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China builds Solar Power Photovoltaic in desert

March 2, 2015, 3:17 am
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China is building a huge photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation base in the Ulan Buh Desert, the country's eighth largest desert, to boost new energy development.

The base is located in Dengkou County in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
A number of energy companies are expected to invest 4.9 billion yuan (797 million U.S. dollars) within three years in PV power projects with a combined installation capacity of 500 megawatts (mw), said Yuan Haiwen, deputy head of the county's industrial park administration committee.
Investors include state-owned China Power Investment Corp. (CPIC), China Guodian Corp., Shenhua Guohua Power Co. Ltd. and the local Menghua Group.
A CPIC 50 mw PV power program began operation at the end of 2014.
Ecological rehabilitation will also be integrated in the base. An eight-meter gap between PV panels will provide space for sand grass, said Yuan.
China is the world's largest energy consumer and it is concerned with environmental pollution and energy security.
Installed capacity of hydro, wind energy and solar power is expected to stand at 350 gigawatts (gw), 200 gw and 100 gw by 2020, respectively, according to the Energy Development Strategy Action Plan (2014-2020) published in November.

http://www.evwind.es/2015/03/02/china-builds-solar-power-photovoltaic-in-desert/50736 


 
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Dow Chemical and NEST collaborate for Concentrated Solar Power

March 2, 2015, 3:26 am
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Dow, through an affiliate of The Dow Chemical Company, has announced its collaboration with Norwegian firm NEST (New Energy Storage Technology) AS on a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) pilot project in Abu Dhabi, in association with Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. The project, to be undertaken at Masdar’s ‘Beam Down’ Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) installation in Masdar City, will seek to study the feasibility and benefits of a novel TES system developed by NEST. Dow’s contribution to this project will be to supply 2.6 metric tons of DOWTHERMTM A, the industry-leading heat transfer fluid as well as provide associated technical support throughout the project.

 
Masdar’s Beam-down facility, a 100 kW concentrated solar power (CSP) pilot plant, is specifically designed to allow researchers to look into alternatives of employing solar energy in a more accessible way. Through these efforts, Dow, NEST and Masdar Institute aim to develop flexible, scalable and ultimately cost-effective solutions for the global CSP market.

Commenting on the relationship, Jon E. Bergan, Market & Strategic Analysis Manager at NEST said, “Bringing Dow on board to provide the heat transfer fluid and technical expertise on this critical pilot project made perfect sense for us. Backed by Dow’s world-class technology and vast industry knowledge, we are confident that our efforts will lead to significant strides in advancing thermal energy storage research.”

“Dow is a company that harnesses the power of chemistry and passionately innovates to address the world’s most challenging problems. We are therefore excited for this opportunity to bring our CSP expertise in collaboration with an innovation specialist such as NEST to help develop next-generation CSP solutions.” said Carolina Barrios, Strategic Marketing Manager for Industrial Solutions. “Also, given that this research will be carried out in the UAE, we are keen to study the potential of the new TES system to address the unique renewable energy needs of this region.”

DOWTHERMTM A Fluid, which has been employed in industrial heat transfer systems for more than 80 years, is a preferred product for a wide range of indirect heat transfer applications. Worldwide, 40 CSP plants filled with DOWTHERM™ A provide enough electrical generation capacity to meet the needs of more than one million homes at a savings of approximately 4.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. In the Middle East and Africa as well, Dow has been the supplier of choice for a number of large-scale CSP projects; notably, the Noor 1 160MW CSP Plant in Morocco and the Bokpoort 50MW CSP Plant in South Africa, both of which are currently under construction and due to go live later this year.

CSP uses parabolic mirrors to reflect and magnify heat from the sun onto a closed circulating loop containing DOWTHERM™ A Heat Transfer Fluid. The fluid collects the heat energy and transports it to a power station where it is used to produce steam, which drives turbines to generate electricity.
Solar power technology like CSP offers many advantages in regions that require reliable new sources of energy. The technology helps diversify energy supply, is capable of producing power during periods of peak demand, and reduces dependence on fossil fuels. When used instead of fossil fuel generation plants, CSP facilities offer improved air quality and can help many nations to address off-set goals for carbon emission produced by existing fossil fuel power plants. Unlike photovoltaic solar power and wind energy technologies, CSP plants can operate in conjunction with cost-effective thermal storage technology to deliver energy on-demand, making CSP a highly flexible source of renewable energy.

NEST was founded in 2011 to develop and commercialize an invention for a cost-effective, smart, modular, scalable Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system. The company has been awarded the patents for its technological innovation, and has further patents pending. In collaboration with partner companies NEST aims to provide complete EPC and turn-key thermal energy storage solutions to clients around the world. The company intends to realize effective and competitive technology for large-scale energy storage and offer energy storage systems on a broad front internationally to facilitate the ongoing market shift towards renewable energy sources and a more sustainable energy future.




 
 
 




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Eólica en Brasil: Parque eólico de Enel Green Power en Bahía

March 2, 2015, 12:20 pm
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La empresa de energías renovables Enel Green Power ha iniciado la construcción del parque eólico de Esperança, que comprende el segmento final del complejo de Serra Azul, situado al Norte de Bahía, en el Nordeste de Brasil.


