Energy

Energy

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EDF Commissions 179 MW At Two Solar Power Plants In Nevada

Policy makers led by US Senator Harry Reid were present at a celebration formally recognising Switch Stations 1 and 2 solar power plants, with a combined generation capacity of 179 MWac, as fully commissioned and in commercial operation. Senator Reid stated “Less than a decade ago, Nevada’s solar energy landscape was nonexistent, but this commissioning helps fulfil the vision I had to make our state the leader in renewable energy development. A technology giant like Switch committing to using 100% renewable energy is truly visionary and grows our clean energy economy by creating hundreds of good-paying construction jobs here.”

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Global Trade In Biofuels Featured At International Renewable Mobility Conference

A significant proportion of global energy use, is in transportation. Action is crucially needed to bring about an energy turnaround in this sector and it’s a topic that has moved higher up the political agenda again since Dieselgate, and with growing calls for a rapid introduction of electromobility. In Germany, the Working Group on Energy Balances (AG Energiebilanzen) has calculated the final energy consumption of 728 TWh by the transport sector in 2016. Data from the German Environment Agency (UBA) reveals that over 90 percent of fuel deployed is derived from mineral oil. World-leading experts meeting in a parallel forum at the 15th International Conference on Renewable Mobility will analyse biofuel trading worldwide, examining various perspectives on requirements, the current state of play and forecasts.

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Renewable Future Challenges UK And Germany To Build Flexibility In Power Systems

A new economic study highlights that future energy systems in the UK and Germany, with very high levels of variable renewable generation, must be complemented by flexible resources, including energy storage. The study was released by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). “This study highlights a seismic shift in how power systems will operate in the future. As wind and solar become the cheapest options for power generation, the race is on to develop and deploy the flexible resources that will complement them,” said Albert Cheung, head of global analysis at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

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Tata Power Solar Commissions India’s First Rooftop Solar Carport In Delhi

Tata Power Solar set another landmark by commissioning an unprecedented rooftop solar project in India – a solar carport on the rooftop of the sprawling 70,000 sq.m Unity One mall, in Rohini, Delhi. The unique rooftop carport is estimated to set off 438 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The company won the bid in an open tender process fielded by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for multi-level car parking. The project enables the mall to earn on the unused and excess solar electricity produced. It also cuts down the need to install a second meter or an expensive battery storage system as it is directly connected to the local power grid.

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By 2036, Clean Energy Can Account for 37% of The Energy Mix For Thailand

With a stronger and more ambitious energy development plan, Thailand’s share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption could surpass its national target by a quarter and reach more than 37 percent by 2036, according to a new report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Ministry of Energy of Thailand. Renewable Energy Outlook: Thailand finds that decreasing imports of fossil fuels and increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix to 37 percent would improve energy security and reduce the cost of Thailand’s energy system by USD 1.2 billion annually by 2036.

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India: Increased Commitment By Government Drives Demand For Solar Inverters

SMA has announced that it sold more than 1GW of solar inverters into all market segments in India in 2017. SMA inverter sales in the commercial sector have doubled compared to last year, corresponding to a market share of 30%. In total, the installed SMA inverter base in India exceeds 3 gigawatts. “India is one of the key markets for SMA in the Asia Pacific region. In the last 3 years, we have seen strong commitment from the Indian government driving growing market demand in the solar sector”.

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Google Leads The Way In Purchasing Clean Energy; Signs 196 MW PPA With Avangrid

Google has reached power purchasing agreements with Avangrid Renewables for 196 MW of wind power. The agreements cover two wind farms, producing enough energy each year to power 50,000 households. The additional capacity helps Google reach its goal of purchasing enough renewable energy to match its energy use in global operations. Gary Demasi, Google’s director of global infrastructure stated: “with solar and wind declining dramatically in cost and propelling significant employment growth, the transition to clean energy is driving unprecedented economic opportunity and doing so faster than we ever anticipated.”

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Renewables Provide 17.8% Of Total US Electricity. Solar Now 2.0% And Wind 6.0%

According to the latest issue of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) “Electric Power Monthly” report, U.S. electrical generation from renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar – inc. distributed solar, wind) rose by 14.69% during the first three-quarters of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. Simultaneously, electrical generation by fossil fuels and nuclear power combined declined by 5.41%. Nuclear power and coal both dropped by 1.5%, natural gas (including “other” gas) was down by 10.7%, and oil (i.e., petroleum liquids and petroleum coke) plunged by 17.1%.

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Siemens Gamesa Strengthens Lead In India With New Order For 200 MW Wind Farm

The agreement is a strong, positive development for the company in the Indian market in the wake of its temporary slowdown. The agreement encompasses the entire infrastructure needed to operate the project together with the supply of 100 of its G114-2.0 wind turbines with a hub height of 106 meters, specifically designed for the low-wind sites typical of India. The project is expected to be commissioned by February 2019. Present in the market since 2009, Siemens Gamesa has installed over 5 GW in India and the company has been the leading OEM in India for the last three years.

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Pico Alto Highlights The Increasing Significance Of Geothermal In Energy Mix

The inauguration ceremony of the Pico Alto 4 MWe geothermal power plant was held recently in the stunning scenery of the Terceira Island, Azores. The plant is now providing a sustainable, reliable source of electricity to 56,000 inhabitants and meeting up to 10% of the island electricity needs. Marco Bonvini COO of EXERGY stated, “we are very proud of the successful completion of this challenging project. It represents a great example of how innovation in greentech can provide sustainable solutions. We see many opportunities to apply the technology in remote environments and Pico Alto is a good starting point and an excellent reference.”

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Vestas, Fortum Lead Expansion Of Wind Energy In Huge Russian Electricity Market

Following the success of Vestas and Fortum Energy in Russia’s first wind energy auction, the two companies have entered into an agreement, engaging Vestas to supply its 4 MW platform for wind energy projects in Russia, the world’s fourth-largest electricity market. With this, the companies hope to lead the expansion of wind energy in Russia. They will work with local partners to establish a strong local manufacturing and supply chain capacity; and Vestas will also provide its considerable experience to build up and establish high standards for the relatively young Russian renewables sector.