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Eólica y energías renovables: Aerogeneradores de eje vertical y horizontal

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La energía eólica es la energía que se puede lograr del movimiento que produce el viento al interaccionar con las palas de un aerogenerador. Esta energía, que sigue en proceso de desarrollo, nace como respuesta a una mayor demanda del consumo energético, la necesidad de garantizar la continuidad del suministro en zonas importadoras netas de recursos energéticos y de la búsqueda de la sostenibilidad en el uso de los recursos. En general las mejores zonas de vientos se encuentran en la costa, debido a las corrientes térmicas entre el mar y la tierra; las grandes llanuras continentales, por razones parecidas; y las zonas montañosas, donde se producen efectos de aceleración local.

Un aerogenerador es un generador eléctrico movido por una turbina accionada por el viento (turbina eólica). Sus precedentes directos son los molinos de viento que se empleaban para la molienda y obtención de harina. En este caso, la energía eólica, en realidad la energía cinética del aire en movimiento, proporciona energía mecánica a un rotor hélice que, a través de un sistema de transmisión mecánico, hace girar el rotor de un generador, normalmente un alternadortrifásico, que convierte la energía mecánica rotacional en energía eléctrica.
En este caso, la energía eólica, en realidad la energía cinética del aire en movimiento, proporciona energía mecánica a un rotor hélice que, a través de un sistema de transmisión mecánico, hace girar el rotor de un generador, normalmente un alternadortrifásico, que convierte la energía mecánica rotacional en energía eléctrica.
Existen diferentes tipos de aerogeneradores, dependiendo de su potencia, la disposición de su eje de rotación, el tipo de generador, etc.
Los aerogeneradores pueden trabajar de manera aislada o agrupados en parques eólicos o plantas de generación eólica, distanciados unos de otros, en función del impacto ambiental y de las turbulencias generadas por el movimiento de las palas.
Para aportar energía a la red eléctrica, los aerogeneradores deben estar dotados de un sistema de sincronización para que la frecuencia de la corriente generada se mantenga perfectamente sincronizada con la frecuencia de la red.
Ya en la primera mitad del siglo XX, la generación de energía eléctrica con rotores eólicos fue bastante popular en casas aisladas situadas en zonas rurales.
La energía eólica se está volviendo más popular en la actualidad, al haber demostrado la viabilidad industrial, y nació como búsqueda de una diversificación en el abanico de generación eléctrica ante un crecimiento de la demanda y una situación geopolítica cada vez más complicada en el ámbito de los combustibles tradicionales.

Aerogeneradores de eje horizontal

Son aquellos en los que el eje de rotación del equipo se encuentra paralelo al suelo. Ésta es la tecnología que se ha impuesto, por su eficiencia y confiabilidad y la capacidad de adaptarse a diferentes potencias.

Esquema de una turbina eólica:
1. Suelo
2. Conexión a la red eléctrica
3. Torre de contención
4. Escalera de acceso
5. Sistema de orientación
6. Góndola
7. Generador
8. Anemómetro
9. Freno
10. Transmisión
11. Palas
12. Inclinación de la pala hacia la derecha
13. Buje
14. Borde de ataque
15. Borde de salida 
 
Las partes principales de un aerogenerador de eje horizontal son:
  • Rotor: las palas del rotor, construidas principalmente con materiales compuestos, se diseñan para transformar la energía cinética del viento en un momento torsor en el eje del equipo. Los rotores modernos pueden llegar a tener un diámetro de 42 a 80 metros y producir potencias equivalentes de varios MW. La velocidad de rotación está normalmente limitada por la velocidad de punta de pala, cuyo límite actual se establece por criterios acústicos.
  • Góndola o nacelle: sirve de alojamiento para los elementos mecánicos y eléctricos (multiplicadora, generador, armarios de control, etc.) del aerogenerador.
  • Caja de engranajes o multiplicadora: puede estar presente o no dependiendo del modelo. Transforman la baja velocidad del eje del rotor en alta velocidad de rotación en el eje del generador eléctrico.
  • Generador: existen diferente tipos dependiendo del diseño del aerogenerador. Pueden ser síncronos o asíncronos, jaula de ardilla o doblemente alimentados, con excitación o con imanes permanentes.Lo podemos definir como parte del generador que convierte la energía en electricidad.
  • La torre: sitúa el generador a una mayor altura, donde los vientos son de mayor intensidad y para permitir el giro de las palas y transmite las cargas del equipo al suelo.

  • Sistema de control: se hace cargo del funcionamiento seguro y eficiente del equipo, controla la orientación de la góndola, la posición de las palas y la potencia total entregada por el equipo.
Todos los aerogeneradores de eje horizontal tienen su eje de rotación principal en la parte superior de la torre, que tiene que orientarse hacia el viento de alguna manera. Los aerogeneradores pequeños se orientan mediante una veleta, mientras que los más grandes utilizan un sensor de dirección y se orientan por servomotores o motorreductores.
Existen 2 tecnologías de generadores eléctricos: multi-polos y de imanes permanentes. Los primeros funcionan a velocidades del orden de 1000 rpm. Dado que la velocidad de rotación de las aspas es baja (12 rpm), requieren el uso de una caja reductora o multiplicadora para conseguir una velocidad de rotación adecuada. Los de imanes permanentes no requieren multiplicadora.
En la mayoría de los casos la velocidad de giro del generador está relacionada con la frecuencia de la red eléctrica a la que se vierte la energía generada (50 o 60 Hz).
En general, las palas están emplazada de tal manera que el viento, en su dirección de flujo, la encuentre antes que a la torre (rotor a barlovento). Esto disminuye las cargas adicionales que genera la turbulencia de la torre en el caso en que el rotor se ubique detrás de la misma (rotor a sotavento). Las palas se montan a una distancia razonable de la torre y tienen alta rigidez, de tal manera que al rotar y vibrar naturalmente no choquen con la torre en caso de vientos fuertes. El rotor suele estar inclinado 6º para evitar el impacto de las palas con la torre.
A pesar de la desventaja en el incremento de la turbulencia, se han construido aerogeneradores con hélices localizadas en la parte posterior de la torre, debido a que se orientan en contra del viento de manera natural, sin necesidad de usar un mecanismo de control. Sin embargo, la experiencia ha demostrado la necesidad de un sistema de orientación para la hélice que la ubique delante de la torre. Este tipo de montaje se justifica debido a la gran influencia que tiene la turbulencia en el desgaste de las aspas por fatiga. La mayoría de los aerogeneradores actuales son de este último modelo.
En general, los aerogeneradores modernos de eje horizontal se diseñan para trabajar con velocidades del viento que varían entre 3 y 25 m/s de promedio. La primera es la llamada velocidad de conexión y la segunda la velocidad de corte. Básicamente, el aerogenerador comienza produciendo energía eléctrica cuando la velocidad del viento supera la velocidad de conexión y, a medida que la velocidad del viento aumenta, la potencia generada es mayor, siguiendo la llamada curva de potencia.
Las aspas disponen de un sistema de control de forma que su ángulo de ataque varía en función de la velocidad del viento. Esto permite controlar la velocidad de rotación para conseguir una velocidad de rotación fija con distintas condiciones de viento.
Asimismo, es necesario un sistema de control de las velocidades de rotación para que, en caso de vientos excesivamente fuertes, que podrían poner en peligro la instalación, haga girar a las aspas de la hélice de tal forma que éstas presenten la mínima oposición al viento, con lo que la hélice se detendría.
Para aerogeneradores de gran potencia, algunos tipos de sistemas pasivos, utilizan características aerodinámicas de las aspas que hacen que aún en condiciones de vientos muy fuertes el rotor se detenga. Esto se debe a que él mismo entra en un régimen llamado "pérdida aerodinámica".

Aerogeneradores de eje vertical

Son aquellos en los que el eje de rotación se encuentra perpendicular al suelo. También se denominan VAWT (del inglés, Vertical Axis Wind Turbine), en contraposición a los de eje horizontal o HAWT.

