Rooftop solar emissions math

The high cost of solar comes at a time when utility bills are rising faster than inflation, with that trend expected to continue.

Spanish renewables developer RIC Energy said it has closed EUR 29.5 million (USD 34.0m) in project financing for two solar photovoltaic projects in Almodovar del Campo, central Spain.

The financing was provided by Alameda Energy Fund, a renewables-focused vehicle managed by Beka Credit, RIC Energy said in a LinkedIn post. The company will use the funds to build its Bluesol 1 and Bluesol 2 solar farms, which will have a combined installed capacity of over 60 MW.

The transaction marks RIC Energy’s first project finance deal in Spain and involves the company’s first projects to be constructed in the country after two decades of developing renewables abroad.

RIC Energy said the transaction represents a “decisive step” in its transformation into an independent power producer (IPP) and showcases its ability to develop projects supported by its own financial strength.

Polish renewables developer-operator R.Power SA said it has started construction of the 55-MWp Lazuri solar farm in north-western Romania.

The project, located in the Lazuri commune of Satu Mare County, will be built by R.Power’s EPC arm NOMAD Electric, the company said.

The solar farm will connect to the national grid via a new 110-kV substation linked to the Vetis–Abator transmission line. Once operational, the plant is expected to produce around 70 GWh of electricity per year, enough to power more than 48,000 homes

The Lazuri project is backed by a 15-year contract-for-difference (CfD) awarded to R.Power in Romania’s renewables auction.

Ukraine’s government has approved the provision of UAH 440 million (USD 10.5m/EUR 9.08m) in state grants to support the development of decentralized renewable energy sources and secure an uninterrupted power supply for critical public facilities.

Some UAH 396 million will be allocated to local budgets for the installation of solar panels, heat pumps, and energy storage systems in schools, hospitals, and kindergartens. The remaining UAH 44 million will fund technical assistance for procurements, which will be carried out by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

This project underscores our priority: decentralization of the energy system and high-quality management of public investments, made possible through cooperation with the European Investment Bank and our international partners.

The Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) program is financed by a grant from the European Investment Bank (EIB) provided by the Federal Government of Germany and the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The project is jointly implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the UNDP, which will act as the procurement agent.

India's solar module manufacturing capacity is set to surpass 125 GW by 2025, well above domestic demand of around 40 GW, which is expected to lead to an inventory buildup of 29 GW by the third quarter of 2025.

India's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has been very effective in driving factory announcements, but the industry is now seeing warning signs of overcapacity. The challenge has shifted from building capacity to achieving cost-competitiveness and diversifying export markets.

New 50% reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US have significantly impacted India's module exports to its primary export market.

Indian-assembled module using imported cells is at least USD 0.03 per W more expensive than a fully imported Chinese module, while a completely ‘Made in India’ module would cost more than double Chinese counterparts.

Achieving cost-competitiveness will require a pivot to aggressive research and development (R&D), investment in next-generation technology, and a push to open new export markets in Africa, Latin America, and Europe.

India is at a crossroads, but it holds the clearest potential to become the only credible, large-scale alternative to the Chinese solar supply chain.

Dubai-based AMEA Power has begun installing the first solar panels at its 1,000-MW solar power project with a 600-MWh battery system in Egypt’s Benban area of Aswan, saying it will become Africa’s largest integrated solar and storage project.

In China’s domestic market, industry participants reported that over half of the nearly 20 GW wafer inventory comprises n-type 210R (182mm × 210 mm) wafers, underscoring a concentration in this specification. Market insiders noted that some producers have slightly reduced selling prices for these wafers from around CNY 1.40 ($0.20)/pc to CNY 1.35/pc to ease inventory pressure and improve cash flow, while emphasizing that favorable policy guidance alone is insufficient to stabilize prices amid weak demand.

Adding to the cost burden, another market participant noted that rising silver prices have pushed up solar cell manufacturing costs, further limiting producers’ ability to absorb any wafer price increases.

Despite these headwinds, wafer production remains at elevated levels. Sources indicated that average utilization rates have exceeded 60%, and October wafer output is expected to surpass 60 GW. However, under current policy directives on production control, market participants expect output to decline in November and December as inventory accumulation intensifies.

On the export front, both market sources and customs data show that Chinese wafer exports increased from January to September 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. This growth was primarily driven by rising solar cell manufacturing capacity in India, now the second-largest wafer consumption market after China. Other major export destinations include Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Indonesia, where Chinese wafers are processed into solar cells for markets such as India and Turkey, or further assembled into modules in Africa before being shipped to the U.S.

Energy security

 

 Image: CCRES

Rising concerns over energy security and climate change will galvanize record new capacity to generate renewable power in 2022, the International Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA forecasts that 320 gigawatts will come online this year, equivalent to top European economy Germany's total annual demand, up from a previous record of 295 gigawatts in 2021.

Nothing, it seems, can hold back the advance of renewable energy. Despite post-pandemic delays and rising raw material costs, a record amount of renewable capacity was installed in 2021.

Now the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects that record to be beaten again in 2022, at least in part as nations that have relied on fossil fuels from Russia, push ahead with new renewable capacity in response to the war in Ukraine.

Renewable energy growth means the world now has 295 gigawatts of green generating capacity, says the IEA, demonstrating what the World Economic Forum’s Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2021 report described as its “unprecedented acceleration” in recent years.

As the transition to clean energy gathers pace, it can be challenging to see the full picture. These four charts reveal the state of renewable energy around the world today.

Net renewable capacity additions by technology, 2017-2023. Image: IEA

The IEA says 2021’s 6% growth will be followed by an 8% rise in installed capacity in 2022, led by a surge in solar power. However, progress has been uneven, with a 17% decline in new wind installations in 2021 offset by the rise in solar and hydropower.

In India, the rate of growth in renewable energy doubled in 2021 after a record slowdown in 2020 caused by the impact of COVID-19 on projects. Brazil’s incentives led to a growth in rooftop solar and onshore wind also accelerated, the IEA said.

The power of government initiatives to help or harm renewable roll-outs was demonstrated in Viet Nam, where the ending of a feed-in tariff for rooftop solar saw a dramatic slowdown; while in South Africa, the completion of pre-approved wind and solar led to resumed growth.

Solar PV and onshore wind investment cost estimates for new projects under high commodity prices 2015-2023. Image: IEA

Even if current high energy prices are maintained, the IEA says solar will retain and even increase its cost advantage over the next two years. This is despite the rising cost of raw materials used to construct renewable energy installations.

In the past 12 months, the cost of polysilicon used in solar panels has more than quadrupled, says the IEA, while the price of steel rose by 50% and copper by 70%. Overall, raw material costs for all types of renewable energy were 15% to 25% higher, the IEA says.

Renewable net capacity additions by country and region 2019-2021. Image: IEA

China accounted for 46% of the new generating capacity added in 2021, with subsidies encouraging record-breaking rises in the amount of offshore wind which increased sixfold. In Europe, solar accounted for most of the growth, with projects in Spain, France, Poland, and Germany.

The IEA expects Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to lead to increases in renewable energy capacity, particularly in Europe. Russia, which supplies around 45% of the European Union’s gas, has already cut supplies to Bulgaria, Finland, and Poland.

Incremental growth in renewable capacity in Europe by 2023 could almost entirely replace electricity generation, which is currently powered by Russian gas, says the IEA. Even on current trends renewables could reduce dependence on Russian gas “significantly”, it says.

Renewable net capacity additions 2019-2021. Image: IEA

Solar is expected to account for 60% of the increase in global renewable capacity in 2022, taking the global total to more than 300 gigawatts. Two-thirds will be large-scale projects encouraged by policies in China and the European Union, says the IEA.

New onshore wind capacity is also expected to recover after slipping back in 2021, but the global rate at which new offshore wind installations are built will slow significantly, reflecting the end of subsidies in China which drove a record capacity surge in 2021.

Even so, China’s total installed offshore wind capacity globally is expected to surpass the European Union and the United Kingdom combined by the end of 2022.

