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Building The World's Thinnest Crystalline Silicon Solar Panel

Oct 212010

DuPont Kabushiki Kaisha and Fujipream Corporation have successfully developed a new thin crystalline silicon (c-Si) glass-glass photovoltaic module that is 25 percent lighter in weight (excluding the frame) compared with traditional c-Si modules using standard solar grade front glass.

Two sheets of the DuPont encapsulant surround and protect the module's sensitive silicon cells and circuitry, which is sandwiched between two 1.1-mm sheets of thin glass.

The new Fujipream module incorporates new innovative material technology from DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions and NSG Group to provide the strength, rigidity, resistance to impact and weatherability required to meet international module standards. The result is the world’s thinnest commercially available glass-glass c-Si photovoltaic module.

A key innovation is the use of DuPont PV5300 Series ionomer-based encapsulant sheets that replace traditional EVA-based encapsulants. The resulting laminate strength enables the thinner module to pass required load and hail tests, and thin glass replaces standard solar grade front glass and backsheet to provide a new lighter-weight glass-glass laminate structure.

Two sheets of the DuPont encapsulant surround and protect the module’s sensitive silicon cells and circuitry, which is sandwiched between two 1.1-mm sheets of thin glass.

“Fujipream is taking advantage of DuPont PV5300 Series encapsulant to enhance overall module strength and rigidity,” explains Jun Koishikawa, development manager – DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers.

“The ionomer sheet’s adhesion to glass is well-established from years of related experience in laminated structural glass. The high shear coupling of the glass layers via use of the ionomer encapsulant creates a composite-like module structure with strength comparable to a single piece of thicker glass.

The vacuum-laminated photovoltaic module’s extra strength lets Fujipream meet required module impact resistance and structural loading requirements using 31 percent less glass than traditional designs, which relied on a 3.2-mm glass topsheet and polymeric backsheet.

Minoru Amoh, president – DuPont Kabushiki Kaisha in Japan, sees the Fujipream module as a natural result of DuPont applying the power of its integrated science to help deliver clean solar power.

“DuPont is strategically focused on a thriving photovoltaic industry,” said Amoh.

“We are applying our market-driven science to offer products and technologies that can transform the sun’s potential into clean energy, and delivering growth through our market-leading position in materials. We expect to achieve $1 billion in revenue from sales into the photovoltaic market in 2010 and $2 billion by 2014.”

Source – Solardaily.com

China a surprise leader in clean energy: study

renewable energy No Responses »

Oct 212010

The world’s top polluter, China, is a surprise leader in clean energy efforts, a study showed Tuesday, outstripping the United States and Japan and leaving Australia lagging far behind.

A wind turbine complex on the Zhemo Mountain on the outskirts of Dali in China's southwestern province of Yunnan. AFP PHOTO / FILES / LIU Jin

The Vivid Economics report, commissioned by Australia’s Climate Institute thinktank, showed China was second only to Britain in the value of its incentives to cut pollution from electricity generation.

Britain’s efforts were estimated at 29.30 US dollars per tonne of carbon to China’s 14.20 US dollars, with the United States clocking 5.10, Japan 3.10, Australia 1.70 and just 70 US cents for South Korea.

The six countries account for just under half of all global emissions.

“The Chinese leadership have made a strategic decision that they missed out on the last two industrial revolutions and they don’t want to miss out on the third one,” said Erwin Jackson, director of the Climate Institute, of China’s “surprising” dominance.

“They are now commanding the largest market share of clean energy investment at a global level as a result,” Jackson told AFP.

China’s investment in clean energy topped 35 billion US dollars in 2009 compared with 11 billion in Britain and 18 billion in the United States, and Jackson said it was set to increase tenfold over the next decade.

The main driver of China’s performance was its commitment to shutting down more than 100 small coal-fired power plants for cleaner coal stations by 2011, which the report said would reduce emissions by 15 percent.

It also offered subsidies worth billions of yuan for green energy projects, aiming to generate 15 percent of the nation’s total energy from renewable sources by 2020.

