Solar-powered trains are closer to reality than we might think

Electric trains are by far the best long distance transport mode when it comes to carbon emissions – at least when their electricity comes from renewable sources like solar or wind.
But the UK’s ageing power network poses a significant challenges to any bid to decarbonise road and rail that relies on the grid. There are now swathes of the British countryside where it is impossible to plug in any new solar, wind or hydropower without being hit with a whopping bill for the full costs of local network reinforcement.
Faced with this constraint, and squeezed by government subsidy cuts, UK solar developers have started to focus on ways to generate power directly for consumption, rather than exporting it to the grid. With the right customers, solar developers can offer lower tariffs than the grid, while still earning more for their power than they would get from exporting it.

Why solar and trains are perfect match

As an industrial client with high on-site daytime energy use and a structural reason to stay put, Network Rail has all of the features needed to support this kind of approach.
The UK’s electrified rail routes have all of the features needed to support this kind of PPA-based renewable development, and more. Network Rail is the UK’s single largest electricity consumer, with internal decarbonisation targets and a strong incentive to reduce operational energy costs. Alongside Transport for London (London’s largest electricity consumer), these companies spend around £500m every year on traction power for their trains.

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There are already over 5,500km of electrified tracks in the UK, with a major electrification programme building or converting hundreds more over the coming decades.
Early indications suggest it should be possible to connect virtually anywhere on the approximately one-third of this network that uses the direct current (DC) traction power system, unlocking access to thousands of potential new sites that have previously been out of bounds to new renewables.
What’s more, the universe apparently wants this to happen: the standard operating voltage of the third and fourth rail DC routes is 630v-750v, while the standard output voltage of a solar PV array tends to be between 600v and 800v.
This serendipity makes the engineering challenge of connecting the two look very manageable, and the likely cost of the power interface equipment competitive with typical grid connection costs.
Conversion of renewable DC to grid alternating current (AC) results in something like 3% of the electricity being wasted, so supplying DC power direct to trains saves that loss too. Some of these DC routes already suffer from “under-powering”, meaning train operators cannot add more passenger capacity to these routes because the grid cannot supply the extra electricity needed to power the trains. At scale, our innovation could solve this problem as well.

Solar trains in India

While our project has been driven by the UK context, direct connection of solar to railways will be a world first that has far wider potential application. Globally, most city metros around the world run on rail systems at 750V. If connection to AC overhead lines also proves viable through our work, then the market potential goes well beyond city metros.
For instance, analysts have identified inadequate distribution and transmission infrastructure as a key obstacle to realising India’s aggressive target of 100GW of solar PV capacity by 2022. But India already has over 25,000km of electrified tracks, and an electrification target of 2,000km of new tracks every year.
If our innovation means India can power its railways directly with trackside solar then we will have made a huge contribution to the global project to keep fossil fuels in the ground.
In the UK, if our feasibility study proves successful, the next step will be to prove the concept with a handful of real-world pilot projects. For this, we’re working with members of the Community Energy South umbrella group of renewable energy co-operatives to identify promising sites where they could install a megawatt or two of trackside solar.
Our vision here is to bring local people, commuters and rail employees together to crowdfund investment in these pioneering projects, sharing the financial rewards of progress in the low carbon transition as widely as possible.
source:https://www.theguardian.com

New Renewable Energy Targets for Scotland

The Scottish Government recently launched a consultation on a revised energy strategy. The existing policy is to produce the equivalent of 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The new policy is to produce the equivalent of 50% of all energy consumed from renewable sources by 2030 – in 13 years time. Electricity currently represents 22% of energy consumption and we are now at 59% renewables, suggesting that 13% of all energy currently comes from renewable sources. The new plan calls for renewable output to increase approximately 4 fold. It is also planned that our two nuclear power stations will close in this time frame.

Space heating currently consumes 53% of energy and is predominantly provided by natural gas. The new plan calls for hydrogen derived from natural gas combined with CCS to sequester the CO2. Scotland is to become world leader in the hydrogen economy. I suspect we will find ourselves leading a group of 1 country that may quickly go to the wall should these proposals be implemented.
[Image is Whitelee wind farm just south of Glasgow is the UK’s largest onshore wind farm. 215 turbines have a combined capacity of 539 MW.]
The consultation report – Scottish Energy Strategy: The future of energy in Scotland – is drenched in the language of fake Green science. But the report does contain an informative chapter on the current Scottish energy system that is to be the focus of this post. I have used 10 of the 13 diagrams from this chapter of the report but have provided my own narrative on what the data actually shows and the diagrams are not posted in order. This is the first of a number of posts on this subject where I hope to engage with well-informed and interested parties across Scotland.
The new policy is summarised in this statement from Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse:

A new 2030 ‘all energy’ renewables target is proposed in this draft Energy Strategy – setting an ambitious challenge to deliver the equivalent of half of Scotland’s heat, transport and electricity needs from renewable sources and drawing together the ambition for a full transition in each area of energy supply and use.

And it is worth documenting this passage from page 49:

146. Looking ahead to 2050, this Energy Strategy must consider a future after the current generation of nuclear electricity plants in Scotland. The Scottish Government’s policy is that these plants should not be replaced with new nuclear generation, under current technologies.

From which it is clear that Scotland aims to decarbonise its energy sector without using nuclear power, the one technology proven to deliver the stated goals of reliable, affordable and low C electricity. Hunterston B power station is scheduled to close in 2023 and Torness in 2030. The latter will likely be extended. Scotland therefore will find itself in the same absurd situation as Germany where expanding renewables cannot compensate for lost nuclear capacity and CO2 emissions rise.

Current Energy Use and Sources

Diagram 1 Primary energy supply in Scotland is still dominated by FF that account for 91%. But most of this is exported in the form of oil and gas. Note that this graphic is dated 2014 and coal production (7%) most probably went to Longannet power station that has since closed. Where renewables fit into consumption is not made clear but they are probably part of “electricity”. It is difficult to reconcile this graphic with Diagram 6 that shows 53% of energy consumed going to heating, which does not tally with 27% of consumption from gas. I suspect Diagram 6 is correct and that petroleum products and natural gas are transposed in Diagram 1.
Thanks to the oil and gas industry, Scotland already exports 74% of the energy produced (84% of 88%) (Diagram 1). There are a couple of interesting points from this graphic. Notably 12% of 860 TWh not consumed goes to conversion losses (power stations?) energy industry own use and distribution losses (power lines and pipelines?). These losses amount to 103 TWh, a non-trivial amount compared with the 169 TWh consumed.

