Solarion

Solar energy, will be playing a big role in our lives, as it has been playing for eons. Sustainable society is a need if we are to survive as a planet. There are many a facets to solar energy, solar electricity, solar heat and so on. Education is key factor in bringing Solar power to the doorsteps of every house and all people. This site will try to empower you, by bringing new about solar energy, the solar power blog, empoweringsolar. Be powerful! be off the grid. Let Sun Shine On You.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

DOE Looks To Invest Up To $130 Million In Advanced Fuel Cell Technology And Adds Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle To The Fleet.

On May 27, 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) that offer up to $130 million over three years, subject to Congressional appropriations, to advance the development and use of fuel cells for automotive, stationary, and portable power applications. DOE's announcement is part of the President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, which accelerates the pace of research and development (R&D) of hydrogen-powered fuel cells.

In addition to seeking proposals for R&D projects in the areas above, DOE is also seeking proposals to demonstrate fuel cells in distributed energy systems and to support market transformation that provides real world operation data.

"Through the President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, we have made great progress in reducing the cost and improving the durability of fuel cells. Today's investment will move us closer toward our goal of clean, reliable, durable, and cost-competitive fuel cell technology," Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy John Mizroch said. "Hydrogen fuel cell research and development is a critical component of our comprehensive strategy to commercialize and deploy advanced clean, renewable technologies that will allow us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and become less reliant on carbon-based fossil fuels."

DOE anticipates making up to 50 awards through this competitive funding opportunity, which is open to industry, universities, and national laboratories. With a minimum private sector cost share of 20% for R&D projects and 50% for the demonstration projects, the total DOE and private sector investment under this funding opportunity may exceed $170 million.

Applications for the fuel cell funding opportunity are due on or before August 27, 2008, with funding subject to appropriations from Congress. For more information about this FOA, see the DOE Hydrogen Web site.

Meanwhile, DOE also expanded its fleet of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles with the addition of a Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric vehicle. The new vehicle produces zero emissions and is powered by hydrogen; it will be used to transport DOE employees to official events and meetings in the Washington, D.C., area.

Harnessing Ocean Energy Through Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), And Tidal And Wave Power.

Oceans have been source of awe for eons and they still continue to be so. Oceans are large stores of energy and are in the focus of various people and organizations to be harnessed. So when I saw this article on Globe-Net explaining the efforts about harnessing this vast resource of ocean energy, I had to write something about this wonderful resource available to most of the countries in the world. According to the United Nations, 44% of the world’s population lives within 150 km of an ocean coast and Canada and Australia the number is much higher at 80%, while in the United States 53% of the population lives in close proximity to an ocean.

There are two main forms of energy easily accessible from oceans are tidal power and wave power - born of the same source, but different in how they turn energy into electricity. The other is the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), which uses the heat energy stored in the Earth's oceans to generate electricity.

OTEC works best when the temperature difference between the warmer, top layer of the ocean and the colder, deep ocean water is about 20°C (36°F). These conditions exist in tropical coastal areas, roughly between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer.

If you look at the figure above, those are the areas with least tidal and wave energy. It also happens to be that most of the countries in these areas (where OTEC could be put to use to harness energy.) So while developed countries like Canada and Australia has much to earn from Tidal and wave energy harvesting, we must not neglect the OTEC or thermal energy harvesting from oceans. As developing countries are unable to spend on research to harness this energy resource, we need to assist them by conducting research for those countries. We need to see beyond borders and treat this as our world rather than segmented pieces of countries in any solution that affects this world but more so in this global warming problem solutions.

OTEC technology is not new. In 1881, Jacques Arsene d'Arsonval, a French physicist, proposed tapping the thermal energy of the ocean. But it was d'Arsonval's student, Georges Claude, who in 1930 actually built the first OTEC plant in Cuba. The system produced 22 kilowatts of electricity with a low-pressure turbine. In 1935, Claude constructed another plant aboard a 10,000-ton cargo vessel moored off the coast of Brazil. Weather and waves destroyed both plants before they became net power generators. (Net power is the amount of power generated after subtracting power needed to run the system.)

In 1956, French scientists designed another 3-megawatt OTEC plant for Abidjan, Ivory Coast, West Africa. The plant was never completed, however, because it was too expensive.

The United States became involved in OTEC research in 1974 with the establishment of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority. The Laboratory has become one of the world's leading test facilities for OTEC technology.

Technologies

The types of OTEC systems include the following:

Closed-Cycle

These systems use fluid with a low-boiling point, such as ammonia, to rotate a turbine to generate electricity. Warm surface seawater is pumped through a heat exchanger where the low-boiling-point fluid is vaporized. The expanding vapor turns the turbo-generator. Cold deep-seawater—pumped through a second heat exchanger—condenses the vapor back into a liquid, which is then recycled through the system.

In 1979, the Natural Energy Laboratory and several private-sector partners developed the mini OTEC experiment, which achieved the first successful at-sea production of net electrical power from closed-cycle OTEC. The mini OTEC vessel was moored 1.5 miles (2.4 km) off the Hawaiian coast and produced enough net electricity to illuminate the ship's light bulbs and run its computers and televisions.

In 1999, the Natural Energy Laboratory tested a 250-kW pilot OTEC closed-cycle plant, the largest such plant ever put into operation.
Open-Cycle

These systems use the tropical oceans' warm surface water to make electricity. When warm seawater is placed in a low-pressure container, it boils. The expanding steam drives a low-pressure turbine attached to an electrical generator. The steam, which has left its salt behind in the low-pressure container, is almost pure fresh water. It is condensed back into a liquid by exposure to cold temperatures from deep-ocean water.

