Saudis Confused About Solar Power

In this issue of the Climate Column, we find out why Saudi Arabia’s oil minister seems to be confused as to what he thinks about solar power, and investigate whether the world can replace dirty Saudi Arabian oil with clean solar power as the world’s primary energy source. One thing is for certain, in the future we will be seeing more and more progressive companies investing in major solar power projects and the future is certainly looking bright for solar.

Ernst & Young CleanTech Trends Report

New Energy World Network (Newnet) reports on Ernst & Young’s second annual global cleantech insights and trends report which shows CleanTech is expected to boom, and as a result climate change and CleanTech are rising up the corporate priority lists.

Forbes Recommends Clean Energy Stocks

Renewable energy stocks take a battering, but Forbes.com still recommends them for long-term portfolios and we outline why we think there will be a big green boom once this downturn is over.

India And China Among World’s Largest Wind Markets

Who’s got wind? In this edition of the Climate Column, we look at the world’s largest wind markets by capacity and percentage of supply, discuss the IEA’s far too pessimistic outlook for renewable energy, and announce the birth of a new international agency: IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, will come into being at a signing ceremony scheduled for 26 January 2009 in Bonn, Germany.

The 10 Big Energy Myths

Chris Goodall provides a concise and informed summary of the 10 big energy myths regarding solar, wind, marine and nuclear energy, biofuels, electric cars and green buildings on the Guardians environmental section.

Geodynamics Hails Geothermal Industry Development Framework (GIDF)

Geothermal Industry Development Framework (GIDF)
Geodynamics, December 1, 2008

Australian governments have placed a great deal of confidence in the Australian
geothermal energy industry and acknowledged the important role it will play in Australia’s future energy supply through the collaborative development of the GIDF and the Geothermal Technology Road Map according to the national geothermal industry body, the Australian Geothermal Energy Association (AGEA).

Read more..

Al Gore’s 5 Step Plan to Clean Energy

Al Gore’s 5 Step Plan to Clean Energy
Live Earth, November 14, 2008

Al Gore introduced a five point plan that “…would simultaneously move us toward solutions to the climate crisis and the economic crisis–and create millions of new jobs that cannot be outsourced,” at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. Gore claims that the two major crisis’s we currently face can be alleviated through the same steps:

1. Incentives for construction of concentrating solar-thermal power plants in the southwest, wind farms in the Midwest, and plants in geothermal “hot spots.”
2. A $400 billion investment over 10 years to build a “national smart grid” to distribute renewable energy.
3. Aid to automakers to convert to the production of plug-in hybrids. Smart-grid technology that enables the cars to be charged during off-peak hours.
4. A nationwide effort to retrofit buildings, which account for 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, to be more energy-efficient.
5. Climate regulations to cap carbon dioxide emissions.

Green Energy Community Investment Fund

Citi and Helio Micro Utility Announce The Green Energy Community Investment Fund
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C), August 14, 2008

Initial Phase of new Fund will Power up to Four Megawatts of Commercial and Public Sector Solar Energy System Installations

New York, NY and Berkeley, CA – Citi Community Capital, a division of Citi, and Helio Micro Utility today announced the creation of the Green Energy Community Investment Fund to initially finance up to four megawatts of solar electricity production this year. Through this new initiative, solar power systems will be installed on qualifying commercial and public sector facilities throughout the U.S., with an emphasis on underserved communities. Helio mU, headquartered in Berkeley, CA, provides solar electricity to commercial, residential and not-for-profit customers with little or no initial capital outlay through long term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

The first of its kind in the clean energy sector, the Green Energy Community Investment Fund™ puts a special focus on commercial, non-profit and public entities in low and moderate income areas. The Fund will follow the same model as the established Helio Green Energy Plan™, enabling qualifying entities to buy the power generated from a solar installation rather than the panels themselves, thus providing upfront savings and smoothing the path to solar adoption.

“Energy is a major concern in the everyday operation of businesses and organizations across America,” said Andrew Ditton, Managing Director of Citi Community Capital. “This Fund is an excellent opportunity for us to expand the mission of our community development efforts to bring affordable green energy solutions to facilities primarily in low and moderate income areas. It also supports Citi’s 2007 announcement of $50 billion in investment and financing over 10 years to address global climate change. We are pleased to work with the Helio Micro Utility team on this vital environmental and economic initiative.”

Helio Micro Utility Chairman, Ian Rogoff, explained “we created Helio Micro Utility in order to introduce innovative renewable energy finance and supply chain offerings to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy solutions. With the Green Energy Community Investment Fund, we have partnered with Citi to combine their environmental and community goals, and global financial strength, with our first-of-their-kind financial products for dramatically accelerated solar power adoption among traditionally under-served markets.”

