Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Niti Aayog to promote India as renewable energy hub, output to be hiked fourfold





Niti Aayog, the premier think tank of the Indian government, has been assigned the task of promoting India as a renewable energy investment destination, while also developing a strategy so that its target of achieving nearly fourfold output (from 45 GW to 175 GW) can be achieved by 2022. However, people aware of the matter said that this move could potentially create a split between the Niti Aayog and the Ministry of New And Renewable Energy."It is difficult to ramp up output four times in six years because of a large number of commercial and technical problems associated with renewable energy generation. Hence, the government has decided to set up an overseeing mechanism which will see the implementation of the roadmap laid out by the government," a senior government official told ET on the condition of anonymity. The Aayog has been introduced with a two-tier structure, which comprises of an advisory group and a steering committee, the announcement order for which has been issued. "The advisory group will oversee the integration of RE into electricity grid by promoting coordination between the Centre and states and suggest interventions required to promote India as an RE investment destination/hub to achieve national renewable energy targets," it said in an order. Arvind Panagariya, VC of NITI Aayog, will be the chairperson of the advisory group, also consisting of Power Minister Piyush Goyal and minister of state (energy) from 10 potential states. These 10 potential states include Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam and Punjab. On the other hand, the second tier will consist of a steering committee, which would be chaired by Aayog's COO Amitabh Kant, and would have power and renewable energy secretary and principal secretary (energy) of these 10 states as its members.

"The steering committee will facilitate RE grid integration and efficient grid operating strategy, afford a coordination mechanism among different stakeholders at the central and state levels to implement the aforesaid strategies as well as report the progress of implementation assembly to the adviser group," the order said.

It was last year that the Aayog had come out with a report on the country's renewable electricity roadmap 2030, in which it had recommended that a national renewable energy law or policy should be formulated to define targets, identify the financial support required for achieving targets and undertake integrated energy resource planning.









Posted By: BS

Germany Runs Up Against the Limits of Renewables




At one point this month renewable energy sources briefly supplied close to 90 percent of the power on Germany’s electric grid. But that doesn’t mean the world’s fourth-largest economy is close to being run on zero-carbon electricity. In fact, Germany is giving the rest of the world a lesson in just how much can go wrong when you try to reduce carbon emissions solely by installing lots of wind and solar.

After years of declines, Germany’s carbon emissions rose slightly in 2015, largely because the country produces more electricity than it needs. That’s happening because even if there are times when renewables can supply nearly all of the electricity on the grid, the variability of those sources forces Germany to keep other power plants running. And in Germany, which is phasing out its nuclear plants, those other plants primarily burn dirty coal.

Now the government is about to reboot its energy strategy, known as the Energiewende. It was launched in 2010 in hopes of dramatically increasing the share of the country’s electricity that comes from renewable energy and slashing the country’s overall carbon emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 (see “The Great German Energy Experiment”). What happens next will be critical not only for Germany, but also for other countries trying to learn how to best bring more wind and solar online—especially if they want to do it without relying on nuclear power.


Some aspects of the Energiewende have been successful: renewable sources accounted for nearly one-third of the electricity consumed in Germany in 2015. The country is now the world’s largest solar market. Germany’s carbon emissions in 2014 were 27 percent lower than 1990 levels.
However, an expert commission appointed by the country’s minister of economy and energy has said the 40 percent target probably won’t be reached by 2020. And the energy revolution has caused problems of its own. Because fossil-fuel power plants cannot easily ramp down generation in response to excess supply on the grid, on sunny, windy days there is sometimes so much power in the system that the price goes negative—in other words, operators of large plants, most of which run on coal or natural gas, must pay commercial customers to consume electricity. That situation has also arisen recently in Texas and California (see “Texas and California Have Too Much Renewable Energy”) when the generation of solar power has maxed out.
In hopes of addressing such issues, Germany’s Parliament is expected to soon eliminate the government-set subsidy for renewable energy, known as a feed-in tariff, that has largely fueled the growth in wind and solar. Instead of subsidizing any electricity produced by solar or wind power, the government will set up an auction system. Power producers will bid to build renewable energy projects up to a capacity level set by the government, and the resulting prices paid for power from those plants will be set by the market, rather than government fiat.

