Wind farms are planned and are being constructed all over the UK now, mainly driven by government support through the “renewables obligation”.

The Renewables Obligation is an instrument of financial support provided by the United Kingdom Government for generators of renewable electricity. The renewables obligation (RO) is set at a level which rises each year toward a UK and EU target. The RO is what is called a ’statutory instrument’ used to incentivise electricity suppliers to produce electricity from renewable sources.

Wind turbines are admittedly limited in their usefulness by the fact that there may be no wind. Or, if there is wind it may not blow hard enough to generate maximum output at any particular time, or it may blow so hard that the turbines have to be shut down to prevent damage.

However, wind power even from relatively lower wind speed commercial sites is still a cheap resource compared to other renewable technologies, including wave power, tidal stream and even offshore wind farms that we must also be supporting. So we need to maximise production from as much commercial wind farms as possible on financial grounds, especially given the various other limitations on wind farms.

Generators get the same amount of ROC support for each MWh, no matter where in the UK they are sited. What could be fairer than that? Generators based in Scotland should therefore get the best price for their output.

ROCs can be traded separately from the electricity to which they relate. ROCs were drempt up to reward people who produce renewable energy by giving them extra cash. All suppliers (eg npower or British Gas) must get a percentage of the electricity they sell to you from renewable sources.

ROCs are better than green taxes in the eye of the public. Green taxes are defined broadly as any revenue-raising market-based environmental economic instrument , including for example, auctioned emissions allowances. So, the RO may be a form of a green tax which raises your electricity bill, but as this is not visible to the consumer it will remain popular with the public and government!

Wind farms are going to be the major benficiaries of the RO in the short to medium term. Greenpeace has coined the term ‘power stations at sea’ which we think sums it up beautifully. It’s the only technology that exists in sufficient capacity to make a dent on the challenging nature of the targets,” say the experts.

In 2004 there were six offshore wind farms in operation in the UK which then saw another seven under construction and planning submitted for a further four. The pace has hotted up a lot recently and now many more are planned and being built.

The first offshore wind farm was the North Hoyle installation, built in 2003 and located in the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales. Current large wind turbines are many times as tall as churches or trees, being over 100m to tip of blade. These wind turbines are on the scale of large industrial plant and can cover large areas.

Offshore wind can’t get by without help from government, because the electricity is twice the price of onshore wind. The biggest ever wind farm which is planned to be built off Kent won’t get built without government cash handout. Offshore wind is more viable off the coast of England where the waters are shallow than around many countries. In Scotland offshore wind would have to cope with deep water.

renewable energy

Biofuel

Biomass

Steve Evans has also authored blog posts at The Wasters Blog about waste management and at the excellent Technology and Gadgets blog site.

The Renewables Obligation is an instrument of financial support provided by the United Kingdom Government for generators of renewable electricity. The renewables obligation (RO) is set at a level which rises each year toward a UK and EU target. The RO is what is called a ’statutory instrument’ used to incentivise electricity suppliers to produce electricity from renewable sources.

The level of the obligation set each year by the government is not the same as a target. The RO is set at a level of electricity supply from renewable green energy sources which is always just a little higher than that which the expectation lies for the market to deliver.

The RO is at the present time set at 6.7%, this is due to rise to 15.4% for 2015/2016. The present policy intends that the obligation would remain at that level until 2037.

For security of power supply and the avoidance of a UK power supply deficit and an ensuing crisis over rationing of power, a rise in renewables is essential. Also, strategically, all nations need to diversify their power supplies away from fossiliferous sources for reasons of exposure to market price fluctuations and price increases generally.

The Renewables Obligation is the main mechanism for achieving this, and the recent White Paper confirms the intention to strengthen this mechanism, increasing the obligation up to 20%. Fossil fuels will still necessarily remain as a key component of a diverse electricity generation mix, regardless of the contribution made by renewables.