In Japan, 10 major power producers had joined a voluntary scheme aiming to cut emissions by 20 percent of 1990 levels by 2012, a major initiative which accounted for more than half of its clean energy rating.

Variations of an emissions cap-and-trade system were in place in South Korea, Britain, Tokyo, and parts of the United States, the report said.

The study said there were few policies which applied directly to coal, despite the fact it was the major source of fuel and carbon pollution for the six countries.

It also warned that none of the countries was on track to meet reduction targets agreed after last year’s global climate summit at Copenhagen, with Japan lagging worst in relative terms.

Jackson said the report showed that Europe and China were ahead of the game on pollution reduction investment, far outpacing countries such as Australia — the world’s worst per capita polluter due to its heavy dependence on coal.

Without action to price carbon, he said Australia risked falling foul of anti-pollution taxes, with countries such as Japan and India already taxing imports of coal and similar moves foreshadowed in the United States and Europe.

Australian Climate Change Minister Greg Combet welcomed the report, saying a carbon price “will not only provide an incentive to reduce pollution but also … drive this country’s long-term competitiveness”.

The ruling Labor party in Australia, the world’s largest coal exporter, has shelved emissions trading laws after failing to pass them and nearly lost power at August polls, with the eco-minded Greens party winning a record vote share.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, now at the head of a Greens-backed coalition government, has urged penalties for carbon pollution and formed a cross-party committee to investigate the best way to slash emissions.

Source – The Times

Google blows into offshore wind project

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Oct 202010

disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

Google has agreed to invest, along with other partners, in a massive offshore wind power project along the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region.

The Atlantic Wind Connection “backbone” deep-water cable transmission project, led by Trans-Elect, is expected to provide approximately 6,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity, enough power to serve 1.9 million households, when fully complete.

Other investors include Good Energies, a global investor in renewable energy, and Japan’s Marubeni Corp.

Instead of requiring multiple connections, the transmission line will serve as a “superhighway with on-ramps for wind farms,” said Rick Needham, director of green business operations at Google, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. It will link to land at four locations: North Jersey, South Jersey near Atlantic City, the coast of Delaware and the coast of Virginia south of Norfolk.

The transmission line would run about 15 to 20 miles offshore. That’s up to 17 miles further out than the controversial Cape Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts, which has encountered fierce local opposition on aesthetic and environmental grounds.

AWC developers say that the turbines — with 295-foot hubs and 197-foot blade lengths — would barely be visible from beaches and residences, National Geographic News reports.

The system could also be expanded to accommodate additional offshore wind energy as the industry further develops.

AWC would involve high-voltage direct current instead of the high-voltage alternating current typical of most wind farms. Trans-Elect says HVDC cables are cheaper, have lower energy loss and use less copper than HVAC cables.

“The AWC backbone will both relieve transmission congestion in one of the nation’s most restricted power markets as well as enable the development of a huge offshore wind capacity that can bring stability and security to the Eastern Power Grid,” John Breckenridge, managing director at Good Energies, said in a news release.

Construction of the project is expected to begin in 2013, after the necessary permits are obtained and completion of an environmental review process.

“This can dramatically accelerate development of renewable energy,” Needham said. “This is in line with our commitment to a clean energy future, where we believe that being good environmental stewards makes good business sense.”

In May, Google made its first direct investment in clean energy, when it bought a $38.8 million stake in two North Dakota wind farms.

Pointing out that AWC is still in its early stages, Needham said “we’re willing to take calculated risks on large-scale projects that can move an industry.”

Google is to provide 37.5 percent of the equity for the initial development. While none of the investors would provide dollar amounts, The New York Times reported that Google’s initial investment in the project would be $200 million.

Source – Winddaily.com

South Africa - Incentives for Clean Water Supply

Water matters No Responses »

Oct 122010

Johannesburg — SA IS the first country to have incentive-based regulation for municipal water treatment, to encourage accountability and transparency, a Department of Water Affairs official said yesterday.

Leonardo Manus, the department’s director of water services regulation, was speaking at a briefing yesterday hosted by the Water Research Commission.

