CleanTechnica

Liquid Metal Battery Startup from MIT’s Don Sadoway Gets $15-Million Boost, Investments from Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, & Total

Zachary Shahan — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:31:25 +0000

"Professor Donald Sadoway and Materials Processing Center Research Affiliate David Bradwell observe one of their small test batteries in the lab. The battery itself is inside the heavily insulated metal cylinder at center, which heats it to 700 degrees Celsius." (Photo: Patrick Gillooly; Source: MIT)

We’ve written about Don Sadoway’s liquid batteries, a potential breakthrough energy storage solution that could help make renewable energy explode even more than it already is, and shared a TED talk of Sadoway discussing the technology. The latest news in this story is that Sadoway’s team has received $15 million more of investment, including money from world-famous cleantech investor Vinod Khosla’s firm Khosla Ventures.

“Until we find a technology that is low-cost, highly scalable, and long-lasting, ubiquitous grid storage won’t be possible,” Andrew Chung of Khosla Ventures said. ”The all-liquid battery’s elegant materials design and simple assembly process makes it the best chemical option we’ve seen for storing the grid at massive scale.”

Liquid Metal Battery Corporation (LMBC), the name of the startup, received its next round of funding, $15 million, from Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates and energy company Total.

The startup has reportedlz moved from the R&D stage to the commercialization stage (for large-scale grid implementation).

Good news.

UK Government Delays Solar FiT Cuts & Puts Scheme on More Predictable Path!

Zachary Shahan — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:18:23 +0000

After months and months of controversy, it seems the UK government has finally come up with a solution to its Feed-in Tariff (FiT) saga that makes people in the solar industry and wanting to go solar a bit happier than they have been. It has delayed the next round of cuts to August 1, and the plan after that is much more predictable than it has been. However, all still isn’t peaches and cream.

“We remain very concerned that the market has stalled, and the recession certainly hasn’t helped,” said Paul Barwell of the Solar Trade Association. “However, today’s announcement means we can now be confident that even when tariffs are adjusted on August 1, solar will still offer attractive returns to consumers – certainly when compared to other investments currently available.”

“We are pleased that ministers have listened to the deluge of complaints from the solar industry about the scale and speed of the cuts proposed in their consultation document earlier this year,” said David Hunt, a director at Eco Environments. “But we are also disappointed that the Government still seems hell-bent on making life very difficult for the solar industry… While the return on investment remains attractive at around six per cent, by reducing the FIT lifetime by five years consumers will earn approximately £20,000 less than they would have done if the 25 year term had been left in place.”

Here’s the full announcement on the solar FiT changes from the DECC:

CERTAINTY FOR SOLAR

DECC is introducing regulations today to put the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme on a more predictable, certain and sustainable footing for householders, businesses and the solar industry.

Following detailed consultation with industry and consumers, the Government is introducing a range of changes to the FITs scheme with effect from 1 August to provide better value for money and allow businesses and householders to plan with confidence. This is good news for the industry and for consumers and will ensure that as many people as possible benefit.

The tariff for a small domestic solar installation will be 16p per kilowatt hour, down from 21p, and will be set to decrease on a 3 month basis thereafter, with pauses if the market slows down. All tariffs will continue to be index-linked in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) and the export tariff will be increased from 3.2p to 4.5p.

The new tariffs should give a return on investment (ROIs) of over 6% for most typical, well-sited installations, and up to 8% for the larger bands.

The industry has been very successful in bringing solar technology costs down swiftly over the last two years and the improved scheme will reflect this trend as well as recognise the increasingly significant place solar PV can now have in local renewable electricity generation.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “Today starts a new and exciting chapter for the solar industry. The sector has been through a difficult time, adjusting to the reality of sharply falling costs, but the reforms we are introducing today provide a strong, sustainable foundation for growth for the solar sector.

“We can now look with confidence to a future for solar which will see it go from a small cottage industry, anticipated under the previous scheme, to playing a significant part in Britain’s clean energy economy.

“I want to send a very clear message today. UK solar continues to be an attractive proposition for many consumers considering microgeneration technologies and that having placed the subsidy support for this technology on a long-term, sustainable footing, industry can plan for growth with confidence.”

Alan Aldridge, Chairman of the Solar Trade Association said: “We broadly welcome many of the Government’s decisions for how solar PV will be treated in the FITs scheme and wholeheartedly welcome the inclusion of Solar in DECC’s updated Renewables Roadmap; this should reassure consumers and solar companies alike that the Government recognises and stands behind a major role for the solar industry.