In 1984, the Solar Energy Research Institute (now the National Renewable Energy Laboratory) developed a vertical-spout evaporator to convert warm seawater into low-pressure steam for open-cycle plants. Energy conversion efficiencies as high as 97% were achieved. In May 1993, an open-cycle OTEC plant at Keahole Point, Hawaii, produced 50,000 watts of electricity during a net power-producing experiment.
Hybrid

These systems combine the features of both the closed-cycle and open-cycle systems. In a hybrid system, warm seawater enters a vacuum chamber where it is flash-evaporated into steam, similar to the open-cycle evaporation process. The steam vaporizes a low-boiling-point fluid (in a closed-cycle loop) that drives a turbine to produce electricity.

You can read more about Tidal and Wave energy harvesting here.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Water / Methanol Fuel Cell Based Dimetra IP TETRA Sase Station Demonstrated At TETRA WORLD CONGRESS

HONG KONG – TETRA WORLD CONGRESS – 27 May, 2008 - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that it is showing a Dimetra IP TETRA base station with a fuel cell at the TETRA World Congress in Hong Kong. The fuel cell incorporates a reformer so that the base station can run using a water/methanol mix. This would overcome any supply issues associated with hydrogen and makes the fuel cell a viable solution in many more locations and in developing areas of the world. This solution was also shown at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain in February 2008, through a fuel cell powered cellular phone.

In mission-critical or emergency operations, TETRA base stations must run continuously to provide secure communications even in times of power outages. Batteries or conventional generator solutions have to be provided as a backup for mains power at critical locations or if the mains power has regular outages. Generators have a number of disadvantages, including carbon emissions and noise. Fuel cell technology is advancing and now offers significant advantages that match the needs for TETRA base stations in challenging locations.

Motorola has investigated hydrogen powered fuel cell technology for TETRA, and in areas where hydrogen is readily available, it offers a viable alternative to diesel powered generators. Motorola is already actively planning the roll-out of hydrogen powered fuel cells in critical locations in a nationwide network in Northern Europe. Hydrogen fuel cells are now well proven in critical power back-up situations and can run for extended periods limited only by the capacity of the hydrogen, and the only emission is water.

Fuel cell technology is shrinking and Motorola is actively working with partners to investigate the feasibility of fuel cells in all types of mobile communications including mission critical radios. In many mission critical operations, there is a need for long periods of use without the ability to recharge the unit. Fuel cells offer the promise of extended periods of use without the need to return to base to recharge. Fuel cells can also be used to charge TETRA radios in remote locations, for example where TETRA is being used in an emergency and no power is available. Small fuel cells using liquid fuels are being evaluated as a means of charging several radios at one time in a compact desk-top unit. Further announcements will be made during 2008 on the application of this technology in mission critical applications.

As TETRA service extends to more and more areas, the need for cost effective, reliable, and environmental-friendly back-up power becomes more significant. Motorola has already recognised this trend in cellular communications and has a wind and solar power solution available. This builds on the successful trial in Namibia of a wind and solar powered GSM base station. The wind and solar power solution can be used with remote TETRA sites, recognising that there is a need to design the complete power system for continuous service during periods of unusual weather conditions. Fuel cell technology would complement wind and solar power to provide very high levels of availability in all seasons and extremes of climate.

“Motorola understands that public safety professionals require communications solutions that are easy-to-use, perform in ultra-rugged environments where power may be an issue, are ergonomically designed for public safety, and deliver real-time information seamlessly across multiple agencies,” said Phey Teck Moh, vice president, Motorola Government & Public Safety, Asia Pacific. “Motorola’s MOTOA4™ solutions are built around public safety requirements and a fundamental need for technology that is ‘second nature,’ enabling responders to focus on the mission and not the technology.”

For more information, visit the Motorola booth at TETRA World Congress (Booth W) where it will showcase Technology That’s Second Nature™ through its MOTOA4™ portfolio of mission critical solutions.

“PCM express”, Phase Change Materials Simulation Software For Buildings May Save Energy Usage.

PCM express is a planning and simulation program for buildings using phase change materials (PCM). It aims to support architects and planners in planning by facilitating reliable decision-making in dimensioning the system and by speeding up the market launch of PCMs.

In this respect, PCM express provides users with a simple method of defining a PCM system. This includes the use of PCMs in wall structures and changes in the associated mains services. In particular, the low-energy approach is to be supported in the form of activated building components (panel heating, cooling areas) and energy-saving cooling techniques. Depending on the situation, the use of PCMs may be justified by the increased level of comfort provided (private houses with wellness requirements) or by economic considerations (office buildings). Both strategies are supported by the program, through the use of menus, predefined usage profiles and adapted presentation of the results.

Ludwigshafen, Germany – May 28, 2008 – Together with Dr. Valentin EnergieSoftware, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), maxit and DAW (Caparol), BASF is making the new simulation software “PCM express” available to architects, planners and house builders. The software makes it possible to calculate the advantages of using phase change materials (PCMs) in buildings. Users can now not only calculate simply and clearly how much more comfort can be gained by using phase change materials, but also the potential energy and cost savings compared with a non-PCM system. The software can currently be requested free of charge via the Internet. The project was supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi).

According to Marco Schmidt of Technical Marketing in the Polymer Dispersions for Construction unit at BASF, there is another advantage for users: “Because the software is an express version, the program can be easily operated by virtually anyone familiar with the structural conditions of a specific building. The simulation software doesn’t only help house builders make decisions, it is also an analytical tool for architects and engineers”, he adds.

