Wind power and energy storage converge - circular innovation

 A partnership agreement between Enel Green Power and the Swiss energy storage company Energy Vault aims to integrate the recycling of decommissioned wind turbine blades into the weights used by their innovative gravitational energy storage system.

Courtesy of Enel Green Power

Wind power – and the number of clean energy-producing wind power plants – has increased new capacity by a record 53 percent in 2020 and is set to continue its exponential growth in the coming years. This is very good news on the renewables front but also brings with it a series of considerations that cannot be ignored: in particular, the need to identify circular solutions for when these plants are dismantled at the end of their life cycles.

This necessity, together with the important goals of decarbonisation and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, is increasingly leading us towards the use of sustainable technologies for storing the energy necessary to make up for the wind’s inevitable intermittency. Wind power and energy storage have been brought together with the recent partnership agreement signed between Enel Green Power and Energy Vault, a Swiss technology company that specialises in gravitational energy storage systems. This partnership aims to integrate the gravity energy storage technology with the recycling of materials no longer needed at wind plants, applying a circular economy perspective across the entire wind power value chain.

For several years now, Enel Green Power’s Innovation unit has been hard at work scouting for new technological solutions for energy storage, with the goal of extending its own portfolio of solutions to complement lithium-ion batteries; the emphasis has been on safety and sustainability, especially concerning longer-lasting systems.

As part of this research, in 2019, EGP became aware of Energy Vault, whose solution for storing energy employs purely mechanical technology and is inspired by hydroelectric plants, which take advantage of gravitational forces and the movement of water masses to store and release energy on demand. Instead of water, however, Energy Vault uses blocks of solid material, as a storage medium. These large blocks, weighing around 35 tons each, are lifted to store electricity when an excess of energy is produced and then when electricity is required, the blocks are lowered, exploiting the force of gravity to generate electricity as they descend. The entire operations are orchestrated by proprietary software and computer vision that control the velocity and movement of the blocks.

The benefits of this solution are the same as those of a pumped storage hydro plant, but at a much lower cost, with greater possibility of being replicated in any geographical context and greater efficiency: the Energy Vault technology can even exceed an efficiency level of 80 percent. Moreover, there are clear benefits compared to batteries: a plant of this type is not exposed to storage medium degradation (no need for augmentation over time), risk of fire, has a long lifespan of 30-35 years and its eventual dismantling will not pose particular difficulties, as the blocks are composed of inert materials and are created directly on site.

Energy Vault has already interconnected a 5 MW Commercial Demonstration Unit (CDU) of the gravity storage technology in Ticino, and recently announced the new EVx product platform (a 30 story building architecture, 40 percent shorter and fully flexible in terms of charging and discharging duration), ideal for the utilisation of wind blade fibres. The agreement signed with Enel Green Power has a series of successive steps planned.

“The first phase included a detailed analysis of the technology at the first commercial system in Switzerland (grid connected in July 2020), and is followed now by a feasibility study for the creation of an initial commercial plant with an energy capacity in the order of a few dozen megawatt hours” said Pasquale Salza, Head of Energy Storage & Hybrid Systems at EGP’s Innovation function. “If everything goes well, by the end of this year we may be able to conclude the feasibility study with a positive outcome for the construction of the EVx plant.”

Marco Terruzzin, Chief Product Officer of Energy Vault added that the mission is to bridge the remaining gap in the clean energy pipeline by providing cost-effective and sustainable energy storage solutions, accelerating the usage of recycled materials for Energy Vault’s units.

The question of dismantling wind plants is becoming more pertinent than ever: the average useful life of wind turbines is around 20 years and the first generators were installed at the beginning of the 2000s. For this reason, Enel Green Power has already been working for some time to identify strategies for the effective reuse of all the components of these power plants. The problem, however, mainly concerns the turbine blades, which are made of composite material reinforced with fiberglass and/or carbon fibre, which is currently difficult to retrieve for recycling or reuse.

One possible solution, which is currently in the demonstration phase, is the ‘shredding’ of the obsolete blades and their redeployment, in the form of secondary raw materials, for making products for other sectors, such as the construction industry or furniture manufacturing. Based on this experience, another innovative idea came about: the integration of composite material from the former turbine blades into the blocks used by Energy Vault for gravitational storage.

“The use of this material gives the blocks greater stability and robustness, increasing their durability and further lowering costs” said Irene Fastelli, Head of the Innovation Factory for the O&M and HSEQ functions at EGP. “The partnership with Energy Vault involves feasibility studies for integrating the composite material from Enel Green Power’s decommissioned turbine blades into the blocks used by the energy storage system. All of this occurs as part of a circular process, which includes the decommissioning of the wind plant, the treatment of the composite material at a shredding plant, its processing and reintegration into the energy storage system”.

Biofuel as a Renewable Energy

Depletion of petroleum derived fuel and environmental concern has promoted to look over the biofuel as an alternative fuel sources. But a complete substitution of petroleum derived fuels by biofuel is impossible from the production capacity and engine compatibility point of view. Yet, marginal replacement of diesel by biofuel can prolong the depletion of petroleum resources and abate the radical climate change caused by automotive pollutants. Energy security and climate change are the two major driving forces for worldwide biofuel development which also have the potential to stimulate the agro-industry. Nonetheless, there are other problems associated with biofuel usage such as automotive engine compatibility in long term operation and also food security issues that stem from biofuel production from food-grade oil-seeds. Moreover, severe corrosion, carbon deposition and wearing of engine parts of the fuel supply system components are also caused by biodiesel. Discussing all this advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel, it is comprehended that, a dedicated biodiesel engine is the ultimate solution for commercializing biodiesel. Brazil successfully boosted their bioethanol marketing by introducing flexible-fuel vehicles (FFV), which have a dedicated engine for both ethanol and gasoline. A similar approach can bring a breakthrough in biofuel commercialization and production. So dedicated biofuel engine is a challenge for mass commercialization and utilization of biofuel. In this lecture worldwide biofuel scenario is assessed by biofuel policies and standards. Different biofuel processing techniques are also summarized. Some guidelines on dedicated biofuel engine are prescribed. Minor modifications on the engine may not cost much; but continuous research and development is still needed.

