Ontario opens application window for small solar PV FiT projects

To benchmark, Malaysia's FiT rates for small solar PV (2013) are:

• up to 4kW        - RM1.1316/kWh  (US$0.36/kWh)
• 4kW to 24kW   - RM1.040/kWh    (US$0.33/kWh)
• 24kW to 72kW - RM0.9440/kWh  (US$0.30/kWh)
• 72kW to 1MW  - RM0.9120/kWh  (US$0.29/kWh)

In the province of Ontario in Canada, small FiT projects (rooftop) attract the following rates:

• Between 10 kW and 100 kW     - CAD$0.345/kWh (US$0.33/kWh)
• Above 100 kW & below 500 kW - CAD$0.329/kWh (US$0.314/kWh)

For micro sized installations we seem to have better rates, which shows the government's commitment to get more individuals and home owners to participate in the clean energy generation. But, available quota and allocation seem to show otherwise. We have very limited quota for small sized installation in Malaysia.


Fort William First Nation 10.8MW solar farm in Thunder Bay, Ontario, is one of the biggest PV plants in Canada. Photo - Skypower


Great window of opportunity for Ontario

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has opened the application window for 'small FIT projects' – defined as projects above 10 kW and, generally, below 500 kW, in capacity.

The OPA will award FIT payment contracts for up to 123.5 MW of small projects as it has a stated 70 MW procurement target for 2013 and has 53.5 MW of outstanding capacity left over from the previous small project application window.

The deadline for applications is on December 13 and, according to the price schedule published by the OPA in August, rooftop projects between 10 kW and 100 kW in size will qualify for a FIT rate of CAD$0.345/kWh (US$0.33/kWh) and those above 100 kW in capacity will earn CAD$0.329/kWh. Non-rooftop small projects will earn CAD$0.288/kWh.

The OPA is also accepting applications for its unconstructed rooftop solar pilot program, for systems on houses yet to be constructed, and has 15 MW of capacity available separately for this scheme.

The announcement of the opening of the small FIT project application window by the OPA goes on to add the preparation of procurement arrangements for PV projects larger than 500 kW in size 'is currently ongoing' and will be announced in due course.


TheGreenMechanics' two cents

What Ontario is doing is actually very interesting. They open up FiT quota for a period of time according to prevailing situation and requirements. This way, they make the offer very attractive during the window so that individuals and corporations who are 'ready' can grab the opportunity and quickly put the projects to work.

Next window could be totally different - in a good way or otherwise - depending on our state of readiness. I'm sure, the guys at SEDA Malaysia are keeping abreast with changes and development in other countries.

Polish city of Lublin welcomes solar powered buses

In public transportation system, buses and trains have always been the suitable vehicles to install solar panels. This is primarily due to their flat and wide roofs. I'm pretty sure many of us have thought about this idea.

What MPK Lublin Ltd in Poland did was to put this into work.

If you think our cities don't have the market to make this feasible, Lublin is a city with just about 350,000 inhabitants.


The system's payback period is estimated at a mere 2 years. Image by AGM


Lublin powers buses with solar cell from Midsummer

In a move to reduce energy consumption and make public transport 'grenner', the Polish city of Lublin has installed flexible thin film solar cells from Midsummer on the roofs of its municipal buses.

The Municipal Transport Company (MPK) in Lublin has installed photovoltaic thin film CIGS solar panels on its buses' roofs. The solar panels turn solar energy into electric energy and are used to load the buses’ batteries. This will decrease the buses' alternators load, leading to lower fuel consumption and bringing both economic and ecological profits.

Potential savings are estimated at up to 8,000 zloty (1,900 euro) per bus per year. The system's payback period is estimated at a mere two years, taking into consideration only the fuel consumption reduction and not the overall environmental benefits. After two years, the solar energy solution will create compound surpluses for MPK for the remainder of the panels’ life span that will outlast the lifetime of the bus.

The Lublin solar bus project will initially run for two years, after which it will be evaluated. The first solar bus is already in operation.

The thin film solar cells have been manufactured by Midsummer, a leading Swedish supplier of equipment for cost effective manufacturing of CIGS thin film flexible solar cells, and installed on MPK’s fleet of Scania buses. The project is a cooperation between MPK and the Lublin University of Technology.


