The Critical Decade: Climate Change and Health | Climate Commission

The Critical Decade: Climate Change and Health

The Climate Commission has released its second major report, The Critical Decade: Climate change and health. The report is a comprehensive and up to date synthesis of the expected impacts of climate change on the health of Australians.

Climate change is harming our health in Australia, and poses a significant threat for the future. Our health, and the health of our families and communities is the foundation for our way of life, our society and our economy.

Health is one of the top priorities for Australians. Every year we collectively invest more and more in our health, and in 2008–09 this reached $112.8 billion.

Our health depends on the natural environment for our basic requirements: safe water, clean air, sufficient food, tolerable temperatures and protection from the elements.

A changing climate is already putting pressure on the natural, economic and social systems that sustain good health. Climate change will lead to more injuries, disease and deaths in decades to come. Sustained action by Australia and other nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can help prevent the worst impacts.

Find out more about the report:
Read the report’s key messages.
Download the full report: The Critical Decade: Climate change and health.
Read more about the health profession backing the report’s findings.

Hot days and heatwaves have a significant impact on our health, and are projected to increase. The above figure shows the projected increase in number of days above 35°C in Darwin.


The Critical Decade: Climate Change and Health | Climate Commission

Solar Energy Is The Future Heating For More Than Three Quarters Of The French

78% of French people consider that the solar heating is the way forward, according to a MV2 survey for the Via SEVA Association and for the Environment and Energy Management Agency on Tuesday 29 November. The geothermal energy is the second to promote in the future (54%) compared to the recovery of waste (49%).

The environment respect is one of the first concerns of 39% French. As for the green heating, (78%) preferred going with solar energy, followed by geothermal (54%) and recovery of waste (49%).
Another proposed solution was district heating which is a boiler plant comprising providing heat to multiple clients through pipes, in which 55% of consumers have an interest. For now, only 6% of French people benefit from this heating technique. In any case, there is a green energy future for at least 31% of respondents.

Note that electricity is in fourth position in the charts, ranking the heating of the future, with 41% of the plebiscite.

This study was conducted among a sample of 1,000 people in urban areas of over 30,000 inhabitants, interviewed in October 2011.

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 30/11/11

European Wind Energy Association

New Hampshire, U.S.A. – The latest report published by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) released at its annual offshore wind conference finds there is the potential for exponential growth in offshore installations, with a high concentration in the waters off northwestern Europe.

The report, ‘Wind in our Sails,’ said there is more than 141 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity already built, under construction, consented or planned in 17 EU member states. That number would represent 35 times more capacity than the 4 gigawatts currently installed, and it could provide more than 13 percent of Europe’s electricity production.

The study went on to say that 169,000 jobs could be created in the EU offshore winds sector by 2020, and up to 300,000 by 2030.

European countries currently have cornered the offshore market, with 99 percent of installed capacity and 5.6 GW currently under construction in the UK, Germany and Belgium.

There are, however, significant challenges to achieving such rapid growth.

The report warns that if the offshore vision is to be fulfilled in Europe, it will need a large financial backing of offshore power grids in the northern and Baltic seas to carry the electricity to consumers. The industry could also face a high-voltage subsea cable shortage in the next few years and a possible shortage of trained workers.

Green Energy WA News

One Million Up For Germany!

Germany's Millionth Solar Power System Installed

21 years after an ambitious program was launched in Germany to promote the uptake of solar, the nation's 1 millionth solar panel array has been installed.

According to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar), the one millionth system to be connected to the mains power grid is on the rooftop of Institute for Sports Equipment Research and Development in Berlin.

The Association says this year the nation's photovoltaic capacity is expected to have grown by around 5 megawatts.

Solar power systems in Germany currently supply around 3 percent of the nation's gross electricity consumption and by 2020, solar panel supplied electricity will account for at least 10 percent of consumption.

Germany's solar PV capacity as of May 2011 was estimated to exceed 18,000 megawatts (MW). Germany's largest solar farm is the Finsterwalde Solar Park at 80.7 MW capacity.

The German love affair with solar power has been primarily driven by the country's pioneering efforts in feed in tariffs, a system where owners of systems are paid for electricity produced by their solar panels. Under a gross model, such as that in Germany, all power produced receives a premium and under a net arrangement, only electricity surplus to that used by the building upon which a solar power system installed receives the payment.

Germany, while having half the sunshine resources of Australia, far exceeds the solar production capacity of our country due its generous, uniform and stable feed in tariff program. It's been Germany's embracing of PV based solar energy that is partly responsible for the lower costs of solar components today.

"Significant price reductions for solar power systems have been made possible by increases in production volume and by technical advances. Already in the near future, the generation of solar power will become one of the most affordable energy forms out there," said Günther Cramer, President of the German Solar Industry Association.

http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=1904

Green Energy WA Solar Energy

As we all know, consuming massive amounts of electricity everyday has become a natural process and a part of everyone’s life, but along with the technology progress, we can now use Green Energy WA, an Australian owned solar power installer, solar energy systems which help us consume ecofriendly energy that reduces electricity bill costs. Green Energy WA offers the best local installers with the full needs of installation and diagnosing.

Solar panel technologies are well known to everyone, they help collecting the sunlight into their solar panels that absorb the sun’s energy and convert it to a raw energy that can deliver hours and hours of powering up the entire house. Also, Green Energy WA deals in solar energy devices and has the full knowledge on how to deliver the best business in Australia to all their customers that want to reduce electricity bills using solar energy.