He said officials from Canada and the UK will visit SA to study its regulation processes next year.

Mr Manus said when drinking water quality regulation was first introduced in 2005, less than 43% of municipalities monitored drinking water quality.

“Now, almost 100% monitor drinking water quality.”

He said the Blue Drop and Green Drop certification – for drinking water treatment and waste water treatment, respectively – aims to give municipalities an incentive to go beyond minimum standards for treatment and reward excellence.

This year, 38 water treatment systems gained Blue Drop certification, and 787 municipal water supply systems were assessed.

The first Blue Drop report was released last year, when only 440 municipal water systems were assessed, and 23 were awarded Blue Drop status.

“Lots of people don’t understand the Blue Drop system, because it’s something new,” Mr Manus said.

Using a classroom analogy, he said teachers did not expect all their pupils to gain distinctions. Likewise, the officials who run water treatment systems should be encouraged to improve. The Treasury now requires municipalities

Guidelines for home water treatment units are being prepared, the Water Research Commission confirmed. Jo Burgess, the commission’s research manager, said home treatment facilities could be used either as a stopgap – for rural communities for whom piped water is not yet available – or as part of an emergency response measure, where infrastructure has been destroyed by a natural disaster.

Research will also consider the efficacy of commercially available products for home water treatment, Dr Burgess said.

Treated drinking water must comply with SANS 241, a South African national standard informed by the World Health Organisation’s drinking water standards.

She said guidelines for the design and operation of water treatment plants, and for appropriate chemicals for water treatment, have been published, as well as a desalination guide for municipal engineers.

SA to seek investment in major solar park

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Sep 292010

South Africa’s energy minister says that the country will seek billions of dollars in investment for a 5,000-megawatt solar park that will help shift the country toward green energy.

Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said South Africa will host an investors’ conference on October 28 and 29 in an effort to generate private-sector interest in the project, an effort to begin weaning the country off its energy mainstay, coal.

The conference will be held in the town of Upington in South Africa’s Northern Cape province, a flat expanse of arid land that the energy department and the non-profit Clinton Climate Initiative have identified as an ideal spot for solar energy production. “The conditions in the Northern Cape are ideal for the establishment of a solar park, primarily due to the intense solar radiation in this province,” Peters said.

Ira Magaziner, the chairman of the Clinton Climate Initiative — a clean energy programme sponsored by former US president Bill Clinton’s charitable foundation — said South Africa has some of the best conditions in the world for solar power.

“It’s probably the best we’ve seen in the world all around,” Magaziner told AFP.

He said besides having some of the best sunshine in the world, the Northern Cape also has the geography and infrastructure to make it a major solar production point.

“There’s large amounts of land, and for solar energy you need a lot of land. In the Northern Cape you have vast expanses of land with no alternate use. And also it’s near water, the Orange River, so you can use that for the steam in the plants. And then also it’s not too far from transmission lines,” he said.

“South Africa can become a major force in the world in the export of solar power.”

The energy department estimates the project would cost billions of dollars over a decade-long period.

Peters said the government would provide all the infrastructure for the project, then lease out land to private developers who would finance and build individual projects that would sell power to the national grid.

South Africa relies on coal for about 90 percent of its annual energy production of almost 40,000 megawatts.

The proposed solar park would provide as much power as one coal-fired power station, Peters said.

Water crisis mounting

Water matters 6 Responses »

Sep 292010

By 2015, 80 percent of South Africa’s fresh water resources will be so badly polluted that no process of purification available in the country will be able to make it fit for consumption.

If we do not find a completely new source of water altogether in about two years, most of Gauteng will be without safe health drinking water.

The Environment and Conservation Association said in a statement on Tuesday that it was estimated that in five years, almost 80 percent of the country’s fresh water resources would be so badly polluted that no process of purification available in the country would be able to clean it sufficiently to make it fit for human or animal consumption.

“If we do not find a completely new source of water altogether in about two years, most of Gauteng will be without safe health drinking water.”

The impending disaster that would be created by acid mine drainage as well as sewerage and industrial pollution had on many occasions been brought to the attention of the government, however with no positive results, the association said.

