Solar Power

The region’s largest community solar rooftop installation began producing energy in Melville last month in a big boost to the solar market that also promises power discounts for those who might otherwise have missed the solar revolution.

Karp Associates, a Melville-based manufacturer of access doors and bathroom partitions, created a new division called Helios Power to begin selling subscriptions to the new solar-power generation from its nearly 200,000-square-foot rooftop, said George Kosser, director of Helios and a Karp vice president.

“Subscribers” of the new community solar power output buy their energy from Helios instead of PSEG, paying an average of 18.5 cents a kilowatt-hour for the power, compared with the average 21 cents from PSEG, Kosser said. They receive a monthly bill from Helios for the power supply and an average $14 bill from PSEG for their monthly service charge.

“It’s as if they had solar panels on their roofs,” Kosser said. The plan, he said, is to market the system to customers who heat with electricity, because their usage tends to be higher, and the guaranteed savings of 10% or more over LIPA bills potentially greater. “They can save $500 to $600 a year,” he said.

The solar array will generate up to 2.2 million kilowatt-hours of power a year, enough to supply all the power needs of around 225 residential customers, Kosser said. At that level, the system also can produce upward of $500,000 in annual revenue for Karp and Helios, helping the system pay down its approximately $2 million net cost (after tax credits and other incentives) in five years or less. Before credits, the system cost $3.5 million and the new roof cost around $500,000, Kosser said.

Scott Maskin, chief executive of SUNation Solar Systems of Ronkonkoma, which designed and installed the array over the past two years, said the big project came online despite pandemic-related challenges.

“This project was smack dab in the middle of COVID,” Maskin said, including construction lockdowns and other issues that were eventually resolved, including working with PSEG to connect it to the grid.

“Interconnection of distributed generation is always a challenge, especially with systems of this size,” said Maskin. Karp’s new 1.7 megawatt rooftop solar array includes 4,428 panels on two large portions of Karp’s roof.

In the Helios model, subscribers sign a contract for one to five years of discounted power from the arrays, Maskin said, with the bigger discounts for longer subscriptions.

Mike Bailis, a former SUNation executive who worked on the Karp project before his recent retirement, said the project is also the company’s first use of bifacial solar panels, which allow some sunlight to pass through them and reflect off the roof to gain another 7% to 8% in efficiency. The panels are made by LG Solar.

The Karp array may soon have a rival for the title of largest community solar array on Long Island. A 2-megawatt installation is scheduled to come online next month in Holbrook, said David Schieren, chief executive of EmPower Solar of Island Park, which installed the system on the rooftop of Holbrook manufacturer Four Seasons Sunrooms.

In all community solar installations, customers keep their existing power connection to the LIPA grid so that there is no loss of power when solar systems aren’t producing, at night or on cloudy days, Maskin said. Excess power generated during periods of high availability of sunlight can be “banked” and used to offset use of the grid power when the sun isn’t available.

Karp’s manufacturing facility isn’t drawing power from the array.

SUNation has completed nine community solar projects to date and has three or four in the pipeline for future completion.

In the middle of a season of potential wildfire-driven planned power outages, Santa Rosa’s Chick-fil-A location soon will become one of three among its 2,700 stores in the nation to install a solar system called a microgrid.

A few years ago, franchise owner Chris Medford requested that the corporate office provide the ability to keep the lights on at his Mendocino Avenue location when Pacific Gas & Electric calls for public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) during red flag warnings.

Medford gave three distinct reasons why he pursued the venture with SolMicroGrid, an energy services company based in the Atlanta area that installs and services these backup power solutions.

“First, being a good steward to the environment is our primary goal,” he said, adding a way to avoid being “vulnerable to threats of PG&E shutoffs” as another. “We also wanted to prove that it’s possible.”

The College Park, Georgia-based fast food company, which specializes in chicken sandwiches, went for the idea. The Sonoma County installation is scheduled within the next few weeks after Stockton’s. The third installation is located in San Diego.

Medford, who has worked for the company for a decade and has run his franchise for the last six years, estimates he’ll save 40- to 50% on his PG&E bill averaging $20,000 a month. The kitchen runs on both gas and electric.