Also with the new hot water systems on offer, its guaranteed that your bill will get reduced during the next few months because it can decrease your electricity use up to ¼.

If you have some devices that use AC electricity, don’t worry since the solar energy converts DC (direct current) to AC (active current) to enable you use devices like computers, mobile chargers, etc.

It is the perfect time to reduce those annoying electric fees and migrate toward something more profitable and eco-friendly.

Don’t forget that solar energy used in solar power equipment can be used multiple times as they regenerate every time. For more information on the finest range of solar systems in WA call Green Energy WA today or visit our web site by clicking one of the links!

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 29/11/11

Trina Solar Announces Third Quarter 2011 Results

Trina Solar announced yesterday its financial results for the third quarter of 2011.

Third Quarter 2011 Financial and Operating Highlights

Solar module shipments were approximately 370 MW for the third quarter of 2011, representing a decrease of 6.6% sequentially and an increase of 27.4% year-over-year.

Net revenues were $481.9 million, a decrease of 16.8% sequentially and 5.2% year-over-year
Gross profit was $52.0 million, a decrease of 47.1% sequentially and 67.4% year-over-year
Gross margin was 10.8% which includes a non-cash inventory write down of $19.1 million, compared to 17.0% in the second quarter of 2011 and 31.4% in the third quarter of 2010

Gross margin relating to the Company’s in-house wafer production to module production was 18.3%
Loss from operations was $23.5 million, compared to operating income of $32.8 million in the second quarter of 2011 and $113.0 million in the third quarter of 2010

Operating margin was negative 4.9%, compared to 5.7% in the second quarter of 2011 and 22.2% in the third quarter of 2010

Net loss was $31.5 million, compared to net income of $11.8 million in the second quarter of 2011 and $82.9 million in the third quarter of 2010

Earnings per fully diluted American Depositary Share (“ADS”) were negative $0.45, compared to $0.17 in the second quarter of 2011 and $1.08 in the third quarter of 2010

“We experienced a challenging third quarter as a result of significant price declines and tightened financing conditions, which affected some of our customers’ large European projects,” said Mr. Jifan Gao, Chairman and CEO of Trina Solar. “During the third quarter, we paid increasing attention to customer credit risks and in some cases regulatory risks linked to the underlying project markets, which resulted in our foregoing some sales opportunities. We also continued to maintain a strong balance sheet during this quarter.”

“To best position Trina Solar going forward, we are refining our marketing and product strategies to address larger and more diversified distribution channels, in both established and emerging solar markets. These include the growing US residential leasing channel, where we recently signed a 60 MW supply agreement in the fourth quarter.”

“As we focus on growth, the recent establishment of our Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Singapore will help us secure new customers in the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East and South Africa. In markets such as Australia and Southern Europe, as grid parity approaches, we believe that long-term success will ultimately depend on the effective delivery of innovative solutions based on efficient manufacturing and customer-driven value-added support services. Examples of our successful execution of this strategy include our total system cost-saving Trinamount module line and our recently launched multicrystalline-based ‘Honey’ technology-based module, which we believe achieved a world record output based on tests conducted by TUV Rheinland (“TUV”).”

Third Quarter 2011 Results

Net Revenues
Net revenues in the third quarter of 2011 were $481.9 million, a decrease of 16.8% sequentially and 5.2% year-over-year. Total shipments were 370.1 MW, compared to 396.4 MW in the second quarter of 2011 and 290.5 MW in the third quarter of 2010. The sequential decrease in total shipments was primarily due to a reduction in available project financing for some customers’ European projects and the Company’s increased customer credit risk management.

Gross Profit and Margin
Gross profit in the third quarter of 2011 was $52.0 million, compared to $98.3 million in the second quarter of 2011 and $159.4 million in the third quarter of 2010.

Gross margin was 10.8% in the third quarter of 2011 which includes a non-cash inventory write down of $19.1 million, compared to 17.0% in the second quarter of 2011 and 31.4% in the third quarter of 2010.

Gross margin relating to the Company’s in-house wafer production to module production was 18.3% in the third quarter of 2011, compared to 20.4% in the second quarter of 2011 and 37.6% in the third quarter of 2010. The sequential reduction was primarily due to the decline in average module selling price exceeded the Company’s decline in manufacturing costs.

Inventory Write down
The Company made a non-cash inventory write down in the third quarter of $19.1 million based on the revaluation of its inventory as a result of notable market price declines of raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2011 Guidance
For the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company expects to ship between 320 MW to 350 MW of PV modules.

The Company believes its overall gross margin, taking into account wafer and cell requirements outsourced to third party suppliers to meet demand in excess of its internal capacity, for the fourth quarter will be approximately 10%. Such guidance is based on the exchange rate between the Euro and U.S. dollar as of November 21, 2011. Based on its demand outlook for the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company has revised its outlook for the full year 2011 PV module shipment to approximately 1.4 GW, representing an increase of approximately 32.5% from 2010, compared to the Company’s previous guidance of between 1.75 GW to 1.8 GW.
Further details about: Trina Solar

via Trina Solar Announces Third Quarter 2011 Results | Solarbuzz.

Trade Dispute Poses Dangers for Residential Solar?

Langan Energy Solutions Enters Into Strategic Alliance With Amberjack Solar Energy

North Jersey Partnership Provides Added Service For Customers - Langan Energy Solutions (LES), an Elmwood Park, N.J.-based solar integrator and energy efficiency company, recently announced a strategic alliance with Amberjack Solar Energy, an Oakland, N.J.-based solar integrator, in which the two companies will work together on solar and energy efficiency projects.

