Solar Power

Siza Water is working on a number of projects to improve its services to the North Coast.

From solar panels to variable speed drives, right through to simple standpipe replacement, it’s all technical jargon but let’s break it down.

Siza Water have started a project which will see to the replacement of standpipes within its concession area – these have been redesigned to also allow for dual taps and, the design is more robust and steady.

The design hopes to curve vandalism and theft.

Improving its security aspects and ensuring a spotlight is placed on all pump stations and reservoirs, Siza Water will be installing solar lights at these sites ensuring that infrastructure remains well-lit, further acting as a deterrent to would-be-thieves.

To reduce its reliance on electricity, Siza Water is also investing in advanced solar technology at its Frasers and Sheffield treatment plants.

Siza Water trainee engineer, Kimolin Venkatasen said: “With this project, we aim to operate a section of the treatment works off the grid during daytime.

Further reducing electrical needs, the installation of variable speed drives – this allows pumps to ramp up and down gradually, reducing water hammer and pressure on pipelines – will see to the reduction of the start up current.

“It’s also about proper water service delivery, Venkatasen said.

“We will be replacing the asbestos cement pipelines at Zen Drive, Basil Hulett, Wilkes and Lenora Drive – this is part of a larger asbestos water pipe replacement project and we are planning to institute reliable water control measures to reduce water losses on old infrastructure,” he said.

The former site of the Somerset Coal Power Station has found an interested party in Applied Energy Services (AES) which has proposed the Somerset Solar Project, a 140- to 200-megawatt solar energy farm of 1,000-acres on and around the former coal power plant.

According to Mike Farrell, director of development for AES, the property is currently owned by Somerset Operating Company and another company called Beowulf Energy which AES intends to lease land from in order to complete the project.

Farrell noted that the project would ultimately be ruled on by the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) committee under the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act, or 94-c, which was passed as a part of the 2020-21 state budget.

The act revamped the siting process of solar energy projects by consolidating the decision-making into one state agency, ORES, but opponents criticize 94-c for further takes away the power of local municipalities and counties to decide whether a large-scale project, such as the Somerset Solar Project, is right for their community.

Because of the controversy, Farrell said AES did not take for granted that the project would be a “slam dunk” or that the community around it would approve of the siting of solar panels simply because the property was a former coal plant. He also said that some of the property expected to be developed is being used for agriculture at this time and would have to be repurposed for solar panels.

An open house will be held by AES on Wednesday to discuss the project with local residents.

“This open house is not something that is required by permitting law, this is just us trying to get a feel and try to engage the community, so we can have those conversations,” Farrell said. “To have a power plant owner, it’s a little different situation, because we’re talking to one land owner and we’re not getting the feeling of the community, and that’s why we’re holding the open house to start that local community dialog.”

The history of the project extends before AES came into the picture.

“Originally, this project was won from sPower,” Farrell said. “Previously I was an sPower employee and sPower was a national renewable energy developer, mainly solar, a couple wind projects and also doing some battery storage.”

Farrell said AES took control of sPower, and the proposed lease of land from Beowulf, after extending its ownership of the company in late 2020 by buying more than its original 50% of the company.

As the date for the open house comes closer, AES is looking to submit a permit application in the fall of 2021 to ORES after it takes into consideration local input.

Barring delays, Farrell said, the permit should be acquired by fall of 2022, construction taking place most of 2023 and finally a full operation date in 2024, said Farrell. There will be a mandated public comment period directly after the application is deemed complete.

Thus far, AES has invested about $2 million into the project, including legal work and engineering, and is investigating the possibility of a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement with the town, county and school district. During its operation, the coal plant where AES intends to build received such an agreement.

“We’re not relying on that, but we’ve had some very productive conversations with the town and county about a PILOT approach that works for them, but we’re keeping an open mind,” he said.

The open house will be from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Barker Firehall, 1660 Quaker Road in Barker.