As the largest player in renewables, events in China affect global totals. The IEA says additions to the world’s hydropower capacity will be 40% lower in 2022 as the number of new projects in China falls.

 Image: CCRES

The COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have driven inflation to multi-decade highs and led to soaring energy prices in some advanced economies, leaving policymakers scrambling to find cheaper and reliable energy. Energy market developments in recent months – especially in Europe – have proven once again the essential role of renewables in improving energy security, in addition to their well-established effectiveness at reducing emissions. But the growth of renewable power has been hampered by supply chain difficulties, and the cost of installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels will remain high this year and next due to higher commodity and freight prices, CCRES president Zeljko Serdar said.

Switching to solar energy

 If you’re thinking about switching to solar energy, now’s the time. Prices have never been lower, and in some areas, PV systems can now produce electricity at a cost that’s competitive with — or even lower than — conventional electricity from coal, nuclear or natural gas.

That’s right — the day we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. The cost of solar energy rivals electricity produced by much less environmentally friendly sources. What’s more, the cost of solar power will continue to fall while the price of conventional fuels spirals upward.

The cost of a residential solar power system has dropped about 40 percent in just the last two years. As a result, the lifetime cost of solar electricity produced by these systems now competes with conventional electrical power plants. In places where electricity sells for a premium, it’s competitive even without subsidies. In New Jersey, for instance, conventional electricity costs about 17 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh). A residential solar power system can produce electricity at or slightly lower than that price, without any incentives.

Families in many major cities are paying 10 to 12 cents per kwh for conventional power, and soon, many in the Midwest will pay up to 15 cents/kwh for conventional power. Meanwhile, in the Midwest, the unsubsidized cost of solar power is about 13.7 cents/kwh, and a 30 percent federal tax credit drives that cost down to 9.6 cents/kwh.

Rebates that are available from some utilities lower the price even more. In St. Louis, Ameren offers a $2 per watt rebate based on installed capacity. A 5 kilowatt system would receive a $10,000 rebate as soon as the system is up and running. This incentive drives the cost of solar energy down even further — to 7.1 cents/kwh. That’s much cheaper than conventional power. In addition, the cost of solar electricity will remain the same for the life of the system — at least 30 years, maybe longer. This provides a tremendous hedge against inflation.

 Ameren and other U.S. utilities also are currently buying renewable energy credits from their customers, which help utilities meet state-mandated goals for renewable energy production. Ameren pays $50 for every 1,000 kwh of electricity a solar electric system will produce for 10 years, regardless of the amount of power consumed by the system owner. For instance, if a system is projected to generate 40,000 kwh in the first 10 years of operation, Ameren will pay the homeowner a one-time payment of $2,000. That lowers the lifetime cost of solar electricity to 4.3 cents/kwh.

Businesses throughout the country receive even more financial incentives. They can apply accelerated depreciation to solar power systems, which lowers the cost of solar energy by 15 to 30 percent, depending on the company’s tax bracket. Rural businesses can receive a 25 percent grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It may actually be possible for some businesses to install a large solar power system at virtually no cost!

The challenge of most renewable energy systems is that you have to spend money now to save money over time. If you don’t have the funds to purchase a solar electric system upfront, you can consider financing one, or look into leasing options. Some companies will install a system on your home at their expense, then sell electricity to you at a rate that’s the same or lower than you’re currently paying.

Solar electricity and other forms of renewable energy are desperately needed to combat costly climate change and other serious environmental problems. They’ve always been good for the environment — now they’re great for the wallet! 

 CCRES special thanks to  Dan Chiras

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy sources (CCRES)

Mediterranean Solar Plan

 

Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP)

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Back in 2008 a group of Southern European and North African leaders clubbed together to form the Union for the Mediterranean and hatched an ambitious energy project.

The Mediterranean Solar Plan, unveiled in July 2008 in Barcelona, aimed to provide “a common answer to the energy and climate challenges of the Euro-Mediterranean region,” according to a document presented by Philippe Lorec, France’s deputy director general for Energy and Climate.

To do this, the plan advocated meeting two targets by 2020: a 20% reduction in primary energy use compared to 2005 levels, and the development of 20GW in new renewable energy generation.

An update published by Lorec, the plan’s project manager, in October 2009 specified that CSP would make up 26% of the total, with a further 45% contribution from PV, 26% from wind, 2% from biomass and 1% from hydro. The plan envisaged 74% private funding.

At that point the scene was set to begin work in earnest between 2010 and 2012. Six Middle East and North African (MENA) countries were changing their legal frameworks to allow for national solar plans, renewable energy laws and the introduction of specific tariffs.

A total of 67 projects were in progress across MENA, including 25, worth 4.1GW, supported by national programmes, 14 (worth 650MW) funded privately and 13 (885MW) backed by clean tech funds. 

Cracks, however, were beginning to appear in the plan’s foundations. The Union for the Mediterranean summits planned for 2009 and 2010 were sidelined because of concerns over the Arab-Israeli peace process.

Subsequent progress has been halting, not least because of the European sovereign debt crisis from late 2009 and the Arab Spring from December 2010.

Internal affairs

These events have led countries north and south of the Mediterranean to focus more on their internal affairs than on reaching out to each other. And they have also put the kibosh on many national renewable energy plans. Witness Spain, for example.

Where does that leave the Mediterranean Solar Plan?

Right now it is pretty much off the radar as far as most renewable energy observers are concerned. “I have few details on what is going on,” states IHS Emerging Energy Research solar power advisory analyst Josefin Berg, for instance.

And Luis Crespo Rodríguez, general secretary at Protermosolar, the Spanish CSP industry association whose beleaguered members currently offer the best hope of delivering most of the solar thermal power needed for the Mediterranean Solar Plan, scoffs: “It’s not even defined yet.

“The Mediterranean Solar Plan is stuck. There is no definition of the project or the execution plan.”

He adds: “As soon as it is properly defined, Spain will then position itself accordingly, and if the development of our industry has been fully supported then we will be in a better state to do so, so in that sense there is an indirect effect. But it still needs to be defined.”

With all that said, there are still some signs of life within the Mediterranean Solar Plan.

In January, Medgrid, a 21-strong industrial consortium featuring CSP players such as Abengoa, Alstom and Siemens, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Union for the Mediterranean’s secretariat to help drive the plan forward.

Financial tools

And on March 16 the European Commission gave its formal approval to the plan’s first operational financial tool, the Mediterranean Solar Plan Project Preparation Initiative.

The tool, which will cover the cost of technical assistance for the preparation of sustainable energy investment projects, is only available in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, West Bank and Gaza. And the level of support has not been cited.

Furthermore it is just “intended to support investment projects which are already at a sufficient advanced stage of preparation, and which have a high probability of being financed and implemented in a reasonable timeframe,” according to a press statement.

Nevertheless these announcements, coming after a long period in which the only news from the Union for the Mediterranean was on the appointment of officials, show the Mediterranean Solar Plan could be poised for a comeback. 

“At this stage I guess we just haven't seen much tangible evidence that it will go to the extent they desire, not least because recently in North Africa, with the Arab spring, the focus has shifted somewhat,” accepts Andrew Stiel, a CSP analyst with Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

However, he adds: “All these things are very contingent on government announcements, so tomorrow Saudi Arabia could turn around and say, ‘right, we want 10GW in five years’. That's a game-changer. I don't think you can write it off.

CCRES special thanks to Jason Deign

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES) 

Protect Solar Jobs!

 

Berlin, Germany – "We are the energy transition!" read one of the many placards hoisted in the air at the Germany-wide "Stop the Solar Energy Exit" demonstration at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Monday. According to the event's organizers, 11,000 people were on hand for the protest against the Merkel government's energy policies. 

