Monday, February 29, 2016

Budget 2016: Jaitley allocates Rs 5036 crore for renewable energy sector





The finance minister in Budget 2015-16 had revised the target of renewable energy capacity to 1,75,000 MW till 2022, comprising 1,00,000 MW solar, 60,000 MW wind, 10,000 MW biomass and 5,000 MW small hydro 


Finance minister Arun Jaitley has allocated Rs 5036 crore for the renewable energy sector in Budget 2016. The finance minister in Budget 2015-16 had revised the target of renewable energy capacity to 1,75,000 MW till 2022, comprising 1,00,000 MW solar, 60,000 MW wind, 10,000 MW biomass and 5,000 MW small hydro. 

As on December 31, 2015, cumulative capacity of about 38,820 MW off grid-interactive renewable energy capacity has been installed in the country which includes 25,088 MW from wind power, 4,878 MW from solar power, 4,177 MW from small hydro power and 4,677 MW from bio-power. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Joint Secretary Tarun Kapoor had recently said that while the one lakh MW target is ambitious, it's achievable. "By March end we will be around 6,500 MW and by March 2017 we will have 20,000 MW capacities," he had said. The government also said installed capacity of solar power crossed 5,000 MW in January. Considering the tall target, the industry was expecting tax incentives and financial support to make 'solar' an attractive and viable option. 

The renewable energy ministry had also sought over Rs 10,000 crore as increased budgetary allocation to meet this ambitious target. By way of incentive, Jaitley has reduced excise duty on carbon pultrusions used for manufacture of rotor blades, and intermediates, parts and sub-parts of rotor blades for wind operated electricity generators, to 6 percent from 12.5 percent. At the same time, excise duty on unsaturated polyester resin (polyester-based infusion resin and hand layup resin), hardeners/hardener for adhesive resin, vinyl easter adhesive (VEA) and epoxy resin used for manufacture of rotor blades, and intermediates, parts and sub-parts of rotor blades for wind-operated electricity generators being increased to 6 percent from nil.






Original Post: Devika Ghosh (Money Control)

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Bio Energy





Original Post: Devvrat


Renewable energy sector in trouble




THE PERSISTENT DECLINE in oil prices might have proven an economic blessing for Barbados. But for the renewable energy sector it has become a nightmare as companies providing installations ponder whether it is worth it to stay in business.

Customers who invested in grid-tied systems in tandem with Barbados Light & Power (BL&P), the island’s Canadian-owned monopoly, are also now finding even when they produce more energy, which has to be sold to the grid, than they consume, it is just not worth it. Add this to a pull-back of interest from some consumers and you have a scenario where critics of the decision by the Fair Trading Commission to tie payment for energy produced from the sun to fossil fuel rates are more convinced than ever that the system needs to be revamped urgently.

Shawn, whose full name is withheld, says customers who are faced with rates that are in favour of the electricity company to the extent that he has ended up producing more energy than he consumed and yet had to pay. So, rather than making money from the excess he finds he has a bill. He pointed to a monthly bill where he generated an average of 6.4 kilowatts daily from his solar photo voltaic system and averaged usage of 2.7 kilowatts.

For him the investment simply does not add up. This, at a time when Government has indicated support for an eventual 100 per cent renewable energy economy and forecasts of expanded uptake by renewable energy customers to reduce a burgeoning oil import bill. Prominent businessman Ralph “Bizzy” Williams, who champions renewable energy and has invested millions of dollars in a sector for which he has a passion “...We in Barbados have to sell our electricity generated from the sun that requires no foreign exchange to generate at a price that is lower than the price that we have to buy it back from the Light & Power. It’s not fair...” laments Williams, who has his eyes on establishing a $6 million megawatt solar farm in Cane Garden, St Thomas.
It makes no business sense to a small Bridgetown entrepreneur such as Shawn, it makes no sense to local and possibly foreign independent power producers, it makes no sense to perpetuate a system whose flaws are forecast.

Clearly, we know now from reality the method of using a fossil fuel model to pay for renewable energy makes no business sense. That investors cannot be interested in a sector where they are constrained on their generation of energy, how they use excess capacity and a business climate transformed not only by regulatory and policy shortcomings but global energy output and power struggles, should also be obvious.
Only one interested party appears to be smiling all the way to the bank – BL&P.
But to cast blame on the monopoly energy supplier would be unfair, as that company does not make nor implement Government’s energy policy, nor does it regulate itself, nor does it have any control over the global oil battle involving Washington, Beijing, Moscow and the Middle Eastern oil producers.

