Hawaii's Kauai island to hit 80% Renewable Power by mid-2020s

This is a very exciting prospect for the island of Kauai as they expect to chart their path to 100% renewable electricity by mid century. With Hawaii's RE policy which encourage healty growth of renewables, Kauai's 80% clean energy ambition would not be difficult to achieve. 

The said project in Kauai is solar-charged water pumping system. This is how it is -- the island is almost entirely powered from RE at midday, and with some battery installed, part of the solar generated energy is stored in the battery bank. As the bank is fully stored, there is excess power that is suitable for pumping water to the reservoir which would then generate hydropower during the peak hours in the evening.

Beauty of Kauai.

View of Hanalei bay and Na Pali range. Photo credit: Steve Heap posted on Matador Network.

"It got to the point where we just didn’t have any more room in our daytime demand to take more solar." - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Brad Rockwell

Read more at GTM, link provided below. 

Source: greentechmedia

Solar PV industry to generate RM70 billion and 50,000 jobs by 2020

Although it has relatively small PV installed capacity with less than 300 MW so far, Malaysia maintains that it is one of the largest PV manufacturers in the world, coming third behind China and European Union. Is this still the case presently?

Maybe. Anyway, the point here is that we are indeed one of the world's biggest producer of solar PV panels and components, which is good news.

However, the relevant ministry's estimate of generating (just) RM70 billion from the PV industry does not commensurate (or is my expectation too high?) with it's tag line of Southeast Asia's 'manufacturing hub', and therefore not that encouraging considering the many global PV industry players in the country. Currently there are 8 companies involved in the PV manufacturing here, namely:

• First Solar (Kedah)
• Panasonic Energy Malaysia (Kedah)
• JA Solar (Penang)
• Jinko Solar (Penang)
• TS Solartech (Penang)
• SunEdison (Perak)
• SunPower (Malacca) and
• Q-Cells Malaysia (Cyberjaya)

SunPower plant in Melaka. Image by - AUO SunPower Sdn Bhd

The ministry did not elaborate on its reply to question in the parliament sitting but from what I gathered, some manufacturers are scaling back on production due to market conditions. Why? And how do we encourage them to boost or at least maintain their production volume? This is an area that the government would need to look into if it is to sustain the growth of the PV industry.

The other issues is that some of the solar PV project implementers prefer importing solar panels rather than using what is produced locally. It could either be due to the local manufacturer focusing more on exporting their procuct, or the local industry players perceive the local products quality as inferior hence the lack of trust in the locally produced goods. Either way, it's not benefiting the PV industry in the country.

Last month, we were approach by such implementer/system integrator and was offered panels sourced from abroad - I wouldn't name those countries. What's wrong with getting them from one of the above 8 manufacturers? Isn't SunPower based in the US, and Q-cells from South Korea? What is wrong with Malaysia?

The ministry's statement that "Various initiatives were undertaken directly by the ministry's agency" does not explain anything, at least not in the context of answering the question. But then again, some junior journalists may have missed few points from his speech. For me, I would want to know and would highlight those 'initiatives' in my reporting. Refer below for the news excerpt from Bernama.

===========================================

Photovoltaics (PV) Can Generate RM70 Billion, 50,000 Jobs

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia can potentially generate RM70 billion and 50,000 job opportunities from the photovoltaics (PV) industry by 2020.

Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah said solar cell conductive coating materials contributed significantly to the thin-film technology industry in the country.

"Currently, Malaysia is the world's third largest PV manufacturers after China and the European Union," he said during the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat here today.

He was responding to Dr Rosli Che Mat (PAS-Hulu Langat) on the current development of thin-film technology and its significant contribution to the industry.

Abu Bakar said there were eight PV production companies in the country, namely, First Solar and Panasonic Energy Malaysia in Kulim Hi-Tech Park; JA Solar, Jinko Solar and TS Solartech in Penang; SunEdison in Ipoh; SunPower in Malacca; and Q-Cells Malaysia in Cyberjaya. He said the ministry had always supported and encouraged local industries to explore and adopt advanced technologies such as thin film technology.

"Various initiatives were undertaken directly by the ministry's agency or through research and development fund support such as grants for pre-commercialisation and financial assistance to get the existing related technologies," he said.

Source — Bernama

Video: The Truth About Solar

Watch this clip and learn interesting facts about solar PV, explained in simple terms by ColdFusion:



It's 11 minutes long but you won't get bored, I promise.

Source: coldfusion 

World's first Solar-powered bike lane in the Netherlands

Here is some pedal power. You've heard about the idea of solar roadways which has been around for some time, but how about solar bike paths?

That is an idea that the Dutch are already putting into use with the 70-metre SolaRoad, billed as a world's first. RenewableEnergyWorld highlights the €3 million ($3.74 mil) path, which powers street lights and houses and features solar cells under a layer of tempered glass.