The RO is popular with the public. In fact it is designed so as not to affect consumer bills in any significant way. However, there are costs, although this is largely invisible to the consumer. Electricity suppliers do pass the higher cost of purchasing renewable electricity on to consumers.

Electricity is distributed in Scotland over 11kV and 33kV lines owned by local distribution companies, in this case Scottish Power. Larger wind farms may require to distribute their power to consumers further away and hence use grid lines running at 132kV, 275kV and 400kV, controlled by National Grid that are designed to take power over greater distances.

Climate change is the environmental issue on which governments will be assessed above all others: the harm it will cause if it is not properly addressed will dwarf other problems. And it is fair to say that no world leader has done more to raise the issue up the political agenda than Tony Blair.

Climatologists had already warned that a rise of 2-3 0 C is most likely. Three months ago the Tyndall Centre reported that a 90% cut in emissions was needed by 2050 rather than the 60% advocated by Stern. So, it is of hugely important to the UK and the world that the developed nations lead the way in renewable energy creation.

renewable energy

green power

Renewable Energy

Steve Evans is an alternative energy expert, who has advised many clients on the benefits and disbenefits of various courses of action when selecting Waste-to-Energy contractors and waste technologies. We recommend that you visit any one of the links we provide in the previous sentence to find out more.

The Renewables Obligation is a Government mechanism to encourage investment in renewable energy. It is central to the United Kingdom Government’s policy to raise the amount of renewable energy generated in the UK.

The renewables obligation (RO) has been guaranteed to be available for longer recently (UK pre-budget report).

The Alistair Darling MP has stated it is a Government wish which remains in place, despite the economic difficulties, not to let the present state of the economy impact badly on spending in the sector of renewable energy projects and environmental schemes generally.

“Action to achieve environmental goals remains a high priority,” he stated in his address to Parliament. Most importantly, the pre-budget report states the Renewables Obligation will be extended until “at least 2037” This is said to be in order to encourage rising investment in all renewable energy technology.

So, all UK investors can now plan with confidence for the future so that over the next decade the market will continue to deliver the renewable energy schemes, and contracts let, which will enable the UK to need to their 2020 target.

This means that electricity supply companies are still going to be encouraged to source continually increasing amounts of the electricity they sell (5.5% in 2005/06 rising to 15.4% by 2015/16) from renewable supplies.

The Renewables Obligation is the Department’s main policy mechanism aimed at increasing the proportion of electricity that is generated from renewable sources throughout the UK. It is expected to make a significant contribution towards achievement of the current target of 12% contained in the Department’s Strategic Energy Framework for the proportion of electricity that is generated from indigenous renewable sources by 2012.

The Renewables Obligation has however been criticised by some as an example of a green policy that has seriously unpleasant side effects and fails to achieve its objectives. The criticism is that the RO is a system which provides the same level of financial support for all eligible renewable projects. The Department adopted this approach as an easy opt -out, they say, to ensure that the most economic renewable energy projects are developed first, while minimising Government intervention in the market. However, the instrument is too blunt and important opportunities are in danger of being missed.

Generators get the same amount of ROC support for each MWh, no matter where in the UK they are sited. However, power generated closer to the main urban areas will incur far fewer distribution losses and hence costs to the nation to use it.

Larger wind farms may require to distribute their power to consumers further away and hence use grid lines running at 132kV, 275kV and 400kV, controlled by National Grid that are designed to take power over greater distances. These are going to need extending and strengthening.

Generators based in Scotland are therefore at an advantage, due to for example, their high winds. They can produce more power from the same investment due to those higher winds but should they still get the same price for their output?

The Renewables Obligation is said by its critics also to be failing the technologies that most need help. Designed to be technology neutral, it raises the most money for the lowest cost technologies.

So, the RO is a market led measure and will remain so. The Obligation is helping the UK renewable industry to take forward those renewable technologies that are close to becoming commercially competitive, but does nothing for innovation.

