Heat Pipe Solar Collector

 

 All photos by CCRES

What is a Heat Pipe Solar Collector?

 The principle behind heat pipe's operation is actually very simple.

Structure and Principle

The heat pipe is hollow with the space inside evacuated, much the same as the solar tube. In this case insulation is not the goal, but rather to alter the state of the liquid inside. Inside the heat pipe is a small quantity of purified water and some special additives. At sea level water boils at 100oC (212oF), but if you climb to the top of a mountain the boiling temperature will be less that 100oC (212oF). This is due to the difference in air pressure.

Based on this principle of water boiling at a lower temperature with decreased air pressure, by evacuating the heat pipe, we can achieve the same result. The heat pipes used in solar collectors have a boiling point of only 30oC (86oF). So when the heat pipe is heated above 30oC (86oF) the water vaporizes. This vapor rapidly rises to the top of the heat pipe transferring heat. As the heat is lost at the condenser (top), the vapor condenses to form a liquid (water) and returns to the bottom of the heat pipe to once again repeat the process.

At room temperature the water forms a small ball, much like mercury does when poured out on a flat surface at room temperature. When the heat pipe is shaken, the ball of water can be heard rattling inside. Although it is just water, it sounds like a piece of metal rattling inside.

This explanation makes heat pipes sound very simple. A hollow copper pipe with a little bit of water inside, and the air sucked out! Correct, but in order to achieve this result more than 20 manufacturing procedures are required and with strict quality control.

Quality Control

Material quality and cleaning is extremely important to the creation of a good quality heat pipe. If there are any impurities inside the heat pipe it will effect the performance. The purity of the copper itself must also be very high, containing only trace amounts of oxygen and other elements.

 

 If the copper contains too much oxygen or other elements, they will leach out into the vacuum forming a pocket of air in the top of the heat pipe. This has the effect of moving the heat pipe's hottest point (of the heat condenser end) downward away from the condenser. This is obviously detrimental to performance, hence the need to use only very high purity copper.

Often heat pipes use a wick or capillary system to aid the flow of the liquid, but for the heat pipes used in solar collectors no such system is required as the interior surface of the copper is extremely smooth, allowing efficient flow of the liquid back to the bottom. Also heat pipes are not installed horizontally. Heat pipes can be designed to transfer heat horizontally, but the cost is much higher. 

 

The heat pipe used in solar collectors comprises two copper components, the shaft and the condenser. Prior to evacuation, the condenser is brazed to the shaft. Note that the condenser has a much larger diameter than the shaft, this is to provide a large surface area over which heat transfer to the header can occur. The copper used is oxygen free copper, thus ensuring excellent life span and performance.

 

 Each heat pipe is tested for heat transfer performance and exposed to 250oC (482oF) temperatures prior to being approved for use. For this reason the copper heat pipes are relatively soft. Heat pipes that are very stiff have not been exposed to such stringent quality testing, and may form an air pocket in the top over time, thus greatly reducing heat transfer performance.

Freeze Protection

Even though the heat pipe is a vacuum and the boiling point has been reduced to only 25-30oC (86oF), the freezing point is still the same as water at sea level, 0oC (32oF). Because the heat pipe is located within the evacuated glass tube, brief overnight temperatures as low as -20oC (14oF) will not cause the heat pipe to freeze. Plain water heat pipes will be damaged by repeated freezing. The water used in heat pipes still freezes in cold conditions, but it freezes in a controlled way that does not cause swelling of the copper pipe.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

CCRES - SOLAR ENERGY

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES 

(CCRES)

  Solar Energy 

Sun has been producing energy in the form of radiations since billions of years without taking any rest. The energy obtained from radiations of the sun is called as solar energy. We know plants absorb energy from the sun by the process called photosynthesis. The humans beings and animals eat plants, thus directly or indirectly all the plants, animals and human beings are dependent on the sun. Human beings have learned to extract the energy from solar radiations and use it for various purposes.

Solar energy can be converted into heat and electricity. The British astronomer John Herschel is considered to be the first person in modern days to utilize solar energy. In the period of 1830s, on his expedition to Africa, he used solar energy to cook food. Since then there have been lots of developments in the field of solar energy.

The importance of solar energy has been understood since ages. Considering the fact that human life is crucially dependent on the energy emitted by sun, sun is considered to be the God in many religions. In Hindu mythology Sun God is considered to be the sources of energy and wisdom, which is always on the move to spread its energies and knowledge. The main deity in Egyptian mythology is sun god named Ra, who was also the first king. In Greek mythology, Helios is considered to be the sun god, who moves on the chariot throughout the world to illuminate it and spread the knowledge. Sun is also important part of many other mythologies and religions.

In which Places is Solar Energy most abundant?

Solar energy is the most promising energy with the potential for meeting all our future energy requirements. The main benefit of the solar energy is that it is available in all parts of the world. The quantity of solar energy is so huge that it is capable of providing many times the energy currently demanded throughout the world. Solar energy is being used for number of applications in countries like US, China, India, and many others.

The only problem with solar energy is that it is not available uniformly during all the hours of the day and all the days of the year. However, when supplemented with the other energies like thermal, and hydroelectric, solar energy can effectively meet our long-term requirements with little dependence on fossil fuels.

Applications of Solar Energy

Some of the common applications of solar energy are:

1) Solar water heaters: The solar water heaters comprise of the solar collectors that absorb solar energy which is use to heat water. The hot water can be used for various domestic and industrial purposes, in bathrooms, homes and swimming pools.

2) Producing heating effect: The solar energy can also be used for heating of the rooms during winter seasons.