Ideal for vehicles and buildings

"As opposed to the more traditional silicon-based solar cells, thin film CIGS solar panels are flexible and light weight and therefore ideal to be mounted on moving vehicles – and also on many buildings, landfills etc," said Sven Lindström, CEO, Midsummer. "If a city in north central Europe can install thin film solar panels on its public transport vehicles with energy cost efficiency and a short payback period, imagine the potential for larger cities in sunnier parts of the world for introducing solar energy to its vehicles and buildings."
"We firmly believe that thin film CIGS solar cells are the solar cells of the future. They are increasingly efficient and have many advantages over traditional silicon-based solar cells. They are durable, can withstand vibrations, can be curved and bent, and can be manufactured cost-efficiently in small volumes."

Midsummer’s "DUO" is a unique and compact CIGS turn-key system with a 5 MW annual production capacity. Midsummer’s CIGS cells looks like crystalline silicon solar cells, but are made on stainless steel substrates. This makes the cells suitable not only for regular solar panels, but also for flexible, light weight panels that can be used on membrane roofs, landfills or other structures where the traditional glass modules cannot be applied.

"The thin film panels on the buses in Lublin are characterized by flexibility and shock resistance," said Professor Miroslaw Wendeker from the Faculty of Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics and Aerospace Propulsion at University of Technology in Lublin in an earlier interview with the Polish Press Agency. "These cells have better absorption feature than traditional silicon wafers. They can be configured at will and placed on any roof."

MPK Lublin Ltd. is the biggest public transport carrier in Lublin with a fleet of 60 trolleybuses and 215 buses. Lublin is a city on eastern Poland with a population of approx. 350,000 inhabitants.

TheGreenMechanics: Kuala Lumpur and Georgetown seem like great cities to start with an initiative.


News source: pv-magazine

Housetec Sdn Bhd launched solar generator for the local market

Sometime ago I wrote about Solarator, the portable 600W solar power generator that costs as much as $6,500 (more than RM20,000) and people asked where and when will this be available.

I suppose the Solarator's price would be too prohibitive for the masses. But a new portable solar power generator is now available locally thanks to Housetec (M) Sdn Bhd.


Housetec Korea Group Chairman Keun Moon explaining to the delegates. Sinar Harian photo


Housetec to market portable solar generator in Malaysia

Housetec (M) Sdn Bhd has recently launched the first compact solar power generator for the local market. It plans to first introduce the product to the ministries, departments and other government agencies followed by individual consumers in the rural areas, fishermen, etc, at a later date.

Several solar based products were introduced during the signing of memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the company and  ANGKASA (Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Bhd) in Kuala Lumpur.

For the time being, Housetec is targeting ANGKASA members but the products would be extended to the masses soon.


Products offered

Very little was made known through the report by Sinar Harian, but from the information seen on ANGKASA's official FB page, these are two of the products on offer:

• SG-80 Multi Solar System: This system enables you to operate/ power-up TV, laptops, fans, lights, etc.
• SG-24 Solar Lighting System: This system enables you to to power up Housetec's LED lighting series

TheGreenMechanics: This initiative shows that there is now improved awareness in the solar-based technologies as an alternative source of energy that is environmentally friendly. You may want to check it out with ANGKASA for more details should you be interested.


Source

Petronas Solar PV project wins Asean Energy Award 2013

Earlier this year, I posted about ASEAN Energy Award 2013 program to reward individuals and organisations that promote the implementation of renewable energy (RE) in Asean nations.

For the Malaysian sub-sector, SEDA was the coordinator and owners/managers of the better managed RE installations get to compete at the regional level. Our strong contender, Petronas, won one of the trophies at the ASEAN Energy Award 2013 ceremony in Bali, Indonesia last month.


The solar PV installed on the rooftop of Suria KLCC. Photo: de engineur


Petronas' rooftop solar PV emerged 2nd place

PETRONAS’ Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project which has been installed on Suria KLCC shopping mall rooftop emerged as first runner-up in the Commercial Based On-Grid Category of the ASEAN Energy Award 2013.

The project, which was PETRONAS’ first venture into renewable energy, uses six different types of solar technologies with the objective to study and identify a solar technology that applies well with the Malaysia’s climate.


Apart from the rooftop solar PV, the shopping mall is also decorated with greenery. Photo: de engineur


The 685 kWp system installed on the 9,000 square-meter rooftop is able to generate power capacity up to 600 megawatt hours per year. This is equivalent to generating clean energy for 250 typical Malaysian households annually with an average consumption of 50,000 kilowatt hours each month.

The clean energy generated from the system currently supplies 30% of Suria KLCC’s energy requirement. It also contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission by approximately 360 tonnes carbon dioxide (CO2) annually.