La empresa de energías renovables Enel Green Power invertirá, aproximadamente, un total de 220 millones de dólares (195 millones de euros) en la construcción del complejo eólico de Serra Azul, en línea con los objetivos de crecimiento establecidos en el plan de negocio 2014-2018.
Con una capacidad total instalada de 118 megavatios (MW), una vez se encuentre en funcionamiento, el complejo eólico de Serra Azul será capaz de generar más de 500 gigavatios hora (GWh) de electricidad anuales, lo que equivale a las necesidades de consumo de unos 320.000 hogares brasileños.
Esta potencia eólica evitará la emisión a la atmósfera de más de 53.000 toneladas de CO2. La energía generada por el complejo eólico será vendida a través de contratos de suministro de energía, principalmente en el mercado regulado.
El complejo eólico, titularidad de Parque Eólico Serra Azul Ltda., sociedad filial de Enel Brasil Partecipaçoes Ltda., se completará y entrará en servicio a finales de 2015.
La inversión prevista se encuentra financiada parcialmente con un préstamo concedido por la Corporación Financiera Internacional (IFC, entidad miembro del Grupo Banco Mundial), así como con un crédito concedido por Itaú Unibanco. Ambos préstamos se encuentran vinculados a la construcción de parques eólicos en el noreste de Brasil.


   



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La primera termosolar de Sudáfrica abre sus puertas

March 2, 2015, 12:39 pm
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KaXu Solar One es la primera central termosolar en operación comercial de Sudáfrica.


Abengoa, compañía internacional de energías renovables y la financiera estatal, la Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), junto con KaXu Community Trust, han inaugurado hoy una central termosolar de 100 MW cerca de la ciudad de Pofadder (en la provincia de Northern Cape), con capacidad para abastecer de energía solar limpia y sostenible a aproximadamente 80.000 hogares de Sudáfrica.
 
Ebrahim Patel, ministro de Desarrollo Económico, ha inaugurado oficialmente esta termosolar. El acto ha contado también con la asistencia de Bulelani Magwanishe, viceministro de Empresas Públicas; directivos de Abengoa y de IDC y representantes de la comunidad local.
KaXu Solar One, la primera termosolar de Sudáfrica, incorpora un sistema de almacenamiento que permite la generación de 100 MW durante 2,5 horas tras la puesta del sol o durante la noche. El proyecto supondrá una inversión directa e indirecta de aproximadamente 891 M$ para Sudáfrica, generará aproximadamente 516 M$ en impuestos durante los próximos 20 años y ha creado más de 1.000 empleos durante el periodo de construcción durante estos tres años.
Este proyecto, una iniciativa público-privada, fue adjudicado por el Departamento de Energía de Sudáfrica y suministrará electricidad limpia y fiable a Eskom, la compañía eléctrica de Sudáfrica, en virtud de un acuerdo de compra de energía con una duración de 20 años. Abengoa es propietaria del 51 % del proyecto, IDC del 29 % y KaXu Community Trust del 20 %.
Manuel Sánchez Ortega, vicepresidente y consejero delegado de Abengoa, ha manifestado que "estamos muy orgullosos del papel que estamos jugando, colaborando con Sudáfrica para satisfacer su continua demanda de energía. Este proyecto beneficiará a la comunidad de Pofadder, Northern Cape, y a todo el país. No habría sido posible llevarlo a cabo sin el liderazgo y apoyo del Departamento de Energía de Sudáfrica”.
El director ejecutivo de la IDC, Geoffrey Qhena, ha declarado que "el proyecto se basa en una sólida asociación entre el sector público y el privado y forma parte de nuestros esfuerzos para apoyar las iniciativas del Gobierno para introducir fuentes de energía alternativas en la red energética del país, tal y como se contempla en el plan de recursos integrados”.
Fadiel Farao, presidente de KaXu Community Trust, considera que KaXu Solar One será un catalizador para el desarrollo económico del municipio de Khai Ma en Northern Cape. "El proyecto ha estimulado la economía local y va a ayudar a generar las tan necesitadas oportunidades económicas para los habitantes de esta área". KaXu Community Trust está compuesta por miembros de la comunidad local.
Abengoa también está desarrollando en esta región Khi Solar One, una central termosolar de 50 MW con tecnología de torre y ya ha comenzado la construcción de un tercer proyecto, Xina Solar One, una termosolar de colectores cilindroparabólicos de 100 MW. Xina Solar One junto a KaXu Solar One formarán la mayor plataforma de energía solar del África Subsahariana.




   


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The first Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) South Africa opens

March 2, 2015, 12:46 pm
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KaXu Solar One is the first Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant in commercial operation in South Africa.

Abengoa (MCE: ABG.B/P SM /NASDAQ: ABGB), the international company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainability in the energy and environmental sectors, and state-owned financier, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), together with KaXu Community Trust have launched a 100 MW solar plant near the town of Pofadder (Northern Cape Province), capable of providing clean and sustainable power to approximately 80,000 homes in South Africa.
Minister of Economic Development, Mr Ebrahim Patel, officially inaugurated this innovative solar power plant. They were accompanied by Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr. Bulelani Magwanishe, executives of Abengoa and IDC and representatives of the local community.
KaXu Solar One, the first Solar Thermal Electricity (STE) power plant in South Africa, incorporates a storage system that enables production of 100 MW for 2.5 hours after sunset or before dawn. The project will result in approximately USD 891 million direct and indirect investment inflows to South Africa, generate approximately USD 516 million in taxes over the next 20 years, and created 1,000 construction jobs during its three-year construction period.
This project, a well arranged public-private partnership, was awarded by the Department of Energy of South Africa and it will serve clean and reliable electricity to Eskom, South Africa's power utility, under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Abengoa owns 51 % of the project, the IDC 29 % and KaXu Community Trust 20 %.
Manuel Sanchez Ortega, Vice President and CEO of Abengoa, has stated: “We are proud of the role we are playing to help South Africa meet its ongoing energy demands. This project will leave a legacy that will benefit the community of Pofadder, Northern Cape and the entire country. This would not have been possible without the leadership of the South African Department of Energy".
IDC chief executive, Geoffrey Qhena, has declared: “The project is based on a strong public-private sector partnership and forms part of our efforts to support Government’s initiatives to introduce alternative sources of energy into the country’s energy mix as contemplated in the integrated resources plan”.
Fadiel Farao, the Chairperson of the KaXu Community Trust, says KaXu Solar One will be a catalyst for economic development role in the Khai Ma municipality in the Northern Cape. “The project has stimulated the local economy and will go a long way towards helping to generate much-needed economic opportunities for people in this area”. KaXu Community Trust is made up of members of the local community.
Abengoa is building in the region Khi Solar One, a 50MW solar plant using tower technology and has already started the construction of a third project, Xina Solar One, a 100 MW parabolic trough plant. Xina Solar One will shape with KaXu Solar One the largest solar platform in sub-Saharan Africa.






