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Just when a Swiss pilot ‘s solar powered aircraft mesmerised the world by setting a record of longest solo flight without a drop of fuel, India’s solar energy ambitious plans are set to leap frog. The Centre has revised cumulative targets under National Solar Mission from 20,000 MW by 2021-22 to 1,00,000 MW- a quantum jump.
After launching of signature initiatives ‘Smart city,’ ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India,’ massive efforts are underway to tap the untapped renewable energy resources-mainly solar power. Official sources said the Ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) currently pushing solar city programme to reduce dependence on fossil fuel based energy has selected 50 cities to be developed as solar centres. Of these, 44 cities have already prepared master plans. Stakeholder committees have been formed in all the 50 selected cities.The programme entails that the selected cities will have to ensure desired level of generation from renewable energy resources .
India’s huge and vibrant market of 1.25 billion people has triggered interest among foreign players. Union Minister for Power and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal, on completion of one year in office, said that steps were afoot to accomplish Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aim of ensuring 24×7 power to all and RE sector would play a major role. At least a dozen nations have signed MoUs to work with India in the development of renewable energy in past few years.During his recent visit to France, Mr Modi laid thrust on India’s vision towards solar energy. French companies are working in the solar sector here and they aim at contributing in a big way. President Francois Hollande has already conveyed France’s commitment to develop clean energy here.
If the goals set for the solar energy are realised, the country will surpass Germany which is a global leader in solar power generation by producing three times higher energy from the discipline. Though technology is getting cheaper , experts feel that the sector might be a game changer so the government should revisit its policy of financing of projects. They feel that at present India RE projects are financed for 10-12 years with an annual interest rate of 12-13 per cent while in Europe and US, the projects are funded for 17-18 years with an interest rate of 4-5 per cent.
To make 100 GW ( giga watt )solar energy target a reality, an ambitious scheme of creating sector skills has been launched recently under which 1,00,000-“Surya Mitras” will be trained to help achieve scaled up objectives and service the arena . Experts feel that the RE sector will create one million jobs by 2022 as the government has scaled up the target which includes100 GW from the solar sector and 60 GW from the wind energy by 2022. Various states are coming up with their own plans of regulatory norms and other policies. Almost every day, states are coming up with solar plant announcements as well as commencements.
The world’s largest solar project is going to be set up in Rewa ,which will have 750 MW capacity plant spread over 1,500 hectares of land. Similarly, M Chinnaswamy stadium in Karnataka has emerged as yet another hallmark of grid connected solar roof top system ,now luring others to follow suit. It has now 400KW of net metered rooftops power plant.About two dozen states have notified net metering policy, laced with incentives to promote the rooftop solar plants connected with grid.The net metering is the process through which discoms will generate bills to solar power plant owners as per consumption and credit will be given to the consumer of contribution to the gird is higher than the consumption.
In some areas in the national capital,the phenomenon is catching up,say experts ,contesting the perception that solar power is back up in case of regular breakdowns outage and insist that it is going to be hassle free power. Plagued by outages, increasing power tariffs , corruption in power companies, the aam aadmi is evincing keen interest in solar power –technology which was costly a few years back. Even in remote places kiosks selling solar panels can be spotted. Small LED bulbs are emerging another attraction among consumers.
A retired central government employee, Harish Chandra Bhardwaj, appeared upbeat by spotting such kiosks near his village Samadha in mofussil Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.” Solar power is becoming lucrative among poor people who buy some panels to harness the energy to recharge their mobiles and one or two lights in the house,” he asserts admitting cost is to be brought down.
In upscale colonies, RWAs now mull over installation of common solar powered system instead of going for big gen sets.At a number of public meetings, the Prime Minister recently put his government’s approval to step up of solar power capacity target under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) by five times.The target will principally comprise of 40 GW Rooftop and 60 GW through Large and Medium Scale Grid Connected Solar Power Projects. With this ambitious target, India will become one of the largest Green Energy producers in the world, surpassing several developed countries.
The total investment in setting up 100 GW will be around Rs. 6,00,000 crore. In the first phase, the Government is providing Rs. 15,050 crore as capital subsidy to promote solar capacity addition, official sources say. This capital subsidy will be provided for Rooftop Solar projects in various cities and towns, for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) based projects to be developed through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and for decentralised generation through small solar projects.
Official sources said the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) intends to achieve the aim of 1,00,000 MW with targets under the three schemes of 19,200 MW. Apart from this, solar power projects with investment of about Rs. 90,000 crore would be developed using Bundling mechanism with thermal power. Further investment will come from large Public Sector Undertakings and Independent Power Producers (IPPs). State Governments have also come out with State specific solar policies to promote solar capacity addition.
JNNSM was launched in 2009 with a target for Grid Connected Solar Projects of 20,000 MW by 2022. In the last two to three years, the sector has witnessed rapid development with installed solar capacity increasing rapidly from 18 MW to about 3800 MW during 2010-15. The price of solar energy has come down significantly from Rs 17.90 per unit in 2010 to under Rs 7 per unit, thereby reducing the need of VGF/ GBI (Generation based incentive) per MW of solar power.
With technology advancement and market competition, Green Power is expected to reach grid parity by 2017-18. These developments would enable India to achieve its present target of 20,000 MW. But considering its international commitment towards green and climate friendly growth trajectory, New Delhi has taken this path-breaking decision.
Sources said steps are afoot to approach bilateral and international donors as also the Green Climate Fund to achieve this target. Solar power can contribute to the long term energy security of India, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels that put a strain on foreign reserves and the ecology as well. The solar manufacturing sector will get a boost with this long term trajectory of solar capacity addition.