Advancing the development of renewable jet fuel

Airplanes zoom overhead, wispy-white contrails streaming behind them. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handled 43,684 flights, on average, every day last year, and U.S. military and commercial flights together used over 20 billion gallons of jet fuel.

All those emissions add up. World air travel contributed 815 million tons of CO2 emissions in 2016 -- two percent of the global humanmade total, according to the International Air Transport Association. And global air traffic is not slowing down. IATA predicts that 7.2 billion passengers will travel by air in 2035, nearly doubling the 3.8 billion that flew in 2016.

So how do we make air travel easier on the environment? University of Delaware researchers are working to develop an alternative jet fuel. Instead of petroleum, UD researchers want to power planes with corncobs and wood chips -- stuff you generally don't care much about unless you're a groundhog or a beaver looking for leftovers.

In UD's Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory, researchers are transforming such plant material, known scientifically as lignocellulosic biomass, into green products, including new fuels and chemicals. The scientists are affiliated with the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation (CCEI), an Energy Frontier Research Center supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Based at UD, the center brings together scientists from nine institutions to work on clean energy challenges.

One of the biggest hurdles to making renewable jet fuel, according to CCEI Associate Director Basudeb Saha, is increasing the speed and efficiency of two critical chemical processes -- coupling and deoxygenation. Since the plant material the center works with has a low carbon content once it's broken down from a solid into a liquid, the carbon molecules must be chemically stitched together or "coupled" to create high-carbon molecules in the jet fuel range. Then the oxygen must be removed from these molecules to form branched hydrocarbons. This branching is essential to improving the flow of fuel at the freezing temperatures of commercial flight.

"International planes may fly at an altitude of 35,000 feet, where the outside temperature could be as low as -14° Centigrade," says Saha, who is leading a renewable jet fuel project at the center. "That's the temperature at which a plane has to run, and the fuel can't be frozen."

Accelerating renewable jet fuel production

The demand persists for non-petroleum-based fuel for aviation. More than a decade ago, the FAA had set a target of using 1 billion gallons of renewable jet fuel by 2018. According to IATA, sustainable aviation fuels are integral to its pursuit of carbon neutral growth from 2020 on, and to a 50 percent reduction in net carbon emissions by 2050 (relative to 2005 levels). But not enough quantities of this alternative fuel are being produced, nor at a competitive cost.

Currently, several U.S. companies make renewable jet fuel from materials such as triglycerides extracted from used oil and grease, or from a combination of carbon monoxide and hydrogen called syngas. One company uses algae as its source material and even has an underground pipeline to the Los Angeles Airport (LAX), where a percentage gets mixed with conventional jet fuel, Saha says.

However, processing this non-conventional material requires high temperatures -- 350°C (662°F) -- and high pressure as well.

Not so with those wood chips and corn cobs at UD, where Saha and his colleagues have developed new catalysts -- so called "chemical goats" -- that kickstart the chemical reactions that can transform this plant material into fuel. One of these catalysts, made from inexpensive graphene, looks like a honeycomb of carbon molecules. Its unique surface properties increase the speed of the coupling reaction. It also operates at low temperature (60°C). Another catalyst removes oxygen in an energy-efficient way and produces high yields of branched molecules, up to 99 percent, suitable for jet fuel. Both catalysts are recyclable, and the processes are scalable.

"The low temperature and high selectivity of our process can enable cost-competitive and sustainable production of bio-based aviation fuels from lignocellulosic biomass.

Building a sustainable future: Urgent action needed

The scientists from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology argue that increasing demands for "thermal comfort" from the flourishing middle classes in countries like China, Brazil and India could pose an enormous global challenge -- unless efficient and sustainable solutions for existing and new building stock are implemented as a matter of urgency.

Buildings already account for up to 40% of our global energy demands. New solutions are continually being developed to help homes and workplaces become more energy efficient -- from airtight envelopes and superinsulation materials to integrated photovoltaic panels. When combined with user behavior, these solutions can help to reduce the energy consumption of our buildings by a factor of three.

However, the authors argue that huge variations in climate, economic power, building traditions and -- perhaps most importantly -- public perception and attitude towards climate change, have resulted in vastly different adoption rates of new building materials and technologies in countries around the world.

For example, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions per square meter of new buildings in Europe have been reduced dramatically as a result of a coherent energy policy, the enforcement of strict building codes and the adoption of more energy-efficient technologies, they argue.

In contrast, different perceptions of the risks and consequences of climate change in the United States have resulted in a less coherent energy policy and less stringent building codes, the authors write. This means that the adoption of energy-saving materials across the Atlantic is lagging behind the building sector in Europe -- an inertia that is magnified in other countries around the globe, according to the authors.

They argue that the growth in population and economic status in developing countries will place a particular strain on the successes gained by current energy efficiency efforts, as economic gain and energy demands to fuel continued economic growth will likely take center stage for developing countries in the future.

"The growth of a middle class in countries like China, Brazil and India, and their increasing demand for thermal comfort, will precipitate a strong increase in cooling energy demands, unless efficient and sustainable solutions can be implemented readily and quickly."

