December 20, 2013

Going back to the basics - what is renewable energy?

Savings from oil and coal importation

Philipppines    |  December 20, 2013

What is renewable energy? From Wikipedia

It is not safe to assume that we are talking about the same language when we talk about renewable energy and the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 in the Philippines.

1.  How do we define renewable energy:

Definition from Wiki:  
"Renewable energy is generally defined as energy that comes from resources which are continually replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat.["


" Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources."


The important words are replenished on a  human timescale.    Coal and petroleum are both fossil fuels and were formed from biomass that were buried under the earth for millions of years.  That is not within the human time scale.  When we consume coal and petroleum, they are gone and will be replaced only after million of years, in the meantime, you have run out of coal and petroleum.

Sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat are free, are there and recur constantly;  but they have to be harnessed.

The other consideration is natural processes.  Thus refined fuels (how about batteries) are not renewables.   

2.  History of renewables

Before 1900, before use of coal and petroleum, most energy were renewables -  wind running the ships, wood fires heating homes and used for cooking.  In 1873, the study of solar energy was made as answer to concern when coal runs out.  As early as 1911, Scientific American saw that solar energy will be the sole source of energy when other fuels have run out.

Solar energy was mainly used for cooling and heating homes  solar panels were too expensive to build until l980.

In OECD countries, the total share of renewables to total energy rose from 4.8 %  in l971 to 7.6% in  1990 (still very small).  For the entire world, renewables contributed only 13% of the total in 2010 (still small and renewables would still be in infancy stage?)




 From Wikipedia,

Renewables replaces traditional fuels in 4 distinct areas:   power generation, heating, transportation and rural/off grid energy sources.



3.  Mainstream renewable technologies 

They are:


       1.  Wind power/turbines

       2.  Solar panels

       3.  Hydro

       4. Geothermal

       5.  Biomass/biofuel

       6.  Carbon neutral fuels (synthetic fuels recovered from fuel waste and effluents)

More from Wiki on Mainstream Renewable technologies:

 

Wind power

A wind farm located in Manjil, Iran
Airflows can be used to run wind turbines. Modern utility-scale wind turbines range from around 600 kW to 5 MW of rated power, although turbines with rated output of 1.5–3 MW have become the most common for commercial use; the power available from the wind is a function of the cube of the wind speed, so as wind speed increases, power output increases dramatically up to the maximum output for the particular turbine.[30] Areas where winds are stronger and more constant, such as offshore and high altitude sites, are preferred locations for wind farms. Typical capacity factors are 20-40%, with values at the upper end of the range in particularly favourable sites.[31][32]
Globally, the long-term technical potential of wind energy is believed to be five times total current global energy production, or 40 times current electricity demand, assuming all practical barriers needed were overcome. This would require wind turbines to be installed over large areas, particularly in areas of higher wind resources, such as offshore. As offshore wind speeds average ~90% greater than that of land, so offshore resources can contribute substantially more energy than land stationed turbines.[33]

Hydropower

Energy in water can be harnessed and used. Since water is about 800 times denser than air, even a slow flowing stream of water, or moderate sea swell, can yield considerable amounts of energy. There are many forms of water energy:

Solar energy

Monocrystalline solar cell
Solar energy applies energy from the sun in the form of solar radiation for heat or to generate electricity. Solar powered electricity generation uses either photovoltaics or heat engines (concentrated solar power). A partial list of other solar applications includes space heating and cooling through solar architecture, daylighting, solar hot water, solar cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.[34] Solar energy capture is also being linked to research involving water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction for the development of artificial photosynthesis or solar fuels.[35]

