Bank of Philippine Islands goes solar

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From Philstar - Bank of Phil Islands goes solar

The Bank of Philippine Islands will go into solar energy source for its 400 branches nationwide under a P160 million BOT project with Solarus partner.  Each branch will be equipped with 5 kWp at an average cost of P400,000 each.  It would be first of its kind for a bank in the PHL.  Half of its electrical consumption would be saved from the solar panel installation

Right now BPI has entered into an energy efficiency contract with Cofely and its P71 million investment in a chiller plant has yielded  P1 million a month savings

 Executive Director Florendo Maranan, who also heads the Sustainability office that this is kick off for BPI into green technology.  Other projects include:  LED signage, inverter aircon, rainwater harvesting.

We are glad BPI, a large corporation is into this.  It can exert a lot of influence for people to be aware and embrace green technology.  My experience, is that it takes a lot of doing to convince people to embrace this new technology and to work towards:   lessening power consumption to decrease carbon emission so that there will be less severe climate change

We at Bereavement Providers Inc (also BPI) are working on 1.  a solar panel project in Holy Gardens Greenhills in Calamba City, and LED lighting for three Holy Gardens:  Pangasinan,  Oton, Calamba City.  Holy Angels Memorial Park in Morong has adopted the LED lighting too

Zep Solar Mount technology improves solar installation

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From Clean Technica - Sun Tech acquires Zep Solar

Sun Tech, recently thought to be dead, turned around and  recently acquired Zep Solar mount company.  The Zep Solar tech makes for quicker and faster solar panel installation.  The streamlined and advanced design and grounding products are in high demand.

Zep Solar mounting system  can save as much as $2,000 in a 4 kwP system.   or $0.50 per watt (about P20.00 per watt or P20,000 kwP.  The mounts save as much as 75% of installation time (However Zep faces litigation from Westinghouse on alleged infringement





                             



                                                  
                                             

                                                                                                                                                                            

Shell Oil realizes the future of transportation is in clean energy

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From Clean Technica - The future of transportation is not in oil

In the recent future scenario report, New Lens Scenario, Shell predicts that Solar energy would be the most dominant source of energy by 2070.  Its report, contained in a PDF format can be clicked here.  The scenario lists that by the same year, oil would no longer play an important role in transportation:  only hydrogen fuel and electrics.

Shell is very candid and realistic on what lies for the future of energy

Oil spills from tankers and oil exploration should not harm the environment


Accidents like this is  big ecological disaster, danger, and energy life and investment loss

Nokero, the portable solar lamp for the masses

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From Clean Technica - An Affordable Clean Light Bulb (Nokero)

I came across this while we had training for teaching Global Business in Seoul Korea two years ago and the professor who is a Filipino, Dr Manny Serapio from University of Denver Colorado,  prided with the fact that his students developed the no kero product.  It is no kero  because it means No Kerosene. Lighting in most poor areas around the world depends on kerosene and kerosene has carbon emission which can cause diseases,  and can cause fire.  Its CEO is Steve Katsaros.  It cost $5.00 each (about P200.00) and can last up to 4 hours on a single charge (it has short life battery and by 10 pm there is no more light.  The no kero churns 5 lumens of light (rather dark?) and uses 400 maH NiMH battery.

However there are cheap copies coming from China, and costs as little as $2.00 each!.  But if they can serve the needs of the rural poor, why not.

             
                                     

Neurio Sensor Makes Home Smarter (smartphone based)

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From Clean technica.

The neurio sensor is a new single device  that is attached to the circuit breaker, gathers data and lets you know if you left a device on.  It uses an app known as Wattson and lets the user knows how much each appliance consumes.  It does away with numerous sensors and controllers usually found in home automation system (and would probably drive down the cost)  I have come across such projects and cost millions.  Now this device would make home automation cheap?

The manufacturer Energy Aware is based in Vancouver Canada

The Wattson apps

The Neurio kicstarter project costs only $150. Wow

Wattson Solar plus PV monitor

Regulations and lobbying by utilities hinders solar power in Hawaii

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From Clean Technica

From LA Times, difficulties for Hawaii going solar

                                                                                 

Solar power in Hawaii has reached grid parity due to falling solar panel prices.  With 83% of its power supplied by imported fuel (Hawaii has no local energy sources) you expect that solar would have an easy sailing in the island paradise.

There are 20,000 solar units installed with combined capacity of 140 mW

Regulations (most probably influenced by utility lobbyist) has limited interconnections with the grid to only 15% of the total;  that may be increased to 25% of the total but is  a long shot.  Those who want to go green are giving up because of these barriers.  The upgrade costs will affect l/4 of the homes;  70% of  of the building permits are on solar and perhaps the city hall are deluged by such applications.  The solar power has cost the state some $173 million in tax credits.  Utilities require expensive interconnection study.  (say $3,000 cost and months of waiting

Incentives, as tax credits from the state are hard to come by.  The policy/public sector and the utilities are reluctant to change from black to green tech?

