Hawaii’s march to 100% adds 260 MW solar + 1 GWh storage

In 2015 Hawaii passed legislation requiring electricity providers to generate 100% renewable energy by 2045. A year and a half later, multiple islands reported that they would hit 100% renewable energy long before 2045 – Moloka’i by 2020, and all of the islands – when taking into account customer generation – sometime in the 2030s. And for good measure, last winter island leaders gathered to pledge to also transition ground transportation to 100% renewable energy by 2045.

In a rapidly changing electricity paradigm, Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI) – the parent company of the investor-owned utilities that serve 95% of the state’s customers – still has a role to play, and wants in on the action.

HEI reports that it is in negotiations for long term power purchase agreements with developers on seven unique projects spread across three of the islands.

The project specifics are:

• On O‘ahu, three projects totaling approximately 120 MW and 515 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage
• On Maui, two projects totaling approximately 75 MW and 300 MWh of storage
• On Hawai‘i Island, two projects totaling approximately 60 MW and 240 MWh of storage

If the projects are in the now industry standard of 1:4 ratios of MW to MWh, then we’d have MW ratings approximately equal to the amounts of solar power being produced at the peak level. This makes sense as the island chain as a whole is over 10% of total electricity from solar power, and daytime production has already led to major changes in net metering and energy storage requirements.

Just yesterday, Maui publicized a 2.87 MW project selling its electricity at 11.06¢/kWh. This project will replace electricity purchased from a fossil fuel plant at 17¢/kWh. Last year, AES Corp and the Kauai Island Electric Cooperative announced a 28 MW solar plus a 20 MW / 100 MWh (note the five hour duration) energy storage system that charges 11¢/kWh.

In Hawaii, we have the laws, we have the projects and we have the finance. Now we get the show.

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2018/10/10/hawaiis-march-to-100-adding-260-mw-solar-1-gwh-storage/

Underground Coal Gasification Technology - UAGES LLC

These solar panels that can pull clean drinking water out of the air just got a big boost

• Zero Mass Water makes solar panel arrays that pull clean drinking water from the air.
• The $4,500 arrays just launched in the United States.
• Zero Mass arrays could come in handy in areas where water sources are far away or scarce. Some homeowners have purchased arrays as an alternative to plastic water bottles.

Around the world, approximately 2.1 billion people do not have immediate access to clean drinking water.

A sustainable water startup called Zero Mass aims to make clean water easily accessible to more people around the world. In 2015, it launched its first product, Source — a solar panel array that harvests and filters water from vapor in the air — in eight countries, including Chile, Jordan, and Peru.

Source is now available in the United States, CEO Cody Friesen, a material scientist and MIT alum, told Business Insider.

Each panel costs $2,000 (plus a $500 installation fee) and generates an average of two to five liters of water daily, depending on humidity and sunlight. Source can work anywhere, and many arrays are deployed in deserts where water is scarce, Friesen said.

Comprised of proprietary materials, the panels use sunlight to produce heat, which allows them to collect water vapor from the air. Friesen wouldn't disclose what the materials are, but said they have an ideal binding energy for humidity.

Source panels on a home in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Zero Mass Water

The harvested vapor is sterilized and turned into a liquid. The device adds minerals to increase the water's pH levels (to make it taste more like bottled water), and it's stored underneath the panels in a reservoir that can hold 30 liters. Lastly, the water travels from the reservoir through a pipe to a faucet.

The arrays are customized based on the customer's needs, Friesen said. A typical Source for a home has two panels, while a school in Mexico City with 50 students has 10 panels. If a two-panel array harvested five liters of water daily, it would be enough for a family of three (if everyone followedthe US Department of Health and Human Services' consumption recommendation).

To make sure everything is working properly, Zero Mass tracks the Sources' outputs using sensors installed in the arrays. The team is studying data points, like pH levels, temperature, and humidity, to maximize the amount of water each array produces and to improve future iterations of Source.