Diagram 6 How energy is used in Scotland. See caption to Diagram 1. Natural gas is the main fuel used for space heating (Diagram 7) and consumption has declined as energy prices rose (Diagram 9). 
Diagram 6 (above) shows the current configuration of energy demand in Scotland. Heat accounts for 53% of all energy consumed, and 79% of that is provided by natural gas with a further 7% coming from oil (Diagram 7, below).
So if I understand correctly, Scotland is going to aim to replace the existing reliance on FF for space heating with renewable energy by 2030 amounting to half of 53% of 169TWh = 89.6 TWh.

Diagram 7 Mains gas accounts for 79% of space heating in Scotland. Rural communities that have no mains supply use either fuel oil or liquefied gas (propane?). “Other” will include coal and wood.

Diagram 8 shows that 74% of energy consumed in homes goes on space heating.  I’m not sure why renewables are included in this diagram.
In chapter 3, I found this on page 35 in relation to providing heat:

• While more analysis will be required, there is some evidence to suggest that hydrogen can offer significant cost savings for customers compared to alternative low carbon heat sources such as electricity, or district heating. A recent KPMG report also found it more practical and more acceptable to customers.
• Hydrogen gas at scale will most likely require natural gas (methane) as the source feedstock and as such in order to be low carbon, carbon capture and storage facilities will be a necessary system requirement. Scotland is therefore uniquely placed to support an emerging hydrogen economy.

Aiming to replace methane as the main source of heating with hydrogen derived from methane, produced using steam reformation, and combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS), strikes me as totally insane. Amongst other things, I can’t work out why methane + CCS should be considered renewable. I am working on the thermodynamics of this proposal that will be the subject of a forthcoming post. Steam reformation can be summarised as follows:
Steam-methane reforming reaction
CH₄ + H₂O (+ heat) → CO + 3H₂
Water-gas shift reaction
CO + H₂O → CO₂ + H₂ (+ small amount of heat)
Combined
CH4 + 2H2O  → CO2 + 4H2
Needless to say, this process, including the CCS, will use a lot of energy and money. Why not simply fit CCS to a CCGT?
Transport in Scotland accounts for 25% of energy used and is virtually 100% FF with only a small part of the rail network electrified (Diagram 6). The report gives no clear guidance how 50% of transport will be converted to renewable energy. Bio fuels, and their attendant problems, for example the use of crop lands to grow transport fuel, are mentioned along with electric cars.
Electricity accounts for 22% of energy demand (Diagram 6) and 59% of this already comes from renewable sources in a gross sense in 2015 (Diagram 4). In a net sense, Scotland still uses Peterhead CCGT and imported FF electricity from England to balance the grid and to back up when the wind does not blow.
Taking into account electricity from Scotland’s two nuclear power stations, our electricity system is already decarbonised.

Energy Trends

Diagrams 4, 11, 2, 9 and 12 all show trends in renewables production, energy consumption or price. In general terms, as renewables penetration rises so do prices and our energy use goes down. This is energy poverty manufactured in Holyrood (seat of the Scottish Government).

Diagram 4 The growth in renewables.
Diagram 4 illustrates the success of the current policy with Scotland on track to produce 100% equivalent of supply by 2020. What the report does not mention is that this is made possible by paying wind producers to not produce (constraint payments) and by Scotland being able to dump surplus power on England via the expanding array of inter connectors. The current system is also propped up by FF electricity imports from England. I don’t believe the consultation report mentions any of this. Notably “other” includes solar PV, an illustration of how totally useless solar is in dark and dreary Scotland. But this point is lost on the authors of the report who say this on page 41:

• Solar Photovoltaic (Solar PV) capacity in Scotland is estimated to be enough to power the equivalent of approximately 50,000 homes.
• Favourable levels of solar radiation combined with temperate climate is conducive to further solar PV investment – especially in Eastern Scotland and the Central Belt.
• Combining storage with wind and solar assets presents the most valuable solution for the energy system as a whole, allowing demand to be managed locally.

Suggesting that Scotland has favourable solar radiation and that we can store wind and solar power locally is pure Green hogwash fantasy.
Diagram 11 shows how domestic gas and electricity bills have risen since 2005. While wholesale gas prices have risen in this period, politicians ought to look at Diagram 4 (above) and Diagram 11 (below) and ask to what extent the rise in electricity price is linked to government policy deploying expensive and unreliable renewable energy.

Diagram 11 Gas and electricity prices have risen, in part due to rising wholesale price of gas and in part due to the deployment of expensive renewables that incur costs in the devices themselves, in constraint payments and system costs for interconnection, additional load balancing service and backup.

Diagram 2 shows how nuclear generation has been flat, cheap gas and coal have been pushed out expensive renewables have grown in share of Scottish electricity supply.

Diagram 9 shows falling domestic gas consumption.
Falling domestic gas consumption may in part reflect improved energy efficiency by way of more efficient boilers (furnace if you are American) and better insulation. But it also in part reflects mounting energy poverty where households cannot afford to use as much gas as they once did. Once again, rising wholesale energy prices are partly to blame. But a government policy of making consumers use expensive and unreliable electricity will inevitably play a role.

Diagram 12 Electricity prices in Europe.
Diagram 12 shows electricity prices in Europe. Note that the large variations in tax  relate to how different countries treat subsidies. Denmark and Germany treat subsidies as tax while the UK does not. Politicians would do well to note that high renewables countries Denmark, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Ireland have the highest electricity prices while high nuclear countries Finland and France have the lowest electricity prices.
The Scottish government’s aim of providing secure and cheap electricity using renewables is simply a contradiction and denial of reality.