This will help in creation of technology hubs for manufacturing. The increased manufacturing capacity and installation are expected to pave way for direct and indirect employment opportunities in both the skilled and unskilled sector. The new solar target of 100 GW is expected to abate over 170 million tonnes of CO2 over its life cycle. This Solar Scale-up Plan has a target of 40 GW through Decentralised Solar Power Generation in the form of Grid Connected Rooftop Projects.
While Decentralised Generation will stabilise the grid, it will minimise investment on power evacuation. To facilitate such a massive target, the Prime Minister’s Office has been pushing various Ministries to initiate supporting interventions, including incorporating changes in land use regulations and tenancy laws to facilitate aggregation and leasing of land by farmers/ developers for solar projects; identification of large chunks of land for solar projects and identification of large government complexes/ buildings for rooftop projects. Other steps include clear survey of wastelands and identification of transmission/ road infrastructure using satellite technology for locating solar parks; development of power transmission network/Green Energy Corridor; setting up of exclusive parks for domestic manufacturing of solar PV modules.
These interventions also aim at provision of roof top solar and 10 percent renewable energy as mandatory reform under the new scheme of Ministry of Urban Development; amendments in building bye-laws for mandatory provision of roof top solar for new construction or higher FAR and considering infrastructure status for solar projects.
These also envisage raising tax free solar bonds; providing long tenor loans; making roof top solar a part of housing loan by banks/ NHB and extending IIFCL credit facility to such projects by the Department of Financial Services; suitable amendments to the Electricity Act for strong enforcement of Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) and for providing Renewable Generation Obligation (RGO); incorporating measures in Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for encouraging distribution companies and making net-metering compulsory.
Official sources said upto December last year,17 Solar Parks of aggregate capacity of 12759 MW were planned to be set up in 12 States and a grant of Rs 172.50 crore has been released to Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) towards development of solar parks. Further, proposal for release of Rs 80 crore have been initiated.
(By Neeraj Bajpai/ PIB Features)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A new study presents a case for California regulators to turn to Wyoming wind power to help offset the natural ups and downs of wind and solar power generated in their state.
The report released Monday by the University of Wyoming Wind Energy Research Center says Wyoming wind could help California save water — over a billion gallons a year.
Wyoming wind also could help California utility customers pay less as their state looks to get one-third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
The reason for those savings is Wyoming’s wind patterns tend to be opposite of those in California. The wind in Wyoming tends to blow more when it’s less windy in California.
The report says wide distribution of wind and solar power makes renewables more feasible.
Tesla Motors won’t want to buy SolarCity for its solar installations, it’ll want the company because of the access and data those solar installations provide. Image: SolarCity.
The more I think about it, the more I think Tesla Motors (NASDAQ:TSLA) and SolarCity (NASDAQ:SCTY) make more sense as one company than they do as separate entities. If Elon Musk is serious about revolutionizing energy as we know it he should combine his two energy empires and make the integration needed to build an efficient platform for change in energy.
If Tesla Motors was intending to only be a car company a merger of the two wouldn’t make sense, but its battery business needs some of the capabilities SolarCity has. Here’s why Tesla Motors should buy its sister company SolarCity.
Making batteries a viable business
Musk thinks batteries could create a world where fossil fuels aren’t necessary and we can store the sun’s energy for use 24 hours a day. That’s very possible in the future, but if Tesla Motors is going to be in that business it’ll want to do more than sell batteries.
Batteries, even Tesla Motors’ batteries, are a commodity and historically they’ve been very low margin for large suppliers. After all, do you know who made the lithium-ion battery in your phone? Probably not, because it doesn’t matter.
There are also dozens of large companies getting into the energy storage business and lots that make batteries that are very similar to Tesla’s. Below is an image from GTM Research that shows some of the major players in the upstream value chain of energy storage. You can see that Tesla Motors isn’t alone.
Image: GTM Research.
Where Tesla will want to move is into downstream services. This would be helping utilities, commercial buildings, and homeowners when to store energy and when to discharge it for maximum revenue. That’s where SolarCity comes in.
SolarCity has tens of thousands of customers and has data around when they use energy and when solar energy is produced on rooftops. They could help create the value from a Powerwall or Power Pack, which they do in homes buying Powerwalls today because they control the inverter that charges the system.
If you could be the company that provides the battery and the intelligent background intelligence system, which knows how to monetize that battery efficiently you could create a valuable company. Tesla Motors could build that capability on its own, but it would be better off buying millions of data points and hundreds of thousands of customers from a natural partner in SolarCity.
The Powerwall will only be as valuable as the capabilities it provides. Image: Tesla Motors.
More powerful as one
A combination with Tesla Motors could be good for SolarCity as well. Today, it’s selling solar energy to homeowners primarily through power purchase agreements that rely on net metering. But net metering is being challenged around the country and installers — including SolarCity — are moving to loan financing, which will be lower margin than leases or power purchase agreements.
To combat this, SolarCity could provide a full energy solution, including solar, energy storage, demand response, peak shaving, and a number of other cost saving or revenue generating options. This could be done for both residential and commercial customers. But it would help to have the brand of Tesla behind it and the differentiation of being the one to provide a full solution for its customers.
Alternative energy powers collide
As the renewable energy business grows and Musk’s vision gets larger Tesla Motors and SolarCity are starting to converge on common ground with energy storage. They bring different strengths and weaknesses to the market and I think that they’re both better off together.
If combined, they could be a behemoth in renewable energy, offering a full suite of energy solutions to customers large and small. That would help fulfill Musk’s vision of changing energy as we know it and it’s a natural move for both companies.
