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By Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News

Wind power capacity has tripled across the United States in just the last decade as prices have plunged and the technology has become more muscular, the federal government’s energy labs report. Three new reports released Thursday on the state of U.S. wind power show how the industry is expanding onshore with bigger, more powerful turbines that make wind energy possible even in areas with lower wind speeds. Offshore, the reports describe a wind industry poised for a market breakthrough. Continue reading here.

RELATED POST
New report: Wind continues growing while costs continue falling, Into the Wind, AWEA Blog

MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY NEWS

100{0b7da518931e2dc7f5435818fa9adcc81ac764ac1dff918ce2cdfc05099e9974} RENEWABLE ENERGY NEWS

NATIONAL SOLAR TOUR

2018 National Solar Tour of Homes largest in event’s history

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PBS NewsHour. This live mowing system keeps solar farms producing energy. Clip: 08/24/2018 | 2m 58s. Despite the advantages they offer in terms of …

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David grew up in Fryeburg, hiking and skiing in the western mountains of Maine. Through high school and college, he worked on a local farm each summer, developing a lifelong passion for local sustainable food. David studied at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he majored in Civil/Environmental Engineering and minored in International Studies.

Following graduation, David worked in construction management and safety for Whiting-Turner Contracting Company in New Haven CT and Meadowlands, NJ. During this time, he became a LEED Accredited Professional for Building Design and Construction.

In 2009, he moved to Reno, Nevada to volunteer as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Envirolution, where he developed lessons and curriculum to teach middle and high school students about energy efficiency and clean energy. This includes activities where students assess the energy consumption of their homes and their school. This hands-on curriculum has been recognized by the National Science Foundation for its effective student outcomes.

David also worked for the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy, where he developed and led energy efficiency programs statewide in Nevada. These included programs to help low-income seniors reduce their energy consumption, and developing ~$50 million in energy-saving projects for public agencies – cities, counties, school districts and colleges – throughout the state.

Additionally, David started a non-profit initiative,  Powered by Sunshine, to drive Nevada toward 100{0b7da518931e2dc7f5435818fa9adcc81ac764ac1dff918ce2cdfc05099e9974} renewable energy statewide. Specifically, he highlighted the economic benefits of shifting to local clean energy instead of importing $6 billion in fossil fuels from outside the state each year. In addition, he transitioned his home in Reno to net-zero energy, highlighting the savings and effectiveness of efficiency and clean energy on a home-owner basis.

David moved back to Maine in 2017, and is now transitioning an old Maine farmhouse, built in 1828, to 100{0b7da518931e2dc7f5435818fa9adcc81ac764ac1dff918ce2cdfc05099e9974} clean energy with a combination of efficiency measures, air-source heat pumps, a heat pump water heater and solar. He is excited to help Maine’s citizens and businesses transition from fossil fuels to clean energy!

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NextEra Energy and PCC sign academic partnership agreement

PUEBLO – Representatives
of Pueblo Community College and NextEra Energy Resources on Thursday announced
an academic partnership that will create a living laboratory for renewable
energy at PCC.

NextEra Energy
Resources will deliver and install 52 photovoltaic solar panels to create a
20-kilowatt solar energy system on PCC’s Pueblo campus. NEER also will provide
training and curriculum to help the college create a pipeline of skilled
workers for the rapidly evolving industry. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics,
solar panel installer is the fastest-growing job in the country.

PCC students will be
able to use the solar energy system as a learning lab as they study how to
operate and maintain the system, as well as analyze its data and build
predictive analysis systems to optimize its operations. 

“This
commitment and generous gift from NextEra to invest in Pueblo, and in
particular Pueblo Community College, is a wonderful opportunity for the
institution to prepare the next generation of a renewable energy-skilled
workforce,” said PCC President Patty Erjavec. “My team has already begun to
explore the realm of educational possibilities this learning lab will afford
our students and we are eager to unleash their creativity and innovative
prowess.”

David
Gil, development director for NEER, said the company is eager to begin its
partnership with PCC. NEER is the world’s largest generator of wind and solar
energy and has nine operational wind and solar projects in Colorado, with seven
more in development.

“At
NextEra Energy Resources, we’re excited to help Pueblo Community College train
the next generation for careers in the growing clean energy economy,” said Gil.
“Colorado has an historic opportunity to expand its investment in renewable
energy and create great jobs in Pueblo if Xcel’s Preferred Colorado Energy Plan
is approved. We look forward to being part of Colorado’s clean energy vision
and helping PCC prepare for that future.”

Ken
Salazar, former US Secretary of the Interior and US senator from Colorado,
joined PCC and NextEra Energy to celebrate the announcement. He also discussed
the importance of solar storage projects in southern Colorado, pointing out
that Pueblo County stands to benefit greatly from Xcel’s proposal. The Colorado
Public Utilities Commission soon will vote on the plan.