An Integrated View of Energy Demand

Diagram 10 Scottish gas (space heating), transport (oil) and electricity (nuclear and wind that powers appliances) 2013 to 2015.
I say in the introduction that Chapter 2 of the consultation report, Understanding Scotland’s Energy System was informative. While its narrative leaves much to be desired, the diagrams are very good and I’ve saved the best to last. This chart confirms that Diagram 6 is correct, heat ahead of transport ahead of electricity and that Diagram 1 must therefore be in error.
I believe this chart is plotting daily averages (the scale is GWh/day) which for electricity removes the large daily cycle. But we still see that maximum daily demand in winter is about 100 GWh and minimum demand in summer is about 50 GWh. The electricity supply system must be able to follow this demand pattern exactly. I will merely observe at present that peak demand is in winter when solar PV generation is all but zero, the exact opposite of a favourable level.
Transport energy demand shows no seasonal pattern and appears to be quite flat although there may be a weakly discernible upwards trend.
It is the cycle in natural gas demand (heating) that is eye popping. Peak winter demand is 300 GWh / day. Minimum summer demand is 50 GWh / day. At the moment this cycle is met by the oil companies opening and closing the spigots on gas wells in the North Sea.
This factor of 6 variation in natural gas demand will be nigh impossible to follow using renewable energy. And so enter the Scottish Government’s sleight of hand. They propose to continue to use natural gas, converted to hydrogen, in future and to make believe that this is renewable energy. Calculating the cost of this folly is currently high on my list of priorities.
source:

ANDREW TURNER CELEBRATES ISLE OF WIGHT WIND TURBINE SUCCESS

 
The Island’s MP, Andrew Turner, has joined MHI Vestas Offshore Wind in launching an exciting new project which celebrates the Island-based manufacturer’s contribution to the UK economy, advances in offshore wind technology and the rapidly falling cost of electricity from offshore wind.
To commemorate this industry success, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has launched The Parliamentary Blades Project. The project will follow blade components signed by over 30 MPs and Peers, including Andrew Turner, and dignitaries from across the UK during a reception at the Houses of Parliament at the end of 2016, from production to installation and into operation.
The signed components will be split between 2 blades; 1 destined for Walney Extension Offshore Wind Farm in Morecambe Bay. The second will be 1 of the very first offshore wind turbine blades ever manufactured in the UK and then exported to a Continental European offshore wind farm in Germany (Borkum Riffgrund 2 Offshore Wind Farm).
source: http://www.islandecho.co.uk

SPP Sets North American Record for Wind Power

  
Southwest Power Pool set a wind power penetration record of 52.1 percent at 4:30 a.m., Feb. 12, becoming the first regional transmission organization (RTO) in North America to serve more than 50 percent of its load at a given time with wind energy.
The milestone beats a previous North American RTO record of 49.2 percent that SPP set April 24, 2016. Wind penetration is a measure of the amount of total load served by wind at a given time.
As recently as the early 2000s, SPP’s generating fleet included less than 400 MW of wind, and for years, wind was reported in the “Other” category in SPP’s fuel mix data. Wind is now the third most-prevalent fuel source in the SPP region. It made up approximately 15 percent of the organization’s generating capacity in 2016, behind only natural gas and coal.
Installed wind-generation capacity increased in 2016 alone by more than 30 percent — up 4,000 MW from 12 GW to more than 16 GW.
source: https://www.greentechmedia.com

Solar-Powered Sun Shade to Cover Dubai’s Winning Expo 2020 Pavilion

Dubai has won a bid to host the 2020 Expo. This will be the first time the international celebration of innovation and business will be held in the Middle East, and Dubai’s aim is to generate 50 percent of the necessary energy on site. The design incorporates an enormous dual purpose photovoltaic sun shade that will harness energy during the day, and provide a dazzling light display at night.


Under the theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,’ Dubai’s Expo will prioritize sustainability, opportunity and mobility. A plaza will be at the center of the site to invite presentations and discussions as the exhibition evolves. This space will be called ‘Al Wasl,’ the former name for Dubai which translates as ‘The Connection.’
From this core space visitors and participants will be able to access the zones covering Connectivity, Mobility, and all aspects of sustainability in separate pavilions. This idea was inspired by a ‘souk’ – a traditional Arabic marketplace – to create an interactive and bustling atmosphere.
The entire site will be covered by a photovoltaic fabric hanging above the pavilions. The bid’s authors aim to generate half of the Expo’s energy on site, while ensuring shade from the scorching sun throughout the day. And when the sun sets, the fabric will be transformed into an illuminating display of lights and digital projections.
source: https://inhabitat.com

Nordex obtains new unit certificate for its N117/3000 wind turbine

The Nordex Group has received unit certification for its N117/3000 wind turbine. It is for VDE-AR-N 4120, the technical requirements for the connection and operation of customer installations to the high-voltage network (TCC High Voltage), and was granted by FGH Zertifizierungsgesellschaft mbH in Mannheim.

The new the certificate will soon be a pre-requisite for wind turbines connected to the German high-voltage transmission grid.

As of July 2017, certification will be a pre-requisite for connection to the German high-voltage grid (110 kV) and the operation of turbine generators.

The unit certificate confirms that the N117/3000 successfully and without restriction meets the VDE-AR-N-4120 guidelines in the event of surges, supporting voltage in the event of grid faults by providing reactive current in the positive/negative sequence.

By obtaining unit certificate at this early stage means that Nordex customers can now make more dependable plans for projects with the N117/3000 before the end of the TCC High Voltage transition period. In addition to this, Nordex’s own wind-farm controller (EZA controller) is being certified by FGH Zertifizierungsgesellschaft mbH.

The EZA controller controls the active and reactive power supply by individual Nordex wind-turbine generators, and is in line with the current requirements of the operator at the grid connection point.

Nordex will also shortly be receiving the unit certificates for the remaining wind turbines from the Gamma and Delta platforms, as well as the component certificate for the wind farm controller.

source: http://www.windpowerengineering.com

SunPower to supply 64.4 MW of PV panels for seven La Compagnie du Vent solar power plants

 

SunPower Corporation (San Jose, CA, U.S.) on February 16^th, 2017 announced that it will supply 64.4 MW of its E-Series photovoltaic (PV) panels for the construction of seven solar power plants in France by La Compagnie du Vent, a subsidiary of Engie.

A significant portion of the panels supplied under the agreement will be manufactured at SunPower's facilities in France.

To date, SunPower has supplied a total of 45 megawatts of its technology to La Compagnie du Vent for the construction of five solar PV plants currently operating in France.

SunPower's direct current E-Series solar panels, as well as its X-Series solar panels, are “Cradle to Cradle Certified” Silver.

SunPower is the only solar panel manufacturer in the world to achieve this designation, which demonstrates a product’s quality based on rankings in five categories: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship, and social fairness.