Sus ventajas son:

  • Se pueden situar más cerca unos de otros, debido a que no producen el efecto de frenado de aire propio de los HAWT, por lo que no ocupan tanta superficie.
  • No necesitan un mecanismo de orientación respecto al viento, puesto que sus palas son omnidireccionales.
  • Se pueden colocar más cerca del suelo, debido a que son capaces de funcionar con una menor velocidad del viento, por lo que las tareas de mantenimiento son más sencillas.
  • Mucho más silenciosos que los HAWT.
  • Mucho más recomendables para instalaciones pequeñas (de menos de 10 kW) debido a la facilidad de instalación, la dismunución del ruido y el menor tamaño.
Sus desventajas son:
  • Al estar cerca del suelo la velocidad del viento es baja y no se aprovechan las corrientes de aire de mayor altura.
  • Baja eficiencia.
  • Mayor gasto en materiales por metro cuadrado de superficie ocupada que las turbinas de eje horizontal.
  • No son de arranque automático, requieren conexión a la red para poder arrancar utilizando el generador como motor
  • Tienen menor estabilidad y mayores problemas de fiabilidad que los HAWT. Las palas del rotor tienen tendencia a doblarse o romperse con fuertes vientos.

 

 

 



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Energías renovables: Eólica genera más de la mitad de la electricidad en España por fuertes vientos

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Este es el caso de las 9.30 horas de este sábado, cuando de los 26.569 MW consumidos, un 54,7% (14.900 MW) provenían de eólica.

Las fuertes rachas de viento que están azotando la Península Ibérica, cercanas en algunas zonas a los 110 km/h, provocan que la energía eólica esté generando la mitad de la electricidad que se está consumiendo en esta jornada.
Según Red Eléctrica, en algunos momentos de este sábado la electricidad demandada ha sido generada por la eólica hasta en un 54,7%.
El resto, un 22,3% de nuclear, un 15,2% de otras energías de régimen especial (energías renovables y cogeneración), y el resto de otras tecnologías, como ciclos combinados (gas), carbón o hidráulica, entre otros.
En la mayoría de la franja horaria la generación eléctrica por eólica ronda el 50% del total de la demanda, superando incluso en bastantes momentos la mitad de la producción requerida. Tras la eólica, la nuclear es la tecnología que más está aportando a generación de electricidad. La mayor producción por eólica tuvo lugar a las 12.00 horas, cuando generó 15.678 MW.
La mayor presencia de eólica en la generación eléctrica tiene repercusión en el precio diario, ya que la generación eléctrica con eólica (por ser renovable) entra a un precio marginal cero en el mercado mayorista eléctrico (conocido como pool), y eso hace que los precios caigan en las subastas diarias.

Fotovoltaica y energías renovables: China apoyará a la energía solar

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China prometió este sábado mayor apoyo a su industria de energía solar fotovoltaica, en un esfuerzo para reanimar a un sector que lucha con un exceso de capacidad y bajas de precios.

El Consejo de Estado, el gabinete en China, había dicho en julio que el país buscaba más que cuadruplicar la capacidad de generación de energía solar a 35 gigavatios (GW) al 2015 en un aparente intento por aliviar el exceso de capacidad de los fabricantes locales.
El Consejo de Estado, en un documento publicado en su sitio de internet, dijo que el Ministerio de Industria y Tecnología de la Información estaba tomando medidas para “promover el desarrollo saludable de la industria fotovoltaica”.
En China, el ministerio, dijo, que estaba implementando la directriz de julio al apoyar una consolidación en la industria, delineando pautas para fusiones y adquisiciones y promoviendo la estandarización.
El documento dijo, además, que el ministerio estaba alentando la innovación tecnológica, especialmente en relación a las instalaciones de energía solar descentralizadas no conectadas a la red eléctrica.
El ministerio también está apoyando esfuerzos de investigación y desarrollo de baterías que puedan almacenar electricidad solar, añadió el documento.
El ministerio busca mejorar la estandarización y asegurar la “competencia ordenada” en la industria, agregó.
El Consejo de Estado dijo que el sector vivió una recuperación en 2013 y que la capacidad total instalada de generación de energía solar aumentó en casi 8 GW, de los cuales 6 GW estaban en plantas de energía y 2 GW en instalaciones descentralizadas, dijo el documento, citando estimaciones preliminares de la Alianza de la Industria Fotovoltaica de China.
Aún así, los productores de equipos solares de China LDK Solar Co Ltd y JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd están al borde de la bancarrota.





 

Masdar's Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Achievements

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In March, Masdar inaugurated the 100 megawatt Shams 1, the world's largest concentrated solar thermal power plant. Powering 20,000 homes in the UAE, Shams 1 is the region's largest renewable energy plant.


The last 12 months has seen Masdar and its partners delivered a range of clean energy projects including, the world's largest off-shore wind farm, the world's largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant, Africa's largest solar PV plant and introduction of utility scale renewables to the Seychelles for the first time. Today, Masdar's entire portfolio of renewable energy projects is successfully delivering nearly one-gigawatt of clean power to grids across the world.

Masdar, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company, will showcase its past year's global contribution to clean energy development at the 7th World Future Energy Summit during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) - the region's largest gathering on sustainability. Masdar will use the platform to highlight a year in which it has inaugurated solar and wind projects in the UAE, UK, Seychelles and Mauritania, installing over 750 megawatts of renewable grid capacity in the process.

"2013 has been a milestone year for Masdar, in which we have made a significant contribution to the global adoption of renewable energy, demonstrating that clean energy is an attractive long-term investment," said Bader Al Lamki, Head of Clean Energy Unit, Masdar.

"From utility scale clean energy to pioneering carbon capture projects, Masdar's growing portfolios of projects are pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation to help diversify the global energy mix and decarbonize our growing economies.

In March, Masdar inaugurated the 100 megawatt Shams 1, the world's largest concentrated solar thermal power plant. Powering 20,000 homes in the UAE, Shams 1 is the region's largest renewable energy plant.

In April, Masdar launched the largest solar PV plant in Africa. The 15-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania accounts for 10 percent of the country's grid capacity.

June featured the completion of a 6-megawatt (MW) wind farm in the Republic of Seychelles. Today, the farm is producing enough power to cover eight percent of energy capacity in the country's main island of Mahe, which is home to 90 percent of the nation's population.

London Array, the world's largest off shore wind farm, inaugurated in July. The 175 turbine, 630 megawatt wind farm located in the Thames Estuary is now powering 500,000 British homes with clean, renewable energy.
In collaboration with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), November saw Masdar sign the region's first joint venture agreement focused on exploring and developing commercial-scale projects for carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS). The joint venture's first project will sequester up to 800,000 tons of CO2 captured from the Emirates Steel plant, annually. ADNOC will use the CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), liberating natural gas to help meet growing demand domestically Masdar is also 31 percent shareholder in the recently announced 117MW Tafila Wind Farm in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Jordan's largest utility scale renewable energy project will increase Jordan's total installed power capacity by 3%.

Masdar will leverage ADSW to highlight their achievements to the world's energy leaders, at a time when the world is balancing economic and social development with rising global energy demands, environmental concerns and the need to manage natural resources. Masdar will emphasize renewables' role as being a critical component of the future energy mix, reducing demands on fossil fuels and supporting energy access.

"We are extremely positive about the future of renewable energy," continued Bader Al Lamki. "We continue exploring commercial projects that support the development of clean energy in the Middle East - a region with huge solar and wind potential.

"We also intend to build on our UK investments in off shore, and continue to explore opportunities in what is a very attractive renewables market." With a focus on the interconnected challenges and opportunities of sustainable growth, ADSW and its participating conferences and exhibitions will take place in Abu Dhabi from 18-24 January 2014, and will be officially hosted by Masdar WAM/tfaham.
 




 
    


Gamesa to Build Wind Farm in Costa Rica

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The contract with Globeleq Mesoamerica Energywill allow the Spanish company to set up 25 of its G87 2MW wind turbines at the project location in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica.

Gamesa will likely additionally create much of the necessary infrastructure for the premises which includes a substation, a high-tension line and grid connection.
The Orosí wind farm is anticipated to be finished in late 2014 or early 2015. The contract includes a five-year operations and maintenance arrangement.
Gamesa has in the past finalized the 116MW Cerro de Hula wind farm in Honduras and the 44MW Eolo venture in Nicaragua for GME.