 

The protesters and speakers from the three main opposition parties – the Social Democrats, Greens, and the Left Party – as well as the solar power industry, and several major trade unions accused the center-right government of undermining Germany’s historic Energiewende, or energy transition. In the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, the government shut down half of its nuclear power plantsand pledged to accelerate the country’s transition to renewable energies.
Yet, nearly a year down the road, there is still no overreaching strategy for Germany to meet the ambitious targets it set for itself, including having 36 percent of its electricity generated by green sources in 2020. Moreover, in recent weeks the government announced a draft law that includes hefty reduction in the subsidies that solar power receives from its Feed-in Tariff. A second element in the draft law shifts responsibility for the amount of renewable electricity eligible for support from parliament to the ministries. This has Energiewende proponents worried that investors will be subject to short-term ministry decisions that will undermine security of planning and financing of projects.
The moves triggered a storm of protest from the solar industry, members of which claim that the abrupt and steep cuts will endanger Germany’s aggressive solar energy development and jeopardize tens of thousands of jobs.
Günther Cramer, president of the German Solar Energy Association (BSW-Solar), kicked off the demonstration saying, “The goals of the energy transition can not be achieved when solar energy’s growth is strangled. The vast majority of Germans are in favor of an ambitious expansion of renewable energies and solar,” he said, referring to opinion polls. He demanded that the government, “Not disrespect the will of the people.” Only the giant energy companies will profit from a reduction in solar energy's capacity in Germany, he underscored. “We’re taking a piece of their market. That’s why solar energy is a thorn in their side.”
The demonstration, on a cold but brilliantly sunny day, had a strikingly different feel than the anti-nuclear energy demonstrations in recent years, the largest of which in Berlin last year drew nearly 250,000 people. At this event, the solar power industry and its workers turned out in full force. Some in their work clothes, others in t-shirts that read “Protect Solar Jobs,” they wielded printing-shop-produced posters and orange balloons. The demonstrators traveled to Berlin from across the country, even as far away as Bavaria and Denmark.
Likewise, the ample number of trade unionists present was exceptional. For decades the unions had been at odds with the concerns of the environmental and anti-nuclear movements, which they claimed was elitist and would cost jobs. Now, as the Social Democrats’ party leader Sigmar Gabriel put it at the demonstrations, the renewable energy industry provides people jobs in parts of the country where there hadn’t been any jobs at all. The goal, he said, was to double them, not to lose them all. "It’s not just about the solar industry,” he said, explicitly linking jobs to environmental concerns. “It’s about whether we’re going to make the Energiewende happen or not.”

 By Paul Hockenos, Contributor

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources 

special thanks to

                              RenewableEnergyWorld.com

The industry's not ready to make shift

 CCRES - "The industry's not ready to make that shift"

Progressives and green groups are lobbying alongside energy companies in favor of natural gas.

By Sarah Laskow

In places like Ithaca, New York, green advocates might be fighting to keep natural-gas companies away, but in Washington, D.C., progressive leaders and national environmental groups are ready to fight for natural gas as a source of clean energy.
Take Tim Wirth. The former senator, who came to Congress in 1974 as a representative from Boulder, Colorado, asked climate guru James Hansen to testify about global warming in 1988 and worked in the State Department on climate-change issues during the Clinton administration. Long familiar with the natural-gas industry, Wirth, who now heads Ted Turner's United Nations Foundation, is pushing its leaders to cuddle up to their peers in the solar and wind industries.
"What happens when the wind doesn't blow? What happens when the sun doesn't shine? It's natural gas that should be filling that gap," Wirth told natural-gas producers last summer at a conference in Colorado. "You should be the closest buddies of the wind and solar industry."
Natural gas is a fossil fuel that emits clouds of carbon, and its extraction can dirty air, water, and land. Yet natural gas has a place in the staunchest environmentalists' plans for the future of American energy. In part, they support natural gas because they know wind and solar will not be enough to meet America's fuel needs for years to come. More important, though, natural gas burns cleaner than coal. The climate bill that the House passed last June would give the coal industry plenty of leeway to keep its carbon-spewing plants open. If environmental groups want climate legislation that does more to clamp down on carbon emissions, the natural-gas industry is their ally against coal.
"The emergency is coal and oil," says Kert Davies, research director for Greenpeace USA. "And it's natural gas that poses a competitive threat."
Until recently, natural gas had no chance of supplanting coal: The amount of gas available was too small. In the 1990s, groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Greenpeace floated the idea of natural gas as a "bridge fuel" between the dirty past and the clean future. At the same time, a fleet of natural--gas plants went up around the country and burned enough gas to spike the fuel's price. Energy bills in gas-producing states like Oklahoma and Texas went up, Congress denounced the shortage, and companies pushed to open public lands to drilling. Policy-makers and analysts dismissed natural gas as an energy solution and focused on technologies like "clean" coal and biofuels. But hydrofracture drilling, or hydrofracking, which involves using water and chemicals to open cracks in gas-rich shale formations, solved natural gas' supply problem. New wells using this technology have tapped into gas reserves so huge that the industry is now saying that natural gas could power America for one hundred years or more.
The Center for American Progress (CAP), for instance, had focused its energy-policy recommendations on biofuels and renewables like wind or solar but now promotes natural gas. "The reason for the recent interest in natural gas is that, with advances in technology, there's great opportunity to develop shale gas," says Daniel Weiss, a senior fellow at CAP. "While a few years ago we were worried about natural-gas shortages, now there is a big gas surplus, and there may not be enough room to store it all."

This new wealth of low--carbon fuel bubbled up just as coal companies were extracting protections and incentives for their industry from members of Congress working on climate legislation. The coal industry was undermining both environmentalists' hopes for a real shift in energy production and the natural-gas industry's chance at holding on to a greater share of the energy market. The alignment of these interests has made for unexpected partnerships. John Podesta, the president of CAP, has appeared alongside T. Boone Pickens, the oil baron who funded Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and who is promoting wind energy and natural gas. Carl Pope, the head of the Sierra Club, has made the rounds on Capitol Hill with the head of the Chesapeake Energy Company, Aubrey McClendon, another Swift Boat benefactor and a bundler for the McCain campaign.
For both sides of these alliances, however, the advantages only go so far. While progressives are pushing natural gas as a step toward dependence on renewable energy sources, the natural-gas industry sees it as being a major energy source for much longer. A recent ad by the Clean Skies Foundation, an industry-funded nonprofit, calls natural gas "the gateway to a better world of energy." Or as Roger Cooper, an executive vice president of the American Gas Association, says, if natural gas is a bridge fuel, "it's a very long bridge."
Groups like Greenpeace and NRDC have reservations about hydrofracking but try to balance them against natural gas' carbon advantages. It helps that the boom is happening while Democrats, who are more willing to put in the safeguards that green groups favor, control the legislative and executive branches. When Dick Cheney was vice president and the energy industry had free rein in Washington, environmental groups had more to worry about. At a 2001 hearing, an NRDC analyst, who testified after eight industry representatives, had to argue against drilling in places like the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and Utah's Red Rock Desert. In 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency found that hydrofracking did not contaminate drinking water, and in 2005 Congress exempted the process from regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. National environmental groups are not asking the Obama administration to reconsider hydro-fracking altogether, but they are encouraging the EPA and Congress to update the rules governing the industry.
The federal government is taking a second look at the potential environmental impacts that were brushed aside during the last administration. In 2009, Congress directed the EPA to conduct a new study of hydrofracking: The agency agrees that there are "compelling reasons" to worry about effects on ground and surface water and says it is working to start the study as soon as possible. Legislators also started circulating a piece of legislation known as the FRAC Act, which would restore the EPA's ability to regulate the technique. Rep. Henry Waxman's House Energy and Commerce Committee started investigating the gas industry's drilling practices, and the committee's first report revealed that Halliburton and other companies had violated a voluntary agreement with the EPA to keep diesel-based chemicals like benzene out of fluids used in the process.
The natural-gas industry has shown more interest in fighting against the coal industry in the Senate round of climate-bill negotiations, but even without significant advantages built into the final legislation, natural gas should feature more prominently in the nation's energy mix in the coming years. The new supply of shale gas could fix the price volatility that kept the industry a small player until now.
A long-term relationship between natural gas and renewable energy, however, might not materialize. "It's palpably in their self-interest to do so, but to date they have not."