Under the new agreement, LES will provide new business leads for solar projects to Amberjack Solar on projects for which they perform the energy efficiency work; and Amberjack Solar will provide new business leads for energy efficiency projects to Langan Energy Solutions on projects for which they perform the solar work. "We're very pleased to be partnering with Amberjack Solar, one of New Jersey's premier solar integrators," said Joseph Langan, president of Langan Energy Solutions. "We feel this strategic alliance will not only benefit us, but also our customers, providing them with the ability to 'right size' their solar systems."
The high price of electricity - in combination with state and federal financial incentives - has turned the Northeast into a regional commercial solar powerhouse, with New Jersey, which recently replaced California as the nation's top commercial solar market, leading the way. But as many commercial property owners are learning, it is important to conduct an energy analysis before undertaking a solar project. "Energy conservation is the most cost-effective improvement a property owner can make," Langan said. "Energy that is not being used is energy that doesn't have to be generated. A more efficient building will use less electricity and require a smaller, less expensive solar system."
Energy conservation improvements include improvements to the HVAC system, sealing of the thermal envelope, upgrading insulation and changing lighting. These improvements can produce significant returns for much less than it would cost to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, and should be done before a solar PV investment.
LES helps customers reduce energy expenses, generate investment income and preserve the environment through the installation of energy-efficient technologies, and by providing energy procurement services to commercial, industrial, retail and non-profit customers in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Amberjack Solar Energy specializes in the sales and installation of customized solar PV systems for commercial and industrial properties, including office buildings, warehouses and schools throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
"We're excited about our partnership with Langan Energy," said Lance Kulick, founder of Amberjack Solar. "Our companies will be able to benefit from one another's expertise and resources, and better serve our customers. This a win-win situation for us and our clients."

80,000 South Aussies switch on to Solar

A new report from the Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA) estimates 80,000 electricity customers in the state will have installed solar panels by December this year.

This figure represents around 10% of all small electricity customers in South Australia. In 2006/7, there were just 1,600 electricity customers with solar power systems in SA.

The switch to solar has been helped along by incentives such as the Solar Credits rebate and South Australia's feed in tariff; along with households and businesses seeking to buffer against skyrocketing electricity prices.

The cost of solar power in South Australia has been further dramatically decreased in recent times due to federal and state incentives having the desired effect of promoting uptake and competition. This has subsequently pushed down the base price of components such as solar panels and solar inverters; allowing more South Australian households to make their own electricity, slash their electricity bills and reduce their carbon footprint - while also creating many jobs in the state.

With solar energy now so affordable, some households are choosing to install a system large enough to wipe out their bills altogether.

According to an article on AdelaideNow, the average South Australian household's power bill has risen $500 in the past 3 years - and there are more electricity price increases on the horizon.

Of the reported increase in power bills, less than 14% can be attributed to green energy initiatives, which include - but are not limited to - support for solar programs.

ESCOSA's report also states South Australia remains the nation's leader for wind power, with approximately 1,150 MW installed and operational. An additional 2,022MW of wind generation capacity has been identified as being advanced or publicly announced.

"The licensed and operational capacity of wind generation in South Australia now exceeds the State’s normal minimum load," says the report.

ESCOSA's Annual Performance Report 2010-11 - Energy Supply Industry can be downloaded here (PDF).

Energy Matters

Christmas Lights: The Champs-Elysees To Compensate For Solar Energy

Like every year, the Champs Elysees street lits up for the holiday season: their Christmas lighting has been unveiled on November 23 and will be decorating the famous avenue until January 11. The start was given by the sponsor of the event, Audrey Tautou.

However, promises the mayor of Paris, these lights will be "bolder and more environmentally friendly", with reduced power consumption by almost one third in one year, (after the Eiffel Tower, where the renovation of the first floor is taking place to improve the energy performance by 30%), another Parisian symbol turns green.

The project chosen (among the 27 presented), was created by Koert Vermeulen and Marcos Vinals Bassols of the Belgian ACT Lighting Design, in collaboration with ASP Blue Square.

It consists of installing about 200 trees of three rings of different sizes (between 3.12 and 3.84 m in diameter), lighting up every tree without touching them. Each ring is equipped with RGB LED (Red Green Blue) lighting up the tree at 360 ° and being reflected in "disk mirror" a shape clinging to the branches. A programmable RGB LED device, controlling each ring separately, will be varied color, intensity and rhythm.

What about power consumption in a month and a half? The City indicates that it will sharply lowered down to 31,000 kWh during the year 2011, against 50,000 between 2007 and 2010 kWh and 480,000 kWh by 2006, 15 times less in half a decade.

The equivalent of 40 days of photovoltaic Pyrenean

For the first time, this consumption, which is equivalent to that of eight families of four people living in an apartment in Paris, will be fully offset by renewable energy. It will be supplied by a solar power plant, Themis, in the Pyrenees-Orientales, where Soitec has installed 26 solar trackers. They occur in 40 days and 31,000 kWh required for illumination of the Champs-Elysées. These trackers, which use photovoltaic technology concentration, will produce 280 MWh / year.

The total cost of these 2011 lights is going to be around 4 million euros, of which 220,000 are paid by the city while the rest is being borne by the partners and the Committee on the Champs Elysees.