Ninety-nine percent of the waste generated at SunPower’s manufacturing facilities in De Vernejoul and Toulouse, France is diverted from landfills, earning the facilities landfill-free verification from NSF Sustainability, a division of the global public health organization NSF International. 

source: http://www.solarserver.com

First Solar to supply PV modules totaling 106.5 MW for utility-scale projects in France

First Solar, Inc. (Tempe, AZ, U.S.) on February 16^th, 2017 announced that French solar photovoltaic (PV) company Photosol has selected its thin film modules to power 14 utility-scale solar PV plants with a total capacity of 106.5 MW.

The projects – developed and owned by Photosol – are part of the third procurement round initiated by France’s Commission de Régulation de l’Energie.

43 MW PV project will be located in Burgundy

The PV plants will be located in central and southwest France, and will range from 4.5 MW to 43 MW in capacity. The largest project will be located in Burgundy, with Jayme da Costa Energie, a French subsidiary of Jayme da Costa Group, a leading Portuguese engineering firm, providing the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) for all the projects.

When completed, the PV plants are expected to supply almost 134,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of solar power to the French electricity grid in their first year of operation; enough electricity to power 23,000 average French households.

These projects bring Photosol’s total portfolio of PV plants, powered by First Solar modules, to almost 155 MW. Upon completion, they will take First Solar’s total installed capacity in Europe up to approximately 4.5 GW. 

source: http://www.solarserver.com

MESIA forecasts a massive 5.7 GW of solar capacity to be delivered across the region

 

The Middle East Solar Association (MESIA) sees a pipeline of more than 5.7 gigawatts (GW) of upcoming solar projects throughout the MENA region.

“At MESIA, we are excited to see solar developments in the region going into fast-forward at attractive tariffs and lowering the carbon footprint of the regional economies,” said Wim Alen, Secretary General of MESIA.

World record tariffs provided solar with an important jump-start

2016 was a record-breaking year for solar in the Middle East. Record low tariffs below USD 0.03 per kWh attracted worldwide press attention and even more in September 2016 when price went below USD 0.0245 per kWh. 

source

The world record tariffs provided solar with an important jump-start of more large scale solar projects in the Middle East in 2016 (e.g. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan) and will drive even more large-scale project announcements and executions in 2017 in other countries (e.g. Oman and Tunisia). 

source: http://www.solarserver.com

Nigeria: USAID Supports Renewable Energy Development

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced a grant commitment of $767,512 to support the development of renewable energy in Nigeria.
The funds, which are aimed at the development of solar micro grids in 25 communities across the country, were received by a local private company, Community Energy Enterprises Limited (CESEL).
According to local media This DAY, the announcement was made on Tuesday by USAID mission director, Michael Harvey.
Solar microgrids
Harvey was speaking in Abuja during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CESEL and Renewvia Energy Corporation; a US-based renewable energy developer.
“CESEL and Renewvia will be signing a MoU together outlining their cooperation on the projects to develop solar microgrids at 25 communities across Nigeria.
“Power Africa and United State Trade Development (USTDA) will witness and announce their support at the MoU signing as this project is an example of Power Africa support for the addition of 60 million new electricity connections for African residential consumers,” he said.
Harvey said Power Africa, a US-government-led initiative, will provide funding support to the CESEL for a feasibility study that “would assess the rollout of 25 solar microgrids in rural and peri-urban communities across Nigeria totaling up to 10MW and connecting over 10,000 households.”
Renewable energy benefits multiple communities
Commenting on the development, CESEL managing director Dr. Patrick Tolani, highlighted that the benefiting communities include those that are completely off-grid and those that have had no access to electricity for more than 10 to 15 years, media reported.
Tolani said the communities include Brass in Bayelsa State, Magboro  in Ogun State, Ilaje and Igbokoda in Ondo State.
Meanwhile, the managing director of Renewvia, Clay Taber, said: “Renewvia and CESEL would sell microgrid customers electricity by KiloWhats through a ‘pay as you go’ structure.
“The competitiveness of the system helps to ensure payment, as the project would provide consistent and reliable power at a less expensive price than current rural power generation by diesel.”
source: https://www.hubs.com

Eskom yet to sign on renewable energy loans

Eskom is yet to sign loan agreements with the New Development Bank and the African Development Bank secured in 2016, both of which depend on a commitment to the expansion of renewable energy.
In both cases, Eskom says negotiations are on track and will be concluded shortly.
Last week, after a standoff of more than six months during which it said it would not sign any new agreements with independent power producers, Eskom said it would sign purchase arrangements with all projects already approved.
Eskom also said it remained committed to the construction of its own 100MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the Northern Cape to which it agreed as part of the condition for a $3.75bn loan from the World Bank in 2010.
A $180m loan from the New Development Bank (NDB) — formerly known as the Brics Bank — was approved in April 2016 specifically for investment in transmission lines and the connection of electricity capacity from renewable energy projects. Eskom said this week it had agreed with the NDB to time lines for the conclusion and signing of the agreement.

The R20bn loan facility extended by the African Development Bank in July 2016 has also not yet been utilised.
Eskom said it was "in a process of fulfilling conditions for utilisation of the loan".
The terms and conditions had not been renegotiated and the bank had not expressed any concern regarding Eskom’s policy on renewable energy, the company said.
Two other loans secured by Eskom — one by the World Bank and another by Germany’s KfW Development Bank — have also hinged on Eskom’s commitment to renewable energy. Conditions attached to the World Bank loan included a $260m allocation to develop a 100MW wind farm and 100MW CSP plant.
While Eskom built the Sere wind farm, it has not gone ahead with the CSP plant. CSP is by far the most expensive of all renewable technologies.
Eskom said this week it would honour all its obligations under the World Bank loan, including the CSP project.
The World Bank confirmed that it had been assured by Eskom and the government of their commitment to renewable energy development.
"The commencement of the CSP component has not yet begun, but it remains part of the project," the bank said.
Jan Martin Witte, director of KfW Development Bank’s Pretoria office, said its $339m loan to Eskom in 2015 was specifically for the "modernisation of its transmission and distribution system to be able to connect renewable sources of energy to the power grid".
"We are happy and confident that the projects we are funding are going ahead…. However, as a lender, we have a strong mandate to fund renewable energy. If there are no future rounds of renewable energy procurement, then the question for us would be whether to continue to do business with Eskom," he said.
source: https://www.businesslive.co.za

Alabama company buys closed biomass power plant in northern Maine

A shuttered, 24-megawatt power plant fueled by wood chips in Penobscot County is expected to come back on line by the end of June, bringing an estimated 300 jobs to the area.
An Alabama-based company called 42 Railroad Ave LLC has signed a deal to purchase the biomass power plant in Stacyville, formerly operated by Sherman Development, for an unspecified amount from Niagara Worldwide LLC after four years of negotiations. The deal makes 42 Railroad Ave the owner of one of the largest privately owned power stations in the United States.