The association would embark on a massive water monitoring project where it would roll out water testing and monitoring in the six major water catchments in Gauteng and Limpopo, to produce independent and accurate results of exactly how bad the country’s water was.

Those results would be released to the public and the media, both locally and internationally.

“We will need approximately R 1 million for this project. It is time that big business, especially those that rely on water for the production of their products like Coca Cola, SAB Miller, Windhoek Beer, all soft drink manufacturers and food producers, get involved and make a substantial contribution towards organisations like ours so we can save South Africa’s water.”

Water preservation and conservation was not just an environmental issue, but an economic issue.

“Almost 56 percent of the products we consume rely directly on the supply of clean healthy water, and if this water is not available, those products cannot be produced.

“Water affects every single part of our daily lives and without it we cannot survive. We cannot eat and we will be left in a country made barren by pollution.”

Source – Sapa

We at www.waterandsolar.co.za want South Africa to start seriously looking now at renewable energy and reduce its need for coal fired power stations. As individuals we can start in our homes by introducing a greener way of living with greywater systems, rainwater harvesting and solar water heaters. Together we can start reducing our homes carbon footprint and our need for coal hungry Eskom and muncipal water.

Government and labour to address water crisis

Water matters 4 Responses »

Sep 282010

Johannesburg – Organised labour and the government have agreed to form a committee to deal with South Africa’s looming water crisis.

The committee would look at procurement, budgetary problems and legislative processes, Costa Raftopoulos, the president of the Federation of Unions of SA told reporters in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

“Among other things, the committee will ensure that an audit of the state of our infrastructure is done. It will look at why it takes so long to address water-related problems.”

The committee, which would be formed under the auspices of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), would also investigate Fedusa’s demands, which included the development and implementation of a national education programme to build awareness of the importance of water.

Fedusa demanded that by using the water affairs department’s Blue Drop/Green Drop report, non-functioning drinking water and wastewater plants must be identified and placed under intensive care under the control of a national project manager.

“The manager or co-ordinator’s job will be to draw up a national programme of work and a budget to restore the entire infrastructure and to ensure that government agrees to a fast-tracked procurement processes.”

‘Little urgency in addressing crisis’

National government had to cut red tape and approve a budget as a matter of urgency. At the same time staffing issues should be attended to.

Fedusa and its affiliate, the United Association of SA (Uasa), presented their “well researched” findings of its Section 77 application to Nedlac, with regards to the state of water security. Government representatives asked to be given 30 days to consult internally. Nedlac would then convene the first meeting of a steering committee.

Section 77 of the Labour Relations Act gives workers the right to seek intervention or take part in protest action to promote or defend their socio-economic interests.

During the presentations and discussion, Fedusa showed particular concern about the “apparent dragging of feet” by authorities in charge of the country’s water. Fedusa and Uasa said they had shown little urgency in addressing a crisis threatening the health and safety of humans, animals and agriculture alike.

“According to the World Health Organisation in Africa, about 2.9 million people die of HIV/Aids annually, but more alarming is the fact that about 3.4 million people die of the consumption of unsafe water and sanitation (2002 figures),” Fedusa said in a statement.

Uasa emphasised it was alarmed about how much money the government spent on HIV/Aids education and awareness, which was necessary. The same could however not be said about the water issue.

Health hazards

Dr Jo Barnes, an epidemiologist from Stellenbosch University, warned about the health hazards of polluted streams, rivers and dams. It was possible to trace pollution to its source where it should be rectified.

“Our people are seriously threatened by the water crisis we face, but it is the newborns, the unborn babies, pregnant women, the elderly and the frail who are the most vulnerable to the lack of sanitation and clean water.

“The contamination of water and water-borne diseases are causing havoc in the poor communities, resulting in serious health risks amongst our people. We need a commitment from all South Africans to seriously and visibly act fast to address the issues that are now threatening the lives of the poor.”

She said it was estimated that South Africa would run out of water by 2025.

“Pollution of water sources on a widespread scale by industrial and mining activities contribute to the country’s looming water crisis.”