Biomass

A cogeneration plant in Metz, France. The station uses waste wood biomass as energy source, and provides electricity and heat for 30,000 dwellings.
Biomass (plant material) can be a renewable energy source, but importantly, only if the rate of extraction does not exceed the rate of production, as non-renewable biomass usage can easily occur, such as the historical Deforestation during the Roman period and the present Deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest.
Through the process of photosynthesis, plants capture the sun's energy. When the plants are burnt, they release the sun's energy they contain. In this way, biomass functions as a sort of natural battery for storing solar energy.
In general there are two main approaches to using plants for energy production: growing plants specifically for energy use (known as first and third-generation biomass), and using the residues (known as second-generation biomass) from plants that are used for other things. See biobased economy. The best approaches vary from region to region according to climate, soils and geography.
The proportion of truly renewable biomass in use is uncertain, as for example peat, one of the largest sources of biomass, is sometimes regarded as a renewable source of energy. However due to peats extraction rate in industrialized countries far exceeding its slow regrowth rate of 1mm per year,[36] and due to it being reported that peat regrowth takes place only in 30-40% of peatlands,[37] There is considerable controversy with this renewable classification.[38] Organizations tasked with assessing climate change mitigation methods differ on the subject, the UNFCCC classify peat as a fossil fuel due to the thousand plus year length of time for peat to re-accumulate after harvesting,[38] another organization affiliated with the United Nations also classified peat as a fossil fuel.[39] However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has begun to classify peat as a "slow-renewable" fuel,[40] with this also being the classification used by many in the peat industry.[38]
Further controversy surrounding the classification of all biomass as "renewable" centers around the fact that depending on the plant source, it can take from 2 to 100 years for different sources of plant energy to regrow, such as the difference between fast growing switch grass and slow growing trees, therefore due to the high emission intensity of plant material, researchers have suggested that if the biomass source takes longer than 20 years to regrow, they argue the plant source should not be regarded as renewable from a climate change mitigation standpoint.[41]
As of early 2012, 85 of 107 biomass plants operating in the U.S. had been cited by federal or state regulators for violating clean air or water laws over the past five years.[42] The Energy Information Administration projected that by 2017, biomass is expected to be about twice as expensive as natural gas, slightly more expensive than nuclear power, and much less expensive than solar panels.[43]

Biofuel

Brazil has bioethanol made from sugarcane available throughout the country. Shown a typical Petrobras gas station at São Paulo with dual fuel service, marked A for alcohol (ethanol) and G for gasoline.
Biofuels include a wide range of fuels which are derived from biomass. The term covers solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases.[44] Liquid biofuels include bioalcohols, such as bioethanol, and oils, such as biodiesel. Gaseous biofuels include biogas, landfill gas and synthetic gas.
Bioethanol is an alcohol made by fermenting the sugar components of plant materials and it is made mostly from sugar and starch crops. With advanced technology being developed, cellulosic biomass, such as trees and grasses, are also used as feedstocks for ethanol production. Ethanol can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form, but it is usually used as a gasoline additive to increase octane and improve vehicle emissions. Bioethanol is widely used in the USA and in Brazil. The energy costs for producing bio-ethanol are almost equal to, the energy yields from bio-ethanol. However, according to the European Environment Agency, biofuels do not address global warming concerns.[45]
Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled greases. Biodiesel can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form, but it is usually used as a diesel additive to reduce levels of particulates, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons from diesel-powered vehicles. Biodiesel is produced from oils or fats using transesterification and is the most common biofuel in Europe.
Biofuels provided 2.7% of the world's transport fuel in 2010.[46]

Geothermal energy

Geothermal energy is from thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter. Earth's geothermal energy originates from the original formation of the planet (20%) and from radioactive decay of minerals (80%).[47] The geothermal gradient, which is the difference in temperature between the core of the planet and its surface, drives a continuous conduction of thermal energy in the form of heat from the core to the surface. The adjective geothermal originates from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth, and thermos, meaning heat.
The heat that is used for geothermal energy can be from deep within the Earth, all the way down to Earth’s core – 4,000 miles (6,400 km) down. At the core, temperatures may reach over 9,000 °F (5,000 °C). Heat conducts from the core to surrounding rock. Extremely high temperature and pressure cause some rock to melt, which is commonly known as magma. Magma convects upward since it is lighter than the solid rock. This magma then heats rock and water in the crust, sometimes up to 700 °F (371 °C).[48]
From hot springs, geothermal energy has been used for bathing since Paleolithic times and for space heating since ancient Roman times, but it is now better known for electricity generation.



December 19, 2013

The Philippine ecosystem does not still favor renewable energy development

Savings from oil and coal importation

Philippines  |  December 19, 2013

 ilocos wind phil
 Wind turbines in Ilocos


From what I have been hearing the Renewable Energy projects have been having rough sailing in communities, in the government and m.  any more:

1.  The wind generators in Ilocos has been reported to be unable to sell power to the cooperatives. It has been losing money.  It is difficult, according to my friends in the energy to deal with cooperatives, and even ERC. (One such incident involved a power gen in an island province.  It has excess 5 mW of power generated which is unutilized, and yet publicized news that the island province is having power shortage and rotating brown outs.  And ERC is approving another 25 mW coal fired power plant to be put up to compete) with barely breaking even bunker fuel fired power plant (both dirty technology)

2.  For most energy companies (which is unlike Shell which foresees that oil will be insignificant player in transportation in 30 years) and it will be mostly solar in 50 years in its publication lenses), they are thinking still of traditional black technology, fossil fuel.  Clean, renewable energy is not in their vocabulary now, or even for the next 10 years.  The concern is utilization of current assets, and technologies, ROI on its investments.  The concern for clean, renewable energy is still far off.