The settings make it possible to make calculations for individual rooms or up to ten units of three rooms each. Variables such as construction method, windows, size or local climate are fed into the subsequent dynamic simulation. This means investors, architects and planners can for the first time draw concrete conclusions about the effectiveness and economic feasibility of a PCM solution, which is not possible with a rough estimate.

Projecting the future is always based on assumptions derived from current conditions. All the parameters, such as the rate of price increases, borrowing costs, period under consideration or the useful life of a facility can therefore be freely selected. On the basis of the specified investments, PCM express then dynamically calculates the expected payback period, the rate of return and the capital value of both variants on a comparative basis.

A broad-based portfolio of PCM construction materials is already available today and their impact is now quantifiable for a specific application. “This is another key step towards achieving energy efficient solutions for keeping buildings cool in summer“, says Schmidt. PCM express can be ordered free of charge at www.valentin.de/index_en_page=pcm_express. Information on BASF’s PCMs can be found at www.micronal.de.

How phase change materials work

With Micronal® PCM, BASF has developed a microencapsulated phase change material. Its principle? Microscopically small polymer capsules containing a pure wax storage medium at their core can be inserted into different construction materials such as gypsum wall boards and plasters, aerated cement blocks, chilled ceiling elements, floor screeds, wood-based materials or finishing systems and compounds. If the room temperature reaches the predefined melting temperature (for example, 23 degrees Celsius), the wax inside the microcapsules melts and via this phase change absorbs the excess heat. This stops the room temperature from rising, something no other passive technology can do. If the temperature falls, the wax becomes solid and the capsules release their heat again. The alternating sequence of melting and solidifying is ensured either by nature, for example through temperature differences between night and day, or through the use of activated systems, such as water cooling. In this way, phase change materials help to absorb daytime temperature peaks, thus ensuring more pleasant room temperatures.

As a major supplier to the construction and coatings industry, BASF, through its Acrylics & Dispersions division, develops, produces and markets polymer dispersions, powders and solutions based on acrylates, styrene and butadiene worldwide. They are used, for example, to manufacture plasters, finishing systems and compounds, roof coatings and ceramic tile adhesives. They act as binding agents in paints and coatings. Further information is available online at www.basf.de/dispersions.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Duke Energy Will Purchase The Entire Electricity Output Of The Nation's Largest Photovoltaic Solar Farm

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Duke Energy Carolinas today announced it will purchase the entire electricity output of the nation's largest photovoltaic solar farm to be built in Davidson County, N.C., north of Charlotte.

Under agreements signed with SunEdison, customers of Duke Energy Carolinas are expected to receive more than 16 megawatts of power from the solar farm beginning no later than Dec. 31, 2010. The agreements run for 20 years.

“We said we wanted to lead the way in the development of more renewable energy and we meant it,” said Keith Trent, group executive and chief strategy, policy and regulatory officer. “Today’s agreements, coupled with the other significant initiatives across our company, clearly demonstrate that renewable energy has an important place in our power generation portfolio.”

The SunEdison agreements are a result of a request for proposals, or RFP, that Duke Energy issued in April 2007. It was the first RFP of its kind in North Carolina and was specifically designed for potential renewable providers.

In addition to purchasing renewable energy from other providers, Duke Energy is advancing plans for its own distributed solar generation program. Distributed generation is energy created close to where it is used, rather than being produced in large power plants and sent to customers over the power grid. The company plans a filing with the North Carolina Utilities Commission in the near future that will seek approval for the program, and the authority to recover its investment. Under the plan, Duke Energy would install and operate distributed solar generation on customer rooftops and other spaces.

Duke Energy is also adding wind power to its generation portfolio. In April 2008, a wind farm in Indiana began supplying 100 megawatts of power to Duke Energy customers. In 2007, Duke Energy Generation Services entered the wind energy business and expects to have its first projects (about 180 megawatts) online later this year. Other wind development projects of more than 3,000 megawatts are planned in eight different western and southwestern states.

In 2007, Duke Energy supported the development of the new Renewable and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) in North Carolina. It requires the utility to satisfy 12.5 percent of its customers’ power needs with renewables or energy efficiency by 2021. Specific solar requirements are implemented in 2010. By 2018, at least two-tenths of one percent of total retail sales must come from solar energy. In Ohio, the company also supported that state’s new advanced energy portfolio standard, which sets a requirement of 12.5 percent of a utility’s sales to be met with renewable energy sources by 2025.

Broader use of renewable energy is part of Duke Energy’s comprehensive plan to create a sustainable energy future for the Carolinas while the company continues to work to reduce its environmental footprint. The plan includes building new power plants; robust energy efficiency programs to reduce demand; and supporting state and federal energy policies that encourage the development of new technology. Together, these initiatives will allow Duke Energy to continue to meet customers’ need for power in an environmentally sound way.

Duke Energy's Carolinas’ operations include nuclear, coal-fired, natural gas and hydroelectric generation. That diverse fuel mix provides nearly 21,000 megawatts of safe, reliable and competitively priced electricity to more than 2.3 million electric customers in a 24,000-square-mile service area of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the United States, supplies and delivers electricity to approximately 4 million U.S. customers in its regulated jurisdictions. The company has approximately 35,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity in the Midwest and the Carolinas, and natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky. In addition, Duke Energy has more than 4,000 megawatts of electric generation in Latin America, and is a joint-venture partner in a U.S. real estate company. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.