Company CEO Steven Johnson said in a news release he plans to rebuild the turbine, activate new transmission lines and build a rotary kiln to produce more than 100 tons per day of activated carbon, which has applications including water and air purification, oil spill cleanup, medical treatments and trapping mercury emissions from coal-fired power stations and natural gas wellheads.
“Sherman Power Station was constructed to be the diamond jewel of the industry, with an automated feed system and other state-of-the-art technologies, which have been maintained very well by (Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based) Wheelabrator (Technologies) and (Canada-based) Boralex, and when the plant was shuttered a few years ago, it was shut down properly, with all the infrastructure left in place to make the restart very economical,” Johnson said in the release. He did not respond to calls or emails seeking further comment.
According to a November feasibility study conducted by Jonathan Bjork of Alabama-based Viking Green Energy Exploration LLC, the former Sherman Biomass Power Plant plant is in proper condition to be retooled and restarted for a fraction of the cost to build a new power plant of its type.
“In today’s market, the cost to build a biomass-fueled power generation station of this magnitude could easily be over $100 million, but at Sherman, even with installation costs of the new activated-carbon rotary kiln, we’ll still be able to keep the restart budget under $10 million and should be up and running by the end of June 2017,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, the reopening of the Sherman plant is projected to create up to 300 jobs in northern Maine, and the plant has the capacity to take in more than 700 tons per day of wood fiber for fuel.
“The positive economic impact to the communities of Stacyville, Sherman, Patten and northern Maine will be a welcoming factor, along with the clean air and positive environmental impact of a renewable-energy plant,” he said.
Johnson described the Sherman plant as a “solid return on investment,” with projected revenue of $34 million per year, adding that he’s “already begun the repermitting process with the state of Maine, and with the new executive order recently signed by President Trump, we should be able to fast-track the repermitting process, plus with the support of Viking Green Energy Exploration, along with forestry expert and industrial developer Gary R. Lynn of Jamestown, New York, this project may move forward even faster than originally planned.”
Based in Falkville, Alabama, 42 Railroad Ave develops heavy industrial and small-town revitalization projects. The company says it has enriched communities, created jobs and added economic value across urban and rural America. Its current focus is renewable energy.
source:http://www.pressherald.com

Nuon to develop 70MW worth of solar installations at wind projects in the Netherlands

Nuon, the Dutch subsidiary of energy company Vattenfall, announced earlier this month that it is planning to add a 70MW portfolio of solar projects at six windfarms located across the country.
In total, the solar projects will be comprised of over 250,000 solar panels.
Back in 2015, Vattenfall installed a pilot PV project at the Parc Cynog Wind Farm in Wales. After seeing the results of the pilot — which provides approximately a quarter of the energy for the wind turbines — Nuon went ahead with the development of the six new solar sites.
Diederik Apotheker, team leader at Nuon Solar Energy, noted: “When the wind blows hard, there is less sun, and if there is a lot of sun it is usually less windy. Another plus is that we are already well known in the areas where we want to realize the solar parks.”
Nuon aims to develop the six PV projects in Eemshaven, Hemweg, Velsen, Wieringermeer Oudendijk and Haringvliet. The largest solar plant is planned for Wieringermeerpolder, where a wind farm is already under construction.
Margit Deimel, head of development at Nuon Wind, added: “Nuon continues growth in CO2 free energy sources. Along with wind, widespread use of solar energy is indispensable to the energy transition. “By combining wind farms in a cost effective manner with solar, we make optimum use of the opportunities."
source: http://www.pv-tech.org

Two More U.S. Cities Commit To 100% Renewable Energy

This week, Pueblo, Colo., and Moab, Utah, became the 22nd and 23rd cities in the U.S. to commit to a transition to 100% renewable energy, according to the Sierra Club.

On Monday, the Pueblo City Council approved a measure to power the community entirely with renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar, by 2035. On Tuesday, the Moab City Council approved a resolution committing Moab to 100% renewables by 2032.
“No matter who is in the White House, cities and towns across the country will continue leading the transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy,” says Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. “Pueblo and Moab join a growing movement of communities which are charting a course away from dirty fuels toward one with healthier families, more economic security and greater prosperity.”
Anne Stattelman, executive director of housing and supportive service provider Posada in Pueblo, comments, “The high cost of energy is one of the leading reasons for homelessness in Pueblo. High electricity bills make it difficult for families to stay in their homes and almost impossible for families to secure housing. It’s wrong that today the elderly, the disabled, and the poor in our community often have to make choices between paying for food, medication and electricity.
Stattelman adds,“By transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy, we can safeguard our community from the high cost of electricity while creating more jobs and security for people throughout Pueblo.”
Moab City Council Member Kalen Jones says, “For Moab, one of the world’s great outdoor recreation destinations, the implications of climate change could not be more troubling. Rising temperatures, reduced water availability, economic instability, and other impacts threaten our residents and greatly limit activity that fuels our city’s economy. It is an imperative that Moab takes steps to protect our community while expanding the horizons for the local economy.
source: http://solarindustrymag.com

Delaware State University opens renewable energy education center

 

Increasing access to clean energy--that's a major goal of a new renewable energy education center at Delaware State University in Dover.
A secondary goal of the brand new state-of-the-art center, housed inside the university's Luna I. Mishoe Science Center, is to prepare a new generation to be able to work in this field.
"We want to ensure that our students have an opportunity to learn about renewable energy--be it solar, or wind, or geothermal, biomass," said William Pickrum, the center's program manager.
The center was made possible through $720,000 in grants over four years from energy giants, Delmarva Power, Exelon and Pepco Holdings.
"We look out on our system every day and we see solar being installed, small-scale wind being installed in the states around us--all kinds of innovative new technology around renewable energy," said Gary Stockbridge, President of Delmarva Power. "We see a need in the education community to make sure that we're feeding that, so that students are coming out prepared in Delaware to work in those jobs."
U.S. Senator Tom Carper said the center will also help the state work towards its goal its goal of getting 25 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.
"There's a huge amount of carbon dioxide in the air--more than any time in apparently hundreds of thousands of years...we need to find ways to generate electricity for our businsses, for our families in ways that do not do damage to our atmosphere and put us at risk," said Carper.
Carper also pointed to the need given Delaware's status as one of the lowest-lying states in the U.S.--that's worsening through sea level rise.
source: http://www.wdel.com

China Is Playing Politics With Hyundai EV Production

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Building automobiles takes more than just creating an assembly line and bolting a bunch of parts together. It also takes a sophisticated understanding of foreign currency trading and a sharp eye on politics. Hyundai is being taught a lesson about political realities right now as it tries to ramp up EV production in China — the world’s largest EV marketplace, thanks to aggressive policies that favor what China refers to as “new energy vehicles.”