The Solar PV Project signifies PETRONAS’ commitment towards sustainable development and paves the way for it to explore opportunities in green and renewable energy.

The winner of the Commercial Based On-Grid Category of the ASEAN Energy Award 2013 was the Sathingphra District in Songkla Province, Thailand for its electricity-generating wind turbine project.

The Asean Energy Award 2013 received 18 participations from across ASEAN countries vying for recognition for their outstanding works in renewable energy and best energy efficiency practices.


Source: Bernama

Singapore Housing Development Board is tendering out 5MW solar-leasing project

Just about a week ago, report surfaced that Singapore is installing its largest to-date rooftop solar PV with rated capacity of 1.2MW.

Few days ago, PV magazine reported another encouraging solar news from the city state - The Housing Development Board (HDB) is currently drawing up plans for the largest single solar-leasing project to date comprising 5MW in total in four precints on the main island.


First solar-leasing project in Punggol to develope 3MWp systems by Sunseap is currently on-going. Photo by Sunseap Enterprises Pte Ltd


Plan for 5MWp solar-leasing system at housing blocks

The tender is for prospective company to own and operate the panels on about 125 housing blocks in four precints:

• Ang Mo Kio
• Sengkang
• Serangoon North, and
• Buangkok.

The total solar electricity generated is expected to be around 5MW. This capacity can power more than 1,000 four-room HDB apartments. The HDB will be offsetting up to 30% of the start-up costs and will also purchase the electricity generated for 20 years at a 5% or greater discount off the prevailing market price.

The solar electricity generated will then be used to power the corridors, lifts, water pumps and other ancillary common areas in the apartment blocks. The HDB also wants to look into the possibility of households being able to buy solar generated electricity.

The HDB is a statutory board of the Ministry of National Development and is responsible for public housing in Singapore where as many as 80% of the population live.


Current project in Punggol

In January this year the HDB awarded a tender to solar developer Sunseap to lease 3MWp systems for 80 blocks in Singapore's first eco-town in Punggol. Installation works are expected to be completed by 2014. In this project, Sunseap will design, finance, install, operate and maintain the solar PV systems.


TheGreenMechanics: Solar leasing project - No FiT involved in the Singapore case here, but with innovation and creative ideas, developers and the local government can work together to arrive at a win-win conclusion.

Can we do that in Malaysia?


Reference: pv magazine

Protecting solar projects with Insurance

I read about this in the regular update I got from Renewable Energy World magazine and I thought it makes a lot of sense protecting your solar PV investment with insurance.

Insuring your solar project is always a wise move especially if you are to sign a 21-year contract with the local public utility. The article discussed mostly on large scale projects but with the emergence of many  individual rooftop solar PV installations in this country, it is a very interesting preposition for both the insurance companies and the individual investors.


Take a shelter! Image by REW


Think about the 12kWp solar PV on your rooftop worth RM120,000 which you've entered REPPA with TNB for 21 years.

Somewhere down the road, say, 10 years later, something happened to the panels, some vandals broke them, or the panels don't meet the promised performance on energy output. Your ROI could be prolonged further, or worse still, you could never recoup your investment.

So, where there is risk, there is mitigative measure required.


Why insure? Insurance premium will eat away my already thin profit margin!

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) warranties would normally be already factored in during the project costing. These warranties are one of the most relied upon methods to reduce risk in the solar industry, but there are other things to consider, such as:

• Warranties commonly exclude defects caused by failing to properly maintain the product, limit liability for damages and include disclaimers for implied warranties.


• They also do not cover the cost of labor for repairs or shipping costs.


• Manufacturers are the ultimate arbitrator of whether a problem with the equipment is deemed defective and covered by the warranty or not.


• A warranty from a foreign manufacturer may be difficult to enforce if that company’s provisions are governed by laws and regulations of their home country.


• A warranty could include a jurisdiction requiring privity of contract, which voids a warranty unless the party seeking to enforce its terms purchased the product directly from the manufacturer.


• And the biggest concern, of course, is that the manufacturer may not exist to honor their warranty 5 or 10 years from now. It may be impossible to make a claim and have it honored once a company is dissolved.

TheGreenMechanics: A good reminder for prospective rooftop solar photovoltaic investors such as myself and you. Also, for the huge corporate players, but being the bigger investors themselves, this would have probably been taken cared of at the very beginning.