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources  (CCRES)

BLUESUN Solar Group

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

promotes

Bluesun Solar Group 

is an international high-tech and growing group company, specializing in R&D, which manufactures and sells solar cells, modules, and PV power generation systems. Bluesun solar, as a secondary group of Bluesun Group, consists of three subsidiaries (Bluesun Solar Power Co., Ltd., Linuo PV High-tech Co., Ltd., and Bluesun Power Engineering), aiming at becoming “The expert of solar power generation”, concentrating on cells, modules and solar power generation engineering, and having formed a relatively complete middle-stream and down-stream solar power industrial chain. Our group has introduced advanced automatic production equipments from Germany, Italy, Japan and so on. Also, it has integrated the world’s first-class manufacturing engineering and management system, built up the international management and technology R&D team composed by world-class management and solar PV power generation experts. Furthermore, it has set up R&D platforms such as the National Enterprise Technology Center, Zhejiang Engineering and Technological Research Center, Bluesun solar Research Institute, and so on, in order to become an up-rising star in the industry. Bluesun solar plans to increase the capacity of the PV cells up to 500MW within three to five years and develop the PV modules and projects for power generation at the same time and thus becoming one of the largest bases for the manufacture and application of solar PV and creating the most influential solar PV brand. 


Bluesun Group

Founded in 1984, Bluesun Group is a large-scale enterprise with leading industry of solar and Home appliance. Through 26-year development and accumulation, it has already had a solid industrial base and formed the hi-tech innovation capacity of great competitiveness. As a result, the products are well received both in domestic and foreign markets. Currently, Bluesun Group has entered into its “6th Five-year Plan” and all the industries involved are more prosperous and flourishing.

Values:
Perfection ---- Perfect the green energy cause.
Creation ---- Create new technology, Create new service.
Service ---- Serve the whole society to save energy and provide a better life.
Harmony ---- Human-based management; friendly working environment; team spirited.
Prospect: 

Constant innovation helps to create a green future life and provide clean and green energy for the sustainable development of human beings.
Mission:

 Mission is to cope with climate change, develop sustainable energy solution, provide people with green power through advanced solar photovoltaic technology and create a beautiful green life for human beings.

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• Updating
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• Monocrystalline Modules
• Solar Cell
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• Solar Light , Portable Box , LED
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CONTACT  Bluesun Solar Group

• Add: No.4 Road Xiasha of Hangzhou 310018 P.R.China
• Tel: +86-571-8687-7593
• Fax: +86-571-8687-7595
• Email: info@bluesunpv.com

 CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

German solar energy 2012

  

CCRES promotes

German solar energy 2012

Germany’s solar energy output defied government subsidy cuts to rise by a record 60% last year, according to the German Solar Industry Association BSW-Solar.

“Solar power has become an indispensable ingredient for the success of the energy transformation,” said Carsten Körnig, BSW-Solar’s chief executive.
The clean energy technology generated more than 18 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2011, BSW-Solar figures showed, enough to power the state of Thuringia – or 5.1 million households for a whole year.
The renewables surge comes despite a 13% cut in Germany’s solar subsidies last year, which will be augmented by a further 24% reduction in 2012, implemented in two phases.
Yet because of sharp oil and gas price increases, coupled with price falls in solar technology, Körnig predicted that by 2014, solar power would not need any more government support than ocean-based wind-farms.
“What the solar industry now needs are reliable political conditions,” he said. “This is indispensable for the continued expansion of renewable energy sources and for maintaining an attractive climate of investment in Germany.”
BSW-Solar has called on the government not to tinker with the German government’s proposals for a phase-down of subsidies.
Since 2007, solar panel prices in Germany have already fallen by close to 50%.
Solar power currently contributes some 3% of Germany’s electricity supply, but this is forecast to grow to around 10% by 2020.

More Solar Power than ever before

Record level of production: In 2011, German solar power systems generated enough electricity to cover the power consumption of Thuringia / Support for solar power is reduced by 15 percent as of 1 January 2012, reaching the level of household electricity prices / Increased growth in the solar heating market

The year comes to an end with record levels in the production of solar power. In 2011, solar power systems in Germany produced over 18 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, according to figures provided by the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar) at the close of the year. That amounts to 60 percent more than in the previous year and is approximately equal to the electricity consumption of the state of Thuringia; this volume could theoretically supply 5.1 million households with electricity for an entire year. Solar heating usage also saw a marked increase in 2011, according to the Association's figures. “Solar power has become an indispensable ingredient for the success of the energy transformation,” explained Carsten Körnig, Chief Executive Officer of the German Solar Industry Association. One key reason for the high demand is the sharp increase in prices for oil and gas; another is found in the significantly lower costs for solar technology. Since 2007 alone, prices for turnkey solar power systems have fallen by more than half. This has allowed the support for solar power systems to be reduced by the same extent. In 2012, after another reduction in the level of remuneration for solar power at the turn of the year, the level of support will have already reached the price level for household electricity.

This is considered to be a significant milestone on the path to the full competitiveness of solar power with other energy sources. According to Körnig, “The solar industry is making good on its promise to radically reduce costs. As a next step, in 2013/2014 we will be able to match the support level of large ocean-based windfarms in initial market segments. This is the result of major efforts on the part of industry and research, combined with the effects of tough competition in international markets.”

Recent advances in cost reduction also mean that the further expansion of solar power in Germany will have a negligible impact in terms of cost. At the beginning of 2011, support for solar power was able to be reduced by 13 percent. On 1 January 2012, there will be an additional reduction for new systems by 15 percent, while another reduction by up to nine percent will take place in the middle of the year, as set out in the amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), which was passed in the summer of 2011.

BSW-Solar now appeals to the Federal Government, following a period of considerable uncertainty, to allow this recently tightened legislation to run its course. According to Körnig, “What the solar industry now needs are reliable political conditions. This is indispensable for the continued expansion of renewable energy sources and for maintaining an attractive climate of investment in Germany. It's the only way to ensure that the contract between generations contained in the energy transformation will work. And it's the only way that Germany can continue to be successful in the now highly competitive growth markets.” Currently, solar power contributes roughly three percent of the German electricity supply; by 2020, this share is expected to expand to roughly 10 percent. Please see our illustration on the record levels of solar power production at:

www.solarwirtschaft.de/fileadmin/media/Grafiken/pdf/BSW_Infografik_Stromproduktion_111221.pdf. 

Survey shows: Mid-agers investing in solar heating

 

Following weak figures in 2010, 2011 saw renewed increases not only in the production of solar power, but also in the use of solar heating. In order to better gauge the use of solar heating, the information portal co2online, on behalf of BSW-Solar, conducted a survey of 1500 solar heating users. The survey showed that “mid-agers” in particular are deciding to invest in solar heating; according to the survey, the average age for these users of solar heating is 47. The prospects of long-term reductions in energy costs are a central factor in this trend. For 64 percent of those surveyed, cost savings are an important reason for investing in solar heating. 46 percent stated that concern about price increases for fossil fuels such as oil and gas are a key reason. “The only reason that rated higher, at 81 percent, was environmental protection through solar technology,” explained Jörg Mayer, Chief Executive Officer of BSW-Solar. “Apparently, reducing costs on the expenditure side is becoming an increasingly important argument among the older generation.”

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Empowering the World

Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Empowering the World

The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) , Greenpeace International and Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES) are pleased to present the 6th edition of the “Solar Generation 6: Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Empowering the World” report.

This report aims at providing a clear and comprehensible description of the current status of the developing photovoltaic power generation worldwide and its untapped potentials and growth prospects in the coming years.

Global evolution of PV installed capacity

During 2010, the photovoltaic (PV) market has shown unprecedented growth and wide deployment of this environmentally friendly source of power generation. On a global scale, approximately 15,000 MW of new PV installations have been added during 2010, amounting the entire PV capacity to almost 40,000 MW. This number has risen above the optimistic forecast contained in the report, and it also translates into investments of over 50 bn€ in 2010, again ahead of the report’s forecast.