Renewable energy policy is a primary part of climate change policy. Climate change policy should aim to deliver curbs in emissions where they are easiest to cut, and where they require the least change in our life-styles and aspirations. The government would argue that the RO does this. However, this will coast us. Sir Nick Stern’s estimate, in the Stern Report, of a cost of some 1 per cent of national income is modest, and is equivalent to foregoing half a year’s British growth in terms of recent growth achieved.

renewable energy

Biomass

Renewable Energy

The author is a keen blogger about wind energy subjects and also is web master to the Biogas Digester web site in which he explains how waste can be used with the process of biogas digestion to make methane from which power can be generated.

The Renewables Obligation is the main financial support scheme for large-scale generators of renewable electricity. The renewables obligation is set at a level which varies year by year. The level of the obligation is not the same as a target. The obligation is set at a level of electricity supply from renewable sources just above that which the government expects the market to deliver.

The renewables obligation has been extended recently (UK pre-budget report).

The Alistair Darling MP has stated that the Government’s desire remains, despite the economic downturn, not to let the current economic conditions impact negatively on spending on renewable energy and other environmental projects.

“Action to achieve environmental goals remains a high priority,” he stated in his address to Parliament. Of key importance, the pre-budget report states the Renewables Obligation will be extended until “at least 2037”, in order to encourage increased investment in renewable energy technologies.

The extension has been granted in order to make sure that investors will be able to plan with confidence for the future. The most important point here being that over the next ten years the market will grow to deliver the ever increasing number of renewables schemes that are needed to achieve the target for 2020. Electricity distribution and sales companies are encouraged to source increasing percentages of the electricity they sell (5.5% in 2005/06 which needs to rise to 15.4% by 2015/16) from renewable sources.

The Renewables Obligation is popular with the public. In fact it is designed so as not to affect consumer bills in any significant way. It acts as an internal incentive for the supply companies to buy a fair, and growing, share of renewable power including the relatively more expensive renewables such as biomass and some novel marine technologies.

Within the next few years renewable electricity generated from wind farms will meet the needs of an additional three million UK homes. Using the latest turbine technology, only 2,000 onshore turbines would be sufficient to meet this target, or a fewer number installed offshore where wind force is greater.

Wind farms are going to be the major beneficiaries of the RO in the short to medium term. Greenpeace has coined the term ‘power stations at sea’ which we think sums it up beautifully. It’s the only technology that exists in sufficient capacity to make a dent on the challenging nature of the targets,” say the experts.

In 2004 there were six offshore wind farms in operation in the UK which then saw another seven under construction and planning submitted for a further four. The pace has hotted up a lot recently and now many more are planned and being built.

The first offshore wind farm was the North Hoyle installation, built in 2003 and located in the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales. Current large wind turbines are many times as tall as churches or trees, being over 100m to tip of blade. These wind turbines are on the scale of large industrial plant and can cover large areas.

renewable energy

green power

Windpower

Steve Last holds a keen interest in the renewable Energy scene and his blog at Renewables and Energy News reflects that. Visit his blog and you can expect to find constantly updated top quality articles on the subject.

Another top blog site of his is the Law e-Magazine which also comes highly recommended for those holding an interest in environmental law.

Each day you look up and see the ball of energy we call the sun, it is a reminder that the source of clean, renewable energy that the world is waiting for is already here, if we could just learn to use it. Worldwide we use a lot of energy in a year, but the sun supplies that much energy to the earth each hour. One method of collecting that energy and using it to power our homes and businesses is based on photovoltaic (PV) materials that can be formed into solar panels.

How do PVs work? When solar light impinges on the surface of a semiconductor material (these are the materials used in computer memories or microprocessors as well as LEDs) it creates electric charges that can flow giving us electricity. Systems to provide solar power generally require large areas of PV materials wired together to provide useful power levels in addition to inverters to convert the dc current to ac and possibly storage systems to support power delivery after the sun goes down.