China has some pretty steep tariffs on imported cars, making it vital for any manufacturer looking to do substantial business there to build its cars in-country. But that’s not all that simple. China does not allow foreign companies to just come in and build whatever they like. First, they must partner with a local company.

Hyundai has chosen Beijing Auto Group, which is part of the BAIC Group,  to be its Chinese partner. That’s seems like a pretty smart choice, since BAIC is owned by the Chinese government. Business relationships don’t get much cozier than that. Nevertheless, Hyundai sales in China have been disappointing and it has invested heavily in a new plug-in hybrid version of the Elantra and the Sonata for the local market.

Hyundai has high hopes that both cars will give a strong boost to its Chinese sales. Hyundai’s chief financial officer said recently his company expects sales of the Yeudong EV — known elsewhere as the Elantra — to establish Hyundai as a market leader once again. Sales exceeded 200,000 units a year for several years but have slipped below 25,000 annually recently.

Hyundai had selected LG Chem, another Korean company, to supply the batteries for its new EVs. LG Chem supplies batteries and many interior components for the Chevy Bolt. But suddenly a chill wind blew over Hyundai’s Chinese operations. The government ruled the LG Chem batteries did not meet Chinese standards. It also put the kibosh on using batteries by Samsung SDI. Hints were dropped that if Hyundai switched to a Chinese battery supplier, all would be forgiven.

So Hyundai dutifully struck a deal with Contemporary Amperex, a Chinese battery company that has come from nowhere a few years ago to be China’s fastest growing battery company. Contemporary Amperex has established a European subsidiary with offices in France, Germany, and Sweden. It plans to build a battery production facility in Europe in the near future and reportedly is supplying BMW already.

The Yeudong EV is now scheduled to enter production Beijing Hyundai using battery modules supplied by Contemporary Amperex, according to sources in China. The Sonata EV was also scheduled to begin production this year, but that has been pushed back to 2018. The new batteries supplied by Amperex do not fit the chassis as designed by Hyundai, so modifications must be made.

Why has Hyundai knuckled under? Simple. China now requires that 8% of all new cars from any manufacturer must be “new energy vehicles.” If Hyundai didn’t play ball, none of its cars would be electrified and it would be banned from selling cars in China.

That is not the end of the story. It may not even be the half of it. Last year, Korea elected to deploy the US built Terminal High Altitude Aerial Defense missile defense system. That technology could be used to guard South Korea against missiles launched from China. Shortly after that decision was made, China rules that LG Chem and Samsung SDI batteries no longer met Chinese standards. The government has also slashed the number of visitor visas for South Korea and halted a multibillion-dollar commercial complex South Korea’s Lotte Group is building in the city of Shenyang.

source: https://cleantechnica.com

Yingli Green Energy Troubles Continue, Now Faces Delisting On NYSE

Once one of the world’s leading solar panel manufacturers, Yingli Green Energy is now facing delisting on the New York Stock Exchange because the company’s market capitalization has fallen below the prescribed standards.

The China-based solar PV manufacturer used to be the world’s leading supplier of solar PV modules back in 2013, but has since fallen on hard times, year after year seeing its market share and shipping numbers drop. The company faced delisting threats in November of 2015, when its shares began trading below the $1 threshold for 20 days consecutively. The company’s latest quarterly earnings report, for the third quarter 2016, revealed that the company had suffered an operating loss of $34 million and lackluster revenue and shipments, forcing it to reduce its guidance for full year shipping figures.

The problems keep rolling in, though, as the company was required to report this week that it had received a notification from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Regulation of being below the continued listing standards of the NYSE. Specifically, Yingli Green Energy’s average market capitalization has been below $50 million over a consecutive period 30 trading-day period, and its most recent reported shareholders’ equity was less than $50 million.

Yingli Green Energy now has 90 days to submit a plan to the NYSE “demonstrating how it intends to regain compliance with the NYSE’s continued listing standards within 18 months.” The plan will then be evaluated by the NYSE “to determine whether the Company has made a reasonable demonstration of an ability to come into conformity with the listing standard within 18 months.”

A number of investment firms have advised investors to sell stock in Yingli, and with no current idea yet when the company is intending to publish its Q4’16 and Full Year ’16 earnings, one wonders exactly whether Yingli Green Energy will remain on the NYSE for much longer.

source: https://cleantechnica.com/

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sonnen increases investment in U.S. energy storage market with manufacturing and innovation facility in Atlanta, GA

sonnen, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA, U.S.) on February 15^th, 2017 announced a significant investment in a new North American Innovation Center that combines the company’s U.S. energy storage systems (sonnenBatterie) manufacturing operations and product research and development in a single facility.

The sonnen InnovationHub is expected to begin production of sonnenBatterie products in the second quarter of 2017, and will enable sonnen to rapidly innovate and produce award-winning sonnenBatterie systems for the U.S. market in one central location in Atlanta, GA.

By combining all the U.S. product development and manufacturing capabilities under one roof, the new facility will help sonnen capitalize on its expertise in new product innovation for homeowners, utilities and new business channels and enable the company to quickly ramp up production capacity, ultimately making energy storage more affordable, reads the press release.

“sonnen U.S. has experienced exponential sales growth over the past year, making the sonnen InnovationHub a smart investment to capitalize upon the immense potential of the North American energy storage market,” said Christoph Ostermann, sonnen Group CEO.