3) Cooking food: Cooking food is one of earliest applications of the solar energy. Solar cookers are available in different shapes and sizes with different types of solar collectors. The most commonly used type of solar cooker consists of box inside which the raw food to be cooked it kept. At the top there is a reflective mirror on which the solar rays are directed. The solar rays get reflected on the utensil in which the food is kept. Due to concentrated solar rays, the food gets heated and cooked.

4) Photovoltaic (PV) cells: PV cells are the devices that convert solar energy directly into electricity, which can be used for running of number of appliances like calculators, mobiles, lanterns, street lights etc. The electricity generated from the PV cells can be stored in battery, which can be utilized for lighting the home and also running the cars. In the solar power plants large numbers of solar panels are spread over big area spread across several acres. The solar energy collected by the panels is transmitted to the PV cells that convert it into electricity.

5) Solar thermal power plants: The working of solar power plants is similar to thermal power plants. In these plants instead of coal, solar energy is used to convert water into steam, which drives the turbines that eventually produce electricity. At the end of 2008 there were nine solar thermal power plants operating in US.

Benefits and Limitations of Solar Energy

There are number of benefits of solar energy including:

1) Solar energy is available abundantly and free of cost in many parts of the world.

2) Solar energy is considered to be clean and green energy since it does not produce any environmental pollution like carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases.

3) The equipment required to collect solar energy can be kept at suitable locations in the campus of the building without affecting its aesthetics or surrounding atmosphere.

However, there are some limitations to solar power most notably:

1) The solar energy is not available in uniform quantity. The intensity of solar radiations changes during different hours of day and various days of the year, different climatic conditions and at different locations of the place. At times large amount of energy may be available, but at other times the available energy may be insufficient to meet the demands.

2) Large solar collectors are required to collect the solar energy of required quantity, which occupy large space inside the building.

CCRES 

special thanks to   

Escapeartist, Inc

 CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES 

(CCRES)

Switching to solar energy

 If you’re thinking about switching to solar energy, now’s the time. Prices have never been lower, and in some areas, PV systems can now produce electricity at a cost that’s competitive with — or even lower than — conventional electricity from coal, nuclear or natural gas.

That’s right — the day we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. The cost of solar energy rivals electricity produced by much less environmentally friendly sources. What’s more, the cost of solar power will continue to fall while the price of conventional fuels spirals upward.

The cost of a residential solar power system has dropped about 40 percent in just the last two years. As a result, the lifetime cost of solar electricity produced by these systems now competes with conventional electrical power plants. In places where electricity sells for a premium, it’s competitive even without subsidies. In New Jersey, for instance, conventional electricity costs about 17 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh). A residential solar power system can produce electricity at or slightly lower than that price, without any incentives.

Families in many major cities are paying 10 to 12 cents per kwh for conventional power, and soon, many in the Midwest will pay up to 15 cents/kwh for conventional power. Meanwhile, in the Midwest, the unsubsidized cost of solar power is about 13.7 cents/kwh, and a 30 percent federal tax credit drives that cost down to 9.6 cents/kwh.

Rebates that are available from some utilities lower the price even more. In St. Louis, Ameren offers a $2 per watt rebate based on installed capacity. A 5 kilowatt system would receive a $10,000 rebate as soon as the system is up and running. This incentive drives the cost of solar energy down even further — to 7.1 cents/kwh. That’s much cheaper than conventional power. In addition, the cost of solar electricity will remain the same for the life of the system — at least 30 years, maybe longer. This provides a tremendous hedge against inflation.

 Ameren and other U.S. utilities also are currently buying renewable energy credits from their customers, which help utilities meet state-mandated goals for renewable energy production. Ameren pays $50 for every 1,000 kwh of electricity a solar electric system will produce for 10 years, regardless of the amount of power consumed by the system owner. For instance, if a system is projected to generate 40,000 kwh in the first 10 years of operation, Ameren will pay the homeowner a one-time payment of $2,000. That lowers the lifetime cost of solar electricity to 4.3 cents/kwh.

Businesses throughout the country receive even more financial incentives. They can apply accelerated depreciation to solar power systems, which lowers the cost of solar energy by 15 to 30 percent, depending on the company’s tax bracket. Rural businesses can receive a 25 percent grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It may actually be possible for some businesses to install a large solar power system at virtually no cost!

The challenge of most renewable energy systems is that you have to spend money now to save money over time. If you don’t have the funds to purchase a solar electric system upfront, you can consider financing one, or look into leasing options. Some companies will install a system on your home at their expense, then sell electricity to you at a rate that’s the same or lower than you’re currently paying.

Solar electricity and other forms of renewable energy are desperately needed to combat costly climate change and other serious environmental problems. They’ve always been good for the environment — now they’re great for the wallet! 

 CCRES special thanks to  Dan Chiras

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy sources (CCRES)

Mediterranean Solar Plan

 

Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP)

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Back in 2008 a group of Southern European and North African leaders clubbed together to form the Union for the Mediterranean and hatched an ambitious energy project.

The Mediterranean Solar Plan, unveiled in July 2008 in Barcelona, aimed to provide “a common answer to the energy and climate challenges of the Euro-Mediterranean region,” according to a document presented by Philippe Lorec, France’s deputy director general for Energy and Climate.

To do this, the plan advocated meeting two targets by 2020: a 20% reduction in primary energy use compared to 2005 levels, and the development of 20GW in new renewable energy generation.

An update published by Lorec, the plan’s project manager, in October 2009 specified that CSP would make up 26% of the total, with a further 45% contribution from PV, 26% from wind, 2% from biomass and 1% from hydro. The plan envisaged 74% private funding.