There are many different semiconductor materials that can be used for PV solar cells and different suppliers emphasize different materials, each with its own pros and cons. The highest efficiency cells use crystalline silicon, the same material used for most microcircuits. In this form, solar conversion efficiencies run about 20-22%, with the benefit of needing a smaller surface area than for less efficient technologies, but also run the highest cost. Solar cells can also be made of polycrystalline silicon where efficiencies run lower, about 15%, but the costs are lower too. Another solar cell material is based on cadmium telluride thin films. These materials can be put on low cost glass substrates so that manufacturing costs as low as $1.14/W are claimed, though solar conversion efficiencies run about half of that for standard silicon solar cells. At these efficiencies you need a 2ft by 4 ft panel to generate about 70 W under peak solar conditions.

Photovoltaic solar cells, though still providing a negligible portion of world energy needs, are very attractive as a renewable energy source and a means of generating power without contributing additional climate changing greenhouse gases. The problem is that photovoltaic systems are still very expensive relative to fossil fuel sources. Demand is currently growing very rapidly but that demand is artificially created by government mandates and subsidies. Costs currently run as high as $0.25/kwh for PV systems and would have to come down by a factor of two to reach the ‘grid parity’ associated with the power generation cost of fossil fuels and be competitive without subsidies. The good news is that costs are projected to come down over the next several years and the ‘grid parity’ objective may be within reach. The lower costs are being driven by new technologies, less expensive production processes, and the reduced costs that come with higher volumes.

There are over 100 companies now involved in the manufacturing and distribution of PV solar cells. Some are part of large multi-nationals like BP solar, or GE Energy and others are dedicated to this industry. If you take a look at some of the pure-plays in the industry, some of the excitement in this form of renewable energy becomes apparent. SunPower Corp, San Jose, CA is a manufacturer of the high efficiency, crystalline solar cells and had sales of $775 M in 2007 and is running at double that sales rate in 2008. They foresee their manufacturing costs dropping by a factor of 2 by 2012. In 2008, their production capacity will be extended to 400 MW. (Each MW is comparable to the electric power needs of 250 homes). Also, there is Evergreen Solar a Marlboro, MA company, specializing in new production techniques, called ‘String Ribbon’ for polycrystalline silicon solar cells. Evergreen Solar is also growing rapidly and is making major investments in their new Quad-furnace production capacity, including forecasting 160 MW/year production capacity by 2009 in their Devens, MA factory. Evergreen is making similar expansions in their Germany joint venture. This company too forecasts halving production costs by 2012 due to improved production techniques and increased efficiencies. Also look at First Solar of Phoenix, AZ, which claims the least expensive solar cell manufacturing technique based on cadmium telluride and also expects to half its production cost by 2012 and achieve grid parity. First Solar is also expanding rapidly going from 200 MW production capacity in 2007 to 1000 MW in 2009.

The significant capital investments being made by photovoltaic companies is a clear indication of the confidence investors have in the future cost-effectiveness of this form of solar energy and could soon herald a major change in the acceptance of renewable energy worldwide.

Here at Cooler Planet, we focus on a list of area-specific solar installers that we know are reputable, with enough training and experience under their proverbial belts to deliver solar energy systems that will last for years and perform as described.  But we also like to keep abreast of innovative technology. Today’s pipe dream may be tomorrow’s energy paradigm, so we search out new and interesting solar technologies struggling for a place in the market.

One of these is Redwood Renewables, a California company that is repurposing waste rubber into integrated solar roofing products that both reduce landfill waste and provide homeowners with solar electricity.

Not only do these “coolroof” roofing tiles enable electricity production, but – according to managing director Tom Faust – they deliver at $5 per watt installed. This compares favorably to conventional solar, which currently costs between $7 and $10 per watt installed.

The shingles are reportedly made by laminating solar cells directly on the surface of a recycled polymer substrate, which adds product strength and a potential 30-year product lifetime. The manufacturing process is, according to Faust, not only less costly than traditional silicone solar panels, but less costly than other integrated roofing materials as well.