“We expect that linking our U.S. manufacturing and R&D teams in one facility will increase the rate of product innovation, and enable us to better adapt to the future needs of the high-growth U.S. residential energy storage market.”

Amidst political uncertainty in the U.S. and abroad, sonnen’s move to a central InnovationHub represents a significant opportunity for the company to contribute to the creation of American manufacturing and electrical and mechanical engineering jobs.

sonnen has already begun renovations to the existing facility, creating a custom-designed state-of-the-art facility. The sonnen InnovationHub will bring new clean tech jobs to the Southeast and a sonnen presence to the East Coast, complementing the company’s office in Los Angeles, CA.

“It's gratifying and exciting for us when an innovative technology company like sonnen expands their footprint in Georgia,” said Costas Simoglou, Director of the Georgia Department of Economic Development's Center of Innovation for Energy Technology.

sonnen currently develops and manufactures the sonnenBatterie smart energy management systems in Germany, Atlanta and California. Through its sonnenCommunity, energy independent homeowners throughout Europe can produce, store and share their own electricity. sonnen's latest developments, the sonnenFlat-Box, which connects non-solar customers to the sonnenCommunity and grid services, and the sonnenFlat tariff, which provides community members with energy at USD 0 for 10 years, are changing the way energy is used.

These products represent the next steps in virtual power plants whereby thousands of sonnenBatteries are aggregated into one large storage pool that provides both clean energy to customers and balancing energy for the power grid in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. 

source: http://www.solarserver.com

China Widens Wind Power Lead Over US

China installed almost three times more wind power than the U.S. last year, continuing its clean-energy investment blitz to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase air quality.
China led new global wind-power installations with 23.3 GW, compared with 8.2 GW in second-place U.S., according to a report published Friday by the Global Wind Energy Council. About 54.6 GW of new turbines were installed globally, raising total capacity to about 487 GW worldwide.
Even as China races ahead of other countries in terms of installed wind capacity, its turbines aren’t producing electricity at the same rate because of inadequate transmission infrastructure. Even with more than double the installed capacity as the U.S., China generated only 241 TWh of wind power compared with 224 TWh, according to data from China’s National Energy Administration and the U.S. Energy Information Administration showing generation over 12-months ending in the fourth quarter.
“Chinese electricity demand growth is slackening, and the grid is unable to handle the volume of new wind capacity additions; although we expect the market to pick up again in 2017,” said Steve Sawyer, GWEC secretary general, in a statement. “Wind power continues to grow in double digits, but we can’t expect the industry to set a new record every single year.”
China saw the amount of idled wind power increase 47 percent in 2016 from a year earlier, according to the data from the NEA. About 17 percent of wind turbines in China weren’t generating electricity last year.
China raised total installed capacity to 169 GW, compared with 82 GW in the U.S. They were followed by Germany, with 50 GW, and India, with 29 GW, as the world’s largest wind markets.
source: Bloomberg News

Australian Renewable Energy Agency Commits $4.1M to Advance Energy Storage

 

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) this week said it has committed $4.1 million in funding for Sydney-based company Ecoult to commercialize its battery technology.
ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said providing support for battery storage technologies, such as Ecoult’s UltraBattery, is at the core of ensuring a smooth transition to a renewable energy future.
“ARENA is working hard to accelerate the energy storage revolution as part of its efforts to bring down costs and increase the reliability and security of renewable energy,” Frischknecht said in a Feb. 14 statement. “Storage is critical for increasing the reliability of our on-grid and off-grid power systems. It can give customers more control over their energy by storing solar through the day to use during the evening peak.
This latest funding, he added, supports a $10.6-million effort by Ecoult to pursue large-scale commercialization.
“It will enhance the battery’s performance and improve its ability to support both grid and off-grid applications,” he said.
In 2013, ARENA provided Ecoult $583,780 for the early development of its technology, including optimizing it for off-grid applications. This led to the creation of the small, kilowatt-scale battery storage device known as the UltraFlex.
According to ARENA, Ecoult has signed a deal with Exide Industries, India’s largest battery manufacturer, which will see the UltraBattery manufactured and distributed in India and South Asia.
source: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com

Siemens, Bentley Systems Agree to Offer Planning and Design Solutions for Utilities

 

Building on the strategic alliance between Siemens and Bentley Systems made public in November 2016, Siemens’ Energy Management Division and Bentley Systems have announced an agreement to jointly develop solutions to accelerate digitalization of planning, design, and operations for power utilities and industrial power customers.
Bentley Systems is a global leader in software solutions for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure. The first of the new offerings will integrate Bentley Systems’ utility design and geographic information systems (GIS) capabilities with Siemens’ Power System Simulation (PSS) Suite, with specific solutions for power transmission, power distribution, and industrial facilities. Combining these two platforms provides customers with Bentley’s expertise in 3D infrastructure asset modeling and GIS with Siemens’ knowledge and experience in energy system planning and simulation.
“The energy industry trend toward decentralization represents a significant challenge as well as a great opportunity for power producers and consumers alike, and our strategic alliance with Bentley Systems will help our customers better leverage this changing landscape through the combination of our powerful solutions,” said Ralf Christian, CEO of Siemens’ Energy Management Division.
“Siemens and Bentley share a commitment to openness, interoperability, and the common goal of helping our customers drive the digital enterprise across their supply chains.”
Bentley Systems Chief Product Officer Bhupinder Singh said, “We are excited to collaborate with Siemens to help our power utilities users advance in ‘going digital.’ Siemens’ expertise in electrical power systems planning and simulation are the perfect complement to our GIS and infrastructure engineering solutions, and we will work together to bring new innovations and tangible business benefits to our users around the world.”
Distributed energy resources (DER), such as microgrids and their off-grid on-grid mode, require more advanced planning approaches to ensure system reliability and stability. Bentley’s OpenUtilities solution for utility power grid design and GIS will be integrated with Siemens’ PSS Suite for power system planning to provide seamless workflows and data integration, while supporting optimal network design for both operational and economic performance. Through a connected data environment, utility engineers will now have the added benefit of sharing critical design information to reduce design time and construction costs to deliver optimal and comprehensive utility network updates.
In addition, the Siemens Bentley initiative will provide intelligent Siemens components for easy placement into Bentley’s Substation application for 3D modeling, while intelligent electrical symbols will provide necessary details for comprehensive reports in a substation’s 2D schematic layout capabilities. Bentley users will have access to a comprehensive Siemens’ components catalog through Bentley’s cloud services.
source: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com