Fixing all that is wrong with the regulated pricing mechanism by swiping a lightning sabre out of Star Wars imagery, though desired, cannot be accomplished in short order. Not in an environment of governmental silos.
But Government must now recognise that “hastening slowly” on a pricing mechanism what is unfair to small investors, consumers, big business and big investors is no longer valid.

Hence, the need for some urgent tweaking and consideration of a clear, near term road map or policy on the renewable energy sector.





Original Post:News N

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Helping to expand the use of renewable energy to create a low-carbon society






Original \post: Devvrat

WTO rules against India in solar power dispute



India on Wednesday lost a case at the World Trade Organization (WTO) after the global trade body said power purchase agreements signed by the government with solar firms for the ambitious National Solar Mission did not meet international norms.


India might appeal against the WTO's panel ruling, a PTI report said later.

The US had filed a complaint before the WTO on this issue in 2014, alleging foreign firms would not be able to take part in India’s electrification programmes and the lucrative government contracts that came with it. It said a clause relating to domestic content requirement (DCR) for the procurement of solar cells and modules under Phase-I and Phase-II of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission were discriminatory and “nullified” the benefits accruing to American solar power developers.

After looking into the matter, the WTO’s dispute settlement panel had also ruled that “the DCR measures are inconsistent” with relevant provisions of the Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMs) Agreement and with the articles of the erstwhile General Agreement of Trade and Tariffs (GATT). The panel also found that the DCR measures accorded “less favourable treatment” to American companies and were “not justified” under the general exceptions in GATT rules.

Earlier on Wednesday, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had informed the Rajya Sabha that India and the US have engaged multiple times to settle the long-running solar power trade dispute through mutually agreed solution at WTO.

The panel found that DCR measures were not distinguishable in any relevant respect from the domestic content requirements previously examined under this provision by the Appellate Body in Canada — Renewable Energy / Feed-In Tariff Programme.

“In particular, the panel found that the electricity purchased by the government is not in a ‘competitive relationship’ with the solar cells and modules subject to discrimination under the DCR measures,” the findings said. Government officials could not be reached for a comment.

India has an ambitious target of generating 20,000 Mw of solar power by 2022.




Original Post: BS Reporter

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Simply Increase Energy Efficiency



Global warming is increasing every year and at the same time climate change is coming to light thus pointing the need to reduce our overall energy consumption. In simple words, we need to increase energy efficiency. To fight global warming, it is absolutely necessary for us to reduce our energy consumption and look at ways of sustainable living. We can say that energy saving starts from home, whenever you save energy; you not only save money but also reduce the demand for such fossil fuels as coal, oil, and natural gas. So just read on to get key ideas for improving energy efficiency and be an earth friendly person.  Given below are some few effective ways for increasing energy efficiency in your home:  Buying energy efficient products – Purchasing efficient products is one of simple ways to increase energy efficiency. New electrical appliances such as refrigerators, dryers, washers and other appliances use less energy in comparison to older ones. While purchasing those electrical appliances you should look for those rated with ‘energy star’. Smaller items like light bulbs have more energy efficient options.  Reduce standby/vampire power – Many of the appliances which include televisions, lamps as well as the phone chargers can continue consuming energy even when it is in off mode. You should unplug those appliances when not use as this will save energy at the same reduce your electric bill up to 20 percent. You should attach them to a surge protector & turn them off when you are not using it or unplug them completely. This is one effective way to increase energy efficiency.  Turn down thermostat & reduce heat transfer- Most of the people turn on heater during months of cold knowing much knowledge that heat produced up to 30 percent is escaping through the windows. To save this energy one can install energy efficient windows to minimize heat transfer. During summer, these windows reduce heat transfer into the house minimizing the need of air conditioning.  Go solar – This is one of the great options to increase energy efficiency. One can install solar panels for overall energy grid or just for the water heater. Depending on where you live, wind energy may be a more preferable option.





Original Post: Green T

Monday, February 22, 2016

Grants available for renewable energy




Grants are available for agricultural producers and some rural businesses to purchase, install and construct energy efficient improvements.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering grants to add renewable energy systems to business operations. Funding is available in three forms: grants of up to $20,000, grants of up to $500,000 and loan guarantees.

Examples of eligible projects include biomass, geothermal, Hydro Power below 30 megawatts, small and large wind generation, and small and large solar generation. Funds can also be used for projects including cooling or refrigeration units, doors and windows, electric, solar or gravity pumps for sprinkler pivots and replacing energy-inefficient equipment.