“Despite the currently slow market, the industry can have some confidence that the new Tariffs are tight but workable. Householders should be reassured the new Tariffs will provide more attractive returns than can be found elsewhere today. The STA is now keen to work with Government to get this positive message out.”

CHANGES TO SOLAR FEED-IN TARIFFS

Tariffs for solar pv installations to be reduced from 1 August:

16p/kWh for household scale solar pv installations to reflect fall in cost of the technology, delivering a return of about 6% for a typical installation.
Tariffs for larger installations also to be reduced to reflect cost reductions but with most tariff cuts lower than proposed in February.
Reductions to apply to new installations from 1 August, instead of 1 July as proposed, in recognition of low uptake from 1 April and providing time for industry to adapt.

Multi installation tariff increased to 90% of standard tariff

Organisations with more than 25 solar pv installations will get 90% of the standard applicable tariff, increased from 80%, reflecting new evidence on costs involved for these projects.

Reduction in tariffs over time in line with uptake of FITs scheme

Ensuring solar PV is not over subsidised.
Average tariff reductions of 3.5% every 3 months, reductions will be bigger (up to 28%) if there is rapid uptake.
Tariff cuts will be skipped (for up to 2 quarters) if uptake is low.
Uptake in 3 different bands (domestic (size 0-10kW), small commercial (10-50kW) and large commercial (above 50kW and standalone installations) will determine the quarterly reductions within those bands.

Increase export tariff from 3.2p to 4.5p/kWh

To better reflect the real value of electricity exported to the grid.

RPI index-linking of generation tariffs to be retained

Reflecting the high value investors place on this element of the FITs scheme.

Scheme lifetime reduced from 25 to 20 years for new solar installations

Reducing the lifetime costs of the scheme and bring solar in line with most other technologies supported under FITs.

Tariffs for installations which do not meet the energy efficiency requirements will mirror the tariffs for standalone installations

Ensuring energy efficiency is still encouraged as tariffs are reduced.

STRATEGY FOR SOLAR

Government sees a bright future for solar here in the UK and expects to reflect the growing role of solar power in the UK’s energy mix in its updated Renewable Energy Roadmap later this year. Uptake by 2020 will however depend on when solar PV becomes viable with little or no subsidy and 22GW by 2020 is an achievable ambition if industry can get its cost down quickly. That is why Government has also launched a solar PV cost reduction taskforce in partnership with industry to help drive down costs down faster while maintaining safety and standards.

DECC is also pleased to welcome plans being brought forward by Cornwall Council and the Building Research Establishment to set up a National Solar Centre in Cornwall.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “I am very happy to see a proposal for the creation of a National Solar Centre in Cornwall, led by the Building Research Establishment.”

Cllr Alec Robertson, Leader of Cornwall Council said: “The FITs scheme allowed many people across Cornwall to learn about renewable energy, especially solar power, and Cornwall would welcome the establishment of a new National Solar Centre that will be at the heart of the bright future for PV in the UK. We’re pleased that DECC has announced changes that improve the predictability for the FITs scheme”

FITS CONSULTATION 2B

Decisions following the consultation on the other technologies under FITs will be announced in the summer.

Image: Solar panels on England row houses via Shutterstock

New Graphene Solar Cell Efficiency Record

Zachary Shahan — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:06:28 +0000

Woops, another day, another two solar records (not just the MiaSole solar record just announced). Researchers in the University of Florida’s physics department have reportedly set a new record for graphene solar cell efficiency. Here’s more from the University of Florida:

Graphene solar cells are one of industry’s great hopes for cheaper, durable solar power cells in the future. But previous attempts to use graphene, a single-atom-thick honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms, in solar cells have only managed power conversion efficiencies ranging up to 2.9 percent. The UF team was able to achieve a record breaking 8.6 percent efficiency with their device by chemically treating, or doping, the graphene with trifluoromethanesulfonyl-amide, or TFSA. Their results are published in the current online edition of Nano Letters.

“The dopant makes the graphene film more conductive and increases the electric field potential inside the cell,” said Xiaochang Miao, a graduate student in the physics department. That makes it more efficient at converting sunlight into electricity. And unlike other dopants that have been tried in the past, TFSA is stable — its effects are long lasting.