At that point the scene was set to begin work in earnest between 2010 and 2012. Six Middle East and North African (MENA) countries were changing their legal frameworks to allow for national solar plans, renewable energy laws and the introduction of specific tariffs.

A total of 67 projects were in progress across MENA, including 25, worth 4.1GW, supported by national programmes, 14 (worth 650MW) funded privately and 13 (885MW) backed by clean tech funds. 

Cracks, however, were beginning to appear in the plan’s foundations. The Union for the Mediterranean summits planned for 2009 and 2010 were sidelined because of concerns over the Arab-Israeli peace process.

Subsequent progress has been halting, not least because of the European sovereign debt crisis from late 2009 and the Arab Spring from December 2010.

Internal affairs

These events have led countries north and south of the Mediterranean to focus more on their internal affairs than on reaching out to each other. And they have also put the kibosh on many national renewable energy plans. Witness Spain, for example.

Where does that leave the Mediterranean Solar Plan?

Right now it is pretty much off the radar as far as most renewable energy observers are concerned. “I have few details on what is going on,” states IHS Emerging Energy Research solar power advisory analyst Josefin Berg, for instance.

And Luis Crespo Rodríguez, general secretary at Protermosolar, the Spanish CSP industry association whose beleaguered members currently offer the best hope of delivering most of the solar thermal power needed for the Mediterranean Solar Plan, scoffs: “It’s not even defined yet.

“The Mediterranean Solar Plan is stuck. There is no definition of the project or the execution plan.”

He adds: “As soon as it is properly defined, Spain will then position itself accordingly, and if the development of our industry has been fully supported then we will be in a better state to do so, so in that sense there is an indirect effect. But it still needs to be defined.”

With all that said, there are still some signs of life within the Mediterranean Solar Plan.

In January, Medgrid, a 21-strong industrial consortium featuring CSP players such as Abengoa, Alstom and Siemens, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Union for the Mediterranean’s secretariat to help drive the plan forward.

Financial tools

And on March 16 the European Commission gave its formal approval to the plan’s first operational financial tool, the Mediterranean Solar Plan Project Preparation Initiative.

The tool, which will cover the cost of technical assistance for the preparation of sustainable energy investment projects, is only available in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, West Bank and Gaza. And the level of support has not been cited.

Furthermore it is just “intended to support investment projects which are already at a sufficient advanced stage of preparation, and which have a high probability of being financed and implemented in a reasonable timeframe,” according to a press statement.

Nevertheless these announcements, coming after a long period in which the only news from the Union for the Mediterranean was on the appointment of officials, show the Mediterranean Solar Plan could be poised for a comeback. 

“At this stage I guess we just haven't seen much tangible evidence that it will go to the extent they desire, not least because recently in North Africa, with the Arab spring, the focus has shifted somewhat,” accepts Andrew Stiel, a CSP analyst with Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

However, he adds: “All these things are very contingent on government announcements, so tomorrow Saudi Arabia could turn around and say, ‘right, we want 10GW in five years’. That's a game-changer. I don't think you can write it off.

CCRES special thanks to Jason Deign

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES) 

Solarna elektrana Kukuljanovo

 

Tvrtka Adria Sol iz Kukuljanova, nedaleko Rijeke, izgradila je na krovu pogona za preradu soli u Industrijskoj zoni Kukuljanovo do sada najveću solarnu elektranu u Hrvatskoj, ukupne snage 283 kWp.

Objekt na čijem krovu se nalazi ovaj fotonaponski sustav u vlasništvu je grupe Ma.Co.T. s kojom je Adria Sol vlasnički povezana.

MA.CO.T. je započeo s radom 1992 godine, te se tijekom posljednih 15-ak godina profilirao u tvrtku koju poznaju i prepoznaju kao jednoga od glavnih dobavljača soli u Republici Hrvatskoj te u susjednim zemljama.
Sjedište tvrtke je u Industrijskoj zoni Kukuljanovo u zaleđu Rijeke u neposrednoj blizini luka Rijeka i Bakar, autoceste Rijeka Zagreb te čvorišta prema Splitu. Krajem 2005. otvoren je naš nov distribucijski centar u čijem sklopu je i skladište soli zatvorenog tipa površine 3.000 m2.

Karakteristike Solarne elektrane Kukuljanovo:

 Ukupna investicija prelazi 500 tisuća eura, a povrat investicije očekuje se nakon 6 godina. Svu proizvedenu električnu energiju elektrana predaje u elektroenergetsku mrežu. Očekivana godišnja proizvodnja iznosi više od 300 tisuća kWh, što bi, primjerice, bilo dovoljno za opskrbu oko 100 kućanstava električnom energijom.

Osim ovog projekta Adria Sol instalirala je još veću solarnu elektranu (315 kWp) u Gospodarskoj zoni Čaporice, nedaleko Trilja, također na krovu u vlasništvu grupe Ma.Co.T. te se uskoro očekuje puštanje u rad, odnosno priključak na elektroenergetsku mrežu. Za gradnju Solarne elektrane Čaporice korištena je ista tehnologija i oprema kao i za Solarnu elektranu Kukuljanovo. Administrativna procedura potrebna za realizaciju ovih projekata trajala je skoro godinu dana.

Nadalje, Adria Sol planira i skori završetak nekoliko manjih solarnih elektrana na krovovima obiteljskih kuća.