US solar installations nearly doubled in 2016, and broke some records

US solar installations almost doubled in 2016   1 Hour Ago | 00:32

Solar power installations doubled in 2016 over 2015, as more and more areas of the United States began pulling their power from the sun.
For the first time, solar power installations formed the largest group of electricity generating capacity of any energy source, according to a new report from Greentech Media.
Nearly 40 percent of new power generation projects added last year were solar, in terms of electrical production capacity. A record 22 states each added more than 100 megawatts, the report said.
It was also the first time since 2011 that the growth of nonresidential installations surpassed residential solar growth, and that was driven mostly by utility-scale projects.
Part of this resulted from a pipeline of projects builders were trying to complete in case the federal Investment Tax Credit for solar was not extended beyond the end of 2016. Tax credits and policies, like net metering, do play a big role in the solar market, but in an increasing number of cases, it comes down to simple economics.
GTM Research analyst Cory Honeyman said in an interview with CNBC that utilities are also making significant investments in solar power in states that have no renewable energy requirements, such as many states across the Southeast.
This means homes, businesses and utilities in some regions are investing in solar even when they are not being forced to, or even when they do not receive subsidies from state governments. This is largely because solar is becoming cost-competitive with natural gas, and some customers may use solar as a hedge against future fluctuations in natural gas prices, Honeyman said.
While utility-scale customers were a driving force, residential solar still makes up a substantial portion of new growth. Some of the big residential markets, such as California, are seeing residential installation rates level off, but growth is strong in other states, such as Maryland and New Jersey.
There are now 1.3 million solar installations across the United States, with a cumulative capacity of over 40 gigawatts. The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates that 1 megawatt of electricity can power 164 homes, so 40 gigawatts is enough capacity to power 6,560,000 U.S. households.

source:http://www.cnbc.com

Pueblo commits to 100 percent renewable energy

Fort Collins isn't the only environmentally conscious city on the Front Range.
Pueblo's city council on Monday committed the city to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035. Pueblo is now the third city in Colorado and the 22nd in the nation to make the promise.
The city doesn't yet have a route for its destination, partially because it doesn't have ownership of its electricity provider like Fort Collins does. City Council President Steve Nawrocki has asked staff to explore options for creating a city-owned utility, which could mean purchasing its current power provider, the Pueblo Chieftain reported.

Solar power gaining ground in Fort Collins

The council's resolution "was mostly a statement of our support for the vision of renewable energy,” Nawrocki told the Chieftain. “But the fact is, the city won’t have any authority over its sources of power unless it creates its own utility.”
Rising electricity costs in the city were part of the inspiration for the resolution, which was sponsored by the Sierra Club.
“Many of my friends and family are among the more than 7,000 households and businesses in Pueblo that have had their electricity shut off in recent years due to the rising cost of electricity,” said Frank Cordova, a Pueblo Sierra Club volunteer, in a Sierra Club press release. “People have lost their homes or have gone without food or medicine because of the fees required to get it turned back on.  We have the solutions to this problem as the cost of cleaner and renewable energy sources — such as solar and wind.
source: http://www.coloradoan.com

Bill seeks solar panels on all state buildings

SANTA FE – State Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, said he wants to see solar panels on every state-owned building in New Mexico, and has introduced legislation toward that goal.
“The state of New Mexico owns over 750 buildings and currently only has solar power on two of them,” Steinborn said in a prepared release.
Senate Bill 227 would require the state General Services Department to issue a request for proposal to implement energy-efficiency and renewable energy investments for state facilities that “do not require up-front investment.”
That last part is important, as the bill does not include any appropriation and the state has been struggling to resolve persistent budget problems. The legislation “implicitly authorizes the use of public-private partnership arrangements,” according to a legislative analysis.
It would enable the state to enter into power purchase agreements by which a private solar provider invests all of the upfront costs involved in setting up a solar system, and collects a portion of the utility bill for a set period of time.
GSD officials notes there are more than 700 buildings under their jurisdiction, and many more owned by other state agencies.
“Analyzing all buildings that are state-owned is a monumental task and would take several years to complete and even longer to implement the energy projects,” GSD officials said in the analysis.
Steinborn said that the bill would save the state money and stimulate the economy.
“By harnessing our abundant solar resources on state buildings, we would not only save taxpayers potentially millions of dollars of utility costs over time, but also create needed good jobs in New Mexico in the process,” he said.
The bill cleared the Senate Conservation Committee unanimously Monday. It is scheduled next for the Public Affairs Committee.
source:http://www.lcsun-news.com

UPS Announces $18 Million Investment In Onsite Solar Energy, 5x Onsite Solar Growth

The shipping giant UPS will be investing around $18 million in new onsite solar photovoltaic (PV) projects expected to be completed by the end of the year in the US, according to an email sent to CleanTechnica.

The new onsite solar energy projects will increase UPS’s total onsite solar energy production capacity nearly 5-fold once completed, according to the email. Altogether, these projects will reportedly total around 10 megawatts (MW) in nameplate electricity generation capacity.

The company claims that these new projects will offset around 8,200 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

“Solar technology is a proven way to effectively and efficiently provide long-term power to our facilities,” stated Bill Moir, director of Facilities Procurement, UPS. “We have a significant number of facilities that are well positioned to deploy solar at scale and increase our sustainable energy options for our buildings and electric vehicles.”

The email provides further information: “Solar panels have the ability to generate electricity for more than 25 years. UPS will purchase over 26,000 solar panels during the expansion. Once installed, each building will effectively produce 50% of its daily energy use via the sun. As a result, UPS will own and operate the installations providing additional flexibility over the long term. As a company with significant engineering and construction expertise, UPS will also be taking a leadership role in both the design and implementation of these projects.”

As other reports have highlighted, no matter the political climate, corporations will be using a great deal more renewable energy (in particular, solar energy and wind energy) in the years to come since its low cost and superb predictability are a notable benefit for many (most?) corporations. Of course, some companies have led the way into this field more than others. UPS has been buying renewable electricity for longer than most.

“UPS’s investment in solar power began in 2004 in Palm Springs, California, where solar panels were installed and are still generating approximately 110 kilowatts of sustainable energy. Today, UPS also produces solar power at its facilities in Lakewood, Parsippany and Secaucus, NJ.”

source: https://cleantechnica.com