Total of world cumulative PV installed capacity under three scenarios

The most impressive result is however the number of installations and consequently, the number of individuals, companies, and public entities participating in this development: nearly 2 million single PV installations produce photovoltaic power already today.

The cumulative electrical energy produced from global PV installations in 2010 equals more than half of the electricity demand in Greece, or the entire electricity demand in ten central African countries (Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon and Ghana).

The strong growth in PV installations is currently driven in particular by European countries, accounting for some 70% of the global market, followed by the promising key markets of North America, Japan, China and Australia. At the same time, the PV arena has importantly widened its number of participating countries and also increased their specific weight. Major new areas for development lie also in the Sunbelt region, in Africa, Middle East and in South America that is just starting to create new growth opportunities dedicated to covering local demand.

The major competitive advantages of PV technology lie in its versatility, i.e. the wide range of sizes and sites, resulting in proximity to electricity demand, in the value of its production profile concentrated during peak-load hours, and in its enormous potential for further cost reduction.

PV technology has reduced its unit costs to roughly one third of what it did 5 years ago, thanks to continuous technological progress, production efficiency and to its wide implementation. The trend of decreasing unit cost will continue in the future, just like in comparable industries such as semiconductors and TV screens. Adding to the important feature of integrated PV solutions in architecture in particular, the potential of further growth is simply enormous.

The 6th edition of the Solar Generation report combines different growth scenarios for global PV development and electricity demand until 2050. It is built on the results of several reference market studies in order to accurately forecast PV growth in the coming decades. In addition, the economic and social benefits of PV, such as employment and CO2 emissions reduction, are also analysed. With PV becoming a cost competitive solution for producing power, it will open up a variety of new markets and contribute more and more significantly to cover our future energy needs.

PV technology has all the potential to satisfy a double digit percentage of the electricity supply needs in all major regions of the world. Going forward, a share of over 20% of the world electricity demand in 2050 appears feasible, and opens a bright, clean and sunny future to all of us.

Total of world cumulative PV installed capacity under three scenarios

Reference for the future

This publication is the sixth edition of the reference global solar scenarios that have been established by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association and Greenpeace jointly for almost ten years. They provide well documented scenarios establishing the PV deployment potential worldwide by 2050.

The first edition of Solar Generation was published in 2001. Since then, each year, the actual global PV market has grown faster that the industry and Greenpeace had predicted.

Annual PV installed PV capacity

 

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

9 out of 10 Americans Support Solar, Across Political Spectrum

Americans Love Solar

WASHINGTON - Americans overwhelmingly support the use and development of solar energy as well as federal investments for solar, according to a new national poll. These and other findings were reported today in the 2011 SCHOTT Solar Barometer(TM), a nationally representative survey conducted annually by independent polling firm Kelton Research.

For the fourth consecutive year, the survey found that about nine out of 10 Americans (89 percent) think it is important for the United States to develop and use solar energy. Support for solar is strong across the political spectrum with 80 percent of Republicans, 90 percent of Independents and 94 percent of Democrats agreeing that it is important for the United States to develop and use solar.

The survey also found that Americans want federal incentives for solar. More than eight out of 10 Americans (82 percent) support federal tax credits and grants for the solar industry similar to those that traditional sources of energy like oil, natural gas and coal have received for decades. Seventy-one percent of Republicans agree, as well as 82 percent of Independents and 87 percent of Democrats.

Furthermore, when asked to select an energy source they would financially support if they were in charge of U.S. energy policy, 39 percent of Americans chose solar over other sources such as natural gas (21 percent), wind (12 percent), nuclear (9 percent) and coal (3 percent). Among Independents, solar is more than twice as popular as any other energy source (43 percent for solar compared to 20 percent for natural gas).

“In this tough economy, Americans want to see solutions coming from Washington,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “For members of Congress trying to find ways to create jobs, solar is a win-win. Thanks in part to proven policy successes like the 1603 Treasury Program, the solar industry has doubled its workforce in the last two years and now employs more than 100,000 Americans at 5,000 businesses spanning every state. And solar enjoys overwhelming support across all political affiliations – Republicans, Democrats and Independents. It’s clear that solar has the strong support of the American people. Now it needs the support of U.S. policymakers in extending job-creating policies like the 1603 program to make sure solar continues to work for America.”

Despite weeks of news coverage about the bankruptcy of solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, the survey shows that Americans’ support for solar remains strong. In fact, the vast majority of Americans support solar manufacturing in the United States. Eight out of 10 (82 percent) think it is important for the federal government to support U.S. solar manufacturing, and a majority of Independent voters (51 percent) think it is “extremely important.”

The poll also found that Americans prefer to buy solar-made products. A majority of Americans (51 percent) said they would be more likely to purchase a product if they knew it was made using solar energy. Consumers in the key age demographic of 18 to 44 years old are even more likely to buy solar-made products (61 percent).

One challenge that the solar industry faces is educating the public about how they can become consumers of solar power. Despite the cost of solar modules decreasing by 30 percent since the beginning of 2010 and residential solar leasing models that allow consumers to go solar with no upfront cost, 48 percent of Americans cited cost as their biggest concern with choosing solar energy.

"The fourth annual Solar Barometer shows that Americans overwhelmingly understand the benefits and continue to support solar energy for our country," said Tom Hecht, President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development, SCHOTT Solar PV, Inc. "What I find especially encouraging is that eight out of ten people support American solar manufacturing. A growing domestic solar industry will create more jobs and make solar more attractive as a clean energy source. Prices for solar continue to decline and those who currently own solar systems are earning a strong return on their investment. High quality solar energy systems are also extremely reliable, which is why companies like SCHOTT Solar back their modules with warranties of up to 25 years."

“For the fourth year in a row, an overwhelming majority of Americans agree on the importance of solar power,” said Rachel Bonsignore, Associate Director, Kelton Research. “This year’s survey continues the trend of remarkably consistent support for solar.”

Key Survey Findings:

http://seia.us/sERklb

Question 1: If you were in charge of U.S. energy policy and could choose to provide financial support in one of the following energy sources during your term in office, which would you choose?

• Thirty-nine percent chose solar, compared to 21 percent for natural gas, 12 percent for wind, 9 percent for nuclear and 3 percent for coal. Among Independents, solar is more than twice as popular as any other energy source (43 percent to 20 percent for natural gas).
• Among Independents, solar is more than twice as popular as any other energy source (43 percent to 20 percent for natural gas).

Question 2: How important do you think it is for the U.S. to develop and use solar power?

• Nine out of 10 Americans (89 percent) think it is “extremely important” or “somewhat important.”
• Eighty percent of Republicans, 90 percent of Independents, and 94 percent of Democrats agree with this statement.

Question 3: How important do you think it is for the federal government to support U.S. solar manufacturing right now?

• Eight out of 10 Americans (82 percent) think it is “extremely important” or “somewhat important.”
• A majority of Independent voters (51 percent) think it is “extremely important.”

Question 4: Would you be more, less or about as likely to buy a product that you knew was made using solar energy?

• A majority of Americans (51 percent) would be more likely to buy products produced with solar energy.
• Sixty-one percent of consumers in the key age demographic of 18 to 44 years old would be more likely.

Question 5: Which of the following best describes the biggest concern you would have with choosing solar energy?

• Cost was the most common concern (48 percent), followed by reliability (25 percent), uncertainty about the benefits (9 percent) and aesthetics (3 percent).

Question 6: The federal government currently gives subsidies, such as federal tax credits and grants, to traditional sources of energy, such as oil, natural gas and coal. How likely would you be to support similar subsidies for solar energy?

• More than eight out of 10 Americans (82 percent) would be “extremely likely” or “somewhat likely” to support federal investments in solar. Seventy-two percent of Republicans support federal investments, as well as 87 percent of Democrats and 82 percent of Independents.
• Seventy-one percent of Republicans support federal incentives, as well as 82 percent of Independents, and 87 percent of Democrats.