70-metre solar path that costs €3 mil (RM13 mil) to build

The surface of the road has been treated with a special non-adhesive coating

If you ask me, I'd say this is not a showcase of energy or resources efficiency, but this is an idea that might bring about some interesting results; we'll see.

An insightful comment from a reader read as follow:

"2000 cyclists over crystalline silicon panels? Let me get this right. Its more or less the same as 2000 leaves of shade over a rooftop panel? Am I right? I think your road's angle is not the only obstacle. Hope you also got some good termo conduction underneath those panels, for my guess is that they will run hotter, further dropping output. You should rather have roofed the pathway with the panels, shade for the cyclists, as well as an umbrella for rain." - PJ Van Staden, REW magazine.

The trees, when fully grown, could reduce the energy production further.

The bike road would be very useful to commuters and school children and could be a cool part of their daily commute. Approximately 2,000 cyclists are expected to use it on an average day.

The road, named by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) as SolaRoad, is made up of rows of crystalline silicon solar cells, which were embedded into the concrete of the path and covered with a translucent layer of tempered glass.

Since the path cannot be adjusted to the position of the sun, the panels will generate approximately 30% less energy than those placed on roofs. However, the road is tilted slightly to aid water run-off and achieve a better angle to the sun and its creators expect to generate more energy as the path is extended to 100 metres in 2016.


You can read further here - REW and SolaRoad

Credit: Photos are from SolaRoad and REW websites.

New York launched new incentives for Large Solar Projects

I've been checking out New York's solar development on regular basis after learning about their Free Street Solar Chargers at selected locations within NYC and recently I saw this article in my email subscription.

New York has come up with several interesting incentives for solar projects carried out within the next 2 years. For us readers, it's sufficient to know they set aside $1 billion for this purpose, which is apart from existing ones.

But for SEDA (the body which manage the renewable energy projects implementation in Malaysia), they may want to look at it more detailed. There maybe nothing in it but there's no harm looking. The US is one of the nations with biggest capacity in new solar PV installation.

Statue of Liberty in New York. Image from Wikimedia Commons. Read about Commons here.

Here's the excerpt from Renewable Energy World:

New incentives for Large Solar Projects

Following the recent announcement to commit an additional $1 billion to New York solar incentives over the next decade, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) unveiled the next anticipated funding program for large solar systems, over 200 kW in size. This round of funding closely resembles previous offerings, and does not appear to be part of the "megawatt block" structure highlighted in the April announcement. 

Program Opportunity Notice (PON) went live in mid-May, promising $60 million in available incentives or more, to be awarded at NYSERDA's discretion. Applications are due July 17th, 2014 and all systems must come online by April of 2016.


Some changes from previous Large Solar Incentives

All New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) load zones are in play. Several favorable tweaks to this year's program, compared to earlier New York solar incentive rounds indicate a willingness on NYSERDA's part to see this program drive more project development this year than ever before. 

In previous PONs for large projects, awardees received the full incentive amount in five payments — 30% at project completion paid out in two upfront installments, and 70% paid out as a PBI split between the first three years of production. In the new PON, 30% upfront payment occur in one installment instead of two, and the remaining 70% condensed to only two years' worth of production, paid at year's end.


Renewable Energy Storage and Efficiency

This program also incorporates several tie-ins to storage and efficiency for applicable solar projects, echoing the New York State Public Service Commission's recent landmark initiative rethinking New York's energy future.

An additional $50,000 in incentives may be awarded to each project that integrates energy efficiency or storage at the customer site. Energy efficiency projects must reduce energy use intensity (kBtu/sq ft/year) by at least 15% over the baseline energy use intensity.

Storage projects must provide at minimum 250 kW of load management, demand management, or improved load factor. Finally, projects located in Strategic Locations (determined by each individual utility) will receive an additional 25% above the Project Incentive.

You can read further at REW

Top 10 U.S. utilities that added most amount of solar capacity in 2013

Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has come up with its latest utility solar report, which ranks the utility companies in the country that added the most amount of solar capacity in 2013.

In the U.S., California is in front with more than 5.5 GW of solar capacity installed so far. Image: REW

The top 10 utilities accounted for 82% of all integrated solar capacity in that year. Additional report findings show that 4.2 GW of solar capacity was installed in the U.S. in 2013, bringing total cumulative capacity to more than 10.5 GW.