Sun Edison LLC is North America's largest solar energy services provider and operates across a global marketplace. SunEdison provides solar-generated energy at or below current retail rates to a broad and diverse client base of commercial, municipal and utility customers. For more information about SunEdison, please visit www.sunedison.com.

Philippine call for clean energy, And Greenpeace coal blockade Ends.

Pagbilao, Quezon, , Philippines — Greenpeace’s ship the Rainbow Warrior today ended a three-day blockade of the Pagbilao coal-fired power plant, 150 kilometres southwest of Manila, as leading politicians joined the organisation’s call for the Philippines to “Quit Coal”.

The blockade began on the eve of the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting in Japan, where ministers from the world’s richest industrialised countries are discussing solutions to climate change, 24-26 May. The Rainbow Warrior action highlights the urgent need for rejecting coal to top the agenda.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Secretary General of the Philippine government’s ruling coalition partner Lakas CMD, today assured Greenpeace he would seek a moratorium on the expansion of coal power in the Philippines: “I will file a resolution in the Senate seeking a halt in the construction of new coal fired power plants in the country. In tandem will be a strong Renewable Energy Bill that shall allow us to shift towards a low carbon economy, and away from dependence on fossil fuels, particularly coal. Coal carries huge environmental, health and social costs.”

On Wednesday, Governor of Albay Province, Luzon, Joey Sarte Salceda, declared the province a coal-free zone stressing “there is no room for coal in a world beset by climate change.”

“These calls from leading politicians in the Philippines, a developing country, deliver a strong message to the G8 to denounce coal and start making a clean, energy-efficient future possible. Greenpeace’s Energy Revolution, developed with over a dozen scientific institutes from around the world, proves this is possible,” said Jasper Inventor, climate campaigner with Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

Despite the fact that the Philippines was last year identified as the nation most affected by climate change (1) and has a 54 percent overcapacity in electricity production, the government plans to expand the Pagbilao coal-fired power plant and build eight new coal power plants. The coal plant’s expansion would mean an additional 5 million tons of climate-wrecking carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere every year – double the plant’s current production.

The Rainbow Warrior's blockade prevented the coal ship Medi Firenze from unloading a cargo of coal at the plant's dock. It also prevented the Sam John Spirit from approaching with a bigger shipment of coal.

Burning coal is the single biggest source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and a major cause of climate change. Coal is responsible for one third of all CO2 emissions and is projected to increase 60 percent by 2030 in ‘business as usual’ scenarios. This is completely unacceptable in a world where impacts of climate change, including changing weather patterns, can be seen every day.

The Rainbow Warrior is in the Philippines to spearhead the Greenpeace Quit Coal Tour in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The tour aims to promote an energy revolution to stop climate change, which includes phasing out the use of climate-damaging coal and a massive uptake of renewable energy.

Six Investment Partners Provides $161 Million In SunEdison's Equity and Debt Financings.

SunEdison Closes $161 Million in Financing
BELTSVILLE, MD – May 23, 2008 – SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider, today announced that it has closed $131 million of private equity and $30 million of debt financing with new and existing investors over the last six months. Investors include Greylock Partners; HSH Nordbank AG; Applied Ventures, LLC; Black River Commodity Clean Energy Investment Fund, a fund managed by Black River Asset Management; MissionPoint Capital Partners; and Allco Renewable Energy Limited. These financings are designated to support the operational resources of SunEdison.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Solar investment tax credit extended with Energy and Job Creation Tax Act of 2008

Politico's Matt Wuerker's perfect depiction of the challenges facing extension of the solar investment tax credits

"I applaud the House of Representatives for passing a long-term extension of the solar investment tax credit. This legislation secures America's clean-energy future by closing a tax loophole enjoyed by hedge-fund managers on their 'Cayman Island' income.

"For the Senate, the choice is now clear: they can either protect tax loopholes for privileged investment managers, or create tens of thousands of green-collar jobs in a troubled economy. Most Senators will find it very hard to turn their back on workers in their home state.

"As Memorial Day approaches, gas prices and utility rates are soaring, making it clear that Congress must take action to protect our country's economic and energy future. Allowing the solar tax credit to expire is an enormous tax increase that will cost thousands of American jobs and billions in economic investment. Without this bill our national energy security will continue to be jeopardized by skyrocketing fuel prices from unreliable suppliers. Now is the time to act and secure our energy future."

Background Resources:
"Economic Impacts of the Tax Credit Expiration," Study by Navigant Consulting

Text of the House Bill H.R. 6049

Summary of the House Bill H.R. 6049:

Letter from Governor Schwarzenegger to Congressional Leadership,May 13, 2008
"As Congress moves forward on legislation to extend tax credits, I must highlight three critical concerns for California. The extension of federal credits related to incentives for research and development, renewable energy and energy efficiency and a continuation of the 'patch' for the alternative minimum tax are hugely important to the health of the California economy."

"Dumb as We Wanna Be" by Thomas Friedman, New York Times, April 30:
"While all the presidential candidates were railing about lost manufacturing jobs in Ohio, no one noticed that America's premier solar company, First Solar, from Toledo, Ohio, was opening its newest factory in the former East Germany -- 540 high-paying engineering jobs -- because Germany has created a booming solar market and America has not."

See May 15 Marketplace Radio piece "Stalled Energy Policy Slows Business"

See Politico's Matt Wuerker's perfect depiction of the challenges facing extension of the solar investment tax credits. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand megawatts.