This New Edge Device Will Transform Wind Turbine Condition Monitoring

One of the leaders in vibration monitoring technologies is working to bring the integration benefits of OSIsoft’s PI System to wind turbine condition monitoring—a process that traditionally requires a separate architecture to handle the high bandwidth coming from vibration sensors.
Randy Chitwood, vice president of Nevada-based SETPOINT, says that within the next 18 to 24 months, SETPOINT plans to take its existing hardware for wind turbine condition monitoring and engineer an edge device that will stream vibration data directly into OSIsoft’s PI System. The company already offers this kind of interface technology for other energy systems that rely on vibration sensors to monitor the health of rotating equipment.
Speaking at the OSIsoft EMEA Users Conference in London on Oct. 17, Chitwood said that when vibration sensor data can stream directly into PI, there’s no longer a need for IT managers to maintain an independent ecosystem—servers, databases, and interfaces, etc.—for vibration data collection and analysis.
PI allows operators in various industries to access and learn from data that comes from multiple, potentially incompatible systems across an enterprise. PI is known for its ability to collect time-series data from diverse sources and store millions of data points, bringing together time-series and event-based data in real time. Data that lived in silos previously, now comes together in PI for analysis and visualization that would be impossible otherwise.
Vibration data historically represented its own silo, and has been viewed by vibration and rotation machinery engineers as “special,” thus requiring separate condition monitoring software (CMS) that is distinct from a distributed control system (DCS) that interfaces with PI. A DCS networks and collects data from, for example, a process control system, instruments and controls, turbine controls, motor controls, overspeed protection, surge protection, and emergency shutdown systems. PI brings all that data together for enhanced analysis.
Chitwood said that the CMS, on the other hand, has the ability to display specialized plot types that vibration and rotation machinery engineers need.
“There’s an enormous amount of bandwidth that a typical vibration sensor is streaming into the vibration [CMS],” he said. “In the past, that bandwidth would have choked a PI system or frankly any other data archive.”
SETPOINT has found a way to stream CMS data into PI, thus enabling operators to bring the capabilities of the DCS and CMS together for more robust insights.
How Do They Do It?
According to Chitwood, the process for bringing vibration data into PI is similar to how video is live-streamed.
“If we were to take all of the data from a single sensor and stream it into PI continuously and we did that for a whole machine, 20 sensors worth, we would consume about 1 terabyte a week in a PI server,” he said, adding that “nobody would be happy about that.”
Chitwood said that SETPOINT’s edge device intelligently decides what vibration data should be sent to the PI server and what should not.
“We’ve engineered our edge device to constantly look at the vibration data and ask a very simple question—did it change?” he said, adding that if the data changes, it goes to the PI server.
Streaming video works in the same way. For example, as a video frame with blue sky, green grass and a person moving is streamed, only the pixels related to the part of the frame that is changing—the person moving—are transmitted.
Once the SETPOINT edge device streams the important vibration data points to PI, operators can then use a special interface created by SETPOINT that allows the operator to drill down into any given data point.

Transparent solar technology represents 'wave of the future'

See-through solar-harvesting applications, such as this module pioneered at Michigan State University, could potentially produce 40 percent of U.S. electricity demand.

See-through solar materials that can be applied to windows represent a massive source of untapped energy and could harvest as much power as bigger, bulkier rooftop solar units, scientists report in Nature Energy.

Led by engineering researchers at Michigan State University, the authors argue that widespread use of such highly transparent solar applications, together with the rooftop units, could nearly meet U.S. electricity demand and drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels.

"Highly transparent solar cells represent the wave of the future for new solar applications," said Richard Lunt, the Johansen Crosby Endowed Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at MSU. "We analyzed their potential and show that by harvesting only invisible light, these devices can provide a similar electricity-generation potential as rooftop solar while providing additional functionality to enhance the efficiency of buildings, automobiles and mobile electronics."

Lunt and colleagues at MSU pioneered the development of a transparent luminescent solar concentrator that when placed on a window creates solar energy without disrupting the view. The thin, plastic-like material can be used on buildings, car windows, cell phones or other devices with a clear surface.

The solar-harvesting system uses organic molecules developed by Lunt and his team to absorb invisible wavelengths of sunlight. The researchers can "tune" these materials to pick up just the ultraviolet and the near-infrared wavelengths that then convert this energy into electricity.

Moving global energy consumption away from fossil fuels will require such innovative and cost-effective renewable energy technologies. Only about 1.5 percent of electricity demand in the United States and globally is produced by solar power.

But in terms of overall electricity potential, the authors note that there is an estimated 5 billion to 7 billion square meters of glass surface in the United States. And with that much glass to cover, transparent solar technologies have the potential of supplying some 40 percent of energy demand in the U.S. -- about the same potential as rooftop solar units. "The complimentary deployment of both technologies," Lunt said, "could get us close to 100 percent of our demand if we also improve energy storage."

Lunt said highly transparent solar applications are recording efficiencies above 5 percent, while traditional solar panels typically are about 15 percent to 18 percent efficient. Although transparent solar technologies will never be more efficient at converting solar energy to electricity than their opaque counterparts, they can get close and offer the potential to be applied to a lot more additional surface area, he said.

Right now, transparent solar technologies are only at about a third of their realistic overall potential, Lunt added.

"That is what we are working towards," he said. "Traditional solar applications have been actively researched for over five decades, yet we have only been working on these highly transparent solar cells for about five years. Ultimately, this technology offers a promising route to inexpensive, widespread solar adoption on small and large surfaces that were previously inaccessible."

A New Light for Solar Power

Inspired by an American fern, a groundbreaking prototype could be the answer to the storage challenge holding solar back as a total energy solution. The new type of electrode created by RMIT University researchers could boost the capacity of existing integrable storage technologies by 3000 percent. But the graphene-based prototype also opens a new path to the development of flexible thin film all-in-one solar capture and storage, bringing us one step closer to self-powering smart phones, laptops, cars and buildings.

“How green are you?