When asked about who Zero Mass' ideal customer is, Friesen said "everyone." The company has installed Sources everywhere from multimillion-dollar mansions in California to an orphanage in Lebanon. Duke Energy has also deployed panels in Ecuador, and Zero Mass received a USAID grant to install panels in refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon in 2015. In an Arizona desert, the company recently put a system that pumps water at night for wild animals.

A Source array for wildlife in an Arizona desert.

Zero Mass Water

When you compare Source's price to the cost of buying bottled water, the former is more affordable and sustainable over time. On the other hand, boiling poor-quality water to sterilize it is almost free. For those in low-income areas, Sources are pricey and would likely need to be bankrolled by humanitarian nonprofits.

Friesen added that maintaining the device is low-cost. Air filters need to be replaced every year, and mineral blocks need to be replaced every five years. (Both cost just a few dollars.)

"We want to perfect water for every person and every place," Friesen said. "Although I feel sheepish saying something that bold, I feel confident since the technology is [deployed] across a huge range of places and the fact that it's the best water you can get, it's independent of infrastructure, it's CO2-offsetting, and it pays back really quickly. The ultimate goal is for people to have a fundamental change in their relationship to water and have total independence around it anywhere on the planet."

http://www.businessinsider.com/zero-mass-solar-panels-water-from-air-launch-us-2017-12

SOLARCOM SHS 10W

Common cactus fuels Mexican biogas plant

Installing Solarcom 20W in Rwanda

SOLAR PV-WIND HYBRID POWER GENERATION SYSTEM

1. PREPARED BY, UAGES LLC SOLAR PV-WIND HYBRID POWER GENERATION SYSTEM

2. ABSTRACT Renewable energy sources i.e., energy generated from solar, wind, biomass, hydro-power, geothermal and ocean resources are considered as a technological option for generating clean energy. But the energy generated from solar and wind is much less than the production by fossil fuels, however, electricity generation by utilizing PV cells and wind turbine increased rapidly in recent years.

3. INTRODUCTION We all know that the world is facing a major threat of fast depletion of the fossil fuel reserves. Most of the present energy demand is met by fossil and nuclear power plants. A small part is met by renewable energy technologies such as the wind, solar, biomass, geothermal etc. There will soon be a time when we will face a severe fuel shortage. As per the law of conservation of energy, “Energy can neither be created, nor be destroyed, but it can only be converted from one form to another”. Most of the research now is about how to conserve the energy and how to utilize the energy in a better way. Research has also been into the development of reliable and robust systems to harness energy from nonconventional energy resources. Among them, the wind and solar power sources have experienced a remarkably rapid growth in the past 10 years. Both are pollution free sources of abundant power.

4. BLOCK DIAGRAM

5.  IMPLEMENTATION OF HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEM Intermittent energy resources and energy resources unbalance are the most important reason to install a hybrid energy supply system. The Solar PV wind hybrid system suits to conditions where sunlight and wind has seasonal shifts. As the wind does not blow throughout the day and the sun does not shine for the entire day, using a single source will not be a suitable choice. A hybrid arrangement of combining the power harnessed from both the wind and the sun and stored in a battery can be a much more reliable and realistic power source. The load can still be powered using the stored energy in the batteries even when there is no sun or wind.

6. SYSTEM COMPONENTS 1.Photovoltaic solar power 2. Wind Power 3. Batteries 4. Inverter 5. Microcontroller

7.  PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR POWER Solar panels are the medium to convert solar energy into the electrical energy. Solar panels can convert the energy directly or heat the water with the induced energy. PV (Photovoltaic) cells are made up from semiconductor structures as in the computer technologies. Sun rays are absorbed with this material and electrons are emitted from the atoms. This release activates a current. Photovoltaic is known as the process between radiation absorbed and the electricity induced. Solar power is converted into the electric power by a common principle called photo electric effect. The solar cell array or panel consists of an appropriate number of solar cell modules connected in series or parallel based on the required current and voltage.

