Thread: Fossil Fuel Alternatives

Low carbon battery-powered train carries first passengers

Five-week trial will see first battery locomotive operating on the UK rail network in more than 50 years

A new battery-powered train will pick up its first passengers this week, signalling that the days of noisy and polluting diesel engines may soon be a thing of the past.

Following successful trials of a prototype at test tracks in Derby and Leicestershire last year, the modified Class 379 Electrostar battery-powered train – also known as an Independently Powered Electric Multiple Unit (IPEMU) – will run a weekday service for five weeks between Harwich International and Manningtree stations in Essex.

The IPEMU, which has been emblazoned with ‘Batteries Included’ livery, is the first battery-powered train to run on the UK’s rail network in more than half a century.

National Rail said it will contribute to the company’s goal of reducing its environmental impact, improving sustainability and reducing the cost of running the railway by 20% over the next five years.

Should the trial prove successful, a fleet of battery-powered trains could be seen across the network, potentially providing a cost-effective and zero emission replacement for the diesel engines that are still commonly used on branch lines.

“We are always looking for ways to reduce the cost of running the railway and make it greener too,” said Network Rail principal engineer James Ambrose. “This project has the potential to contribute significantly towards both those goals.”

Battery locomotives have actually been around for a century, although they have rarely been used to carry passengers. Munitions factories during world war one used battery power to avoid the risk of explosion from sparks emitted by steam locomotives, while London Underground currently has a fleet of battery locomotives used on engineering trains when the power is switched off for track maintenance and improvement work.

Every 2½ Minutes, A New Solar Power System Is Connected (US)

GTM Research has released an interesting new statistics regarding solar power in the United States… Ah, yes, you’ve already noticed it in the title above. As it says, a solar PV system is indeed installed in the USA every 2½ minutes, on average.

Putting this into a bit of context, Stephen Lacey notes that “Ten years ago, a system was going up every two hours on average.”

That’s also up from every 4 minutes in 2013, a statistic that even President Obama has mentioned (in 2014’s State of the Union address). Of course, the most systems were installed on homes. Approximately 200,000 solar PV systems were installed in the residential market. It wasn’t stated how many were installed in other sectors of the solar market, but the straight math just leaves about ~10,000 more. Again, that’s not at all surprising, and it’s really the residential solar number that interests most of us.

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U.S. Solar Firm Commits $4 Billion And 5 Gigawatts Of Solar In Major Deals With India

India is a country of big numbers. Nearly 1.3 billion people; more than 400 million of them don’t have electricity. Narendra Modi, India’s recently elected populist prime minister, has made providing power, even if just one lightbulb’s worth, to these wanting citizens during his term a priority. While Modi is pursuing all avenues of power creation — India’s coal union went on strike last week to protest opening the sector to international firms — he has been an outspoken advocate of renewable energy, especially solar. In the last decade India’s renewable energy capacity has gone from just under 4 gigawatts to over 27 gigawatts, much of it wind or hydro. The country has a goal of installing 10 gigawatts of solar by 2017 and 20 by 2022.

On Monday, the country took another stride toward these goals through two deals with the large U.S.-based solar company SunEdison. In dual announcements, SunEdison revealed that it signed two memorandums of understanding with India: to develop five gigawatts of renewable energy within five years in the southern Indian state of Karnataka and to build a $4 billion solar manufacturing facility as a joint venture with Adani Enterprises, a large Indian power operator. According to the press release, it will be the largest manufacturing facility of its kind in India, with an annual production capacity of 7.5 gigawatts.

“This facility will create ultra-low cost solar panels that will enable us to produce electricity so cost effectively it can compete head to head, unsubsidized and without incentives, with fossil fuels,” said Ahmad Chatila, President and Chief Executive Officer of SunEdison, in a statement.

The facility, which will create 4,500 direct jobs and over 15,000 indirect jobs, will be based in the north Indian state of Gujarat. Before becoming prime minister, Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat where he helped grow the state’s nascent solar industry. Now as prime minister, Modi has turned his eye to the country’s overall solar industry, saying that he wants foreign companies to lead investment of over $100 billion to help push India’s solar energy capacity to 100 gigawatts, some 33 times what it is now. SunEdison and other major international solar firms are being drawn in by Modi’s enthusiasm and the country’s overall potential.

