Solar Panel on Trains Roof: Ready to Implement

Scientists have asked the railways to consider installing rooftop solar power panels on train coaches to meet their electricity needs and curb the country’s diesel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, have sent their proposal to the Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala, Punjab, after showing through a theoretical study that solar panels can save up to 90,000 litres of diesel per rake per year.

Solar power the future of Delhi

The current electricity crisis and intermittent supply in Delhi has once again established the need for switching to alternate sustainable energy options, especially solar power. However, there is still scepticism about its viability, implementation and tariff standardization.

Roof-top Solar Panels at Oxford

Mini plant at Oxford has turned to more than 11,500+ panels over an area of 5 football pitches to harness renewable energy to power itself. Spread over 20,000 square metres, the new bodyshop is now one of the biggest roof-mounted solar farms in UK.

This apart, Mini’s bodyshop boasts of 3,869 individually programmable LED lights, energy-saving “rest mode” for robots, water harvesting system to supply the toilets, and heat wheels to control recirculation and admission of fresh air. Plant Oxford has also signed the ‘Low Carbon Oxford Charter’ to reduce Oxford’s carbon footprint by 30% by 2020.

Read more at http://www.rushlane.com/mini-plant-bodyshop-solar-farm-oxford-12122314.html

Indian-American named White House's Solar Champions of Change

An Indian-American professor was today named by the White House as the 'Solar Champions of Change' in recognition of his immense contribution towards developing alternate source of energy and promoting solar deployment in residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

Rajendra Singh, the D Houser Banks Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the prestigious Clemson University, is among the 10 individuals declared as Solar Champions of Change.

DLF follows Gujarat model, to install solar panel on commercial buildings

DLF is set to become the first real estate developer in the country to generate power by installing solar panels on top of its office buildings, a move similar to the experiment in Gujarat, where the state government has installed such panels on top of government buildings in capital city Gandhinagar. 

The developer has signed a build-andoperate agreement with UK-based Aniron Solatricity and Azure Power India to install solar panels on top of commercial buildings owned by DLF as an initial pilot project to produce 3 mw of power. The solar power generated will be routed to the buildings and combined with the main power source. 

"It will help us use the unused terrace spaces of our buildings for generating power from environment friendly sources," said Amit Grover, national director-offices business at DLF. The developer's office buildings in Gurgaon, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai are being used for this project. DLF had earlier installed a 100 mw captive power plant in its DLF Cybercity in Gurgaon that runs on gas. This plant provides an uninterrupted power supply to offices in Cybercity. 

Read more at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/dlf-follows-gujarat-model-to-install-solar-panel-on-commercial-buildings/articleshow/36679327.cms

Dwarka Metro station in Delhi gets first solar power plant

The metro station at Sector 21, Dwarka, got its first rooftop solar power plant which was inaugurated recently. The plant has a capacity of 500 kW and in all probability generation of power will begin by the end of July.

With the generation of power from this solar PV plant from next month, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will become the first ever metro system in the country to install rooftop solar power plants at its stations.

Source: http://www.energynext.in/dwarka-metro-station-gets-first-solar-plant/

The Metal That May Soon be Powering Your Neighbourhood

BBC reported that Hawaii has a problem, one that the whole world is likely to face in the next 10 years. And the solution could be a metal that you've probably never heard of vanadium.

Hawaii's problem is too much sunshine or rather, too much solar power feeding into its electricity grid.

Generating electricity in the remote US state has always been painful. With no fossil fuel deposits of its own, it has to get oil and coal shipped half way across the Pacific.

That makes electricity in Hawaii very, very expensive more than three times the US average and it is the reason why 10% and counting of the islands' residents have decided to stick solar panels on their roof.

The problem is that all this new sun powered electricity is coming at the wrong place and at the wrong time of day.

Hawaii's electricity monopoly, Heco, fears parts of the grid could become dangerously swamped by a glut of mid-day power and so last year it began refusing to hook up the newly purchased panels of residents in some areas.