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 25/11/11

Microsol: ELECTRICITY AND WATER OUT OF NETWORKS

The Microsol project, developed in consortium with Schneider Electric, will produce electricity and drinking water locally through a solar thermal plant. It begins with a test phase of one year in Cadarache, prior to deployment in emerging markets.

The project Microsol has been selected as part of Investments for the Future. It is focused and driven by the industry Strategy & Innovation at Schneider Electric, with the participation of eight partners. Its aim is to equip people cut off from electricity grids and without access to clean waterwith simple devices but sustainable power generation and drinking water from natural resources.

Electricity And Drinking Water

The objective of Microsol is to convert solar heat into electrical energy without using batteries: the heat is stored in the form of hot water at low pressure. A solar thermal can heat to the medium temperature of water to generate electricity via a thermodynamic machine at 150 KWh per day which is enough to power nearly a hundred homes. Via a water desalination plant, the machine AquaStill provided by the company TMW, can also produce several cubic meters of drinking water by desalination of seawater or brackish water. The energy required for the process will come from excess heat produced by solar panels that can be converted into electricity.

A Prototype Collaborative

The operation, whose total budget amounts to 10.9 million euros, begins with the construction of a prototype of the Cadarache site (13) in cooperation with the National Institute of Solar Energy (INES) , a site with advantages in terms of sun exposure (2700 hours of sunshine per year).

Commercialization By 2014

If the test project Microsol is successful, a demonstration operation will take place in two African countries in late 2013, early 2014 for a period of one year. At this stage, the project will be supervised by the department of Sustainable Development of Schneider Electric for its business program BipBop (Business Innovation People for the Base of the Pyramid).

Today, the project involves nine partners, including: the CEA-INES; Exoès; Exosun, the Paris-LEME, the LEMTA-Nancy, Sophia-Antipolis Energy Development; Stiral, TMW and Schneider Electric.


Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 21/11/11

SilexSolar Suspends All Manufacturing Operations

Sydney, Australia
In August 2011, SilexSolar announced a major restructure of its PV panel business including a major cost reduction program and the replacement of cells made by Silex with cells from new strategic partner Hareon Solar.

Since then, the Australian PV panel market has continued to deteriorate. Sales volumes have been decimated by the abandonment of reasonable support policies from various governments, and panel prices have plummeted under the strain of a massive oversupply across the global PV market. The high Australian dollar has completed a trifecta of negative market factors for SilexSolar.

As a result of these and other factors, SilexSolar has decided to suspend all manufacturing operations and place the plant in "care and maintenance‟ mode until the future direction of the business can be determined. Most of the manufacturing employees have been made redundant, along with several engineering, technical and administrative staff. These and other measures have dramatically reduced ongoing costs. SilexSolar has sufficient inventory to support sales over the next few months, and will focus on sales in the residential rooftop market as well as opportunities in the commercial medium-scale project market.

Further details about: SilexSolar.com.au

Lézignan-Corbières: Beware Of Merchants Of Wind!

Supplying electricity to a detached dwelling with a small wind turbine and solar panels seems like an exciting ecological project... that can quickly turn into a nightmare. While the region subsidizes the equipment under certain conditions, unscrupulous installers can take advantage of the enthusiasm of individuals for renewable energy. Wind merchants with no shortage of air: they do not hesitate to rip off their customers thousands of dollars and discredit an entire profession in transition. To prevent other players the same disappointments, Patrick Constant, head of a farm on the territory of Fabrezan, wishes to testify.

"My house is not connected to the grid. So, I contacted a company in Lézignan to equip myself and feed my apartment with renewable energy. After assessing our needs, the company offered installing a wind turbine with an output of 1000 watts, 2 solar panels, 4 batteries, a converter and a thermosiphon balloon drop. This equipment is destined to connect a TV, a computer, a washing machine and obtaining hot bath water. The complete installation charges around 14,500 euros. With the tax credit and premium privileges, the estimations dropped to 5,400 euros" explains Patrick Constant.

AFter charging the first payments, the company had undertaken to raise the issue of subsidies to the region and had begun work. "But the site has been shipped, with numerous faults and frequent failures: the turbine is ran by vines and old rusty poles, the solar panels are placed on the ground, the thermosiphon ball is fixed with one bolt ... The bouquet: the power of the wind turbine is only 500 watts, I discovered that by taking a picture of the rotor with a powerful zoom! All equipment will be damaged by the first storm and it will cost me a whole lot of money to repair their nonsense ... not to mention that the company did not provide me with any guarantee documents, manuals or data sheets for maintenance ".

Of course, Patrick Constant did not receive any premium for the Languedoc-Roussillon: "It was not possible because the work had already started! However, the company has led us to lie and get another folder! From there, our relationship has deteriorated significantly ... While searching on the internet I realized that the employees had already been in trouble with the law in another department where they had defrauded many families. In this story, I’d lost thousands of dollars and I’ve been ripped all the way! Not to mention the days of stress and anxiety due to this mishap. "

Note that Patrick Constant filed a complaint against the company for breach of trust. A police investigation is ongoing. But justice will probably be slow to do its work.

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 21/11/11

The Space Solar Power, Future Energy Sources?

“If the inexhaustible solar energy were to be captured in space it could be, in 30 years, an inexpensive solution to energy needs in the world only in condition that the states provide financial support”, reveals an international scientific group.