The program aims to increase American energy independence by increasing the private sector's supply of renewable energy and decreasing the demand for energy through energy efficiency improvements, according to the USDA.

Grant applications are due May 2, and loan guarantee applications can be completed throughout the year. For more information about the program and business eligibility, visit the USDA's webpage on the Rural Energy for America Program: Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Loans & Grants.





Original Post: Sari Lesk

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Who’s Saving the Earth?



Bees have a BIG responsibility because they are the most important group of pollinators on Earth. Bees carry male pollen to female flowers and it is this cross-pollination that allows plants to reproduce. Honeybees, for example, are responsible for pollinating over 110 crops that you eat and use every day, like that tasty apple and even the cotton your clothes are made out of.





Original Post: Devvrat Singh Yadav

Preparing Renewable Energy Projects for El Niño



Even though many climate models hint that the coming El Niño may rival or even surpass the El Niño of 1997-98, the forecasted rainfall may still be unpredictable. However, what remains true is that the past decade of catastrophic wildfires and drought have left a parched landscape ill prepared for torrential rainfall, which can quickly create significant problems for solar and wind projects across the globe. This means site assessments and maintenance practices are a crucial aspect of El Niño preparation.
In order to minimize the damage from these sudden torrential rains, we need to think ahead and consider how heavy rain might impact the land. Even though El Niño is already upon us, during the last two El Niños on record, the heaviest rainfall did not come until February and March. Are we ready for it? While this winter could bring major drought relief, predicted torrential downpours and heavy rainstorms can also have an adverse effect if we are not prepared.
Following years of drought, as El Niño begins, many facilities are already facing drainage plans that are not fully equipped to accommodate the storm water moving through. Solar and wind facility owners, operators and contractors need to prepare now for the upcoming El Niño season. During El Niño of 1997-98, seven inches of rain fell in a single day, overflowing rivers and costing more than $400 million in damage in California.
Water always behaves the same way. It seeks its own level. What does change is the topography and elevation in the settling points. As soil is deposited, it diminishes the volume of a drainage route or a retention basin. Therefore, drainage routes and basins must be cleared of obstructions, dirt and debris that may have accumulated. Flow channels, swales, riprap beds and culverts need to be cleaned out to allow unrestricted water passage. In addition to removing debris, trash and silt buildup, contractors in operations and maintenance should make any repairs necessary to drain grates, catch basins, inlets, channels and roadways, to ensure storm water flows freely. Pay close attention to culverts under roadways using adequate lighting to inspect and ensure unobstructed water passage can occur. Maintain a channel cleaning and maintenance program that addresses vegetation trimming, debris, sediment, and trash in those flood channels.
On a smaller scale, blockage in culverts can lead to similar damage, causing water to flow over roadways and also erode or destroy site access infrastructure. To help prevent this, swales or drainages leading into basins must be intact and capable of carrying storm water at a controlled rate. A breach in a drainage route or flow path negates the design capabilities to move water across the property or into an appropriate catch basin.
A good rule of thumb to follow is “inspect what you expect” by looking at the “story marks” on the property from the last wet weather event. Many utility-scale solar and wind fields are constructed on or around dry lakebeds where land is inherently flat and where soil peculation is minimal. Typically, this means that even a minimal amount of rain can create storm water movement as designed by the grading plan.