     


U.S. sales of electric vehicles in 2013 jumped 84 percent over 2012 to more than 96,000

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U.S. sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in 2013 jumped 84 percent over 2012 to more than 96,000 — as price cuts and new models helped spur additional sales.

In 2013, automakers sold nearly 49,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles — up 27 percent over 2012 — and 47,600 electric vehicles — up 241 percent, according to data complied by Ward’s Automotive. That’s a big jump over the 18,000 sold in 2011.
Nearly all sellers of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles sharply cut prices last year to spur lagging sales.
The rise has been fueled by a big jump in Tesla Model S EV sales, which sold about 18,800 in 2013, according to Ward’s, as well as a jump in the sales of the Nissan Leaf EV. But other small EV makers collapsed, went bankrupt or haven’t brought EVs to market as planned — including Coda Automotive, Fisker Automotive, BYD and Think City.
Tesla — which was the fastest rising stock on major U.S. markets in 2013 — has faced some problems including a government investigation into battery fires in the Model S sparked by road debris striking the undercarriage. It plans to launch sales of its Model X SUV late next year.
Nissan Motor Co. said Friday sales of its electric Leaf jumped 130 percent in 2013 to 22,610, and were up 70 percent in December. Sales of Nissan’s all-electric Leaf have jumped since the Japanese automaker dropped the base price by 18 percent, to $28,800 for the 2013 model year. Nissan also added extra cargo room and an on-board charger that reduces electric charging times by half.
General Motors Co. said Friday that sales of its plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt sales fell 9.2 percent in December and were down 1.6 percent for all of 2013 to 23,094. The automaker also sold 6 plug-in hybrid Cadillac ELR vehicles in December and 589 Chevrolet Spark EVs in 2013. In 2011, GM CEO Dan Akerson said he wanted Volt production to be 60,000 in 2012 — but demand hasn’t met the company’s expectations.
Toyota Motor Corp. said sales of its Prius plug-in vehicle fell 5.2 percent in 2013 to 12,088, and were off 30 percent in December. In October, Toyota cut the price of its Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicle by more than $2,000. Toyota also sold about 1,000 RAV4 EVs.
Gasoline prices fell in 2013 and are projected to decline in 2014, making more expensive plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles a tougher sale. Still EVs are up dramatically over 2011. California — joined by nearly a dozen other states — are requiring most automakers to build some zero emission vehicles, which will prompt automakers to continue releasing EVs.
Eric Lyman of TrueCar said the rise in fuel efficiency of gasoline powered vehicles has hurt EV sales. “I think those improvements have been detrimental of alternative fuel vehicles. The value proposition for that initial investment just isn’t there. You can’t recoup that investment,” Lyman said.
Chrysler Group LLC doesn’t disclose how many Fiat 500 electric vehicles it is selling, though Ward’s estimates it sold 405 in 2013. Tesla doesn’t report final sales until its fourth quarter earnings and Ford Motor Co. will release figures Monday. .
GM said in August it was cutting the price of the Volt by $5,000. The Detroit-based automaker cut the base price 12.5 percent to $34,995. The price cut came shortly after the automaker announced a $5,000 incentive on the 2012 Volt and $4,000 on the 2013 model.
In July, Ford Motor Co. said it would reduce the price of its low-selling Focus EV by $4,000 for the 2014 model year to $35,200. Ford has sold about 1,500 Focus EVs in the first 11 months of the year.
Ford offered lease discounts of more than $10,000 and $2,000 off the base price for cash purchases.
Honda Motor Co. said in May it was cutting the monthly lease price of its Fit EV from $389 to $259 a month, and reducing by $130 a month the cost of existing Fit EV leases. The revised lease has unlimited mileage. It leased about 570 in 2013.
Most of the vehicles are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit. The Prius with a smaller battery pack is eligible for a $2,500 federal tax credit.
As a candidate, President Barack Obama in 2008 called for 1 million plug-in hybrid and EVs on U.S. roads by 2015. The Energy Department in 2011 released a report that estimated 260,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids would be sold in 2013.

Energías renovables: Cerca de 200 municipios se movilizan en contra del trato que recibe la eólica

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Esta iniciativa parte de la Asociación Empresarial Eólica (AEE), que representa los intereses de más del 90% del sector eólico en España, con el apoyo de las siguientes asociaciones eólicas autonómicas: la Asociación de Promotores y Productores de Energías Renovables de Andalucía (APREAN), la Asociación de Promotores de Energía Eólica de Aragón (AEA), la Asociación Eólica del Principado de Asturias (AEPA), la Asociación Eólica Canaria (AEOLICAN), la Asociación Eólica de Cantabria, la Asociación de Promotores de Energía Eólica de Castilla y León (APECYL), la Asociación Eólica de Cataluña (EOLICCAT) y la Asociación Eólica de Galicia (EGA).
Los alcaldes suscriben un Manifiesto en el que piden al Gobierno que se “respete el gran valor que aporta la energía eólica, uno de los pocos sectores industriales españoles exportador de tecnología y que tanto bienestar ha aportado a miles de ciudadanos de los pueblos de España”.


Madrid, a 6 de enero de 2014. Cerca de 200 municipios españoles se movilizan en contra del trato que recibe la energía eólica en la reforma energética en tramitación. Los alcaldes abajo firmantes, preocupados por el efecto que puede tener una regulación que penaliza a la eólica frente a otras fuentes energéticas, han expresado su inquietud a través de un manifiesto, que la Asociación Empresarial Eólica (AEE) le ha hecho llegar al presidente del Gobierno, el ministro y secretario de Estado de Industria, Energía y Turismo y los grupos parlamentarios.
Los ayuntamientos españoles conocen de primera mano los efectos de creación de empleo y actividad económica que genera el sector eólico en los territorios en los que se instala. La reforma energética retira gran parte del apoyo económico a los parques eólicos en funcionamiento, lo que podría tener como consecuencia que muchas instalaciones tuviesen problemas financieros, se viesen obligadas a renegociar sus contratos y tuviesen dificultades para hacer frente a las deudas, con el consiguiente impacto en las zonas de implantación eólica.
El manifiesto reza como sigue:
“Los abajo firmantes, alcaldes de municipios españoles con energía eólica instalada, manifiestan que:
Nuestros municipios se han visto beneficiados a lo largo de los años por los parques eólicos allí instalados. Hemos visto prosperar nuestros pueblos gracias al empleo directo e indirecto generado, que ha permitido a nuestros jóvenes quedarse y no tener que emigrar a las ciudades. Hemos visto como nuestros vecinos han podido establecer empresas y negocios para ofrecer asistencia a esos parques. En definitiva, hemos visto como la eólica mejora el presente y el futuro económico y social de nuestras comarcas.
Creemos que la energía eólica es la más barata y eficiente de las energías renovables y la que más contribuye a crear empleos duraderos, así como valor añadido nacional, por lo que miramos con preocupación la reforma energética en tramitación. Nos preocupa el impacto que pueda tener en nuestros municipios si esto se ignora. Nos preocupa perder la pujanza de un sector que ha revitalizado tantas zonas rurales que estaban deprimidas. Gracias a la eólica, nos sentimos orgullosos de vivir en municipios en los que se genera la principal energía autóctona de España, que contribuye a la independencia energética de nuestro país y a que los españoles de hoy y de mañana tengan una vida mejor.
Por todo ello, le pedimos al Gobierno que a la hora de definir la reforma definitiva respete el gran valor que aporta la energía eólica. Le pedimos también que vuelva a apostar por la energía eólica, que está presente en cerca de mil municipios españoles. Creemos que es importante salvar uno de los pocos sectores industriales españoles exportador de tecnología y que tanto bienestar ha aportado a miles de ciudadanos de los pueblos de España”.