Solar Rooftops Project to Reduce Delhi Power Burden

Residential colonies and commercial establishments could reduce the burden of their electricity bills if a study currently being carried out by Tata Power Delhi Distribution finds rooftop solar power generation projects feasible and the city joins the club of such power producers that includes Gujarat.

Of Rs 40k-crore National Clean Energy Fund, only Rs 1.6 crore spent on projects in last 3 years

NEW DELHI: The government has collected Rs 40,000 crore as cess on coal through the National Clean Energy Fund, but even as intended beneficiaries continue to wait for disbursement, it has allocated just over 1 per cent of this amount to the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE), the nodal department for developing clean energy in the country.

How Do Renewable Energy Plants Work

The world relies heavily on a steady supply of fossil fuels like oil, natural gas as well as coal for its energy, and these unfortunately are dwindling resources; they are non-renewable and require costly explorations. The price of oil is also dependent on certain factors, and political strife creates an energy crises and escalating oil prices. Renewable energy is not vulnerable to political events but can be locally produced. But how do renewable energy plants work in order to convert energy resources like the wind and the sun into electricity?

The sun, wind, hydro-power and biomass are just some renewable energy sources, and with renewable energy plants for instance, wind can be stored for later use. Wind and heat are constantly being replenished and won't run out, they are far cleaner than fossil fuels too, and don't cause solid toxic wastes which lead to a host of respiratory- and other serious illnesses and they also won't do damage to our fragile ecosystems.

Tata Power crosses 500 MW mark in renewable energy

Image Source: http://technologygreenenergy.blogspot.in/2013/10/alternative-renewable-energy-resources.html

Tata Power has crossed the 500 MW mark in renewable energy capacity with the commissioning of a solar plant at Palaswadi, Maharashtra.

This is in line with the company’s commitment to have 20-25 per cent contribution in clean energy generated from hydro, solar, wind, geothermal, and waste gas.

Currently, Tata Power has a total operating capacity of 460.6 MW from wind farms and 54 MW from solar energy. In addition, the company has 447 MW of hydro power and 202.5 MW from waste gas-based generation.

With this, the company’s total installed generation capacity stands at 8,585 MW, with 1,170 MW from clean energy sources. It plans to increase its generation capacity from green energy sources alone, based on the projects that are already in advance stage of execution, development.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/tata-power-crosses-500-mw-mark-in-renewable-energy/article6101099.ece

City School Goes Eco-friendly with Solar-Powered Street Lights

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya Model Higher Secondary School, T Nagar, in collaboration with the Lions Club of Central Madras and Greater Chennai Exnora, observed World Environment Day on Saturday by installing two solar-powered street lamps on the school premises.

Lion K Balachandra Reddy, district governor, Lions Club International, District 324 A1, commissioned the two solar powered street lights. The project by Lions Club of Central Madras was completed at a cost of `66, 000.

Reddy addressed students on the need to protect the earth from global warming by planting more saplings, using eco-friendly devices such as solar-powered street lights and using solar panels to produce electricity for domestic and institutional purposes. He added that the tremendous youth power could bring a real change at the national and international level.

Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/City-School-Goes-Eco-friendly-with-Solar-Powered-Street-Lights/2014/06/09/article2269918.ece1

Renewable Energy Ministry aims at four solar power plants of 1,000 Mw each

The government is aggressively accelerating the solar energy programme, and aiming for four giant plants of 1,000 Mw each. It also wants to bundle solar and conventional power to make renewable energy more affordable.

Giant solar projects may be put up quickly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as the new government is keen to promote this source of renewable energy.

Duty on imported solar gear to attract foreign investment: ISMA

Indian Solar Manufacturers Association has said the imposition of Anti-Dumping Duty on imported equipment, mainly from China and Taiwan, will attract global investment in the solar gear manufacturing market in the country.