3.  Customs.  Many solar panel projects have been delayed because of snafu in importation and release from Customs. There have been reported changes in Customs/BIR rules, and their bureaucracy does not give priority in the release of the solar panels.  It is not the  law that speaks.  It is the personality on the currency.

4.  The big players in the industry, the local or foreign will protect their investments:  mostly in bunker fuel, coal and diesel.  Thus the net metering, which is very miniscule and nothing at all, favors the non renewable energy.  And who would not believe that the BIG NON RENEWABLE POWER PLAYERS  lobby could be behind this policy.


The series of protests by activists to stop the temporary hike will not end consumer woes

Savings from oil and coal importation

 

Philippines   |  December 19, 2013

There have been series of  protests by activists vs the P4.15/kwh  power hike of Meralco.  This is the highest single price so far.  The increase is reportedly due to higher price of fuel for the Ilijan power plant which previously used CNG from Malampaya.  The timing of the maintenance sucks  when everything was going up:   LPG, gasoline and diesel prices. 

The price of electricity isone of the highest in Asia.

This increase  underscores the need for renewable energy.  With the increase, the total cost of electricity could be as high as P17.15 and could hurt the consumers.   LCOE for solar for instance is only P5.00 ($0.12)  How about the power from black technology?   It is high and could get higher.  Time to invest as consumer for renewable energy and the power sector too.

Time to really be serious on implementing renewable energy.  But have we made significant progress on renewable energy.




November 16, 2013

We finally made it: our solar panels project in Holy Gardens Calamba was finally installed yesterday November 15 2013

Savings from oil and coal importation



Holy Gardens Calamba City, PHL  |  November 16, 2013.

Our solar panel installation at Holy Gardens Calamba City was finally installed yesterday by the AVG power system after months of waiting.  Reason, the rules of importation of solar panels was changed, there were hullabaloo at the BOC about rotation of collectors and the restraining orders.  We made the downpayment since August to the contractor/importer and we were very much worried.  We have developed other suppliers though

Our installation there is 3 kWp and is to save us about P3,000 a month in electrical power consumption

We intend to have it as show case and a model for installation of renewable cheap energy source for the rest of the HolyGardens Group

Yeb Sano weeps at the Warsaw Climate Change Conference in the light of Supertyphoon Yolanda - a clear result of climate change

Savings from oil and coal importation

Yeb Sano makes a tearful speech at the climate change conference calling for countries to do something about this climate change.  Well US has not signed up at the Kyoto Protocol.   China is the worst polluter.  Its people suffer deaths and poor visibility for using too much coal in factories in its power generation.   More carbon emission, as the theory goes, causes rise in ocean temperature, which gives rise to horrific typhoons.  And typhoon Yolanda is the proof that this goes on (How about the next ice age as in The Day After Tomorrow?)

Afterwards, Yeb promised he will go on a fast.  It will take some time (maybe half century for people to fully realize this problem and accept green innovation and technology)




Yeb Sano promises to go on hunger strike

ERC net metering rules favor the large traditional utility companies? Does not really accept renewable energy?

Savings from oil and coal importation

From Yahoo News: ERC issues net metering rules  | July 8, 2013

 

The ERC has recently issued the rules for net metering of solar energy with the grid.  The rules set the limit at 100 kwh/month, and there are standards relating to:  voltage, frequency,  power quality and system protection.  Only those who are updated in their monthly payments can qualify to participate:  Here is the excerpt (ERC Net Metering Rules

Net metering was created crafted to solve the imbalance of surplus power being produced by PV, while none is produced at night.  A storage, but expensive battery bank can solve the imbalance, but  net metering can be a cheap and viable solution