Los alcaldes que hasta ahora se han sumado a la iniciativa son los siguientes:
Manuel Valeriano Alonso de LeónCamariñasA Coruña
José Manuel Pequeño CastroDumbríaA Coruña
Benjamín M. Rodríguez AbadMonferoA Coruña
Arturo Tendero LópezChinchilla de MontearagónAlbacete
Juan Gil GutiérrezEl BonilloAlbacete
Óscar Tomás MartínezHigueruelaAlbacete
Antonio Calero BelmonteHoya GonzaloAlbacete
María José Zamora MarínLezuzaAlbacete
Josefa Moreno DoconLietorAlbacete
Pedro Iniesta CuerdaMasegosoAlbacete
Pedro Pablo Sánchez EstesoMuneraAlbacete
Luis Miguel Atienzar NúñezPozo LorenteAlbacete
Francisco José Díaz BañónRobledoAlbacete
José Fernández JiménezVilla de VésAlbacete
Juan A. Lorenzo CazorlaSerónAlmería
José Antonio Mesa PieigaAllandeAsturias
José Antonio Barrientos GonzálezBoalAsturias
José Ángel Pérez GarcíaCastropolAsturias
Eustaquio Revilla VillegasGrandas de SalimeAsturias
José Ramón Feito LorencesTineoAsturias
José Antonio González BrañaVillanueva de OscosAsturias
Crescencio Burguillo MartínOjos AlbosÁvila
Rafael Pérez NietoSan Juan del OlmoÁvila
José Miguel Muñoz MarotoSanta María del CubilloÁvila
Marco A. Morales JaramilloAlconera *Badajoz
José Calvo CordónBurguillos del Cerro *Badajoz
Celestí Rius PratCastellfollit del BoixBarcelona
Antoni de Solà i PeretaPujaltBarcelona
F.Miquel Archela GilRubióBarcelona
Jordi Servitje TurullVecianaBarcelona
Lorenzo Marquina GarcíaAhedo de ButrónBurgos
Óscar M. Marijuán HerasCogollosBurgos
Isaías López FernándezEscobados de AbajoBurgos
Federico Llarena FernándezHuidobroBurgos
Artemio Palacios ÁlvaroLas QuintanillasBurgos
José Adolfo Fernández BarcenaLos AltosBurgos
J. Luis Azcona del HoyoMerindad de SotoscuevaBurgos
Juan Carlos Gutiérrez MarcosMontorioBurgos
Braulio Río MarcosPedrosa de Río UrbelBurgos
Emilio Gallo GalloPorquera de ButrónBurgos
José Antonio Ruiz RealTubilleja de EbroBurgos
Mª del Amor Andrade PérezValle de SantibáñezBurgos
Germán de Diego RecioValle de SedanoBurgos
Luis Ángel García GutiérrezValle de ValdelucioBurgos
Ángel Carretón CastrilloVilladiegoBurgos
Pedro Díez SaizVillaescusa de ButrónBurgos
Belisario Peña IglesiasMerindad de ValdeporresBurgos
José Tomás López OrtegaPoza de la SalBurgos
Rafael Brasero PleitePeraleda de San Román *Cáceres
Ana Isabel Pérez LópezValverde del Fresno *Cáceres
Juan Andrés Gil GarcíaTarifaCádiz
Luis SantanderArredondo *Cantabria
Julián José Fuentecilla GarcíaSobaCantabria
Abelardo Tena MonterdeAres del MaestratCastellón
Rosa Adela Segura ToscaCastellfortCastellón
Jacobo Salvador SerretLes Coves de Vinromà *Castellón
Rhamsés Ripollés PuigMorellaCastellón
José Ángel Cerdán CanoTodolellaCastellón
Patricio Gomez GomezViverCastellón
Luis Díaz-Cacho CampilloLa SolanaCiudad Real
Angel Martínez HernándezAliaguillaCuenca
Víctor Martínez AgüeraHenarejosCuenca
Pilar Navarro TébarOlmedillaCuenca
Antonio Pérez SánchezSan Martín de BonichesCuenca
José Laserna PérezSisanteCuenca
Antonio González DuqueTinajasCuenca
Anunciación Martínez SerranoVara de ReyCuenca
Antonio Luengo RodríguezVillalba del ReyCuenca
Antonio Morales MéndezAgüimesGran Canaria
Inmaculada Góngora LópezDólarGranada
Manuel Rodríguez RodríguezHuénejaGranada
Manuel Alarcón PérezPadulGranada
Juan José Pérez PérezZújarGranada
José Luis Sancho del CastilloAblanqueGuadalajara
Isidoro Escolano AlbaceteAlcolea del PinarGuadalajara
Florentino Álvaro NogueralesBañuelosGuadalajara
Pedro José Mª de Pablo RicoteCampisábalosGuadalajara
Tomás Moreno CerezoCantalojasGuadalajara
Andrés Cabada BolañosLuzónGuadalajara
Francisco Andrés OrtegaMiedes de AtienzaGuadalajara
Fernando Marchán MorenoMilmarcosGuadalajara
Francisco Larriba AlonsoTartanedoGuadalajara
Carlos Sanz SánchezTordesilosGuadalajara
Alfredo Marco GilGurrea de GallegoHuesca
Antonio Luna OtoRobresHuesca
María Luz Abadía PeleatoTardientaHuesca
Santiago Jiménez GarcíaPréjanoLa Rioja
Juan José Aguado VillamuzaRobres del CastilloLa Rioja
Juan José Gil MéndezIngenioLas Palmas
Dunia González VegaSanta LucíaLas Palmas
Pedro Fernández PérezBrazueloLeón
Román Díaz RodríguezCastropodameLeón
Antonio Alider Presa IglesiasIgüeñaLeón
Pedro de Cabo MartinezLucilloLeón
Emilio-Francisco Cabeza MartínezQuintana del CastilloLeón
José Miguel Nieto GarcíaSanta Colomba de SomozaLeón
Jesús Luís Quiroga EguillorAlmatretLleida
Carme Amenós FabregatPassanant i BelltallLleida
Ramon Trullols BergadaTalaveraLleida
Ramón Francesc Benet RafelVallbona de Les MongesLleida
Manuel Lorenzo Varela RodríguezChantadaLugo
Issam Alnagm AzzamMurasLugo
José Manuel Mato DíazParadelaLugo
Primitivo Iglesias SierraPastorizaLugo
Tomás Rodríguez AriasXermadeLugo
Xose Maria Arias FernándezCastroverdeLugo
Gerardo Criado GuizánVilalbaLugo
Jesús Manuel Galeote AlbarránCampillosMálaga
Amparo Labeaga Díaz de CerioAguilar de CodésNavarra
Pedro José Lanas ArbeloaAibarNavarra
Francisco Javier Murguiondo MarquinezArasNavarra
Miguel Huesa IribarrenAstrainNavarra
Roberto Crespo MorentinAzueloNavarra
Pablo Llorens GarcíaBargotaNavarra
Luis Lizarraga AquerretaBelascoainNavarra
Alberto Santos AlegríaCabanillasNavarra
Cecelio Lusarreta EcharriCendea de GalarNavarra
Maria Nieves RecaldeEchagüeNavarra
Valentín Garcia OlcozFalcesNavarra
Javier Martínez Fernández de las HerasLapoblación-MeanoNavarra
Ignacio Iriarte MarcoLergaNavarra
Mauro Gogorcena AoizLumbierNavarra
Roberto Abascal AntoñanaMarañónNavarra
Mª Jose Vidorreta AlfaroPeraltaNavarra
Cristina Sota PernautTafallaNavarra
Luis Casado OliverTudelaNavarra
María Jesús Zoroza UgaldeUjuéNavarra
Blanca VázquezUndianoNavarra
Luis Castillo SantestebanUrraúl BajoNavarra
Gregorio Galilea ArazuriVianaNavarra
Manuel Penedo ParadelaO IrixoOrense
Juan Antonio Martinez GonzálezVereaOrense
María José de la Fuente FombellidaBaltanásPalencia
Fernando Martín AntolínFuentes de ValdeperoPalencia
Enrique Gil EscañoHerrera de ValdecañasPalencia
Mariano Martínez HoyosMonzón de CamposPalencia
Raúl Emilio Castro RodríguezAs NevesPontevedra
Alberto García GarcíaCatoiraPontevedra
Jesús Otero VarelaVila de CrucesPontevedra
Arturo Vicente HernándezGarcihernándezSalamanca
Regina Isabel Herrero RodríguezPalacios del ArzobispoSalamanca
Soledad Paco PrietoSantizSalamanca
Rubén Lorenzo Mateos SánchezZamayónSalamanca
Jesús Manuel Alonso JimenezÁgredaSoria
Atanasio Castillo FernándezAldehalicesSoria
Pedro Ernesto Pascual LópezAlmaluezSoria
José Antonio de Miguel NietoAlmazánSoria
Crescencio García GarcíaCastilfrio de la SierraSoria
Miguel Ángel Aguado AguadoCerbonSoria
Ismael Pardos JuliánFuentelsazSoria
Alonso Martínez ValerFuentes de MagañaSoria
Segundo Revilla JiménezLas AldehuelasSoria
Fernando Marín RedondoMagañaSoria
Felipe Utrilla DupréMedinaceliSoria
Pedro Jesús Millán PascualNoviercasSoria
Jesús María Celorrio HornillosSan Pedro ManriqueSoria
Claudio Miguel UrbinaSanta Cruz de YanguasSoria
Alfredo Castellano ZamoraValdepradoSoria
Pedro Luis Lerma OjuelValtajerosSoria
Jerónimo García TorrubiaVizmanosSoria
José Rico MartínYanguasSoria
Andreu Ferré TargaCabra del CampTarragona
Núria Giné AngueraEl MolarTarragona
Genoveva Margalef ValienteEl PerellóTarragona
Jaume RofesLa Torre de FontaubellaTarragona
Joan Lluís Cuadrado MárquezPobla de Massaluca *Tarragona
Francesc Domènech SoléVilalba dels ArcsTarragona
María Francisca Marzo FolCuevas de AlmudénTeruel
José Francisco Vilar MirallesUtrillasTeruel
Jose Antonio Guerra CuestaVillarrubia de SantiagoToledo
Rafael Gimenez ChicharroAras de los OlmosValencia
José Vicente Anaya RoigAyoraValencia
Santiago Arévalo LlácerEngueraValencia
Fernando García MartínezJarafuelValencia
Ángel Román RodríguezFerreruelaZamora
José Ignacio González NietoHermisendeZamora
Felipe Lubián LubiánLubiánZamora
Manuel Martín PérezMonfarracinosZamora
Luis Alberto Miguel AlonsoMuelas del PanZamora
Angel Castro RodríguezPíasZamora
Casimiro Rodríguez MoránRiofrío de AlisteZamora
Gregorio Martínez FernándezVillaferrueñaZamora
Joaquín Ignacio Alconchel FletaAzuaraZaragoza
Joaquín Gimeno SalueñaFuendetodosZaragoza
Adolfo Val RubioHerrera de los Navarros *Zaragoza
Felipe Ejido TormezPedrolaZaragoza
Luis Eduardo Moncín CuarteroPradilla de EbroZaragoza
Bernardo Lario BielsaRueda de JalónZaragoza
José Luis Abenia PardosUncastilloZaragoza
Santiago Puértolas BernéVilla de LunaZaragoza
Juan Alberto Belloch JulbeZaragozaZaragoza
Asociación Nacional con Municipios de Energías Renovables**