   





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Wind energy in Brazil: Enel Green Power starts Wind Farm

March 2, 2015, 1:19 pm
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Enel Green Power has begun construction on the Esperança wind farm, the final segment of the Serra Azul wind complex, north of Bahia in north-eastern Brazil.

With a total installed capacity of 118 MW, Serra Azul will be able to generate more than 500 GWh of electricity a year once fully operational, equal to the consumption needs of about 320 thousand Brazilian households. This power output will avoid the atmospheric emission of around 53 thousand tonnes of CO2.
The energy generated by the wind complex will be sold through power supply contracts mainly on the regulated market.
The overall wind complex, held by Parque Eolico Serra Azul Ltda, a subsidiary of Enel Brasil Partecipaçoes Ltda, will be completed and enter service by the end of 2015.
Enel Green Power will be investing a total of approximately 220 million US dollars to construct the Serra Azul wind complex, in line with the growth targets set out in EGP’s 2014-2018 business plan. Said investment is partially financed with a loan from IFC, the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, as well as with a loan from Itaù Unibanco SA. Both loans are related to the construction of wind farms in north-eastern Brazil.

Enel Green Power is the Enel Group company fully dedicated to the development and management of renewable energy sources at the international level, with operations in Europe, the Americas and Africa. With an annual generation capacity equal to, approximately, 32 billion kWh from water, sun, wind and the Earth’s heat - enough to meet the energy needs of more than 10 million households, Enel Green Power is a world leader in the sector thanks to its well-balanced generation mix, providing generation volumes well over the sector average. As of today, the company has an installed capacity of approximately 9,600 MW from a mix of sources including wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass. The company has about 740 plants operating in 15 countries.



   


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Sierra Leone first solar power plant

March 2, 2015, 1:33 pm
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A significant milestone in the Energy Sector transformation was achieved when Ambassador Henry Macauley signed a medium term Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Sinohydro Corporation Limited of China at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Abu Dhabi, last Thursday.

The move is in line with the medium term energy sector strategy presented by the Ministry last year as part of the energy ramp up to 1,000 MW under the Power Purchase Agreements.
The MoUs are for the Financing and Turnkey Delivery of a 30MW HFO plant to be delivered by January 2017, the development of the 100MW Mange Hydroelectric Project and the Ancillary Transmission and Substations to be delivered by 2018/2019 or earlier and the development of the 160Mw Bekongor III Hydroelectric Project and the Ancillary Transmission and Substations to be delivered by 2018/2019.
The Chief Representative of Sinohydro for Africa, Mr Huang Guanghui signed on behalf of his Corporation, and it was witnessed by Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the UAE, Ambassador Alpha Siray Timbo.
Others who witnessed were the Head of Chancery, Mr. Eric  Bobson Gamanga,  Dr. Patrick Tarawalli, Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Energy and Ms Laura Betts, Confidential Secretary at the Embassy.
In another development, the high-level delegation from the Republic of Sierra Leone headed by the Minister of Energy met with His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) to examine ways for strengthening mutual cooperation between the two countries and supporting development projects in the African nation in line with its development priorities.
During the meeting that was held at the ADFD headquarters, the two sides reviewed the progress of development projects funded by ADFD in the Republic of Sierra Leone including the AED20 million Tokeh – Lumley road development and the AED33 million Freetown solar energy project. Both sides also explored avenues of future cooperation in the area of renewable energy projects.


 

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Presidents of Brazil and Uruguay inaugurate Suzlon powered 65 MW Wind Energy plant in Uruguay

March 2, 2015, 1:52 pm
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Suzlon Group, the world’s fifth largest wind turbine maker today announced commissioning of Rouar S A’s Wind Energy Farm at Artilleros for 65.1 MW. The Wind Farm is located 170 km east of Uruguay’s capital Montevideo and was inaugurated by the President of Brazil, Ms. Dilma Rousseff and President of Uruguay, Mr. Jose Mujica.


This is the first of its kind joint venture between Brazil and Uruguay to harness wind energy for energy security. 

Suzlon is responsible for complete Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) and life-time service thereon of the Wind Farm at Artilleros. The 65.1 MW Wind Energy is located on state-owned land near Tarariras city in Uruguay's Colonia province. The energy farm includes Suzlon’s 31 WTG’s (Wind Turbine Generators) of S95-90 make with a rated capacity of 2.1 MW.