Further readings at Renewable Energy World

Panasonic’s high-efficiency solar module now in full production

Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sbn Bhd, a solar module manufacturing plant established by Panasonic Corporation in December 2011 at Kulim Hi-Tech Park, has started full-scale production with an annual production capacity of 300MW.


Panasonic Corporation officials with Kedah state government and MIDA representatives during the official opening. Photo: The Borneo Post


Panasonic Kulim Factory Overview 

Factory:	Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Location:	Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah, Malaysia
Establishment:	December 2011
Products:	HIT® solar modules
Floor space:	Approx. 70,000 m²
Production capacity:	300 MW annually

Panasonic begins full-scale production at 300 MW Solar Module factory in Malaysia (Heterojunction with Instrinsic Thin-layer, HIT)

The solar plant manufactures HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) solar modules. The RM1.84 billion solar manufacturing plant started operation in December 2012. The Kulim plant is pushing Panasonic’s overall annual production capacity to 900MW.

The new manufacturing facility plays an important role in helping Panasonic meet robust solar demand in addition to delivering cost competitiveness.

The Panasonic HIT solar modules offer top-class solar cell conversion efficiency of up to 22%.

The global solar market is expected to grow further with increasing environmental awareness and the introduction of stimulus measures such as the feed-in tariffs and subsidies in various countries, including Japan and Malaysia. In less than a year, the Kulim plant has reached its full-scale production.

“Our solar factory adopts a fully integrated solar manufacturing system that converts wafers to solar cells and modules. This helps strengthen our cost competitiveness through reduced transportation costs and the use of local materials."
- Yasuyoshi Kawanishi, managing director of Panasonic Energy Malaysia.

Doing the environment a favour, Panasonic HIT solar modules play a leading role in reducing carbon footprint while enabling more and more people to have access to clean energy.

Japan remains the largest importing country at the moment.


Source: The Borneo Post

Annual solar radiations in different cities in Malaysia

Two places where you'd get the best solar radiation in Malaysia are Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) and Bayan Lepas (Penang), with the former as the best spot.

It's a shame we do not have the SEDA Feed-in Tariff (FiT) in place in Sabah and Sarawak.

Table 1: Annual solar radiation in different cities/town in Malaysia
* Source - Sustainable Energy and Environment Forum

Table 1 shows that every square meter of solar panel produces a sum of 1,900 kWh of energy per year on average in Kota Kinabalu, compared to only 1,571 kWh in Kuala Lumpur.

Annual average value per square metre of solar cell.

Kota Kinabalu which receives a sum of 1900 kWh/m2 per year can be said to have received 1900 hours of sun per year at 1 kW/m2; or 5.2 hours of sun per day at 1 kW/m2

This means that for every square meter of solar panel you get around 5.2kWh of energy per day.

For a 1.48m x 0.67m panel with 15% efficiency, you get 0.78kWh of energy per panel per day. A 12-panel residential solar PV system will generate 280kWh/month*

In comparison, similar panel installed in Kuala Lumpur would give 232kWh/month*

*Some system integrators insist that PV panels continue to generate energy beyond the "5.2 peak sun hours", thus giving income of more than the estimated figures.

Income generated at both locations

Take the above installation size, and take the current FiT for solar PV of RM1.37/kWh, you generate and sell electricity to TNB from the roof of your home or car garage at:

K.Kinabalu     : RM383.60 per month or RM4,603 annually

K.Lumpur       : RM317.80 per month or RM3,814  annually

Note: With the current technology, more energy can be squeezed out of a 1 m2 than before; therefore, you use less area on your rooftop to generate similar amount of energy.

As you can see, location makes a lot of difference. Folks in Sabah and Penang are primely located, which makes you wonder why the Sabah state government is not willing to contribute to the Renewable Energy Fund to get the people to enjoy the same benefit as of those in West Malaysia.

The levy is just 1% of the the monthly electricity bills and it affects only the bigger energy users, i.e, those paying more than RM77 per month.

Alternatively, the state government can set aside an annual budget and pay to the fund holders at SEDA Malaysia for the first, say, 3 years. Thereafter, let the consumers pay the 1% levy just like those in peninsula.

Best spots to generate renewable energy through solar - the northern states. Image credit: SEE Forum

TheGreenMechanics: Again, it's a shame Renewable Energy FiT is not applicable in Sabah.

Author's note: This article was edited for correction on 3 December 2019.

No grid power, no problem!

                               Image credit: US Solar Institute


I really hope I can say so.

With power failure so frequent (almost on weekly basis - we had one last night), I really hope I can power up my home with solar, like Mr. Island-man.