“How green are you?” is a question today’s companies field from all directions. Consumers want assurance that their dollars are going to sustainably responsible brands, potential employees want to know that their future employers care about social initiatives, and investors want to see to it that their investment recipients don’t fall too far behind public demands and expectations. Although most companies today see the immense value in adopting energy-efficient behaviors, they’re also aware of the high cost that accompanies the sustainable transition.
Thanks to a 24/7 all-access digital environment, the public has more information about brand action than ever before. While in some senses this increased accessibility works in company’s favors, it also raises the stakes. Corporations cannot afford to simply talk about public action and environmental initiatives, they have to prove their commitment. Edelman’s annual Trust Barometer survey found that more than half of all polled participants believe today’s collective system (government, business, NGO, and media) has failed them.
Consumers are not willing to blindly trust organizations based on their promises — they’ve been burned too many times in the past and have learned that lesson the hard way. This steady decline in trust is compounded with environmental issues that the greater public will not ignore — the rise in carbon dioxide concentration and global temperatures. The public knows that government environmental action does not provide an overnight solution due to disparaging beliefs and debates. However, corporations, do have the power to make immediate and significant impacts on the state of the world.
The same Edelman report found that 75 percent of consumers expect businesses to take action to improve social and economic conditions. Essentially, corporations have everything to lose by not taking specific strides to clean up their footprints; not only does the planet depend on their involvement, but their overall consumer relationships do so as well.
Luckily, some of the most prominent companies across the world are leading the charge in the clean energy movement. In 2014, global corporations joined The Climate Group, CDP and We Mean Business to create the RE100 initiative — a movement dedicated to achieving 100 percent clean energy from renewable sources. Corporations including Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, and GM have all committed to the movement, and have already made significant strides in reaching the goal.
Fortune 500 companies taking the reins on sustainable innovations is the first step. But in order for widespread clean energy to become a reality among all companies, not just those who dominate media coverage, organizations have to be transparent about their initiatives.
In 2016, Apple claimed to use 100 percent renewable sources of energy, citing zero greenhouse gas impact from their data centers. While this claim was lauded, it was also disputed. Some felt that Apple wasn’t coming totally clean about their global energy usage, especially given their coal power manufacturing sites. Apple had already taken great strides to clean up their energy usage, but at that time, they weren’t being totally transparent about all of the ways in which the company consumes energy.
Now, Apple is a massive global entity; no one expects a company of this magnitude to instill 100 percent renewable processes and infrastructures overnight. However, the public does expect (and rightfully so) 100 percent transparency. Since then, Apple has joined the RE100 movement and has even come out on top of Greenpeace’s clean energy report. This past year the tech powerhouse also completed construction on a 50-MW solar farm in Arizona to power their data command center. Apple’s public commitment is paving the way for an open dialogue around corporate responsibility and authenticity.
Following the lead of other companies, oil and gas corporations are also joining the movement. In fact, Shell’s CEO recently pledged a $1 billion per year investment in renewable energy solutions. In his announcement, the CEO even went as far to say that “if we are not careful with all the good intentions and advocacy we have, we may, as a sector and a society, not make the progress that is needed.”
Corporate leaders know that the time has come and gone when organizations can initiate things at half-mast or disclose only some of their energy endeavors; companies across industries and country borders must be all in on the renewable energy movement or else risk the permanent loss of public trust.
Although many corporations have taken significant strides in shrinking their carbon footprints, there’s still progress that needs to be made. Some are taking small steps, like switching to LED light sources (which also helps mitigate workplace distractions) and swapping out toxic cleaning chemicals; and while these are also important steps, they are not enough to satiate socially conscious employees or consumers. But no company, big or small, can afford to put off sustainable initiatives, because the public now demands action and transparency. People want to see real environmental progress, and it can start with corporate initiatives.

Hydrogen Powered Drones Closer to Commercialization

Intelligent Energy has signed a deal with PINC to supply its air cooled fuel cell systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), marking Intelligent Energy’s first sale of fuel cell systems for UAVs as the company moves forward with the commercialization of its technology.

PINC uses UAVs to identify and orchestrate hard-to-reach inventory and assets in the global supply chain and is the leading provider of yard management, finished vehicle logistics, and inventory robotics solutions to the world’s largest manufacturers, retailers and contract logistics providers.
Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell systems for UAVs offer longer flight time, fast refuel capabilities and flexibility for varying payloads, addressing some of the biggest challenges for users, according to the company. This is particularly evident in the commercial space where UAVs are increasingly being used for a number of applications including inspections, search and rescue and film and photography.
PINC will operate the fuel cell powered UAVs alongside battery operated UAVs as part of its inventory robotics offering, which provides real-time inventory tracking by air. PINC's unmanned aircraft system (UAS), ‘PINC Air’, allows companies to apply drone technology, coupled with advanced RFID and optical sensor capabilities, to improve the operational effectiveness and efficiency of inventory checks.

Julian Hughes, Senior VP at Intelligent Energy, commented on the deal: “I am delighted to announce the first sales of our fuel cell systems for UAV application. PINC is leading the way with the use of hydrogen fuel cell UAVs in the supply chain and we are certain they will be impressed with the benefits our fuel cells will offer over conventional batteries. We look forward to a long relationship with them.”

Martin Bloom, Group CEO at Intelligent Energy, added: “PINC is based in California, a state that is proactively adopting hydrogen. We see this region as a significant market for Intelligent Energy’s range of market-ready fuel cell products.”

The company believes that this first UAV deal demonstrates the its commitment, as part of its revised strategy, to commercialise fuel cell technology for this fast growing market.