“We are delighted with Citi’s support, and especially proud to work with them to expand the use of solar energy to help our planet while also serving local communities,” said Mo Rousso, President & CEO of Helio mU. “With budget cuts, rising energy and gasoline prices and economic pressures, it is more crucial than ever for businesses, schools and non profit organizations of all types to receive assistance now. With this support from Citi Community Capital, we are able to offer much needed help to reduce and stabilize energy costs and reduce dependence on brown energy.”

In 2007 Citi Community Capital (CCC), formerly Citibank Community Development, provided up to $5 billion for affordable housing and community revitalization projects in locations around the country. The Green Energy Community Investment Fund is part of Citi’s U.S. initiative to support business and community improvement with programs that also include environmentally positive objectives.

The Green Energy Community Investment Fund was created to support the installation of solar electricity systems on commercial and public sector buildings. Ideal criteria for participation in this new program include:

• Solar projects that can be completed prior to the end of 2008 so that the benefits of the Federal Incentive Tax Credit (ITC) program can be applied to the solar power system installation cost.
• Customer sites that are owner occupied or have more than 10 years remaining on the building lease.
• Sites that have adequate roof space for a solar electricity system capable of generating at least 50 kW, or approximately 9,000 square feet of space.
• Sites that have unobstructed sun exposure year round.
• Sites that are paying over $2,000 per month in electricity bills.
• Sites in California, New Jersey, or other states with existing state-level solar incentive programs

Tom Millhoff, Vice President of Business Development for Helio mU will lead the qualification process of facilities for the fund. “We will move quickly to evaluate building sites and install solar power systems this year. We encourage interested customers to contact us, particularly for projects that can be completed by the end of this year. In addition to end customers, solar power integration firms who have non-residential projects which might qualify for support from the Green Energy Community Investment Fund™ should contact us immediately,” said Mr. Millhoff.

# # #

Citi Community Capital
The community development division of Citi was created to fulfill the diverse community development lending and investment activity in one distinct business unit. The business, now called Citi Community Capital (CCC), was launched in 2000. In 2007, CCC merged with the Affordable Housing unit of the Municipal Securities Division which made available an even wider array of financial products that can be structured to fit our clients’ objectives.

CCC helps community development financial institutions, real estate developers, national intermediaries and non-profit organizations achieve their goals through a broad, integrated platform of debt and equity offerings. Within CCC is a dedicated investment team that specializes in renewable energy, New Markets, and other community development oriented investing. For more information, please visit www.citi.com/citigroup/citizen/community or contact Danielle Romero-Apsilos at 212-816-2264.

Citi
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi’s major brand names include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Citi Smith Barney and Banamex. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.

Helio Micro Utility (Helio mU)
Helio mU is a green power pioneer, selling solar energy without the upfront cost of panels. The Company provides solar electricity to commercial, residential and not-for-profit customers with little or no initial capital outlay through its Green Energy Plan TM. The Helio Green Energy Plan guarantees customers receive cost-effective and predictable energy pricing and maximum system performance over the life of the agreement. Helio mU is headquartered in Berkeley, CA. For more information please visit: www.HeliomU.com and www.BuyPowerNotPanels.com or call toll free at 1.866.862.2806.

Solar From The Sahara To Power Europe

Solar power from Saharan sun could provide Europe’s electricity, says EU
The Guardian, Wednesday July 23, 2008

A tiny rectangle superimposed on the vast expanse of the Sahara captures the seductive appeal of the audacious plan to cut Europe’s carbon emissions by harnessing the fierce power of the desert sun.

A concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in Spain that uses panels to reflect light on to a central tower to produce electricity. Similar plants are proposed for north Africa. Photograph: AP

Dwarfed by any of the north African nations, it represents an area slightly smaller than Wales but scientists claimed yesterday it could one day generate enough solar energy to supply all of Europe with clean electricity.

Speaking at the Euroscience Open Forum in Barcelona, Arnulf Jaeger-Walden of the European commission’s Institute for Energy, said it would require the capture of just 0.3% of the light falling on the Sahara and Middle East deserts to meet all of Europe’s energy needs.

The scientists are calling for the creation of a series of huge solar farms – producing electricity either through photovoltaic cells, or by concentrating the sun’s heat to boil water and drive turbines – as part of a plan to share Europe’s renewable energy resources across the continent.

A new supergrid, transmitting electricity along high voltage direct current cables would allow countries such as the UK and Denmark ultimately to export wind energy at times of surplus supply, as well as import from other green sources such as geothermal power in Iceland.

Energy losses on DC lines are far lower than on the traditional AC ones, which make transmission of energy over long distances uneconomic.

The grid proposal, which has won political support from both Nicholas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown, answers the perennial criticism that renewable power will never be economic because the weather is not sufficiently predictable. Its supporters argue that even if the wind is not blowing hard enough in the North Sea, it will be blowing somewhere else in Europe, or the sun will be shining on a solar farm somewhere.