For wind projects, mudslides are a looming danger that can come with heavy rains especially after a severe drought, as we have experienced in California. Since water flows and ends at the lowest point by diverting around or destroying any mitigation measures, operators need to ensure that Best Management Practices are in place and allowing water to flow. One way to protect a wind substation in a low-lying area is by placing a diversion (dirt berm) that will train the water to flow around the area rather than through it. This approach can help to minimize the extensive work and cost involved with cleaning a substation damaged by a mudslide.
Another great tool to minimize damage to renewable energy projects is a Tiger Dam — a quick, versatile and reusable system for extreme conditions that helps provide added flood protection to projects in areas where storm water can rise rapidly during rain events. A Tiger Dam section spanning 50-feet can be installed in only a few minutes and can perform the same function as 500 sandbags. The system involves 50-foot sections of water-filled bladders that can be used individually or linked together to form a continuous protective barrier over longer distances.
Tiger Dams can be re-used from year to year and storm to storm to provide added efficiency, and can be installed within very quick timeframes to provide added flood protection where storm water levels may rise. This additional tool can be used at projects that experienced “over-topping” during rain events in 2010 where storm water rose slightly above the flood channel walls and onto adjacent roadways and property. 
In addition to facility preparation steps, it is just as essential to develop an equipment and materials checklist for the wet weather season. This checklist should include materials on hand, such as sand bags, shovels, plastic five gallon buckets, plastic sheeting and tarps. Equipment needs include portable water pumps with the appropriate suction hoses/strainer and discharge hoses, a generator, lights and extension cords with GFCI protection.
Here are some additional preparation steps to include in your plan:
  • Slopes are best stabilized with riprap, vegetation or by other means, such as mulch, straw waddle or applied soil stabilizers. Hopefully, hydro seeding has already been completed, but it’s never too late. El Niño usually starts around Christmas and finishes by the end of March.          
  • Roadways that provide critical sight access should be constructed above grade and of a road base type material. To maintain or prepare non-paved roads for wet conditions, soil stabilizers can be added periodically to bind the base material preventing wet weather deterioration, which also helps to minimize dust in the dryer months.
  • Fencing can restrict water flow as floating debris builds up, creating a beaver dam effect. Look for areas where water flow passes under fencing and remove any accumulated debris.
  • Develop a checklist to inspect all electrical equipment enclosures to ensure cabinets and doors are not only closed but also secured with a good weather seal.
  • Inspect conduit openings to ensure they are weather tight. In some applications high quality expanding foam or UV resistant RTV can aid in filling gaps or addressing areas of concern. 
  • Pay close attention to the position of solar panels during significant rains to capitalize on the cleaning effect. If the panels are stowed in a position to allow rain run off they will be more efficient when the storm clouds clear.
Last but certainly not least, facilities must review the regulatory requirements as dictated by their site specific Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) to gain a detailed understanding of expectations for water retention and pass-through, sampling frequencies, testing and record retention. With this knowledge, the next step is to create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for wet weather events, and develop personnel training so that adherence to the SOP becomes procedure driven companywide. Implementing this plan allows contractors in operations and maintenance time to set up vendor support agreements to assist if the water intrusion is more evasive than the site and staff can effectively manage.
We may not be able to predict exactly how much rain El Niño will bring, nor how it will affect us, but what we do know beyond a doubt is preparation now will reduce potential damage. At the very least El Niño will bring more vegetation this spring so long term vegetation management plans should also be in the works.