Sandia Labs, Kirtland Air Force Base Plans To Build 30MW Wind Farm.

A Wind farm on the Aragonne Mesa southwest of Santa Rosa, N.M.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base may soon share a wind farm that will provide as much as one-third of the electricity used by the two entities.

The Labs’ Wind Energy Technology Department and the U.S. Department of Energy Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program have embarked on a project to determine if such a plant is viable and to build a roughly 30-megawatt (MW) farm on the air base. A private company would design, build, and operate the farm, and DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration, Sandia and Kirtland would buy the electricity.

Wind Energy Department Manager Jose Zayas says the project — called Sandia Wind Farm Feasibility Project — is part of the DOE Transformational Energy Action Management (TEAM) initiative. According to Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, the TEAM initiative goal is to “maximize installation of secure, on-site renewable energy projects at all DOE sites.” In addition to installing renewable energy, other DOE goals are to reduce energy use by 30 percent and use third parties to finance the projects. The project would also be a way to reduce energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions, increase use and efficiency of renewable energy technologies, and adopt sustainable design practices as called for in President Bush’s January 2007 Executive Order 13423.

Sandia is a National Nuclear Security Administration laboratory.

A Request For Information (RFI) was recently placed on a Sandia procurement website in an effort to make commercial, utility-scale wind farm developers, owners, operators, energy service companies, and financiers aware of the potential opportunity to build a wind farm on the base. Deadline to respond to the RFI and be eligible to compete for the partnership is July 3.

In addition, Sandia is holding an “Industry Day” on June 10 in Albuquerque where interested developers can obtain information and ask questions. At the meeting Brian Connor of DOE’s Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program will address the federal goals and objectives of the TEAM initiative and how they will apply to other DOE sites, including Sandia. The location and time of the meeting will be announced on the Wind Energy Technology Department website at www.sandia.gov/wind.

Project engineer Roger Hill says this project is highly unusual for a variety of reasons.

“Usually, private companies build wind farms to sell power to utilities or utilities install wind turbines for their own system use,” Hill says. “Here we are looking for a private company to build a wind plant on federal land for federal [Sandia and Kirtland] consumption.”

The initial stage of the project will involve investigating the feasibility of building the farm on federal lands and/or the adjacent Isleta Pueblo. In the next couple of months Sandia will install a meteorological station on a ridgeline in the Manzano mountains near Albuquerque to measure wind speed and direction. A second will follow.

Hill says that the Manzano mountain site is believed to be one of the best locations of all DOE facilities for a wind farm. Its wind yield is in an indicated class 5 or 6 on a scale of 1 to 7, falling just short of superb.

As part of the feasibility effort, the study team will spend a year assessing the wind characteristics, as well as looking at accessibility to transmission lines, base substations, and PNM’s Sandia switching station. Hill anticipates that as the feasibility study moves along, issues will be identified that will need to be addressed. For instance, the wind turbine installation or operation might conflict with current or planned base operations. Also, an environmental assessment must be performed to ascertain and perhaps mitigate impacts on wildlife.

Together Sandia and KAFB use 72 MW during peak loads and about 40-50 MW at any given time. Sandia’s share of the electricity usage is about 60 percent and Kirtland’s is 40 percent. If a wind farm is built, the two may split the electricity produced in the same 60-40 equation. Construction time from inception to finish could be as little as two years.

Wind farms in New Mexico are located in Guadalupe County (Aragonne Mesa), Quay County (Caprock Wind Ranch, Phases I and II), Roosevelt County (San Juan Mesa), and Quay and DeBaca counties (New Mexico Wind Energy Center).

Zayas says the idea of a Sandia/Kirtland wind farm “is as exciting as it gets” because it provides the opportunity to showcase Sandia and be one of the first DOE sites to have a utility-scale wind farm where power is being consumed.

“This is a pioneering effort that meets the national initiative for renewable energy deployment,” he says. “Plus it contributes to our self-sufficiency and sustainability. We are using a natural indigenous resource to meet our own needs. And it can be replicated elsewhere. It’s a big deal.”

Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin company, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness.

Sandia news media contact: Christine Burroughs, coburro@sandia.gov, (505) 844-0948

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

FCX Clarity Business Plan and Commencement of Customer Selection Process

Honda Press Release
Honda Announces FCX Clarity Business Plan and Commencement of Customer Selection Process
Program marks first-ever large-scale retail initiative for a fuel cell vehicle

Honda plans to deliver about 200 FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles to customers in the first three years of production, with leases beginning in July, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The lease program marks the world's first large-scale retail initiative for fuel cell vehicle technology, and Honda has begun the process of identifying customers from a group of over 50,000 individuals who have expressed interest in the FCX Clarity on the company's website.

Honda will announce its first customers when the first FCX Clarity rolls off the production line at a ceremony on June 16, 2008 in Japan, where Honda will also showcase the world's first dedicated fuel cell vehicle production facility. Additionally, Honda will announce further plans for involvement by Honda dealerships in the U.S., as well as future customer care and customer qualification initiatives.

"Our customers for the current generation FCX have played an important role in our advancement of Honda fuel cell vehicle technology," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "The first FCX Clarity customers represent the early adopters who will play a critical role in the mainstreaming of fuel cell cars.

"We remain firmly convinced that the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car represents one of the best long-term solutions to the world's growing environmental and energy concerns," added Mendel. "With the launch of the FCX Clarity lease program, we will begin making fuel cell vehicles a market reality allowing customers to participate in creating a cleaner and more sustainable transportation future."