Tulsi R. Tanti, Chairman, Suzlon Group said, “The successful completion of the maiden project in Uruguay is a strong testament to Suzlon’s diversified product portfolio that seamlessly caters to different markets and geographies. We stand committed to build on our technological edge and offer new age products and best in class services. Suzlon is committed to contribute to Uruguay’s energy basket by reducing its carbon footprint and achieve the country’s vision of energy security and low carbon economy.”
Rouar S A is a joint venture (JV) set up by Brazilian federal power company Electrobras and Uruguayan partner Administración Nacional de Usinas y Trasmisiones Eléctricas (UTE). The power generated from this project will be fed into Uruguay’s national grid to meet the region’s energy needs. Uruguay aims to
increase its energy from renewables in its total primary consumption to 50% by 2015 as compared to about 40% in 2012.
Construction of the Artilleros wind farm started in January 2014 and is Electrobras’s first international investment. UTE is building another 468.1MW at six wind farms. Uruguay ended 2014 with 700MW of installed wind power capacity, up from 59MW a year earlier. The country is expected to end 2015 with 1GW of wind and meet its target to source 15% of its power supply from renewables.
Suzlon takes immense pride in powering Uruguay with clean energy wind projects. The Uruguay government with its focused approach on enhancing its renewable energy portfolio is aligned to the dual objective of sustainable development by ensuring Uruguay’s energy security.
Suzlon’s state-of-the-art S95-90 2.1 MW WTG’S are designed to harness the optimal available wind resources and deliver higher energy, productivity, improved serviceability.
Suzlon is committed to social, economic and ecological sustainable development across its areas of operations. With an investment cost of USD 107 million, the project will contribute to reducing Uruguay’s carbon footprint by eliminating approximately 0.11 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum. The 65.1 MW project will light up ~20300 households in Uruguay with clean energy. 



 

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Offshore wind farm will use five 6-megawatt wind turbines manufactured by Alstom

March 2, 2015, 2:04 pm
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Deepwater to Begin Construction on First U.S. Offshore Wind Farm. Deepwater Wind LLC, the developer planning wind projects off the U.S. Atlantic Coast, received $290 million in financing that will allow it to build its Block Island project, the first such project in the nation. 

 

“We’ll have steel in the water this summer,” Chief Executive Officer Jeff Grybowski said Monday in a telephone interview. “It’s an enormous step for the project, and it’s an equally enormous step for the offshore wind industry in the U.S.” 

The $290 million in debt financing is from Societe Generale SA and KeyBank NA. Financial terms weren’t disclosed. D.E. Shaw & Co., the $36 billion New York-based hedge fund, also contributed about $70 million in equity to Block Island.
The 30-megawatt wind farm will use five 6-megawatt turbines manufactured by Alstom SA. They are scheduled to be installed in mid-2016, with the project expected to be operational by the end of that year. National Grid Plc has agreed to buy the wind farm’s output under a 20-year contract.


 


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Work on Oman's first large-scale wind energy project will start in June

March 2, 2015, 2:11 pm
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Work on Oman's first large-scale wind energy project will start in June this year, a top-level official at the Rural Areas Electricity Company (Raeco) told.


The $200 million-project, which will generate 50 megawatt of electricity, will be funded by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar).

The ambitious project, which is aimed at reducing dependence on conventional gas-fired power projects, has reached the tendering stage and a contract to build the project will be awarded by the end of the month, said Raeco chief executive officer Eng. Hamad bin Salim Al Maghderi.

 "Several international firms are bidding for the project," he said, adding, "We are expecting to start the work in June and complete the work by 2016."

He was talking to the media on the sidelines of a meeting to announce the Distribution Code Review Panel's annual event for companies engaged in the electricity sector on March 9.

The project is coming up in Harweel in Dhofar region and an agreement to build the project was signed between Raeco and Masdar in October last year.

"We are just executing the project. But they are investing and developing it." An earlier report said that Raeco would run the project after completion.

Oman government has been encouraging investment in renewable energy since it will contribute immensely in reducing the use of traditional fossil fuel for generating electricity.

Thus, the country can divert these precious resources for other industries, which will add value and generate employment opportunities.

It will also contribute to the government's plan to reduce subsidy, which has been increasing year after year.

The proposed wind project will come up in a total area of 200,000 square metres and the power capacity of the plant will be sufficient for about 50 per cent of consumption in Dhofar region during winter season.

Eng Al Magdheri earlier said that 15 to 25 turbines would be installed, each with a height of 120 to 145 metres from the surface of the land, depending on topography.

The estimated capacity of the single turbine is 2 to 3.2 MW, depending on its location and wind movement.


 
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Eólica en Panamá: Parque Eólico de Penonomé generará 270 MW en 2015

March 3, 2015, 1:50 am
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La política energética de Panamá está encaminada a un aumento de la generación de energías renovables, como la eólica o la energía solar, para limitar la dependencia en la energía hídrica y térmica, indicó Fernando Vargas, jefe de la Unidad de Gestión Ambiental de la Autoridad Nacional de los Servicios Públicos (ASEP).