The Lorde we’re acquainting ourselves with this time around has found peace in the natural world. After leading 2017’s Melodrama with “Green Light,” a purge of feelings that raced through tempos and accusations, Lorde’s new single “Solar Power” is a playful splash of salt water onto our faces in time for the summer. With Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers providing backing vocals and Jack Antonoff playing bass and electric guitar (along with co-producing and co-writing, as he did on the majority of Melodrama), Lorde has gathered her friends and shown them her newfound euphoria, first in an intimate acoustic format, then in a swaying sing-along when the drums kick in with a minute to spare.

Like all great pop songs, “Solar Power” is deceptively simple: after a few listens, you notice the saxophone and trumpet snuck into the mix, as well as the barely audible ad-lib “So sorry, I can’t make it,” after Lorde shrugs, “I tend to cancel all the plans.” For as attention-grabbing as a winking line like “I’m kind of like a prettier Jesus” may be, Lorde remains one of the best at filling the corners of her songs with personalized knickknacks.

In the four years since Melodrama, Lorde’s presence in the mainstream has loomed large: artists like Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo have become household names in her absence, all while drawing upon her dark-pop sound, use of harmony and songwriting detail as influences. With that in mind, hearing Lorde happily deliver lines like “Forget all of the tears that you’ve cried” and “Come on and let the bliss begin” on “Solar Power” is a bit jarring, especially after last hearing her at her most emotionally charged. But that’s part of Lorde’s magic — her affinity to re-emerge as something new and unfamiliar, while still dazzling with her unmistakable talent for song construction and unlikely hooks. “Solar Power” is a fresh chapter in a riveting book, and Lorde fans should be thrilled to meet this new author.

China will no longer grant subsidies for new solar power stations, distributed solar projects by commercial users or onshore wind projects from the central government budget in 2021, the state planner said in a statement on Friday.

Electricity generated from the new projects will be sold at local benchmark coal-fired power prices or at market prices, the statement said.

The new rule will take effective from Aug. 1.

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It’s been four summers since the release of Lorde‘s 2017 album Melodrama, and although its release into the world involved a minor hiccup, the singer-songwriter has returned with the confident, sunny single, “Solar Power.” Accompanied by a music video Lorde co-directed with Joel Kefali — in which she appears centered in bright yellow, surrounded by acolytes dressed in earth tones, scattered on a beach — it’s the first single from what she confirmed today in a newsletter to fans will be her new album, also called Solar Power.

The song inadvertently made its way onto streaming services ahead of schedule earlier today, but was pulled and posted on official platforms this evening. While a release date for the record has yet to be announced, the title track includes familiar collaborators — Jack Antonoff co-writes and co-produces — along with a pair of backing vocalists — Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo — whose careers have taken flight since Lorde released her last album in 2017.

In place of Melodrama‘s reckless, love-drunk, city escapism, “Solar Power” celebrates sand, saltwater and “a new state of mind.” For listeners tuning in during the waning days of the Covid-19 pandemic, Lorde seems to be writing to us from New Zealand’s January summer, the host of a gathering that feels either years behind — or ahead — of the gloomy lockdown we’ve been living through. Swept by the track’s skittish guitar and Lorde’s nimble voice speaking glowing affirmations, it’s difficult not to follow along when she murmurs, “Are you coming, my baby?”

Lorde, who up until today was a perfect music angel sent straight from heaven to New Zealand, has finally wronged us. Of course everyone makes mistakes, but this is a big one. After four years without releasing new music, starving those of us who choose to live every day as if we are heartbroken teenagers, Lorde briefly (perhaps accidentally?) put out her new single today then abruptly pulled it from streaming sites.

On June 7, Lorde posted on her website artwork for her new single “Solar Power,” with a note that read “Arriving in 2021 … Patience is a virtue.” Then, this morning, news circulated that the song would actually be out later in the afternoon—rather than the originally planned date of June 20—after it had leaked early. The song did appear briefly on some streaming sites (Tidal and Amazon Music, of all places), but was then inexplicably taken down, in what must be a very horrible day for some PR person.