"With the imposition of Anti-Dumping Duty, we will attract immediate FDI in solar manufacturing and we estimate the domestic manufacturing capacity to increase to 4-5 GW (4,000-5,000 MW). This will create an indigenous solar supply chain that will be very competitive and vital for India," Hulas Rahul Gupta, senior member, Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) told PTI.

Solar panels light up schools, health centres

What started as a project to ‘go solar’ at schools, seems to have created a huge demand for alternate power supply in schools all over the State.

A project of the Lions Clubs District 324 A1 to install solar power plants in schools has come to a close with the district spending over Rs. 2 crore on the installations.

Over the last year, the district has helped install solar power plants in 70 educational institutions and five primary health centres.

Award for New Solar Cell Technology with Jenoptik Laser

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, ISE, has been honored with the Innovation Award Laser Technology 2014. The laser used in this technology was provided by the Jenoptik Lasers & Material Processing division.

As announced during the awards ceremony in May 2014, the first place in the Innovation Award Laser Technology 2014 went to the Fraunhofer ISE for the innovation “Laser-fired Contact (LFC) Technology for the Production of Highly Efficient Silicon Solar Cells”. The award was presented by the German association Arbeitskreis Lasertechnik e.V. and the European Laser Institute, ELI, during the International Laser Technology Congress in Aachen (AKL).

Solar market to nearly triple by 2018 as Asia leads Europe: EPIA

Globally installed solar capacity will nearly triple over the next four years, boosted by strong growth in Asia, which dethroned Europe as the world's biggest solar market last year, according to a major industry association. 

Cumulative photovoltaic installations are seen rising to about 374 gigawatt (GW) in 2018, compared with 139 GW last year, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) said on Monday in its annual market report. 

Solar Impulse 2: Solar-powered plane makes inaugural flight

Image Source: https://www.aiaa.org/Detail.aspx?id=22949

Payerne: A sun-powered plane made a successful test flight on Monday, clearing a vital hurdle towards its goal of a round-the-world trip next year, its pilot and mission chiefs said.

Solar Impulse 2 carried out a flight lasting two hours and 15 minutes, half an hour longer than scheduled, German test pilot Markus Scherdel said.

"Everything worked as expected," Scherdel told a press conference at an air base in Payerne, central Switzerland.

"Of course, we have to do more testing, but it's a good start and I'm looking forward to flying the airplane the next time."

Built from carbon fibre, the 2.3-tonne plane has four 17.5-horsepower electrical motors powered by 17,248 solar cells studding its fuselage and 72-metre (234-feet) wingspan - as long as that of an Airbus A380.

It is the successor of Solar Impulse, a record-breaking craft that in 2010 notched up a 26-hour flight, proving its ability to store enough power in lithium batteries during the day to keep flying at night.

Read More: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/solar-impulse-2-solarpowered-plane-makes-inaugural-flight/476161-11.html

Narendra Modi's 24*7 power ambition: Why new government should focus on clean energy

China frequently provides the headlines in the clean energy world. The largest clean energy investor managed to raise eyebrows once again last month when it announced its new 2017 targets: 70 gigawatts of installed solar capacity (more than triple the current level), 150 gigawatts of wind and 330 gigawatts of hydropower.

In contrast, India plans 20 GW of solar by 2022, and adds less than 5 GW of clean energy capacity (solar, wind, small-hydro and biomass) per year. The first thing the prime minister, Narendra Modi, needs to do is raise the scale of ambition in the sector. If the stated intent of providing 24X7 power to every Indian is to be met, power supply will have to at least triple by 2030. There is room enough here for multiple sources and technologies.

I hear the sceptics saying: can India really afford renewables? The answer is an unequivocal yes, and the reason is that it can be cheaper than many conventional sources. The earlier model of subsidised coal-led power development is not delivering. Power supply is inadequate and unreliable for the user, while the power generators have to contend with unpaid bills.

Source: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-06-01/news/50245914_1_power-supply-24x7-power-power-tariffs