When the sun is shining during the day, the microgrid system through solar panels and a computer platform uses, captures and stores the energy. When the power is out, the restaurant continues to operate with the help of a generator. The microgrid operates as a centralized system and stands alone.

“Our California operators have been requesting help with the rising cost of energy,” said Stephanie Armistead, a manager for Chick-fil-A’s corporate sustainability program. “At a moment’s notice, Chick-fil-A operators might have to lock the freezers, purchase dry ice and decide if they need to shut the restaurant down when high winds damage power lines or a heat wave puts too much stress on the existing grid.”

Since the pandemic, much of the eatery’s receipts come from customers using the drive-thru, carry out and third-party delivery — but Medford hopes to advance into more in-store dining.

“When the power goes out, the system kicks in and keeps them in business,” said Matt Ward, a SolMicroGrid co-founder who has a civil engineering background.

SolMicroGrid, which formed in 2019, uses photovoltaic panels that harvest energy on sunny days and store the excess power in the system for other times.

The Chick-fil-A franchise pays the utility services company each month from the portion of savings it receives. The installation is paid for through a capital investment SolMicroGrid received from Morgan Stanley. The company declined to disclose that capital investment or an example of what a 5,000-square-foot facility would cost for installation.

“We’re truly wanting to help the Earth,” SolMicroGrid co-founder Joyce Bone told the Business Journal.

The company is attempting to fill a unique niche for smaller operations like Chick-fil-A’s 5,000-square-foot stores. Many commercial operations that elect to go with solar-powered microgrid solutions are commonly larger facilities, the energy purveyor co-founders noted.

“This new system will allow us to reduce energy costs while helping us continue to serve our guests even through power outages,” Chick-fil-A Stockton store operator April Farage said in a statement. “This solution will allow us to provide a place where guests in the community can convene, enjoy a meal and plug in when power may not be available to their homes.”

In addition, the Stockton location operator said it saves on utility bills, which during the hot Central Valley summer, can increase by 70%.

Suite taste of green energy

Hospitality businesses seeking alternative energy options stretch across the North Bay.

The Marin Suites Hotel announced Sept. 27 its completion in August of a three-year project to install a solar-power system. The lodging establishment owned by Springboard Hospitality stated it’s the first hotel in Marin County to run fully on clean energy. Its electricity, air conditioning, heat, laundry service and swimming pool all operate on solar power.

Management of the 101-room, all-suite boutique hotel, a fixture in Corte Madera for about 60 years, has figured the energy solution will reduce its carbon footprint in an amount that equals the planting of more than 80 acres of trees and offsets 15 million miles driven by the average vehicle, the hotel management stated.

The 30314 ZIP code of west Atlanta, home to the neighborhood of Bankhead, is one of the most energy-burdened zip codes in the city. Residents pay five times more for electricity and gas than their neighbors in Buckhead in north Atlanta do, despite making an average annual income that is five times less, according to a 2021 report by Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance.

The ZIP code also happens to be home to the Atlanta University Center (AUC), the world’s oldest and largest association of historically Black colleges and universities that includes Spelman College, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Clark Atlanta University. Morehouse College is the future location of a first-of-its-kind on-campus resilience center that will be supported by a solar-powered microgrid. In the event of a grid-scale power outage, the resilience center is being designed to operate on battery-stored solar power, providing essential resources to students and residents of the surrounding community.

Groundswell, a nonprofit focused on building community energy resilience, initiated the project in late 2019 in partnership with the AUC and Partnership for Southern Equity, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that advances racial equity and shared prosperity through policy and institutional actions. Formally called Breaking Barriers, the initiative also includes the development of another independent community resilience center to be located in the west Atlanta community, one that will also be powered by solar generation and backed up by battery storage.

As a participating team in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) Solar Energy Innovation Network, the Breaking Barriers partners received technical support and facilitated stakeholder engagement from NREL, the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Georgia Power is also assisting in developing the project.

People and organizations tend to think about resilience within their 4 walls … How do we bring our neighbors in and understand what their needs and priorities are, and do this together?

The project developers said the designs and business plans for the resilience centers and solar-powered microgrid were completed in September, and they are in the process of obtaining funding for construction. Project developers are aiming to source funding from tax equity investments, philanthropic support and innovative sources of mission-aligned financing that are specifically available to clean energy projects.