Solar PV market worth $134 billion by 2020

Being the third-largest deployed renewable technology globally (after small hydro and wind), the world passed the 100 GW mark in cumulative installed photovoltaic capacity in 2012.

By 2020, cumulative installation is predicted to more than quadruple at 438 GW worldwide. Pretty remarkable, eh?

Annual revenue from solar installations will top $134 billion by 2020

Market analyst Navigant Research has predicted annual revenues from PV installations worldwide will top US$134 billion by 2020.

The company's report predicts most government renewable energy installation targets will be met in coming years resulting in 438 GW of cumulative installations worldwide over the next seven years.

Navigant Research predicts solar will be able to stand as a viable competitor to conventional electricity independent of incentives in 2017, a year after the tax credit for solar investment in the U.S. falls to 10%.

The release predicts solar will be cost competitive with electricity without subsidies across 'most of the world' by 2020.

Navigant's Dexter Gauntlett says financial incentives, government renewables targets and technology cost reductions remain the three forces driving the adoption of solar.


Source: PV magazine

Residential Solar PV system financing packages by Senheng

Climate is certainly good for the solar PV industry in Malaysia; at least where financing is concerned.

Just a couple of months ago, Alliance Bank Bhd came up with Home Complete Plus-Solar Panel Financing. Then, earlier this month, Bank Muamalat became the second bank in Malaysia to offer financing for solar PV under the Home Solar Rooftop Programme by SEDA.

Simplified details of the 3 packages offered by Senheng

Latest to join in the bandwagon is Senheng Electric (KL) Sdn Bhd, an electrical and electronic retail chain store with more than 130 outlets nationwide, with its financing package themed “Green Energy, Green Money”. It is slightly different in that the package includes consulting, installation and maintenance of the solar PV system, whereas Alliance Bank and Bank Muamalat only provide financing after the customer has fulfilled all the installation requirement on his own.


Green Energy, Green Money

The theme “Green Energy, Green Money” is derived from the idea that the residential solar PV system is one of the most effective ways in producing green energy, while at the same time able to provide a source of income. Consumers will now be able to play a very important role in decreasing the harmful impact of traditional energy sources (fuel, coal, etc) to the environment, whilst generating a side income.


3 Packages available

Senheng offers 3 residential solar PV system packages, all come with free first 3 years maintenance service:-

4kWp system - cost around RM40,800

8kWp system - cost around RM81,600

12kWp system - cost around RM122,400

Senheng provides 85% financing with special low interest rate for customers, and as a carrot, customers are entitled to 15% cash rebate after full installation.


Availability

This will initially be available only at Klang Valley Senheng outlets and senQ Digital Stations, but the company will expand to other states over time.


TheGreenMechanics:

Very attractive prepositions, especially with the 15% cash rebate upon full completion. A bold move by the company. But the 'special low interest rate' now seems like a distant reality as the company needs to recoup the rebate amount - RM6,120, RM12,240 and RM18,360 - respectively for each package.

Note: The total revenue and total surplus mentioned in the brochure are only estimations. Actual revenue will be determined by weather condition and efficiency of the solar PV system.

An interesting alternative though, for the consumers.

Reference: Senheng Electrical website

Rooftop gone green: Wright idea, Wrong execution

"We're saving so much money with our new solar panels that we can now burn our parking lot lights 24 hours a day!"

Image credit: Kimcorealty

Peru pursues Solar for the masses

Peru is looking to its future with new plans to use solar to provide electricity for about 2 million of its poorest residents by the end of 2016.

Peru is the third largest country in South America and has a population of 24 million. Solar power will cover roughly 10% of its population. Image credit: www.letstravelsomewhere.com


The country, which is the world’s second largest exporter of copper, is experiencing strong demand for new electric generation to support its mining and other operations. As such, it needs to add 500 MW of new electric generation annually for the next few years. In all it plans to add in 2.1 gigawatts of new electric generation.


The Solar Power option

The solar being installed will only be a part of the larger target, which includes hydro-electric and gas-fired electric generating power plants. The country, will add in 1 GW of hydro-electric, 800 MW of gas-diesel power plants and 300 MW of renewable energy.

When completed, “The National Photovoltaic Household Electrification Program” and other programs will allow 95% of Peru’s population access to electricity. While that’s not everyone, it’s a pretty high percentage of the population and it’s a rapid ramp up. Right now, about 66% of the country’s population has access to electricity in the mountain-rich country.