“Placing power plants on the orbit to collect solar energy and transmit it to Earth will be ‘technically possible’ within ten or twenty years, given the current technology”, found the International Academy of Astronautics, based in Paris. Such a project would be profitable within 30 years or less, according to the Academy, which has not defined a road map.

"It is certain that distributed solar power from space might play an extremely important role to meet the energy needs of the world's twenty-first century," says the study led by John Mankins who worked 25 years for NAS where he was director of prospective studies. The Academy is led by Madhavan Nair, former president of the Indian Space Research. The study was presented as the first international assessment of potential ways to collect solar energy in space and deliver it to Earth via a wireless power transmission.

“The study found that the private sector funding alone will not market the concept, given the time needed for its development and the "economic uncertainty" phase of development and demonstration”, said the study, which does not mention the total cost potential.

Solar energy from space is a possible long-term energy solution for the Earth, and has "essentially no impact" environmentally, according to the National Space Society (NSS) association. The association should have held a press conference Monday 13th November 2011, in Washington to make public the final 248 pages Academy report.

Converting Solar Energy Into Electricity

The general idea is to put on the geosynchronous orbit a one, then several, then a dozen of solar-powered satellites over the equator. Each apparatus (several kilometers wide) will be collecting sunlight for up to 24 hours a day.

The energy is converted into electricity on board and sent to Earth where needed via a large transmitting microwave antenna or using lasers and then injected into the grid. Skeptics believe this concept will fail, at least until the cost of orbiting a commercial power plant is divided by ten or more. Space debris is another obstacle, as well as the absence of targeted market research, and high development costs.

“A pilot project to explain the technology, even as huge as the International Space Station, could be implemented using easily replaceable and low cost launch vehicles”, declared John Mankins in a telephone interview and so did the president of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions, a consulting firm in California.

"It's A Start"

His company has a contract of nearly $ 100,000 with NASA dedicated for the space solar stations development research. "It's little but it's a start," said Mankins.

The study found that tens of billions of dollars would be needed to develop a sufficiently inexpensive reusable fleet to launch large-scale commercial solar satellites.

The interest of the international community for this concept has increased over the past decade, reinforced by fears of a peak followed by a decline of oil and other fossil fuels production. Not to also mention the search for new sources of energy to meet the rising global demand and concerns regarding the accumulation of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels.

The idea of harnessing solar energy in space has been studied for over 40 years on an irregular basis by the United States Ministry of Energy and NASA.

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 14/11/11

Solar Energy In Morocco: World Bank Lends $ 297 Million

The World Bank announced in Thursday that it had approved a total of $ 297 million loan to Morocco to help them finance the construction of a solar power generation in Ouarzazatein.

Morocco had announced back in 2009, this ambitious project, providing an investment of $ 9 billion for a capacity of 2,000 megawatts in 2020. The construction should start in 2012.

The first plant is to be built with a total capacity of 500 megawatts and is going to be one «amongst the largest in the world», said the World Bank.

The president of the institution of development assistance, Robert Zoellick, welcomed in a statement the participation in the project that “demonstrates the commitment of Morocco for lowering the carbon emissions and may show the enormous potential of solar energy in the Middle East and North Africa”

“This solar project could advance the potential of this technology, create many jobs in the region, help the EU meet its targets for reducing CO2 emissions, and deepen economic integration and energy around the Mediterranean. There definitely are many winners,” said Zoellick.

Many European companies are involved in the project, which most of them are German companies and we can mention: the Reinsurer Munich Re, the Energy Groups E.ON and RWE or Deutsche Bank, joined in as and by other partners, including the Italian Enel and Terna, the French Saint-Gobain and the Spanish Red Electrica.

The French Development Agency in July announced participation in the form of a loan of 100 million and a grant of 300,000 euros.


Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 14/11/11

Nigeria: Airtel Will Power Its Base Stations With Solar Energy

Solar Energy Nigeria - The mobile phone company, Bharti Airtel, has announced plans to supply the solar energy usage with a first batch of 250 base stations that worked previously for diesel. Airtel said in a statement in Lagoson Thursday that these base stations are powered by an E-site which is a new green energy solution coming from the Swedish company, Flexenclosure.
A specialist provider of the Swedish green energy solutions says that the base station sites are going to be detached from the main network. This solution can significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions of CO2 compared to diesel-powered sites, the statement said.

“This will improve operations and minimize the impact on the environment. The E-site solution will enable Airtel to exploit solar energy to power mobile base stations in Nigeria”, says Bharti Airtel.

Thousands of base stations belonging to mobile service providers in Nigeria are supplied by generators because of the frequent power cuts in the national grid.

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 14/11/11

Conference On The Algerian-German Partnership

The Algerian-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) announced that a conference concerning the Algerian-German partnership in the solar energy field will be held next Tuesday 15/11/11 in Algiers.

The conference deals with the Algerian existing potential business opportunities in the field of solar energy in Algeria, as well as the latest developments and technological innovations in this field in Germany. It is a part of a three-day trip by a delegation of eight German companies working in the field of renewable energy, especially in the field of solar energy.

In addition to a presentation of the National Renewable Energy Development, the conference will address the German experience in renewable energy applications in solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power plant technology as an energy source.

Basma - Green Energy International Correspondent - 14/11/11

Conference On The Algerian-German Partnership

The Algerian-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) announced that a conference concerning the Algerian-German partnership in the solar energy field will be held next Tuesday 15/11/11 in Algiers.