Los aerogeneradores de Goldwind aprovecharán los vientos de 35 km por hora que soplan en Penonomé, para suplir energía eólica.
El potencial eólico de Panamá es alto, si se toma en cuenta los múltiples proyectos que se han estado desarrollando en el país en los últimos 10 años.
Actualmente existen seis proyectos en construcción que proveerán 394 MW; otros tres proyectos en diseño final (que esperan aprobación para empezar) que contemplan la generación de 380 MW y 17 proyectos con licencia provisional (que se renueva cada año y que indica que están en el proceso de estudios de factibilidad) y que tendrían una capacidad de generación de 1,219.6 MW, indica la Autoridad Nacional de los Servicios Públicos (ASEP).
Las energías renovables como la eólica son estacionales porque dependen del viento de despacho inmediato y tienen la ventaja de tener paso expedito para ingresar al sistema nacional. Así como también la oportunidad de ser contratados por por parte del Estado a través de las licitaciones.
Sin embargo, muchos de los inversionistas están en espera de que crezca la capacidad de transmisión de energía en Panamá con la tercera línea de transmisión que se tiene prevista funcione en 2016.
Así lo señaló, Manuel Armijo Villarreal, presidente de la empresa Luz Eólica de Panamá, que mantiene un licencia provisional para un proyecto ubicado en Quijada del Diablo, Gualaca, provincia de Chiriquí y que generaría 150 MW.
En los Llanos, corregimiento de El Coco, cerca de Penonomé, cientos de imponentes aerogeneradores con aspas, que recuerdan a los viejos molinos de viento, se divisan desde la carretera Interamericana. Las estructuras son parte del primer parque eólico de Panamá y el más grande de Centroamérica.
La visión de las torres, asentadas en pedestales de 90 metros, más altos que cualquier edificio de la vecina ciudad penonoméña, asombra a los lugareños, que, desde el inicio del proyecto, en septiembre del 2011, no dejan de apostarse en las aceras para mirar a los gigantescos cilindros. 

Con una inversión de $570 millones, este parque eólico, que va por su tercera fase, tendrá una capacidad para generar hasta 270 mega vatios (MWh) de energía limpia en el segundo cuatrimestre del año 2015, informó Rafael Pérez-Pires, director de la empresa Unión Eólica Panameña (UEP), a cargo del proyecto.

La capacidad del parque representa entre un 6% y un 7% de la energía que demanda el mercado panameño y permitiría suplir el consumo de 100,000 familias, más de medio millón de personas, indicó Pérez-Pires.
El Parque Eólico de Penonomé, de capital español, contempla cuatro fases con capacidad total de 337 MWh.
La primera fase (apodada con el poético nombre Rosa de los Vientos) tiene un costo de $140 millones, mientras que la construcción y operación de la segunda (Marañón) y tercera fase (Portobello) del proyecto, a un costo de $430 millones, han sido financiadas por InterEnergy Holdings, de República Dominicana, socio mayoritario de UEP.
El aporte de la compañía puertorriqueña fue complementado con un préstamo de $300 millones del International Finance Corporation (IFC), miembro del Grupo del Banco Mundial.
En tanto que la cuarta fase (Nuevo Chagres) del proyecto se estima en $120 millones, informó Pérez-Pires.


AEROGENERADORES
Con 22 turbinas eólicas instaladas y conectadas al Sistema Nacional en diciembre de 2014, el parque eólico está generando actualmente, en su primera fase, 55 MWh, equivalente al consumo de energía anual de unas 20 mil familias.
Cada uno de estos aerogeradores tiene un costo aproximado de $5 millones.
En estos momentos se realizan los trabajos para la instalación de las 86 turbinas que formarán la segunda y tercera fase del proyecto, que aportarán un total de 215 MWh adicionales.
El potencial eólico de Panamá es muy alto, pero un sistema eléctrico no puede depender de un solo tipo de energía, señaló Pérez-Pires.
El inversionista explicó que la energía eólica es verde, barata, competitiva, pero es casi impredecible porque depende del viento.
De acuerdo con las autoridades, para el 2016, el país contaría con, con unos 400 MWh instalados de energía eólica, es decir el 20% o 25% de la generación del plantel.
El costo de inversión de un parque eólico es de entre $1.5 a $1.7 millones por MWh instalado, mientras que los proyectos hidráulicos están por el orden de los $3 millones por MW instalado.
A finales de 2014, la capacidad mundial instalada de energía eólica ascendía a 370 gigavatios, generando un 5% del consumo de electricidad mundial. Dinamarca genera más de un 25% de su electricidad con energía eólica, y más de 80 países en todo el mundo la utilizan de forma creciente para proporcionar energía eléctrica en sus redes de distribución. En España la energía eólica produjo un 21% del consumo eléctrico en 2013, convirtiéndose en la tecnología con mayor contribución a la cobertura de la demanda, por encima incluso de la energía nuclear.
Son varios los beneficios que esta tecnología amigable con el ambiente ha aportado a la comunidad de El Coco, en Coclé.
Uno de los puntos más atractivos es que no contamina el ambiente con ruido, lo que permite que se desarrollen otras actividades cercanas.
Diversos sectores de la provincia recibirán un impacto positivo con esta inversión.
Otra de las ventajas de los parque eólicos es que la tierra se puede seguir usando para sembrar o para la ganadería, señala Rafael Pérez-Pírez, director de Unión Eólica Panameña.
En este caso los terrenos son alquilados por $6,000 anuales por cada aerogenerador que solo ocupan un cuarto de hectárea. Los propietarios de los terrenos pueden seguir con sus actividades, como siembra de arroz, ganadería, entre otras.
El proyecto ha pagado al Municipio de Penonomé $800 mil en concepto de permisos de construcción, que, además, involucra a la comunidad pues el 90% de la mano de obra civil es local y de áreas aledañas.
Otro de los sectores beneficiados será la educación superior especializada, pues la inversión demandará nuevos profesionales técnicos, señaló Félix Tejeira, director del Centro Regional de la Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá.
Desde la Interamericana a la altura de El Coco, hasta las 19 hectáreas donde están los aerogenadores hay unos seis kilómetros. Los primeros tramos son de asfalto, los últimos son de piedra suelta. A ambos lados de la carretera viven familias de clase media y alta. Pasando el poblado hay cultivos de arroz y ganado pastando.
El turismo también podrá desarrollarse en este lugar por donde actualmente solo transitan los trabajadores.
En este camino se podrían instalar facilidades para los viajeros y turistas, como negocios de comida, artesanías, rutas de transporte, entre otras facilidades que generarían ingresos.


http://www.evwind.com/2015/03/03/eolica-en-panama-parque-eolico-de-penonome-generara-270-mw-en-2015/ 


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Eólica en Uruguay: Sea copropietario de un parque eólico

March 3, 2015, 2:04 am
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El "Fideicomiso Financiero Pampa" administrado por República Afisa pondrá a mediados de mes a disposición del mercado de capitales una emisión de certificados de participación (similar a una acción) por un valor de entre US$ 97 millones y US$ 100 millones. Este fondo tendrá por objetivo gestionar el financiamiento de un parque eólico con una capacidad de generación de 140 megavatios (MW).