“This program is aimed at the poorest people, those who lack access to electric lighting and still use oil lamps, spending their own resources to pay for fuels that harm their health.”
-Peru Energy and Mining Minister, Jorge Merino.

Under the first phase of the program 500,000 homes will get access to power from roughly 12,500 PV arrays, and is expected to cost $200 million, which is only part of the $3 billion that Peru plans to spend on new electric generation.


Powering the rural folks

By bringing access to electricity throughout so much of the country, this could help propel its economy and help more of its citizens get access to health services, refrigeration, water filtering and more. It can also bring more of Peru's rural areas out of poverty.

United Nations Development Programme's 2012 Human Development Index reports that about half of its people are poor and 20% of its people are considered extremely poor.


TheGreenMechanics's two cents:
$3 billion (approx RM9.8 billion) could well benefit the folks in the rural areas of Malaysia, plus, improvement of the power supply system in Sabah. Peru is targetting a completion of this project in 2016. We certainly don't need 10 years (year 2023) to solve the power supply woes in Sabah.


Original article was posted here.

Friday's Gone Green: Solar powered F1 car?

I wish.

But Formula 1 has never been associated with energy saving. In fact these machines are petrol drinkers, plus, they are the biggest producers of piercing noise, you can hear them kilometres away from the actual sports arena.

"Yeah, I'm in pole position!". Image credit: US Solar

A solar-powered golf buggy would be more like it.

But I'm pretty sure the legendary F1 driver, Michael Schumacher and the current champion Sebastian Vettel would be impressed with a solar-powered pinnacle car.

China invests nearly $40 billion in international renewable energy projects

China is known to rank first in the world in attracting clean energy investment, receiving US$ 65.1 billion in 2012.

But new analysis shows that China is increasingly becoming a global force in international clean energy investment, too. Between 2002 and 2012, the country has provided nearly $40 billion (RM126.4 billion) to other countries’ solar and wind industries.

A new update in the findings should include Malaysia in the destination countries list. We have China's investment in West Malaysia and the recent launching of Solar wafer manufacturing plant in Kuching Sarawak.

Figure 1: China's top 10 destination countries for the 2002-2012 period. Source

This investment is consistent with a broader trend of major emerging economies like China, India, and Brazil becoming important sources of global overseas investments.

China’s overseas Wind and Solar investments

Research shows that Chinese companies have made at least 124 investments in solar and wind industries in 33 countries over the past decade (2002 – 2011), more than half of which were made in 2010 and 2011 (see Figure 1). The wind/solar investment by the numbers:-

1. Of the 54 investments for which financial data were available, the cumulative amount invested came to nearly US$40 billion.
2. China invested roughly US$10 billion in 16 wind projects and US$27.5 billion in 38 solar investments.
3. Of 53 investments with capacity data available, the cumulative installed capacity added was nearly 6,000 MW.
4. The majority of investments were in electricity generation. Several investments were made in manufacturing facilities and to establish sales and marketing offices.
5. Most of the investments were in developed countries. A huge amount went to the United States, as well as Germany, Italy, and Australia.
6. A handful of developing countries—including South Africa, Pakistan, and Ethiopia—also attracted multiple investments.

Drivers and challenges to China's overseas investments

Both wind turbine and solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing industries have grown substantially – in 2010, four Chinese companies from each industry ranked among world’s top 10 manufacturers for wind turbine and solar PV respectively.

However, their market bases are quite different – China’s wind industry relies on its vast yet oversupplied domestic market, whereas the solar industry relies on the international market for 95% of its sales.

Both industries need to boost sales in international markets, which has not always been easy. Chinese wind companies are relatively new entrants to the international markets.

Declining subsidies in the European solar market have decreased demand for Chinese solar products. As a result, direct investments overseas are seen as a way of retaining and expanding market share, typically through creating demand for the export of products.


Read more at Environmental Expert

World's largest solar-powered boat sails to study climate change

Name           : MS Tûranor PlanetSolar , Owner : PlanetSolar
Builder         : Knierim Yachtbau, Kiel, Germany
Cost             : €15 million
Launched     : 31 March 2010

Length           : 31 m (35 m with flaps)
Beam            : 15 m (23m with flaps)
Propulsion     : 2 Permanent Magnet Synchronous Electrical Motors - 60kW each (max) @ 1600 rpm
                      2 Permanent Magnet Synchronous Electrical Motors - 10kW each (max) @ 1000 rpm
Speed           : 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)  - maximum
                       7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) - cruising

MS Tûranor PlanetSolar is the largest solar-powered boat in the world.