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This sent Lorde’s disciples on Twitter into a frenzy. Those who actually had Tidal or Amazon Music, managed to record snippets of “Solar Power” and post them online. Most of these have been taken down. Some slowed down versions of the track are still live on the site. Other, very bad people, posted fake versions of the song just to troll the hungry fans. But mostly, people are dealing with it by just making memes.

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Memes are fun and all, but I want the music the Lorde hath made for us. I want every 0.000003 cents per stream to go straight to Lorde herself, so that my twenty thousand consecutive streams add up to, like, 5 dollars. Get yourself a Starbucks, Lorde. On me.

But, from what I’ve heard so far, the Jack Antonoff-produced track makes the four-year-long wait worth it. Her airy vocals on top of an upbeat acoustic guitar bring us a summery pop anthem, no doubt. Ready for the whole album—but first, just this whole song, please.

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Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power are widely regarded as the panacea to solve the world’s looming climate change crisis. But not so fast, experts say.

Concerns are mounting that rapid scaling up of such technologies could prompt a resource crunch, trigger serious reliability issues and worse, lead to power blackouts if the technologies are not properly integrated into national electric grids.

The issue is of particular relevance for India, which is on track to reach its goal of 175 GW of installed renewable capacity by the year 2022 and upto 450 GW by the year 2030. According to the central government, India’s total renewable energy installed capacity (excluding hydro power above 25 MW) had reached over 89.63 GW as of 31 October.

The Indian government added that the last six years have witnessed the fastest rate of growth in renewable energy capacity addition among all large economies, with renewable energy capacity growing by 2.5 times and solar energy expanding by over 13 times. However, it is this exact rapid growth which could catalyze future problems, not just in India but in other countries as well.

Also Read | The idea of ‘green growth’ is flawed. We must find ways of using and wasting less energy

Experts acknowledge that solar’s rapid growth is linked to an overall decline in costs. According to Dustin Smith, executive director of SolarTAC, a Colorado-based solar technology accelerator, capital expenditures for solar was around $7.50 (Rs 357) in 2009 in the US. Now, it costs between Rs 43 and Rs 73, he pointed out. “That’s a 500% reduction. That’s really good,” he said, speaking during a virtual briefing on combating climate change organised by the US State Department for foreign journalists.

Plummeting prices also meant that the number of people in the world who do not have access to electricity has fallen below one billion (or 13% of the worldwide population) and the numbers are going further down, added Dr Jeff Logan, Associate Director of Energy, Policy, and Analysis of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) and chief analyst at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

But problems start to creep in when renewable energy is deployed on a larger scale. For one, according to Dr Logan, integrating large scale renewable energies into a national power grid is no simple matter. “It  requires operating the national grid differently. You often have to do detailed studies of how the grid will function when you have a lot of renewables on them – a lot of wind and solar especially,” he said.

As per a grid integration study conducted by NREL and with Indian partners to understand what would happen if India met its goal to install 175 gigawatts of wind and solar by the year 2023, researchers found that India had to lower the power being generated from its coal points to the point that it was becoming financially unviable.

Also Read | Misguided afforestation schemes offer little succour

“At the same time, solar and wind cannot effectively supplant coal because the weather cannot be expected to cooperate and provide electricity whenever you need it,” he said. “So, sometimes it’s cheaper just to get rid of or curtail solar energy, rather than shut down your coal plant completely.”

An NREL sub-study in Karnataka, for example, found that solar output was especially low annually across days in July, mid-October, early November and at the start of December. Wind power output dropped from October to mid-May and again from late August. Hydro power declined by half in July.

India is on track to reach its goal of 175 GW of installed renewable capacity by 2022, but a study conducted by India & @NREL shows India can’t simply plug in solar+wind power to the national grid. A balancing act is needed. #ClimateChange pic.twitter.com/29Zj1AVY67

— Akhil Kadidal (@Achilles_k2) June 10, 2021

This is something that the Indian government has taken note of, Dr Logan added.