“Large scale installations dominated the landscape and represented well over 50 percent of the capacity installed in 2013. The increase in percentage dominance among the top 10 utilities is not indicative of those beyond the top 10 slowing down, but is instead a sign that top ranking utilities are building more on a large scale."
- Eran Mahrer, SEPA VP of Research and Strategy

Top 10 Utilities by installation (MW)

1. Pacific Gas & Electric (CA) - 1471 MW
2. San Diego Gas & Electric (CA) - 643 MW
3. Arizona Public Service (AZ) - 417 MW
4. Southern California Edison (CA) - 373 MW
5. Duke Energy Progress (NC, SC) - 137 MW
6. National Grid (MA, RI) - 111 MW
7. Public Service Electric & Gas (NJ) - 103 MW
8. Hawaiian Electric (HI) - 98 MW
9. Georgia Power (GA) - 59 MW
10. Duke Energy Carolinas (NC, SC) - 58 MW

Watts per customer

The watts-per-customer rankings calculate the number of customers served in relation to a utility’s installed solar capacity. What this does is that it levels the playing field and enables an across-the-board comparison between utilities.


Top 10 Utilities by Watts-Per-Customer

1. Sterling Municipal Light (MA) 831 W
2. San Diego Gas & Electric (CA) 461 W
3. Silicon Valley Power/City of Santa Clara (CA) 427 W
4. Arizona Public Service (AZ) 368 W
5. Hawaiian Electric Company (HI) 329 W
6. Pacific Gas & Electric (CA) 281 W
7. Hawaii Electric Light Co. (HI) 182 W
8. Maui Electric Company Ltd. (HI) 178 W
9. Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative (HI) 167 W
10. Imperial Irrigation District (CA) 159 W

You can read further at REW

TheGreenMechanics: In comparison, Malaysia's solar PV cumulative installed capacity so far is only at 109 MW (Source: SEDA portal, April 2014). But we have plan in place and we are optimistic that we will become one of the top Renewable Energy nations in South East Asia in time to come.

Pakistan solar PV to add 772 MW to national grid

Like Malaysia, solar power is quite new in Pakistan.

But if what had been reported is to materialise, Pakistan is on course to develop 772 MW of solar power over the next two years. This is more than what what we will have in Malaysia over the course of 2 years, although we have much more attractive FIT rates.


Ground-mounted solar PV installation in Pakistan. Image: pv-magazine


Pakistan to add 772 MW of solar power by 2016

Pakistan will add 772 MW of solar power to its national grid by 2016, according to figures released by the country's Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB).

There are currently 22 individual solar power projects either under construction or at various stages of development across Pakistan, with a number of these projects awaiting an agreement on a national FIT.

NEPRA has now published its final FIT incentives for PV projects between 1 MW and 100 MW. In the north of Pakistan the FIT will be set at $0.18 cents per kWh (about RM0.60) for an initial ten-year period, halving after that time to just $0.09 cents per kWh (about RM0.30) for the next 15 years.

In Pakistan's southern regions, the FIT incentive comes in a little more generously, at $0.19 cents per kWh for the first ten years, but falling to below $0.09 cents per kWh thereafter.


By comparison, Malaysia's FIT rate for solar PV (as of February 2014) are as follows:

• RM0.5440 (about US$0.16) for 21 years - installation size of 10MW to 30MW
• RM1.0411 (about US$0.31) for 21 years - small installations size of up to 4kW

Pakistan is also pursuing a number of renewable energy projects for the country’s national grid, and has pledged its backing to the solar industry and the wind industry – the latter of which has an estimated 150 MW pipeline in the offing.

The country is set to embark on a campaign to promote the installation of residential rooftop PV systems designed for self-consumption.

Source: pv-magazine

Abbreviations:
NEPRA - National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Pakistan)
AEDB - Alternative Energy Development Board (Pakistan)


The Green Mechanics: We may well be overtaken by Pakistan simply because we are too comfortable with the current cheap, subsidised prices of energy generated from fossil fuels and in the end making RE ventures, particularly solar power, very expensive in relative term.

Richard Branson shifting Necker Island to 75% wind and solar power

Richard Branson needs no introduction.

But for Malaysians, he would probably be best remembered for donning a skirt and a full face of make-up on AirAsia flight to Malaysia back in May 2013. He did it to honour his Formula 1 bet with Malaysia's F1 team and AirAsia owner Tony Fernandez.

In the renewable energy industry, his name would quickly come up as one of the wealthy men making investment in renewables. Necker Island, the Caribbean Island owned by him, is reported to be shifting to 75% percent renewable energy by the end of 2015.

Necker Island to be powered by 75% renewable energy. Photo: Virgin Hotels Group.

Richard Branson shifting Necker Island to mostly wind and solar power

Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson has struck a deal with NRG Energy to build a system that manages wind, solar and diesel power on the 74-acre island. Electricity on small Caribbean islands is extremely expensive because they must rely on imported oil to power generators.

According to NRG Energy, people on the island are paying 40 to 55 cents per kWh compared to 6 to 20 cents in the US.

By shifting to solar and wind energy his energy costs would be cut by 40%. Switching to 100% renewable was too expensive because of the cost of storing wind and solar energy in batteries, but Branson believes one day, once storage is better, it would be possible to go 100%.