“The opportunity with Breaking Barriers was to create this tangible expression of energy equity,” said Chandra Farley, founder of the Good Energy Project and previously the Just Energy program director at Partnership for Southern Equity.

Unequal burden

Energy equity is the fair distribution of the benefits and burdens of energy production and consumption. In Atlanta, low-income residents face the fourth-highest energy costs as a percentage of their income of any city in the nation, and over 35 percent of Black and Hispanic households in Atlanta experience a high energy burden, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficiency Economy.

According to Michelle Moore, CEO of Groundswell, in addition to alleviating this energy burden during times of emergency, the Breaking Barriers resilience centers are being designed to serve as a model for the development of similar projects elsewhere, particularly because of the project developers’ approach towards bringing multiple key stakeholders, such as the state energy utility and local community members, to the table.

Because Georgia has a regulated energy market, the Breaking Barriers organizers needed to work closely with Georgia Power, the state’s primary electric utility. “We were very grateful to have the utility at the table,” Moore said. “Their engineering team was essential to understanding how a resilience center that included solar and storage on a microgrid would function within the context of the utility infrastructure in the neighborhood.”

Resilience centers are intended to serve communities, so from the start, the developers of Breaking Barriers sought to engage west Atlanta community members in the project planning process.

“People and organizations tend to think about resilience within their four walls,” Moore said. “From the very beginning, the way that the AUC approached this project with us was that the AUC is a part of a broader community. How do we bring our neighbors in and understand what their needs and priorities are, and do this together?” 

Farley and other organizers at Partnership for Southern Equity played an integral role in helping the project gain community buy-in and giving community members a seat at the table to provide input. Although COVID-19 disrupted the project organizers’ plans to host in-person community meetings, they were still able to organize 17 neighborhood meetings over Zoom and bring together over 200 participants from the west Atlanta community, according to Moore.

Community members were able to ask technical questions of representatives from NREL and take part in a community visioning process to decide which essential services they needed the most at the resilience center. Based on community members’ input, the completed center will provide the community with up to eight hours of battery storage in the case of a power outage, water and bathroom access, heating and cooling services, refrigeration and cell phone and electronic device charging services, among others.

A clear choice

The choice of the AUC as the anchor institution for Breaking Barriers was clear to Farley from the beginning, as was the choice of Arthur Frazier, director of facilities management and services and co-chair of Sustainable Spelman, as a key collaborator. “[Spelman is] not just one of the greenest Black colleges in the nation, they’re one of the greenest campuses in the nation,” Farley said. 

With Frazier as an adviser, Breaking Barriers project developers spent two months identifying potential locations on the AUC’s combined campuses for a solar installation, and settled on a parking deck on Morehouse College’s campus. 

When confronted with the technical challenge of creating a microgrid with several possible configurations, the team leaned on NREL’s expertise to narrow down its options. Among the factors to consider were the campuses’ interest in consuming at least some generated solar power instead of exporting all of it to the grid and the requirement that the system have full microgrid capabilities, including being able to island from the grid and the photovoltaic system being able to charge the batteries when islanded. 

Project developers have not finalized microgrid design plans yet and are deliberating between three battery capacity options: eight hours; 12 hours; or 24 hours. Twelve hours of backup power would require a battery with 400 kilowatts/4,800 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity, according to project developers. An increase in the duration of desired backup power would correspond to an increase in project costs, driven by the battery capacity that would be needed. 

The concept of a university as a resilience hub for the surrounding community is a lesson that companies can use when considering the “S” in ESG, according to the organizers. “Think of yourself as a neighbor,” Moore said. “Ask yourself, how can I be a good neighbor, not just how can I meet my sustainability goals.” 

“The question I get a lot from the corporate side is, ‘How do you partner with the community?’ like it’s this mysterious thing,” Farley said. “We’re already doing it in a lot of different ways. Maybe you did a cleanup day with your community. Think of those people as people you could partner with on innovative projects like [Breaking Barriers]. They can introduce you to the deeper neighborhood associations and community influencers to start having those conversations.”