Benefits of Solar and Energy Storage

The energy storage market will expand dramatically in the coming years from an annual installation size of 6 GW in 2017 to more than 40 GW by 2021. In addition, an IMS Research report predicts that the market for storing energy from solar panels will go from $200 million in 2012 to nearly $19 billion by the end of this year. This is especially impactful for residential solar, which has seen consistent growth in the past few years and will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.
According to McKinsey, energy storage could be the “missing link” that makes intermittent renewables such as solar and wind power totally accessible and reliable all the time. That’s because it allows energy that’s stored while the sun is shining and the wind is blowing to be used later when the wind isn’t blowing or when it’s dark outside. McKinsey also indicates that there’s significant near-term potential for energy storage, and that this is largely due to the fact that prices are dropping dramatically and could be as low as $160 per kilowatt-hour by 2025.
Clearly, there is a mutually beneficial relationship between solar and energy storage. Particularly, long tail (i.e., small regional) solar companies will see greater opportunities as the industry moves away from consolidation and being dominated to a handful of large companies. This remains to be true despite the recent U.S. government policy shifts that deemphasize climate change. In fact, several companies as well as state and local governments have responded that this new policy won’t impede their efforts to support the development and implementation of clean energy including renewables.
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New Opportunities for Long Tail Solar Companies with Energy Storage
Now, with solar financing options becoming simpler and more democratized, smaller and more agile solar providers will experience growth right along with the burgeoning energy storage industry. In fact, data show that residential energy storage will grow to 660 MW by 2021, and that most of it will be paired with solar. Solar paired with energy storage will drive growth in both industries.
This implies that partnerships need to be formed between solar and energy storage companies. That’s because long tail installers will need energy storage solutions to meet residential customer demand. However, one of the caveats is that not all energy storage solutions are the same because energy storage isn’t commoditized.
An example is the difference between a simple energy storage system versus an intelligent energy storage system. A simple system will allow customers to store energy from the grid or renewables and that’s pretty much it. For many people, this will be enough to satisfy their energy storage needs. An intelligent system will do this as well, but it will also facilitate energy optimization, home automation, and integration with the Internet of Things (IoT).
Choosing the Best Partnerships Between Solar and Energy Storage
Business and economic forces indicate that as the energy storage market grows, so will the competition for market share amongst companies in the industry. This is a beneficial situation for long tail installers because it positions them to choose which energy storage partners will benefit their business models the most.
However, long tail installers should primarily focus on cultivating partnerships with energy storage providers based on the needs of their customers. This approach will create a strategic advantage in the long run by avoiding business development pitfalls that lead to wasted resources. Thus, long tail solar installers that offer unique energy storage solutions that are directly relevant to their customers' interests will gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.
For example, simple energy storage solutions would be fine for the customer who’s only concerned about saving some money on electricity costs or reducing their home’s carbon footprint somewhat. But a customer who is interested in a more comprehensive smart home energy storage that realizes these benefits to a greater degree as well as many others will want more sophistication in terms of what their solar partnered with energy storage provider can offer, and will likely prefer an intelligent energy storage system. Some of these additional benefits include the ability to monitor and manage a home's energy usage in real time as well as the convenience of integrating smart home and home automation devices into a single user interface.

The benefit of partnerships between solar and energy storage isn’t one-sided. Instead, it’s a mutually beneficial way for energy storage providers to offer renewable energy solutions for their customers as well. As a result, companies in both industries will be able to create new revenue streams beyond the capabilities of solar or energy storage alone.

There is a tremendous amount of opportunity for solar partnered with energy storage. What needs to happen next is for companies in both industries to form strategic partnerships that will lead to the greatest benefits for their customers. Everybody wins when this happens.

Sustainable Renewable Energy Storage

Wind turbines and solar panels both utilize natural resources to produce clean, renewable energy. But in order for these technologies to make a real difference in the way we produce power, energy companies will need to find an effective way to store the power that can accommodate the fluctuations caused by intermittent sun and wind. Here we will explore the current state of the industry and some of the steps that are being taken to bring renewable energy to the next level.

Wind and solar industry growth
Both wind and solar have grown significantly in recent years and can help to provide valuable sources of renewable energy for future generations. According to Clean Line Energy, the United States has the potential to produce nearly 10 times the country’s existing power needs using wind alone. Wind power has also become increasingly cost-effective as technology has improved and the industry in the U.S. has grown. There are now more than 400 manufacturing plants across the U.S. using dedicated equipment and facilities like bespoke blast rooms to produce large volumes of towers, turbines and blades.

Similarly, the price of solar panels has continued to drop as technology improves. The industry employs over 100,000 Americans, and there are now over 13,000 megawatts of cumulative solar capacity operating in the U.S., enough to power more than 2.2 million homes.

Energy storage potential
Wind turbines and photovoltaic installations now produce enough energy to sustain themselves. However, there is an issue in that both types of technology require extra, large-scale infrastructure to store the energy so that it is available on demand and not just when it’s windy or sunny. A study by a team of Stanford researchers concluded that the wind industry will be able to afford to invest in these large-scale technologies and remain sustainable, while the solar industry will find it more difficult due to the extra energy required to produce photovoltaic panels.

Commenting on the survey, Professor Sally Benson found the results for the wind industry very encouraging: “They show that you could create a sustainable energy system that grows and maintains itself by combining wind and storage together. This depends on the growth rate of the industry, because the faster you grow, the more energy you need to build new turbines and batteries.”

Solar power, on the other hand, will require further development if it is to become a viable option. Michael Dale, a Stanford research associate, commented: “Our analysis shows that today’s wind industry, even with a large amount of grid-scale storage, is energetically sustainable. We found that the solar industry can also achieve sustainable storage capacity by reducing the amount of energy that goes into making solar photovoltaics.” This suggests that the solar industry needs to rid itself of the need to draw on other power sources to make up the energy required to produce the panels in the first place, while wind power is already operating efficiently enough to give it the scope to grow further.