Original Post: Harvey Stephens 

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Is There a Civil War Between the Renewable Energy Interests?



It’s easy to be for “green energy.” It’s pretty difficult, however, to decide how those electrons should be delivered and how the tax benefits and subsidies should be divided. Does renewable energy have its arsenal trained in the wrong direction?Green energy will expand, made possible by better and cheaper technologies that are facilitated by public demand and public policies. But will it be delivered over the traditional transmission wires or will it be generated onsite with solar rooftop panels? While the Clean Power Plan will be decided by the DC Court of Appeals this summer, odds are that it will be upheld there. And even if there were some glitches, utilities and industrial are already implementing green strategies. However, that power plan would not be fully implemented until 2030, or maybe later given the current delays. That means that grid upgrades will probably suffice for a while, although eventually the transmission system will need to be expanded. “If you like clean energy, you gotta like transmission as well,” Rob Gramlich, senior vice president for government affairs at the American Wind Energy Association, in a phone interview. “That’s just the way it is.” Today, the bulk power system — as it is known — is comprised of 10,000 power plants, 170,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and nearly 6 million miles of low-voltage distribution lines. It also has more than 15,000 substations. For every $1 invested in the nation’s network, as much as $6 is returned, says Massoud Amin, chairman of the IEEE Smart Grid and a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota. He adds that if wind energy is to swell by 40 percent during this time, high-voltage, long distance transmission will need to enlarge by 9 percent. The PJM Interconnection, which orders up power sources and schedules their delivery in a 13-state region in the eastern United States, says wind and solar energy can play a larger and more constructive role in its territory. To do so, though, investments in the electrical grid must be made: At a 20 percent penetration rate, 820 miles of wire would have to be installed for around $3.8 billion, it says.
Huge Headaches
But ever try to get a transmission project permitted? It’s more difficult than just about any other infrastructure project. And that is a key reason why onsite distributed generation potentially used in combination with energy storage devices and localized microgrids have made their way forward. Throughout the sunny Southwest, homes are dressed with rooftop solar panels. At the same time, the centralized wind and solar plants are also generating power, and they need access to the grid. “It’s about building the right stuff,” says Steve Huntoon, principal at the Energy Counsel, LLC, in Washington, DC, in an interview. “Instead of building out these 300 mile big things we should instead focus on the incremental build-outs. Those are still tens-of-billions of dollars. But they are targeted to where we need it.” The irony is that federal and state tax incentives and mandates are pushing both solutions — onsite and centralized renewable generation. Green-energy subsidies and mandates are at war with each other. With no direction at the top, state utility boards are left to sort out the mess.
Utilities Scream Foul
On the one hand, utilities can’t get large transmission built. And on the other, utilities and homeowners can’t agree on how the costs of the existing grid should be apportioned if more and more consumers self-generate. At issue here is net metering, which measures the amount of money that rooftop solar customers should get paid relative to retail electricity rates for surplus power they channel into the grid. Homeowners and businesses that generate an excess supply of electricity through their panels say that crediting them at the retail rate — the same price at which utilities sell — is fair because solar produces power at the most expensive time of day. The utilities, in comparison, want to pay solar customers the wholesale rate, which they say provides the funds needed to maintain the grid that is used by the masses. Even those who put panels on their roofs must use the grid, either to sell their excess back to the utility at whatever rate or to buy from the utility when they can’t generate enough power like when the sun is behind the clouds. Indeed, one side is saying that the process results in a wealth transfer from those who depend solely on the grid to those who can afford the panels on their homes. The other side is saying that customers who generate electricity through rooftop solar panels are preserving the grid while improving the environment. California and Nevada have taken two different roads: Nevada said in December utilities would no longer have to pay solar customers the retail rates the electricity that they sell back to utilities over their wires. California, conversely, agreed to pay the retail rates, albeit it added some hook-up fees.“Utilities are trying to slow down rooftop solar installations while they try to figure out what their futures will look like,” says Sean Gallagher, vice president of state affairs for the Solar Energy Industry Association, in a phone interview. When it comes to rooftop solar penetration, California leads the nation. It is followed by North Carolina, Massachusetts, Nevada, Arizona and New York, he adds. He goes on to say that many utilities have embraced utility-scale solar projects that are centralized and that sell solar power to them at wholesale rates, which the utilities in turn deliver to their customers at retail rates. The recent past has seen such mega-deals as the 392-megawatt concentrated solar plant called Ivanpah, which is joint venture among NRG Energy, Google and Brightsource Energy.
Community Solar?
Is there a middle ground between the centralized solar projects and the rooftop solar movement that is pitting homeowners against regulators, utilities and customers who remain fully connected to the grid? The trend now is to build smaller utility-scale projects that may total 30 megawatts. Some of the biggest names in the solar industry are headed this way, including First Solar Inc. and SunPower Corp. “They can do it on the distribution side, not on the transmission side,” says Julia Hamm, chief executive of the solar association, who adds that “community solar” is also becoming a viable option: It permits consumers to buy into a larger project that it is taking place in a jurisdiction, which can also avoid high-voltage interfaces as well as the cross-subsidization battles now occurring between rooftop solar customers and their electric utilities. The battle between utilities and new energy providers will continue, as will the civil arguments between centralized green energy providers and onsite electricity consumers. It’s especially true now that the federal government has extended the tax benefits given to wind and solar projects — the one providing them a 2.3 cent per kilowatt hour production tax credit, or the 30 percent investment tax credit that reduces their federal taxes dollar-for-dollar based on what they put into the project. For both wind and solar, the credits will get ramped down. It’s about economic survival — whether it be the traditional utility or the new player on the block, each of which wants market share. Public money and public policies figure heavily into the business strategies, making the free market battle field especially ferocious.