The project is part of the Ten Island Renewable Challenge, in which Caribbean islands will attempt to end their reliance on fossil fuels.

Source: The Washington Post


TheGreenMechanics:

Energy cost for off-grid system such as those on islands is very high. I remember some years ago I was involved in working out a cost to supply power from diesel generators to Sabah's Manukan Island and we failed to convince the resort operator with the cost. I guess the operator is still maintaining its own generator sets, combined with Sabah Parks' own unit.

With cost of solar panel dropping fast, I believe it is high time the resort operator (Sutera Harbour) re-visit its power supply system there. Going renewable could be rewarding.

MAHB and SunEdison launched Malaysia's first Airport Solar Power System

Rooftops and parking lots at airports are some of the facilities that are not multi-purpose, but  at Kuala Lumpur International Airport these 'idle' spaces have been transformed into a clean energy generation facility - namely solar power.

That's cool because it demonstrates the corporate sector's support towards the Government's initiative in introducing renewable energy and in the process reduce carbon footprint.


Malaysia Airport lease deal with SunEdison. Photo: Solar International


The interesting part is that Malaysia Airport did not have to dig into its own pocket to finance the project. They rent those idle spaces out to someone who is willing to invest - to SunEdison. The international company must've seen the great potential in renting the airport's rooftops and parking lots for them to take the bold move to invest RM200 million (about US$60 million) there.


KLIA installed Malaysia's first airport solar power system

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and SunEdison have jointly launched Malaysia's first airport solar power system at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport with a total investment of RM200 million.

According to MAHB chief operating officer Datuk Abdul Hamid Mohd Ali, the solar power system is expected to save the airport about RM2.1 million annually based on its current energy costs.

The 19 MW direct current (DC) system was the largest in Malaysia where it interconnected and combined ground-mount (5MW), parking canopy (10MW) and roof-top (4MW) systems.

"We don't incur any cost for this project because we provide the under-utilised asset, while SunEdison is required to pay lease rental and royalty to us. In return, we buy the electricity at a much cheaper rate," said Abdul Hamid.

MAHB is looking to expand this system at its other airports especially at the short take-off and landing ports (STOL Ports) located in remote areas.

"Solar energy is one of the areas that we are seriously looking into. We may discuss with SunEdison further on the system for the other airports especially in Sabah and Sarawak," he said.

Solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services, SunEdison is the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) approval holder, granted by SEDA Malaysia.

The company is allowed to sell power generated from renewable energy sources to Tenaga Nasional Bhd for a fixed period of time.

"There is an excellent Feed-in-Tariff programme in Malaysia and we are looking forward to help additional airports in Malaysia and around the world," said SunEdison president for Asia, Middle East, South Africa and Australia, Pashupathy Gopalan.

Source: Bernama


TheGreenMechanics:

This sounds like a negotiated quota. If indeed Malaysia Airport can get other airports in this country installed with solar PV granted by SEDA, and enjoy the current FiT rate, it is a clear act of depriving others in the 'open bidding' system.

First-come-first-served, right?

Rooftop solar under the FIT in Sabah - your commitment starts at RM722 per month

One of the earlier service providers and system integrators in Sabah has kick-started their campaign as soon as the FiT mechanism for renewable energy is implemented here.

They held a mini roadshow at Suria Sabah shopping mall earlier this month, followed by a workshop at one of the better known hotel in Kota Kinabalu. I visited their booth but did not attend the workshop.

"Turn the sunlight into cash". Possible if you are willing to invest.

Their brochure illustrates the following investment and income generated from the venture. In this case, it is Solar PV installed on rooftop, with FiT at prevailing rate.

System size	Price (RM)	Financing  Tenure	Monthly Repayment (RM)	Monthly    Income (RM)
12.00 kW	112,000	10 years	1,264.72	1,545.78
9.60 kW	82,800	10 years	1,038.88	1,236.62
7.80 kW	68,400	10 years	858.20	1,004.75
6.60 kW	57,600	10 years	722.70	850.18

From the table, we can work out the estimated income as follows (taking a 6.6kW solar PV as an example):

A solar PV system size of 6.6kW would cost RM57,000 and you would need to come out with 10% down payment. 10 years financing is available and your monthly commitment with the financing bank is RM722.70 and your projected monthly income would be RM850.18 (approximately). Minus the loan repayment, you'd still have a cash surplus of RM127.48

This means that the investment is self-financing and at the end of the 10-year tenure, the generated RM850 is all yours. Good enough to pay up the electricity, telephone and water bills.

In a nutshell, the contract allows you to sell the electricity generated from your rooftop to Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) at a much higher price (actual rate to be known during the application process) for a period of 21 years.

This is not an advertisement and therefore, no contact numbers are given. I have their numbers and the name of the persons to contact should anyone is interested.