During a time when extreme weather events threaten to cause widespread power outages and uproot the lives of millions, resilience centers with essential resources will become more important for community well-being. And as more companies begin to consider adopting microgrid technology to ensure the continuity of their own operations, there is a huge opportunity to extend the luxury of continuity and provide safety to the citizens in these companies’ neighborhoods.

When working with local communities, “You always want to be mindful of not being extractive,” Farley said. “Always ask the question of who benefits and why.”

If all goes to plan, construction will begin in 2022 and will be complete by 2023.

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) – 688 solar panels are now installed on the backside of Northeast Middle School’s campus.

This is part of the District’s $10-million energy efficiency plan that was approved in 2019. Integrity Energy out of Arkansas delivered the solar panels to Northeast Middle School on Monday, September 20.

The operations director provides information about the expected savings and so forth.

“We hope to be up and running by December with the panels. They are finishing up installation this week with the panels. They will start the wiring next week. From there, hopefully, by December we will start producing power got our Northeast Middle School. We look to produce about 340,000 kilowatts hours on average electricity per year. From that, hopefully, we will have about 60 to 80% off savings for Northeast Middle School and the district – as for as going forward with the energy bills,” said Kevin Cheatham LCSD director of operations.

The Lauderdale County School District is one of the very few school systems in Mississippi that has taken the leap to explore the use of solar energy.

Copyright 2021 WTOK. All rights reserved.

SEATTLE, Washington — In China, the government’s budget allocates 5.95 billion yuan ($905.7 million) toward renewable energy, with 3.38 billion yuan for solar energy and 2.31 billion yuan for wind energy. Out of these methods, solar power spending focuses explicitly on poverty alleviation and reduction to counter imbalanced regional development. Here are a few of the outcomes of renewable energy in China on poverty.

Renewable Energy Achievements and Goals

As an active member of the international community, China committed to transitioning to renewable energy production and consumption, peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. By that same year, China forecasts one-fifth of its energy consumption to come from non-fossil fuel sources. More recently, China’s 13th Five Year Plan for Electricity (2016-20) aimed to increase total non-fossil fuel production to 35% to 39% Each of these programs and initiatives reflects growth for renewable energy in China, and the investment into non-fossil fuel energy indicates continued growth.

Photovoltaic Poverty Alleviation (PVPA)

One program unique to China is the Photovoltaic Poverty Alleviation Program which uses subsidies and incomes of photovoltaic power to alleviate poverty in rural regions. While it is common to use solar panels and photovoltaic power interchangeably, solar panels consist of many photovoltaic cells melded together, absorbing the energy more efficiently. This program seeks to account for economic inequalities and solve unbalanced energy countrywide. In 2016, if a household or person registered as impoverished and had access to a baseline amount of solar energy each year, the program would build either a 3000 or 5000 W photovoltaic system on their land or roof. These energy systems use renewable energy in China to raise people out of poverty by reducing energy costs and increasing labor.

Social Impact of PVPA

In a 2021 study, social scientists attempted to gather data and analyze measurements to indicate the success of China’s PVPA Program. The study covered three rural counties with higher poverty rates in China—Yanchi, Dingbian, and Guazhou counties. From local polling, they approximated that 90% of locals indicated that their livelihoods had improved due to the program. With more stable electricity, children’s education and adult labor hours could extend longer than pre-PVPA energy access. Photovoltaic energy doubled from 2020 to 2021 in the three regions from 15% to 30%. From local testimonies, 100% of people felt the program had zero impact on land occupation and use, benefiting personal space and property. Overall, the potential of this project enhances the possible achievements of renewable energy in China and opens up pathways to eliminating poverty in rural regions.

Challenges with PVPA

Despite the success and proven benefits of this solar power methodology, research emphasized that the marketing and public knowledge of the program are not widespread. Too few impoverished Chinese people know about the PVPA Program to access or understand its potential benefits. For those that do learn about the program, many farmers and other impoverished individuals need to cover part of the installation price and upkeep costs, causing some to abandon the program as costs mount. These adverse consequences of the program prevent necessary coverage for the many rural communities lacking access to energy. Despite the shortcoming, solutions to these problems are not impossible as China conquered the most extensive challenge of beginning the renewable energy initiative to end poverty. To increase public awareness of the program, the creation of regional marketing strategies to focus on the concerns and demographics of a given local community. The PVPA Program can enforce stricter regulations on the quality of solar panels, reducing upkeep costs and absorbing higher amounts of energy. To prevent the abandonment of solar panels, the government can implement training programs to teach proper cleaning methods of solar panels. These are just three possible improvements that can be added to the PVPA Program to improve the effectiveness of renewable energy in China and its positive effects on decreasing poverty.