* Municipios sin parques eólicos instalados pero que han suscrito el manifiesto.
** Asociación formada por 121 ayuntamientos.


 
 
 

India delays national solar energy auction bid deadline again

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The deadline has been pushed back by almost a month to 20 January, Solar Energy Corp. of India said on its website.

 
India delayed the deadline for companies to submit bids in its next national solar auction for a second time after developers raised concerns about the ability of cash-strapped state utilities to pay for power.
The deadline has been pushed back by almost a month to 20 January, state-run Solar Energy Corp. of India, which will conduct the auction of 750 megawatts of photovoltaic capacity, said on its website. Earlier, it had delayed the deadline from 29 November to 28 December.
The auction will be the first since 2011 by India’s National Solar Mission and will also be the first to offer Rs.1, 875 crore in grants to cover as much as 30% percent of project costs. Developers will submit bids specifying the funds they’re seeking, and the lowest bidders will win.
The government extended the deadline after developers asked Solar Energy Corp. for protection against default by state distribution utilities that will buy power from the projects, according to Bridge to India Energy Pvt., a New Delhi-based solar advisory. The new deadline for completing projects will be around May 2015, it said in an email to clients.


 
 
 




Senegal’s largest wind power project moves closer

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Senegal’s first wind farm has taken a major step forward with the signing of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with state-owned utility Senelec.

The wind energy project, at Taïba Ndiaye on the wind-rich north coast, has also increased in size from 125 MW to 151.8 MW, and will now feature 46 Vestas V-126 3.3MW wind turbines rather than the Nordex machines previously tipped.
The project, developed by French company Sarreole, has been held up waiting for the renewable energy law to reach the statute books and by protracted negotiations over the PPA.
Once the government has guaranteed the terms of the PPA and the documentation has been updated, the project can proceed to financial close, at an estimated cost of EUR 275 million.
This should be achieved by end-June, says Eric McCartney of Chapin International, financial advisers to the project. If all goes to plan, the plant will be fully operational by 2017.


   


Canadian Solar connects Tumushuke 30 MW photovoltaic (PV) solar power plant to China State Grid

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Canadian Solar Inc., one of the world's largest solar power companies, today announced the successful completion and grid connection of a 30 MW ground mounted solar power project in Tumushuke City, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Western China.
This project was developed by CSI Solar Power (China) Inc., a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc., with Gaochuangte New Energy as the EPC contractor.
Covering an area of about 100 hectares, the project is 9.5 kilometers away from the downtown area of Tumushuke City.  Construction on the project commenced in June 2013 and ended in December 2013, with electricity generation starting in the late December of 2013. Approximately 129,600 Canadian Solar CS6P-235P modules with power output of 235Wp were used.
With the annual electricity generation projected to be 41.97 million KWh, this solar power plant is expected to displace over 13.4 thousand tons of standard coal consumption every year, while reducing annual emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and oxides by over 35 thousand tons, 114 tons and 99 tons respectively.
"We are pleased to announce the completion and grid connection of this ground mounted project, which is so far the largest one we have completed in China. With the efforts of our strong and experienced project development team and the support of key financial institutions, we are well positioned to continue to execute on our solar power project pipeline in China in the quarters ahead," commented Shawn Qu, chairman and chief executive officer of Canadian Solar.
"As a leading global solar power solutions provider with a strong track record of execution, we remain committed to supporting the adoption of green solar energy in China and around the world."

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) opportunities opening up across Southern Africa

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Concentrating solar power (CSP) analysts have highlighted that Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe share common energy factors with South Africa. 

 South Africa is consolidating its Integrated Resource Plan that aims for 17.8 GW of energy from renewables by 2030. Now, other emerging markets in Africa are also seeking to expand their renewable energy mix.

Concentrated solar power analysts have highlighted that Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe share common energy factors with South Africa. These countries are developing and expanding their renewable energy programs to meet their growing demand for electricity. The vast land availability and the excellent DNI with over 2200 kWh/m2/a, make them excellent markets to develop new business opportunities.

Reiner Jagau, Chief Officer at NamPower, Nambia’s national power utility, in conversations with CSP Today said that “Namibia has 400 MW to develop renewable energy”. The government is considering different energy sources that could match the country’s power demand. Although costs in CSP are still higher than PV or wind, its possibility to hybridize with biomass, to store energy and dispatch power during peak times and stabilise the grid, provides CSP a slight advantage over other renewables.

CSP Today has announce this week that NamPower and the Department of Energy from South Africa and Botswana will participate at CSP Today South Africa 2014 (8-9 April, Cape Town) to discuss how CSP can secure a foothold in these markets.

Brandon Páramo, Research & Project Manager at CSP Today, mentioned that “CSP Today South Africa 2014 gives attendees the chance to meet with official policy makers from multiple South African countries that too have the potential to develop CSP. DNI in some areas is much higher than Spain making it very attractive to deploy concentrated solar power.”






Wind Energy Companies Are Trying to Stop Killing Birds and Bats

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Hundreds of thousands of birds and bats are killed by wind turbines in the US each year, including some protected species such as the golden eagle and the Indiana bat. That’s only a small fraction of the hundreds of millions killed by buildings, pesticides, fossil-fuel power plants, and other human causes, but it’s still worrying—especially as wind power is experiencing record growth.