The auction system is designed to reduce the rate of new renewable-energy additions and keep Germany from producing too much power. It might seem like an easy way to solve the oversupply issue would be to shut down excess power plants, especially ones that burn coal. But not only are the coal plants used to even out periods when wind and solar aren’t available, they’re also lucrative and thus politically hard to shut down. Because German law requires renewable energy to be used first on the German grid, when Germany exports excess electricity to its European neighbors it primarily comes from coal plants. Last fall, the German subsidiary of the Swedish energy giant Vattenfall started up a 1,600-megwatt coal-fired plant that had been under construction for eight years, defying opposition from politicians, environmental organizations, and citizens who want to see coal plants eliminated. 

Putting a steep price on carbon emissions would hasten the shutdown of German coal plants. But Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme, designed to establish a continentwide market for trading permits for carbon emissions, has been a bust. Prices for the permits are so low that there is little incentive for power producers to shut down dirty plants.
Also helpful would be a Europewide “supergrid” that would enable renewable power to be easily transported across borders, reducing the need for reliable, always-on fossil fuel plants to supplement intermittent electricity from solar and wind. “If you want to use fluctuating renewable power, you have to upgrade the grids across Europe,” says Daniel Genz, a policy adviser with Vattenfall.  Efforts to build that grid are under way, but they’ll be expensive: between €100 billion and €400 billion ($112 billion to $448 billion), according to a November 2015 report from e-Highway2050, which was formed by the European Union to plan for a pan-European power grid.







Original Post: Richard Martin













Friday, May 20, 2016

ENTIRE COUNTRY OF PORTUGAL RUNS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR 4 DAYS



After analyzing the data, the ZERO-System Sustainable Land Association and Portuguese Renewable Energy Association have determined that between 6:45 am on May 7 and and 5:45 pm on May 11, Portugal's total energy use was all covered by renewable energy sources.
The World Economic Forum reports that Portugal has been building up its renewable energy sources for the past few years. In 2013, the country reportedly generated 7.5 percent of its electricity with wind power, increasing to 22 percent last year. In addition, WEF says, Portugal got about half of its energy from renewable sources (including solar and hydro power) in 2015.
While four days doesn't seem like much, it's an encouraging prospect that an entire country can meet its energy demands through renewable. Perhaps it will inspire those who are particularly driven by friendly competition.







 By Lindsey Kratochwill

Sunday, May 15, 2016

India ranks 3rd in 'Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index'


India’s renewable energy sector has been ranked third in the Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) with China at second and the US on top.

The so-called emerging markets now represent half the countries in the 40-strong index, including four African markets featuring in the top 30. Just a decade ago, only China and India were attractive enough to compete with more developed markets for investment, EY said in the report. While the top three countries maintained their ranking, Chile, Brazil and Mexico climbed higher in the index to be ranked in the top 10 at the fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Germany at fifth and France at eighth fell in the latest ranking.

Kuljit Singh, partner (infrastructure practice) at EY, said: “The report demonstrates that low solar bids are not a phenomenon restricted to India, but countries such as Mexico and Dubai have also been reporting very low solar bids. As is the case with India, wind continues to be at a pricing premium to solar in the rest of the world, but both these technologies are racing towards grid parity, which may lead to not-so-desirable consequences for traditional utility business models.



Original Post: Joyti Mukul 

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Higher ozone, lower humidity levels associated with dry eye disease



Air pollution is an important public health concern. According to the World Health Organization, most significant constituents of air pollution include particulate matter (PM), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Ambient levels of air pollution are known to be associated with a wide range of adverse health effects that particularly affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Ocular surface abnormalities related to air pollution are thought to be a subtype of dry eye disease (DED); however, to date, there has been no large-scale study evaluating an association between air pollution and DED that includes multiple air pollutants.
This study included data on 16,824 participants in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from January 2010 to December 2012. Dry eye disease was defined as previously diagnosed by an ophthalmologist or the presence of frequent ocular pain and discomfort, such as feeling dry or irritated. Outdoor air pollution measurements (average annual humidity, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <10 µm [PM10], ozone, and nitrogen dioxide levels) were collected from 283 national monitoring stations in South Korea.
The researchers found that decreased humidity levels and increased ozone levels were associated with DED, after controlling for known risk factors such as sex, dyslipidemia, thyroid disease, subjective health awareness, and previous ocular surgery. "These results, however, are just associations and do not definitively indicate a cause-and-effect relationship between DED and outdoor air pollution."
PM10, one of the leading public health issues, was not associated with DED. The authors speculate that possible explanations for this finding is that reflex tearing might help flush PM from the ocular surface, or that environmental PM10 levels currently in Korea are not high enough to induce adverse effects on the ocular surface.