Conclusion

Ultimately, reduction in poverty and renewable energy are tied together, as renewable energy offers a long-term energy support system, decreasing costs for impoverished households and communities. In China, renewable energy is a significant portion of government spending, and programs like the Photovoltaic Poverty Alleviation Program seek to end poverty through sustainable methods. By improving this current system and expanding renewable energy throughout the country, China will create cheaper energy and less costly living for its citizens, significantly decreasing poverty in rural regions.

– Mikey Redding
Photo: Flickr

NEW DELHI, Oct 10 (Reuters) – India’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RELI.NS) on Sunday announced acquisition of REC Solar Holdings for an enterprise value of $771 million from China National Bluestar (Group) Co Ltd as it seeks to become net carbon zero by 2035.

The purchase of the Norwegian solar panel maker by the conglomerate’s Reliance New Energy Solar Ltd (RNESL) follows the June announcement by the parent – operator of the world’s biggest refining complex – that it would invest $10.1 billion in clean energy over three years. read more

Reliance, owned by Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, plans to build solar capacity of at least 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, accounting for over a fifth of India’s target of installing 450 GW by the end of this decade.

The group aims to build four “giga factories” to produce solar cells and modules, energy storage batteries, fuel cells and green hydrogen.

“Together with our other recent investments, Reliance is now ready to set up a global scale integrated Photovoltaic Giga factory and make India a manufacturing hub for lowest cost and highest efficiency solar panels,” Ambani said in the statement.

RNESL said in August it would invest $50 million in U.S. energy storage company Ambri Inc as part of a $144 million investment by Reliance Industries, along with billionaire Bill Gates, investment management firm Paulson & Co and others. read more

Globally, oil majors such as Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) and BP Plc (BP.L) have also set goals to become net zero-carbon firms by 2050 amid pressure from investors and climate activists.

Solar installations across the world are set this year for their fastest growth in five years, according to data research firm IHS Markit. read more

Ambani said his firm would continue to invest and collaborate with global players to provide reliable and affordable power to customers in India and overseas markets.

Reliance said it would use REC’s technology in its PV Panel making giga factory, with initial annual capacity of 4 GW, eventually rising to 10 GW.

The acquisition would help Reliance grow in key green energy markets globally, including in the United States, Europe, Australia and elsewhere in Asia, it said, adding it would support REC’s planned expansions in Singapore, France and the United States.

Reliance’s green push comes as India raises its renewable energy capacity, currently about 100 GW, to meet about two-fifths of its electricity needs by 2030 under the Paris climate accord.

Additional reporting by Sethuraman N.R, by William Mallard

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

TOKYO — The Japanese government is rushing to expand solar power generation to drastically cut the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, but the plants already in operation are aging. As there is limited room to build new large-scale solar plants, businesses keeping generating efficiency high and existing facilities online long term are booming.

About 18,000 solar panels blanket a vast field in the town of Shibayama, Chiba Prefecture, about 5 kilometers southeast of Narita Airport. If you look closely, you can see white dots here and there on the panels.

“They’re bird droppings. If not cleaned up, the stuff will accumulate and cause hot spots,” said Masafumi Oshiro, general manager of the investment management department of SBS Asset Management Co., a logistics facility development company based in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward that operates this mega-solar plant.

“Hot spots” here refers to when bird droppings, fallen leaves and other factors cause increased electrical resistance in solar panels, resulting in heat. Not only does this reduce power generation efficiency, but it can also lead to panel failure and fires.

This power plant went online in 2013, and according to Oshiro, hot spots, rust and dirt became noticeable from around the fifth year of operation. An examination of the plant’s output found that its power generation efficiency — the amount of electricity generated per quantity of solar radiation — had dropped about 10% by 2019, the plant’s seventh year. That amounted to more than 10 million yen (about $89,920) in lost electricity sales revenue per year.