In a Resolution promulgated on July 1, 2013, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) adopted the Rules Enabling the Net-metering Program for Renewable Energy, including the Net-metering Interconnection Standards (Net-metering Rules).  The Net-metering Rules allow electricity end-users who are updated in the payment of their electric bills to their distribution utility (DU) to engage in distributed generation. They can generate electricity from renewable energy (RE) sources like solar, wind, biomass or such other RE Systems not exceeding 100 kW that can be installed within the end-users’ premises and supply the electricity they generate in excess of what they can consume directly to their DU.  
In a net-metering arrangement, the end-user maintains a two-way connection to the distribution system and is only charged or credited, as the case may be, for the difference between the electricity supplied by the DU (import energy) and the electricity it supplies to the DU during times when it has excess RE generation (export energy), both of which are metered using 2 uni-directional meters, one for import and one for export, or a single bi-directional meter.  Under the Net-metering Rules, pending the development of a different pricing methodology, the net-metering customer’s export energy shall be priced based on its DU’s blended generation cost.  Included in the Net-metering Rules also are the standards, which shall be complied with and observed by the net-metering customer to address engineering, electric system reliability, and safety concerns for net-metering interconnections, such as those concerning voltage level, frequency, and power quality, and those relating to system protection.  
Section 10 of Republic Act No. 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act mandates the ERC, in consultation with the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB), to establish the net-metering interconnection standards and pricing methodology to usher in the implementation of the net-metering for renewable energy program.  NREB developed the draft net-metering rules, which after being subjected to public consultations and after a series of coordination meetings and workshops between the ERC and the NREB Technical Working Groups and the relevant stakeholders, was adopted and approved by the ERC.
“The net-metering program will definitely change the electricity landscape.  From just being recipients of electricity, electricity users may also now become generators, supplying not only their electricity requirements but also that of others through their distribution utilities’ system.  They avoid drawing electricity from the distribution grid equivalent to their own RE generation that they consume, in the process realizing savings in their electricity bills, and get paid a reasonable price for their RE generation that they cannot any more consume. It is a win-win, for the electricity end-user and, more importantly, for the environment because of the additional RE capacity that is shored up by the program,” ERC Chairperson and CEO Zenaida G. Cruz-Ducut explained.



If you read between the lines, this is really nothing at all.  A 3 kWp installation will generate more than 100 kwH month. The safety, quality, voltage frequency and power quality are meant to discourage applicants for net metering.  I could see ERC being effectively controlled by large power companies here, probably as defensive strategy as being used in Hawaii.  In Europe and Australia, and even rest of USA, the power utilities are losing out to rooftop  solar panels.

I was told that the 100 kwh limit is made to prevent system imbalance or a power surge (o my gosh, how many million homes would have solar installations to cause a system imbalance?  This is to protect the financial statement and the bottom lines, I dare say)

We have Renewable  Energy Law, we talk about climate change, we talk about green and clean energy;  what are these people at ERC doing.  We are protecting MERALCO  and other black tech power generating companies.

Why cant people embrace new technology and competition.  As in the past, local companies were protected by high tariff; and now we have protection for net metering for genco and other power distribution companies.

Power companies oppose net metering (from How Stuff works)


                                
                                         

Why we should invest in green and renewable energy now? Supertyphoon Yolanda is but a gentle reminder

Savings from oil and coal importation

                     
                          Naderev "Yeb" Sano weeps at climate change conference


While a lot has been said (only said, only ngawa) on use of green, clean, renewable energy, other nations, and even locally is minimal if not zero.  I write/blog on pollution in MM but the same level of pollution exists.  In recurring talk about the energy power sectior/industry in the PHL, a lot of influence is being exerted on DOE, or by DOE itself to disregard renewable energy and clean energy.

Do we anything serious to remove smoke belching jeepneys and tricycles, or at least minimize their emissions.  I guess none.

Air pollution and smoke belching has something to do with carbon emissions that contribute to global warming;  global warming means there is more energy in the Pacific Ocean that breeds stronger typhoon.

But I have seen realities of stuborness towards realities and external change. In a thesis defense by a graduate student regarding a powerplant in an island province using bunker fuel, nothing was mentioned about future plans to adopt clean technology.  As we know, bunker fuel while cheap is dirty.  She mentions something about the workings among cooperatives and Energy Regulatory Agencies being difficult to deal with and having a mindset favoring old technologies

So we cry and do hunger strike in foreign lands in Warsaw, Poland climate change conference while   right at our hometown, we also do nothing.  Napoles must be more qualified to handle these problems:  the Malampaya energy fund, and carbon credits trading (wow daig si Mam Myriam)

But there are disturbing news:    US to oppose mechanism to fund adaptation to climate change in poor countries


 

November 1, 2013

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