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SolarSummary: February 4-10, 2003

by Kirsten Elder Companies in the news Bekaert/Energy Conversion devices BP Solar Global Solar Energy Photowatt Solar Century Emerging Technologies Researchers at Heriot-Watt University in the UK say they have achieved considerable success in developing solar cells on textile substrates. The researchers have been investigating the feasibility of depositing the layers that make up a typical solar cell onto woven and nonwoven textile substrates. The silicon is deposited from a gaseous compound using a variation of conventional thermal chemical vapour deposition (CVD), to produce nanocrystalline thin films. In contrast to other forms of silicon deposition, the temperature that the substrate needs to withstand is only 200 C, and perhaps even lower. Therefore, not only can textile fabrics made from glass fibre be considered as suitable substrates, but so too can more everyday fabrics such as polyester. (Technical Textiles International via CNN Money, 05/02/03) The University of California in Santa Barbara are developing methods of producing PV cells, without the need of expensive, pure silicon. Rather than relying on the multi-tasking abilities that only pure silicon can provide, the university teams device uses a separate method to absorb light (using dye molecules lying on a gold film) thus allowing for the […]

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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: Feb. 12, 2003

News and Events EERE Summarizes 2004 Budget Proposal in “Budget-in-Brief” President’s Budget Provides $17.6 Million in Weatherization Funds President Bush, Secretary Abraham Detail Hydrogen Initiative Two of Three Kansas Wind Power Installations Moving Ahead Dry Winter Likely to Impact Hydropower in Pacific Northwest Ethanol Fuel Industry Achieves Record Production in 2002 *Site NewsBioenergy Stoves Discussion Group *Energy Facts and TipsNuclear Industry Sees Potential for Large Growth in 10 Years———————————————————————-NEWS AND EVENTS———————————————————————-EERE Summarizes 2004 Budget Proposal in “Budget-in-Brief”DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) released its “Budget-in-Brief” on Tuesday, providing a summary of the proposed EERE budget for fiscal year (FY) 2004. The budget increases only slightly compared to last year’s proposed budget, now totaling $1.32 billion. It includes the President’s Hydrogen Fuel Initiative and expands the FreedomCAR program, while also providing increased funds for solid state lighting, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and the President’s National Climate Change Technology Initiative. See EERE’s “FY 2004 Budget-in-Brief” on the EERE Web site at: [sorry this link is no longer available]President’s Budget Provides $17.6 Million in Weatherization Funds for Iowa, New Hampshire, and WisconsinDOE released further details about President Bush’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2004 this week and last, noting that […]

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Green Tags Give

2002 was a great year for Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) Green Tags. The Portland, Oregon non-profit sold over $700,000 in Green Tags, an amount equal to the total annual energy output of 35 large utility-scale wind turbines.Bonneville started the Green Tag program two years ago as an easy way for people to show support for clean energy produced in the Northwest. Oregon businesses such as Blue Heron Paper Co, West Linn Paper Co, Nike, Tektronix, SUMCO Oregon, Bear Creek Corp. and others have made significant commitments. BEF invests all net-revenues into building new renewable energy resources throughout the Northwest. Along with supporting utility-scale wind energy, an additional 100 kW of solar electricity has been added to the energy grid. Recent projects include: Hanford Solar (White Bluffs, WA.); Brewery Blocks Solar (Portland, OR.) and West Salem High School Solar (Salem,OR.).The sale of Green Tags also certified the Rolling Stones concert “Turn Up the Heat on Global Warming,” Climate Cool by the Climate Neutral Network. Hosted by the National Resources Defense Council, the free concert was held February 6 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The concert’s purpose was to raise awareness about global warming.BEF and NativeEnergy sold enough Green […]

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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: Feb. 5, 2003

News and Events President’s Budget Retains Funds for Efficiency, Renewables President Bush Launches $1.2-Billion Hydrogen Initiative Navy to Demonstrate Potential of Solar-Supplied Hydrogen Los Angeles Proposes to Build a 120-Megawatt Wind Plant Green Power Adopted in North Carolina and Successful in D.C. *Site NewsDOE Launches Revised EERE Web Site at New Web Address *Energy Facts and TipsEnergy Companies Added Significant Oil, Gas Reserves in 2001———————————————————————-NEWS AND EVENTS———————————————————————-President’s Budget Retains Funds for Efficiency, RenewablesPresident Bush released his administration’s proposed $2.2 trillion federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2004 on Monday. According to the President, the budget meets the challenges posed by three national priorities: winning the war against terrorism, securing the homeland, and generating long-term economic growth. Despite these three priorities, the budget maintains funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. It assumes enactment of the energy tax incentives proposed in the President’s 2003 budget, including tax credits for the use of solar power in residences and for purchases of hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles. It also proposes a two-year extension in tax credits for electric vehicles, clean-fuel vehicles, and power produced from certain renewable energy sources (the so-called “production tax credit”). See the budget on the White House […]