This $19 trillion industry could destroy the Internet
One bleeding-edge technology is about to put the World Wide Web to bed. And if you act quickly, you could be among the savvy investors who enjoy the profits from this stunning change. Experts are calling it the single largest business opportunity in the history of capitalism… The Economist is calling it “transformative”… But you’ll probably just call it “how I made my millions.” Don’t be too late to the party — click here for one stock to own when the Web goes dark.
Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends SolarCity and Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of SolarCity and Tesla Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
When it comes to green energy, there’s a whole wealth of potential power waiting just a couple thousand feet beneath the Earth’s crust. Geothermal energy—turning the heat inside our blue marble into steam power—could be a great supplement to all the renewable energy sources we already have. It’s just expensive to get to it.
The reason it’s so expensive is because drilling isn’t cheap. But Mark Russell of Hypersciences has an alternative that is both more cost-effective and more awesome. Basically, the plan would be to build a big gun that shoots holes in the ground with giant bullets .
As Popular Science points out, Russel recently got a patent for his idea , which involves loading a huge projectile into a launch tube, lighting a flammable gas behind it, firing the bullet into the ground at speeds of nearly 5,000 miles an hour (fast enough to totally pulverize the rock it’s hitting), slurp out the debris, and do it again. That process not good enough on its own? Line a couple of these things up next to each other for a bigger hole, or tip the projectiles with explosives.
Hypersciences has received some $1 million from Shell’s GameChanger program to pursue crazy ideas like this, and while the tech isn’t quite close to implementation, its potential is promising. More cost-effective geothermal energy is one of the main benefits sure, but the other one would be seeing this in action.
Source: Popular Science
The solar industry continues to shine both domestically and globally, despite falling prices for traditional fossil fuels.
Utah-based Vivint Solar, Inc. (VSLR) has grown quickly over the last few years and is now one of the largest U.S. residential solar installation companies. It has around 523 megawatts of contracted rooftop solar assets built or under development.
Vivint went public in late 2014, and has financed and installed over 40,000 solar panel systems as of the end of March 2015.
Before the Opening Bell this past Monday, Vivint’s stock surged on the announcement that it was being acquired by clean energy giant SunEdison, Inc. (SUNE) and its subsidiary, TerraForm Power.
SunEdison and TerraForm Power plan to pay $2.2 billion in a combination of cash and shares of SunEdison common stock and convertible notes.
The deal, which highlights how quickly the market is growing for rooftop solar panel systems, is expected to be a trifecta of success – a win for all parties.
For clean power giant SunEdison, the deal helps its expansion plans in the solar energy space both for residential and commercial buyers.
TerraForm Power is in the position to acquire actual solar projects from Vivint Solar, both the ones already built and projects in development. It can do so as the company is structured as a yieldco, meaning it’s a publicly traded company that bundles together the assets, in this case, of clean energy projects based around the long-term and predictable revenue generated by the reoccurring energy payments.
And, of course, Vivint and its shareholders are receiving $16.50 per share as part of the deal.
Ahmad Chatila, the CEO of SunEdison and Chairman of TerraForm Power, related that buying Vivint is part of the companies’ plan to become a major power provider.
“SunEdison’s acquisition of Vivint Solar is a logical next step in the transformation of our platform after the successful execution of our First Wind acquisition in January 2015,” said Chatila in a statement.
“[As] of the fourth quarter of 2015, our organic growth and recent acquisitions will put SunEdison on track to deploy more than 1 gigawatt per quarter,” he went on.
SunEdison also raised its 2016 annual guidance for production to between 4,200 and 4,500 megawatts – a 50% increase!
But SunEdison goes far beyond just energy production. The company has become a full-fledged financial services company, offering everything from asset management, to billing and reporting, to tax and audit services.
SunEdison became a household name in the early 2000s as it was the first company to successfully introduce the “solar-as-a-service” model developed by the well-publicized entrepreneur Jigar Shah.
Shah’s model offered residential customers rooftops solar panel systems with little or no money down. The model generates income by charging customers a monthly energy bill, similar to any other utility.
Prior to the introduction of this model, solar customers were required to pay upfront for their solar panels, which, at that time, cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars and can still be a hefty investment for today’s homeowners.
The model became such a success that in 2009, the large silicon wafer and solar module producer, MEMC Electronic Materials (an arm of Monsanto [MON]), acquired SunEdison, demonstrating how lucrative this new potential model could become. MEMC later decided to focus growing its business around clean energy. Thus, in recent years, it adopted the name of SunEdison.
Now, over a decade later, many solar companies have replicated this model to share the space with Vivint, including SolarCity Corp. (SCTY), the U.S. leader in both solar financing and installation, as well as privately held Clean Power Finance and Sunrun.
SunEdison also recently acquired a wind energy project in India, along with First Wind, one of the largest wind energy developers in the United States.
Plus, the U.S. solar panel industry broke records in the first quarter of 2015 in terms of the total number installed. The industry reached 437 megawatts of solar panels on home rooftops, a 76% increase from Q1 2014, according to the Solar Energy Industry Association.
Over the next five years, another three million new home rooftop solar systems are expected to be installed in the United States. The biggest companies are trying to expand vertically across the sector, structuring additional kinds of businesses in order to lower their costs.
In sum, this new acquisition reflects increased consolidation in a growing market. The bigger companies with deep pockets will continue to fight for rooftop space that can apply solar panels more effectively and economically than ever before.
The acquisition requires approval by Vivint stockholders and will face reporting requirements. But the deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Good investing,
Shelley Goldberg
… the most Earth-like planet yet. Baywa Ag. * Says sells u.s. Wind energy project to northwestern energy for $143 million Further company coverage:.