8. WIND POWER The wind energy is a renewable source of energy. Wind turbines are used to convert the wind power into electric power. Electric generator inside the turbine converts the mechanical power into the electric power. Wind turbine systems are available ranging from 50W to 3- 4 MW. The energy production by wind turbines depends on the wind velocity acting on the turbine. Wind power is able to feed both energy production and demand in the rural areas. It is used to run a windmill which in turn drives a wind generator or wind turbine to

9. BATTERIES The batteries in the system provide to store the electricity that is generated from the wind or the solar power. Any required capacity can be obtained by serial or parallel connections of the batteries. The battery that provides the most advantageous operation in the solar and wind power systems are maintenance free dry type and utilizes the special electrolytes. These batteries provide a perfect performance for long discharges.

10. INVERTER Energy stored in the battery is drawn by electrical loads through the inverter, which converts DC power into AC power. The inverter has in-built protection for Short-Circuit, Reverse Polarity, Low Battery Voltage and Over Load.

11. MICROCONTROLLER The microcontroller compares the input of both Power system and gives the signal to the particular relay and charges the DC Battery. The DC voltage is converted into AC Supply by Inverter Circuit. The MOSFET (IRF 540) is connected to the Secondary of the center tapped transformer. By triggering of MOSFET alternatively, the current flow in the Primary winding is also alternative in nature and we get the AC supply in the primary winding of the transformer.

12. CONCLUSION In the present work a Solar PV Wind Hybrid Energy System was implemented. A portion of the energy requirement for a private house, farm house, a small company, an educational institution or an apartment house depending on the need at the site where used has been supplied with the electricity generated from the wind and solar power. It reduces the dependence on one single source and has increased the reliability. Hence we could improve the efficiency of the system as compared with their individual mode of generation.

Aussie couple builds off-grid mobile home with 2 containers

What the Heck is an MPPT Charge Controller?

Maximum Power Point Tracking, frequently referred to as MPPT, is an electronic system that operates the Photovoltaic (PV) modules in a manner that allows the modules to produce all the power they are capable of. MPPT is not a mechanical tracking system that “physically moves” the modules to make them point more directly at the sun. MPPT is a fully electronic system that varies the electrical operating point of the modules so that the modules are able to deliver maximum available power. Additional power harvested from the modules is then made available as increased battery charge current. MPPT can be used in conjunction with a mechanical tracking system, but the two systems are completely different.

A MPPT, or maximum power point tracker is an electronic DC to DC converter that optimizes the match between the solar array (PV panels), and the battery bank or utility grid. To put it simply, they convert a higher voltage DC output from solar panels (and a few wind generators) down to the lower voltage needed to charge batteries.

Solar Power Souce

10W, 20W 25W , 30W and 35W

Contact at info@u-ages.com 

China’s PV Industry Slated for High Growth Over the Next Five Years

By Liu Yuanyuan 
Director of Operations

China is expected to continue to be the world’s fastest growing solar PV market during the five years spanning 2016 to 2020, with an addition of 15 GW to 20 GW in new PV power generation capacity each year, National Energy Administration director Nur Bekri said at the 9th Asia Solar Energy Forum.

The explosive growth in energy demand has inspired China to develop clean energy while optimizing its energy mix. As the world’s largest energy producer and consumer, China is willing to accelerate the development of clean and low-carbon energy, Nur Bekri added.

PV power generation has become one of the highlights of China’s energy development over the past five years, and thanks to a series of favorable policies, during the next five, the industry is set to enter a period of high growth.

By 2020, China’s installed solar power capacity is expected to reach 160 GW, generating 170 billion kWh in electricity annually, according to the National Energy Administration. In addition, solar power is expected to account for approximately 7 percent of the country’s power structure, 15 percent of new installed power capacity and 2.5 percent of total electricity generation by the end of 2020.