“Under Xcel’s Preferred
Colorado Energy Plan, Pueblo County would get a $1 billion investment in solar
and energy storage, would gain 1,000 construction jobs and get an annual
average GDP uplift of almost $10 million,” Salazar said. “This is truly an
historic opportunity for Pueblo.”

PCC is ready to be a vital
partner in developing the industry’s local workforce, Erjavec said, and the
relationship with NextEra Energy Resources is key to making it happen.

“We
are most humbled to partner with NextEra Energy Resources and commit to being
good stewards of their investment in us,” she said.

More information about NextEra Energy Resources may be
found on the company’s website

.

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Amanda Mason:

 If the sheep weren’t here, the grass would be growing to about this height, which would create a problem for the solar panels, because the solar panels are moving in order to capture the sun.

And if the grass is too tall, then they only collect about half of the energy needed.

The solar field provides power to 211 homes per year. So, every solar panel matters. And that means every sheep needs to do its job, which isn’t without its challenges, including protecting them from predators, such as eagles and coyotes.

Enter Luciano and his canine friends. At least three dogs are responsible for this herd of herbivores.

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The Netherlands, second-last in the EU when it comes to the production of renewable energy, presented its first draft of the Dutch Climate Agreement. This agreement is drafted to set out targets and policies across sectors such that the country adheres to the previously proposed Climate Act. When both are signed, writes Rolf Heynen, director of Good! New Energy, the Netherlands will be only the seventh country worldwide with such an act – and on paper one of the most ambitious. What will this mean for solar energy?

The Climate Act aims to reduce CO2 levels by at least 49{0b7da518931e2dc7f5435818fa9adcc81ac764ac1dff918ce2cdfc05099e9974} in 2030 and 95{0b7da518931e2dc7f5435818fa9adcc81ac764ac1dff918ce2cdfc05099e9974} in 2050 compared to 1990 levels. The Paris Climate Agreement, also signed by the Netherlands, is the basis for these targets. The U.K. in 2008, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, France, and Mexico all signed climate agreements meant to realize the Paris Agreement targets.

The key target formulated in the Climate Agreement towards 2050 is to have practically all electricity produced from solar, wind, and organic compounds. For solar energy, there is no distinction made in the act between photovoltaic and thermal, although it is expected is that the bulk will be generated by solar PV.

Solar energy in the Climate Agreement

Within the Climate Agreement, which was presented on July 10, solar energy is mentioned 14 times. From the agreement itself three milestones are relevant for solar companies.

84 TWh of renewables in 2030

First is the percentage of energy production expected from renewable energy sources. Currently the Netherlands uses (and produces) approximately 110 TWh of electricity – still mostly supplied by natural gas. Currently, over 2{0b7da518931e2dc7f5435818fa9adcc81ac764ac1dff918ce2cdfc05099e9974} is produced by solar. In 2030, the target is that 35 TWh will be produced by solar and onshore wind. Offshore wind is expected to produce 49 TWh.

Currently the Netherlands has over 3 GW of cumulative solar capacity, and a further 1.5 GW is expected to be installed in 2018. With delays in the expansion of onshore wind capacity, the potential for solar is incredible.

3 cents per kWh?

The second milestone has to do with price expectations. The ambition is to reduce the costs of electricity generation from solar PV from the current level of €0.107/kWh towards (less than) €0.056/kWh in 2024, and down to €0.03-€0.06/kWh in 2030. Companies able to meet this expectation are likely to play an important role in the Dutch market.

Local participation

Third, the Climate Agreement formulates the ambition that 50{0b7da518931e2dc7f5435818fa9adcc81ac764ac1dff918ce2cdfc05099e9974} of local production from onshore wind and solar is to be owned by local stakeholders. Therefore, players that manage to incorporate local participation into their business model will have much stronger chances of establishing themselves in the Dutch energy market.

Remarkable

By far the most striking feature about the agreement is not so much its content, but the fact that the Dutch right-wing liberal party, the VVD – currently the largest party in government, and of which the Prime Minister and most ministers are members – has committed to this agreement.

This signals a stable investment climate in both the short and long term, since currently about a two thirds majority in parliament believes in, and is in favor of, climate action.

Criticism

Although responses from the renewable energy sector are largely positive, there is always room for criticism. The main point of criticism on this first draft is the fact that most measures cannot be enforced. Furthermore, it is unclear how progress will be monitored and by whom. For example, the U.K. has an external independent commission that evaluates the country’s progress every five years and has the power to adjust goals and policies. It is expected that the final Climate Agreement will address these points of critique.

Concluding remarks

The future looks bright for the Dutch PV market. The Netherlands is one of the key European markets and will remain so in coming years, as a result of the Climate Agreement. Also, the net metering system will be replaced by a feed-in system that provides continued support for end users with solar. With the Climate Agreement, significant investments will continue in large-scale projects until 2025, after which the SDE+ system is likely to end.

From September onwards, the Dutch government and parliament will debate the current Climate Agreement proposal, and a final version is expected to be signed before the end of the year. While minor changes might be implemented to the final draft, paramount is that the largest and most influential right-wing party is committed to this agreement. This means that the Netherlands has passed the point of no return, in spite of our backlog and historic dependence on fossil energy.