Methodology:

Background Resources:

http://seia.us/sERklb

Public Opinion Strategies/FM3 poll on voter awareness of Solyndra and its implications on the clean energy debate (Sept. 26, 2011): www.eenews.net/assets/2011/10/03/document_daily_01.pdf

Public Perceptions of Solar Water Heating Systems report (Oct. 17, 2011): http://www.seia.org/cs/news_detail?pressrelease.id=1670

See how solar is working for America in all 50 states: www.SolarWorksforAmerica.org

The solar industry is on pace for a record growth year in 2011. Learn about the industry’s dynamic growth through the first half of the year (Sept. 20, 2011): http://www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/Solar_Energy_Facts_Q2_2011.pdf

Find out solar energy’s real story: http://www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/Behind_The_Solyndra_Headlines.pdf

About SEIA:
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA and its 1,100 member companies are building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org

About SCHOTT Solar:
SCHOTT Solar, with its high quality products, enables the potential of the sun as a nearly inexhaustible source of energy to be utilized. SCHOTT Solar produces important components for photovoltaic applications and solar energy power plants. In the production of receivers for solar power plants, SCHOTT Solar sees itself as a market and technology leader. Receivers from SCHOTT Solar are key components in large-scale power plants that generate electricity from solar energy centrally on the basis of parabolic trough technology and are able to supply entire cities with power. SCHOTT Solar has production facilities in the USA, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Spain. The innovative power and technological competence of the company date back to the late 1950s. SCHOTT Solar is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international SCHOTT group. SCHOTT develops special materials, components and systems for the household appliance, pharmaceutical, solar energy, electronics, optical and automotive industries. With its workforce of approximately 17,500 employees, the SCHOTT Group generated worldwide sales of approximately $4 billion ($2.9 billion Euros) for fiscal year 2009/2010. In North America, SCHOTT’s holding company SCHOTT Corporation and its subsidiary SCHOTT North America, Inc. and their affiliates employ about 3,000 people in 14 production operations with 6 sales offices.

The company’s technological and economic expertise is closely linked with its social and ecological responsibilities.

###

Media Contacts:
Jared Blanton, SEIA, 202-556-2886, jblanton@seia.org
Matthew Kraft, SCHOTT North America, 914-831-2288, matthew.kraft@us.schott.com
Brian Mahar, Tigercomm, 703-302-8393, bmahar@tigercomm.us

More info about renewable energy : CCRES

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

3 RENEWABLE SOURCES by CCRES

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

3 RENEWABLE SOURCES

1)

WIND ENERGY

Energy from the Wind Wind is simply air in motion. It is caused by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the sun. Because the Earth's surface is made of very different types of land and water, it absorbs the sun's heat at different rates. One example of this uneven heating can be found in the daily wind cycle. The daily wind cycle During the day, the air above the land heats up more quickly than the air over water. The warm air over the land expands and rises, and the heavier, cooler air rushes in to take its place, creating wind. At night, the winds are reversed because the air cools more rapidly over land than over water. In the same way, the atmospheric winds that circle the earth are created because the land near the Earth's equator is heated more by the sun than the land near the North and South Poles. Wind Energy for Electricity Generation Today, wind energy is mainly used to generate electricity. Wind is a renewable energy source because the wind will blow as long as the sun shines. How Wind Turbines Work Like old fashioned windmills, today’s wind machines (also called wind turbines) use blades to collect the wind’s kinetic energy. The wind flows over the blades creating lift, like the effect on airplane wings, which causes them to turn. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator to produce electricity. With the new wind machines, there is still the problem of what to do when the wind isn't blowing. At those times, other types of power plants must be used to make electricity. Wind Production In 2008, wind machines in the United States generated a total of 52 billion kilowatthours, about 1.3% of total U.S. electricity generation. Although this is a small fraction of the Nation's total electricity production, it was enough electricity to serve 4.6 million households or to power the entire State of Colorado. The amount of electricity generated from wind has been growing rapidly in recent years. Generation from wind in the United States nearly doubled between 2006 and 2008. New technologies have decreased the cost of producing electricity from wind, and growth in wind power has been encouraged by tax breaks for renewable energy and so called "green pricing programs". Many utilities around the country offer green pricing options that allow customers the choice to pay more for electricity that comes from renewable sources to support new technologies. Where Wind is harnessed Wind Power Plants Require Careful Planning Operating a wind power plant is not as simple as just building a windmill in a windy place. Wind plant owners must carefully plan where to locate their machines. It is important to consider how fast and how much the wind blows at the site. As a rule, wind speed increases with altitude and over open areas that have no windbreaks. Good sites for wind plants are the tops of smooth, rounded hills, open plains or shorelines, and mountain gaps that produce wind funnelling. Wind Speed is not the same across any country Wind speed varies throughout any country. It also varies from season to season. In Tehachapi, California, the wind blows more from April through October than it does in the winter. This is because of the extreme heating of the Mojave Desert during the summer months. The hot air over the desert rises, and the cooler, denser air above the Pacific Ocean rushes through the Tehachapi mountain pass to take its place. In a state like Montana, on the other hand, the wind blows more during the winter. Fortunately, these seasonal variations are a good match for the electricity demands of the regions. In California, people use more electricity during the summer for air conditioners. In Montana, people use more electricity during the winter. Major wind power locations Most of the wind power plants in the world are located in Europe and in the United States where government programs have helped support wind power development. As of 2008, the United States ranks first in the world in wind power capacity, followed by Germany, Spain, and China. Denmark ranks ninth in the world in wind power capacity, but generates about 20% of its electricity from wind. Large wind turbines (sometimes called wind machines) generated electricity in 34 different States in 2008. The top five wind power producing States with the most wind production were Texas, California, Minnesota, Iowa, and Washington. Offshore Wind Power Conditions are well suited along much of the coasts of the United Kingdom to use wind energy. However, there are people who oppose putting turbines just offshore, near the coastlines, because they think the wind turbines will spoil the view of the ocean. There is a plan to build an offshore wind plant off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. Wind is a renewable energy source that does not pollute, so some people see it as a good alternative to fossil fuels. Types of Wind Turbines There are two types of wind machines (turbines) used today, based on the direction of the rotating shaft (axis): horizontal-axis wind machines and vertical-axis wind machines. The size of wind machines varies widely. Small turbines used to power a single home or business may have a capacity of less than 100 kilowatts. Some large commercial-sized turbines may have a capacity of 5 million watts, or 5 megawatts. Larger turbines are often grouped together into wind farms that provide power to the electrical grid. Horizontal-axis Turbines Look Like Windmills Most wind machines being used today are the horizontal-axis type. Horizontal-axis wind machines have blades like airplane propellers. A typical horizontal wind machine stands as tall as a 20-story building and has three blades that span 200 feet across. The largest wind machines in the world have blades longer than a football field. Wind machines stand tall and wide to capture more wind. Vertical-axis Turbines Look Like Egg Beaters Vertical-axis wind machines have blades that go from top to bottom. The most common type — the Darrieus wind turbine, named after the French engineer Georges Darrieus who patented the design in 1931 — looks like a giant, two-bladed egg beater. This type of vertical wind machine typically stands 100 feet tall and 50 feet wide. Vertical-axis wind machines make up only a very small share of the wind machines used today. Wind Power Plants Produce Electricity Wind power plants, or wind farms, as they are sometimes called, are clusters of wind machines used to produce electricity. A wind farm usually has dozens of wind machines scattered over a large area. The world's largest wind farm, the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Centre in Texas, has 421 wind turbines that generate enough electricity to power 220,000 homes per year. Many wind plants are not owned by public utility companies. Instead, they are owned and operated by business people who sell the electricity produced on the wind farm to electric utilities. These private companies are known as Independent Power Producers. History of Wind Power The Oldest Windmills Were in Ancient Persia Since early recorded history, people have been harnessing the energy of the wind. Wind energy propelled boats along the Nile River as early as 5000 B.C. By 200 B.C., simple windmills in China were pumping water, while vertical-axis windmills with woven reed sails were grinding grain in Persia and the Middle East. New ways of using the energy of the wind eventually spread around the world. By the 11th century, people in the Middle East were using windmills extensively for food production; returning merchants and crusaders carried this idea back to Europe. The Dutch refined the windmill and adapted it for draining lakes and marshes in the Rhine River Delta. When settlers took this technology to the New World in the late 19th century, they began using windmills to pump water for farms and ranches, and later, to generate electricity for homes and industry. American colonists used windmills to grind wheat and corn, to pump water, and to cut wood at sawmills. As late as the 1920s, Americans used small windmills to generate electricity in rural areas without electric service. When power lines began to transport electricity to rural areas in the 1930s, local windmills were used less and less, though they can still be seen on some Western ranches. Windmills Make a Comeback in the Wake of Oil Shortages The oil shortages of the 1970s changed the energy picture for the Country and the world. It created an interest in alternative energy sources, paving the way for the re-entry of the windmill to generate electricity. In the early 1980s, wind energy really took off in California, partly because of State policies that encouraged renewable energy sources. Wind Energy & the Environment In the 1970s, oil shortages pushed the development of alternative energy sources. In the 1990s, the push came from a renewed concern for the environment in response to scientific studies indicating potential changes to the global climate if the use of fossil fuels continues to increase. Wind energy is an economical power resource in many areas of the country. Wind is a clean fuel; wind power plants (also called wind farms) produce no air or water pollution because no fuel is burned to generate electricity. Growing concern about emissions from fossil fuel generation, increased government support, and higher costs for fossil fuels (especially natural gas and coal) have helped wind power capacity in the United States grow substantially over the past 10 years. Drawbacks of Wind Machines The most serious environmental drawbacks to wind machines may be their negative effect on wild bird populations and the visual impact on the landscape. To some, the glistening blades of windmills on the horizon are an eyesore; to others, they're a beautiful alternative to conventional power plants. More info at: solarserdar@gmail.com