Both the wind industry and the U.S. federal government have been under intense public scrutiny over the issue in recent weeks. In late November, the Obama administration fined Duke Energy Renewables $1 million for illegally killing birds, the first time a wind company has been prosecuted under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Then, just two weeks later, the administration announced a controversial new rule that will allow energy companies to get 30-year permits for non-intentional eagle deaths at wind farms. The feds emphasize that the new rule requires additional conservation measures, but it still angered many conservationists.
The pressure is now on for wind energy companies to reduce bird and bat mortality. Lindsay North, outreach manager for the American Wind Energy Association, which lobbies for the industry, says wind developers are committed to “doing our best to try to have the lowest impact on birds.”
The industry is collaborating with wildlife researchers on promising technologies and approaches that are already being field-tested, and on some experimental and even far-fetched ideas that could help reduce mortality in the long term.
“I am very optimistic we can make significant progress,” said biologist Taber Allison, director of research at the American Wind Wildlife Institute, a nonprofit partnership of wind companies, scientists, and environmental organizations such as the National Audubon Society and the Sierra Club.
Here are eight things the industry is trying or considering in an effort to reduce bird and bat mortality.
1. Smarter siting
It’s all about location, location, location. The No. 1 way to prevent bird deaths is to do a better job choosing sites for wind energy development, said raptor researcher Richard Gerhardt: “It’s an issue of where you put the turbines.”
Federal wildlife officials, working with the industry, finalized more specific, stricter siting practices this year, as part of the same changes that allowed the 30-year permits for eagle deaths. In particular, federal officials are worried about the placement of wind farms in golden eagle habitat out West, and the new permitting process takes those concerns into account. When they are focused on their prey, golden eagles, which are protected under three federal laws, are especially vulnerable to turbines.
“Certainly as an industry we believe not every site is equal and not every site should be developed,” said John Anderson, director of siting policy for AWEA. “It starts with desktop analysis of where the risk lies,” he said. “But you can’t assess risks without on-the-ground boots analysis.”
It would be difficult for wind developers to avoid eagle territory altogether. “The eagles love to fly where the wind is high and strong and they can soar over open country,” said Frank B. Isaacs, golden eagle project manager for the Oregon Eagle Foundation. “And it is exactly the same places they want to put these wind farms.”
But wind companies can at least avoid eagles’ and hawks’ migratory routes and known flight paths. For instance, wind farms could be set back from cliffs and sloping hills where eagles use an updraft to soar, Isaacs said.2. Radar
The industry is also turning to radar technology that could detect when eagles and other birds are approaching. Turbines could be slowed or shut down when the radar, along with employees monitoring the horizon, determine birds are within a certain zone.
Some radar systems are proving to be better than others at telling an eagle from a crow (or a swarm of insects), said Anderson. But live testing has shown that the more-refined radar technology can reduce the risk to large species, according to Allison, including protected birds such as whooping cranes, condors, and eagles.
This kind of early-warning radar technology has been deployed at wind farms along the Texas Gulf coast during the spring migration of songbirds. Some wind companies in the area are also watching for meteorological conditions that might suggest when songbirds are in migration, and conditions such as low visibility, when the songbirds might fly lower and thus closer to the turbines.3. GPS Tracking
Thus far there have been no reported California condor deaths caused by wind turbines. And at least one company is trying to ensure the endangered birds can coexist with the growing wind energy presence in the state.
Many of the 230 California condors flying in the wild are fitted with GPS transmitters, so Terra-Gen, one of the top wind developers in the country, uses a high-frequency receiver to track the condors near its California facilities.
“They are listening, if you will, for condors,” Allison said. “If they pick up a signal and it gets within this space, the company can say, ‘We’ll shut down this string of turbines.’”
A “boom box” prototype device designed to repel bats away from wind turbines, from Deaton Engineering. Ed Arnett/ Bat Conservation International
4. Ultrasonic acoustics
Most birds killed by wind turbines die because they get hit by spinning blades. Many bats seem to die for a different, even gorier reason: the lower wind pressure near the blades causes their lungs to explode. Because birds and bats react differently to turbines, scientists are pursuing different methods to protect them.
“There are two things that appear to be the most promising” when it comes to reducing bat deaths, said Chris Hein, wind energy program coordinator with Bat Conservation International.
The first of those is ultrasonic acoustic determent. Bat Conservation International has been collaborating with Deaton Engineering to design ultrasonic “boom boxes” that emit continuous high-frequency sounds, from 10 kHz to 100 kHz, intended to confuse bats’ echolocation to the point that they avoid the area.
“It essentially jams their radar, making it difficult to perceive sonar,” Hein said. “That creates a disorientating atmosphere, and they don’t want to be associated with that airspace. It doesn’t harm the bat in any way. It would be like going into an extremely bright room that is so bright we wouldn’t be able to navigate or see well.”
Study results on this kind of technology have been largely inconclusive so far, but Hein believes that’s because of the inconsistency of the devices that have been used to date. There are encouraging signs, he said. Tests of some ultrasonic acoustic equipment have found that it can halve the number of fatalities for certain species of bats.
“We still have a long way to go with that technology,” Hein said. For one thing, it needs to be refined to work better in rain and high wind.
But he’s hopeful that recent advances could lead to commercially deployable devices.5. Leaving turbines off when wind speeds are low
The second strategy that has been shown to help reduce bat deaths is waiting longer to turn on the turbines, until wind speeds are higher. “Bats like to travel in very low-wind conditions,” Hein said.
According to the only published study on the subject, leaving the turbines dormant until wind speed reaches 5.5 meters per second reduced bat mortality by nearly 60 percent compared with normally operating turbines. The industry standard is to have blades start spinning when wind hits 3.5 to 4 meters per second.
The question is whether this method is economically feasible. Anderson said the industry is “in the process” of evaluating this strategy.
“It does come at a cost to the electric company,” Hein said. “But some of the early research shows the loss of revenue is not that much.”
This strategy is currently being employed at wind farms in the Midwest and East Coast within the habitat range of the Indiana bat, a medium-sized, mouse-eared bat listed as endangered since 1967.6. Painting turbines different colors
Some research has shown that migratory tree bats are attracted to turbines, but the reason isn’t known, Allison said. One study found that they may associate the turbines with a body of water.
Another theory is that bats approach the turbines in pursuit of prey. A study conducted in England suggested that simply changing the color of wind turbines to hues less attractive to insects could reduce the number of bugs that congregate around the turbines, which could in turn reduce bat deaths.
Ultimately, understanding why bats keep coming to turbines will be key in finding ways to keep them safe.7. Designing new turbine shapes
Earlier designs were found to attract roosting birds, which would perch and nest inside the turbines’ lattice-style structures, but newer designs discourage roosting.
In addition, engineers are exploring completely new kinds of wind equipment that could potentially be less harmful to birds and bats than traditional turbines. They range from large kites that harness the wind to vertical axis turbines.
A jet-engine-inspired design, called the FloDesign turbine, marks a distinct departure from traditional turbine design, with blades encased in a larger structure. Because it would be more visible, Allison believes it could pose less of a threat to birds.8. Strike detection
If a turbine could recognize when it has been hit by a bird, it could potentially slow itself down or shut off to minimize the risk to other birds in the area.
A collaborative research effort between Oregon State University and Mesalands Community College in New Mexico is looking into this idea. Researchers are currently using tennis balls to mimic bird strikes.
The research could lead to commercial strike-detection equipment, said Jim Morgan, director of the North American Wind Research and Training Center at Mesalands. “If it works, it could be helpful for offshore wind,” said Allison.
Morgan is hopeful that the research at Mesalands and elsewhere will eventually lead to a notable reduction in bird and bat mortality. “Man is good at solving problems when someone is willing to invest in the science,” he said.
Reducing wind development’s impact on endangered species and other wildlife would help the industry avoid problems with the federal government and boost wind power’s public image.



 

RWE Cuts Proposed Capacity Of Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm

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RWE Innogy has revised plans for the proposed Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm project, which is being developed off the Lincolnshire Coast in the North Sea. 