The conference deals with the Algerian existing potential business opportunities in the field of solar energy in Algeria, as well as the latest developments and technological innovations in this field in Germany. It is a part of a three-day trip by a delegation of eight German companies working in the field of renewable energy, especially in the field of solar energy.

In addition to a presentation of the National Renewable Energy Development, the conference will address the German experience in renewable energy applications in solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power plant technology as an energy source.

Clean Energy Intel: Solar's Good News: Cut-Backs

Clean Energy Intel: Solar's Good News: Cut-Backs: This year’s period of intense over-supply in the solar sector has continued to pressure solar players, leading to a recent batch of announc...

Solar Energy: Soitec Gets Approval For Five Contracts In California

Soitec, producer of silicon insulators, a material used to manufacture electronic components, has been authorized by the authorities of California to purchase agreements for solar energy plants with a total capacity of 155 megawatts.

The group said in a statement that its subsidiary Soitec Solar Development has received approval from the Commission to regulate utilities in California for five power purchase agreements concluded with the U.S. San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG & E).

These five projects represent a total capacity of 155 megawatts (MW) solar energy implements, electricity is going to be generated by solar power plants in the San Diego region through the group’s concentrator photovoltaic cells (CPV) using the Concentrix technology.

This announcement represents a milestone in the development program and strategy Soitec in the United States, the group said in a statement.

The CPV modules will be assembled in a new Soitec factory located in the San Diego area that will benefit from more than 30%, efficiency which two to three times more than conventional solar technologies.

The production unit of Soitec full capacity should be used by more than 450 people in the San Diego area and will generate more than 1,000 indirect jobs in this county. Its location should be announced before the end of the year 2011.

The announcement boosted the title in early trading on the Paris Bourse. The action Soitec gained was estimated by 10.85% while the Paris CAC 40 index progressed by 0.78%.

Basma - Green Energy International Correspondent - 12/11/11

Tunisia: The Future Is Solar

Remember when we talked about the solar energy progress in Tunisia and the difficulties it was having? Yes? Do you also remember that we promised you to keep you updated too? Yes? Great! Then keep on reading for an update, but if you’ve missed that article, you can read it HERE then come back, don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere, I promise :-)

The technology of solar water heating is going to have a bright future in Tunisia in the coming decades depending on the progresses it’s registering. Soon, several renewable energy projects will emerge. A water park spanning over 700,000 square meters has been installed already in earlier 2011.

Another approximately 1.5 million square meters will be developed in 2020. It may be extended by 2.5 million square meters (that’s what you call huge man) in 2030!
The development of solar thermal market in Tunisia is thus part of the Tunisian Solar Program (PROSOL), a joint initiative of the Tunisian Agency For Energy Management (ANME), the Tunisian Electricity And Gas Company (STEG), the United Nations Environment and the Italian Ministry Of Environment.

In order to reduce energy bills which are the main concern of simple employees (paying half of your salary for electricity bills isn’t that cool you know), Tunisia has made great efforts to develop renewable energy. Financial resources dedicated to this area are estimated at $ 2.5 billion, including $ 175 million from the National Fund for Control of Energy, 530 million dollars of the public sector, 1.66 billion dollars from the private sector and 24 million dollars from abroad. These funds will be spent in 2016 on 40 renewable energy projects. About 40% of the resources will be devoted to developing the infrastructure to export energy.
In 10 years, the solar energy could be one of the most crucial of renewable energy not only in Tunisia, but in the whole world actually. The technology is based on parabolic trough to produce steam at a very high temperature and high pressure.

Basma - Green Energy International Correspondent - 12/11/11

Investors predict carbon tax benefits

David Wroe and Katharine Murphy
October 20, 2011

The world's top green investment groups have hailed Australia's carbon tax as a boon for investors. Photo: Nicolas Walker
THE world's four major green investment groups representing $20 trillion in funds have hailed Australia's carbon tax as a boon for investors, strongly backing the government's claim that the scheme will deliver economic benefits.

The report, commissioned by groups representing 285 pension funds and other institutional investors around the globe, found that Labor's carbon price and financial assistance for green technology ''should provide investors with real confidence'' in investing in renewable energy in Australia.

It backs recent accusations by some in the energy industry that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's vows to repeal the carbon tax and the uncertainty this was creating could damage investment.

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Mr Abbott has faced questions about whether his decision to axe the scheme - including the permits electricity generators say they need for ''hedging'' - will expose a future Coalition government to compensation claims and trigger a jump in power prices.

Yesterday he said: ''We are very confident that we can remove the carbon tax without becoming liable for compensation.''

He said it was possible to avoid a compensation liability by understanding the design of the Gillard government's scheme and giving business ''fair warning'' not to buy forward permits. Permits are current for 12 months, they expire at the end of the financial year and are not tradeable or transferable until 2015.

Mr Abbott's comments yesterday suggest the Coalition would not move to shut down the carbon scheme entirely until the end of the relevant financial year, when permits have expired, thereby limiting compensation liability.

Coalition climate spokesman Greg Hunt said the opposition would keep its pledge to scrap the carbon tax and that gave Australian business certainty, ''unlike Labor's false promise of no carbon tax at the last election. Business has that certainty and can make decisions based on that commitment.''

The new report by British investment expert Rory Sullivan praised Australia's clear carbon reduction targets, its transparent climate policy and the fact that the carbon trading scheme would be clearly linked to international markets. But it noted that one of the major risks was ''political risk, in particular that the opposition Liberal Party may unwind elements of the proposals if elected''.

