Big battery technology - large storage for renewable energy wind and solar

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More and bigger giant battery storage facilities for outputs of solar and wind energy are being built in California:   one a 300 megawatt and  another 100 megawatt.  The storage facilty will  be enough to power 300,000 homes for four hours, in the evening or when demand outstrips supply.  They will be commissioned in 2021  (this year)

This is owned by Vista Energy

Construction of giant storage batteries on the rise

                                  Battery storage faciliity that could make fossil fuel obsolete

Longer lasting batteries by simply adding sugar to the electrolytes

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It has been found in Monash Energy Institute  that adding sugar to the electrolytes can make batteries last longer, be lighter in lithium sulfur batteries   Sugar prevents sulfide from massing at Lithium electrodes.  

There is still much research to refine the  technology and apply to actual production.  

Just a spoonful of sugar

Giant offshore wind turbines

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https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/01/business/GE-wind-turbine.html

There is much activity in giant offshore wind turbines,    Offshore is better where wind is stronger and more stable.   

The latest projects are huge 853 ft tall,nearly  as tall as Empire State Building with blades length as much as 2x a football filed.   One such project is GEs Haliade x that can generate 30x the electricity being generated of earlier turbines.    as 13 megawatts enough to light up 12,000 homes

Power output of the 10 largest turbines range from 6 to 10 MW.   GEs monster is the biggest

10 largest wind turbine

Interesting topics tags in Renewable Energy

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Topics in renewable include:

    1.  Wind energy

    2.  Storage

    3.  Battery

    4.  Wave power

    5.  Fuel cell

    6.  Hydrogen

    7.  Hybrid

    8.  EVs

Others include:

    1.  Sea based solar farm

    2.  Giant wind turbine.   

Renewed Interest in renewables after meeting chairman of WEGEN

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This post interest on renewable energy was renewed after meeting Mr. Michael Schefeld, the chair of WeGen.   For more than an hour he talked effusively about Renewables in Germany where he comes from, Net Metering (a challenge)   In Germany he  claims a 60%   Renewable acceptance (with solar and wind leading the charge)  He showed me the real time increse in renewable usage.

He described the operations of WeGen (engaged in the  importation of solar panels, controllers and inverters)  I told him about our brief foray into PV and its financing.     I broached the feasibility of working together in this promising field. It has been an interest for the last 20 years.   

We Gen of which he is the chairman, has partnered with the bishops in promoting renewables (PV)  This post observed this to be a unique business model but ultimately financing will be a key component in winning the renewable war.

\He discussed the logic behind the  PV ie of that being close to the user, no infrastructure needed like the grid  (However it occured to this post that batching may be cheaper in communities to have a farm rather than rooftop installation.  

He said that cost of the Solar panels have gone down from $0.40 to only $0.20 (still at P100,,000 per kw)

We planned to meet after the ECQ or MECQ but he  died last week.   He  left a widow whom he endowned with a Filipino Chinese restaurant facing a river connecting Laguna Lake and Pasig River.     

Cumbersome net metering system process a deterrent to RE growth

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The process for net metering while provided for under the Renewable energy act is tedious and time consuming.   It takes a while to get approval, and needs P15,000 fee.    (Section 10 RA 9153)

STEP 1: PREPARE ALL THE DOCUMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS

§ Photocopy of previous monthly Meralco bill
§ Photocopy of two valid government identification cards
§ Land Title or Transfer Certificate of Title
§ Realty Tax Receipt
§ Notarized Authorization Letter for the assigned representative that will facilitate your application
§ Deed of Sale (if the electric bill is under the previous owner’s name)
§ Occupancy Permit
§ Barangay Permit
§ Photo of the House
§ Photo of Main Breaker with a label of load schedule
§ Net Metering Application Form
§ Plant Parameters with Technical Documentation
§ Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection
§ Single Line Diagram
§ Electrical Permit

STEP 2: DISTRIBUTION IMPACT STUDY (DIS) – 2 to 8 weeks

Meralco will instruct you to pay for a DIS fee, which varies in amount. Additionally, you have to pay the amount of Php15,000 payable to the Energy Regulatory Commission.

STEP 3: YELLOW CARD – 2 to 4 weeks

Meralco will study your house and area, then issue a Yellow Card. You will then submit this yellow card to the City Hall to claim the Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection.

STEP 4: SERVICE DISCONNECT – 2 to 8 weeks

With the yellow card, you will be instructed to install a service disconnect accessible outside your house, a grounding rod, and a new meter base.

STEP 5: ELECTRICAL PERMIT APPLICATION – 1 to 2 weeks

Submit the application for an electrical permit with signed and sealed blueprint reflecting the solar system to the City Hall. Requirements that should be submitted with the application are: Title, occupancy permit, tax declaration, barangay permit, and PEE signed and sealed plans.

STEP 6: NET METERING APPLICATION – 2 to 6 weeks

Submit the Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection to Meralco and sign the contracts. The meter is replaced with a bidirectional meter after the contracts are signed.