The viability of storage systems for renewable energy sources like wind and solar is already beginning to be put to the test in the real world. According to a recent article in the Globe and Mail, Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has recently commissioned five companies to build 12 demonstration models which will capture and release energy, thereby accommodating the power fluctuations associated with renewable energy sources. The technologies being tested include batteries, hydrogen storage and kinetic flywheels. The IESO hope that these storage systems will not only allow renewable energy systems to be incorporated into the power system but will also help to balance supply.

IESO President Bruce Campbell commented: “Energy storage projects will provide more flexibility and offer more options to manage the system efficiently.”

A recent article on Clean Technica gives examples of how storage technologies are also progressing elsewhere: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been working to bring down the cost of Sodium-β (beta) batteries, which are considered by many as having the potential for widespread energy storage but have always been limited by their relatively high cost. However, PNNL’s latest research has helped to decrease the cost and improve the operating life of the battery using a new liquid metal alloy, which could be a hugely significant step for the renewable industry.

Advances in technology like this show that widespread renewable energy is more than just a pipe dream and that, in the future, wind and solar could offer major advantages to energy suppliers, providing more efficient energy solutions that can be managed on a day-to-day basis.

Only time will tell which storage methods will prove to be effective, but it is still very encouraging to see wind and solar emerging from the sidelines and making strides towards becoming a major part of power production.

Microgrids – Important Lessons from a Resort

Spice Village (SV) is a resort in India’s Kerala province, adjacent to the Periyar Tiger Reserve. It is an eco-traveler’s destination, where “birdsong takes the place of television.” Its energy profile, however, was harsh. The regional electric grid was undependable and SV used a diesel-powered generator eight hours per day — noisy and expensive.
To better align quietude and energy, SV overhauled its electric service. In 2011, SV hired TeamSustain, based in Cochin, India, to transition from rough-hewn to low impact. TeamSustain’s analysis showed that SV’s daily electrical load could drop from 750 kWh to 200! To meet that demand, TeamSustain designed a 65 kWp battery-based solar PV system. A new biodiesel generator is still required during the rainy monsoon months.
SV is the world’s first resort completely off-grid. In energy parlance, it is an “island” or “microgrid.” This success is worth a closer look. Microgrids can offer qualitatively better options for millions of people without electricity, or with undependable power, places where there either is no regional grid or expansion is not feasible.
Importantly, the SV project demonstrates that microgrid energy is not energy paucity — that it can be energy at impressive scale. After all, resorts demand a lot of power — for housing, appliances, lighting, service and administrative functions and, importantly, laundries and kitchens. SV’s solar-battery system is designed to support its full electrical daytime load — that’s a commercial load, not just a few lamps and ceiling fans. (It’s worth noting that SV’s 56 cottages are not air-conditioned.)
Big picture, creative thinking is required — technology and application are not cookie-cutter. SV’s solar hardware and placement, for example, were designed and selected based on regional climate, cloud cover and temperatures. This data informed PV film selection and assembly, careful choices delivering a 15 percent higher yield compared to more conventional approaches.
In remote locations, it’s hard to transport, install and service industrial-sized battery sets. The SV batteries were built by U.S.-based Trojan Batteries. They are engineered to deal with solar power fluctuations and the intermittent demands that characterize renewable energy systems. The batteries at SV have a 17-year life expectancy.
Romina Arcamone Garcia is market manager for renewable energy and backup power at Trojan Battery. She said the SV project “allowed us to prove that microgrid technology and components work well.”
Trojan participated in another solar-hybrid project in the Department of Choco, in western Colombia, a region without any links to the country’s electric grid, one of five projects backed by the Columbian government. People had power, but it was intermittent, just a few hours a day, and, of course, none if the generator was down.
Garcia said “solar microgrids have a better return on investment than microgrids powered exclusively by diesel generators” and that these systems “are at a minimum 50 percent cheaper than other technologies with the same expected life.”
The Choco projects, which powered up in 2016, provide uninterrupted energy to 431 households, including an indigenous community. It’s expected to last for 20 years.

Bio Gas

Most organic matter begins the process of decomposition when it is exposed to oxygen and sunlight. However, organic matter can also decompose without any oxygen, by the process of anaerobic fermentation. This happens due to the bacteria present in the matter which acts during the absence of oxygen. Landfills see a lot of such decay, especially when the waste material becomes wet and receives little sunlight. As a result, a lot of methane and nitrous oxide is produced and released into the atmosphere. Biogas is the result of this decay, and it is an energy source like no other.

One may find the structure of biogas to be a little confusing. Comprising mainly of methane and carbon dioxide, one has to wonder how these greenhouse gases are helping anybody. However, the magic happens when the gas is burnt. The use of biogas as a fuel happens because it reacts with oxygen and releases energy, which is clean in nature.



The resulting reaction uses up the gases and prevents them from rising into the atmosphere. Biogas plants are slowly becoming popular due to the many benefits associated with them. They are already being used for public transport, industrial heating and many more applications.



Advantages of Biogas

1. Renewable Source of Energy: To begin with, biogas is considered to be a renewable source of energy. Since it often produced from materials that form sewage and waste products, the only time it will be depleted is when we stop producing any waste.

2. Non-Polluting: It is also considered to be non-polluting in nature. The production of biogas does not require oxygen, which means that resources are conserved by not using any further fuel.

3. Reduces Landfills: It also uses up waste material found in landfills, dump sites and even farms across the country, allowing for decreased soil and water pollution.

4. Cheaper Technology: Applications for biogas are increasing as the technology to utilize it gets better. It can be used to produce electricity and for the purpose of heating as well. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is biogas that has been compressed and can be used as a fuel for vehicles. Production can be carried out through many small plants or one large plant.

5. Large number of Jobs: Either way, work opportunities are created for thousands of people in these plants. These jobs are a blessing in rural areas, which are the targeted grounds for the use of biogas. In fact, biogas can easily be decentralized, making it easier to access by those living in remote areas or facing frequent power outages.