TheGreenMechanics: This is just one quotation/projection from a single solar PV service provider. Let's hope more service providers come up with more competitive pricing as prices of solar panels continue to drop.

Solar power saves the day during Australia's record heatwave

I enjoy watching the currently on-going Australian Open with all the top players gathered for a befitting occasion. For folks (including myself) who watch from the comfort of of their home the heatwave would not be an issue but for the spectators at the stadiums, including the players, 42^oC is not a comfortable temperature at all to be in.

I read that one can actually fry eggs by cracking and spreading them on to flat metal surfaces. It's that hot!

Maria Sharafova, in one of her winning matches, lamented about the soaring temperature they have to play their tennis, where organiser as well as the players have no definite answer as to when should matches be played under covered stadium.


Temperatures across many parts of Australia have soared past 40^oC for the last few days, melting plastic bottles where they stand. Photo credit: MICM Property


Solar power saves the day

While tennis players have wilted and bush fires have raged, solar power systems in Australia have come to the fore this week as the nation battles with the effects of the latest debilitating heatwave.

But it is Australia’s coal-fired power plants that have really been feeling the strain. As the middle of the day sees peak demand for power-hungry air conditioning units, the country’s traditional power supplies have had that demand alleviated by solar power systems.

Throughout the country, both rooftop and ground-mounted solar installations have upped their share of power use and generation, helping to rein in wholesale pricing and reduce the number of power outages.

At the midday peak last Wednesday, findings from the Australian Solar Council revealed that the state of South Australia drew 9.41% of its energy needs from solar systems. That figure was 9.13% for Western Australia, 8.64% for Queensland, 3.59% for New South Wales and 2.8% for Victoria.

Read what pv-magazine reported here. This is where I sourced the content of this article from.


TheGreenMechanics: While there are differences in opinion among energy players in Australia regarding 'unfair' benefit enjoyed by households with solar PV, there is clear indication that having your roof installed with solar power system helps in many ways than one.

Ford uses solar panels for its Electric Concept Car

With solar panels made available in various shapes and constructions, I've always thought that they may one day make their way into the auto industry.

We've heard of golf buggies being powered by solar PV panels but not a working, commercial size passenger car.

The wait should now be over. Ford Motor Co., the second largest U.S. automaker, has come up with a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that uses solar panels in the roof to recharge itself.


300W to 350W solar panel fitted on its roof



Photo credit: Ford

Ford Concept Car fitted with solar panels

The C-Max Solar Energi will be on display at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that begins Jan. 7, Ford said in a statement.

The vehicle can travel about 21 miles (34 kilometers) using only electric power and has a total range of about 620 miles. It has 300 watts to 350 watts of SunPower Corp. solar cells in the roof and may portend a future of mass-produced rechargeable cars that don’t need to be plugged in.

The concept includes a canopy-like parking structure that uses Fresnel lenses to focus sunlight on the car and boost efficiency of the solar cells. It was developed with the Georgia Institute of Technology and shifts the car’s position throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky.

The car also has a standard port to connect to a charging station. Ford estimates it sold more than 85,000 hybrids and electric vehicles in 2013.

Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius hybrid electric car has an optional solar panel that powers a fan to circulate air within the vehicle when it’s parked in direct sunlight. Nissan Motor Co. offers a Leaf electric vehicle that uses a solar panel that helps keep the car’s battery charged.

Source: Renewable Energy World


TheGreenMechanics: Kudos to Ford!

Hyundai installed South Korea's largest rooftop solar PV

What comes to your mind when someone mentioned Hyundai?

I don't know about you, but I tend to associate it with Korean cars such as Elantra, Sonata and Santa Fe because these are Hyundai cars that ply on our roads everyday.

Their cars have come a long way in terms of design and sportiness since the arrival of a former BMW designer at Hyundai, along with the arrival of a former Audi designer at their sister company, Kia.

Apparently Hyundai is not just about cars - they did not joke when they said they wanted to fight global warming by reducing carbon footprint. The Korean giant car maker, had last month installed the country’s largest rooftop PV installation!

South Korea's largest rooftop PV installation: 40,000 panels producing 11.5 million kWh of electricity per year from solar has been installed  on top of Hyundai manufacturing plant in Asan City of South Korea.

Photo: Hyundai plant in Asan
Photo credit: Green Packs









Hyundai plant in Asan city to generate energy from its roofs

The South Korea's largest car maker, has this week installed the country’s largest rooftop PV installation  atop its production plant in Asan, a city some 95 kilometers south of the capital, Seoul.

Spread across 213,000m² and covering 68% of the ceiling space, the installation will be capable of producing enough clean PV energy to power 3,200 local households annually, delivering enough clean electricity to mitigate 5,600 tons of carbon emissions a year.

Korea Electric Power Corp. has agreed to purchase the electricity generated to distribute in the local Asan area.