By Rolf Heynen


Rolf Heynen is the director of Good! New Energy. Good! is known for the annual Dutch Solar Trend Report (also published in English), the upcoming Solar Quarterly, the Solar Solutions international trade fair, and the Solar Business Day conference. Good! is also active in renewable heating, smart lighting/buildings, energy storage, consulting, energy modeling, and market research. Heynen holds degrees in both electrical engineering and political science.

 

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ANGOLA — Those looking for solar panels, products and more related to solar energy have a new store in Angola to fulfill their needs.

Aurora Capital Energy, 3725 N. S.R. 127, Angola, is now open and ready to help customers with all their solar energy needs.

Owner Shawn Peet brought the store to Angola because there is nothing quite like it in the area.

Store manager Kevin Miller said they know a lot of people are upset with their electric bills.

“We can help do away with or at least cut down electric bills,” Miller said.

The store carries much more than just solar panels. Whatever isn’t in stock can typically be ordered in.

The variety of products includes various sizes of panels, solar time tracker units, inverters, controllers, various sizes of direct current refrigerators and freezers as well as mini-split heating and air conditioning units, poly lawn furniture and solar benches.

Miller has spent around three years in the industry and said the company can build and design grid-tie systems and off-grid for homes, offices, cabins, workshops and more, depending on the needs of the customer.

Peet’s uncle, Denny, has spent the last six years in the solar industry and is the inventor of the solar time tracker, a device that follows the sun for maximum power all the time.

“It’s always there under the sun,” Shawn Peet said. “Panels make about 40 percent more power by tracking.”

The tracker positions panels throughout the day to capture the most exposure from the sun. It’s based on a real-time clock, so time zones aren’t an issue as the clock can be reprogrammed for wherever the person lives.

Solar generators can also be designed and built to fit the customer’s need, Miller said.

Solar benches, which can be seen outside the new store, are a backup power system available that can be customized.

They come in two or three panel styles and are made of the same poly as the non-solar lawn furniture so there are no splinters or rotting wood. The steel is heavy, powder-coated steel.

Each can have a custom design on it including fishing, camping, hunting, boating, floral or butterflies, for example, with more designs able to be done on special request.

Solar benches come in 12- or 24-volt options.

“Put one in your yard and plug right into it and use it,” Miller said about the benches.

Each has a remote display meter and a 120-volt outlet to plug into.

For those wanting to learn about solar power for their life without spending a lot of money, Miller said they’ll be offering different solar kits that will still let people explore solar without being as expensive.

More information on the offerings from Aurora Capital Energy can be found online at auroracapitalenergy.com, on Facebook, @auroracapitalenergy, by visiting the store or by calling Peet at 687-0623.

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An area school is taking the initiative in the “go green” movement, and switching over to solar energy.

Batesville School District is the only school in the state to implement solar energy on their campus. 

It’s part of a partnership with Entegrity, and they’re installing over 2,000 solar modules. Entegrity provided Batesville schools with a $7 million grant to start the solar energy project.

More than 1,400 of the panels will be installed in some acreage near the school and will have the ability to track the sun, utilizing the most of the potential energy.

Over 760 of those panels are being installed in the school’s canopies, showcasing the school’s go green initiative. 

Megan Graddy, the communications coordinator for Batesville School District, said that they wanted the solar panels to be seen in the canopies in hopes of sparking creativity on campus.

“Whenever people pull in [to the school] we just want them to know that we are utilizing the solar panels,” said Graddy. “Not only for coverage and shelter, but its also going to inspire people for innovation and that’s what we’re so excited for.”

The school is hoping that these solar panels will inspire not only the students but the community as well.

“We want to inspire our students to go green, that’s one of our biggest initiatives, and then just to continue to think about how we can collaborate and change innovation within our school district,” Graddy said.

The goal is to have no electrical bills in the next 20 years, officials said.

“We’re going to be able to take that money that we’ve saved within our district, and put that towards our teacher’s salaries, which is what we’re so excited about,” said Graddy.

Graddy said that they will start seeing a change within the next five years, thanks to the project. 

School officials say that they hope other schools will also utilize the solar panel field as a way to teach about solar energy.

“We’re going to allow people to come and use it as a teaching tool for school field trips, to come and learn about solar panels and the way that effective energy is going to be lowering the bills,” said Graddy.

The school expects to have all of the solar panels installed by the end of the year and will start the process of switching to solar energy as soon as possible. 

Copyright 2018 KAIT. All rights reserved.

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<br /> Solar Energy Storage Design | Energy Storage Design – SEPISOLAR

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SepiSolar engineers are on the forefront of battery design, technologies, codes, utility policies, and permitting. Whether you’re installing lithium or flow batteries, grid-tied or off grid, with or without fuel-based generators, we offer complete design packages and consulting for your storage project.

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