By increasing blade length by 40 percent to 176 feet, along with making the blades more aerodynamic, this vastly larger windmill can still turn in winds that are 7 to 70 miles per hour, comparable to most standard wind turbines.  Also, by simplifying the generator and drive-train to cut down on offshore maintenance from failing gear boxes (a major problem in wind turbines), GE has brought wind harvesting into the offshore arena and revolutionized the design at the same time.  Take that, oil rigs!  Just kidding.  Seriously though, there is enough wind blowing along the coastlines to power the entire American nation four times!

The blades are one of two crowning glories on this piece of renewable energy masterwork.  They are both curved and bent backwards, allowing them to handle gusts by twisting with their natural curve, rather than bending like most turbine blades do.  The bending in standard blades renders them inefficient in a gust of wind and can break or damage them severely.

The next massive improvement is the 90-ton generator with a 20-foot ring of magnets.  This massive wonder allows the turbine to keep turning without having to maintain gears or change their oil, a boon to the offshore maintenance crew.  Traditionally, the gearbox is used to speed up the drive-train to generate larger amounts of electricity at lower wind speeds.

A few other neat things: the pitch controllers can rotate the blades automatically out of harm’s way in major gusts, or adjust the blades by fractions of degrees to maximize output.  The blades are not solely fiberglass; there is carbon fiber at critical points, which adds strength and drops pounds.  Converters and transformers stabilize and boost the generated electricity from 690 volts to 22,000 for traveling well over long distance power lines.

Pretty dang cool and it doesn’t take up one inch of usable landmass.  This is just another in a growing list of  smart innovations for renewable energy (and solar power).

FYI:  Solar Power is any power source that originates in the sun (everything known to man but fission) and Solar Photovoltaic is the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity.

Source: PopularScience.com

A new poll by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) shows that 75 percent of Americans favor utility-scale solar on public lands that are not protected as preserves of some kind.  This comes after extensive questioning by conservation groups of the true ecological impact that large solar fields would have on the ecosystem they are built upon. The concerns stem from the large amount of landmass that utility-scale arrays cover, and the heavy equipment work that is necessary to set up such an expansive array.

While the poll only asked 500 randomly chosen Americans with no specific demographic or political affiliation, 40 percent said they “strongly support” these projects.   This is a positive thing for the solar industry, as well as those that believe solar is a truly clean energy with a major role in the future of American energy consumption. It shows that solar has achieved a market share in feasibility.

Some believe the battles between conservation groups and solar companies, dubbed the “green vs. green battle”,  is overblown.  “It is a bit of an unfair portrayal. I think, on the whole, the environmental community is unified in supporting clean energy…and of course, doing it in a smart way that protects the environment,” said Sean Garren, a clean energy advocate for Environment America.

Environmental concerns aside, there are enough hurdles for the solar companies to face, such as slow permitting processes, water and land disputes, and the nagging overlap of state and federal agencies.  All these factors will slow the growth of utility-scale solar, but one thing’s for sure — when these issues become things of the past, the future will be bright, clean and very green.  So far, it seems the industry is simply experiencing growing pains and finding out how best to tread, without squashing the things it seeks to preserve and protect.

Source: RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Photo Credit: Getty

After the Arizona Corporation Commission passed the Arizona Renewable Energy Standard in 2006, the founders of Salt River Solar began crafting a business model that eventually launched in December of 2008.  Despite the standard growing pains of small businesses, the company managed to continue expanding and serving its customer base.  The main challenges faced were finding qualified solar installers and securing financing for customers, since the cost is the main deterrent to going solar in the first place.

For skeptics of how much the turn to solar actually creates jobs, Salt River Solar is a perfect example.  For instance, the local auto shop experienced growth as Salt River’s fleet of trucks grew, the business complex Salt River occupies was nearly empty before being filled up as the company expanded, and currently, Salt River is looking to hire 50 more employees in sales, marketing, installation and other related areas.

With any luck, this won’t be the end of the growth for Salt River Solar and other Arizona solar companies.  Today, Arizona’s government is considering ways to implement a feed-in-tariff that will only fuel an already-blazing fire.  Also, Salt River Solar will be launching a new Megawatt Commercial Rooftop program that will be specifically aimed at commercial businesses looking to offset electricity costs or become standalone generators of their own.  No matter what the economy looks like, renewable energy continues to be strong and is likely to stay strong well into the future.  After all, there’s still a long way to go before coal is a distant memory (or at least just a back-up system).

Source: RenewableEnergyWorld.com

This investment stems from a recent PV push into the Middle East and North African (MENA) continent, areas, of course, with abundant sunshine.  Some governments and investors have begun to invest heavily in these regions, hoping to cash in on the future potential for solar harvesting.

Why the Middle East and North African Continent?