Original Post: The JAMA Network Journals

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

New Test Facility to Improve Wind Turbines



Premature failures of mechanical systems have a significant impact on the cost of wind turbine operations and thus the total cost of wind energy. Recently, the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) took a giant step forward in the quest for more reliable, lower-cost wind power with the addition of the new 5-megawatt (MW) Dynamometer Test Facility at its National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). The new facility dramatically expands the capability of NWTC engineers and their industry partners to verify the performance and reliability of wind turbine drivetrain prototypes and commercial machines.

NREL engineer Scott Lambert (left) and Project Manager Mark McDade discuss calibrations being done on the new dynamometer at the 5-MW Dynamometer Test Facility at NREL's National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). Credit: Dennis Schroeder.

The facility is capable of testing drivetrains up to 5 MW — large enough to test virtually any land-based turbine — and employs dynamically variable loading capabilities that will allow researchers to better simulate conditions a turbine might experience in the field.
"These new capabilities make this a very special facility, one of the largest and finest of its kind in the world," NWTC Director Fort Felker said. "It gives NREL an enhanced ability to do comprehensive testing of modern multi-megawatt wind turbine systems in a laboratory environment to verify their performance and reliability before they are widely deployed."



NWTC Director Fort Felker speaks at the November dedication ceremony for the new 5-MW Dynamometer Test Facility. Credit: Dennis Schroeder

A dynamometer system replaces the rotor and blades of a wind turbine and allows researchers to control the turbine drivetrain's mechanical and electrical systems while simulating normal and extreme operating conditions. Historically, this testing has been done under torque (rotating) loads only. The new state-of-the-art facility at the NWTC, funded with the support of the Energy Department and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), incorporates a non-torque loading system into the testing regimen, a hydraulic device that allows for simulation of both the rotational and bending loads that a wind turbine rotor places on a drivetrain.

"The non-torque loading system is what really sets this facility apart from other comparable test sites," NWTC Dynamometer Project Manager Mark McDade said. "This allows us to test the drivetrain system with the types of loads that it will see in a real-world application. It's a very important feature for a test apparatus because the adverse impacts these types of loads can have on a system are significant."
The system features a 6-MW motor, which provides the power to a turbine during testing. The motor turns at very high speed and low torque. The motor drives a gearbox, which transforms the output to the high torque and low speed that is appropriate for a wind turbine drivetrain. This provides the rotating loads on the test article.
Add to this motorized torque testing the non-torque loading capability unique to the NWTC, and NREL is able to put a wind turbine drivetrain through the most realistic loading tests possible in a laboratory.




By David Glickson, NREL

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Bioeconomy: One Billion Tons of Biomass