Scaling up also inevitably results in reliability issues, Smith added. “The event that happened in Texas this last winter where the power grid went down, there’s lots of blustering about whose fault it was and what caused it. The reality was it was a human error,” Smith said.

“The piece that got missed was just how fragile an AC grid really is, and what everybody missed was that every time you add complexity to the grid, you add a reliability issue. So as solar systems become more reliable and more cost-effective, the grid is actually going to go the other way unless we do something very specific about it,” he added.

Dark Side of Renewables

Scientists also expressed concern about the dark side of renewable energies, notably what to do about wind turbines, solar panels and batteries which have reached the end of their life. Of equal concern is sourcing material for solar and wind. “We need to come up with alternatives for a lot of the critical supply chain materials (or rare earth materials) that go into the fundamental devices in all advanced technologies,” Dr Logan said.

While rare earth materials like lithium and cobalt are not necessarily rare, they are concentrated in certain parts of the world. Dr Logan pointed out that they are often produced in in unethical ways, sometimes through the exploitation of child labor. “They [also] do tremendous damage to the environment when they are being extracted.  So we have to come up with ways to solve that problem,” he added.

It is a problem that Smith agrees with. “We’ve got to find a way to recycle panels with as little human contact as possible, because that’s how you reduce cost and get things turned around. Because eventually we’re going to run short of certain things,” he said.

PALO, Iowa (KCRG) – Many people in Palo are concerned about a proposed solar farm coming to Linn County.

Anti-industrial solar signs can be seen in yards throughout the community. The proposal, which comes from NextEra Energy, has not yet been filed formally with Linn County, but the company is looking to install solar panels across 3,500 acres.

“The size of the project is so large that any future growth opportunities for the city of Palo could essentially be completely chocked off,” said Mayor Erik VanKerckhove.

Residents KCRG-TV9 spoke with echoed the Mayor’s concern and worried their property values could decline with the unknown of exactly where the solar panels will be installed.

”Considering we have a field to three different sides of us, that makes me worry,” Susan Salee explained.

A map filed by NextEra Energy with the Iowa Utilities Board in April shows where they’d like to install the solar panels. The area stretches to Toddville, near Shellsburg and near Center Point. It also covers the site that used the be the Duane Arnold nuclear plant in Palo.

City leaders in Palo are worried about the size of the proposal and how many communities it could impact.

”The general population thinks that this is, they’re converting the nuclear power plant into a solar field doesn’t that sound great? And that would sound great, but it’s so much bigger than that,” said Kendra Aarhus, Palo Planning and Zoning Board Member.

NextEra Energy will be opening an office in Palo next week. People will be able to stop by to ask questions and landowners can inquire about getting involved. Landowners participating in the project will get paid.

The company says this project will help the economy by providing hundreds of construction jobs and generating tax revenue that can be used for things like schools and roads.

”It’s a project that the residents can be proud of and we look forward to bringing jobs, economic growth, and clean homegrown solar energy to Linn County for years to come,” said Conlan Kennedy, Spokesperson for NextEra Energy Resources.

A meeting will be held at the Palo Community Center Thursday night at 6:00 P.M. People are invited to ask questions and learn more about this proposal. People can also join the meeting virtually over zoom.

Copyright 2021 KCRG. All rights reserved.

June 9, 2021 – Dublin, Ireland: SolarShare, the renowned name in the world of renewable energy, has made it easier for people in Ireland to install Solar Panels and transition to solar power by offering crucial insights on the main topics to consider when making the transition.

While renewable energy and the awareness around it, is relatively new, SolarShare has been spearheading the movement in Ireland. Its team has years of experience behind it and is equipped to offer the best suited solutions to clients. In fact, it has been on the mission of helping communities and individuals in the country transition towards a more sustainable life of zero-carbon living.