Exciting. Makes me think that we’re going to have so many types of solar technology cost competitive one day that the energy wars will be between different types of solar rather than different types of dirty energy (or dirty energy and renewables).

Image: graphene 3D rendering via Shutterstock

MiaSolé Sets New World Record for Flexible PV Module Efficiency

Zachary Shahan — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:53:06 +0000

Another day, another solar world record set. I think I need to start a page of solar world records — would be a useful resource, I imagine. The latest is from MiaSolé, which has set a new world record of 15.5% area efficiency for flexible PV solar modules. Here’s more info from MiaSolé:

“MiaSolé, the leading manufacturer of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic solar panels, today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has confirmed a 15.5 percent aperture area efficiency on commercial size flexible PV module (total area 1.68m2). MiaSolé’s record represents over 2 points of improvement compared to the previous world record for flexible PV of 13.4 percent set earlier this year.”

Image Source: MiaSolé

Eco Wave Successfully Test Two Wave Energy Devices

Joshua S Hill — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:19:10 +0000

Eco Wave Power has successfully completed its April test of a medium-scale wave energy power plant in the Black Sea made up of two different floater shapes, the “Wave Clapper” and the “Power Wing”.

“The Black Sea provided Eco Wave Power with real-life conditions necessary for the testing of EWP’s wave energy devices under uncontrolled wave heights and wave periods,” Eco Wave said in their press release.

The test put both the Wave Clapper and the Power Wing to test in extreme conditions, including a storm during the 18th and 19th of April where wave height reached 5 metres, which left both styles of wave energy device suffering no damage.

The examination also completed tests “measuring of the KW output in different wave heights and periods, measuring the influence of side waves on the floaters and the connections, connecting the floaters to electric devices and showing an electricity supply (with and without an accumulator), examining the influence of floaters in proximity to each other, examining the option to unite both floaters to one electric grid and charge a common accumulator, as well as -examining the floaters’ storm-protection Mechanisms.”

The results showed that 2 medium-scale wave energy devices are sufficient for the production of electricity for 6 to 10 households. Next for Eco Wave will be to move the medium-scale power plant to a different coastal structure to show potential clients that the wave generation systems can be easily connected to almost any ocean structure. Following that, EWP plans to build its first commercial-scale Sea Wave Power Plant.

Source: Eco Wave Power

Commercial Trucks that Save 20x More Fuel than 100mpg Car

Zachary Shahan — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:10:01 +0000

Wrightspeed reports that its Route™, “a retrofit electric drive powertrain with an on-board generator engineered for the surprisingly large medium-duty commercial fleet market,” saves 20 times more fuel than a 100mpg car.

“For electric drive to make economic sense, you have to displace enough fuel to pay for the technology,” says founder and CEO, Ian Wright. Because commercial trucks use so much fuel, switching to electric saves fleet managers a lot more money than normal car drivers.

Notably, the setup includes an on-board generator that probably uses not-completely-clean energy, but it looks like the technology still offers a significant net benefit for the environment (and certainly for fleet managers’ budgets). Here’s more on the Wrightspeed Route retrofit powertrain, designed specifically for such customers:

By preserving existing truck chassis and bodies, Wrightspeed avoids the capital costs, time, and pitfalls of learning how to make trucks as cheaply and as well as the established vehicle manufacturers. It also frees Wrightspeed to address more than the new medium-duty truck market; because their trucks run so many miles (an average of 30,000 miles annually), the fleet industry is accustomed to regularly replacing powertrains.

Unlike a pure battery powertrain, the Wrightspeed Route™ does not restrict fleet operations with range limitations, because it has an on-board generator that charges the 40 mile battery in the field. Unlike in a conventional hybrid, the efficient electric motors are always producing the variable torque necessary to turn the wheels. This frees the generator from having to perform over the entire speed-load map, and allows it to operate at its most efficient point to charge the small, high-power battery. Wrightspeed calls this system architecture a Range-extended Electric Vehicle (REV) powertrain.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” says Wrightspeed’s marketing manager, Maya Giannini. “The Route™ combines the efficiency of an EV with the unlimited range of a mild parallel hybrid. And our generator fuel system can be fitted to run diesel, compressed natural gas, or landfill gases; so, the Route™ is really the best of all three worlds.”