Bangladesh aims to be world’s 'first solar nation'

DHAKA, Bangladesh (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Residents of Islampur, a remote village in the northern Bangladeshi district of Naogaon, were stunned one night last summer when the darkness was suddenly illuminated by electric lights coming from a village home.

Why the surprise? The community has no connection to the country’s power grid.

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According to the government-owned Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL), which began the solar home system project in 2003, 3.5 million households – about 10 percent of the country’s total – had installed SHS by the end of 2014.

"Every month, 50,000-60,000 Bangladeshi households are connected with a solar home system. In May 2014, more than 80,000 connections were made,” said Mahmood Malik, head of IDCOL. The company runs the scheme with 47 partners, including nongovernmental organisations and businesses.

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"My dream is to empower 75 million Bangladeshis through renewable energy by 2020 and make Bangladesh the first comprehensive solar nation of the world,” he said.

The government is providing low-interest loans to private companies to import and install solar panels for SHS, while businesses offer households or end-users low down-payments and the option to repay the cost of a solar home system over a period of one to three years. A 100 watt panel costs around 50,000 Bangladeshi taka ($640).

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New figures released by GTM Research show that the Latin America solar PV market grew by 370% in 2014, installing a total of 625 MW.

Latin America comprises Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, a number of regions that have each been making big inroads in renewable energy generation.

he regional Latin America leader was Chile, making up more than three-quarters of the Latin America total. As an example, in the fourth quarter of 2014 alone, Chile installed double the amount of Latin America’s annual solar PV total in 2013.

Mexico and Brazil filled out the top three spots, second and third (respectively).

The Latin America region has regularly been touted as one of the new hot-spots for renewable energy growth — especially solar.

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Not for everyone. But some parts of the design should be considered.

Builders’ New Power Play: Net-Zero Homes

Industry Wants to Bring Electricity-Generating Housing to Mass Market, but Potential Buyers Must Be Sold on Price

Net-zero homes are going mainstream, if the home-building industry has anything to do with it.

The homes, which generate more electricity in a year than they use, have long been viewed as a niche product for the affluent who can afford custom homes. The chief problem is that it is expensive to get a home to net-zero status, and many customers aren’t willing to wait several years for their electricity-bill savings to cover the thousands of dollars they would have to spend on net-zero features such as solar panels and energy-efficient windows, doors and appliances.

But some builders, motivated by what they deem as rising demand from home buyers and state and local regulators, are aiming to change those perceptions by designing such homes for the mass market. Such a model home—the latest in the National Association of Home Builders’ annual New American Home series showcasing new-home designs —is on display this week in a hillside neighborhood 7 miles from the Las Vegas Strip as part of the trade group’s International Builders Show.

The 5,800-square-foot home, designed and built by the trade group and Blue Heron Design/Build LLC, is being shown in a format that will enable other builders to incorporate elements of the design in mass-market homes across the country. The company says it can build similar—but smaller—net-zero electricity homes for about $700,000. Blue Heron anticipates listing the New American Home for $2.5 million.

One Of The World's Largest Solar Energy Farms Is Now Open In California

The largest solar farm on American federal public land was dedicated on Monday in California’s Riverside County desert, a project the state hopes will help it meet its ambitious renewable energy goals.

The Desert Sunlight Solar Farm — a 550-megawatt farm that is also one of the largest solar plants in the world — began operating in December 2014, but Monday marked the day it was officially dedicated by U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. Jewell said the project can provide enough energy to power more than 160,000 average California homes every year — a huge help for the state in meeting its goal to increase its renewable electricity use to 50 percent by 2030.

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What the net-zero homes of the future will look like?

While previously the purview of a very niche (and often expensive) housing market, net-zero homes are quickly becoming both an economically sound and sustainable proposal. The average price of an installed solar-power systems has declined more than 50% since 2010 and in 42 out of 50 of America’s largest cities, fully-financed, typically-sized solar system costs less that local utility energy. Right now, only 370 homes certified as ‘net-zero energy ready’ by Department of Energy, but demand continues to rise considerably. So what will the future of net-zero living look like?