Original Post: Ken Silverstein

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

The dark side of solar: Why waste concerns abound



Clean technology investments in emerging markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and China are estimated to exceed $6 trillion over the next decade, according to a recent report by World Bank Group. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that, for the nearly 1.3 billion people around the world lacking access to an electricity grid, clean technologies such as off-grid solar devices quickly are becoming a popular alternative to more expensive and polluting fuels such as kerosene, wood and coal.
In Malawi, 80 percent of the population lives off the grid in rural areas and people must walk more than a mile from their villages to local townships to access electricity. Reliance on conventional fuels such as kerosene also contributes to health problems and poverty in developing regions. Typical households use 20 percent of their incomes burning kerosene for lighting, which also emits noxious black smoke, according to Solar Aid.
Solar lights cost as little as $10, pay for themselves after 12 weeks and last for five years — while producing zero adverse health effects. Off-grid solar devices make it easier for people to do everything from cooking to charging their cell phones. Use of solar technology will become more common as it becomes cheaper and organizations such as the International Renewable Energy Agency work to develop the Africa Clean Energy Corridor to help the continent to rapidly adopt renewable energy.
But there is a catch. Because developing regions tend to lack solid waste disposal infrastructures, devices that no longer function typically are burned or discarded into the environment. With little political will or economic capacity to build conventional solid waste infrastructures in these areas, this conundrum will need to be solved at the “front end” through safer, more sustainable and more recyclable designs and materials, as well as by developing alternative waste management strategies.
San Francisco Bay Area-based non-profit Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) is attempting to do just that, drawing on its experience in electronics and solar sustainability to promote the market expansion of off-grid solar products, while also developing practical solutions to the recycling and reuse of these devices. The Sustainable Off-Grid Solar Recycling Incubator will partner with African communities, university researchers and students, as well as off-grid solar lighting companies to promote product innovation and sustainability. This pilot project also will develop innovative waste management systems that attempt to leapfrog over the need to build expensive conventional waste collection infrastructure and can be replicated in communities around the world.
The Global North has much to learn from these efforts as it deals with its own solar waste problems. Spurred by government subsidies, the millions of solar panels created each year is resulting in millions of pounds of polluted sludge and contaminated water, according to a 2013 Associated Press investigation. Although larger, more established solar companies usually have the resources to invest in on-site waste treatment equipment that allows them to recycle some waste, newer companies often send hazardous waste hundreds, and sometimes thousands of miles to be processed.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the solar fiefdom of California — from 2007 through the first part of 2011, some 17 companies with 44 manufacturing facilities in California produced 46.5 million pounds of sludge and contaminated water, the AP investigation found. Around 97 percent of the sludge was taken to hazardous waste facilities throughout the state, but more than 1.4 million pounds were transported to nine other states: Arkansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Nevada, Washington, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.
But the transport of waste is not being factored into solar companies’ carbon footprint scores, which can lead to inaccurate life cycle analyses of the global warming pollution that goes into solar production. According to a researcher AP interviewed, transporting 6.2 million pounds of waste by heavy-duty tractor-trailer from Fremont, Calif., in the Bay Area, to a site 1,800 miles away could add 5 percent to a particular product's carbon footprint. After installing a solar panel, it takes one to three months of generating electricity to pay off the energy invested in driving hazardous waste emissions out of state.
It’s important to note that although much of the waste produced is considered toxic (in the form of carcinogenic cadmium-contaminated water), there is no evidence it has harmed human health. Conversely, energy derived from natural gas and coal-fired power plants creates more than 10 times more hazardous waste than the same energy created by a solar panel. Although the U.S. solar industry has been dutiful about reporting its waste and sending it to approved storage facilities, coal-fired power plants send mercury, cadmium and other toxins directly into the air, which pollutes water and land around the facility.
All said, solar production is still significantly cleaner than burning fossil fuels. But this doesn’t mean we can overlook the negative environmental impacts. Waste is a complex conversation, but it is one we need to be having. Transparency is key — but this will get more complicated as solar panel manufacturing moves from the U.S. and Europe to less regulated places such as China and Malaysia. Just as we look to preempt the adverse environmental side effects of solar in the developing world by rethinking design and materials, so should we be doing this at home. We also would do well to look at the lessons of Silicon Valley’s environmental problems caused by the electronics industry in the early 1980s and put in place the processes that will make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.




Original Post: Mike Hower

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Clean energy from water




Summary 
Fuel cells generate electrical energy through a chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. To obtain clean energy, the splitting of water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen is critical. Researchers at the University of Basel study how sunlight can be used for this purpose. The scientific journal Chemical Communications published their latest results.


Developing clean and renewable sources of energy is one of the greatest challenges of our civilization. Artificial photosynthesis is one of the most promising approaches. This is when water is photo-electrochemically with the aid of sunlight separated into its components H2 and O2 and stored. When the chemical elements are later combined, electrical energy can be created. A team of researchers led by the University of Basel chemists Catherine Housecroft and Edwin Constable are working together with the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) to implement this method.
Sustainable fuel cells
The process of splitting water (H2O) consists of two partial reactions, which are implemented with the help of different catalysts: water oxidation (which produces O2) and water reduction (which produces H2). The first is the more challenging of the two reactions, which is why research puts so much effort into the development of efficient and sustainable water oxidation catalysts.
An important factor in creating photo-electrochemical fuel cells is the precise arrangement of the individual components. "If you don't do this, it's like throwing all the different parts of a clock into a bag, giving it a shake and then hoping it will be possible to tell the time," explains Prof. Edwin Constable from the University of Basel.
To determine the perfect arrangement of the catalysts, the Basel-based chemists developed a water oxidation model in their current study which, although powered by electricity, generates the same chemical intermediate states as light. To accomplish this, they used compounds of the chemical element ruthenium as a catalyst. The critical feature is the self-assembly of the individual components in a hierarchical structure. The researchers thus succeeded in simulating fuel cells powered by light radiation. This model allowed them to test the position and efficiency of the individual components.