Wrightspeed has retrofitted an Isuzu NPR with their Route™ powertrain. The NPR holds 70% of the world’s cab-forward box truck market. With its conventional diesel powertrain, the NPR averaged about 12 miles per gallon in testing with a metro drive cycle. With the Route™, under the same test conditions, Wrightspeed measured 44 miles per gallon (on a cost equivalent basis), a more than 300% improvement.

“The measured miles per gallon will vary widely with drive cycle. We are modest in our calculations, because fleet operators are looking for a new technology they can trust to reduce their bottom line.” says Giannini. “They carefully track their fuel usage, and inflated efficiency numbers do nothing to further their trust in the clean tech industry.”

What do you think?

Source: Wrightspeed

Global CO2 Emissions Reach Record-High, Driven by Fossil Fuel Use in Rapidly Industrializing Nations

Andrew — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:19:58 +0000

Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions continue to rise despite best efforts to date to curtail them. CO2 emissions reached a record-high 31.6 gigatonnes (Gt) in 2011, according to preliminary estimates from the International Energy Agency, a 1 Gt, 3.2% year-over-year increase.

Increasing fossil fuel use, driven primarily by growing demand in rapidly industrializing countries such as China and India is fueling the rise. Coal accounted for 45% of total energy-related CO2 emissions worldwide last year, followed by oil at 35% and natural gas accounting for 20%, the IEA reported.

CO2 Emissions: Reaching a Tipping Point

At 31.6 Gt per year and rising, global CO2 emissions are just 1% below and fast approaching the 2017 32.6 Gt level the IEA has determined is consistent with a 50% chance of limiting an average global temperature increase to 2°C. That, according to climate scientists’ best estimates, is a critical level marking a climate change tipping point.

The IEA World Energy Outlook 2011‘s 450 Scenario notes that a decoupling of CO2 emissions and global GDP growth is taking place. Nonetheless, the trend is discouraging, with the rate of growth of CO2 emissions exceeding that of GDP in 2011.

More needs to be done and done faster if humanity is to avoid a worst-case climate change scenario, according to the IEA, which, along with a renewed push by environmental organizations and public interest groups is calling on the public to pressure their governments to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies.

CO2 emissions in industrialized OECD countries decreased by 0.6% in 2011, but that wasn’t nearly enough to offset the 6.1% increase in other countries. China contributed the most to 2011′s rise in CO2 emissions, which increased 720 million metric tons (Mt), or 9.3%. A higher rate of coal consumption was the primary culprit.

China, India Move Up the Ranks of World’s Largest CO2 Emitters

The IEA’s chief economist tried to focus on the positive when assessing China’s CO2 emissions. “What China has done over such a short period of time to improve energy efficiency and deploy clean energy is already paying major dividends to the global environment,” commented IEA chief economist Dr. Faith Birol. “China’s carbon intensity — the amount of CO2 emitted per unit of GDP — fell by 15% between 2005 and 2011. Had these gains not been made, China’s CO2 emissions in 2011 would have been higher by 1.5 Gt.”

India’s now climbing rapidly up the ranks of the world’s largest CO2 emitters. India’s CO2 emissions rose by 140 million metric tons, or 8.7%, surpassing Russia as the world’s fourth largest emitter of CO2, behind China, the U.S., and the E.U.

On a per capita basis CO2 emissions in China and India still average just 63% and 15% of their OECD counterparts, however, the IEA notes.

U.S. 2011 CO2 emissions decreased 92 million metric tons, or 1.7%, primarily due to electric utilities’ ongoing switch from coal to natural gas-powered generation. An exceptionally mild winter also contributed to the decline.

Looking out over the longer term, U.S. CO2 emissions have fallen by 430 Mt, or 1.7%, since 2006, the largest reduction of all countries or regions. Lower oil use in transportation and the economic downturn also contributed significantly to the decline, with stricter fuel efficiency standards, efficiency improvements and less driving as measured by vehicle miles traveled.

European Union (E.U.) CO2 emissions also decreased in 2011. They dropped 92 Mt, or 1.9%, as the onset of recession reduced industrial production. An unusually warm winter also contributed to the decrease, reducing space heating needs.

With its nuclear energy infrastructure battered and now shuttered, Japan’s CO2 emissions increased by 28 Mt, or 2.4%, as fossil fuel use has increased in the wake of the Fukushima disaster.

Coal Industry Paid Astro-turfers to Influence EPA Hearing on Greenhouse Gases

Susan Kraemer — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:04:41 +0000

Apparently the coal industry used a craigslist ad to hire astro-turfers to support dirty energy at the EPA’s May 24th public comment hearing on greenhouse gas reduction.