Tehničke karakteristike Solarne elektrane Kukuljanovo:
 
Fotonaponski sustav ukupne snage: 282,94 kWp
Očekivana godišnja proizvodnja: oko 300.000 kWh
Prinos prema mikrolokaciji elektrane: 1080 kWh/kWp
Solarni paneli: Day4Energy 235 W, polikristalni, 1204 komada
Izmjenjivači: Fronius CL 60kW, 4 komada
Smanjena emisija CO2: oko 150 tona/god.
Krovna površina koju elektrana zauzima:  2000 m2

 Iz tvrtke napominju da je administrativna procedura potrebna za realizaciju ovih projekata trajala skoro godinu dana, te dodaju kako bi bilo korisno za hrvatsko gospodarstvo da se administrativna procedura ubrza te da traje maksimalno par mjeseci, kao što je slučaj u EU. Iz Adria Sol-a najavljuju i skori završetak nekoliko manjih solarnih elektrana na krovovima obiteljskih kuća, prenosi Hina.

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

Protect Solar Jobs!

 

Berlin, Germany – "We are the energy transition!" read one of the many placards hoisted in the air at the Germany-wide "Stop the Solar Energy Exit" demonstration at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Monday. According to the event's organizers, 11,000 people were on hand for the protest against the Merkel government's energy policies. 

 

The protesters and speakers from the three main opposition parties – the Social Democrats, Greens, and the Left Party – as well as the solar power industry, and several major trade unions accused the center-right government of undermining Germany’s historic Energiewende, or energy transition. In the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, the government shut down half of its nuclear power plantsand pledged to accelerate the country’s transition to renewable energies.
Yet, nearly a year down the road, there is still no overreaching strategy for Germany to meet the ambitious targets it set for itself, including having 36 percent of its electricity generated by green sources in 2020. Moreover, in recent weeks the government announced a draft law that includes hefty reduction in the subsidies that solar power receives from its Feed-in Tariff. A second element in the draft law shifts responsibility for the amount of renewable electricity eligible for support from parliament to the ministries. This has Energiewende proponents worried that investors will be subject to short-term ministry decisions that will undermine security of planning and financing of projects.
The moves triggered a storm of protest from the solar industry, members of which claim that the abrupt and steep cuts will endanger Germany’s aggressive solar energy development and jeopardize tens of thousands of jobs.
Günther Cramer, president of the German Solar Energy Association (BSW-Solar), kicked off the demonstration saying, “The goals of the energy transition can not be achieved when solar energy’s growth is strangled. The vast majority of Germans are in favor of an ambitious expansion of renewable energies and solar,” he said, referring to opinion polls. He demanded that the government, “Not disrespect the will of the people.” Only the giant energy companies will profit from a reduction in solar energy's capacity in Germany, he underscored. “We’re taking a piece of their market. That’s why solar energy is a thorn in their side.”
The demonstration, on a cold but brilliantly sunny day, had a strikingly different feel than the anti-nuclear energy demonstrations in recent years, the largest of which in Berlin last year drew nearly 250,000 people. At this event, the solar power industry and its workers turned out in full force. Some in their work clothes, others in t-shirts that read “Protect Solar Jobs,” they wielded printing-shop-produced posters and orange balloons. The demonstrators traveled to Berlin from across the country, even as far away as Bavaria and Denmark.
Likewise, the ample number of trade unionists present was exceptional. For decades the unions had been at odds with the concerns of the environmental and anti-nuclear movements, which they claimed was elitist and would cost jobs. Now, as the Social Democrats’ party leader Sigmar Gabriel put it at the demonstrations, the renewable energy industry provides people jobs in parts of the country where there hadn’t been any jobs at all. The goal, he said, was to double them, not to lose them all. "It’s not just about the solar industry,” he said, explicitly linking jobs to environmental concerns. “It’s about whether we’re going to make the Energiewende happen or not.”

 By Paul Hockenos, Contributor

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources 

special thanks to

                              RenewableEnergyWorld.com

The industry's not ready to make shift

 CCRES - "The industry's not ready to make that shift"

Progressives and green groups are lobbying alongside energy companies in favor of natural gas.

By Sarah Laskow

In places like Ithaca, New York, green advocates might be fighting to keep natural-gas companies away, but in Washington, D.C., progressive leaders and national environmental groups are ready to fight for natural gas as a source of clean energy.
Take Tim Wirth. The former senator, who came to Congress in 1974 as a representative from Boulder, Colorado, asked climate guru James Hansen to testify about global warming in 1988 and worked in the State Department on climate-change issues during the Clinton administration. Long familiar with the natural-gas industry, Wirth, who now heads Ted Turner's United Nations Foundation, is pushing its leaders to cuddle up to their peers in the solar and wind industries.
"What happens when the wind doesn't blow? What happens when the sun doesn't shine? It's natural gas that should be filling that gap," Wirth told natural-gas producers last summer at a conference in Colorado. "You should be the closest buddies of the wind and solar industry."
Natural gas is a fossil fuel that emits clouds of carbon, and its extraction can dirty air, water, and land. Yet natural gas has a place in the staunchest environmentalists' plans for the future of American energy. In part, they support natural gas because they know wind and solar will not be enough to meet America's fuel needs for years to come. More important, though, natural gas burns cleaner than coal. The climate bill that the House passed last June would give the coal industry plenty of leeway to keep its carbon-spewing plants open. If environmental groups want climate legislation that does more to clamp down on carbon emissions, the natural-gas industry is their ally against coal.
"The emergency is coal and oil," says Kert Davies, research director for Greenpeace USA. "And it's natural gas that poses a competitive threat."
Until recently, natural gas had no chance of supplanting coal: The amount of gas available was too small. In the 1990s, groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Greenpeace floated the idea of natural gas as a "bridge fuel" between the dirty past and the clean future. At the same time, a fleet of natural--gas plants went up around the country and burned enough gas to spike the fuel's price. Energy bills in gas-producing states like Oklahoma and Texas went up, Congress denounced the shortage, and companies pushed to open public lands to drilling. Policy-makers and analysts dismissed natural gas as an energy solution and focused on technologies like "clean" coal and biofuels. But hydrofracture drilling, or hydrofracking, which involves using water and chemicals to open cracks in gas-rich shale formations, solved natural gas' supply problem. New wells using this technology have tapped into gas reserves so huge that the industry is now saying that natural gas could power America for one hundred years or more.
The Center for American Progress (CAP), for instance, had focused its energy-policy recommendations on biofuels and renewables like wind or solar but now promotes natural gas. "The reason for the recent interest in natural gas is that, with advances in technology, there's great opportunity to develop shale gas," says Daniel Weiss, a senior fellow at CAP. "While a few years ago we were worried about natural-gas shortages, now there is a big gas surplus, and there may not be enough room to store it all."