Waynesboro, V.a. (WHSV) The temperature has only been rising, and it is keeping HVAC companies busy.
They say just like you don’t miss an oil change when it comes to your car, there are important steps you need to take with your cooling unit. Those who don’t, could end up paying a lot of money.
Doug Smith is a Master HVAC Technician for HVAC MD in Waynesboro. He has been on the go since summer started. “We are insanely busy, phones are ringing off the hook. All hours of the day,” said Smith.
He says if there’s no preventive maintenance done on the cooling units they could fail right when you need them the most. “Common problems are leaky systems which causes the system to in turn freeze up because they are low on refrigerant,” said Smith.
The hit to your energy bill may not be the only price you could pay for a non-working unit.
“You know most people think heating season is the only time you have to worry about fire because of combustion,” said Smith. “But these use high voltage and if a wire were to fail it’s going to have the same potential for a fire.”
There are preventive steps that you can take to keep from paying hundreds in service fees such as changing the air filters. Plus, keep grass or any sort of shrubbery away from the unit which can clog up your system.
Just changing the air filter can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by up to 15% and stop the unit from clogging.
But like a car, you need to have a professional check your equipment. A full repair can cost around $200.
“So you definitely want to have this stuff looked at and with that as well comes the efficiency of the system,” said Smith.
A little preventive care now takes care of a headache later.
© Copyright 2015 WHSV / Gray Television Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Shares of Vivint Solar (VSLR) were trading up +4.24 or +38.97 percent to $15.12 per share in Monday’s premarket after news broke early this morning that the company would be acquired by SunEdison Inc. (SUNE) and its TerraForm Power Inc. (TERP) unit in a deal worth approximately $2.2 billion.
Vivint Solar stock closed at $10.88, down -0.01 or -0.09 percent in Friday’s regular trading session.
Launched in 2011 by parent company Vivint Inc., Lehi, Utah based Vivint solar is a U.S. solar energy company with operations in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, as well as the District of Colombia. The company designs, installs and provides maintenance for residential photovoltaic solar energy systems. Through a “power purchase agreement” the company installs solar panels to homes at no cost to the homeowner in exchange for the homeowner agreeing to purchase the power produced by the solar panels. The company also provides a lease agreement, which charges the customer monthly per kilowatt hour based on the amount of energy the system produces. Vivint Solar went public at $16 per share in 2014 and employs about 3,000 people.
Headquartered in both Belmont, California and Maryland Heights, Missouri, SunEdison is the world’s largest renewable energy company. Originally known as MEMC Electronic Materials the company was a former business unit of the Monsanto Company (MON) until its sale in 1989. SunEdison develops builds and operates solar and wind energy power plants. In addition, the company manufactures monocrystaline silicon ingots, silicon wafers, solar modules and solar energy systems.
In the announcement made early this morning, both companies signed a definitive merger agreement in which SunEdison will acquire Vivint Solar for a combination of cash, SunEdison convertible notes and SunEdison common stock. SunEdison will pay Vivint shareholders $9.89 in cash, $3.30 in SunEdison notes and $3.31 in SunEdison common stock. The deal works out to $16.50 per Vivint share, a +52 percent premium to Vivint stock’s closing price on Friday.
Vivint Solar’s Chief Executive Officer, Greg Butterfield noted in this morning’s press release that, “This transaction with SunEdison delivers to Vivint Solar’s stockholders excellent value for the business we have built over the last four years. SunEdison and TerraForm Power have built a unique model that recognizes the value of long-term, predictable, contracted cash flows from our residential solar portfolio while providing access to a broad pool of financing at an attractive cost of capital. We are excited to join the SunEdison residential and small commercial team which has successfully developed a wide range of channels complementing those at Vivint Solar, both in the U.S. and globally.”
As part of the deal, SunEdison entered into a definitive purchase agreement with a subsidiary of TerraForm Power, which upon the completion of the SunEdison acquisition of Vivint Solar, will acquire Vivint Solar’s rooftop solar portfolio for $922 million in cash. The portfolio consists of 523 megawatts that is expected to be installed by the end of this year.
Shareholders of both companies are showing their approval in this morning’s premarket, with both SunEdison stock and Vivint stock gaining significantly. Vivint stock is currently up almost 43 percent, while SunEdison stock is up over 4 percent.
Other News About VSLR
Vivint Solar Expands Its Operations To Two New States
Company will open new sales offices in Nevada and New Mexico.
Why Vivint Solar Inc’s Stock Got Crushed in June
Vivint stock was down over 22 percent last month.
Other Stocks in the News
Morgan Stanley beats estimates as trading revenue jumps
Company reported a better than expected second quarter profit this morning.
Amazon customers can now stream HBO Now
Amazon customers will now be able to stream “Game of Thrones” and “True Detective”.
The Abbott government is pushing the renewable sector away from wind farms and towards gigantic solar towers.
Thousands of sun-tracking glass mirrors encircled around a tall, glimmering obelisk in the desert – it sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but solar thermal towers are being touted as the next big thing in renewable energy.
With this week seeing the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) set up a dedicated big solar program and the federal government controversially banning the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) from investing in wind farms or rooftop solar projects, these massive sun-soaking skyscrapers have suddenly shot to the front of the queue for funding.
Environment Minister Greg Hunt and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann have both lauded the benefits of “big solar” – which also includes conventional large-scale solar PV plants – but those within the solar thermal industry have mixed emotions about the government’s support.