2)

WATER ENERGY

Energy from Water Hydropower Generates Electricity Hydropower is the renewable energy source that produces the most electricity in the United States. It accounted for 6% of total U.S. electricity generation and 67% of generation from renewable in 2008. Hydropower relies on the Water Cycle Understanding the water cycle is important to understanding hydropower. In the water cycle: Solar energy heats water on the surface, causing it to evaporate. This water vapor condenses into clouds and falls back onto the surface as precipitation (rain, snow, etc.). The water flows through rivers back into the oceans, where it can evaporate and begin the cycle over again. Mechanical Energy is harnessed from moving water The amount of available energy in moving water is determined by its flow or fall. Swiftly flowing water in a big river, like the Columbia River in the United States that forms the border between Oregon and Washington, carries a great deal of energy in its flow. Water descending rapidly from a very high point, like Niagara Falls in New York, also has lots of energy in its flow. In either instance, the water flows through a pipe, or penstock, then pushes against and turns blades in a turbine to spin a generator to produce electricity. In a run-of-the-river system, the force of the current applies the needed pressure, while in a storage system, water is accumulated in reservoirs created by dams, then released as needed to generate electricity. History of Hydropower Early uses of waterpower date back to Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, where irrigation has been used since the 6th millennium BC and water clocks had been used since the early 2nd millennium BC. Other early examples of water power include the Qanat system in ancient Persia and the Turpan water system in ancient China. Hydropower has been used for hundreds of years. In India, water wheels and watermills were built; in Imperial Rome, water powered mills produced flour from grain, and were also used for sawing timber and stone; in China, watermills were widely used since the Han Dynasty. The power of a wave of water released from a tank was used for extraction of metal ores in a method known as hushing. The method was first used at the Dolaucothi gold mine in Wales from 75 AD onwards, but had been developed in Spain at such mines as Las Medulas. Hushing was also widely used in Britain in the Medieval and later periods to extract lead and tin ores. It later evolved into hydraulic mining when used during the California gold rush. In China and the rest of the Far East, hydraulically operated "vigina wheel" pumps raised water into irrigation canals. At the beginning of the Industrial revolution in Britain, water was the main source of power for new inventions such as Richard Arkwright's water frame. Although the use of water power gave way to steam power in many of the larger mills and factories, it was still used during the 18th and 19th centuries for many smaller operations, such as driving the bellows in small blast furnaces and gristmills, such as those built at Saint Anthony Falls, utilizing the 50-foot (15 m) drop in the Mississippi River. In the 1830s, at the peak of the canal-building era, hydropower was used to transport barge traffic up and down steep hills using inclined plane railroads. Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of energy. It was used thousands of years ago to turn a paddle wheel for purposes such as grinding grain. U.S. first industrial use of hydropower to generate electricity occurred in 1880, when 16 brush-arc lamps were powered using a water turbine at the Wolverine Chair Factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The first U.S. hydroelectric power plant opened on the Fox River near Appleton, Wisconsin, on September 30, 1882. Because the source of hydroelectric power is water, hydroelectric power plants must be located on a water source. Therefore, it wasn't until the technology to transmit electricity over long distances was developed that hydropower became widely used. Where Hydropower is generated Hydroelectric power now supplies about 715,000 megawatts or 19% of world electricity. Large dams are still being designed. The world's largest is the Three Gorges Dam on the third longest river in the world, the Yangtze River. Apart from a few countries with an abundance of hydro power, this energy source is normally applied to peak load demand, because it is readily stopped and started. It also provides a high-capacity, low-cost means of energy storage, known as "pumped storage". Most dams were not built for power Only a small percentage of all dams in the world produce electricity. Most dams were constructed solely to provide irrigation and flood control. Small Scale hydropower Small scale hydro or micro-hydro power has been increasingly used as renewable energy source, especially in remote areas where other power sources are not viable. Small scale hydro power systems can be installed in small rivers or streams with little or no discernible environmental effect on things such as fish migration. Most small scale hydro power systems make no use of a dam or major water diversion, but rather use water wheels. Many areas of the North Eastern United States have locations along streams where water wheel driven mills once stood. Sites such as these can be renovated and used to generate electricity. Also, small scale hydro power plants can be combined with other energy sources as a supplement. For example a small scale hydro plant could be used along with a system of solar panels attached to a battery bank. While the solar panels may create more power during the day, when the majority of power is used, the hydro plant will create a smaller, constant flow of power, not dependent on the sunlight. There are some considerations in a micro-hydro system installation. The amount of water flow available on a consistent basis, since lack of rain can affect plant operation. Head, or the amount of drop between the intake and the exit. The more head, the more power that can be generated. There can be legal and regulatory issues, since most countries, cities, and states have regulations about water rights and easements. Micro-hydro power can be used directly as "shaft power" for many industrial applications. Alternatively, the preferred option for domestic energy supply is to generate electricity with a generator or a reversed electric motor which, while less efficient, is likely to be available locally and cheaply. Hydropower and the Environment Most dams in the world were built mainly for flood control and supply of water for cities and irrigation. A small number of dams were built specifically for hydropower generation. While hydropower (hydro-electric) generators do not directly produce emissions of air pollutants, hydropower dams, reservoirs, and the operation of generators can have environmental impacts A dam to create a reservoir may obstruct migration of fish to their upstream spawning areas. A reservoir and operation of the dam can also change the natural water temperatures, chemistry, flow characteristics, and silt loads, all of which can lead to significant changes in the ecology (living organisms and the environment) and rocks and land forms of the river upstream and downstream. These changes may have negative impacts on native plants and animals in and next to the river, and in the deltas that form where rivers empty into the ocean. Reservoirs may cover important natural areas, agricultural land, and archaeological sites, and cause the relocation of people. Greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane, may also form in reservoirs and be emitted to the atmosphere. The exact amount of greenhouse gases produced from hydropower plant reservoirs is uncertain. The emissions from reservoirs in tropical and temperate regions may be equal to or greater than the greenhouse effect of the carbon dioxide emissions from an equivalent amount of electricity generated with fossil fuels. More info at: solarserdar@gmail.com 3) SOLAR ENERGY Energy from the Sun The sun has produced energy for billions of years. Solar energy is the sun’s rays (solar radiation) that reach the Earth. This energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat and electricity. In the 1830s, the British astronomer John Herschel famously used a solar thermal collector box (a device that absorbs sunlight to collect heat) to cook food during an expedition to Africa. Today, people use the sun's energy for lots of things. Solar Energy can be used for heat and electricity When converted to thermal (or heat) energy, solar energy can be used to: Heat water — for use in homes, buildings, or swimming pools Heat spaces — inside homes, greenhouses, and other buildings Solar energy can be converted to electricity in two ways: Photovoltaic (PV devices) or “solar cells” change sunlight directly into electricity. Individual PV cells are grouped into panels and arrays of panels that can be used in a wide range of applications ranging from single small cells that charge calculator and watch batteries, to systems that power single homes, to large power plants covering many acres. Concentrating Solar Power Plants generate electricity by using the heat from