Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 21 February 2014

Advanced energy market outpacing economy

Advanced energy grew at a rate more than double that of the global economy last year -- at $1.1 trillion in estimated global revenue, according to a Navigant Research report commissioned by Advanced Energy Economy (AEE). In 2013, the global advanced energy market was bigger than pharmaceutical manufacturing worldwide. In the United States, the advanced energy market was as large as the airline industry at $169 billion in 2013.

In the United States, the advanced energy market, excluding wind, experienced double-digit growth the last two years -- outpacing the economy by a factor of four -- while wind saw a boom and bust due to inconsistent federal policy and uncertainty regarding the federal Production Tax Credit (PTC). read more>>>

Renewables helping to lead American energy transition according to Bloomberg report

13 February 2014 - The 2014 installment of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, produced by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, has found that renewable energy and energy efficiency advancements are leading a transformation of America’s energy

The Factbook documents the upward trajectory of energy efficiency, natural gas and renewable energy, using the latest data from 2013, adding yet another year of data reporting America’s long-term transition to cleaner, lower-carbon sources of energy production.

Despite the ever-shifting political position, the business case for efficient and sustainable energy sources has become even stronger in the US over the past year. read more>>>

Innotech Solar delivers low carbon footprint PV modules to UK schools

13 February 2014 - The Scandinavian-German panel manufacturer Innotech Solar (ITS) has supplied more than 1.400 photovoltaic modules with a total output of 360 kilowatts peak (kWp) to schools in England.

All installations were planned and built by Engynious Clean Power UK, a company specialising in developing solar power plants in the UK.

Over the past nine months 19 schools across England have been fitted with PV installations by Engynious, with several more scheduled for grid connection this year. read more>>>

Next generation solar storage advances as SolarReserve project begins commissioning

13 February 2014 - SolarReserve, developer of large-scale solar power projects and advanced solar thermal technology, today announced that its 110 MW Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project located near Tonopah, Nevada in the US has entered the plant commissioning phase.

Crescent Dunes is the first utility-scale facility in the world to feature advanced molten salt power tower energy storage capabilities. SolarReserve’s energy storage technology provides for larger scale installations and high efficiency energy collection and storage.

The Crescent Dunes Project is more than five times the capacity output of pilot projects that have previously tested this technology. read more>>>

Light-induced degradation in amorphous silicon thin film solar cells

February 13, 2014 - Researchers at the Helmholtz Center Berlin (HZB) have taken a leap forward towards a deeper understanding of an undesired effect in thin film solar cells based on amorphous silicon -- one that has puzzled the scientific community for the last 40 years. The researchers were able to demonstrate that tiny voids within the silicon network are partly responsible for reducing solar cell efficiency by some 10 to 15 percent as soon as you start using them.

Amorphous silicon thin film solar cells are considered a promising alternative to solar cells based on highly purified silicon wafers, which have been dominating photovoltaic power generation. read more>>>

SunEdison Teams With United Renewable Energy To Help Businesses In Georgia Earn Revenue From Solar Installations

Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- SunEdison, a leading solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services, and United Renewable Energy (URE), one of the fastest growing solar energy solution providers in the South East, are working together to create new solar opportunities in Georgia. Leveraging the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative (GPASI), the two companies are currently collaborating on projects totaling approximately 1.3 megawatts (MW) with plans to do more.

A ~600 kilowatt (kW) solar power plant is scheduled to interconnect this week on land that was once an underutilized pasture. The project is on land owned by Tom and Pam Coleman. With zero up-front capital the couple expect to increase their revenue from land use by a factor of six. read more>>>

KYOCERA Solar Modules Independently Tested Show Excellent Performance After 10 Years

February 13, 2014 - Kyocera Corporation (President: Goro Yamaguchi) announced today that its solar modules installed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) have been independently tested and their performance levels verified, showing an exceptional output even after 10 years of operation. Europe’s largest solar research institute in Germany, ISE installed a test system with the Kyocera modules equipped with high-precision measuring equipment that confirms an output degradation of just five percent after a full decade of maximum use. Researchers regularly analyze operating data and check the output of random modules annually in Fraunhofer ISE’s test lab, which have determined the Kyocera KC 125G modules* still deliver excellent results.

“The low output degradation of five percent over the past 10 years is evidence of the excellent quality of Kyocera solar modules. We are already eager to see the measurements following the next period. read more>>>

Green Building Initiative (GBI) to offer AIA approved course free for 60 days to train new Green Globes Professionals™

Feb. 13, 2014 – The Green Building Initiative™ (GBI) announced today that between Feb. 13 and April 15 it will provide free access to its online certification course for Green Globes Professionals™ (GGPs). GGPs help guide building projects in achieving Green Globes® ratings, awarded for environmentally-focused design and construction.

"We're seeing an upsurge in demand for Green Globes certification this year, both for building renovations and new construction," said Jerry Yudelson, GBI's new president. "By making the training free for a limited period of time we want to ensure, as demand for Green Globes continues to grow, that we have plenty of trained Green Globes Professionals to help make the projects happen." read more>>>

This may be the key to massive microgrid growth (Hint: Financing)

Feb 13, 2014 - Microgrid-as-a-Service Offers a Collaborative Model to the Conventional Macrogrid

Customer-owned microgrids will be the dominant ownership model in the near-term, while MaaS offers a completely new business model with flexible growth opportunities, says Lux Research

Self-contained "microgrids" are emerging as a viable power option for users from datacenters to telecom stations to single family homes. While customer-owned microgrids are standard today, a new business model, Microgrid-as-a-Service (MaaS) offers a flexible ownership structure and presents the best opportunity to capitalize on this growing market, according to Lux Research. read more>>>

HELCO partners with government on energy storage research

Feb 13, 2014 - Hawaii Electric Light Co. is teaming up with county and state agencies to create a facility to test energy storage technologies at the Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology Park in Kailua-Kona.

"Energy storage is a rapidly evolving market and offers significant potential for future growth as microgrids require higher degrees of reliability and power quality, sophisticated generation-load balancing," according to a release from the state Energy Office announcing the partnership. read more>>>