6. Little Capital Investment: Biogas are easy to set up and require little capital investment on a small scale basis. In fact, many farms can become self sufficient by utilizing biogas plants and the waste material produced by their livestock each day. A single cow can provide enough waste material within a day to power a light bulb the entire day.

7. Reduces Greenhouse Effect: It also reduces the greenhouse effect by utilizing the gases being produced in landfills as forms of energy. This is a major reason why the use of biogas has started catching on. It recycles most forms of biodegradable waste and works on simple forms of technology.



Disadvantages of Biogas

1. Little Technology Advancements: First of all, the current systems in place used to create biogas are not as efficient as they get. Little new technology has been introduced for streamlining the process and making it more cost effective. As a result, large scale industrial production of biogas is still not on the energy map. Although it could solve the energy issues being faced by countries all over the world, very few investors are willing to put in the startup capital. It is also not the best idea to construct one biogas plant per house, which means that a central system will have to be put into place.

2. Contain Impurities: Biogas contains a number of impurities even after refining processes have been put into place. When compressed for use as fuel, these can become corrosive to the metal parts of engines.

3. Not Attractive on Large Scale: The process of using biogas on a large scale is not economically viable and it is very difficult to enhance the efficiency of biogas systems.

4. Unstable: It is also somewhat unstable, making it prone to explosions if the methane comes in contact with oxygen and become flammable in nature.

Even with all of the disadvantages present, countries have started to apply the uses of biogas in everyday life. Public transportation has been renewed and made efficient with the help of CNG. Remote locations that are off the electric grid receive a steady supply of power from these plants. The future use of biogas is bright, even with the problems it faces.

PLANNING FOR HOME RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

Maybe you are considering purchasing a renewable energy system to generate electricity at your home. Although it takes time and money to research, buy, and maintain a system, many people enjoy the independence they gain and the knowledge that their actions are helping the environment.

A renewable energy system can be used to supply some or all of your electricity needs, using technologies like:

• Small solar electric systems
• Small wind electric systems
• Microhydropower systems
• Small hybrid electric systems (solar and wind).

Planning for a home renewable energy system is a process that includes analyzing your existing electricity use (and considering energy efficiency measures to reduce it), looking at local codes and requirements, deciding if you want to operate your system on or off of the electric grid, and understanding technology options you have for your site.

If you're designing a new home, work with the builder and your contractor to incorporate your small renewable energy system into your whole-house design, an approach for building an energy-efficient home.

ANALYZING YOUR ELECTRICITY LOADS

Calculating your electricity needs is the first step in the process of investigating renewable energy systems for your home or small business. A thorough examination of your electricity needs helps you determine the following:

• The size (and therefore, cost) of the system you will need
• How your energy needs fluctuate throughout the day and over the year
• Measures you can take to reduce your electricity use.

Conducting a load analysis involves recording the wattage and average daily use of all of the electrical devices that are plugged into your central power source such as refrigerators, lights, televisions, and power tools. Some loads, like your refrigerator, use electricity all the time, while others, like power tools, use electricity intermittently. Loads that use electricity intermittently are often referred to as selectable loads. If you are willing to use your selectable loads only when you have extra power available, you may be able to install a smaller renewable energy system.

To determine your total electricity consumption:

• Multiply the wattage of each appliance by the number of hours it is used each day (be sure to take seasonal variations into account). Some appliances do not give the wattage, so you may have to calculate the wattage by multiplying the amperes times the volts. Generally, power use data can be found on a sticker, metal plate, or cord attached to the appliance.
• Record the time(s) of day the load runs for all selectable loads.

Considering energy efficiency measures in your home before you buy your renewable energy system will reduce your electricity use and allow you to buy a smaller and less expensive system. For information about determining the overall energy efficiency of your home, seeenergy assessments.

LOCAL CODES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR SMALL RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

Each state and community has its own set of codes and regulations that you will need to follow to add a small renewable energy system to your home or small business. These regulations can affect the type of renewable energy system you are allowed to install and who installs it. They can also affect whether you decide to connect your system to the electricity grid or use it in place of grid-supplied electricity as a stand-alone system.

A local renewable energy company or organization, your state energy office, or your local officials should be able to tell you about the requirements that apply in your community. If you want to connect your system to the electricity grid, these groups may also be able to help you navigate your power provider's grid-connection requirements. Here are some of the state and community requirements you may encounter:

• Building codes
• Easements
• Local covenants and ordinances
• Technology-specific requirements
• Building codes.

Electrical and building inspectors ensure that your system complies with standards. Building inspectors are interested in making sure the structure you are adding is safe. Your system may be required to pass electrical and/or plumbing inspections to comply with local building codes.

Many building code offices also require their zoning board to grant you a conditional-use permit or a variance from the existing code before they will issue you a building permit. Check with your building code office before you buy a renewable energy system to learn about their specific inspection requirements.

EASEMENTS

Some states permit easements, which are a voluntary, legally binding agreement between owners of adjacent land regarding use of the land. For example, you might seek an easement specifying that no structure which blocks the renewable resource necessary to run a renewable energy system will be built. These agreements are binding regardless of changing land ownership. In addition, you may want to do a title search of your deed to determine if any prior easements or other agreements exist that could prevent you from adding a renewable energy system to your own property.

LOCAL COVENANTS AND ORDINANCES

Some communities have covenants or other regulations specifying what homeowners can and can't do with their property. Sometimes these regulations prohibit the use of renewable energy systems for aesthetic or noise-control reasons. However, sometimes these regulations have provisions supporting renewable energy systems. Check with your homeowners association or local government for details. In addition, you may want to discuss your intentions with your neighbors to avoid any future public objections.