• Alan Jones tears Greg Hunt to shreds over mine
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Environment Minister Greg Hunt has been talking up ‘big solar’. Photo: AAP
Dr Keith Lovegrove, head of solar thermal at renewable energy consulting company ITPower, told The New Daily that while he saw contradictions in the government’s approach to renewable energy, it ought to be given “the benefit of doubt” over its enthusiasm for super-sized solar projects.
“Solar thermal is globally growing at 30 per cent per annum – the same rate as PV – and accounts for a bit under 10 per cent of the world’s solar energy,” he said.
“It would be rather good if Australia got on board as well.”
There are a number of different types of solar thermal towers, but the type gaining the most momentum in Australia produces power by reflecting the sun’s energy off mirrors onto a central structure containing molten salt, which is heated to temperatures of over 500 degrees Celsius and pumped into steam generators.
Dozens of towers have been completed or are under development around the world, including the US, Spain, China and Turkey.
The trouble is, these elaborate towers are very, very expensive, and when assessed on a dollar-per-kilowatt basis they can’t compete with regular solar or wind power.
Dr Lovegrove argued, however, that the technology is still at the top of its cost-development curve and is getting cheaper by the year.
The government has pushed wind power to the bottom of its list of energy investment priorities as part of a deal with crossbench MPs.
He also said that solar thermal could provide something other forms of renewable energy could not offer – a guaranteed energy supply.
The molten salts heated up by the sun can retain the heat even when the sun stops shining, as opposed to conventional solar or even wind farms that require the wind to be blowing.
“Cheaper variable renewable options are great, but solar thermal is an important part of the future energy mix,” he said.
RePower Port Augusta is campaigning for solar thermal to replace the South Australian city’s ageing coal-fired power stations, which are set to be mothballed by 2018 at the latest.
Campaign manager Daniel Spencer said the owner of the coal plants, Alinta Energy, was conducting a feasibility study into the idea but after initial projections indicated a $577 million price tag for a 50 megawatt plant, the early signs were the company would not go beyond that.
Spanish firm Abengoa, winner of a $450,000 ARENA grant for a study into a 20 megawatt solar tower power project at Perenjori in WA, has also shown interest in Port Augusta, as has Solar Reserve.
After campaigning heavily against the cut to the RET, Mr Spencer was cautious in welcoming the federal government’s professed support for the sector.
“We do support government investing in big solar, but we want to make sure other renewables aren’t shafted in the process,” he said.
“We’ll follow up the opportunity and try to make something happen in Port Augusta, but we’re sceptical – there is certainly a lack of trust.”
WESLACO — H-E-B unveiled on Friday the installation of what it calls the largest rooftop solar panel system in the state at its Weslaco Retail Support Center.
In doing so, carbon dioxide emissions at the center will be reduced by more than 20,000 tons over the next 20 years — the equivalent of removing about 4,000 cars from U.S. roads, according to an H-E-B news release issued Thursday.
With more than 3,000 solar panels spanning 105,000 square feet, the 1.2 megawatt installation in Weslaco is also hailed as the largest in the company, and it took just a few weeks to erect.
“The project started June 8 and ended on June 30,” said Nicole Ceckiewicz, H-E-B’s public affairs intern for the border region.
She could not, however, determine how long ago the project was conceived or the amount of savings in utility costs that the new solar energy source will provide, which in the center’s case will accommodate between 45 to 55 percent of its electricity needs.
“The company has always been trying to go green and to be good stewards to the environment, so this is right along with what we’ve always done,” Ceckiewicz added, citing a commitment by the company to reduce CO2 emissions and the use of diesel fuel as well as promoting cleaner sources of energy and waste disposal.
H-E-B Public Affairs Senior Manager Linda Tovar said via email that the company was “thrilled about creating an innovative, clean, renewable energy source” for the center, which itself is a 408,000 sq. ft. facility that employs 120 people in service of more than 40 Rio Grande Valley stores.
At the unveiling ceremony on Friday, H-E-B also donated $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Weslaco “for environmental and conservation programming” in an educational capacity.
SolarCity designed, installed and will maintain the solar panels at the center. Erik Fogelberg, Commercial Sales and Storage Solutions senior vice president for SolarCity, said that his company was excited to learn of H-E-B’s plans.
“Texas is the nation’s largest energy producer, and also leads the country in energy consumption,” Fogelberg stated in the release. “With its high number of sunny days per year, the state has an incredible potential for solar power.”
Partnering with SolarCity since 2013, Direct Energy Business provides additional “expertise and market knowledge” for commercial and industrial customers’ Total Energy Management services.
“We are very excited to have been a part of this project, and we look forward to seeing the results that solar technology can bring to our valued customer, H-E-B,” Vice President David Brast said.
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) — Duke Energy Corp. is breaking ground on a solar energy farm on the East Coast’s largest Marine Corps base as the military diversifies from petroleum power.
The country’s largest electric company is starting construction Friday at Camp Lejeune on a 13-megawatt solar array on 100 acres. The project’s goal is helping the Navy and Marines meet their energy and security goals while furthering Duke Energy’s renewable energy holdings.
The Navy has decided its reliance on oil is a national security problem and plans to produce at least half of its on-shore energy needs from alternative sources by 2020.
Duke Energy is required by state law to generate 12.5 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2021. Duke is investing about $500 million on three other North Carolina solar projects.
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Have you ever wondered what countries spend the most time looking up things like wind energy and solar power? Well, thanks to this research, you no longer have to.
US company SaveOn Energy looked at Google trends to establish where most people looked up these topics, providing a good clue as to where it is part of the national psyche.
“We researched action phrases people may search for when looking into certain environmentally friendly activities,” says the company, “then we used Google Trends to rank the results by topic and state.”