Work on the site design has resulted in RWE Innogy deciding to progress the development with a reduced capacity which ranges between 600 and 900 megawatts, rather than the maximum of 1200 megawatts. 

The new capacity would ensure enough energy to power the equivalent domestic needs of between 550,000 and 800,000 average UK households.

The revised site design would also ensure the efficiency and utilisation of the site is maximised. Project Manager Jacob Hain said: "The recent optimisation work is part of a project review to make the site more competitive and more economic in line with Government proposals to bring down the cost of offshore wind."

More detailed design work on the onshore infrastructure has also taken place as part of the project review. This has resulted in significant reductions to the required onshore footprint of Triton Knoll. The new design reduces the footprint for the onshore substation by more than 50% and by 40% for the intermediate electrical compound.

Jacob Hain explained: "This is an important step forward for the development. Triton Knoll's significant contribution of reducing the UK's carbon emissions and tackling climate change, can now be achieved more efficiently whilst having less impact on the surrounding environment and communities."

Work is still progressing on developing the proposed electrical infrastructure. Local communities will have the opportunity to take part in a formal consultation which will take place before any planning application is submitted.

Triton Knoll represents a multi-billion pound investment in clean green UK energy infrastructure. Although Triton Knoll is still in the development phase, over £18 million has already been invested in the UK as a result of this project with £1.75 million invested in the East Coast of England. It is anticipated that a substantial proportion of contracts associated with the construction of Triton Knoll would be awarded to UK companies. 






Enbridge to Invest $0.2 Billion in Texas Wind Power Project

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Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) (NYSE:ENB) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas) for construction of the 110-megawatt (MW) Keechi Wind Farm, located in Jack County, Texas, at a cost of approximately US$0.2 billion.


Construction for Keechi Wind Farm commenced in December 2013 and the project is expected to reach commissioning in the first quarter of 2015. Upon attaining commercial operation, MetLife, Inc. will provide tax equity financing for the project.
The project will deliver electricity into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) market, under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Microsoft Corporation.
"As the nation's leader in wind energy - both in installed capacity and number of turbines - Texas represents a natural extension for Enbridge's growing U.S. renewable energy portfolio," said Don Thompson, Vice President, Green Power & Transmission, Enbridge Inc. "We're also pleased to continue building our relationship with RES Americas which has developed three other wind facilities for Enbridge."
"RES Americas looks forward to continuing our partnership with Enbridge Inc. Texas has shown its commitment to remain a leader in the renewable energy industry, and Keechi Wind, the 19th project we've constructed in the state, will help reduce carbon emissions, create jobs, and deliver economic benefits to the local community," said Brian Evans, Executive Vice President, RES Americas.
The Keechi Wind project comprises 55 Vestas V100-2.0 MW turbines and will be constructed by RES Americas under a fixed-price, engineering, procurement and construction agreement. A 12-mile generation tie-line will connect the project to Brazos Electric's Joplin substation.
Vestas will provide turbine operations and maintenance services for the first five years of the project after commercial operation date.
Keechi Wind brings the total generating capacity of the green power projects in which Enbridge has interests to more than 1,800 MW - enough to meet the energy needs of more than 590,000 homes. The project also contributes to Enbridge's "Neutral Footprint" commitment to generate a kilowatt of renewable energy for every additional kilowatt of conventional electricity that the company's liquids pipelines operations consume.
Keechi Wind Project At-A-Glance:


Location:Jack County, Texas (about 60 miles northwest of Fort Worth)
InstalledCapacity:110 MW
AnnualYield:430,000 MWh
CO2Saving:Approx. 260,000 metric tons per year
Turbines:55 Vestas V100-2.0 MW turbines
EquivalentHomesServed:45,000 homes
Developer:RES Americas
EnergyPurchaser:Microsoft Corporation Ltd. (under a 20-year PPA)
InterconnectionProvider:Brazos Electric Power Cooperative (Joplin substation)


Enbridge Inc., a Canadian Company, is a North American leader in delivering energy and has been included on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World ranking for the past five years. As a transporter of energy, Enbridge operates, in Canada and the U.S., the world's longest crude oil and liquids transportation system. The Company also has a significant and growing involvement in natural gas gathering, transmission and midstream businesses, and an increasing involvement in power transmission. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates Canada's largest natural gas distribution company, and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. As a generator of energy, Enbridge has interests in 1,700 megawatts of renewable and alternative energy generating capacity and is expanding its interests in wind and solar energy and geothermal. Enbridge employs more than 10,000 people, primarily in Canada and the U.S. and is ranked as one of Canada's Greenest Employers and one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2013. Enbridge's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ENB. For more information, visit www.enbridge.com.
Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas) is a fully-integrated renewable energy company that develops, constructs, owns, and/or operates projects across North America. The company employs approximately 275 full-time professionals working throughout North America, has a construction portfolio of more than 6,500 MW of renewable energy, and offers a full suite of development and construction services for wind, solar, and transmission projects. RES Americas' corporate office is located in Broomfield, CO with regional offices located in Austin, TX and Minneapolis, MN. RES Americas is part of the RES Group, a leading international renewable energy developer. For more information, please visit www.res-americas.com





Wind power generated largest part of Spain’s electricity in 2013

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Wind energy generated 21.1% of Spain’s energy in 2013, while coal-fired power plants declined by 4.7%.
 
Spain generated the largest chunk of its energy from wind power in 2013 – the first country to hit this renewables milestone – according to figures from the country’s national wind association.
Asociación Empresarial Eólica (AEE) is set to confirm that wind produced 21.1% of a total 246,166 gigawatt hours of electricity consumed in Spain last year, just edging ahead of nuclear’s 21.0% of the total.
This is a 12% increase on the 2012 figure, when wind produced 18.1% of the country’s power.
“Throughout 2013, the all-time highs of wind power production were exceeded,” says the report.
“On February 6, wind power recorded a new maximum of instantaneous power with 17,056 MW at 3:49 pm (2.5% up on the previous record registered in April 2012), and that same day the all-time maximum for hourly energy was also exceeded reaching 16,918 MWh.”
Hydroelectricity also doubled its contribution, adding 14.4% of the total energy in the grid in 213, compared to 7.7% in 2012.
In total, renewable energy sources provided 42.4% of the country’s electricity, up from 10.5% the previous year. According to the report, the large size of the contribution was favoured by the high volume of rainfall that fell in Spain this year.
The added renewable energy in the mix in 2013 is predicted to have reduced the greenhouse gas emissions of Spain’s energy sector by 23.1% on  2012 levels.
Meanwhile the coal industry will have to register another hit to an already turbulent year: the coal-fired power plant share of the energy mix was down to 14.6% in 2013 from 19.3% in 2012, and down to 9.6% from 14.1% for combined cycle power stations.
2013 also marked a strong year for wind power in the UK, which, like Spain, achieved new milestones in renewable power generation. December broke the record for the most energy delivered by wind power in month, when the sector delivered 10% of Britain’s total energy demand.
This is yet one more chapter in the story of the industry’s growth over the last few years. Trade association RenewableUK reports that installed wind capacity increased by 40% between July 2012 and June 2013.
Today, China WindPower Group received the financial support to expand into the solar sector, securing US$ 924million to fund its ‘PV pipeline’. Its forays into the world of solar power is expected to become a “major profit contributor to the group”, according to Yan Zhifeng, the company’s executive director






German wind energy generation increases 2.8% in 2013

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German wind power generation increased 2.8% to 47.14TWh in 2013, compared with 45.86TWh in 2012.

On 24th December 2013 German wind power output reached its second highest ever at 0.54TWh after the record 0.57TWh on 6th December 2013. 

Wind energy generation in December 2013 alone reached 7.45TWh compared with 5.58TWh in December 2012.
Germany's 2013 wind power generation was equivalent to 8% of German electricity consumption in 2013 which clocked up at 596TWh, according to German energy and water federation BDEW. This compared with 607TWh in 2012 when wind took a 7.6% share.
Despite the lower consumption, energy incumbents EnBW, E.on, RWE and Vattenfall ran their fossil-fuelled plants at high output resulting in massive exports of 33TWh in 2013 (as estimated by AG Energiebilanzen, 12 December 2013) compared with 23TWh in 2012, and just 6.2TWh in 2011.