A clever catch from The Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago has revealed the latest attempt by the fossil industry to subvert the justice being delivered by this administration’s EPA in reducing greenhouse gases.

People needed to attend a public meeting (Tinley Park /Chicago)

Reply to: px6mq-3031150602@gigs.craigslist.org (email address no longer valid)

Looking for people THIS THURSDAY, MAY 24 who want to make a couple of dollars for a few hours of your time.

All you need to do is wear a t-shirt in support of an energy project for two hours during the public meeting. We will be departing the Tinely Park convention center at 8:15 am for the meeting and we will be back by 1:30 pm. For your time we will pay you $50 cash and provide you lunch once we return to the convention center.

Coal power has been curtailed by an administration which has responsibly done what it can to cut the greenhouse gases that are slowly blanketing our planet, destabilizing the climate.

If Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming did not coal-power their economies by over 80 percent, the world would be a safer place. It is only coal interests in these states who benefit from preventing EPA action to cut greenhouse gas.

The majority of the other states seem to be able to survive rather well on under 40 percent coal.

In 13 states people already get under 20 percent of their electricity from coal. The percentage of electricity from coal in Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont is already 0 percent, the percentage in California 1, Idaho 1, Washington 4, Oregon 6, New York 7, New Jersey 7, New Hampshire 11, Massachusetts 11, Nevada 17 and Mississippi 19 percent.

Only 8 states need over 80 percent coal power to keep their lights on, greatly skewing the U.S. average to now 36 percent coal. Since it is only a minority within this tiny minority of states – these 8 states – that benefits from coal, this ad for paid astro-turfing was necessary:

Sadly, judging by the looks of at least some of the youths in these t-shirts, it was not just the $50 that led them to the dark side, but simply the promise of a decent lunch.

California Public Utilities Commission Does Right by Solar (Net Metering Decision a Win)

Zachary Shahan — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:03:19 +0000

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today voted 5-0 in favor of clarifying California net metering policies in favor of the solar industry, homeowners, and California jobs.

The decision clarifies calculation of the state’s five-percent net metering cap, which allows customers to earn credit for selling excess solar electricity they produce back to the grid.

“This decision is a positive step forward for clean energy jobs, for ratepayers, and for our state,” Sara Birmingham, SEIA’s Director of Western States, stated following the vote.

“The commissioners noted that there is wide disagreement on the issues related to the cost shift between solar and non-solar customers. SEIA looks forward to working with stakeholders on the study of costs and benefits, and believes the study will report these costs as minimal.”

There are remaining technical issues remaining and SEIA is looking to the CPUC to resolve those in the future as well. In particular, it seems that the costs and benefits created by decentralized solar power need to be nailed down more clearly.

Overall, though, the news of the day is that millions of people have benefited from the CPUC’s clear decision.

“On behalf of the solar industry, residential customers, schools, businesses and more than 60,000 Californians who urged the PUC to make solar energy credits more widely available and to boost one of our brightest job-creating industries, we thank the Governor and the Commissioners for their support today.”

For more info on net metering, check out: Net Metering 101. For starters, here’s a video from that page:

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Installs Solar System

Jake Richardson — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:51:43 +0000

A 250-kilowatt solar photovoltaic power installation has been inaugurated at Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. This site is the international headquarters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. The solar array’s installation is the first phase of an overall plan to make Taliesin West a net-zero facility, meaning it will produce as much as energy as it consumes every year.

“As we continue to move forward with this endeavor we remain consistent with the values of Taliesin West and advancing the Foundation’s mission to preserve and expand the heritage of Frank Lloyd Wright. We will continue to educate and empower new generations of innovative thinkers to address the critical issues of sustainability and healthy living environments,” explained Sean Malone, CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

About 4,000 thin-film solar panels with design and installation services were donated by First Solar, a renewable energy company based in Tempe. Additionally, Phoenix-based Aurora One donated a 250-kw inverter and supporting services. It is expected the solar system will save 300 tons of CO2 each year from entering the atmosphere.

In keeping with the intention of the facility to be sensitively integrated into the natural landscape, native plants which were moved for the solar installation will be replanted nearby. Also, native plants will be seeded in areas where ground was made bare by the construction process.

An energy audit performed by the company Big Green Zero found Taliesin West could save nearly $100,000 annually, if there were efficiency improvements implemented, and renewable energy technology installed.