According to Liang Zhipeng, deputy director of the New Energy and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, China plans to rigorously develop the solar power industry by promoting the development of distributed PV power generation systems, facilitating the construction of PV power stations and solar thermal power plants in resource-rich regions, especially in the western part of China, and boosting solar thermal utilization.

Stronger US Focus on Africa: The Electrify Africa Act

By Ikenna Emehelu and Rahwa Gebretnsaie 

The U.S. government took steps in February to ensure that the Power Africa initiative will last beyond when the Obama administration leaves office.

Congress passed, and the president signed, an Electrify Africa Act that directs U.S. government agencies to prioritize loans, grants and technical support for power generation and transmission projects in sub-Saharan African countries.

The statute authorizes the administration to establish an inter-agency working group to oversee these efforts. The Electrify Africa Act has a goal of adding at least 20,000 MW of power and providing first-time access to power and power services for at least 50 million people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020.

It builds on the Power Africa initiative by enlisting more government agencies in the effort. The Power Africa Initiative was launched in 2013 with a goal of doubling access to electricity across sub-Saharan Africa. A major criticism of the Power Africa initiative has been that, as an executive branch initiative without legislative backing, it is not binding on future administrations. The Electrify Africa Act addresses this criticism.

It does not allocate any new funds. The focus is on diverting existing authority for loans, guarantees and grants to leverage private sector capital for African projects. The president is required to deliver a strategy report to Congress by August 2016 outlining the specific steps the government plans to take to implement the new law.

Off grid hybrid Solar Wind power system for home use

Wind turbine and solar panel generate electricity, the electricity is charged into the battery group by the charging controller, and then through inverter, the system supply AC power for loads.

When there is no electricity in batter group, inverter will switch to grid and continue to provide power for loads, meanwhile, inverter will charge into battery to keep battery in good condition.

UAGES off grid hybrid solar wind power systems are very popular in Germany, Denmark and other European countries; the performance has been approval by our agents and customers.

Contact us at: Info@u-ages.com 

1633 Broadway, 30th Floor, 

New York, NY 10019

USA

Toll Free: (800) 398-8201

Why this new solar market could be set to explode

Right now, there’s an odd thing about solar in the United States (and elsewhere). It’s either really big — at the scale of massive solar farms with the capacity to generate tens or hundreds of millions of watts of electricity — or pretty small: on your rooftop, with maybe as little as 5 kilowatts, or thousand watts, of capacity.

Solar has been growing extremely fast in these existing markets. But more and more, analysts say, there’s a middle-range market whose large potential is just becoming clear. It’s bigger than individual rooftop installations but smaller than vast solar farms. And it’s for a much broader and diverse range of people than fairly wealthy, suburban homeowners.

Biogas heats up in Kenya as fuel of choice for the poor

By Kagondu Njagi

NAIROBI, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Poor Kenyans are increasingly switching to biogas for cooking, as traditional fuels like kerosene and gas cylinders remain expensive despite lower world oil prices.

According to Nairobi-based ASTICOM K Ltd, a company that recycles solid municipal waste to produce biofuel and electricity, the availability of simple, cheap methods to produce biogas has stimulated demand in poorer households.

“Once domestic users have the technology, they can generate as much biogas as they please,” said ASTICOM CEO Leah Tsuma.

The World Bank estimates that 77 percent of Kenyans have no access to electricity.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Standards shows that Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), used by around a tenth of Kenyans for cooking, sells at around $23 for a 13 kg cylinder, nearly double the price in South Africa.

Around 45 percent of Kenyans live below the national poverty line, making it hard for them to afford fuels like LPG.

Biogas, on the other hand, has an upfront cost, but is practically free once the equipment is installed.

A basic home biogas unit costs between Ksh. 50,000 ($500) and Ksh. 80,000 – which is prohibitive for many.