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Porsche Pajun To Be Electric-Only Tesla Competitor?

The Panamera Junior (where the name “Pajun” was derived) was initially going to be offered with gas and diesel engine options, alongside the electric drivetrain. But the latest report indicates the conventional drivetrains are being dropped in favor of a dedicated battery-electric system. The reasoning? Not because it’ll make for a better electric car, or even because Porsche is afraid of Tesla’s emerging share of the luxury sedan market. Rather, according to the report, Porsche executives feel like the luxury sports sedan segment is currently too crowded for another conventional car that doesn’t bring anything different to the table.

Apple’s New Headquarters Will Be Powered Entirely By The Sun

On Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the company’s plans to build a 130-megawatt solar farm to power its stores and facilities located in California. Speaking at a technology conference hosted by Goldman Sachs, Cook said Apple will work with First Solar to build the $850-million plant, which will be sited on 1,300 acres in the interior of central California’s Monterey County. Apple’s two campuses in Cupertino, several hours’ drive north of the plant, as well as a data center and the state’s 52 Apple stores will all get power from the development, according to Cook.

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145 MW Of Offshore Wind Power For Northern Japan

A contract for two offshore wind parks in Japan has been won by Marubeni Corporation. The site is off the coast of Akita Prefecture, in the northern part of Honshu, Japan’s largest island. The 65 MW site is near the Akita port and will have 13 5 MW turbines. An 80 MW park will have 16 5 MW turbines, and will be located near Noshiro port. Both parks should be operating in 2021.

Each of the ports is considered to be a major port for Japan. According to one source, a 1 MW turbine located offshore can power about 400 homes, when there is adequate wind. (Offshore winds tend to blow more consistently, so the number of homes an offshore turbine can provide power to typically is greater than the number of homes that can be powered by land turbines.) If the 1 MW per 400 homes estimate is an accurate figure, the Akita offshore wind farms will provide enough electricity for approximately 58,000 homes.

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India Starts Building World’s Largest Solar Plant, Overtaking U.S.

India is about to start construction on what will be the world’s largest solar plant. As part of a redoubled effort to ramp up renewable energy capacity to help meet the developing country’s fast-growing energy needs, the 750-megawatt solar plant in Madhya Pradesh will be inaugurated on August 15, 2016 — India’s Independence Day. The plant will be significantly larger than the world-leading solar farms in California, including the recently-commissioned Desert Sunlight Solar Farm.

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With an average Indian household using only around one-thirteenth of the power required by an average American home, the 750-megawatt project, which will be on 90 percent government-owned land, could bring power to some two million households.

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In one more promising development in India’s quest to increase solar capacity 33-fold in seven years, on Sunday U.S.-based SunEdison and First Solar committed to building more than 20,000 megawatts of clean energy capacity in India by 2022.

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Japan now has more electric car charging points than gas stations

Green-car sceptics take note: Japan now has more electric vehicle charging spots than gas stations.

The country’s number-two automaker Nissan says there are now 40,000 charging units — including those inside private homes — across the nation, compared with 34,000 petrol stations.

While gas stations have multiple pumps and can service many more cars, the figures underscore efforts to boost green-vehicle infrastructure in Japan, long a leader in a sector that remains tiny globally.

What some countries/cities have done and are going to do,……..

Costa Rica got 100 percent of its electricity from renewables for 75 days straight this year, the state-run Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) announced this week.

The Latin American country hasn’t had to use fossil fuels at all so far in 2015, due to heavy rains that have kept hydroelectric power plants going strong. Wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy have also helped power the country this year.

“The year 2015 has been one of electricity totally friendly to the environment for Costa Rica,” ICE announced in a press release in Spanish this week.

This reliance on renewables has prompted the country to lower electricity rates by 12 percent. ICE predicts that rates will continue to drop for Costa Rican customers in the second quarter of the year.

