The two bottlenecks inhibiting further use of renewable energy systems are cost and the fact that the sun doesn’t always shine or the wind blow-in one word, storage. While mass production of components such as solar photovoltaic cells means that their price has been dropping, the issue of storing and releasing electricity generated by renewable sources during their down times has led engineers worldwide to tackle the problem.
Large-scale, low-cost energy storage is needed to improve the reliability, resiliency, and efficiency of next-generation power grids. Energy storage can reduce power fluctuations, enhance system flexibility, and enable the storage and dispatch of electricity generated by variable renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and water power.
Now one technology seems sufficiently promising that it is receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Energy Storage Program.
What is this promising new technology?
Isothermal compressed air energy storage (ICAES) refers to storage of compressed air at a constant temperature, which is a key element in the improved energy efficiency of the system.
Read More at OilPrice.com
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Establishment of a U.S.-China Solar Agreement Possible?
The Solar Energy Industries Association has proposed a solution for current trade issues which exist between China and the United States and which have adversely effected the Solar Industry to date. Their solutions include the following suggestions to help reach agreement between to the two world powers and help encourage fair and mutually beneficial trade:
- Chinese companies would agree to create a fund that would benefit U.S. solar manufacturers directly and help to grow the U.S. market. Money for the fund would come from a percentage of the price premium Chinese companies are currently paying to third-country cell producers to get around U.S. trade sanctions, reducing costs and supply chain distortion for Chinese companies.
- The Chinese government would also agree to end its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on U.S. polysilicon exports to China, and remove the threat of artificial cost increases in a key raw material in the solar value chain, benefiting not just Chinese solar companies but all users of solar energy.
- In return, the U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties orders would be phased out.
- The proposal also calls for a safeguard mechanism designed to offset any surge of Chinese solar modules into the U.S. market.
- As an added step, SEIA believes the U.S. government should take all steps necessary to ensure that federal procurement opportunities are provided to domestic solar manufacturers in recognition of the importance of U.S. solar manufacturing to the nation’s long-term energy security.
Six Myths About Renewable Energy
"The country has been debating renewable energy for decades—how much we should support it, what place it should have in our energy policy, how big an impact it actually has.
Yet many of the things we think we know about renewable energy go back to the earliest arguments. Many of the debating points we hear today are based on outdated facts and assumptions that don't hold up anymore.
So, we set out to look at a few persistent myths or beliefs held by both supporters and critics of renewable energy. We've focused largely on wind and solar power, in part because they've shown explosive growth in recent years but also because they are at the center of political debates over energy."
The Six Myths Covered by the Wall Street Journal are:
Go in depth on each of these 6 Myths and Read The Full Article at WSJ.com
Yet many of the things we think we know about renewable energy go back to the earliest arguments. Many of the debating points we hear today are based on outdated facts and assumptions that don't hold up anymore.
So, we set out to look at a few persistent myths or beliefs held by both supporters and critics of renewable energy. We've focused largely on wind and solar power, in part because they've shown explosive growth in recent years but also because they are at the center of political debates over energy."
The Six Myths Covered by the Wall Street Journal are:
- Renewables Are an Insignificant Source of Power
- Renewables Can Replace All Fossil Fuels
- Renewables Are Too Expensive
- Variability Dooms Renewable Energy
- Cheap Natural Gas Is the Enemy of Renewable Energy
- Renewable Energy Means Millions of Green Jobs
Go in depth on each of these 6 Myths and Read The Full Article at WSJ.com
EPA praises Staples for renewable energy
EPA recently recognized Staples, Inc. of Framingham, Mass. at the 13th annual Green Power Leadership Awards. Staples was one of only to 21 organizations and three suppliers recognized nationally for their achievements in advancing the nation’s renewable electricity market.
Staples was recognized for Sustained Excellence under EPA’s Green Power Partnership, a voluntary program where partner organizations work with EPA experts to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. Staples has been a member of the program since 2002.
“Our 2013 Green Power Leadership Award winners are driving new renewable energy generation and providing clear examples of organizations thriving on innovation and sustainability,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “These winners are moving us closer to the vision President Obama outlined in his Climate Action Plan – cutting harmful pollution and promoting American leadership in renewable energy.”
Friday, September 27, 2013
Should the U.S. Finance Alternative-Energy Startups?
The federal government has long been a player in the energy industry. On top of its regulatory role, the U.S. government extends tax credits to companies in fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear energy alike.
It also makes direct investments. The Tennessee Valley Authority, for instance, a supplier of power to seven states, was created by Congress and has been owned by the U.S. since 1933.
In more recent years, partly in response to some very public failures, controversy has erupted over the Department of Energy's investments in clean-energy startups. The department has a $34 billion portfolio of loan guarantees to solar, wind, nuclear and other companies. The energy secretary reported in May that about 2% of the portfolio represents losses. Some of the biggest losses were linked to Solyndra, a maker of solar panels, and Fisker Automotive, an electric-car company.
Supporters of the policy say the government's investment role is essential for clean-energy startups to keep their costs down and be able to bring innovative products to market. But critics say that politics play an outsize role in the government's investment decisions, and that when government invests the taxpayers' money in new and unproven technologies, it skews the marketplace.
Read more at Wall Street Journal
It also makes direct investments. The Tennessee Valley Authority, for instance, a supplier of power to seven states, was created by Congress and has been owned by the U.S. since 1933.
In more recent years, partly in response to some very public failures, controversy has erupted over the Department of Energy's investments in clean-energy startups. The department has a $34 billion portfolio of loan guarantees to solar, wind, nuclear and other companies. The energy secretary reported in May that about 2% of the portfolio represents losses. Some of the biggest losses were linked to Solyndra, a maker of solar panels, and Fisker Automotive, an electric-car company.
Supporters of the policy say the government's investment role is essential for clean-energy startups to keep their costs down and be able to bring innovative products to market. But critics say that politics play an outsize role in the government's investment decisions, and that when government invests the taxpayers' money in new and unproven technologies, it skews the marketplace.
Read more at Wall Street Journal
Thursday, September 26, 2013
World Record Solar Cell With 44.7% Efficiency
Sep. 23, 2013 — The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Soitec, CEA-Leti and the Helmholtz Center Berlin jointly announced today having achieved a new world record for the conversion of sunlight into electricity using a new solar cell structure with four solar subcells. Surpassing competition after only over three years of research, and entering the roadmap at world class level, a new record efficiency of 44.7% was measured at a concentration of 297 suns. This indicates that 44.7% of the solar spectrum's energy, from ultraviolet through to the infrared, is converted into electrical energy. This is a major step towards reducing further the costs of solar electricity and continues to pave the way to the 50% efficiency roadmap.
Read more at Science Daily
Read more at Science Daily
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