Non Profit Solar Installer Helps Low Income Communities install solar panels

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From Inspired Economist

 GRID Alternatives’ mission is to empower communities in need by providing renewable energy and energy efficiency services, equipment, and training. GRID Alternatives works collaboratively with communities and local organizations to identify specific needs and to develop renewable energy solutions that are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.” – GRID Alternatives

Installing and supplying supplying solar power is a great business for suppliers and installers alike but poses great barrier to most people when they want to acquire cheap source of power.  A non profit organization Grid Alternatives has helped 3,700 households/families install nearly 10 gW of solar power across America helping them save $80 million in energy costs.  It has  also trained 14,000 installers and technicians




Video on Grid Alternatives;  support!

Carbon pricing in Australia; current Prime Minister Abbott prepares to scrap it

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The recent post made on the closure of a 1 gW coal power plant in Australia (Mallerawang, northwest of  Sydney) led me to research carbon tax in Australia.  The carbon tax was imposed under the Julia  Gillard government  and became effective in July 2012

The carbon tax covers industries not in agriculture or transport sector that emit greenhouse gases of over 25,000 ton Initially, the tax was at $10.00 per tonne. The price now is at $23.00 per ton. The Department of Climate Change says that there were 260 liable entities as of June 2013. Greenhouse gases, are primarily produced by:   oil refineries, power generators and account for less than half of total emissions.  The carbon tax which is part of Clean Energy Plan is aimed primarily at reducing the carbon emissions by 5% from 2000 to 2010

Australia generates only 1.5% of the total emissions, but the per capita is the highest in the world:  about 20 tons per individual.  It is about 19 tons per capita in USA.

However, three days ago, the current Prime Minister of Australia Tony Abbott prepared a draft legislation to abolish the carbon tax by July 2014.  He called on the Labor party not to block the legislation.

What do you think of the carbon tax in Australia?  Is it harmful to the local economy?

Is it good for the environment?

I think this is the only govt which did solid steps to enforce the Kyoto protocol and control carbon emissions.

I think all nations must be united to control greenhouse emissions if we are to arrest climate change which results in more  powerful typhoons and constant floodings

                                
                               

Renewables, especially rooftop solar, about to shutter down its biggest victim in Australia

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From Clean Techica feature on Closure of 1 gW coal plant

The renewable especially rooftop solar panels is about to claim its latest victim at NSW in Australia - the 980 mW - the Mallerawang coal plant in 2014.  Some 3 mW of traditional technology power gen has been closed already: 700 mW in Tarong in Queensland, Collins also in Queensland,  Playford and Northern power station in Southern Australia,  and the Munmuroah power station in NSW.

Coal fired power gens are feeling the pinch of carbon pricing, including the changing market conditions:  reduced demand and competition from rooftop solar panels

                                                                                                           

What is the impact of fossil fuel divestment campaign on companies?

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Fossil fuel divestment from Clean Technica

A study by Oxford University would suggest that divestment of Universities from fossil fuel companies is having a slow start but is proceeding rapidly than any other types of movement:  tobacco, pornography, even apartheid.  The study comes from Stranded Assets and fossil fuel divestment.  Oxford reports that 350.org fuel divestment campaign is gaining traction

However in reality, the impact of the divestment is very small say $240 - 600 billion of the total $12 trillion assets of endowments for university and pension funds.  This translates to only 2 to 5% total exposure by universities in fossil fuel.

Australian Company Star 8, makes solar powered Tuktuk

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From From Clean Technica

An Australian company Star 8 is making solar powered Tuktuk which are targetting Asian countries using petrol powered trikes.  In China for instance, to lessen pollution, petrol powered trikes are being banned.  The product was conceived by Jacob Maimon who noticed that only small amounts of petrol were bought by the pedicab drivers.

The solar powered Tuktuk will be made in Cambodia, and powered by a monocrystalline  solar panel at the roof, and two batteries, and may be priced from $2,000 to $3,000 each.  (ex Cambodia?)

I suppose this will be hybrid and will still be powered by  3 engine capacities:   650 cc, 800 and 1000 and two solar power variant:  500 and 800 watts.

I hope their price is affordable.  And there will be a form of financing.  That is the only way for people to accept new technology - financing - making it easy for people to buy the product.