This new wealth of low--carbon fuel bubbled up just as coal companies were extracting protections and incentives for their industry from members of Congress working on climate legislation. The coal industry was undermining both environmentalists' hopes for a real shift in energy production and the natural-gas industry's chance at holding on to a greater share of the energy market. The alignment of these interests has made for unexpected partnerships. John Podesta, the president of CAP, has appeared alongside T. Boone Pickens, the oil baron who funded Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and who is promoting wind energy and natural gas. Carl Pope, the head of the Sierra Club, has made the rounds on Capitol Hill with the head of the Chesapeake Energy Company, Aubrey McClendon, another Swift Boat benefactor and a bundler for the McCain campaign.
For both sides of these alliances, however, the advantages only go so far. While progressives are pushing natural gas as a step toward dependence on renewable energy sources, the natural-gas industry sees it as being a major energy source for much longer. A recent ad by the Clean Skies Foundation, an industry-funded nonprofit, calls natural gas "the gateway to a better world of energy." Or as Roger Cooper, an executive vice president of the American Gas Association, says, if natural gas is a bridge fuel, "it's a very long bridge."
Groups like Greenpeace and NRDC have reservations about hydrofracking but try to balance them against natural gas' carbon advantages. It helps that the boom is happening while Democrats, who are more willing to put in the safeguards that green groups favor, control the legislative and executive branches. When Dick Cheney was vice president and the energy industry had free rein in Washington, environmental groups had more to worry about. At a 2001 hearing, an NRDC analyst, who testified after eight industry representatives, had to argue against drilling in places like the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and Utah's Red Rock Desert. In 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency found that hydrofracking did not contaminate drinking water, and in 2005 Congress exempted the process from regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. National environmental groups are not asking the Obama administration to reconsider hydro-fracking altogether, but they are encouraging the EPA and Congress to update the rules governing the industry.
The federal government is taking a second look at the potential environmental impacts that were brushed aside during the last administration. In 2009, Congress directed the EPA to conduct a new study of hydrofracking: The agency agrees that there are "compelling reasons" to worry about effects on ground and surface water and says it is working to start the study as soon as possible. Legislators also started circulating a piece of legislation known as the FRAC Act, which would restore the EPA's ability to regulate the technique. Rep. Henry Waxman's House Energy and Commerce Committee started investigating the gas industry's drilling practices, and the committee's first report revealed that Halliburton and other companies had violated a voluntary agreement with the EPA to keep diesel-based chemicals like benzene out of fluids used in the process.
The natural-gas industry has shown more interest in fighting against the coal industry in the Senate round of climate-bill negotiations, but even without significant advantages built into the final legislation, natural gas should feature more prominently in the nation's energy mix in the coming years. The new supply of shale gas could fix the price volatility that kept the industry a small player until now.
A long-term relationship between natural gas and renewable energy, however, might not materialize. "It's palpably in their self-interest to do so, but to date they have not."

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources  (CCRES)

BLUESUN Solar Group

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

promotes

Bluesun Solar Group 

is an international high-tech and growing group company, specializing in R&D, which manufactures and sells solar cells, modules, and PV power generation systems. Bluesun solar, as a secondary group of Bluesun Group, consists of three subsidiaries (Bluesun Solar Power Co., Ltd., Linuo PV High-tech Co., Ltd., and Bluesun Power Engineering), aiming at becoming “The expert of solar power generation”, concentrating on cells, modules and solar power generation engineering, and having formed a relatively complete middle-stream and down-stream solar power industrial chain. Our group has introduced advanced automatic production equipments from Germany, Italy, Japan and so on. Also, it has integrated the world’s first-class manufacturing engineering and management system, built up the international management and technology R&D team composed by world-class management and solar PV power generation experts. Furthermore, it has set up R&D platforms such as the National Enterprise Technology Center, Zhejiang Engineering and Technological Research Center, Bluesun solar Research Institute, and so on, in order to become an up-rising star in the industry. Bluesun solar plans to increase the capacity of the PV cells up to 500MW within three to five years and develop the PV modules and projects for power generation at the same time and thus becoming one of the largest bases for the manufacture and application of solar PV and creating the most influential solar PV brand. 


Bluesun Group

Founded in 1984, Bluesun Group is a large-scale enterprise with leading industry of solar and Home appliance. Through 26-year development and accumulation, it has already had a solid industrial base and formed the hi-tech innovation capacity of great competitiveness. As a result, the products are well received both in domestic and foreign markets. Currently, Bluesun Group has entered into its “6th Five-year Plan” and all the industries involved are more prosperous and flourishing.