While many of us are still struggling to pay bills, let alone think of investing, this is an area of the globe with plenty of prime land for solar projects, and they are certainly beginning to take shape.  Companies investing in the Middle East are poised to continue to grow, or at least have strong and well-diversified futures. That bodes well for any of us with enough left over from bills to put into the burgeoning growth of PV worldwide.

The following projects were announced during 2009.  All of them are within the MENA areas:

• Egypt: Cycle Power Island, which will use a 20-MW CSP system was contracted, is currently under construction and expected to start operation in the year 2010.
• Tunisa: Government outlined plans to develop 40 solar projects between 2010 and 2016.  29 will be financed by private sector.
• Morocco: Undertaking a US $9-billion solar energy project, with five solar power generation sites throughout Morocco producing 2,000 MW of electricity by 2020.
• Jordan: The JOAN1 project is expected to enter operation in 2013 and will be the largest CSP project in the world using direct solar steam generation.
• Saudi Arabia: Kingdom’s Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources says solar will be a major contributor to energy supply in the next 5-10 years and has begun building the first solar-powered water desalination plant.
• Masdar & Abu Dhabi: 1.5 GW of CSP is slated for development by 2020, with the first 100 MW already under construction at Madinat Zayed and due for completion in 2011.
• Abu Dhabi: Made $2 billion investment in photovoltaic manufacturing.
• Algeria: Set goal to provide for 10 percent of the energy demand with renewable energy by 2025. One solar thermal plant is under construction.
• Syria: Increase in investment, especially foreign, in non-fossil fuel electricity sector.

The German company Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG will provide the technology for the production line.   SolarWorld AG has had successful dealings with Centrotherm PV in conjunction with its manufacturing facilities in the past.  Besides SolarWorld, investors include Qatar Foundation (70 percent) and the Qatar Development Bank.

Via RenewableEnergyWorld

Photo Credit: After Gutenberg

Intertek also has a new Environmental Certification program, which helps manufacturers validate green claims, such as amount of recycled content, solar reflectance, emissions, and energy efficiency in order to protect their brand and reputations.  This lends a competitive advantage in the marketplace while greatly reducing in-house staff and cost because of the third-party consulting.  It is perhaps more important than ever to verify the claims of products when incorporating them into a manufacturer’s offering and this new program has been designed to streamline the process.

The new program also seeks to bring clarity to the green revolution for building products manufacturers and create an eco-label that is meaningful, trustworthy and valuable to not only manufacturers of building materials, but also to purchasers and specifiers of these products, materials and assemblies.  Essentially, it is akin to the Energy Star certification, which guarantees that a product actually does reduce energy consumption rather than just claiming so.

To download the white paper, click here.

Source: Press Release at RenewableEnergyWorld.com

What Pollutes the Solar Site?

It is not uncommon for a new solar installation site to be graded, sprayed with chemical weed control (even organic weed control would be only so good) and then shaded.  Gravel is the alternative to weed control, but the trapped heat does shorten the life of the solar array, and since many solar farms are in hot, arid regions, it may not be the best way to go.  Arid solar arrays are the primary environmental concern due to the consensus that the plants are adapted to direct sunlight and already live in harsh conditions.

Research is being conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at its newest array in the National Wind Technology Center in Boulder, CO, where prairie is the main ecosystem being impacted.  Here, the primary concern is prairie dogs and prairie grasses, which are almost symbiotic in their life cycles.  Birds of prey, including eagles, could also be affected by the lost hunting grounds.  The NREL has left areas untouched near the solar array, which will hopefully help to reseed the ground, in addition to spreading a grass seed mixture beneath the array to help prevent erosion.  The NREL is also conducting wildlife studies in comparison with the control site, a similar ecosystem currently left untouched.

Says NREL Senior Biologist Brenda Beatty: “The experiments will begin to give us a handle on how PV installations and operations affect vegetation in our portion of the arid West, and the information obtained may be useful for other NREL projects, and for revegetation efforts at other solar installations.”   The NREL is also conducting research on how wind turbines and meteorological towers affect birds and bats.

To read more, visit the NREL website here.

Photo Credit: Treehugger

Why Focus on Small-Scale Wind?

Small-scale wind requires all the same steps that large-scale applications do, such as product sourcing and support.  It is truly an in-depth process.  The suite helps new wind developers determine optimal set-ups based on on-site measurements rather than published data, which puts small-scale guys on-par with more commercial wind developers.  This is good news for start-ups in need of assistance.  With the addition of Garrad Hassan’s project, these smaller users can receive much-needed efficiencies unavailable to them until now.