A diferencia de lo que paso con la mayoría de las operaciones que están destinadas a captar el interés de inversores institucionales, esta emisión reservará un monto de US$ 15 millones exclusivamente para ahorristas minoristas.
Fuentes de mercado adelantaron a El País que se podrán adquirir certificados de participación con un desembolso mínimo de US$ 1.000. Asimismo los tenedores de certificados tendrán la opción en cada aniversario de la emisión y durante los primeros 14 años del proyecto de vender a UTE su participación, garantizándose una rentabilidad de 4% anual lineal.
"Eso opera como un seguro para el tenedor", dijo la fuente. "La expectativa es grande. Va a tener una rentabilidad muy interesante para el riesgo asociado que tiene tomando en cuenta que UTE de distintas maneras mitiga mucho de los riesgos que tiene el proyecto", añadió.
Además, el contrato de construcción del parque prevé que las obras estén finalizadas en un plazo de 16 meses aproximadamente, pero si no está pronto en 24 meses, a partir del mes 25 UTE adelantará la compra de energía como si estuviera funcionando el proyecto.
Por otra parte, para la autorización de la emisión del fideicomiso, se planteó a UTE la necesidad de generar una garantía de US$ 20 millones para atender eventuales contingencias o imprevistos, extremo que fue contemplado, según informó la Bolsa de Valores de Montevideo (BVM) en su página web.


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Gram & Juhl to Support Kongsberg Wind Farm Management System

March 3, 2015, 2:31 am
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KONGSBERG and Gram & Juhl A/S today announced that they have signed a framework agreement that will see Gram & Juhl support the development of the Kongsberg Wind Farm Management System (WFMS) as well as related condition monitoring systems for a range of other industrial sectors.


The Kongsberg WFMS is a turbine independent decision support system. It surpasses the functionality found in wind farm supervisory control and data acquisition systems, and offers a modern and intuitive user interface based on KONGSBERG’s wide ranging experience in automation and decision support systems for the defence, maritime and offshore oil & gas sectors.

KONGSBERG has selected Gram & Juhl to support the development of the WFMS not least due to the company’s expertise in wind turbine condition monitoring systems including an extensive experience with condition monitoring systems for the Wind Industry.

A significant aspect of the collaboration between KONGSBERG and Gram & Juhl will be investigating the potential integration of the Gram & Juhl TCM® (Turbine Condition Monitoring) system technology into KONGSBERG's WFMS as well as exploring possibilities for applying the TCM® technology in the marine and offshore industry. The Gram & Juhl TCM® system was launched in the market in 1999, and has since been successfully implemented in over 13.000 turbines World-Wide, hereof more than 1.500 offshore.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to announce this framework agreement with Gram & Juhl ahead of our formal launch of our Wind Farm Management WFMS system later this year,” comments Kristian Holm, Managing Director of Kongsberg Renewables Technology.



 
 
 
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Siemens to provide wind turbines for 16 MW Sweden wind power plant

March 3, 2015, 2:37 am
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Siemens will be supplying wind turbines for a 16-MW wind farm owned by the clean energy firm BayWa re GmbH in Sweden.

According to the agreement, Siemens will supply five of its SWT-3.2-113 direct-drive machines to power the Stormon wind park near Harnosand, eastern Sweden.
The plant is expected to be operational by the end of this year. Once completed, Siemens will provide 15 years of operation and maintenance services also for the facility.
“Stormon is the first wind farm BayWa is constructing in Sweden since BayWa has entered the Scandinavian wind market by purchasing the majority share of the Swedish HS Kraft,” said Matthias Taft, chief executive, BayWa.
“The order is a reflection of Siemens’ commitment to producing larger direct drive wind turbines, which are optimised for Swedish conditions,” said, Hans Carlsson, spokesperson, wind power, Siemens.
This is the first deal of BayWa with Siemens and the Stormon wind farm is its first wind project in the Scandinavian country.
Recently, Siemens secured another order to supply 157 wind turbines for three South African wind projects coming up in the province of Northern Cape. The three wind power plants have a combined generation capacity of 360 MW.
Siemens will supply its 2.3 MW machines from the G2 series for the wind power plants in Khobab, Loeriesfontein 2 and Noupoort.
In another renewable energy initiative, Siemens held discussions with a consortium of Eurus Energy and Danvest to build a $300 million wind-and-diesel power station for powering mining sites at Australia.
Jeffrey’s Bay Wind Farm, developed by a consortium led by Mainstream Renewable Power in partnership with Siemens was commissioned in the middle of 2014.
In 2012, Sweden launched a common renewable support scheme to boost output from green energy sources, such as wind, solar and biomass, by 26.4 TWh up to 2020.
Sweden has so far succeeded in installing wind turbines able to produce up to 6.6 TWh of electricity per year, according to this scheme.



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Misconceptions on wind energy costs in UK

March 3, 2015, 2:43 am
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A new survey commissioned by RenewableUK has revealed that the UK public have considerable misconceptions about the cost of wind power, believing subsidies to be 14 times more than they actually are.