Values:
Perfection ---- Perfect the green energy cause.
Creation ---- Create new technology, Create new service.
Service ---- Serve the whole society to save energy and provide a better life.
Harmony ---- Human-based management; friendly working environment; team spirited.
Prospect: 

Constant innovation helps to create a green future life and provide clean and green energy for the sustainable development of human beings.
Mission:

 Mission is to cope with climate change, develop sustainable energy solution, provide people with green power through advanced solar photovoltaic technology and create a beautiful green life for human beings.

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CONTACT  Bluesun Solar Group

• Add: No.4 Road Xiasha of Hangzhou 310018 P.R.China
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 CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

German solar energy 2012

  

CCRES promotes

German solar energy 2012

Germany’s solar energy output defied government subsidy cuts to rise by a record 60% last year, according to the German Solar Industry Association BSW-Solar.

“Solar power has become an indispensable ingredient for the success of the energy transformation,” said Carsten Körnig, BSW-Solar’s chief executive.
The clean energy technology generated more than 18 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2011, BSW-Solar figures showed, enough to power the state of Thuringia – or 5.1 million households for a whole year.
The renewables surge comes despite a 13% cut in Germany’s solar subsidies last year, which will be augmented by a further 24% reduction in 2012, implemented in two phases.
Yet because of sharp oil and gas price increases, coupled with price falls in solar technology, Körnig predicted that by 2014, solar power would not need any more government support than ocean-based wind-farms.
“What the solar industry now needs are reliable political conditions,” he said. “This is indispensable for the continued expansion of renewable energy sources and for maintaining an attractive climate of investment in Germany.”
BSW-Solar has called on the government not to tinker with the German government’s proposals for a phase-down of subsidies.
Since 2007, solar panel prices in Germany have already fallen by close to 50%.
Solar power currently contributes some 3% of Germany’s electricity supply, but this is forecast to grow to around 10% by 2020.

More Solar Power than ever before

Record level of production: In 2011, German solar power systems generated enough electricity to cover the power consumption of Thuringia / Support for solar power is reduced by 15 percent as of 1 January 2012, reaching the level of household electricity prices / Increased growth in the solar heating market

The year comes to an end with record levels in the production of solar power. In 2011, solar power systems in Germany produced over 18 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, according to figures provided by the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar) at the close of the year. That amounts to 60 percent more than in the previous year and is approximately equal to the electricity consumption of the state of Thuringia; this volume could theoretically supply 5.1 million households with electricity for an entire year. Solar heating usage also saw a marked increase in 2011, according to the Association's figures. “Solar power has become an indispensable ingredient for the success of the energy transformation,” explained Carsten Körnig, Chief Executive Officer of the German Solar Industry Association. One key reason for the high demand is the sharp increase in prices for oil and gas; another is found in the significantly lower costs for solar technology. Since 2007 alone, prices for turnkey solar power systems have fallen by more than half. This has allowed the support for solar power systems to be reduced by the same extent. In 2012, after another reduction in the level of remuneration for solar power at the turn of the year, the level of support will have already reached the price level for household electricity.

This is considered to be a significant milestone on the path to the full competitiveness of solar power with other energy sources. According to Körnig, “The solar industry is making good on its promise to radically reduce costs. As a next step, in 2013/2014 we will be able to match the support level of large ocean-based windfarms in initial market segments. This is the result of major efforts on the part of industry and research, combined with the effects of tough competition in international markets.”

Recent advances in cost reduction also mean that the further expansion of solar power in Germany will have a negligible impact in terms of cost. At the beginning of 2011, support for solar power was able to be reduced by 13 percent. On 1 January 2012, there will be an additional reduction for new systems by 15 percent, while another reduction by up to nine percent will take place in the middle of the year, as set out in the amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), which was passed in the summer of 2011.

BSW-Solar now appeals to the Federal Government, following a period of considerable uncertainty, to allow this recently tightened legislation to run its course. According to Körnig, “What the solar industry now needs are reliable political conditions. This is indispensable for the continued expansion of renewable energy sources and for maintaining an attractive climate of investment in Germany. It's the only way to ensure that the contract between generations contained in the energy transformation will work. And it's the only way that Germany can continue to be successful in the now highly competitive growth markets.” Currently, solar power contributes roughly three percent of the German electricity supply; by 2020, this share is expected to expand to roughly 10 percent. Please see our illustration on the record levels of solar power production at:

www.solarwirtschaft.de/fileadmin/media/Grafiken/pdf/BSW_Infografik_Stromproduktion_111221.pdf. 

Survey shows: Mid-agers investing in solar heating

 

Following weak figures in 2010, 2011 saw renewed increases not only in the production of solar power, but also in the use of solar heating. In order to better gauge the use of solar heating, the information portal co2online, on behalf of BSW-Solar, conducted a survey of 1500 solar heating users. The survey showed that “mid-agers” in particular are deciding to invest in solar heating; according to the survey, the average age for these users of solar heating is 47. The prospects of long-term reductions in energy costs are a central factor in this trend. For 64 percent of those surveyed, cost savings are an important reason for investing in solar heating. 46 percent stated that concern about price increases for fossil fuels such as oil and gas are a key reason. “The only reason that rated higher, at 81 percent, was environmental protection through solar technology,” explained Jörg Mayer, Chief Executive Officer of BSW-Solar. “Apparently, reducing costs on the expenditure side is becoming an increasingly important argument among the older generation.”