The federal agencies that provide the muscle for energy policy are finalizing plans to harness the energy from one billion tons of biomass per year. The “Bioeconomy Vision” is an effort to move biomass out of the laboratory and into the market. The goal, within the next 15 years, is production and commercialization of biofuels, renewable chemicals and similar organic products. The target is a 30 percent penetration of biomass carbon into the U.S. transportation market by 2030 to create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas impacts, and enhance national security.
The Vision results from work started in 2013 by the Biomass Research & Development Board, created by the Biomass R&D Act of 2000. The Board is co-chaired by leadership from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Agriculture. Six other agencies participate, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Executive Office. In July, at the annual meeting of DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office (BETO), the Board will present an implementation plan for the Vision.
This is not cookbook stuff. In a February report — Federal Activities Report on the Bioeconomy — the Board outlines four main challenges:
  • Sustainably producing and accessing adequate, affordable feedstocks
  • Developing and applying innovative, cost-competitive conversion technologies
  • Optimizing distribution and supply chain infrastructure
  • Consumer education
The production of adequate and affordable feedstocks means plants grown specifically for energy use — and not just any plants grown anywhere. Planners do not want to impact the agricultural space necessary for food, fiber and livestock. Right now, plant science is focusing on perennial grasses, such as switchgrass and mixed native grasses and woody biomass from fast-growth trees. In the future, such crops would grow on marginal and otherwise unused landscapes.
Potentially, one billion tons of biomass could yield “50 billion gallons of fuel — gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel, about 25 percent of the market, for 2030,” commented Alison Goss Eng, a Program Manager with BETO who serves as liaison between DOE and the R&D Board.
That success, though, is dependent on the right biomass. Researchers need feedstock plants with high sugar, low fiber. New kinds of plants will likely be needed.
“The importance of new energy crop varieties with increased yield and higher tolerance to a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses is critical to realizing mandated biofuel goals,” BETO wrote in its March 2016 “Multi-Year Program Plan.” This scope goes beyond just plants. Board advisers speak of a “synthetic biological foundry” to hasten R&D and create “industrially relevant organisms.”
Goss Eng is confident that the Board is sufficiently out front on potentially contentious issues. The Board has a collaborative inter-agency process providing checks and balances to vet how or whether programs should roll out.
Goss Eng said it is EPA’s “mission space” to evaluate safety regarding genetically modified plants. She said the July BETO meeting will suggest areas for continued federal research priorities. She stressed that the Board and its advisors also seek and encourage private sector participation and interest. She noted that if there is no commercial side to biofuel development, these good ideas will remain static.




Original Post: REWorld

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Give solar thermal a chance, industry urges DECC





Falling returns for solar PV under the feed-in tariff offers solar thermal a fighting chance, says Solar Trade Association, but only if Ministers retain some support for technology
The recent cuts to solar Feed-in Tariff (FiT) incentives may spell good news for solar thermal installers - but only if the industry can convince the government to keep supporting the technology under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
The solar industry is urging the government to abandon its plans to remove support for solar thermal under the Renewable Heat Incentive, arguing that it now has a fighting chance to thrive following the cuts to support for PV.
The reforms come as the government battles to improve its sluggish performance on renewable heat in time to meet its legally binding 2020 renewables targets. Ministers have admitted the UK is currently on track to miss the target, primarily becasue of slower than expected progress with renewable heat and renewable transport fuel technologies.
Key changes proposed for the Domestic RHI include the introduction of "heat demand limits" to prevent larger homes claiming too much of the budget from the scheme, new rules allowing households to reassign their right to RHI payments to companies that have installed low-carbon technology, and higher tariff rates for heat pumps. Notably, under both the domestic and non-domestic systems, support for solar thermal would be removed altogether from 2017.
It is perhaps unsurprising that solar thermal is in the crosshairs for DECC. Data released earlier this year suggested solar thermal systems accounted for just two per cent of total non-domestic applications under the RHI and 12 per cent of domestic applications as of December 2015. Applications for biomass and heat pumps, the two other main technologies supported under the scheme, far outstrip interest in solar thermal, the data revealed.
Industry body the Solar Trade Association (STA) admits that to date solar thermal has not been a runaway success under the RHI. "Clearly, solar thermal has suffered in recent years in terms of its deployment," Mike Landy, head of policy at the STA, told BusinessGreen. "One of the main reasons that it has suffered is the boom in PV deployment that has taken place under the Feed-in Tariff... Not only that, but in the years soon after the launch of the FiTs there was huge uncertainty about whether the domestic RHI would happen at all."
But that picture is beginning to change, he argued, as a result of the recent upheaval to the FiTs scheme that has seen support for solar PV deployment slashed. In January the government substantially cut the subsidy rates available to PV installations and introduced a quarterly cap on deployment - and early data suggests installation rates are falling sharply as a result.
Earlier this year, the STA conducted a poll of its members asking them to compare the level of enquiries into solar thermal for the first two months of 2015 compared to the first two months of this year. Members reported an 88 per cent jump in interest, which Landy suggests is a sign that solar thermal may be poised to benefit from the cuts to the FiTs as households keen to cut their carbon emissions and energy bills look at alternatives to solar PV panels.
In light of this increase in customer interest, the STA is urging the government not to halt its support for solar thermal under the RHI. "Our number one ask to DECC is to just leave it for the time being," said Landy. "We're not asking for an increase in tariff, we're simply saying do not remove it and allow the market to recover."
Meanwhile, other renewable heat providers are also concerned about how the proposed changes to the RHI will affect the deployment of their chosen technology.
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) warns DECC's plans to move all non-domestic biomass systems to a single tariff will cause a "collapse" in the deployment of biomass boilers. The REA has said it has responded to the consultation by warning the proposed move would result in job losses and a slower rate of decarbonisation at odds with the country's 2020 renewable targets.
"We need a range of technologies to decarbonise a range of properties," said Frank Aaskov, policy analyst at the REA, in a statement. "Rural locations for example with no access to a gas network cannot be left behind. Biomass boilers are low cost, provide significant carbon savings compared to oil boilers, and support the growth of healthy British forests. It is distressing that the government's proposals would shutter this growing industry and would have us rely instead on largely untested technologies."
DECC has claimed the planned reforms will deliver a "reformed and refocused" scheme for renewable heat technologies, predicting the revamped scheme would support 23TWh of renewable heat generation by 2020/21 and deliver between 27 and 40 megatonnes of CO2 abatement under the fourth carbon budget, which runs through the mid 2020s.
However, some industry bodies have voiced concerns the proposed changes do not go far enough. A new report published today by the Energy and Utilites Alliance suggests the proposed RHI policy changes are unlikely to drive significant progress towards the 2020 renewables target or major change in the UK heating market.
Isaac Occhipinti, head of external affairs at EUA, called the plans "fundamentally flawed". "We advocate that the RHI should be used in a much more targeted way," he said in a statement. "For each sector of the housing market the most appropriate heating solution should be identified, this would deliver the most effective result both in terms of cost and carbon savings."
Similarly, the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) is calling on DECC to make the RHI more focused by targeting funding at homes that can accommodate a renewable heating system and those where the current heating system is especially carbon intensive.
DECC will now consider all the consultation responses put forward by the renewable heat industry, with a final decision expected in July. It is clear that bolder action is needed on renewable heat for the UK to get back on track to meeting its renewables targets and provide the foundations for the full decarbonisation of the energy sector. But only time will tell whether DECC agrees with the industry over what form that action takes.