The FCX Clarity launch began in October 2005 with the unveiling of the next-generation FCX Concept vehicle at the Tokyo Motor Show, which was followed in November 2007 by the debut of the FCX Clarity production model at the Los Angeles Auto Show, where the company announced plans to begin leasing vehicles to customers in the U.S. Initially, the program will be based on a 3-year lease term with a price of $600 per month and will be targeted at consumers in Southern California.

Customer selection process
Honda expects to lease several dozen FCX Clarity models per year in the U.S. and Japan to reach the total of about 200 units in the first three years. Since its Tokyo concept debut, Honda has received requests from more than 50,000 individuals who have indicated their interest in receiving further updates about the vehicle and about being considered as future customers of Honda fuel cell technology. The company is now working to narrow the list through a four-step customer qualification process:

Step 1 -- Based on respondents' residential location, the list of potential customers has been narrowed to approximately 500 people living in very close proximity to publicly-accessible hydrogen fueling stations, including planned or existing stations in Santa Monica, Torrance and Irvine.
Step 2 -- Customers meeting the geographical criteria will receive an e-mail prompting them to take a customer selection survey if they are serious about wanting to lease an FCX Clarity.
Step 3 - The survey will qualify customers based on driving patterns, vehicle needs, vehicle storage and financial criteria.
Step 4 - Customers qualify for the next steps, including an interview with American Honda.

Everyone who has expressed an interest in the FCX Clarity will be kept abreast of new developments via the FCX Clarity web site and by e-mail communications. All interested prospects' information will be retained for future consideration.

About the FCX Clarity
The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle. Propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in the fuel cell, its only emission is water, and its fuel efficiency is three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile.

Based on the entirely-new Honda V Flow fuel cell platform, and powered by a highly compact, efficient and powerful new Honda V Flow fuel cell stack, the FCX Clarity marks the significant progress Honda continues to make in advancing the real-world performance and appeal of the fuel cell car. Significant advances over Honda's previous generation FCX include:

an advanced new four-passenger sedan design
a greater than 30 percent increase in driving range to 270 miles¹
a 20 percent increase in fuel economy to 68miles/kg-H2²
a 50 percent increase in fuel cell stack power density
a 40 percent smaller and 50 percent lighter new lithium-ion battery pack

Honda is responsible for the development of the world's first fuel cell car to be certified for regular commercial use by the U.S. EPA and California Air Resources Board; the first commercial lease of a fuel cell car to a fleet customer; and the first individual retail customer for a fuel cell vehicle.

Honda and the Environment
Based on its philosophy of being a company "society want to exist", Honda has been a leader in the development of cleaner and more fuel efficient products for more than thirty years, beginning in 1975 with the introduction of the Civic CVCC, the first vehicle to meet U.S. Clean Air Act exhaust emissions standards without a catalyst. Honda introduced the world's first Low (LEV), Ultra-Low (ULEV) and Super Ultra-Low (SULEV) emissions gasoline vehicles, and America's first low emission gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, the Honda Insight, in December 1999.

The company has been recognized four consecutive times as America's "greenest automaker" by the Union of Concerned Scientists, most recently in 2007, and has maintained the highest automobile fleet-average fuel efficiency (lowest fleet-average CO2 emissions) of any U.S. automaker over the past 15 years³. The company is accelerating its efforts to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles, including an all-new, more affordable hybrid Honda slated for introduction in 2009.

¹ Preliminary Honda estimate, based on existing EPA range methodology
² Honda estimate of EPA city-highway combined fuel economy rating for FCX Clarity
³ Average sales-weighted fuel consumption for 1992-2007 mid-model year passenger-car and light-truck fleets sold in the U.S. based on final CAFE reports through 2006 and 2007 mid-year reports

Honda

Monday, May 19, 2008

Solarial, Solar Power For Disaster Relief!

Solar Power For disaster Relief in a form of power generating airship or a blimp if you want get bigger. Pulltheskydown has posted a concept for airships fitted with thin film photovoltaics, and also a reversible drive propeller/wind turbine, it delivers clean energy via a cable tethered to the earth. In addition to energy generation, it also houses a suite of telecommunications equipment, acts as a relay station for radio and cellular telephone signals, aiding the coordination of relief operations.
Solarial, as the airship is known, will be 20 m long, this still provides approximately 180 square meters of PV surface area on the top portion of the airship. The solar cells used are based on CIGS technology and can be manufactured integrally with the airship’s envelope, reducing cost, weight, complexity, and improving reliability and performance.

The Solarial is estimated to produce about 125 kWh per day between its solar cells and the wind turbine. For reference, a 50 L medical refrigerator for storing vaccines and medicine and producing ice might use 300 wH per day. A 10,000 lpd shallow-water pump (sufficient for 300-500 people) may use 5 kWh.

You can read more about the concept and the deployment plans here.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Garbage Island In North Pacific Gyre, The Video!