The panels provide an additional benefit for plant workers, too, as they help reduce temperatures inside the plant during summer, reducing reliance on air conditioning and helping to improve efficiency and working conditions.

Source: Hyundai Blog


TheGreenMechanics: What a way to make cars!

50W Solar PV system for the rural folks

Four community learning centres (or pre-schools) in the rural areas of Sabah have benefitted from a noble effort of several philanthropists.

The beneficiaries of the initial 4 sets of solar power system are community learning centres in Tenom, Tongod and Paitan. It is very encouraging to see synergy of effort from various NGOs to help those deprived of the basic necessity - power supply.

The 50W solar photovoltaic systems. Source: DE, Dec 17.

Parties involved in the project:

Inner Wheel Club of Kota Kinabalu	:	Fund raising to purchase and install the systems
Penampang Renewable Energy S/B	:	Design and supply (at cost)
Centre for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technology (CREATE)	:	Training provider, especially on renewable energy, for rural youths
Tonibung	:	Installation of the solar PV systems at no cost, including training on their operations and maintenance.

The solar PV systems

Each system, designed and supplied by Penampang Renewable Energy S/B, consist of the followings (I hope the reporting by Daily Express is accurate):

• 50-Watt solar panel
• Solar power pack, c/w charge controller, 12V USB, 5V USB
• 70Ah battery
• 300W inverter
• LED lamps

* The packs are expandable for bigger load if required, which is really good as the folks surely would need more power in the near future. This is something like a modular design where people could donate an 'expansion' or two and they just add up to the existing one.


TheGreenMechanics: As an alternative, there is a similar set on sale which I think is comparable to the above system. I saw one at City Mall with almost similar features - solar power pack with solar panel, USB outlets, 70Ah battery c/w 4 units of 3W LED bulbs. The system is marketed at RM550.00 minus the inverter. A separate 300W quasi-sine wave inverter will cost around RM250 to RM300.

Philippines closes in on 1 GW solar PV pipeline

Back in April this year, a PV research company, NPD Solarbuzz noted that emerging PV markets such as Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan are expected to lead the way in the photovoltaic demand.

The five nations will account for 50% of the more than 3 GW cumulative demand in Asia Pacific and Central Asia between 2013 and 2017.

Specifically, Thailand is anticipated to become the region’s largest photovoltaic market, while Indonesia is forecast to rank second by 2017 supported by its impending FiTs.

But wait, the Philippines is coming strongly with its latest announcement of cumulative approved PV projects which is moving close to 1 GW this month.

PV-Magazine reported that the country’s Department of Energy (DoE) is stepping up efforts to triple the nation’s renewable energy capacity by 2030. Currently, the Philippines has a renewable energy capacity of 5.6 GW and by 2030, the country hopes to reach a target of 16 GW.


Ilocos Norte is known for its breeze and surfing; no wonder it is also the place for one of Philippines' wind farms. Next, a 20 MW solar PV project will start here in January 2014. Photo credit: Moving Forward



Department of Energy has awarded service contracts for a total of 38 PV projects in the Philippines this year, taking the country’s PV pipeline to 846.2 MW, of which 844.7 MW (34 of the projects) are grid-connected projects.

Belgium’s Enfinity renewable energy company, via its local Philippines subsidy Enfinity Philippines, has invested close to $600 million to secure contracts for 18 of the 34 approved projects, including three or four that will begin construction in early 2014.

"Next year, three to four PV projects in Philippines should go into construction, but we might move faster than that. The remainder of the company’s planned 18 solar projects will be completed in the next couple of years."
 - Dennis Ibarra, Enfinity Philippines president

Another foreign industry player in the Philippines, South Korea’s Mirae Asia Energy Corp. will begin construction on a 20 MW solar plant in the Ilocos Norte region of the Philippines in January next year. In July, Mirae Asia Energy Corp. secured a certificate for the project from the DoE, and will invest $50 million in the 60-hectare project.


TheGreenMechanics' two cents:

I remember, last month, our Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water (Dr. Maximus Ongkili) said that Malaysia is one of the earliest nations in the 10-member Asean regional grouping to implement the FiT mechanism to promote and increase renewable energy.

From the available data and announcements, we seem to be at the tail end of several emerging nations in Asean group. Perhaps we are not as aggressive as Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. Even Singapore is coming in very strongly in PV installation. Just a personal thought.

Source: pv-magazine

Back to basic: How solar cells make electricity

As recently announced, we will soon be part of the national drive to encourage use of renewable energy  - in particular solar PV - to generate electricity. Starting Jan 1 next year, consumers in Sabah will join their counterparts in Peninsula Malaysia to invest in RE.

Solar energy is of particular interest as under the FiT mechanism, solar photovoltaic is one of the four renewable sources of energy in Malaysia that falls under the special tariff where everyone can take part. The others are biogas, biomass and mini hydro.