With two patents in place, and another pending, the company reports a $20-million purchase order from a roofing wholesaler, though Faust declined to provide a name or documentation. The company is also looking for venture capital, which means it is still clearly in the startup phase.

Nonetheless, keep an eye on Redwood. In the meantime, turn to Cooler Planet for technologies that work right now if you are thinking of installing solar electricity to light your home and save the planet.

A great way to transform a place. The town of “Santa Coloma de Gramenet”, in Spain have transform  the resting place of a town outside of Barcelona. They have converted the roof of mausoleums to a renewable energy producing power plant that can produce enough electricity equivalent to the yearly consumption of 60 homes.

The necessity to find flat and open spaces that are viable for solar photovoltaic systems, gave birth to this concept. They installed 462 panels on top of the mausoleums of the cemetery giving the town people desire to generate clean energy but not having the enough open spaces to deployed it.

Many people believe this town people are crazy, but on my sincere opinion what they have build up on tops of these mausoleums is very good example to the global community that there should be no excuses for deployment of clean sustainable energy systems. The town hall and cemetery officials waged a public-awareness campaign to explain the worthiness of the project and eventually it worked.

The cemetery holds the remains of about 57,00 people and the solar panels cover less than 5 percent of the total surface area available. With an initial cost of $900,00 US dollars, each year the small power facility will keep about 62 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

They are already planning to erect more panels and triple the electricity capacity output.

Reference:

http://www.topix.net/content/ap/2008/11/solar-panels-on-graves-give-power-to-spanish-town-2

http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2008/11/23/solar_panels_on_graves_give_power_to_spanish_town/

Dear Colleagues,

The 7th Framework Programme NMP (Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies,
Materials and New Production Technologies) 2009 call for Collaborative Projects opened this week on November 19th. Most of the calls end in february or march 2009.
There are several topics envolving nanotechnology devices, surface nanoengineering, nanomaterials  and thin films technology. Examples includes these topics besides much more:
NMP-2009-2.2-1 Oxide materials for electronics applications
NMP-2009-2.5-1 Light high-performance composites
NMP-2009-4.0-3 Development of nanotechnology-based systems for molecular diagnostics and imaging
NMP-2009-1.2-1 Nanotechnology for harvesting energy via photovoltaic technologies
NMP-2009-4.0-5 Innovative and knowledge-based tooling industry

This specific programme will support a range of research actions involving the active collaboration of research teams from all sectors, including industry, SMEs, universities and other higher education institutions, research institutes and centres, etc.
The participation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) is of particular importance in this workprogramme. A special emphasis has been placed on the participation of SMEs; indeed the aim will be to enable at least 15% of the funding of the Cooperation programme to go to SME participants. Specific research topics of particular interest for SMEs, or specifically targeted to SMEs are highlighted in each Theme, where relevant. The full workprogramme and more  information such as how to apply, which countries benefit from  funding,etc can be found at the CORDIS web site:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm.

For a quick look in some selected nanomaterials, nanotechnology, surfaces and thin fims topics descriptions you can read below. (go to Cordis website for a full descritpion).

Expression of Interest in participatingin FP7 proposals:
Here at University of Minho (GRF-Functional Coatings Group) I have participated in some FP6 projects and now we are starting a new one funded in FP7 first call.
If you are still looking for an academic partner for your consortia (we can also take with us an national or international SME) please feel free to contact me directly.
Below can be found the website where you can see my R&D interests.

http://www.arauto.uminho.pt/pessoas/vteixeira

Best regards

Vasco Teixeira

vasco@fisica.uminho.pt
University of Minho, Portugal
http://www.arauto.uminho.pt/pessoas/vteixeira

SOME SELECTED CALLS ON NMP-Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies :

Identifier: FP7-NMP-2009-LARGE-3

Publication Date: 19 November 2008

Budget: € 61 400 000

Deadlines: 17 February 2009 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)
22 July 2009 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time) – (for Stage 2 only proposals retained at stage 1) OJ Reference: OJ C296 of 19 November 2008
Coordinated call: No
Joint call: No
Technical Call: No
Specific Programme(s):  Cooperation 

Theme: Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

TOPICS:
NMP-2009-2.2-1 Oxide materials for electronics applications

NMP-2009-2.5-1 Light high-performance composites

NMP-2009-3.2-1 Innovative pathways for sustainable chemical production

NMP-2009-3.4-1 Automation and robotics for sustainable crop and forestry management

NMP-2009-4.0-3 Development of nanotechnology-based systems for molecular diagnostics and imaging

NMP-2009-4.0-4 Reducing the environmental footprint of energy intensive industries

*******************************************************************************************

Identifier: FP7-NMP-2009-SMALL-3

Publication Date: 19 November 2008

Budget: € 39 000 000

Deadlines: 17 February 2009 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)
22 July 2009 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time) – (for Stage 2 only proposals retained at stage 1)
OJ Reference: OJ C296 of 19 November 2008
Coordinated call: No
Joint call: No
Technical Call: No
Specific Programme(s):  Cooperation 
Theme: Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

TOPICS

NMP-2009-1.1-1 Nanobiotechnology: Applying life science principles as model for new nanotechnology-based mechanisms, processes, devices and/or systems

NMP-2009-1.2-1 Nanotechnology for harvesting energy via photovoltaic technologies

NMP-2009-1.2-2 Molecular factory: manufacturing objects with predictable and controllable properties

NMP-2009-2.1-1 Nano-structured materials based on graphene

NMP-2009-2.3-1 Biomimetic gels and polymers for tissue repair

NMP-2009-2.6-1 Novel membranes for water technologies (SICA)

NMP-2009-3.2-2 Adaptive control systems for responsive factories
************************************************************************************************
Identifier: FP7-NMP-2009-SME-3

Publication Date: 19 November 2008

Budget: € 15 000 000

Deadlines: 17 February 2009 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)
22 July 2009 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time) – (for Stage 2 only proposals retained at stage 1)
OJ Reference: OJ C296 of 19 November 2008
Coordinated call: No
Joint call: No
Technical Call: No
Specific Programme(s):  Cooperation 
Theme: Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

TOPICS

NMP-2009-2.4-1 New biomass-based composite materials and their processing

NMP-2009-3.4-2 Holistic and integrated approach to high performance, reliable and adaptive machine tool design and production

NMP-2009-4.0-5 Innovative and knowledge-based tooling industry

Solar industry experts have been predicting that solar grade polysilicon supply will catch up with demand in 2009. Check out the latest forecast regarding this in By The Numbers.

Finally, smaller retail players in emerging markets like India, at least those who are able to find funding, can make a push to expand and reach new customers. For the past few years demand from developed markets like Germany and high silicon prices together had pushed module prices beyond the reach of most customers in markets like India. Despite the tough economic outlook, this will surely begin to change that.

Last week we attended the Midwest Roofing Contractors conference in Dallas, Texas (I know thats not the midwest but hey maybe their map was wrong)  Along with seeing some great energy saving products, we attended a facinating lecture on photovoltaics by William Miller of Oak Ridge Labs.

Two points to share -#1  if HVAC ductwork were ran inside airconditioned space instead of our attics we would be saving millions in energy costs.  So what can be done besides rebuilding our houses?  Insulate!  Cover the ducts in insulation to the point they cannot be seen.

#2 Solar panels on white roofs in the south may not be as good of an idea as we all think.  The rooftop temperature of photovoltaics can soar to more than 165 degrees on white rooftops that normally are near ambient.  The energy loss of heating the white membrane can offset the solar output.  Solution?  Analyze each situation, however putting the solar panels on the ground probably makes a lot more sense.

Well thats all for now ….See you at Greenbuild!