In a mission to study the Gulf Stream

NEW YORK: The world's largest fully solar-powered boat, Turanor PlanetSolar, docked in New York on June18, 2013 during a mission to study the effects of climate change on the Gulf Stream current.

Sponsored in part by the Swiss government, the 35-metre (115-foot) catamaran is crowned with solar panels that retract in port but open like a bird's wings to take best advantage of the sun's rays when at sea. Weighing in at 90 tonnes, it travels at an average five knots.

The ship set sail from La Ciotat in France just over two months ago. And since it has made stops including the southeastern US city of Miami on its information gathering mission on climate change and the Gulf current.

"I myself live in Brittany, west of France, and we are very worried. We all know that if the Gulf Stream changes, even a little bit, our climate will deteriorate quiet a lot."
- Gerard d'Aboville, the boat's French captain.

The Gulf Stream sends a huge mass of warmer water from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic, giving Atlantic Europe a relatively temperate climate for its l

It also keeps areas it crosses in the Americas, such the West Indies, from being excessively arid.

PlanetSolar will be cruising through August with stops planned in Boston, Newfoundland, Iceland and Norway.

"Our goal is to understand the complex interactions between physics, biology and climate ... to refine climate simulation," said Martin Beniston of the Institute of Environmental Sciences at the University of Geneva. - AFP


Image credit: Fievet/AFP via Designyourrust

Solar jokes Saturday: rooftop panels

New heat-trap on your roof, Billy?


                         Image credit: US solar institute

Solar cell that supplies energy and self-charge simultaneously

The reason solar power is expensive is partly due to the need for energy storage (battery). The cost of storage battery in a solar PV system is said to be as much as 40% of the total system installation cost.

So, when a group of research team from the University of Wisconsin in Madison demonstrated the viability of a design for solar panels that can generate and store energy from sunlight in a single device, it is something that many think as dream come true.

We may be able to get rid of this battery soon. Image credit: eurocosm.com

Unlike other solar cells, apart from producing electricity, the panels would also store electrons on zinc oxide nanowires coated with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer.

The energy stored during the day could be used to run the lights at night or on cloudy days. Put simply, the panel also acts as battery.

The high dielectric characteristic of the PVDF makes it suitable for energy storage.

Although the system has only about 4% efficiency - pretty low compared about 24% efficiency of most commercial solar panels in use today - the prospect for alternative storage solution is quite promising.

More research should be done. If prices of solar panels can be reduced at great pace, advancement in finding alternative storage solutions should be no different.

"When there's no sunlight, the stored power will come back through the nano wires to power the load. We can have some energy set aside locally, right in the panel, so that when you need it, you can get it."
Hongrui Jiang, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Reference and further reading:
a) Innovative solar cell structure - UW-Madison

Frequently asked questions about Solar PV System

Let's get back to basic.

The followings are some of the most commonly asked questions about Solar PV System. People's awareness have slightly increased since the implementation of the FiT mechanism in 2011.

Grid-connected Solar Photovoltaic system. Image source: ehomecomfort.com


Q: What is a Solar Photovoltaic System (PV system) about?

A: Photovoltaic systems (PV system) use PV module to convert sunlight into electricity. A PV system is made up of different components other than PV modules. These include an inverter for a utility-grid-connected system and when alternating current (AC) rather than direct current (DC) is required; wiring; and mounting structure.

Q: Benefits of Renewable Energy

A: Renewable energy sources are clean and inexhaustible. And as the name tells us it is renewable and does not use resources that can never be replaced. Hence, Renewable Energy has a much lower environmental impact than conventional sources of energy.

Q: How long do photovoltaic (PV) systems last?

A: Basically, PV systems are designed, installed, and maintained to operate for more than 20 years. The basic PV module (interconnected, enclosed panel of PV cells) has no moving parts and typically has lifespan of 25 years above.

Q:How do I know if I have enough sunlight for PV?

A: A photovoltaic (PV) system needs unobstructed access to the sun's rays for most of the daytime. Shading on the system can significantly reduce energy output. Hence, visual assessment on the building is needed to determine if the location is suitable for installation.

Q: What is Feed in tariff and when was it implemented?

A: Malaysia's Renewable Energy Act 2010 came into effect on 1st December 2011.

Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) is a policy mechanism designed to accelerate investment in technologies by allowing eligible Renewable Electricity Generator selling back the generated electricity they produced to the TNB/SESB at higher tariff rate.