Marketing research firm OnePoll carried out the survey and questioned 2,000 adults in the UK.
According to survey, the average customer thinks wind subsidies add £259 to a typical £1,300 annual domestic dual-fuel bill. However, the subsidies add as little as £18 per household per year.
The survey also found that more than 90% of people underestimate public support for wind power in the UK, with two thirds of those think that turbines produce electricity less than half the time.
The turbines actually generate between 70% and 85% of the time.
Currently, 70% of the UK public are said to be in favor of wind, even though the majority of people surveyed believed that the approval ratings were only 40%.
Three quarters of people overestimated how much wind is required to keep a turbine spinning, believing it to be about 14 miles per hour (mph). But a turbine can generate in wind speeds of just 7 mph.
RenewableUK chief executive Maria McCaffery said: "These independent polls show there are considerable misconceptions about the cost of supporting wind energy - it's much lower than people think, at just 35p a week per household. It's also revealing to see that wind has almost double the amount of public support than was estimated.
"This suggests that the loud voices of a small minority, too-often perpetuated by negative rhetoric in some parts of the media, are trying to distort the facts. The truth is that the vast majority of the British population - seventy per cent - are pro-wind power."
Onshore and offshore wind provided about 10% of the total electricity supply in the UK in 2014, enough to power about 6.7 million homes.







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Oman’s first solar power plant to start operation in May

March 3, 2015, 2:52 am
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Oman’s first commercial renewable power project is set to go operational by May at Al Mazyunah in Dhofar, according to a report.


The 303kW solar power plant, executed by US-based Astonfield and local firm Multitech, will be the first such commercial venture linked to the electricity network, said the Oman Tribune report.
The technology used in the project includes PV thin films and polycrystalline system and is spread over 8,000 sq m, it said.
The plant aims at keeping with the Sultanate’s plans to exploit solar and wind energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels for power generation. The target is to generate 25 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources.
Meanwhile, work on a 50-megawatt wind-based power plant in Dhofar would begin in June and will be completed by next year, said the report.
It will be Oman’s first wind energy power project and estimated to cost $200 million. Located at Harweel over 200,000 sq m, the project will be implemented by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co (Masdar).
Rural Areas Electricity Company (Raeco) will invest RO153 million ($395.7 million) during the 2015-17 period to increase power generation capacity and improve the transmission and distribution network, its chief executive officer Hamad Bin Salim Al Maghdari was quoted as saying.
Eight diesel power plants were identified for conversion to gas fired plants provided gas is available, he added.
The coming three years will see more demand from sectors like industry, trade and tourism, which will mark a switch in demand pattern, as about 48 per cent of their demand came from residential consumption, said the report.
“The economy is booming and without electricity we cannot run hotels, industry and there can be no tourism,” Al Maghdari said.
The demand from industry which stood at six per cent of total demand witnessed a 233 per cent growth, which demand from agriculture and fisheries went up by 20 per cent, residential sector 18 per cent and hotel and tourism 12 per cent, said the report.
Raeco currently has capacity for 282 MW of electricity and 2.2MIGD of desalinated water and has over 25,000 customers in rural areas, it added.



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Indian Solar Energy Installations Totaled 883 MW in 2014

March 3, 2015, 1:06 pm
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Indian solar power installations in calendar year 2014 totaled 883 MW, down 12 percent compared to 1,004 MW installed in 2013. 

Mercom's 2015 forecast is unchanged at approximately 1,800 MW with some upside. The Indian solar industry remains positive as solar programs are being announced with increased frequency and the installation goal continues to grow. The 100 GW solar installation goal set recently by the Modi government has thrilled the sector, but the industry is pragmatic and realizes that while 100 GW looks great on paper, the last five years have resulted in only 3,000 MW in solar installations, with last year's installations at less than 1 GW.


"Most of the industry is confused as they are constantly bombarded with new policies, goals, drafts and revisions," commented Raj Prabhu, CEO and Co-Founder of Mercom Capital Group. "The last time the National Solar Mission (NSM) conducted a solar auction was in October 2013 - the industry just wants to see execution."


"The two most impactful steps the government can take to help the solar industry take off and bring substantial investments into the sector would be to: 1) fix the financial health of DISCOM's [utilities] and thereby improve the credit rating of offtakers, and 2) classify ‘renewables' as a priority lending sector in India, making more funds available for solar," continued Prabhu.

http://assets.fiercemarkets.com/public/sites/energy/IndiaSolarInstallations(MW).jpgA large portion of 2015 installations are expected to come from the 700 MW Phase II Batch 1 projects, which are due to be commissioned in May of this year. Also, looking at the timeline for the last Batch, it takes approximately 19 months from RFS (request for submission) approval to the commissioning date, which means that for 2016 to be a big year the next three months will be crucial for these policies to be finalized and RFS' approved.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) released another revised draft for Batch 2 for 3,000 MW of PV projects recently, and issued draft guidelines to set up 2,000 MW of grid-connected solar PV power projects under NSM Phase II Batch 3 - "State Specific VGF Scheme."
Other solar programs announced by MNRE include the plan to set up ‘Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects' in 25 Solar Parks, each with a capacity of 500 MW or larger, targeting 20,000 MW of installed capacity over a span of five years beginning in FY 2014-15. Under Batch 5 (note: there is no Batch 4) the plan is to set up grid-connected solar PV power projects by the Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) and Government of India organizations' for self-use or third-party sale, with viability gap funding (VGF) over a span of three years from FYs 2014-15 to 2016-17. More than 300 MW of grid-connected and off-grid solar PV power projects are proposed to be set up by Defense Establishments with VGF in five years, from 2014-2019. MNRE has also launched a program to develop 100 MW of grid-connected solar PV power projects on canal banks and canal tops.
"The Modi government has brought policy momentum to the solar industry. The sector is now looking for quick implementation, competent execution and actual installations," further commented Prabhu. 