As a youngster, I watched my father doing research on DDT, and it's effect on humans, the last of the food chain. He used to explain to me how it get accumulated in fatty tissues and how breast milk contained so much DDT in the third world women. That is where I learned the word BioAccumulation.
Today I watched 12 episodes of videos about Toxic Garbage Island that is in Pacific. I did not know to get angry or cry, but more like the latter. I have read about it before, have seen many pictures and reports about it. But never knew the actual story of it. Basically North Pacific Gyre is huge area in the pacific ocean that ocean currents from multiple areas converge, as seen in the picture above. So all the garbage collected from shores travel here, if the are not bio degradable, like plastics that we uses every day ad throw in to the garbage can. These plastics get cooked in the sun as they travel in the ocean towards the center of the gyre. Some times these get converted in the gooey stuff that small fish and small marine animals eat. So these small fish get eaten by larger and they in turn get eaten by even larger fish. And we with our trawlers go out there and catch these large fish and consume them with the accumulated chemicals like mercury, Bisphenol A that is used to make hard clear plastic, polycarbonate. There seem to be a study that higher levels of Bisphenol A affecting women getting pregnant. So basically we are driving ourselves in to extinction!
Please Please be careful with what you throw away. Recycle, all the time. Here is the first episode of the 12 I watched today. The reporter uses four letter word, (I don't blame him for feeling that way.) so if there are kids around watch it yourself first. I don't want to spoil small minds with four letter words.

American Ingenuity And Craftsmanship At It's Best! The world's Oldest Light Bulb, (107 Years Old) That Operates To Date.

Photo by Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times

In 1901, a light bulb was connected to a socket on a hanging wire. It emitted a faint orange glow from it's 4 watt filament. It did it for 107 years with a 22 minute break when it was transfered from one location to another.
There is a website about the lamp, it has won awards and there is a visitors place and a lot of recognizance to the lamp. Even LA Times wrote a long article about it and there is a Texas town that says it is a fluke. I will give you all the information I have at the end of this article. But the point of the article is that given the chance and wanting, we can produce great things at great quality.
The bulb was manufactured by the Shelby Electric Co. of Shelby, Ohio, and the bulb soon outlived its maker, which closed in 1914.
A lot of people give a lot of reasons to bulbs longevity and I will give you mine. I think the bulb not being turned off at all (it lights up a fire house that stays alert 24 hours) and the fact the care and attention of the workers who manufactured the bulb, given to the process of manufacturing.
Long live the American Dream.
The Bulb's website -- www.centennialbulb.org, drawing a million hits a year -- a historical society and even a webcam that allows curious fans to check on it 24 hours a day.
LA Times article! (They don't write much about good things in SF Bay area! so it is an honor!!)

Friday, May 09, 2008

Negative Watts or Neagawatts, Where Do I Find Them?

If you did not know what negative watts or Negawatts, it is very simple to explain and understand. They are megawatts that is not used.
Consider an stadium with 1000 one megawatt lamps, so in normal operation, this stadium will use 1000 megawatts to light up what ever they are playing. So a concerned engineer looks at this and does an experiment, he switch off lamps in a pre planned and assessed method until people or players notice the difference. So if the engineer managed to eliminate 10 lamps without hindering the game, he/she saves 10 megawatts of electricity. So now he goes around and does the same thing to 1000 stadiums and what do we get, 10,000 megawatts of electricity saved. And all these are Negawatts, Negative watts or watts never used!. If we do this at peak hours all the more value.

So this is how a companies like EnerNoc serves to prevent global warming without having to install and maintain solar panels or wind turbines. But they do save a lot more that megawatts, now negawatts during the peak hours.
During the peak usage, most dirtiest (like coal) or most expensive electricity plants are brought up to satisfy the demand. They are known as peaking power plants or peaker plants. So in addition to higher usage, we might be spewing dirty particles in to atmosphere, making them even worse.

So EnerNoc has signed up with large corporations and they manage the power usage during peak hours, like turning off a row of lights in a supermarket, or turning down air conditioning a notch. But as simple as it seems, EnerNoc has 1500 megawatts under it's management. That is about 15 Peaker plants not operating!
You can read a Q&A session with EnerNoc CEO Tim Healy at C|NET and EnerNoc is here.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Climate Computer, Earth Friendly Super Computing.

"Historically, supercomputer makers build larger and more powerful systems by increasing the number of conventional microprocessors — usually the same kinds of microprocessors used to build personal computers. Although feasible for building computers large enough to solve many scientific problems, using this approach to build a system capable of modeling clouds at a 1-km scale would cost about $1 billion. The system also would require 200 megawatts of electricity to operate, enough energy to power a small city of 100,000 residents."
But the new concept of Super Computers will only consume less than 4 megawatts of power and achieve a peak performance of 200 petaflops.

gridtech: Climate Computer To Consume less Than 4 Megawatts Of Power And Achieve A Peak Performance Of 200 Petaflops.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Solar Power Conference & Expo, Solar Power 2008, Registration Open.

I am planing to be in San Diego this October to attend the Solar Power 2008 and I have already registered myself along with two of my colleagues. There will be an abundance of solar power and alternative energy resources and people who are actively indulging in providing technologies, research facilities as well as finished products. So if you are interested in getting to know some among the estimated 12000 people who will attend the event, please make sure that you register your self or your company.

Following is the press release announcing the same.

Today the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the two non-profit organizers of Solar Power Conference & Expo, announced the opening of registration for Solar Power 2008, the largest solar event in North America. The event will take place October 13-16 at the San Diego Convention Center and is expected to attract a record 12,000 professionals from more than 70 countries and 400 exhibitors from 14 countries. Besides top vendors presenting the state-of-the-art in solar energy technologies and services, Solar Power 2008 features more than 60 conference sessions and workshops covering the latest market, policy, finance and technology issues as well as a world-renowned CEO Panel plenary session. Conference organizers also revealed the first confirmed keynote speaker for this year – Bob Greifeld, chief executive officer of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. Greifeld will address conference attendees on global market conditions, the outlook for IPOs and Wall Street’s role in the future of the solar industry.