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Empowering the World

Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Empowering the World

The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) , Greenpeace International and Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES) are pleased to present the 6th edition of the “Solar Generation 6: Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Empowering the World” report.

This report aims at providing a clear and comprehensible description of the current status of the developing photovoltaic power generation worldwide and its untapped potentials and growth prospects in the coming years.

Global evolution of PV installed capacity

During 2010, the photovoltaic (PV) market has shown unprecedented growth and wide deployment of this environmentally friendly source of power generation. On a global scale, approximately 15,000 MW of new PV installations have been added during 2010, amounting the entire PV capacity to almost 40,000 MW. This number has risen above the optimistic forecast contained in the report, and it also translates into investments of over 50 bn€ in 2010, again ahead of the report’s forecast.

Total of world cumulative PV installed capacity under three scenarios

The most impressive result is however the number of installations and consequently, the number of individuals, companies, and public entities participating in this development: nearly 2 million single PV installations produce photovoltaic power already today.

The cumulative electrical energy produced from global PV installations in 2010 equals more than half of the electricity demand in Greece, or the entire electricity demand in ten central African countries (Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon and Ghana).

The strong growth in PV installations is currently driven in particular by European countries, accounting for some 70% of the global market, followed by the promising key markets of North America, Japan, China and Australia. At the same time, the PV arena has importantly widened its number of participating countries and also increased their specific weight. Major new areas for development lie also in the Sunbelt region, in Africa, Middle East and in South America that is just starting to create new growth opportunities dedicated to covering local demand.

The major competitive advantages of PV technology lie in its versatility, i.e. the wide range of sizes and sites, resulting in proximity to electricity demand, in the value of its production profile concentrated during peak-load hours, and in its enormous potential for further cost reduction.

PV technology has reduced its unit costs to roughly one third of what it did 5 years ago, thanks to continuous technological progress, production efficiency and to its wide implementation. The trend of decreasing unit cost will continue in the future, just like in comparable industries such as semiconductors and TV screens. Adding to the important feature of integrated PV solutions in architecture in particular, the potential of further growth is simply enormous.

The 6th edition of the Solar Generation report combines different growth scenarios for global PV development and electricity demand until 2050. It is built on the results of several reference market studies in order to accurately forecast PV growth in the coming decades. In addition, the economic and social benefits of PV, such as employment and CO2 emissions reduction, are also analysed. With PV becoming a cost competitive solution for producing power, it will open up a variety of new markets and contribute more and more significantly to cover our future energy needs.

PV technology has all the potential to satisfy a double digit percentage of the electricity supply needs in all major regions of the world. Going forward, a share of over 20% of the world electricity demand in 2050 appears feasible, and opens a bright, clean and sunny future to all of us.

Total of world cumulative PV installed capacity under three scenarios

Reference for the future

This publication is the sixth edition of the reference global solar scenarios that have been established by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association and Greenpeace jointly for almost ten years. They provide well documented scenarios establishing the PV deployment potential worldwide by 2050.

The first edition of Solar Generation was published in 2001. Since then, each year, the actual global PV market has grown faster that the industry and Greenpeace had predicted.

Annual PV installed PV capacity

 

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

9 out of 10 Americans Support Solar, Across Political Spectrum

Americans Love Solar

WASHINGTON - Americans overwhelmingly support the use and development of solar energy as well as federal investments for solar, according to a new national poll. These and other findings were reported today in the 2011 SCHOTT Solar Barometer(TM), a nationally representative survey conducted annually by independent polling firm Kelton Research.

For the fourth consecutive year, the survey found that about nine out of 10 Americans (89 percent) think it is important for the United States to develop and use solar energy. Support for solar is strong across the political spectrum with 80 percent of Republicans, 90 percent of Independents and 94 percent of Democrats agreeing that it is important for the United States to develop and use solar.

The survey also found that Americans want federal incentives for solar. More than eight out of 10 Americans (82 percent) support federal tax credits and grants for the solar industry similar to those that traditional sources of energy like oil, natural gas and coal have received for decades. Seventy-one percent of Republicans agree, as well as 82 percent of Independents and 87 percent of Democrats.

Furthermore, when asked to select an energy source they would financially support if they were in charge of U.S. energy policy, 39 percent of Americans chose solar over other sources such as natural gas (21 percent), wind (12 percent), nuclear (9 percent) and coal (3 percent). Among Independents, solar is more than twice as popular as any other energy source (43 percent for solar compared to 20 percent for natural gas).

“In this tough economy, Americans want to see solutions coming from Washington,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “For members of Congress trying to find ways to create jobs, solar is a win-win. Thanks in part to proven policy successes like the 1603 Treasury Program, the solar industry has doubled its workforce in the last two years and now employs more than 100,000 Americans at 5,000 businesses spanning every state. And solar enjoys overwhelming support across all political affiliations – Republicans, Democrats and Independents. It’s clear that solar has the strong support of the American people. Now it needs the support of U.S. policymakers in extending job-creating policies like the 1603 program to make sure solar continues to work for America.”

Despite weeks of news coverage about the bankruptcy of solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, the survey shows that Americans’ support for solar remains strong. In fact, the vast majority of Americans support solar manufacturing in the United States. Eight out of 10 (82 percent) think it is important for the federal government to support U.S. solar manufacturing, and a majority of Independent voters (51 percent) think it is “extremely important.”

The poll also found that Americans prefer to buy solar-made products. A majority of Americans (51 percent) said they would be more likely to purchase a product if they knew it was made using solar energy. Consumers in the key age demographic of 18 to 44 years old are even more likely to buy solar-made products (61 percent).