Q: How Feed in tariff (FiT) can benefit citizens of Malaysia?

A: Its implementation allows individuals to earn income by selling electricity generated from renewable resources at home. Under the RE Act, the public will be able to sell electricity generated from RE to utility companies such as TNB at higher tariff rate (from RM1.20/kWh and above) for a contract period of 21 years with TNB.

Q: What is the payback of the system?

A: A system producing 5kWp of electricity at home will generate electricity of more than 15 units (15 kWh) per day converted to earning more than RM600 a month through selling back of generated electricity to TNB. Payback for the total system cost and maintenance will be less than 10 years (quoting Green Innotech S/B).

Q: What are the application of PV system?

A:PV system is best suited on most of landed residence. It can be installed on roof top of landed residence, commercial building such as shop lots and office, factory, and petrol station etc.

Q: How big a solar energy system do I need?

A: The size of solar system needed depends on several factors such as

• how much electricity you use, 
• the size of your roof, and
• how much you're willing to invest. 

Also, do you want the system to supply your complete energy usage or to supplant a portion of your higher cost energy usage? Check out SEDA Malaysia website for more information.

Solar PV quota of over 9 MW fully allocated within 15 minutes after quota re-opens

Last week, SEDA Malaysia released PV quota of 9MW from previously submitted applications made on 2^nd April 2013 which were unsuccessful.

Summary:

Total quota                        : 9 MW
Total allocated                  : 15.2046 MW
Reason for 'over allocation'    : Previously unsuccessful, & many applicant applied for larger PV capacities

Quota opened                    : 23^rd May 2013, noon
Quota fully allocated         : Within 15 minutes after opening
Total no. of applications    : 70
Application success rate    : Slightly over 50% (that's a very high failure rate!)


Note: The high number of rejection of application (unsuccessful applicant) is due to poor submission quality. In other words, online applications submitted without fulfilling the requirement by SEDA.

The Green Mechanics:
It is hoped that SEDA Malaysia will conduct more trainings, workshops, and briefing on the potentials of Solar PV and the procedure for correct submissions. SEDA must conduct these free-of-charge and not collecting fees.

There should be fund allocation for 'marketing the idea', training, nationwide campaign and awareness, and other promotional activities. That is why there is 1% levy on heavy energy users.

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FEED-IN TARIFF: SEDA MALAYSIA RELEASED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC QUOTA OF PREVIOUSLY UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS

Putrajaya, Thursday (23rd May 2013): The Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA Malaysia) today at 12 noon released just over 9 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) quota. This quota was from previously submitted solar PV feed-in approval (FiA) applications made on the 2nd April 2013 which were unsuccessful. The 9 MW quota was fully allocated within 15 minutes after opening of quota.

Although a series of workshop had been organized to brief the PV service providers and potential PV investors, Puan Badriyah noted that the submission quality was rather poor resulting in nearly 50% unsuccessful applications.

According to the CEO of SEDA Malaysia, Puan Badriyah Abdul Malek, the total number of applicants for this opening of solar PV quota was 70 and the total capacity allocated was 15.2046 MW.

“The seemingly additional capacity from 9 MW to 15.2046 MW was because most applicants apply for larger PV capacities which had lower FiT rates and some were ground-mounted applications meaning a lower FiT rate because bonus rates for building applications would not be applicable,” said Badriyah.

“We hope this time round, the PV service providers and their clients would be more vigilant in providing quality submissions with full compliance to the requirements,” said Badriyah. After all, it is SEDA Malaysia’s vision to see renewable energy grow in meaningful scale and Renewable Energy (RE) Fund is expended in impactful ways.

The RE Fund was established through the enforcement of the Renewable Energy Act 2011 and is an important part of the FiT mechanism approved by the Government to spear head the growth of the renewable energy in the country.

The main function of the RE Fund is to pay the tariff for electricity generated from renewable sources by renewable energy producers and individuals under the FiT mechanism. It is established from the collection of 1% additional charge on all electricity consumers effective since 1st December 2011 although domestic consumers that have electricity bills of not more than RM77 (or consumed not more than 300 kWh) per month will be exempted from contributing to the RE Fund.

The fund is managed and administered by SEDA Malaysia. On this note, the CEO of SEDA Malaysia assures that the fund is managed with prudence, integrity, transparency, and full accountability. These are the core values embraced by SEDA Malaysia.


Source: Press Release by SEDA Malaysia