New US test facility to improve wind turbines

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National Wind Technology Center is using a new $16 million dynamometer to test how wind turbines perform.

The 5-megawatt dynamometer test facility is the newest addition at the center, which is part of the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The new facility is an upgrade from a 2.5-megawatt dynamometer at the center.
“As wind turbines have gotten bigger and bigger, we needed a bigger test facility,” said center director Fort Felker.

Land-based turbines now generate as much as 3 megawatts, and offshore turbines can generate 6. There are new turbines pushing the power output even higher.
“We need a larger platform and one that could integrate with a simulated grid,” Felker said.
The facility was financed through a U.S. Department of Energy grant.
The drivetrain of a wind turbine — usually atop a tower and connected to a propeller — is placed in the dynamometer, and instead of wind, it is turned by an electric motor.
Using a variety of gears and drive shafts, and a 6-megawatt motor, the machine can simulate various wind conditions and drive the turbine at top speeds for long periods — a key manufacturing test.
The new facility can create not just the effect of the torque of a spinning wind blade but also the turbulent winds and stress that can hit a turbine, Felker said.
Another of the new site’s added capabilities is its simulated power grid — the Controllable Grid Interface.
The interface allows researchers to see how turbines respond in situations such as overvoltage or undervoltage events.
“This gets us closer to creating the experiences the turbines will face in the real world,” Felker said.
The interface will also enable NREL engineers to find ways that wind systems can help support the grid, Felker said.
Turbines now have a “low-voltage ride-through” that enables them to continue to operate when faults occur on the grid.
They also have power electronics giving turbines the capability to match the grid’s electrical frequency and help support grid stability.
“These control technologies enable wind turbines to become the grid’s best friend,” Felker said.
The first tests being done at NREL are on a 2.75-megawatt wind turbine that the Energy Department acquired in partnership with General Electric Co.
“The only way to deliver advanced technology at a lower cost of energy with high reliability is to be able to test and learn,” Tom Fischetti, a senior GE engineering manager, said at the facility’s December dedication.
“Being able to do that here at ground level instead of in the field, 300 feet in the air, is very important to GE and the rest of the wind industry,” Fischetti said.





Nissan LEAF, el coche eléctrico más vendido en España

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En el mundo ya se venden algo más de 20.000 vehículos eléctricos al mes. 
 Siguen avanzando los coches eléctricos. Cierto que no lo hacen tanto como algunos pensaban, pero es un comienzo, y para hacer un camino lo más importante es andar. En el mundo ya se venden algo más de 20.000 vehículos eléctricos al mes.

Más discretas son las ventas de coches eléctricos en España, pero sí se puede adelantar que el Nissan LEAF ha sido el coche eléctrico más vendido en España en 2013.

Renault vende cuatro coches eléctricos diferentes, un cuadriciclo, una furgoneta y dos coches. Renault se ha puesto como hoja de ruta cuatro objetivos de futuro para mejorar sus vehículos eléctricos, que se resumen en dos: más autonomía y más velocidad de recarga, y precio más bajos.

La mejora de la autonomía de un coche eléctrico pasa por la mejora de las baterías. Entre otros trabajos, investigaciones y avances, una empresa japonesa dice tener casi a punto una nueva batería de iones de litio con el triple de capacidad, y además más ligera y barata.


 
 

Wind power: Vestas upgrades free cash flow expectations for 2013 to approx EUR 1bn

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By the end of 2013, Vestas had already announced 4,761MW of orders, more than 2012’s 3,738MW, and with the prospect of more to come from unannounced deals. Mr Runevad said in November that customers were returning to Vestas after it had shored up its finances. Based on preliminary reporting, Vestas upgrades the expectations for the 2013 free cash flow to approx EUR 1bn compared to the previous expectation of EUR 500-700m. The improvement is primarily driven by a better-than-expected development of the net working capital.  As earlier announced, the annual report for 2013 will be disclosed on 4 February 2014. 


Vestas lifted its closely watched cash flow target for the third time in a year as the Danish wind turbine manufacturer showed further signs that its recovery is taking hold.

The world’s second-largest wind turbine maker said its free cash flow last year would be about €1bn, up from a previous forecast of €500m-€700m. It started 2013 merely predicting cash flow of just above zero.

Vestas enjoyed one of its busiest-ever months for orders in December as it unveiled a number of large US deals involving more than 400 wind turbines from the likes of Enel Green Power and First Wind.

Investors have been acutely focused on Vestas’ cash flow numbers for signs of how well the restructuring was progressing, and sent the shares up in the last minutes of trading on Monday 5.5 per cent to DKr186.10. Vestas said a better than expected development in working capital was largely behind the upgrade.

But its share price is still well below its high of DKr692 from 2008, shortly before an ill-timed expansion plan from its then chief executive, Ditlev Engel.

 
 
 

Energías renovables: Otros 100 megavatios de eólica en República Dominicana

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La zona Sur de la República Dominicana aportará al sistema eléctrico nacional 185 megavatios (MW) de energía eólica, al adicionarse dos proyectos  eólicos de 50 MW cada uno que se ejecutarán este año, entre Pedernales y Barahona.

Enrique Ramírez, director ejecutivo de la Comisión Nacional de Energía (CNE), dijo que en Juancho, comunidad de Pedernales, se desarrolla  un plan para un parque eólico de 85 megavatios, y lo calificó como el más importante de la región del Caribe.
Esas iniciativas de energía eólica las ejecuta la empresa de generación energética Ege- Haina, que desarrolla la tercera etapa del proyecto de 50 megavatios en Los Cocos  y el Consorcio Energético Punta Cana Macao (CEPM) que también ejecutará uno 50 MW. Actualmente Ege-Haina tiene 77 MW y 8 lo aporta el CEPM en la comunidad de Juancho.
El plan que permitirá producir esos 100 megavatios implica una inversión de US$200 millones, y según el funcionario, colocó al país como líder de la región durante el período 2012-2013.
Esos 100 MW ya fueron aprobados por la CNE, que señala podrían entrar al Sistema Eléctrico Interconectado en los próximos dos años.  La idea de la Comisión de Energía es que, al finalizar el período del año 2016 el país cuente con un desarrollo de alrededor de 300 megavatios eólicos, de acuerdo con las declaraciones de Ramírez.
La CNE informó que hay un proyecto de 30 MW que está en la zona de Baní y tiene financiamiento del BID. “De esa iniciativa solo se está esperando una recomendación de la CDEEE para proceder a iniciarla”, afirma.
También se tiene previsto aplicar otros proyectos en las zonas de Montecristi y Puerto Plata. “Estamos hablando de proyectos con potencial de desarrollar 100 megas”.
El más exitoso
Ramírez destacó que el año que transcurre fue el más exitoso en producción de energía alternativa, tomando como referencia las mediciones que realizó el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), a través del Fondo Multilateral de Inversiones (Fomin). Según esos resultados el país duplicó el año pasado su inversión en energía renovable, tras alcanzar los US$645 millones de dólares.
La Comisión Nacional de Energía, organismo responsable de trazar la política del Estado dominicano en el sector, señala que la citada medición ayudó al país a avanzar siete puestos en la clasificación (de 15 a 8), “más que cualquier otra nación en el Climascopio”, índice interactivo y herramienta virtual de evaluación centrada en mercados de energía limpia.
Esas evaluaciones le permiten concluir al organismo que el año que recién finalizó fue exitoso en materia de energía renovable.
Taller energías renovables
Centroamérica  ejecuta 284 proyectos de energías renovables y 13 se implantan con éxito en República Dominicana bajo la asesoría del Estado dominicano a través de la Comisión Nacional de Energía y la inversión del sector privado, especialmente  de las empresas EGE-Haina y el Consorcio Energético Punta Cana Macao (CEPM), de acuerdo con informaciones  dadas a conocer en el Segundo Taller de Visibilidad de Energía Renovable en Centroamérica, que se desarrolló el pasado mes de octubre, durante el Vigésimo Segundo Foro Regional “Energía sostenible para usos productivos (AEA).Los proyectos en implementación están relacionados con energía eólica, fotovoltaica, biomasa e hidroeléctricas.


 
 
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