The following diagram shows how solar cells produce electricity:

Note: Diagram shows one type of panel, other panel may use different type of material.

Type of solar panel construction

Efficiency of a panel is the ability to convert sunlight to electricity. Here are example of different panels. Ratings are for comparison purposes, not a specific panel's rating.

• Mono-crystalline panels use silicon produced in a continuous sheet, then cut to fit the panel. Typically the most efficient type, but the high silicon levels make them expensive.
  Efficiency: 18%

• Poly-crystalline panels use groups of small cells instead of one large sheet. Due to lower silicon levels, they are a little less expensive to produce, but slightly less efficient.
  Efficiency: 16%

• Thin-film panels use very thin layers of material, such as amorphous silicon. Versatile, heat-tolerant and the least expensive type, their lack of efficiency requires more panels. Not as long lasting.
  Efficiency: 9%

Sources: Solar Energy Industries Association, National Renewable Energy Lab., US Dept. of Energy, Mother Earth News, California Solar Energy Industries Association. Diagram/graphics via US Solar Institute.

EU importers must check origins of solar products

This is interesting as in Malaysia we have manufacturers of solar products where Chinese companies have direct or indirect interest.

What this means is that, there are products that are actually produced in China (as EU claimed), shipped to South East Asian countries, and then sold to EU purportedly manufactured in SEA.

We don't want our manufacturing plants in Malaysia to be just 'transit points' of the big solar manufacturers from China.

Our country, together with Indonesia and Singapore have been put in the spotlight by the watchdog in  Europe for possible fraud. - TheGreenMechanics


EU importers must check origins of solar products. Photo: Worlsmaritimenews

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Check where your solar products came from

In the wake of last week's EU decision on Chinese-made solar products, project developers in Europe have been warned to be vigilant about the true origins of solar goods they import.

A law firm in Stuttgart, Germany, has warned EU companies importing solar wafers, cells and modules from South East Asia to be certain of the manufacturing origins of any imports as it is importers who will be liable to pay anti dumping duties due on any falsely labelled products.

The EU decided to impose steepling anti dumping and anti subsidy duties on any products manufactured in China by companies which have not signed up to the minimum module price agreement negotiated by EU trade commissioner Karel de Gucht in the summer, penalties amounting to up to 65% of the cost of the goods.

Customs authorities suspect some Chinese manufacturers will produce wafers, cells and modules in China, ship them to a neighbouring country and attempt to label them as originating in the latter country to get around the EU duties.

Duties can be applied retroactively

Isabel Ludwig, customs expert for the Stuttgart-based Rödl & Partner, has warned such imports can have the appropriate duties retroactively applied to them by the authorities up to three years back and the import company would be liable to pay regardless of whether it was aware of any mislabelling.

Rödl and Partner says the European anti-fraud office (OLAF) will be watching for any spikes in import levels of solar products from countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore in the months ahead.

Any unusual peaks will see officials visit the exporters in question to establish where their products are manufactured.

If EU importers can be proven to be aware of mislabelling, the heavy import duties could be supplemented by further fines and, in extreme cases, jail terms.

"Importers of solar products should thoroughly examine their supply relationships, establish the origin of their products and, where appropriate, be able to prove it," Ludwig told pv magazine.


Source: pv-magazine

Solar and wind potential power supply alternatives for Sabah

To 'revolutionise' is a bit of an over-statement especially with regards to wind turbine but with up to 36 km/h (10 m/s) of wind speed as the study found, this is not impossible to achieve. Wind turbines starts generating electricity when the wind speed is 3 m/s but to make any venture viable, the speed has to be 5 m/s or more.

The demo units constructed in the feasibility study in Kudat generate a modest 34.8 kW of power - 25 kW from wind turbines  and the remaining 9.8 kW from solar PV.

This is too small a demo to scale an installation size that can 'revolutionise'  electricity generation on Sabah, but the result of the study is at least promising.

With regards to solar PV, Sabah - in particular, Kota Kinabalu - is known for being the best location (meaning highest solar irradiation) in Malaysia for photovoltaic installation.

Daily Express, December 9, 2013 - page 2

Solar And Wind Turbine Renewable Energy Can Revolutionise Electricity Generation In Sabah

Source: Bernama, December 8

Renewable energy from solar and wind turbine is not only an excellent power alternative for the future but it can also revolutionise electricity generation in Sabah, says Science, Technology and Inovation Minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin.

He said Sabah had its own uniqueness as it endowed was rich natural resources which could be used to generate renewable energy and contribute to economic development.

"Operational cost for power generation is extremelly high and power producers like Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd face a great challenge and the problem has been further aggravated by the inconsistent hike in fuel prices.