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Vancouver commits to run on 100% renewable energy

Canadian city of 600,000 people is the latest to announce it will use only green energy for electricity, transportation, heating and air conditioning within 20 years

Vancouver has become the latest city to commit to running on 100% renewable energy. The city of 600,000 on Canada’s west coast aims to use only green energy sources for electricity, and also for heating and cooling and transportation.

Cities and urban areas are responsible for 70-75% of global CO2 emissions and that’s where “real action on climate will happen” said Park Won-Soon, Mayor of Seoul, South Korea at the ICLEI World Congress 2015, the triennial sustainability summit of local governments where Vancouver made the announcement.

“We are the green tide coming together to save the world from climate change,” Park said to nearly 15,000 members of local government including more than 100 mayors.

Andrea Reimer, Vancouver’s deputy mayor told the Guardian: “There’s a compelling moral imperative but also a fantastic economic case to be a green city.” The 100% goal is likely to be set for a target year of 2030 or 2035.

People and businesses want to live and work in clean and green urban areas, said Reimer, adding that whoever develops expertise in shifting to 100% renewable energy will own the 21st century.

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Brazil to Build World’s Largest Floating Solar Farm Amidst Devastating Drought

With Brazil’s historic drought drying up its hydroelectric plants, the South American country is turning to solar power to help relieve its foreboding energy crisis.

The nation announced that within four months, it will commence pilot tests of a gigantic floating solar farm located atop the Balbina hydroelectric plant in the Amazon. It’s currently unclear how physically large the floating farm will be, but the enormous reservoir it will sit on covers 2,360 square kilometers.

At 350 megawatts, Brazil’s ambitious project would easily trump Japan’s currently largest 13.4 megawatt floating solar power plant in terms of power output. To put that in another perspective, the largest solar farm in the world is the 550 megawatt Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in California.

Diversifying energy sources is clearly a necessity for the notoriously parched country. Brazil is experiencing its worst drought in four decades, causing electricity blackouts in many regions. Below-average rainfall in the last few years have depleted its reservoirs, thus gutting its formerly plentiful supply of hydropower, which supplies more than three-quarters of the country’s electricity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

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Spain Got 47 Percent Of Its Electricity From Renewables In March

Spain is getting the vast majority of its electricity from carbon-free sources, the country’s grid operator reported on Tuesday.

According to Red Electrica de Espana (REE), the Spanish peninsula got 69 percent of its electricity generation in March from technologies that produce zero carbon emissions — that is to say, renewable energy plus some of its nuclear power. Nuclear as a whole provided 23.8 percent of the country’s electricity in March, while 47 percent came solely from renewable sources.

Most of the renewable electricity being generated in Spain comes from wind, which alone provided 22.5 percent of the country’s electricity last month. Wind often competes with nuclear for the title of Spain’s top electricity generation source overall — in fact, though nuclear pulled through in March as the top source of electricity, wind has overall provided more electricity to Spain in the entirety of 2015. From January to March, according to REE, wind provided 23.7 percent of electricity generation while nuclear made up 22.7 percent.

Spain has long been a leader in renewable energy, just recently becoming the first country in the world to have relied on wind as its top energy source for an entire year. The country is attempting to use wind power to supply 40 percent of its electricity consumption by 2020, according to CleanTechnica.

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US carbon emissions set to fall to lowest level in two decades

Analysts say decline of coal and rise of wind and solar will lead to significant fall in emissions this year, reports RTCC

US efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions look set for a huge boost this year, with carbon pollution from the power sector set to fall to its lowest level since 1994.

Record numbers of US coal-fired power plants are set to close this year, and analysts at Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) say this will likely see power sector emissions drop 15.4% below 2005 levels.

Research published today indicates 23GW, 7% of US coal capacity, will come offline due to a combination of low gas prices, new mercury emission standards and the age of closing power plants.

“On an emissions rate basis (t/MWh), 2015 will be the cleanest year in over 60 years for which we have historical data,” says the report.

At the same time investment in renewables is rising fast, with a new 18 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy due to starting feeding into the US grid this year.

BNEF says new solar installations will hit an “all-time high” of 9.1GW, led by California, while new wind build will hit 8.8GW, with a third of new projects in Texas.