Original Post: Madeleine Cuff

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Developed nations should encourage renewable energy programmes: India




EW YORK: India has said that developed nations should encourage renewable energy programmes and not "put a spoke into it" as it termed "unfortunate" a recent WTO ruling against its power purchase agreements with solar firms.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, who is here to sign the historic Paris climate change agreement at theUnited Nations today, said he will use the occasion to raise the "unfortunate" case of the US going to the WTO on the issue.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/images/pixel.gif
"I will definitely raise (this issue) in my speech. This is unfortunate, not the ruling, even America going to WTO, that is unfortunate," he told PTI here. Javadekar added that India has launched the world's largest renewable program and reserved a "very small" part of it for Indian manufacturers.

Yet, if that is being "challenged without seeing the things in proper context and perspective" and on technical grounds, it is discouraging for the developing nations, he said. Such an action "discourages. This is not multilateralism. We must encourage" nations undertaking clean energy programs. "India generating 175 GW of renewable energy is the biggest program. One should not put a spoke into it. You are lecturing one thing and practicing the exact opposite," he said. He said while it is up to the Commerce Ministry to take a call on how to proceed with the matter, "such things should not happen."

Ruling against India, WTO had recently said the government's power purchase agreements with solar firms were "inconsistent" with international norms -- a matter in which the US had filed a complaint before the global trade body alleging discrimination against American firms. The US had dragged India to WTO on this issue in 2014, alleging the clause relating to Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) in the country's solar power mission were discriminatory in nature and "nullified" the benefits accruing to American solar power developers.

Javadekar will join heads of state, foreign ministers and other representatives from more than 165 countries who will sign the historic climate change agreement reached in Paris last December at the signature ceremony hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The large number of countries will set a record for the most countries to sign an international agreement on one day, previously set in 1982, when 119 countries signed the Law of the Sea Convention. Javadekar expressed hope that "collective wisdom" will ultimately prevail and both developed and developing nations will do their part to address the issue of climate change. "India has come to New York for signing the Paris agreement with full confidence that ultimately the collective wisdom will prevail and all countries - developed and developing - will do their bit," Javadekar said.