"As such, the government always welcomes any party that can come foward to explore and apply green energy and simultaneously support the government's move to develop sustainable energy," he said when launching two TechnoFund Mosti projects here Sunday.

The projects, the Application of Wind Technology System for Energy Generation and the Sustainable Thin Film PV Building and the Renewable Energy Generation, have been entrusted to Sirim Bhd by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation for research and development.

Overall, the projects can generate 25 kw of wind turbine power and 9.8 kw of solar energy.

The power generated can light up a resort near the project site in Tg Simpang Mengayau and can be supplied and stored in a battery system.

Ewon said the research findings can be developed on a large scale, commercially, and can contribute towards reducing the number of power interruptions in Sabah.

It can also bring cheer to the many rural residents who live far away from grid areas.

In the long-term, renewable energy can become a big alternative to the current practice of generating electricity from fuel oil, charcoal, diesel and hydro reservoirs which incur huge operational costs.

TechnoFund is a grant scheme funded by Mosti which covers 13 projects under the Renewable Energy Task Force.

Established by the Cabinet, the scheme provides funding for technology development, up to pre-commercialisation stage, with the commercial potential to create new businesses and generate economic wealth for the nation.


TheGreenMechanics: SIRIM Berhad and Mosti have proven in their 4-year study that it is very much feasible in Sabah. Now get some fund and implement it already!

It will at least help alleviate some of the power supply issues we have in the state.

SunEdison launches solar water pumps for farms in India

If you have problem with intermittent power interruptions and unreliable supply quality, or your are too far away from the power grid, bringing the power generator closer to you is the best solution.

In India, a specially designed high performance solar-powered water pump was recently launched by SunEdison meant for agriculture purpose. Featuring rugged structural design, pumps are available in 3HP (horsepower), 5HP, 7.5HP and 10HP variants.


SunEdision solar powered pump system. Photo: EPCworld

Designed by R&D teams in California and Bangalore, the latest innovation is claimed to be a perfect solution for farmers who need year-round cultivation and predictable daytime irrigation.

“SunEdison’s solar water pump solution addresses and enables a large and growing market. It is a tremendous opportunity for us to grow our business and help people transform their lives.”
- Ahmad Chatila, President and CEO of SunEdison

There are about 26 million irrigation pumps in India and of this, about 8 million run on diesel power with the rest using grid power. The solar powered pumps will enable farmers to grow cash crops that require predictable irrigation and more importantly, they will be able to utilize land that they previously could not irrigate.


The company expects this innovation to help farmers to increase crop yield by delivering reliable irrigation without dependence on expensive diesel fuel or intermittent electrical power supply. Photo: PR-newswire


Pump features

The solar pumping systems are designed to be rugged, and provide best-in-class performance. It is fitted with high-efficiency 3-phase AC pump complete with pump controller, VSD.

Rugged industrial design ensures reliable performance in the most adverse operating conditions and ensures reliable and safe operation for over 15 years, while allowing for easy maintenance.

How much

The solar water pump will cost around Rs 6 lakhs (RM30,900) which is quite expensive for the rural poor but with some innovative partnership between interested business organisations and the government, this should be made affordable to many.


TheGreenMechanics: The report mentioned that the company has already installed 250 such systems across India, and that the next generation of the solar pumps, which the company is planning to launch, would supply power to farmers' houses as well.

This is indeed a great intended progression of such initiative. No household should be deprive of power, not even those in the rural area.

1 MW solar PV installed on Verona’s Bentegodi football stadium

Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi stadium in Verona, Italy, is the home of both Chievo Verona and Hellas Verona football teams of Serie A and Serie B respectively.


Impressive! Over 13,300 photovoltaic solar panels are installed on its roof. Photo - Knowledge Allianz


What's interesting is that the dome of Verona’s Bentegodi stadium has now become the largest photovoltaic sports complex roof in Italy. PV solar panels with a total installed capacity of 1MW help reducing annual C0₂ emissions by more than 550 tons.

Commissioned at the end of November 2009, there are a total of 13,321 thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar modules on the rooftop, mounted on aluminum mounting system. It uses 141 SMC 7000HV inverters to 'collect' power.


Do we have a case here?

Bukit Jalil Stadium is among the Top-10 largest football stadium in the world. Top spot used to be Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, although it had been reduced significantly after redesigned.


100,000 capacity Bukit Jalil National Stadium is bigger than Manchester United's Old Trafford.
Photo - funonthenet



Likas Stadium, Kota Kinabalu. Photo - Skyscrapper


This is something to think about for the 100,000-seat capacity Bukit Jalil Stadium, or the 35,000 capacity Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu. By comparison, Verona's Bentegodi stadium capacity is 38,400 - not too far different from our humble Likas Stadium.

We are not asking that our stadiums be covered or shaded with solar panel; it's just an idea. It's good for space saving and at the same time provide clean power for the sport complex.