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SolarSummary: January 28 – February 4, 2003

by Kirsten Elder Companies in the news AstroPower www.astropower.com Global Solar Energy www.globalsolar.com Kyocera www.kyocerasolar.com Schott Applied Power www.appliedpower.com Shell Foundation www.shellfoundation.org Sustainable Energy Technologies www.sustainablenergy.com Emerging Technologies Scientists at Rochester Institute of Technology are developing the next generation of solar cells, advancing the technology that could put football field-sized solar power systems into earth’s orbit. The National Science Foundation recently awarded a three-year, $200,000 grant to the RIT’s NanoPower Research Laboratory to develop nanomaterials – no bigger than a billionth of a meter – in support of NASA’s space solar power program. “In order to put football-field sized arrays in space, they need to be lightweight and flexible, and able to withstand the rigors of space,” RIT scientists say. “Today’s technology isn’t good enough, but with the theoretical possibilities offered by nanomaterials it could become a reality.” (Ascribe via CNN Money, 29/01/03)New Products Calgary-based Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd. has announced that the CANMET Energy Technology Centre of Natural Resources Canada will contribute $100,000 to the cost of commercialising the Company’s renewable energy inverter for grid-connected solar PV markets. Sustainable Energy Technologies has been successfully testing a 5kW version of the renewable energy inverter with a commercial scale solar PV […]

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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: Jan. 29, 2003

News and Events LIPA and GE Wind Turbines Boost U.S. Offshore Wind Prospects U.S. Wind Power Growth Slows to 10 Percent in 2002 Maine Renewable Energy Brings Green Power to the State Massachusetts, New Jersey Revise Clean Energy Programs President’s 2004 Budget Increases Weatherization Assistance New Combined Heat and Power Projects Mark a Growing Trend *Site NewsH2CARSBIZ *Energy Facts and TipsEIA Updates Regional U.S. Reports on Appliance Use———————————————————————-NEWS AND EVENTS———————————————————————-LIPA and GE Wind Turbines Boost U.S. Offshore Wind ProspectsThe likelihood of offshore wind power developments in the United States improved last week, thanks to separate actions taken by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and Cape Wind Associates, LLC.LIPA, acting on a previous study, requested proposals for an offshore wind power plant that would produce 100 to 140 megawatts of power. The utility has identified its preferred location, a five- square-mile area about 2.5 miles south of Jones Beach on the western end of the island. LIPA is prepared to enter into a 15- to 20-year power purchase agreement for the power produced by such a facility, which the utility hopes would be operational by late 2007. LIPA would also build the undersea cable to connect the facility to its […]

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SolarSummary: January 21 – 27, 2003

by Kirsten Elder Companies in the news ICP Solar Technologies: www.icpglobal.com Intersolar Ltd: www.intersolar.com Konarka : www.konarkatech.com Matsui Proton Energy Systems: www.protonenergy.com S.A.G. Solarstrom: www.solarstromag.de Sanyo Electric Co.: www.sanyo.co.jp Sharp Electronics Corp: www.sharp-world.com Spire Solar Chicago: www.spiresolar.com/Solar/Chicago.html Suntechnics Fabrisolar: www.fabrisolar.ch Tata BP Solar: www.tatabpsolar.com Uni-Solar www.unisolar.com Xantrex Technology: www.xantrex.com Emerging Technologies The chemical manufacturer, Dai-Ichi Kogyo Seiyaku and Mitsui have announced the formation of a Joint Venture to develop a new organic solar cell. The Joint Venture will have an initial capital of two hundred million Yen ($1.5M) and be based in Kyoto. The shareholding will be 65 percent Dai-Ichi Kogyo Seiyaku and 35 percent Mitsui. The goal is to start manufacture of the cells by autumn 2004. (Solarbuzz.com, 22/01/03)New Products Xantrex Technology is introducing a new inverter/charger for off-grid homes and backup power systems. The Xantrex Sine Wave Plus Inverter/Charger (SW Plus) is available in 24 and 48-volt versions with a continuous power output of 2.5 kW. It has a suggested list price of US$2,299. (SolarAccess.com, 22/01/03)Applications One of the UK’s biggest solar-powered roofs is about to become active at the Gaia Energy centre in Cornwall. The 400,000 roof measures 520 sq m and was funded by the Department […]

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