air conditioners. They are doing a wonderful job in their engineering to make them (the solar power systems) safe and easy to install.” And the only maintenance required is a cleaning once every couple of months to keep them working at their most efficient peaks.
With the purchase of a solar panel system comes the ability to view online at any given time, each panel’s individual energy production as well as a monthly and cumulative energy production analysis. On a cloudy day, Call said that his panels provide 30 percent to 40 percent of his household’s energy usage. And on a sunny day, they provide 75 percent or more.
Call, the manager of Call Climate in Centerville, installed the solar panels one month ago. To date, these solar panels have produced 181 KWh of energy, and this in winter weather with very few full-sun days. According to Call, on April 6, a partly sunny day last week, his solar panels produced 18.5 KWh. The average daily usage in his home is 21 KWh.
The solar power system that Call has installed in his home is the product of a partnership between two companies: Westinghouse (the manufacturer of the solar panels) and Lennox (the manufacturer of the air conditioner). Call explained that the panels feed power directly to his air conditioner, which is the largest energy-consuming household appliance. If more power is supplied than the air conditioner needs, the energy then feeds into the rest of his home’s energy demands. And if more power is supplied than his home needs, the energy then feeds back into the city’s power grid, and his home’s electricity meter runs backwards.
“Everyone needs to do their part in being energy-conscious,” said Call, “I think panels are the way of the future. As more people use them, it will help this world stay a little greener and last a little longer.”
In addition, Call said that he likes to experiment with the Lennox products he sells at his business. He likes to be able to “tell customers how and why their purchases will affect their homes. These solar panels are an investment in their homes and in their futures.” Call also believes that offering the solar panel/energy-efficient products sets him apart from others in the industry, a smart move given that “the cost of energy is going only one direction…up.”
As Lennox introduced their solar panel-powered air conditioners, Call responded by taking two courses at Salt Lake Community College in solar photo voltaics. These courses, along with a few solar panel system installations, qualify Call to take the national NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) examination and become a certified solar panel installer.
The cost of a solar power system can range anywhere from $4,150 for two panels to be installed, to about $24,000 for a system that would supply all the electricity needs of a home. Call said that his company can design a system for each home based upon the energy bills over the past year and the average usage per day. To make a solar panel system even more affordable, there are state and federal tax credits. For example, the $4,150 cost of two solar panels would qualify for $1,400 in combined tax credits from the state and federal governments.
Each utility company has its own net metering agreement with solar panel owners. In Kaysville, the city’s power company installs a bi-directional meter that allows for excess power to be supplied back into the city’s power grid.
Call praises Lennox for “helping people save energy and money on the biggest energy consumer in their homes—their air conditioners. They are doing a wonderful job in their engineering to make them (the solar power systems) safe and easy to install.” And the only maintenance required is a cleaning once every couple of months to keep them working at their most efficient peaks.
With the purchase of a solar panel system comes the ability to view online at any given time, each panel’s individual energy production as well as a monthly and cumulative energy production analysis. On a cloudy day, Call said that his panels provide 30 percent to 40 percent of his household’s energy usage. And on a sunny day, they provide 75 percent or more.
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