On a global level Australia leads the way. The top ranked country to look up “solar power”, Australia also ranks second with regards “wind power”.
Naturally enough Europe is only prominent in the wind energy realm. It turns out the lack of sun greatly affects our thirst for solar energy.
In the US it turns out that California and Washington State are the places most likely to see people looking up “how to recycle” or “how to reuse”, with Idaho “how to garden” and Colorado “how to compost” emerging top of their class.
California installed more rooftop solar panels in 2013 than in the previous 30 years combined. Tellingly, it was the only state to see people looking up “how to install solar panels” in any great numbers.
Air quality is a concern for coastal states, with actual energy production – similar to farming and soil concerns – more prominent as you move inland.
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Bethesda
“Fallout Shelter” is becoming a sensation, which is why Bethesda isn’t wasting any time in improving the mobile simulation game. Apart from much-needed changes, its first update introduces the new Photo Mode feature, which allows players to take a screenshot of their vault.
To capture that special “Fallout Shelter” moment with those adorable vault dwellers, gamers simply need to tap the button at the bottom left corner of the screen. They can save the photo on the device or share it with their friends via their social media accounts.
The update also fixes a bug that badger pregnant dwellers.
“Vault air filters have been causing some mothers to not deliver babies and we understand this is causing long term discomfort,” Bethesda said.
With the update, all that’s taken care of. The game studio quipped that they can’t do much about the actual “discomfort [with] the baby coming out part.” Nevertheless, it’s good to know that pregnant dwellers will actually give birth this time.
And lastly, the update should eliminate minor issues and bugs, which makes the game more stable now. Here is what Bethesda promises with the first ever update for “Fallout Shelter”:
- Overseers are encouraged to record any bizarre dweller behavior with the new Photo Feature. Sharing with those outside your Vault is optional, and will not result in your replacement or termination.
- Vault air filters have been causing some mothers to not deliver babies and we understand this is causing long term discomfort. We have solved this (not the discomfort, the baby coming out part).
- We’ve also done general maintenance to improve sudden Vault shut down and removed some other pesky issues with the capacitors inside various aspects of the simulation.
Those who have yet to experience the free game can head over here and get started with building a state-of-the-art underground vault.
You will use this hands-on activity to help elementary students learn about the engineering process while exploring wind power. You will introduce students to the history of wind power and how it is used today to generate electricity. Students will work through the engineering process by designing, building, testing and modifying wind turbine blades.
To prepare for your classroom visit, about two weeks in advance, review the information in the Engineer Guide and the materials provided for this activity. Contact the teacher and provide them with the list of materials you need the class to gather for the hands-on experiment.
<p>As summer sets in, a local utility is offering tips to help ensure the heat doesn’t get the best of your health or your wallet.</p><p>”Although summer officially started June 2l, people living in southeast Louisiana have already experienced temperatures in the low 90s with heat and humidity indexes reaching over 100 degrees,” said Joe Ticheli, manager of South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association.</p><p>Based in Bayou Blue, the utility serves about 16,000 customers in Terrebonne, Lafourche, Assumption, St. Mary and St. Martin parishes.</p><p>Some tips:</p><p>Limit your activities: If you know you have work to do outdoors, plan it for the morning or evening, when the weather is cooler and the sun not so strong.</p><p>Keep cool: Dress in light, loose and comfortable clothing. Drink plenty of liquids. </p><p>Don’t add heat: Cook outdoors in late afternoons when possible, and bake as little as possible. Save washing, ironing and other hot chores until late evening or early morning. Use the microwave rather than the conventional oven. Take short showers and baths and use exhaust vents to remove moisture and humidity.</p><p>Fans can help: Use box, oscillating or ceiling fans to supplement or replace air-conditioning demands.</p><p>Air conditioning: Every degree you set your thermostat below 78 adds 3 percent more to the cost of cooling your home. Change air filters once a month. Have your air conditioning system checked and serviced regularly. If you don’t have air conditioning, go someplace that does.</p><p>Keep out the sun: Close curtains, blinds or shutters during the day to reduce sunlight invading your home. Strategically planted trees can be your best ally in this effort.</p><p>Other options: Do you have enough insulation in your attic? What about those leaky hot water faucets? Is the damper in the fireplace closed? How often do you unnecessarily open and close the refrigerator and freezer doors?</p><p>”The more energy you use the more it costs,” Ticheli said.</p><p>For more, call SLECA’s member services department at 876-6880.</p>
Germany’s drive to harness wind and solar power is producing so much electricity that it’s spilling over into neighbors’ grids and increasing the threat of blackouts.
Poland and the Czech Republic are spending $180 million on equipment to protect their systems from German power surges, while Austria is curbing some trading to prevent regional networks from collapsing. On a windy day, the overflow east can exceed the output from four atomic reactors.
Germany’s fivefold increase in green energy in the past decade has outpaced investment in power lines to move it across the country. Electricity is looping through Poland and the Czech Republic to reach southern Germany, where supply is constrained as Chancellor Angela Merkel shuts nuclear plants after the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. The disruptions show the limits to the European Commission’s vision of a single power market.
“A huge accumulation of overflow increases the threat of a blackout,” Zbynek Boldis, the head of trade and international relations at Czech grid CEPS AS, said in an interview in Budapest. “The root of the situation is allowing a huge amount of electricity to be generated regardless of the capacity of the grid.”