Original Post: Universität Basel

Monday, February 15, 2016

NHPC to Build India’s Largest Hydel Power Plant in Arunachal Pradesh



NHPC is gearing up to build India's biggest hydro plant, a 3,000 MW project that is equivalent to about half its current total capacity and three times the size of its biggest unit, even as it brushes off concerns over competition from the private sector.
State-owned NHPC recently received approvals from theForest Advisory Committee for Dibang hydel project in Arunachal Pradesh and plans to approach the Cabinet Committee for a final nod within a year.

"We will execute the Dibang project in partnership with one of the PSUs and the state government at an investment of Rs 15,000-16,000 crore. Due to its large scale, the per-MW project cost will be much less than the average of Rs 7-8 crore," NHPC Chairman and Managing Director RST Sai said. "Also, we will be able to execute the project faster as there are only a handful of families living at such high altitude and it will save time for their rehabilitation."

NHPC, which operates 6,500 MW of hydro power generation capacity, expects to build more plants as the Narendra Modi government pushes for faster clearances for infrastructure projects in a bid to boost the economy. The share of hydro power in the country's generation capacity has been declining as delayed environmental clearances and rehabilitation of displaced people stalled projects.

Sai said the private sector is in no position to challenge the state-owned company's dominance in generating hydro power and cited the example of the Jaypee Group, which put its hydro projects on the block to reduce debt. Executives who left for highpaying jobs now want to come back as they see a future for hydro only in NHPC, he said.

Sai's main concern is about delays in the 2,000 MW Subansiri project in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, which is being opposed by a section of affected locals. He added that finance is not a challenge for NHPC since it has reserves to the tune of Rs 16,000 crore and the company enjoys access to low-cost funds. He is not looking at growth through the acquisition of private sector projects
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/images/pixel.gif




Original Post: ET

Sunday, February 14, 2016

New Delhi station turns to ‘waste power’



The Delhi Division of Northern Railway is in the process of setting up a waste-to-energy plant

Very soon, the waste generated at New Delhi railway station will not only be recycled but also be used to produce electricity to light up the station. The Delhi Division of Northern Railway is going to set up a waste-to-energy plant, that will turn the garbage and other waste collected at the station into electricity and manure.

Waste generated at the New Delhi railway station will be segregated into bio-degradable and recyclable waste. Biodegradable waste will be converted into electrical energy and manure. Electrical energy will be utilised by the Railways, most likely at the New Delhi railway station itself.

“It is yet another green initiative by the Northern Railway’s Delhi Division and the bio methanation plant at the New Delhi Railway station will be ready by June 2016,” said Delhi Divisional Railway Manager Arun Arora.

“The municipal solid waste (MSW) handling capacity of the plant at New Delhi will be 15 tonnes per day,” he adde. The Railway Board has nominated RITES as the nodal agency for tendering for the waste-to-energy plant. It has floated an open tender on “two packet system”, which will open on February 22.

“The Railways will bear the capital cost of the plant. After commissioning of the municipal solid waste pilot plant, the contractor will operate and maintain it for the next five years. The expected life of the plant shall be a minimum of 12 years,” Mr. Arora said.
Approximately 2,000 units of electricity produced (three phase, 415V) in the waste-to-energy plant per day will be purchased by the Railways from the contractor at the rate at which electricity is supplied to local municipal domestic users. Additionally, the Railway may also procure manure from the contractor.

Mr. Arora said nearly 15,000 sq. metre of land will be required for this project, as well as 50 KW of electric power supply and 12 kilo litres water per day at chargeable basis for operation of the plant.

“It will be also mandatory on part of the contractor to provide facility of water recycling so that water requirement remains minimum,” he said.