Barnes said toxic water from disused mines accumulated, rose to the surface and drained into rivers, after which people consumed it.

Overloaded

Poor maintenance of major storage dams was one of the main areas of concern.

“Structures have been weakened and there are added costs of water purification. Failing water and sewage infrastructure contribute to South Africa’s water crisis.”

Old and poorly maintained systems, poor provision of services, especially in impoverished areas, and unwise use of budgets were a big problem, Barnes said.

According to the government’s 2009 Blue Drop report, drinking water met safety standards in only 8% of the country’s municipalities.

Of the 449 municipal waste water treatment works assessed, skills shortages resulted in many not being operated correctly and water quality no longer met standards.

Only 7.9% of works achieved green drop certification.

Barnes said 80% of existing sewerage treatment works were overloaded. About 40% of those in towns were on the brink of collapse. The quality of river water had fallen by 20% in the past five years, she said.

Global bid to tackle cooking smoke

renewable energy 2 Responses »

Sep 212010

Cooking smoke believed to kill 1.9 million a year in developing countries.

Clean stoves run on biomass (with chimneys and clean-burn mechanisms), or gas, or on solar power.

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced a global partnership to tackle the scourge of toxic smoke from indoor cooking fires.

Cooking smoke is estimated to shorten the lives of 1.9 million people a year; it also contributes to climate change.

The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is a partnership between the US government and other nations along with charitable foundations.

It is believed to be the first major attempt to tackle the issue worldwide.

The project will attempt to build on national programmes already underway in India, Mexico and Peru.

It aims to introduce modern low-pollution stoves to the homes of 100 million poor people by 2020.

The stoves programme would help to protect poor people from eye disease, lung disease and cancer; save forests from being ravaged for fuel; reduce CO2 emissions and reduce emissions of black smoke, which also contributes to global warming. Continue reading »

Researchers develop tea bag filter that cleans water

Water matters 1 Response »

Sep 112010

Source – BBC News

The water filter that has the shape and size of a tea bag

The filter looks like a tea bag but contains material that blocks harmful chemicals

A group of researchers in South Africa has developed a filter that can purify water straight from the bottle.

It sits inside a tube that can be fitted on top of a bottle and purifies water as it is poured on a cup.

The designer behind the filter, Dr Eugene Cloete, from the Stellenbosch University in South Africa, says the filter is only as big as an ordinary tea bag.

He says the product is cost-effective and easy to use.

“We are coming in here at the fraction of the cost of anything else that is currently on the market,” says Dr Cloete on BBC World Service.

Building The World's Thinnest Crystalline Silicon Solar Panel

DuPont Kabushiki Kaisha and Fujipream Corporation have successfully developed a new thin crystalline silicon (c-Si) glass-glass photovoltaic module that is 25 percent lighter in weight (excluding the frame) compared with traditional c-Si modules using standard solar grade front glass.

China a surprise leader in clean energy: study

The world’s top polluter, China, is a surprise leader in clean energy efforts, a study showed Tuesday, outstripping the United States and Japan and leaving Australia lagging far behind.

Google blows into offshore wind project

South Africa - Incentives for Clean Water Supply

SA to seek investment in major solar park

Water crisis mounting

By 2015, 80 percent of South Africa’s fresh water resources will be so badly polluted that no process of purification available in the country will be able to make it fit for consumption.

Government and labour to address water crisis

Global bid to tackle cooking smoke

Researchers develop tea bag filter that cleans water

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DuPont Kabushiki Kaisha and Fujipream Corporation have successfully developed a new thin crystalline silicon (c-Si) glass-glass photovoltaic module that is 25 percent lighter in weight (excluding the frame) compared with traditional c-Si modules using standard solar grade front glass.

The world’s top polluter, China, is a surprise leader in clean energy efforts, a study showed Tuesday, outstripping the United States and Japan and leaving Australia lagging far behind.

By 2015, 80 percent of South Africa’s fresh water resources will be so badly polluted that no process of purification available in the country will be able to make it fit for consumption.

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