Noting that the issue of climate fund continues to remain a concern, he said developed countries have to mobilize USD 100 billion "sooner than later" and they must also take enhanced targets for 2016-2020, which is the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. "Their actions should be declared immediately. That will give more confidence to the developing world that the developed world is also walking the talk," he said.
Javadekar underscored that India is "leading by example" as he highlighted that the country has put a six dollar cess per tonne on coal, besides already taking another 26 initiatives post the Paris pact to address climate change.

"The cess is the highest tax put on coal. It is a solid action taken against carbon emission," he said, adding that nations have applauded India's decision of taxing its coal.
"India has showcased its leadership and if developed world follows this example" and puts a similar cess on their coal production, "they will easily mobilize" the USD 100 billion required by 2020 for the climate fund, he said.

"We have led by example, taxed our coal. The developed nations should also do that. They have to show their commitment otherwise whole Paris agreement will fall apart," he said. He said every climate action has a "cost" and developed nations are asking the developing world to pay that cost.

"The developed world has caused the climate change of today because of their 100 years of relentless carbon emissions. We are much cleaner at our development stages as compared to those of the developed world," he said, adding the developed world "behaved irresponsibly" and the developing nations are suffering.

Outlining the measures taken by the government to cut carbon emissions, Javadekar said India has incentivized and given subsidy to electrical and hybrid vehicles and enacted an 'e-rickshaw bill'. The government has also taxed petroleum and diesel vehicles, aiming to "disincentivize" polluting vehicles.

Almost 40 per cent of India's energy mix by 2030 will be from non-fossil fuel.
"America will not achieve such a mix through their INDCs. So developed nations must take up more targets," he said.




Original Post: ET

BRICS Bank Approves $811 Million Funding For Renewable Energy Projects





As promised, the BRICS New Development Bank has approved its first funding for renewable energy projects.
The BRICS New Development Bank has approved funding for a total of $811 million to banks and institutions in Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. Bank President KV Kamath has repeatedly stated that the first funding from the New Development Bank will go to a renewable energy project.
Brazil’s Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social will get the largest lending support worth $300 million. The credit line will be used for setting up 600 MW of renewable energy capacity. India’s Canara Bank will receive $250 million, of which $75 million has been earmarked for 500 MW of renewable energy projects.
South Africa’s Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. will receive funding worth $180 million which will be used for the implementation of transmission and renewable energy projects. Eskom needs to substantially upgrade its transmission network to absorb the rapidly increasing renewable energy capacity. The funding will also be used for the implementation of 500 MW renewable energy capacity.
China’s Shanghai Lingang Hongbo New Energy Development Co. will receive $81 million funding, to finance a 100 MW rooftop solar power project.
The BRICS New Development Bank is expected to approve more funding for renewable energy projects. Demand for renewable energy funding will be very high from all member countries, except Russia. China and India have among the largest renewable energy targets in the world. South Africa and Brazil also have very ambitious renewable energy target.




Original Post: CleanTechnica

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Unfair Play: India Accuses US in Double Standards on Renewable Energy







India's Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal told Indian NDTV channel that several US states apply policies, similar to those adopted in India, to promote their own renewable energy companies.

According to Piyush Goyal, 16 states in the US "have similar Domestic Content Requirements when they procure solar panels for their energy needs".
"(It is) very unfortunate that they took this route rather than promoting renewable energy in developing countries," he added.
Earlier this year, the WTO ruled that India's requirement that only Indian products be used in solar panel manufacturing is "inconsistent" with a range of global trade regulations. This ruling was implemented following the US's claim.
India filed an appeal against the WTO decision to the Organization's highest court — the Appellate Authority — pointing out that 16 US states apply have policies similar to Indian in effect. As New Dehli awaits the final judgment by the Appellate Authority, they also prepared 16 cases to be filed against American States on renewable energy policies.