Installation of Solar Panels in Ireland has been supported by the government through a grant. The SEAI Solar PV Grant offers up to €3000 in grants for installation of Solar Panels. This grant from the Irish Government would help people offset the costs of installation of a solar panel system as they work their way towards sustainable living. SolarShare is keen for people in the country to know that they can still avail of the grant until July 2021.

July 2021is when the grant is supposed to come to an end. It will be replaced by a Micro-generation support scheme. Shedding light on the scheme that is driven by EU directive, SolarShare informs us that it will encourage greater adoption of low-carbon electricity generation by home and business owners in Ireland. Through their own Solar Panels PV people will be encouraged to generate renewable energy on a small scale.

SolarShare also explains that this micro-generation of electricity is considered to be anywhere up to 11 kilowatts. To generate that scale of electricity, people would need large Solar Panels PV system of about 30. That would mean that they are able to generate excess energy, which can be used to their advantage. That’s because as part of the scheme people will be allowed to sell their excess energy at a fair price.

Experts at SolarShare recommend taking advantage of SEAI Solar PV Grant before the time runs out in July. It will ensure that they have offset at least some of the costs for installation of Solar Panels on their residential or commercial premises. When the grant comes to an end, they will still have a win-win situation on their hands thanks to the new scheme.

With an already installed PV Panel, they will be able to generate electricity for their own consumption. It will save them money on energy bills and further offset installation costs. Moreover, they can also sell the excess energy back to the National electricity grid, which will be used by other homes and businesses. SolarShare estimates that it would lead to €400 – €1400 in savings per year.

Clearly, the time to transition to solar power is now and SolarShare is guiding people through it.

About SolarShare Limited

SolarShare Limited, with a combined experience spanning decades, SolarShare’s team is dedicated to the cause of helping Irish families achieve their goal of zero-carbon living. It has already built a strong portfolio of ground-mount and rooftop solar solutions that make it a leader for renewable energy in Ireland.

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Media Contacts:

SolarShare Limited

Carlisle Building, 51 Bracken Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18, D18 CV48

Phone: 1800 814 213

Email: [email protected]

URL: https://solarshare.ie

Source: 38 Digital Market News

Release ID: 21776

Original Source of the original story >> SolarShare Offers Guidance For Transition To Solar Power In Ireland

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A new deadline has been set for the commissioning of the hybrid solar power plant in Ndjolé. This was during an inspection visit to the project site by the Gabonese Minister of Energy and Water, Alain Claude Bilié By Nze. The plant, located in the province of Moyen-Ogooué in western Gabon, will increase the country’s installed capacity by 400 kW thanks to 1,445 solar panels and inverters “installed to the millimetre on the basis of a GPS plan on galvanised steel piles”. The solar plant will be supported by a diesel-powered generator.

The Ndjolé hybrid solar system was originally scheduled to go into operation in March 2020. The construction is more than a year behind schedule. Once operational, the operation and maintenance of the Ndjolé plant will be carried out by the Société d’énergie et d’eau du Gabon (Seeg) under a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with the country’s Caisse des Dépôts et Consignation (CDC). CDC, which is developing the hybrid solar project, is also financing the construction of an electricity transformer station and a 500 m long medium-voltage line.

Read Also – AFRICA: the AFSIA Solar Awards recognise several solar energy suppliers

CDC will build seven other power plants in Gabon as part of the “Zero Diesel” programme. The first five plants will be installed in the province of Ogooué Ivindo, namely in Bitam (850 kW), Makokou, Ovan, Mékambo and Booué. The other two plants will be built in Minvoul and Medouneu, in the province of Woleu Ntem. The eight facilities will have a combined capacity of 2.2 MW.

As part of its programme, CDC will invest 4 billion CFA francs, or more than 6 million euros. In the targeted areas, electricity production costs will be reduced by 30%. The installations will also save one million litres of fuel oil per year, avoiding the emission of 2,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) over the same period, says Engie.

Inès Magoum