Taliesin West was Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and school for his architecture students. Today, it remains the main campus of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. There are also many classes available for youth and people who want to learn without pursuing a degree program.

Image Credits: Huiee Wong and The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

China Finds 6 US Solar Programs in Violation of Global Trade Rules, & SEIA Responds

Zachary Shahan — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:40:54 +0000

As just about everyone expected, following the Dept. of Commerce preliminary ruling that Chinese solar companies were “dumping” solar panels in the US market and unfairly subsidizing them, the Chinese government has shot back (retaliated) by charging that six state-level renewable energy programs in the US also violate global trade rules.

In other words, a trade war is on.

Clearly, the fears of many companies hurt by Chinese trade practices but unwilling to challenge them are also validated with this, and perhaps much more importantly, the whole global solar industry is quite threatened by this feud, especially if it grows rather than subsides.

The US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has officially responded with what I think is a perfect response on the matter, so I’ll let SEIA take it away:

WASHINGTON – Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), released the following statement today in response to reports that China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has preliminarily determined that six state-level U.S. renewable energy programs violate global trade rules:

“The escalating trade conflict in the global solar industry will ultimately hurt the entire market at a time when solar energy is on the cusp of widespread adoption.

“Today’s ruling is yet another example of the need for dialogue. While trade remedy proceedings, such as those being pursued by both the U.S. and Chinese governments are legitimate, essential principles of a rules-based global trading system, so too are collaboration and negotiation.”

“Now is the time for the U.S. and China to come together in a collaborative dialogue—not through the lens of any one particular trade dispute but in a broader context. As stated previously, disputes within one segment of the industry affect the entire solar supply chain—and these broad implications must be recognized. Today’s decision by the Chinese government underscores this point. We, therefore, repeat our call for the U.S. and Chinese governments to immediately work together towards a mutually-satisfactory resolution of the growing trade conflict within the solar industry.”

As a first step, SEIA and the China Renewable Energy Industries Association have requested that the U.S. and Chinese governments engage the 21 member countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in a formal clean energy dialogue on trade. This conversation would provide an excellent framework for a much larger, global agreement on acceptable solar energy policy.

Resch added: “The proverbial saying, ‘you can’t see the forest for the trees,’ rings true in this case. In the long run, continually escalating trade disputes in the solar industry will shut down markets around the world. Companies from all nations will be the ultimate losers. Exporters will find fewer and fewer destinations for their products. Large project developers and local installers will find it more and more difficult to source products. And consumers will see solar energy as a less competitive source of electricity. This is an absolutely unacceptable outcome. A broader dialogue can only complement the legitimate avenues for trade remedies being pursued both here and abroad.”

Images: US Dollar vs Yuan and China & US fists via Shutterstock

Ohio’s Energy Efficiency Standard Has Saved Consumers & Businesses $100 Million, & Created Jobs

Zachary Shahan — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:25:26 +0000

A new report out by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) this week finds that Ohion consumers and businesses have saved $100 million in avoided utility costs from the state’s energy efficiency standard. The policy has also created about 4,000 news jobs. And that number is expected to reach 32,300 by 2025 with full implementation of the energy efficiency standard.

“The report makes it even clearer that Ohio’s current energy efficiency initiative is also sound economic policy,” said Dylan Sullivan, a scientist for Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and co-author of the report. “Not only does Ohio’s strong energy efficiency portfolio standard result in cleaner air and healthier Ohioans, it stimulates the creation of new jobs and puts millions back into the pockets of the state’s businesses and consumers. Ohio’s energy efficiency policy is a common sense measure lawmakers should strengthen and support.”

The full report can be downloaded here: Energy Productivity: Efficiency Benefits to Power Ohio Jobs and the Economy.

Here’s a little more from the NRDC’s news release:

The report, “Energy Productivity: Efficiency Benefits to Power Ohio Jobs and the Economy,” was authored by respected energy economist John A. “Skip” Laitner on behalf of NRDC and the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC). It assesses and projects energy productivity gains already achieved and the resulting number of jobs created since Ohio’s energy efficiency portfolio standard was implemented in 2009. It also forecasts potential gains and job creation through 2025 assuming full implementation of the current standard.