Nathan Fabian, chief executive of the Investor Group on Climate Change, one of the four groups that commissioned the report, said: ''International investors believe Australia's policy framework is one of the best in the world for investment certainty. Experience shows that when good policies are rolled back, confidence of investors is undermined for several years.''

He added: ''Investors believe that carbon pricing is the only real, long-term policy solution for Australia.''

The other three green investor groups involved were Europe's Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, the US-based Investor Network on Climate Risk and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative.



Read more:

Australian Carbon Tax Not Too Burdensome On Energy Bills - Origin CEO

By Ross Kelly
Published Dow Jones Newswires

SYDNEY -(Dow Jones)- Australia's carbon tax won't have a significant impact on the country's household electricity prices, which will remain competitive with those in other developed countries, the head of Australia's biggest energy retailer, Origin Energy Ltd. (ORG.AU), said Thursday.

In a speech at a business lunch in Sydney, Chief Executive Grant King said Australians typically pay about A$1,200 a year for electricity. About 54% of that comprises network costs, which have been increasing significantly over the last few years.

Wholesale costs account for 36% and retail costs for the remaining 10%.
"We expect that increased network costs that have driven increases to date have peaked and will moderate over the next few years," King said.

Wholesale costs are expected to be pushed up by the price of coal and gas increasingly reflecting export parity pricing, Australia's mandatory renewable energy targets, and the proposed carbon price.

While the proposed carbon price of A$23 per metric ton could result in a 50% increase in wholesale electricity and gas prices over the next 3-5 years, these costs comprise a relatively small percentage of bills, King said.

"We agree with government estimates that a carbon price of A$23/ton will lead to a 10% increase in the retail cost of electricity or about A$2.30 per week," King said.
"One should bear in mind that over the 5 years or so in which these effects will occur, household incomes are expected to rise on average by 4% a year, or simplistically 20% over a five year period. On this basis we think it unlikely that the cost of household energy will become significantly more burdensome on consumers."

Australia's proposed carbon pricing scheme was passed this month by the House of Representatives, assuring an easy passage into law. After 3 years the tax will transition into a carbon emissions trading scheme.
Copyright © 2011 Dow Jones Newswires


Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2011/10/20/australian-carbon-tax-not-too-burdensome-on-energy-bills-origin-ceo/#ixzz1dI2A8lYB

WA’s clean energy potential highlighted

WA’s clean energy potential highlighted0
Posted by Admin | Posted in Main, Solar News Australia | Posted on 09-11-2011

The Federal Government has released two reports that examine the potential for increased clean energy development in Western Australia’s Pilbara and Mid West regions.
The reports, commissioned by the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy, highlight the potential environmental and economic gains from an increase in renewable energy usage in the two regions.
The reports are entitled: Assessment of the potential for renewable energy projects and systems in the Pilbara, and Assessment of the potential for renewable energy projects and systems in the Mid West.
The reports demonstrate that there are multiple opportunities for wind energy, solar energy and bioenergy in both regions, based on the natural resources available.
Federal Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said that increasingly expensive traditional fossil fuels such as diesel and gas make clean energy generation an attractive alternative.
“These reports provide us with a much clearer picture for the potential use of renewable energy in the Pilbara and Mid West regions, which are dominated by energy intensive mining and processing activities as well as agriculture,” Minister Ferguson said.
“The key is enabling the mining industry to recognise the benefits of renewable energy and look past the high upfront capital costs that may be recoverable over longer periods of time due to lower running costs than conventional fossil fuels”.
Article 8th November 2011 -
http://ecogeneration.com.au/news/was_clean_energy_potential_highlighted/064467/

QLD: Renewable energy plan launched

A policy to attract and accelerate investment in clean energy projects in Queensland has been launched by the State Government.
The Renewable Energy Industry Development Plan (REIDP) is expected to help Queensland make the most of its renewable energy resources, and further reduce greenhouse gas pollution.
Queensland Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said “The plan outlines 23 initiatives the Queensland Government will undertake over two years to facilitate economic development of Queensland’s clean energy industry, generate green jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate deployment of renewable energy projects.”
The REIDP defines five key priorities to address market impediments and drive industry growth:
The establishment of Renewable Energy Zones in Mount Isa, Surat Basin, Central and the Far North Coast as regions with the most promising clean energy resources, local demand and access to transmission and distribution networks
The prioritisation of opportunities for clean energy skill development and industry job creation
The reform of relevant regulations to streamline development in the clean energy industry.
Article 8th November 2011 –
http://ecogeneration.com.au/news/was_clean_energy_potential_highlighted/064467/

Solar Energy: “Photowatt” Files For Bankruptcy

Photowatt, the leading French photovoltaic panels’ manufacturer, located in Bourgoin-Jallieu (Isère) was placed in receivership, as announced by the financial daily “Les Echos (4/11)”.

The company had already been hit by a social plan in March which affected 119 jobs. The causes of this breakdown came originally from the less expensive Chinese competition and the lack of support for the sector in France. And today, 441 jobs are being threatened in Bourgoin-Jallieu, the only site in French Photowatt.

The government had decreed in December a three-month moratorium on the photovoltaic installations connection. Since then, the representative industry continued to sound the alarm, fearing for jobs in the sector.

A new decree on March 4, had established the principle of gradual reduction in tariffs. Since then, the tariffs fell 25% to 30% depending on the size of the facility. Meanwhile, the number of connection requests fell by 35%.