Says Paul Gardner of Garrad Hassan:

“It is anticipated that the UK will have 750,000 sub-5 MW small-scale renewable energy projects, including wind and solar, by 2020. Of these, around 25,000 are expected to be of sufficient size to justify project-specific specialist consultancy services. In response to this, we have honed our existing services, for larger commercial projects, to offer the support required for a successful small-scale wind or solar project of up to 5 MW. This will allow developers to maximize the benefits of the Feed-In-Tariff system which DECC aims to have in place in April this year.”

While this company is UK based, there are offices around the world, including at least one in all of the following countries: US, Australia, Germany, Canada, China and Mexico.  To find an office in your country or locale, visit the Garrad Hassan directory here.

tory and Photo via RenewableEnergyWorld

In a world concerned with sustainability, building homes that reflects that vision is of the utmost importance.  Certification in green building will certainly become a necessity for architects and contractors well into the future.  Solar Energy International (SEI) is now offering an online course (you can take it anywhere!) in green building techniques that qualifies for college credits and certification in Renewable Energy.

Who are the Best Candidates?

Home designers, contractors and builders looking to better meet their clients’ needs are excellent candidates for this class. Anyone looking to build a home in the near future would benefit from the knowledge as well.  The language of an unfamiliar profession is murky at best, so acclimation is key.

Course Information

“Building for the Future: Sustainable Home Design”

Cost: $750

There are two sessions available:

1. Feb 1-Mar 14, 2010
2. June 21-Aug 1, 2010

Both sessions are currently open for enrollment.  You’ll need 8-15 hours per week for the class, depending on your internet connection and prior experience with the subject matter.  There are no set times to do the work, but online discussions are part of the curriculum, as well as quizzes and assignments, so some scheduling will be necessary.  The Renewable Energy Certificates are granted through Madison Area Technical College (MATC).

Topics covered include:

• Building Orientation
• Solar Site Analysis
• Building Science
• Moisture and Air Leakage
• Super-Insulation Strategies
• New Window Technologies
• Passive Solar Designs
• Energy Efficient Technologies
• Indoor Air Quality
• Healthy/Green Building Materials
• Domestic Solar Hot Water
• Renewable Energy Options
• Sustainable Back-Up Home Heating Systems
• Practical Building Techniques

Contact SEI for more information or call (970) 963-8855.  To register for the class, visit the registration site here.  To read the press release at Renewable Energy World, click here.

Other Sustainable Building Career Development Resources:

Learn how you can forward your sustainable building career in a revolutionary ecovillage.

Photo Credit: mlive

Currently, there are 13 kW-worth of SELF solar panels in a warehouse that were meant to power two clinics.  Now, those panels are to be rerouted to field hospitals being set up near Port-au-Prince.  The short-term use of renewables in Haiti is centered around health care, and could be integral in setting up tent or mobile health clinics.  There are 10 PIH health centers that SELF plans to power in the coming years.

The industry must also supply either cash to purchase systems or the raw materials to set up those systems.  Sunpower, Dow Corning, Good Energies, SolarWorld, Solar Liberty, Bosch Solar, Solar Outdoor Lighting and Trojan Batteries have already contributed to SELF via the Array of Life program.  However, more will be needed to help Haiti achieve a long-term sustainable future.

To donate to Haiti relief efforts…

SELF is a 20-year-old non-profit group helping to light up underprivileged countries with renewable technologies.  SELF has helped over 20 countries and does more than solar, including drip-irrigation.  Visit the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) for more information.

As an added bonus to the industry, a move like this would generate plenty of press coverage and help validate renewable technologies as a relief and rebuilding option for other countries coping with a disaster.  Though, at present, this is hardly a motivational factor for many, considering the more humanitarian reasons to get involved.

Via RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Climate experts Michael Grubb, David Satterthwaite and Richard Smith will lead the discussion. They will examine whether an ambitious and binding agreement can still be reached in the wake of the COP-15 process.  This webcast is a wonderful opportunity to learn what exactly happened at Copenhagen, and why the result was so radically different from what most expected it to be.  While all the experts are united under the banner of Earthscan in one way or another, the webcast is bound to be both informative and interesting, especially for anyone as skeptical as I am toward the negotiating practices of political entities.  Plus, it’s a free webcast, so just tune in if you’re interested.

Click here to register for the COP-15 Earthcast.

About the Climate Experts

Michael Grubb is Editor-in-Chief of the Earthscan journal, Climate Policy, and a professor at the University of Cambridge.  David Satterthwaite has written and edited nine Earthscan books, including Adapting Cities to Climate Change and The Earthscan Reader in Sustainable Cities.  He is a Senior Fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and also edits the journal, Environment and Urbanization.  Richard Smith is the author of the Earthscan book Negotiating Environment and Science, published under the new Resources for the Future (RFF) Press imprint, and has many years of experience as a negotiator with U.S. State Department.  He has received numerous awards, including two presidential honors and the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award.

Via RenewableEnergyWorld

Photo Credit: Twolia