The company operates 14 solar power plants across Japan, and power generation efficiency had been declining at an average rate of 1.6% per year as of the end of 2018. Washing the panels with water at nine locations, including a facility in Shibayama, improved the power generation efficiency at eight of them.

The government’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by fiscal 2030 compared to fiscal 2013 levels. The Ministry of the Environment has announced a proposal to add 20 million kilowatts to the current target of 64 million kilowatts of solar generating capacity in fiscal 2030.

With the introduction of the feed-in tariff (FIT) system in 2012, the construction of mega-solar power plants took off in many areas, but the pace has stalled since. The number of suitable sites for these plants, which require large open areas, is decreasing, and the importance of continuing to use existing facilities efficiently is increasing.

But recent studies have shown that equipment deteriorates more quickly than previously thought. In business plans for solar power plants, it is common to assume that generating capacity will decline by 0.5% per year as panels deteriorate. However, when the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry tested four types of solar panels from 2016 to 2021, the generating capacity declined by up to 1.6% per year on average.

In response, several maintenance and management businesses have emerged to help reduce the “aging” of existing facilities.

In May, Tokyo’s Koto Ward-based ORIX Renewable Energy Management Corp., a subsidiary of ORIX Corp., launched a maintenance and management service. Drones equipped with thermographic cameras take aerial photos of solar panels to check for hot spots. And the firm uses artificial intelligence to analyze shifts in the amount of electricity generated and detect abnormalities early.

West Holdings Corp. based in Hiroshima, which develops and operates mega-solar power plants, began a “revitalization business” in 2020, buying used power plants and reselling them after renovations, as it did not expect a large increase in new construction. They mainly buy mega-solar power plants that sprang up in the early days of the FIT.

The company purchases used power plants including those with panels shaded by trees or fences, panels packed so tightly that it is impossible to inspect them, and panels facing north. And they improve the power generation efficiency by adjusting the angle of the panels, relocating them, cleaning them, and weeding around them. Then, they sell those plants packaged with management services such as automatic output monitoring.

As existing power plants are aging, the need for maintenance and management is increasing, but competition is also intensifying. One contractor in Chiba Prefecture who cleans panels sighed, saying, “The number of other companies entering the market has increased rapidly, and we’re now in a price war.” While they now clean 1.6 times more solar panels than they did three years ago, the unit price has fallen. “We can’t make a profit unless we handle large volumes,” the contractor said.

On the other hand, there are many small-scale power plants without adequate maintenance and management. In early August, a Mainichi Shimbun reporter visited a solar power plant in a residential area in the city of Shimotsuke, Tochigi Prefecture, and found the entrance gate overgrown with waist-high weeds.

The solar panels were also partially covered with the weeds, and although the plant was FIT-certified, there were no signs indicating the name of the company or the person in charge of maintenance and inspection, which are required to be posted visible from the outside.

Solar power plants with an output of less than 50 kilowatts are not required to have a person in charge of electrical safety. Sloppy management has also emerged, so the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which has jurisdiction over solar plants, has started a questionnaire on the status of inspections.

The smaller the power plant, the greater the proportion of maintenance and management costs. Power plants certified immediately after the introduction of FIT in 2012 with an output of 10 kilowatts or more are guaranteed a high price for their electricity for 20 years, making them profitable even if their generation efficiency is low.

However, these preferential terms will gradually expire starting in 2032. The management cost burden will become even greater, and there are concerns that there will be a rapid rise in the number of closed and abandoned solar power plants.

Mitsuhiro Yamazaki, a chief researcher at the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, pointed out, “To make solar power a foundational power source, it’s important not only to increase the number of plants but also to ensure good maintenance at many existing plants.”

***

A feed-in tariff is a system under which electric power companies purchase electricity generated from renewable energy sources for a certain period at a fixed price. In Japan, the system was launched in 2012 to promote the spread of renewable energy. The program covers solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass power, and the government certifies facilities that meet the requirements. The purchase cost for power companies is added to the electricity bills of households and businesses as allotted funds for renewable energy power generation promotion.

(Japanese original by Ei Okada and Mayumi Nobuta, Science & Environment News Department)

“Now is the moment to ditch noisy gas generators and switch to solar power.”