solar thermal collectors to heat a fluid which produces steam that is used to power the generator. Out of the 11 known concentrating solar power generating units operating in the United States at the end of 2008, 9 of these are in California, 1 in Arizona, and 1 in Nevada. Two drawbacks of solar energy are: The amount of sunlight that arrives at the Earth's surface is not constant. It depends on location, time of day, time of year, and weather conditions. Because the sun doesn't deliver that much energy to any one place at any one time, a large surface area is required to collect the energy at a useful rate Where solar is found Solar Energy is everywhere the sun shines. Solar energy is by far the Earth's most available energy source. Solar power is capable of providing many times the total current energy demand. But it is an intermittent energy source, meaning that it is not available at all times. However, it can be supplemented by thermal energy storage or another energy source, such as natural gas or hydropower. California has the world’s biggest solar power plant Nine solar power plants, in three locations, in California's Mojave Desert comprise the Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS). SEGS VIII and IX (each 80 megawatts), located in Harper Lake, are, individually and collectively, the largest solar power generating plants in the world. SEGS plants are concentrating solar thermal plants. Concentrating solar power technologies use mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect the solar energy and convert it to heat. This thermal energy can then be used to produce electricity via a steam turbine or heat engine driving a generator. Europe has a lot of large photovoltaic power plants Another solar generating technology uses photovoltaic cells (PV) to convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV cells are made of semiconductors, such as crystalline silicon or various thin-film materials. Photovoltaic can provide tiny amounts of power for watches, large amounts for the electric grid, and everything in between. Recently multi-megawatt photovoltaic plants have also been built. The Moura photovoltaic power station in Portugal and the Waldpolenz Solar Park in Germany, both completed in 2008, represent the trend toward larger photovoltaic power stations. Over 100,000 grid-connected PV systems are already installed in Germany, Austria and Italy. The alternating current generated is fed into the local power grid via a separate feed meter. In Germany, the local grid operator purchases the solar power fed into the grid according to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). This provides the supplier with cash for every generated kilowatt hour fed into the grid. The same happened in Italy (GSE is the government own company in charge of the subsidies). A grid-connected PV system includes: PV modules for converting light into electrical power An inverter for converting the solar power to mains grid power. The inverter converts the direct current into alternating current and controls the entire system. This is necessary if the public mains grid fails or is switched off. AC meter / Feed meter for recording the power yields. Safety components providing electrical protection for the PV system. Solar Power can be used almost anywhere at a variety of scales Low-temperature solar collectors also absorb the sun's heat energy, but instead of making electricity, use the heat directly for hot water or space heating in homes, offices, and other buildings. Even larger plants than exist today are proposed for construction in the coming years. Covering 4% of the world's desert area with photovoltaic could supply the equivalent of all of the world's electricity. The Gobi Desert alone could supply almost all of the world's total electricity demand. Photovoltaic Cells convert sunlight into electricity A photovoltaic cell, commonly called a solar cell or PV, is the technology used to convert solar energy directly into electrical power. A photovoltaic cell is a no-mechanical device usually made from silicon alloys. Photons carry Solar Energy Sunlight is composed of photons, or particles of solar energy. These photons contain various amounts of energy corresponding to the different wavelengths of the solar spectrum. When photons strike a photovoltaic cell, they may be reflected, pass right through, or be absorbed. Only the absorbed photons provide energy to generate electricity. When enough sunlight (energy) is absorbed by the material (a semiconductor), electrons are dislodged from the material's atoms. Special treatment of the material surface during manufacturing makes the front surface of the cell more receptive to free electrons, so the electrons naturally migrate to the surface. The flow of electricity When the electrons leave their position, holes are formed. When many electrons, each carrying a negative charge, travel toward the front surface of the cell, the resulting imbalance of charge between the cell's front and back surfaces creates a voltage potential like the negative and positive terminals of a battery. When the two surfaces are connected through an external load, such as an appliance, electricity flows. How Photovoltaic Systems operate The photovoltaic cell is the basic building block of a photovoltaic system. Individual cells can vary in size from about 0.5 inches to about 4 inches across. However, one cell only produces 1 or 2 watts, which isn't enough power for most applications. To increase power output, cells are electrically connected into a packaged weather-tight module. Modules can be further connected to form an array. The term array refers to the entire generating plant, whether it is made up of one or several thousand modules. The number of modules connected together in an array depends on the amount of power output needed. Weather affects photovoltaic The performance of a photovoltaic array is dependent upon sunlight. Climate conditions (such as clouds or fog) have a significant effect on the amount of solar energy received by a photovoltaic array and, in turn, its performance. Most modern modules are about 10% efficient in converting sunlight. Further research is being conducted to raise this efficiency to 20%. Commercial applications of Photovoltaic Systems The success of PV in outer space first generated commercial applications for this technology. The simplest photovoltaic systems power many of the small calculators and wrist watches used every day. More complicated systems provide electricity to pump water, power communications equipment, and even provide electricity to our homes. Some advantages of photovoltaic systems are: Conversion from sunlight to electricity is direct, so that bulky mechanical generator systems are unnecessary. PV arrays can be installed quickly and in any size. The environmental impact is minimal, requiring no water for system cooling and generating no by-products. Photovoltaic cells, like batteries, generate direct current (DC), which is generally used for small loads (electronic equipment). When DC from photovoltaic cells is used for commercial applications or sold to electric utilities using the electric grid, it must be converted to alternating current (AC) using inverters, solid state devices that convert DC power to AC. History of the Photovoltaic Cell The first practical photovoltaic (PV) cell was developed in 1954 by Bell Telephone researchers examining the sensitivity of a properly prepared silicon wafer to sunlight. Beginning in the late 1950s, PV cells were used to power U.S. space satellites. PV cells were next widely used for small consumer electronics like calculators and watches and to provide electricity in remote or "off-grid" locations were there were no electric power lines. Technology advances and government financial incentives have helped to greatly expand PV use since the mid-1990s. The first solar module In 1963, Sharp Corporation developed the first usable photovoltaic module from silicon solar cells. The biggest photovoltaic system at the time, the 242 W module field was set up in Japan. In 1966, Sharp installed its solar modules in the word’s largest lighthouse at that time. Solar Energy & the Environment Using solar energy produces no air or water pollution and no greenhouse gases, but does have some indirect impacts on the environment. For example, there are some toxic materials and chemicals, and various solvents and alcohols that are used in the manufacturing process of photovoltaic cells (PV), which convert sunlight into electricity. Small amounts of these waste materials are produced. In addition, large solar thermal power plants can harm desert ecosystems if not properly managed. Birds and insects can be killed if they fly into a concentrated beam of sunlight, such as that created by a "solar power tower." Some solar thermal systems use potentially hazardous fluids (to transfer heat) that require proper handling and disposal. Concentrating solar systems may require water for regular cleaning of the concentrators and receivers and for cooling the turbine-generator. Using water from underground wells may affect the ecosystem in some arid locations. More info at: solarserdar@gmail.com CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)