The data show that as Ohio’s electric distribution utilities invest in promoting efficiency programs – an estimated $300 million through 2012 – consumer investments in energy efficiency upgrades also increase. For example, in 2012, utility programs leveraged $300 million of investments from consumers, which are projected to reduce energy consumption by an additional 1.1 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh). This reduced consumption means big savings. The energy efficiency technologies put in place under the standard will reduce Ohio’s energy bill by $3.3 billion by 2025.

Cost-effective efficiency programs redirect money from the job-poor electric utility sector into labor-intensive economic sectors throughout the rest of the state’s economy, thus stimulating employment opportunities. Data show that net gains in jobs have risen steadily since the implementation of the state’s efficiency program, from 1,800 jobs in 2009 to 4,250 in 2012. By 2025, the program is expected to account for 32,300 jobs.

Image: Cleveland, Ohio via Shutterstock

Breakthrough Institute Misses the Beat on Climate Economics (Again)

Zachary Shahan — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:30:13 +0000

Frank Ackerman of the Climate Economics Group, writing on Grist, recently had a great post on the errors of the Breakthrough Institute’s attack on carbon pricing (and other things), as well as the errors of those (or at least one person) focusing on carbon pricing too heavily. Worth a read. Check it out:

By Frank Ackerman

Why do those at the Breakthrough Institute insist that everyone else besides them who cares about the environment is wrong, wrong, wrong? Their latest, called “The Creative Destruction of Climate Economics,” is a swipe at those misguided souls who think putting a price on carbon emissions would help combat climate change.

Breakthrough, according to its website, aims “to modernize liberal-progressive-green politics” and to accelerate the transition to an “ecologically vibrant” future. It “broke through” into well-funded fame in 2003 with its attack on environmentalists for failing to emphasize the economic concerns of ordinary Americans, such as jobs — thereby alienating the major environmental groups, who had been talking about jobs and the environment for years.

What’s wrong with pricing carbon emissions? This particular breakthrough rests on a mistaken reading of an academic paper in the American Economic Review, the most prestigious outlet for mainstream economics. That paper develops a simplified, abstract model of an economy that generates carbon emissions. Unlike some climate economics models, it assumes that public policy can affect the pace of innovation. Its conclusion, in the authors’ own words, seems quite balanced:

A simple but important implication of our analysis is that optimal environmental regulation should always use both an input tax (“carbon tax”) to control current emissions, and research subsidies or profit taxes to influence the direction of research.

Compared to exclusive reliance on carbon taxes, they continue, “optimal policy relies less on a carbon tax and instead involves direct encouragement to the development of clean technologies.”

Nothing has been creatively destroyed here, except for a lopsided position that calls for carbon taxes to do the whole job alone. And note that we’re talking about a very simple model, not a study of the U.S. economy. Yet the Breakthrough crowd is ready to run with the claim that another shibboleth of environmentalism has been laid low. After dismissive comments about many advocates of carbon pricing — imagine the chutzpah of Paul Krugman, using his reputation as an economist to support price incentives! — they zoom in on Environmental Defense Fund economist Gernot Wagner.

Wagner has, in fact, made some lopsided statements about the possibility of reaching environmental goals through price incentives alone. Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger, the Breakthrough authors, are right about a couple of specifics in their response to Wagner: Most of the phaseout of leaded gasoline in the 1970s happened before the introduction of a lead emissions trading system; the same was true for the decrease in the price of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal plants in the 1990s, ahead of the introduction of sulfur emissions trading.

Nordhaus and Shellenberger are wrong to conclude from this, however, that price incentives can be ignored. The European Union’s emissions trading system has no effect because the emissions cap is so high and the resulting price is so low — a common defect of recent emissions trading schemes, as it turns out. The early phaseout of lead emissions from gasoline, and of sulfur emissions from power plants, both were driven by old-fashioned “command and control” regulations, a euphemism for “telling polluters to stop polluting.”

What should be done to reduce carbon emissions? Climate change actually is a crisis that demands massive, immediate response. Putting a price on carbon emissions, funding research on clean energy, and adopting traditional controls on the dirtiest technologies all seem entirely compatible. We’ll need all of the above and more, right away, to stand a chance.

What should be said to those, like Gernot Wagner, who may be overly committed to a single policy choice? As long as it’s a desirable policy, as Wagner’s is, let’s congratulate them on advocating it, and urge them to take an even broader view.

It is so important to work together on this, that the help of Nordhaus and Shellenberger should be welcomed — as soon as they achieve one of those breakthroughs that’s normally required in kindergarten, namely learning to “play well with others.”