OriginalPost:TH


Thursday, February 11, 2016

Clearing the air about India’s pollution problem



India needs to place the welfare of society above the quick gains of unfettered industrial expansion, write Asit K Biswas and Kris Hartley.
The perils of rapid industrialisation in developing countries are well documented. Traffic congestion, agricultural land conversion, and unsafe working conditions are hotly debated topics. As a by-product of unregulated industrial activity, pollution is perhaps the most visible and publicised issue. It may also be the deadliest. Pollution is not a new problem in India, but its recent intensity is a clarion call for policy action. India’s leaders can no longer afford to look away.
In the global media, China’s pollution is the cautionary tale of choice, illustrated by photos of Dickensian cities choked with smoke. Earlier this year, a shocking study revealed that over 4,000 Chinese people die each day from health complications related to air pollution. Even by conservative estimates (half that rate), three-quarters of a million people die each year from pollution in China – roughly equal to the population of San Francisco or Amsterdam.
India faces a crisis of equal proportion. In June 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Delhi’s air quality the worst in the world. By some estimates, India’s pollution accounts for 1.3 million deaths per year – nearly one third of the global total. Cases of respiratory disease have spiked 30 per cent since 2010, and Delhi may soon lead the world in premature deaths from air pollution.
Poor air quality has also been linked with rapidly declining crop yields. In 2013, the impact of pollution on India’s economy was an estimated US$80billion, 5.7 per cent of GDP. That number has likely risen since then. Pollution is a problem that spans policy arenas. In addition to industrial activity, evolving consumer preferences are a contributing factor. In Delhi, vehicle sales are robust and 1,400 new vehicles crowd the streets each day, adding to a current estimate of nearly 9 million in total. Not even night time offers a chance for the air to clear. Delhi residents awake to a fog of exhaust produced by 80,000 trucks flooding the streets between midnight and dawn for local and regional deliveries; these trucks are often unchecked by police or drivers for emissions controls and load limits. The benefits of cleaner fuel types, according to one analyst, are almost completely neutralised by the sheer number of vehicles on Delhi’s congested streets. People who live near major thoroughfares (often the poor) are at heightened health risk.
Pollution sources go beyond industry and congestion. For example, agricultural burning has reached crisis levels in parts of Southeast Asia. “Haze,” or smoke (perhaps it should be called what it is), originates in Sumatra during crop clearing season and quickly shrouds neighbours like Singapore. This transboundary problem is testing political patience in the region, with Indonesia offering more apologies than results. There is no reason to believe that the burning will ever stop.
As in Indonesia, burning is cheap and easy for Indian farmers who lack the means to adopt cleaner methods. The by-products of agricultural harvests, called stubble, are being burnt in Punjab and Haryana – near Delhi – at an estimated rate of 500 million tons each winter. Anti-burning laws are weakly enforced, and State Pollution Control Boards appear to be negligent on the issue. According to one article, “farmers seem to be in no mood to oblige the authorities in stopping the bi-annual exercise of burning crop residue.”
Fighting air pollution, as with any vexing policy challenge, takes unwavering political will and committed implementation. There are signs that the Indian government is willing to address the issue. For example, in 1998 India’s Supreme Court forced the city of Delhi to exclusively use LPG for three-wheelers, buses, and other automobiles. The initiative improved Delhi’s air quality, but this marked the end of the progress. Since then, Delhi’s administration has developed few meaningful policies to address air pollution.
There is ample evidence to support government intervention. A recent “car-free” day, during which air pollution dropped by 60 per cent, grabbed headlines and illustrated the impact of vehicle emissions. The recent launch of an air quality index should, at the very least, provide better understanding about conditions and trends for citizens and policymakers alike. The United States Embassy in Delhi already publishes air pollution data, and this may ultimately be an impetus for more transparency (as it has been in China).
Despite worsening pollution and indisputable evidence about its causes, manufacturers continue to push back against regulations. The Modi government must decide whose interests to serve, wealthy industrialists or dying citizens. Based on the above evidence, the case for stricter controls is not difficult to make.
A recent Guardian article paints a vivid image of Delhi’s polluted environment: “Just beyond the city limits, thousands of primitive brick-making factories send plumes of black smoke into the air, while coal-burning power plants lack even the most basic filtration systems.” There are social, environmental, and economic arguments that support more aggressive pollution management. By-pass roads are not enough, least of all when they are planned but unbuilt.
For Modi’s Make in India initiative to succeed, there must be an enabling and evidence-based policy environment that places the broader welfare of society above the expedient gains of unfettered industrial expansion. Growth provides jobs and improves livelihoods, but must be achieved in a way that does not visit irreparable damage to the environment and public health. Further, having the worst air pollution in the world is not the type of reputation that attracts Foreign Direct Investment. The Modi government now has an opportunity to exhibit leadership and set a global example.




Original Post: kris hartley