Scientists argue that harnessing the Sahara would be particularly effective because the sunlight in this area is more intense: solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in northern Africa could generate up to three times the electricity compared with similar panels in northern Europe.

Much of the cost would come in developing the public grid networks of connecting countries in the southern Mediterranean, which do not currently have the spare capacity to carry the electricity that the north African solar farms could generate. Even if high voltage cables between North Africa and Italy would be built or the existing cable between Morocco and Spain would be used, the infrastructure of the transfer countries such as Italy and Spain or Greece or Turkey also needs a major re-structuring, according to Jaeger-Walden.

Southern Mediterranean countries including Portugal and Spain have already invested heavily in solar energy and Algeria has begun work on a vast combined solar and natural gas plant which will begin producing energy in 2010. Algeria aims to export 6,000 megawatts of solar-generated power to Europe by 2020.

Scientists working on the project admit that it would take many years and huge investment to generate enough solar energy from north Africa to power Europe but envisage that by 2050 it could produce 100 GW, more than the combined electricity output from all sources in the UK, with an investment of around €450bn.

Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK’s chief scientist, welcomed the proposals: “Assuming it’s cost-effective, a largescale renewable energy grid is just the kind of innovation we need if we’re going to beat climate change.”

Jaeger-Walden also believes that scaling up solar PV by having large solar farms could help bring its cost down for consumers. “The biggest PV system at the moment is installed in Leipzig and the price of the installation is €3.25 per watt,” he said. “If we could realise that in the Mediterranean, for example in southern Italy, this would correspond to electricity prices in the range of 15 cents per kWh, something below what the average consumer is paying.”

The vision for the renewable energy grid comes as the commission’s joint research centre (JRC) published its strategic energy technology plan, highlighting solar PV as one of eight technologies that need to be championed for the short- to medium-term future.

“It recognises something extraordinary – if we don’t put together resources and findings across Europe and we let go the several sectors of energy, we will never reach these targets,” said Giovanni de Santi, director of the JRC, also speaking in Barcelona.

The JRC plan includes fuel cells and hydrogen, clean coal, second generation biofuels, nuclear fusion, wind, nuclear fission and smart grids. De Santi said it was designed to help Europe to meet its commitments to reduce overall energy consumption by 20% by 2020, while reducing CO² emissions by 20% in the same time and increasing to 20% the proportion of energy generated from renewable sources.

Pedal-A-Watt Stationary Bike Power Generator

The Pedal-A-Watt Stationary Bike Power Generator
econvergence.net

Pedal-A-Watt Stationary Bike Power Generator

The Pedal-A-Watt bicycle stand keeps the user aerobically fit while creating power that may be used to power lights and/or other small appliances. The Pedal-A-Watt may also be used to charge a battery so that the power may be used at a later time (see the PowerPak under the Accessories page). The battery may then be tapped at a later time, after dark for example, when the energy is needed to power lights or appliances.

The Pedal-A-Watt bicycle stand is an excellent addition to an existing battery system that may already be charged from the photovoltaic panels, 120 VAC grid power or wind power. The concept behind the Pedal-A-Watt bicycle is that electricity can be created from human effort and then stored in batteries.

The Cycle Charger

Charge a Cell Phone, iPod, Blackberry, Garmin GPS, any GPS or any other device that you can plug into your car’s cigarette lighter plug
* Easily clips onto any bicycle
* Has a female cigarette lighter plug just like a car
* As you ride your bicycle your device will charge!
* Has a voltage regulator to ensure that the voltage never exceeds 12 vdc just like you car’s cigarette lighter socket
* $89.95 with free shipping within the US ($19.95 shipping outside the US)

The PowerPak for The Pedal-A-Watt

A small, portable combination of a 400 watt (300 watt for 220 volt European version) inverter and battery. The PowerPak plugs into the Pedal-A-Watt and stores the electricity created in a battery. The PowerPak also has a two, typical household outlet, allowing you to plug appliances in (up to 400 watts) and power them! Cigarette lighter plug for powering small appliances. Meter shows battery state of charge. Unit has overvoltage protection. Includes a charging cable that terminates with a male cigarette lighter plug with blocking diode. PLEASE NOTE that this product is available for 120 volts AC, 60 Hz (United States) or 220 volts AC, 50 Hz (for Europe). PLEASE SPECIFY in the dropdown menu when ordering!

Power Meter for The Pedal-A-Watt

See exactly how much power your Pedal-A-Watt creating with this power meter. It connects easily inline in series with your Pedal-A-Watt and displays volts, amps, watts (power), watt hours and amp hours. A great way to demonstrate how much power the Pedal-A-Watt is creating. Needs no battery. Measures voltage from 0 to 60 v and current from 0 to 100 amps. The meter measures 2.8 inches long by 1.7 inches wide and is .83 inches thick.