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First U.S. offshore wind power project soon to reach the coast of Rhode Island

March 3, 2015, 1:13 pm
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This summer, Deepwater Wind plans to put steel in the water to build the first U.S. offshore wind farm. The company announced on Monday that its Block Island Wind Farm is now fully financed – it is the first offshore company in the country to reach this milestone.
Wind turbines outside of Copenhagen, via Flickr user Andreas Klinke Johannsen using a Creative Commons license.

The wind farm will be built off the coast of Rhode Island, and manufacturing will occur in part in Louisiana and Rhode Island.
Developing wind power in our oceans has many benefits including:
  • Offshore wind tends to produce more energy at the same times that power demand spikes (cold winter days and nights, as well as hot summer afternoons), which helps keep electricity prices low.
  • Offshore wind can be built close to major population centers with high power demand.
  • National Wildlife Federation president and CEO Collin O’Mara wrote in October 2014 that offshore wind is “critically needed clean energy for wildlife.”
The U.S. Department of Energy will soon release an update to a 2008 report that found that the U.S. could derive 20 percent of its electricity from wind by 2030. The draft “Wind Vision” study projects that this milestone could be achieved in part by the launch of offshore wind in America.

http://www.evwind.es/2015/03/03/first-u-s-offshore-wind-power-project-soon-to-reach-the-coast-of-rhode-island/50767 





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Wind energy in Texas: RES Americas finalises 110-MW wind farm with Vestas wind turbines

March 3, 2015, 1:47 pm
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Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas), a leader in the development, engineering, and construction of wind energy, solar power, transmission, and energy storage projects in North America, is pleased to announce commercial operation of the Keechi Wind Project in Jack County, Texas.


Construction of the 110 megawatt (MW) Keechi Wind Project commenced in December 2013 and commercial operation began on January 23, 2015. Consisting of 55 Vestas V100-2.0 MW wind turbines, the project created nearly 250 jobs during the peak of construction and nine permanent operations and maintenance jobs. Keechi Wind Project was completed with only one recordable injury accident in over 300,000 manhours worked, with a Total Recordable Incidence Rate (TRIR) of 0.65. The project will continue to contribute to the local economy in multiple ways, including through a local tax abatement agreement. 

"The successful completion of the Keechi wind project included RES Americas self-performing the installation of 55 wind turbines," said Andrew Fowler, Chief Operating Officer of RES Americas. "It was also extremely important to us to work closely with the local community in sourcing labor and materials to construct the project."

Keechi Wind was developed by RES Americas and constructed under a fixed-price, engineering, procurement, and construction agreement and was RES Americas' first project in which it self-performed the turbine installation, positioning the company for further expansion in that space. The project, which is owned by Enbridge, connects to Brazos Electric's Joplin substation via a 12-mile generation tie line.

Vestas will provide turbine operations and maintenance services for the first five years of the project.

The Keechi Wind Project will deliver electricity into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) market, under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Microsoft Corporation.

Since 1997, RES Americas has been providing development, engineering, construction, and operations services to the utility-scale wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage markets across the Americas. The company employs more than 300 full-time professionals and has over 7,700 MW of utility-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects and constructed more than 534 miles of transmissions lines. RES Americas' corporate office is located in Broomfield, CO with regional offices located in Austin, TX, Minneapolis, MN, and San Francisco, CA. RES Americas is part of the RES Group, a leading international renewable energy developer. RES Group currently has more than 1,200 MW of wind and solar power under construction throughout the world. 

http://www.evwind.es/2015/03/03/wind-energy-in-texas-res-americas-finalises-110-mw-wind-farm-with-vestas-wind-turbines/50771 

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Wind Turbines Have Positive Effect on Crops

March 3, 2015, 1:52 pm
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According to the Iowa Wind Energy Association, landowners in Iowa get about $16 million a year in lease payments and there are around 3,200 utility scale wind turbines in operation across the state.

Nearly $10 billion has been invested into Iowa wind energy facilities and farms. That number is set to double in the next five years according to the Iowa Wind Energy Association, who also say 75 percent of Iowa is good for wind energy development. Bu turbines could also be good for Iowa farmers.

At Iowa State University the new Wind Energy Student Organization started off its very first presentation with adviser Dr. Gene Takle.
Takle has been researching how turbines affect fields and found there is measurable influences on climate and wind turbulence, “One of the effects of turbines is they stir the air, so the crop, the corn canopy itself is drawing down the carbon dioxide level in that part of the atmosphere so within the crop it’s getting lower and lower, so the extra turbulence brings down this higher CO2 air from above and promoting more photosynthesis within the crop during the daytime period. So it’s a good thing and it looks like the turbines from our measurements are actually having a beneficial effect.”
Takle says other benefits of turbines are increase nighttime temperatures, decreased daytime temperatures, and enhanced evaporation. However, a negative includes increased respiration, but he maintains the positive effects outweigh negatives.
And farmers like to be involved with wind energy on their land according to Takle, “Wind turbines represent an alternative income stream for farmers. Farmers are in a very volatile economy, there’s up years, there’s down years. The turbines provide the same lease amount every year. So it provides some stable income, which is often valued by farmers. They don’t take very much land out of production and from what we’ve shown, they don’t have any negative impact on their farming operation. Possibly even a positive impact.”
According to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, by 2030, lease payments will generate well over $600 million for landowners in rural areas in the U.S.


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