Original Post: Sputnik News



Thursday, April 21, 2016

Apple rings in Earth Day with video highlighting iMessage and renewable energy



Tomorrow is officially Earth Day and while it has already revealed some of its efforts, Apple this evening has uploaded a new video to its YouTube channel highlighting its green initiatives. The ad, entitled “iMessage – Renewable Energy,” highlights the company’s renewable energy efforts and encourages everyone to “show some love for the earth.”
In the ad, Apple uses iMessage to explain how every day users of services like iMessage are taking advantage of its green initiatives. The company shows that every time an iMessage is sent, it makes it away to an Apple data center, which is powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
Every time you send an iMessage, you’re showing some love for the Earth.
It’s an especially clever video to highlight Earth Day and Apple’s continued efforts to leave the world better than they found it. Last week, Apple launched a new campaign in the App Store to raise funds for the World Wide Fund for Nature, while Apple Stores around the world are also going green ahead of Earth Day. This week, Apple shared collection of new playlists on Apple Music that the company said provides the “perfect soundtrack for Earth day – and beyond.”
You can view Apple’s new ad with an Earth Day focus below. The video is said to the song “Ophelia” by The Lumineers.





Original Post: Devvrat


Tuesday, April 19, 2016

India bright spot for global renewable energy investments in Q1




India was one of the bright spots in clean energy investments in the first quarter of calendar year 2016, amid a fall in markets such as China and Brazil, according to data from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. As per the data, India’s clean energy investments reached $1.9 billion in the January-March quarter, up 6 per cent from the comparable period in 2015.

The Narendra Modi-led BJP government has set an ambitious target of increasing renewable power capacity to 175 gigawatts by 2022 as part of its plan to supply electricity to every household.
Ashish Sethia, head of India and Southeast Asia, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said in an email response: “While a rise in investments is a positive sign, they have to almost double from here to meet PM Modi’s ambitious 175GW target.”

Global investments in renewable energy fell 12 per cent during the first three months of 2016, due to the slowdown in emerging economies, according to data released Tuesday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The decline in overall investment comes after a record year for clean energy investments in 2015, when the spending reached $328.9 billion.

Spending on renewables fell to $53.1 billion in the first-quarter this year when compared to $60.5 billion in the first quarter of 2015, it said. The first quarter is often the weakest of the year for global investment, and totals may be revised up if more deals come to light, BNEF said.
In the first quarter of 2016, spending on clean energy fell 37 per cent to $11.8 billion in China and investments in Brazil fell 27 per cent to $1 billion from the comparable period last year. Other key markets also saw a slow start. South Africa recorded almost no deals in Q1 2016, when compared to $3.7 billion in the same quarter of 2015.

Japan’s investment was down 19 per cent to $6.8 billion, while Chile, Mexico and Uruguay, all significant centres for investment in 2015, had quiet starts to 2016, it said.

Europe recorded the strongest growth, where spending rose 70 per cent to $17 billion, driven by three big billion-dollar wind project investments. In the US, spending rose 9 per cent to $9.7 billion.

Michael Liebreich, chairman of the advisory board at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said: “Based on Q1 figures, 2016 is going to be hard-pressed to beat last year’s record investment total.



“The fundamentals behind global clean energy investment remain strong, with our latest research showing solar PV and wind again reducing their costs and competing strongly despite lower coal, oil and gas prices. But China accounted for more than one third of all new financings last year, so what happens there in 2016 will be crucial.”




Original Post: The Hindu

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Support Dries Up for Renewable-Energy Tax Breaks



An attempt by renewable-energy advocates to have their tax breaks hitch a ride on a Senate aviation bill looks like it isn’t going to get off the ground.
The breaks in question included some odds and ends that had been left out of last year’s tax-extensions law, such as tax credits for geothermal heat pumps, clean-energy manufacturing facilities and fuel cells.
They came under criticism from some Republicans and from Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, groups tied to the industrialists Charles and David Koch, who pegged them as “corporate welfare.”
The effort to extend the breaks fell apart on Tuesday.
“The minimal Republican interest seems to have evaporated,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown, (D., Ohio). “When the Koch brothers tell them no, they don’t move.”
Taking the tax breaks out will make it easier to pass the aviation bill. Supporters of the renewable-energy breaks will try again later this year.



Original Post: washwire