 

                                                     

                

                   

Largest concentrated solar Solana thermal plant in Arizona

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From Clean Technica

We Filipinos like "pinaka" and here is a "pinaka"  - largest solar thermal plant to go on line in Arizona - 280 mW Solana constructed by Abenogoa group of Spain.  According to Don Brandt, the president of APS, the local utility company, said this development is towards making Arizona the solar capital of America.

The Solana plant is CSP (Concentrated Solar Plant) and colllects suns energy like a sunflower via 2,700 parabolic mirrors to focus on pipes containing sythetic oil heating it to 735F to  create steam that to power turbines.  What makes the plant unique is its storage capacity.The said plant has 6 hours storage capacity to generate steam at night

 For storage it has 6 pairs of cold and hot tanks that can store 125,000 metric tons of molten salt heated at 530 degrees Fahrenheit.  When the sun goes down, the synthetic fluid is routed through the salt to continuously create the steam.

                   




                                    
Images of the Solana CSP


                        

            

Japan installing more solar power gen, goal is zero nuclear

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From Clean Technica

Japan has 1.8 gW installed solar capacity for Q2 and this favors more installation.  What caused this surge?

You guessed it from FIT since 2012 and what was the cause?

You guessed it right again;  this was due to the TEPCo  Fukushima nuclear accident from the tsunami of March 2011.  The radiation, the evacuation, and the radiation leak from the meltdown has traumatized Japanese and many countries away from nuclear power plants. Since 2012, 3.67 gW of capacity has been installed;  about 7 gW could be installed by the end of the year.

There is a total of 17.8 gW of approved but not commissioned PV projects and the problem (as in PHL RE implementation) is grid connectivity.  Here it is  the net metering.  Only 50 kwh is allowed, and prices will be only equal to generating costs.   (Hahaha - that is the way to encourage renewables here in the PHL)

                             

               

RE Solar and Wind contributed 60% of total Energy of Germany on October 3!

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From clean technica

 

Solar and wind energy contributed almost 60 % of the total energy at noon of October 3, 2013.  For the entire day, however, the REs only contributed 36% of the total energy of Germany.

It was windy and sunny that day hence the high RE - wind and solar contribution.  This is significant, since Germany is not as sunny as in USA.  I learned that in the PHL, wind is not working that well most of the time they stop, or cooperatives do not buy their output (no buy or take provisions in their contracts prior to their approval?)

Ethanol has not affected wholesale prices of gasoline

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From clean technica

Ethanol (gasoline cum alcohol from vegetables) has not reduced the wholesale prices of gasoline, even at l0% alcohol content.  What more the alcohol in gasoline has not been kind to the engines.

I have been advised by our mechanic, especially for high performance engine, in expensive cars, not to use ethanol.  He advised me to to use the more expensive 97 to 100 octane that does not contain alcohol.

                

Solar means business - savings on costs and better bottom line

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From Clean Technica

 

Big and profitable businesses like Walmart, Apple, Ikea, J & J Toyota, Loreal, VW have great business sense;  they went solar and so with the rest of top 25 companies who went solar in a big way

Going solar means good business and many companies across USA are adopting solar technology to save costs and improve bottom line.  So far,  since 2012, since inagural Solar Means Business, more than 1,000 mW of solar panels have been installed at rooftops of businesses, non profits and government offices.

There is a cumulative3380 mW of installed facilties at 32,800 across USA during the first quarter of 2013 and represents 40% increase over last year.  The top 25 companies using solar (Pareto principle) has 443 mW of installed capacities.

And their reasons, high RoI, lower costs, and better bottom line.  Solar panel costs have gone down by 40% down from $8.00/watt three years ago.  The ex China cost is $0.50 per watt.  Installed cost would be $3.00/watt in the PHL.  And this very competitive with hydro and bunker fuel which would be $4.00 per kW with higher operating and maintenance cost.  For the consumer this means peace of mind - Level Cost of Energy - LCOE of only P5.00 kwh!

In so far as we are concerned:  this is the progress we have made:

1.  For one of our parks, we are installing 2.5 kW and it will be finished within this month to save on our electric bills for irrigation which costs us almost P30,000 per month;

2.  We will be installing a 3 kW on the rooftop of a business associate in Valle Verde.  He is convinced that the best way to save electricity is to go solar.

3.  We have a project to convince an international church to go solar.  Their monthly electric bills amounts to P6 million  a month.

4.  We are going to finance solar installations and the MA will be savings.  We also would like to trade on solar aircon and LED lights.
 

Monitor of Ecotricity Wind Turbine production

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From Clean Technica

 

Ecocitricity owns 55 wind turbines and has the capacity to generate 60,000 kwh. It has installed a data monitoring which updates the data shown at the website.

It is a way of bragging the renewable energy production.