GRID-CONNECTED OR STAND-ALONE SYSTEM

Some people connect their systems to the grid and use them to reduce the amount of conventional power supplied to them through the grid. A grid-connected system allows you to sell any excess power you produce back to your power provider.

For grid-connected systems, aside from the major small renewable energy system components, you will need to purchase some additional equipment (called "balance-of-system") to safely transmit electricity to your loads and comply with your power provider's grid-connection requirements. This equipment may include power conditioning equipment, safety equipment, and meters and instrumentation.

Other people, especially those in remote areas, use the electricity from their systems in place of electricity supplied to them by power providers (i.e., electric utilities). These are calledstand-alone (off-grid) systems.

For stand-alone systems, balance-of-system components include batteries and a charge controller in addition to power conditioning equipment, safety equipment, and meters and instrumentation.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

To begin choosing the right small renewable electric system for your home, you will need a basic understanding of how each technology works, as well as:

• Renewable energy resource availability
• Economics and costs
• System siting
• System sizing
• Codes and regulations
• Installation and maintenance considerations.

Remember that all of these technologies can be used by themselves, combined, or used in conjunction with a fossil fuel system. When these technologies are combined or used with a fossil fuel generator, the result is a hybrid system.

Technology options include solar, wind, microhydropower, and hybrid electric systems (solar and wind).

• Small solar electric systems -- A small solar electric or photovoltaic system can be a reliable and pollution-free producer of electricity for your home or office. Small photovoltaics systems also provide a cost-effective power supply in locations where it is expensive or impossible to send electricity through conventional power lines.
• Small wind electric systems -- Small wind electric systems are one of the most cost-effective home-based renewable energy systems. They can also be used for a variety of other applications, including water pumping on farms and ranches.
• Microhydropower systems -- Microhydropower systems usually generate up to 100 kilowatts of electricity, though a 10-kilowatt system can generally provide enough power for a large home, small resort, or a hobby farm.
• Small “hybrid” solar and wind electric systems -- Because the peak operating times for wind and solar systems occur at different times of the day and year, hybrid systems are more likely to produce power when you need it.

REDUCING YOUR ELECTRICITY USE

Reducing energy use in your home saves you money, increases our energy security, and reduces the pollution that is emitted from non-renewable sources of energy. If you are planning to install a small renewable energy system to make your own electricity, such as a solar electric system or small wind turbine, reducing your electricity loads is the first step—saving you money by allowing you to purchase a smaller system.

There are many ways you can reduce electricity use in your home:

• Appliances and electronics -- Purchase energy-efficient products and operate them efficiently.
• Lighting -- Purchase energy-efficient products, operate them efficiently, and incorporate more daylighting into your home using energy-efficient windows and skylights.
• Electric space heating and cooling -- Purchase energy-efficient electric systems and operate them efficiently. Incorporate passive solar design concepts into your home, which include using energy-efficient windows. Properly insulate and air seal your home. Select an energy-efficient heating system that doesn't use electricity.
• Electric water heating -- Purchase an energy-efficient electric water heater and operate it efficiently. Or select an energy-efficient water heater that doesn't use electricity.

Using renewable energy at home

You have many options for using renewable energy at home, including solar panels and small wind turbines.

Solar panels are the most popular form of renewable energy today. You can use them to generate heat, electricity, and indoor and outdoor light.

If you live on at least one acre of land with an ample wind resource, you can generate your own electricity using a small wind electric system. You can also use a small wind turbine for pumping water, or to charge a sailboat battery.

You may have also heard of using a geothermal or ground-source heat pump to heat and cool your home. While not technically a renewable energy technology, this energy-saving technology makes use of the constant temperature near the earth's surface for heating and cooling. See the heating and cooling tips for more information.

In addition to using renewable energy in your home, you can buy electricity made from renewable energy like the sun, wind, water, plants, and geothermal from your utility company. Check with your local utility for more information.

RENEWABLE ENERGY TIPS

• Installing solar-powered outdoor pathway lights is one of the easiest ways to use solar energy at home.
• Building a new home is the best time to design and orient the home to take advantage of the sun's rays. A well-oriented home lets in the winter sun in south-facing windows to reduce heating bills, and blocks the heat from summer sun to reduce cooling bills (see the passive solar heating and cooling section).
• Heating water is a great use of solar power (see the water heating section). If you have a swimming pool or hot tub, you can use solar power to cut pool heating costs. Most solar pool heating systems are cost competitive with conventional systems and have very low operating costs. It's actually the most cost-effective use of solar energy.
• Installing small wind turbines, which range in size from 400 Watts to 20 kilowatts, can provide some of the electricity for your home. Other uses of micro wind turbines (20-500 Watts) include charging batteries for sailboats and other recreational vehicles.

LONG-TERM SAVINGS TIP

If you've already made your home as energy efficient as possible, and you still have high electricity bills and have access to a good solar resource, you might want to consider generating your own electricity with a solar power system. Solar panels can be easily installed onto ground- or roof-mounted racks, and new products are available that integrate solar cells with the roof, making them much less visible than older systems.

You should consider several factors if you want to install a solar power system, such as your solar resources, siting and sizing the system, the type of system (grid-connected or stand-alone), and electrical safety. Because of the complexity and need for proper installation, it's best to have a professional solar contractor install your system.

IS A SOLAR POWER SYSTEM RIGHT FOR ME?

You could consider adding a solar power system to your house if your location has adequate solar resources. A shade-free, south-facing location is best. At least one of the following should also be true:

• You live in a remote location and your home is not connected to the utility grid. Using solar power might cost you less than extending a power line to the grid. Your power provider will connect your solar system to the electricity grid and credit your bill for any excess power you produce.
• You are willing to pay more up front to reduce the environmental impact of your electricity use.
• Your state, city, or utility offers rebates, tax credits, or other incentives. Visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency to find out about financial incentives in your area.