German grid companies plan to spend at least 22 billion euros ($24 billion) on high-voltage power lines as they upgrade their grids to accommodate more solar and wind power before the last of the eight remaining reactors close in 2022. Nine units generating almost 10 gigawatts — enough to power 20 million European homes — have been shuttered since 2011, with the latest on June 27. Nuclear power now accounts for 16 percent of Germany’s electricity, compared with 26 percent for renewables.
German power overflows are increasingly forcing Poland to protect its grid from overloading and triggering a blackout. The nation’s grid operator had to double the amount of last-minute changes to power-plant output to balance the surges in the first quarter from a year earlier.
On the windiest days, sometimes more than 50 percent of the power sent from northern Germany to its southern states and Austria travels through Poland and the Czech Republic, according to CEPS.
Polish grid operator PSE SA says the surges take up so much of its import capacity that there’s not enough remaining for it to regularly carry lower-cost German power that could be made available to commercial users. German electricity for delivery next year is about 18 percent cheaper than Polish power, close to the widest gap since at least 2008, broker data show.
“My boss keeps asking why we aren’t buying power from Germany, but this is practically impossible,” said Henryk Kalis, the energy buyer for ZGH Boleslaw, a zinc processor controlled by ArcelorMittal. The Bukowno, Poland-based company pays more than $26 million a year for electricity.
The Poles and Czechs will by the end of next year finish installing transformers on two power lines connecting with Germany to control the unplanned flows and help free up capacity that can be traded or auctioned off to domestic customers.
While that will ease the pressure from overflows, the Polish and Czech grids still face congestion from the demand for cheap German power in Austria, which shares a wholesale electricity market with Germany.
For more than a decade, Austrian traders have bought German electricity when it’s cheap to sell to other countries at higher prices. This aggravates grid congestion as the amount traded has “significantly exceeded” the planned physical capacity between the countries, Jochen Homann, the president of German grid regulator Bundesnetzagentur in Bonn, said in a May interview.
Homann didn’t respond on Tuesday to multiple requests by phone and e-mail to the grid regulator’s office for additional comment.
Austria’s network operator is increasingly stopping traders from buying German same-day power, blocking purchases for 766 hourly periods in the first quarter, compared with 807 in all of 2014, grid data show.
Trading stops have “exploded since the fourth quarter, especially on the import side,” Manfred Knabl, head of trading at Verbund Trading GmbH in Vienna, said on July 3.
European Union lawmakers are preparing rules for an “energy union” for 2020, which aims to break down national barriers for power and gas flows, bolster energy security and reduce pollution. A draft outline will be unveiled July 15.
“We’re in an absurd situation,” Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s economy minister, said at a utility conference in Berlin on June 24. “We produce cheap power in the north and can’t ship it south.”
President Barack Obama is continuing the push for more solar energy into the mainstream as the White House revealed a handful of initiatives to make the energy source accessible to lower-income households.
Solar may fall in price year after year, but the majority of panels in homes are skewed towards the upper-classes of America. According to a George Washington University Solar Institute report, of the roughly 645,000 homes in the U.S. that have installed solar panels, less than 5 percent are households making less than $40,000 per year (As reported by Mother Jones).
The current administration stated that the new solar initiatives are a part of its endeavor to address climate change, promote clean energy and creating good paying jobs. But in that, “we must also work to expand opportunities for families to use cleaner sources of energy that can help households save on their utility bills,” the administration said.
On Tuesday, the Obama administration detailed its plan to reduce this particular energy disparity. In the launching of the National Community Solar Partnership, a goal was set to unlock access to solar for the nearly 50 percent of households and business that are renters or do not have adequate roof space to install solar systems, including issuing a guide to developing community solar programs.
In addition, the press release announced the goal of installing 300 megawatts of renewable energy in federally subsidized housing. This is nearly triple the previous goal for 2020 set by President Obama. The White House stated that Housing authorities, rural electric co-ops, power companies, and organizations in more than 20 states across the country are committing to put in place more than 260 solar energy projects. This includes projects to help low and moderate income communities save on their energy bills and further community solar programs.
The White House noted that in 2014, the United States brought online as much solar energy every three weeks as it did in all of 2008, and the solar industry added jobs 10 times faster than the rest of the economy. Since the beginning of 2010, the average cost of a solar electric system has dropped by 50 percent.
In related news, Music artist Akon to open first-ever “Solar Academy” this summer.
Wind turbines might be common sight all around the world, but situating them in open fields or on breezy ridges isn’t always a practical option. Ideas like placing turbines under bridges have been proposed, but is that a viable alternative? According to new research out of Europe, the answer is yes.
The study is based in models and computer simulations, which were carried out by researcher Oscar Soto and his colleagues in Kingston University (London)
The researchers from Spain and the UK, used the Juncal Viaduct in the Canary Islands as a basis for computer simulations designed to establish whether the wind blowing between the pillars on bridges is sufficient to move turbines and create energy.
The study showed that the best way to create power would be to use two different-sized turbines, or even to create a matrix of 24 small turbines because of their low weight and the amount of power that can be produced by each unit.
In terms of practicality, however, the study suggests that the best option would be to use two identical medium sized 0.25 MW turbines, which could theoretically generate enough energy to power 450-500 homes, as well as reduce CO2 emissions compared with fossil fuel sources.
“This kind of installation would avoid the emission of 140 tons of CO2 per year, an amount that represents the depuration effect of about 7,200 trees,” said researcher Oscar Soto.
A paper outlining the findings has been published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.
Source: Sinc
SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. consumers are increasingly turning to solar, wind and biomass for their energy needs, driving domestic renewable energy consumption to its highest peak since the 1930s.
A recent analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration — an independent research service of the U.S. Department of Energy — found that renewables’ share of the nation’s energy consumption hit 9.8 percent in 2014.