“Every year since its inception five years ago, Solar Power Conference & Expo’s top-rated keynote speakers have reflected the critical issues of interest to our attendees in the given year. Greifeld’s 20-year history as a technology entrepreneur and his successful leadership of the world’s largest exchange will bring invaluable insight to the Opening Plenary,” said Julia Hamm, chair of Solar Power Conference & Expo and executive director of SEPA. “We look forward to Greifeld’s view from the Street, including his perspective on the investment climate, market mechanisms, and key issues for continued industry growth.”

“The solar industry’s growth has fueled the rapid rise of Solar Power Conference & Expo as North America’s preeminent solar event,” said Rhone Resch, president of SEIA. “In 2007, solar companies attracted $10 billion in investment and attained a market capitalization of approximately $70 billion, up from just $8.1 billion in 2005. The U.S. solar industry also added 6,000 new jobs to accommodate this rapid growth. This momentum is driven by federal and state incentives to expand U.S. installations. Solar Power 2008 is an important industry gathering where we’ll review what has happened over the past year and provide expert insight into what is to come.”

In addition to the full array of conference sessions, extensive exhibits and industry networking opportunities, the featured CEO Panel plenary session promises to deliver stimulating dialogue on all the exciting and fast-changing market conditions. The panel will feature top executives from the most important players in the solar marketplace, including manufacturers, project developers and contractors, electric utilities, and large buyers such as big box stores. Solar Power 2008 will encompass the full range of solar energy technologies, including photovoltaics, concentrating photovoltaics, concentrating solar power, solar hot water, and space heating and cooling. The event also features an online career center to support the recruiting of qualified professionals – a top concern of an industry experiencing record growth.

A new online registration function will allow professionals to filter and sort through exhibitors and session content to create customized personal floor plans and itineraries. These online tools will allow users to make the most of their time in San Diego, navigating the large show floor and comprehensive conference agenda with ease.

Another unique feature of this year’s event is an expanded focus on consumers. Solar Power 2008 Conference & Expo, a business-to-business event, has partnered with the non- profit California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) to coincide with San Diego’s annual Solar Energy Week. This combination creates a comprehensive, week-long schedule addressing both professional and consumer solar interests. Activities for the public will include Family Solar Day on October 12, a public opening of the Solar Power 2008 exhibit hall on the evening of October 15, and the Tour of Solar Homes on October 18. San Diego Gas & Electric, the Utility Host Sponsor for Solar Power 2008, will also be promoting Solar Energy Week activities to both its commercial and residential customers.

Last year’s event sold out in advance, so organizers encourage early registration to guarantee participation. For more information, speaker and session updates, and to register visit: http://www.solarpowerconference.com/.

Solar Powered Display Wall, GreenPix At Bejing Olympics 2008

GreenPix is a project bringing together sustainable energy technology and digital media technology to meet the presentation needs of art and other media. It is the largest color LED display in the world and will be the curtain wall of Xicui entertainment complex in Beijing, near the site of the 2008 Olympic Games.
The wall performs as a self-sufficient organic system, harvesting solar energy by day and using it to illuminate the screen after dark, mirroring a day’s climatic cycle

More information about the project is available at the GreenPix website. They also has a simulator application that mimics the operation of the display and it's application.

Benefits Of CFLs, Compact Fluorescent Lamps.

You will be able to save energy and a lot of money with CFLs. Compact fluorescent bulbs come in different color temperatures, which produce different color-tone light. Lower color temperature bulbs give off a reddish-orange light while higher color temperature bulbs give off a more bluish-white light.As an example, if you are replacing a standard 60-watt incandescent light bulb from a table lamp in your living room, you will want to replace it with a 13-watt to 18-watt CFL (60-watt incandescent equivalent) with a color temperature of around 2,700 degrees. If you use this table lamp for reading, you might want to buy a 23-watt to 26-watt CFL (equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent) with a color temperature of 4,000.

An 18-watt compact fluorescent lamp operating 6 hours a day costs 22 cents a month in electricity.
A 100-watt incandescent bulb operating for the same time costs $1.30 a month.

So if you replace ten 100 watt bulbs with CFLs, you stand to save $10.80 off your electrical bill Every Month, that is almost $130 a year. If we all do that it is about 12 Billion dollars that we save in energy costs, just here in USA. So even if you do not want to change 10 lamps, just try it out with 3 or 4. Your hardware store carries these lamps and follow the above guide in wattage to chose right lamp. (Other parts of the world, they call these lamps, bulbs!)
The other good news is that CFL lasts much longer than incandescent bulbs. I just last week replaced a CFL that I installed four years ago. Previously I use to replace incandescent lamps every few months!.
Another part that comes with CFLs is that you just can't toss them once used. Just like old computers or car batteries, these need to be recycled. This is very important and each and every municipality has means of recycling your spent CFLs.
So change to CFLa and have a brighter and safer future, for us and generations to come.

33 Simple And Easy Ways To Save Money & Energy At Home.

There are many ways that you could be energy efficient. But following two are will get you going and save you a bundle without much effort! The keys to save energy at home is to make sure that your home is well insulated with proper caulking, air sealing and efficient windows. These three things will make your home tight and energy efficient.
Once you have done that you can adopt ways to be energy efficient. This takes you to change your habits or make new habits that will save you a bundle and this world a better place. The Clark Public Utilities has put together 33 simple ways or easy steps to make that happen. You can download and print this PDF file 33 Ways to Save Energy and Money. (You will need Adobe Acrobat reader to open the file.)