One challenge that the solar industry faces is educating the public about how they can become consumers of solar power. Despite the cost of solar modules decreasing by 30 percent since the beginning of 2010 and residential solar leasing models that allow consumers to go solar with no upfront cost, 48 percent of Americans cited cost as their biggest concern with choosing solar energy.

"The fourth annual Solar Barometer shows that Americans overwhelmingly understand the benefits and continue to support solar energy for our country," said Tom Hecht, President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development, SCHOTT Solar PV, Inc. "What I find especially encouraging is that eight out of ten people support American solar manufacturing. A growing domestic solar industry will create more jobs and make solar more attractive as a clean energy source. Prices for solar continue to decline and those who currently own solar systems are earning a strong return on their investment. High quality solar energy systems are also extremely reliable, which is why companies like SCHOTT Solar back their modules with warranties of up to 25 years."

“For the fourth year in a row, an overwhelming majority of Americans agree on the importance of solar power,” said Rachel Bonsignore, Associate Director, Kelton Research. “This year’s survey continues the trend of remarkably consistent support for solar.”

Key Survey Findings:

http://seia.us/sERklb

Question 1: If you were in charge of U.S. energy policy and could choose to provide financial support in one of the following energy sources during your term in office, which would you choose?

• Thirty-nine percent chose solar, compared to 21 percent for natural gas, 12 percent for wind, 9 percent for nuclear and 3 percent for coal. Among Independents, solar is more than twice as popular as any other energy source (43 percent to 20 percent for natural gas).
• Among Independents, solar is more than twice as popular as any other energy source (43 percent to 20 percent for natural gas).

Question 2: How important do you think it is for the U.S. to develop and use solar power?

• Nine out of 10 Americans (89 percent) think it is “extremely important” or “somewhat important.”
• Eighty percent of Republicans, 90 percent of Independents, and 94 percent of Democrats agree with this statement.

Question 3: How important do you think it is for the federal government to support U.S. solar manufacturing right now?

• Eight out of 10 Americans (82 percent) think it is “extremely important” or “somewhat important.”
• A majority of Independent voters (51 percent) think it is “extremely important.”

Question 4: Would you be more, less or about as likely to buy a product that you knew was made using solar energy?

• A majority of Americans (51 percent) would be more likely to buy products produced with solar energy.
• Sixty-one percent of consumers in the key age demographic of 18 to 44 years old would be more likely.

Question 5: Which of the following best describes the biggest concern you would have with choosing solar energy?

• Cost was the most common concern (48 percent), followed by reliability (25 percent), uncertainty about the benefits (9 percent) and aesthetics (3 percent).

Question 6: The federal government currently gives subsidies, such as federal tax credits and grants, to traditional sources of energy, such as oil, natural gas and coal. How likely would you be to support similar subsidies for solar energy?

• More than eight out of 10 Americans (82 percent) would be “extremely likely” or “somewhat likely” to support federal investments in solar. Seventy-two percent of Republicans support federal investments, as well as 87 percent of Democrats and 82 percent of Independents.
• Seventy-one percent of Republicans support federal incentives, as well as 82 percent of Independents, and 87 percent of Democrats.

Methodology:

Background Resources:

http://seia.us/sERklb

Public Opinion Strategies/FM3 poll on voter awareness of Solyndra and its implications on the clean energy debate (Sept. 26, 2011): www.eenews.net/assets/2011/10/03/document_daily_01.pdf

Public Perceptions of Solar Water Heating Systems report (Oct. 17, 2011): http://www.seia.org/cs/news_detail?pressrelease.id=1670

See how solar is working for America in all 50 states: www.SolarWorksforAmerica.org

The solar industry is on pace for a record growth year in 2011. Learn about the industry’s dynamic growth through the first half of the year (Sept. 20, 2011): http://www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/Solar_Energy_Facts_Q2_2011.pdf

Find out solar energy’s real story: http://www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/Behind_The_Solyndra_Headlines.pdf

About SEIA:
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA and its 1,100 member companies are building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org

About SCHOTT Solar:
SCHOTT Solar, with its high quality products, enables the potential of the sun as a nearly inexhaustible source of energy to be utilized. SCHOTT Solar produces important components for photovoltaic applications and solar energy power plants. In the production of receivers for solar power plants, SCHOTT Solar sees itself as a market and technology leader. Receivers from SCHOTT Solar are key components in large-scale power plants that generate electricity from solar energy centrally on the basis of parabolic trough technology and are able to supply entire cities with power. SCHOTT Solar has production facilities in the USA, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Spain. The innovative power and technological competence of the company date back to the late 1950s. SCHOTT Solar is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international SCHOTT group. SCHOTT develops special materials, components and systems for the household appliance, pharmaceutical, solar energy, electronics, optical and automotive industries. With its workforce of approximately 17,500 employees, the SCHOTT Group generated worldwide sales of approximately $4 billion ($2.9 billion Euros) for fiscal year 2009/2010. In North America, SCHOTT’s holding company SCHOTT Corporation and its subsidiary SCHOTT North America, Inc. and their affiliates employ about 3,000 people in 14 production operations with 6 sales offices.

The company’s technological and economic expertise is closely linked with its social and ecological responsibilities.

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Media Contacts:
Jared Blanton, SEIA, 202-556-2886, jblanton@seia.org
Matthew Kraft, SCHOTT North America, 914-831-2288, matthew.kraft@us.schott.com
Brian Mahar, Tigercomm, 703-302-8393, bmahar@tigercomm.us

More info about renewable energy : CCRES

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)