LAS VEGAS – October 9, 2021 – (Newswire.com)

Two months ago in July 2021, Bluetti announced their release of an industry first, modular solar power station – the AC300 and its accompanying LFP battery module, the B300 (3,072Wh).

Word spread fast, and before anyone knew it, the AC300 was trending throughout the United States.

Now, at long last, after months of waiting, the AC300 and B300 are finally here.

Now both products are available for order.

Solar Vs. Gas Generators (Why Should Everyone Go Solar?)

Solar Generator:

• No added noise/extremely quiet operation – 35dB (As quiet as whisper)
• Free, clean, endless renewable power source from the sun or wind.
• Increases your daily solar consumption 24/7
• Extremely low maintenance (due to barely any moving parts)
• Seamless UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) when power outages occurred

Gas/Propane Generator

• Noisy operation ≥70dB (As loud as a washing machine)
• Emissions, deadly toxic carbon monoxide (The generators must be used outside)
• Higher carbon footprint – (Uses fossil fuels for power)
• Requires maintenance – (Lots of moving parts to maintain)
• Monthly fuel costs – (Fuel is not free like the sun)

A solar generator uses free energy from the sun instead of using costly dirty fossil fuels.  It’s available to get this free energy continuously from the sun for the lifespan of  solar panels, which is usually around 25 to 30 years. And, unlike most conventional fuel or gas generators, solar generators have absolutely no moving parts and do not use a liquid fuel. This means the ongoing costs will be low.

Aside from the financial gains of using a solar generator, choosing this green technology over other fossil fueled systems has various environmental and health benefits. Gas powered generators lead to air pollution alongside noise pollution, and while the latter is simply annoying, the former contributes to climate change and respiratory disease.

Last but not least, most heavy duty gas powered generators can weigh a lot, sometimes up to 250 pounds. In comparison, Bluetti’s AC300 weighs a mere 44 pounds and the B300 74lbs.

Where To Buy The AC300 & How Is It Delivered?

BLUETTI products can be bought on the official website: https://bluettipower.com 

• AC300 paired with 1× B300 battery module now starts at $2899 (original price is $3699, that is $800 OFF for a limited quantity).
• AC300 paired with 2× B300 battery modules starts at $3648 (original price is $4498, that is $850 OFF).

For one-stop shopping, a total amount of a thousand bucks can be saved when buying certain AC300 solar bundles.

Orders will be delivered in 3~5 weeks from purchase date, according to Bluetti’s statement.

If you are looking for raw power, then it’s quite simple. AC 300 is an ideal option, get the power here: www.bluettipower.com

Press Contact:

[email protected]

Press Release Service
by
Newswire.com

Original Source:

Bluetti Releases Modular Solar Power Station- the AC 300 That Maxes Out at 6kW (24.6kWh)

GOSHEN — Elkhart County leaders could make decisions over the next few days on whether or not to green light controversial plans for a large solar energy farm near Millersburg.

The commissioners are set to discuss a requested zoning change for the proposed project again during their meeting Monday. The commissioners tabled the issue nearly two months ago to allow more time to consider the plans and the support for and opposition to them.

Yet that delay doesn’t mean commissioners have made up their minds.

“I still have no firm direction on where I’m going to go on Monday and how I’m going to vote,” commissioner Suzie Weirick said Wednesday. “Zoning decisions like this are never easy. I’m just trying to gather all of the information, all of the comments, and then try to make the best decision possible.”

Weirick expects to factor a potential County Council vote into her decision. The council is scheduled to consider an economic development agreement involving the project during their meeting today.

This was part of the reason why the commissioners tabled the zoning issue in August — they wanted to give the council time to take action on the agreement. The commissioners also wanted more clarity on Savion’s plans for restoring the properties if the company decommissions the solar panels at the end of the 30-year lease.

The postponement also opened the way for the Elkhart County Council to decide on a portion of the proposed development. That discussion is set to be held during the council’s meeting today.

THE PROJECT

Kansas City-based Savion LLC, through its new Elkhart County Solar Project LLC, plans to invest $120 million to build solar arrays on approximately 850 acres of farmland bounded by Ind. 13, C.R. 146, C.R. 148 and C.R. 43 south of Millersburg. The land would be leased from the owner for 30 years, under agreements, and after the term, if Savion doesn’t renew the leases, the properties would revert back to the owners’ control.