Frank Ackerman is director of the Climate Economics Group at the Stockholm Environment Institute-U.S. Center, an independent research affiliate of Tufts University in Somerville, Mass. He is also a founding member of Economics for Equity and the Environment.

Image: missing the target via Shutterstock

New Inexpensive and More Environmentally Friendly Solar Cell

Joshua S Hill — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:52:19 +0000

Researchers from Northwestern University have devised a new design of a solar cell that minimizes the flaws in conventional solar cells — relatively high production costs, low operating efficiency and durability, and reliance upon toxic and scarce materials.

Dye-sensitized solar cells have already addressed some of these issues, but up until now have been very inefficient. Northwestern nanotechnology expert Robert P.H. Chang, however, challenged chemist Mercouri Kanatzidis to design a solar cell that did not suffer from the same problem as the innovative dye-sensitized Grätzel cell, a low-cost and environmentally friendly solar cell that “leaks” (the main cause of the lost efficiency). Kanatzidis’ solution was to design a new material for the electrolyte that actually starts as a liquid but ends up as a solar mass.

“The Grätzel cell is like having the concept for the light bulb but not having the tungsten wire or carbon material,” said Kanatzidis, of the need to replace the troublesome liquid. “We created a robust novel material that makes the Grätzel cell concept work better. Our material is solid, not liquid, so it should not leak or corrode.”

Kanatzidis reportedly “knew that scientists at IBM and elsewhere had been developing good solid electrical semiconductors for years” and teamed up with Chang to try one of them, “a fluorine-spiked mixture of cesium, tin, and iodine,” in solar cells.

Chang, a professor of materials science and engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Kanatzidis, the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, are the two senior authors of a new paper outlining the development of the new solar cell. The paper was published in the most recent edition of the journal Nature.

The solar cell developed by Northwestern exhibits the highest conversion efficiency so far reported for a solid-state solar sell equipped with a dye sensitizer, approximately 10.2 percent (10% is often considered a benchmark for commercial success). This figure is close to the highest reported performance of a Grätzel cell of around 11 to 12 percent, and is much higher than the 6% previously attained by dye-sensitized solar cells.

“Our inexpensive solar cell uses nanotechnology to the hilt,” Chang said. “We have millions and millions of nanoparticles, which gives us a huge effective surface area, and we coat all the particles with light-absorbing dye.”

For more information on the design and construct of the Northwestern solar cell, check out the paper in Nature.

Source: Northwestern University & ScienceNOW
Image Source: R Walker

Greener Under the Sun — IKEA Has More Solar-Powered Lamps

Charis Michelsen — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:38:20 +0000

IKEA, known for producing mass amounts of pre-cut and un-assembled Swedish furniture items, keeps trying to get greener — electric cars and chargers in its parking lots, for example, make up part of its green initiative, as do low-energy bulbs instead of standard incandescent lights and solar panels on its roofs. The company is now looking to greenify not only its own outlet stores but also help its customers easily take advantage of renewable energy.

I’m talking, of course, about the new additions to the Solvinden Summer Season collection. The word Solvinden is a portmanteau of the Swedish words for sun and wind. It’s designed by David Wahl, Ola Wihlborg, and IKEA of Sweden and each part works with no cords at all.

Powered by Sun and Wind

The Solvinden collection is an array of lamps, each of which is designed to look cute during the day (while soaking up solar energy) and then light up beautifully at night. In other words, solar-powered lamps. Each product works best when able to soak up direct sunlight, making them excellent for outdoor living (you want lamps hanging in your trees, right?) but not so good to put in that darkish corner of your kitchen.

The deco lights part of the new collection consists of a cactus, a flamingo, and a rabbit, each of which glow fluorescent at night. I’m less of a fan of these, as I’m not fond of neon signs. On the other hand, they’re pretty colorful and might be just what you want in your front yard. The hanging lamp addition is bright pink, yellow, and white — and it spins in the wind. I like that one quite a bit (seriously, how much fun would it be to hang these from trees in your front yard??). The final new item IKEA offers is a solar-powered serving bowl. Yes, you read that correctly. Put it in the light, and it will light up when it gets dark (this also seems obnoxiously fun).

Kooky and fun, or a little too weird for you? Either way, I love that IKEA is selling lights running on renewable power, but let me know what you think in the comments below the gallery.

Source | Images: IKEA