Exasperated, another player in the sector, the Megawati Energy Company, based in St. Martial de Valette (Dordogne) has assigned the State court. "The set up policy was a trap for the photovoltaic business," said the lawyer for Ms. Collard Megawatt. "They were dragged into this adventure, and tempted, they agreed and invested, and at some point, they were told," it's nice of you, but now we no longer need you".

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 08/11/11

In Development: 11 Transnational Infrastructure Projects Submitted To The G20

Eleven major transnational infrastructure projects on different continents which can be financed by public and private funds have been subject to the approval of the G20 leaders meeting in Cannes (France), according to a report obtained by AFP on Thursday.
Directed by Tidjame Thiam, chairman of a group specializing in infrastructure, this report details these projects located in Africa, Asia, Middle East and Latin America, and the funds that would implement them.
"The private sector will not invest in the dark; it is repeated several times in the document of the 37 pages."
This project includes a rail link between Isaka (Tanzania) and Kigali (Rwanda) and is estimated by $ 1.6 billion. A proposed rail network linking Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq is in turn estimated at 5 billion.
The report also cites a solar energy program involving Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan with a capacity to export to European countries close to some of these states.
Besides the installation of a hydroelectric plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a vast project called "North-South Corridor" will allow five landlocked countries - DRC, Zimbabwe, Bostwana, Malawi and Zambia – to have access to the sea via a shaft road.
Also in Africa, the interconnection of electricity grids of Ethiopia and Kenya by a line of 1,000 km would mean $ 900 million. Another 1,400 km of electrical connection benefiting the Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea would cost $ 500 million
The report also cites the creation of a pipeline through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India of over 1800 km in length at a cost of $ 7.6 billion. A project of environmental protection with bioenergy has been dedicated for Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
The last two projects cited are located in Asia (with an investment fund) and Latin America with a series of highways for the benefit of Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
The group specialized in infrastructure projects in the G20 were established in November 2010. It is unusual to combine public sector leaders and private sector.

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 05/11/11

Solar Energy: The Work Of The “Desertec” Project Will Start Next Year In Morocco

The Desertec project should finally begin next year with three years ahead of the initial roadmap ... It is so Pharaonic and involves such large sums, while the economy continues to deteriorate, there was every reason to believe that it is, if not a fantasy, a sea serpent. "Too big to be true?" we’ve been asking ourselves back in April 2010 at a time when the project Desertec struggled to move up a single gear.

It must be said that it aims to provide power to the states of the Maghreb and to cover 15% of the energy needs of the Old Continent in 2050 - in addition to lead, ecologically, annual savings of 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide, resulting in a real contribution to the fight against global warming. This project is going to be a huge challenge in addition to the huge investments put in it; 2 billion euros for the first phase only and 400 in total (holy cow!) Financial constraints as well as logistics in addition to political obstacles have not all been overcome until now, although Berlin and the Mediterranean Energy Observatory (OME) have, among others, announced their official support to the project.

However, the deal is changing and, initially scheduled for 2015, the launch of Desertec should eventually happen next year, the media reported across the Rhine. The German consortium DII (Desertec Industrial Initiative) said last week that it’s the first site, in the Moroccan desert, to cover twelve square miles of solar panels for a production capacity estimated by 500 megawatts (MW), which is equal to the power of a half modern nuclear power plant (the total production must meet two gigawatts (GW) in 2020). This vast "field of mirrors" should allow putting boiling water and driving turbines that will provide power to the grid. Electricity should start flowing in 2014 at the earliest and 2016 at the latest.

Remember that the German utilities E. ON and RWE, Deutsche Bank and the reinsurer Munich Re gathered in DII, are all project stakeholders, as well as Saint-Gobain, Italian Enel and Terna and the Spanish group Red Electrica. The Swiss company Airlight Energy could join them.

Basma – Green Energy International Correspondent – 05/11/11

Enter the Suntech Solar Search for your chance to win!

Enter the Suntech Solar Search for your chance to win!

Join us in celebrating 10 years of Australian solar innovation by telling us in 25 words or less 'the benefits of Suntech to you', and uploading a photo of your Suntech solar system.

Entry Is Open To:

a) Homeowners
who are existing customers and have had Suntech installed at their home

b) Suntech installers
who have installed Suntech panels for a customer, and would like to enter on behalf of their customer

How To Enter

1. Click on the below 'Enter Here' button
2. Choose 'homeowner' if you have had Suntech installed at your home or 'Solar Installer' if you are a solar installer submitting an entry on behalf of a customer/s*
3. Enter your details and tell us the benefits of Suntech solar to you
4. Upload your Suntech installation photo/s (max. 3 photos)
5. Click 'Submit'

Don't forget to retain a copy of your installation receipt / invoice as a proof of purchase.

*Installers may enter on behalf of a customer, but must seek permission from that customer prior to entering their solar system in this competition.

Green Energy Presents the Suntech 10 year Aussie Celebration!!

GREEN ENERGY SUPER SUNTECH 10 YEAR CELEBRATION PROMOTION!

Entry Is Open To

a) Customers who have had Suntech installed after 28th September 2011 and before 31st January 2012

b) Customers who have paid a deposit and placed an order with their solar installer for Suntech panels between 1st November 2011 and 31st January 2012

How To Enter

1. Click on the below 'Enter Here' button
2. Enter your details
3. Click 'Submit'

Don't forget to retain a copy of your installation receipt / invoice as a proof of purchase.

ENTER HERE!!