The company expects the arrays to generate up to 150 megawatts of energy, and the sites were selected since they’re near American Electric Power transmission lines. Savion staff have said the power produced would pool into the electrical grid, though the electricity would be used in Elkhart County first.

The panels would be mounted on 15-foot-tall-posts, and the arrays would be surrounded by chain link fences, which themselves are intended to be obscured by tree and shrub landscaping.

The commissioners considered the details of the project while facing a vote on whether to update the properties’ zoning with Savion’s development plan on Aug. 16. The commissioners ultimately tabled the vote following a more than three-hour meeting, in which several neighbors voiced opposition to the proposed solar project.

OPPOSITION

That use of the land, possible environmental effects and effects on the values of neighboring properties were among the top issues for residents opposing the proposed project. Neighbors also spoke up about the potential for the solar arrays to disrupt the rural views from their homes.

“We’re all holding our breath honestly — we feel unheard, as far as our concerns,” Kathy Fry said Wednesday, while also acknowledging she felt like the commissioners did listen to concerns about the views from homes.

Fry was one of the opponents who spoke during the August meeting. Her home along C.R. 146 would face one of the arrays.

Since the panels would tilt each day to follow the sun, she said she’s concerned about light reflecting onto her house. She also enjoys the view of farm fields from her home, and she worries an array in the middle of the scenery would ruin the immersiveness.

“You have to see it to understand why we’re against it,” Fry said.

She believes solar projects should not be built around homes. After traveling to Georgia this summer, Fry said she saw arrays near Indianapolis and Atlanta that didn’t appear to be located near residential areas.

She said she’s apprehensive about Monday’s decision and wished the commissioners would vote against the project.

“I hope they don’t – I really hope they don’t just because it should not be close to residents at all,” Fry said. “It should be in an area where there’s no people living.”

Weirick pointed out the question of a property owner’s rights on using their land vs. visual annoyances is one of the several she’s weighed over the past couple months since this is an issue with more concerns than zoning involved.

“This isn’t just a zone change request,” Weirick said. “If it is, we have a heavy, heavy property rights question and answer. But because there are competing points of view, it is never that straightforward.”

Representatives from Savion, meanwhile, said they look forward to the upcoming council and commissioners meetings.

“Favorable outcomes at these meetings would represent key milestones to ensure the project moves forward,” Sara Mills, development director, said in an emailed statement. “Over the past several months, there has been a lot of work to build awareness and engage with the community and elected officials on the benefits of the solar project. The project will contribute $22 million in estimated new property taxes over its 30+ year operation.”

Weirick noted the council meeting will include the final discussion on the proposed project, and she’s interested in what new information, if any, could come out of that. Monday’s meeting likely won’t include a public hearing on the issue since such a hearing was already held in August.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 8

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday asked the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to go for clean and green power at a competitive price to consumers.

Chairing a meeting with (PSPCL officials, the Chief Minister said the solar power, being cost effective and reliable, besides clean and green source of energy, would go a long way in ensuring a healthy and pollution-free environment.

A Venu Prasad, CMD, PSPCL, informed the Chief Minister that the power corporation had floated two tenders for procurement of 500 MW solar power. Of this, 250 MW is planned to be procured from solar power projects located anywhere in India with a ceiling tariff of Rs 2.50/Kwh. Besides, another 250 MW of solar power would be purchased from projects located anywhere in Punjab with ceiling tariff of Rs.2.70/Kwh, said the CMD, adding the move would meet the rising demand of power in Punjab and simultaneously develop and promote renewable sources of energy.

Briefed on coal stock situation

• Briefing the Chief Minister about the current coal shortages in the power plants in the state, CMD A Venu Prasad said the situation was prevalent across all the thermal power plants in India due to less production by the Coal India Limited
• He explained how with great difficultly the power was being managed by the PSPCL

Briefing the Chief Minister about the current coal shortages in the power plants in the state, the CMD said the situation was prevalent across all the thermal power plants in India due to less production by the Coal India Limited. He further explained how with great difficultly the power was being managed by the PSPCL. “All possible avenues are being explored to supply uninterrupted and quality power to the people of the state,” said Venu Prasad.