That percentage, the analysis said, returns the country to its 1930 levels of renewable energy consumption, when wood was a larger contributor to domestic energy supplies.
Year to year growth, on average, was 5 percent from 2001-2014 for renewable energy consumption, due in large part to the growing use of wind, solar and biofuels, according to the analysis.
As an example:
• Wind energy grew by 70 trillion British thermal units in 2001 to 1,700 trillion Btu in 2014.
• In the same period, solar energy grew from 64 trillion Btu to 427 trillion Btu and the use of biomass for the production of biofuels grew from 253 trillion Btu to 2,068 trillion Btu.
(A Btu is the amount of heat required to increase the temperature of a pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit).
While hydroelectric power remained the nation’s largest source of renewable energy in 2014, wood held onto its No. 2 spot, with the analysis pointing to the high demand for wood pellets contributing to its recent growth.
The administration said Americans are increasingly turning to wood to heat their homes and the transportation sector is pushing a larger appetite for biofuels, including ethanol and biodiesel.
In 2014, the industrial sector used 24 percent of the nation’s renewable energy, with nearly all of that coming from biomass — which includes wood, waste and biofuels used in the manufacturing process and the production of heat and power.
Utah renewables
None of these energy dynamics are lost on Utah’s landscape of power production, with multiple renewable projects slated to come online and research that is ongoing to diversify the state’s energy portfolio.
The Utah Biomass Resources Group estimates there are 15 million tons of woody biomass available in the state each year, with combustion techniques that produce very little smoke or vapor.
Organized in 2010 and drawing together multiple state agencies, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service and Utah State University Extension Service, the group is looking to tap into Utah’s biomass resources for energy, and at the same time boost forest health and improve watersheds.
The group says a total of 45 million tons of “green energy” could be utilized in the state over the next five years. Demonstration projects on the economics of utilizing woody biomass have drawn substantial interest and a unique partnership is being broached to convert the material to energy, according to co-chairman Darren McAvoy.
Utah is also poised to see billions in new solar investments over the next 18 months, with nearly 900 megawatts of new solar slated to be turned on, said Jeffrey Barrett, deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Energy Development.
“Southern Utah is abuzz with solar contracts,” he said.
And in late June, Sustainable Power Group announced its purchase of a 62.1-megawatt wind farm in San Juan County that is expecting to begin energy production this year, inking a 20-year contract with PacifiCorp to purchase the power.
The Sierra Club’s national director, Michael Brune, said Utah state officials may be able to point to future projects coming online, but the reality is “very little” is happening in the state when it comes to renewable energy.
“Iowa will soon get 40 percent of its electricity from renewables and Colorado will soon be at 30 percent,” he said. “Nevada will soon be the leader with advanced energy batteries. All of these things are happening, but very little of it is happening in Utah. Instead you see this rush to extract fossil fuels from a world-class resource. It is tragic.”
Brune, in Moab a few weeks ago of an environmental advocacy road trip, bemoaned the oil and gas development that is occurring near Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park.
Standards and goals
While acknowledging that development is happening via leases owned by the federal government — and not within the state’s control — Brune said the state could do more to require investments in renewable energy, including the adoption of a renewable energy standard that is more than just a wish.
Brune said the majority of Utah’s neighboring states have renewable portfolio standards that require a percentage of their energy be derived from alternative sources such as wind or solar, while Utah’s remains just a “goal.”
“It would accelerate clean energy and it would create an enormous amount of jobs in the state,” he said. “It would reduce the amount of air and water pollution. It would be a boon for the state of Utah.”
Local advocates Utah Clean Energy also point out that the state’s goal is flawed because it lacks any interim goals or targets to reach its stated desire to get to 20 percent by 2025.
Under Utah’s provisions, utility companies are only required to use renewable energy if it is cost effective, according to the group.
Barrett said the critics will always be right: There’s more to be done on the renewable energy front.
“Everyone can always do more to incentivize, more to encourage the development of renewable energy,” he said. “There’s always more that you can do. The growth in Utah in renewable energy may not have kept pace with the rest of the country in terms of what is being consumed.”
But Barrett argues that Utah — with its 82 percent energy production arising from coal — is poised to see nearly 15 percent of its capacity come from renewables by 2016.
“If all of the resources are actively generating at their full capacity post 2016, then non-hydro renewable energy will account for about 15 percent of that total capacity,” he said.
Barrett said by waiting and letting the cost of solar come down so it has become a more economically attainable option, Utah consumers will be able to get renewable energy at about the same cost as natural gas, rather than the high prices California consumers are paying.
“You can rail against Utah’s policy, but the fact is Utah gets to have its cake and eat it, too,” he said. “They get it at roughly half the cost of neighboring states that took the more progressive action of creating a mandate.”
Barrett said he believes that factor speaks to the attractiveness of letting the “market” dictate what happens with renewable energy.
“We are behind some states and in a couple of years we will be ahead of some states in terms of portfolio numbers,” he said. “What matters is that we are getting the renewable at a really good price for ratepayers.”
Brune and other advocates contend that Utah is missing out on a bounty of economic development activity with its insistence on staying with a mere goal — which does not reflect what the majority of states have done. The District of Columbia, three territories and 29 states all have standards, not goals.
“If Iowa can invest in clean energy, why can’t Utah?”
But Barret said Brune’s blanket accusation doesn’t reflect the reality of what is happening.
Clean energy jobs
“We are investing to the tune of millions of dollars a year depending on the year through tax incentives, both refundable and nonrefundable,” he said. For every megawatt hour of renewable energy generated in this state, we pay a production tax credit. If that is not investment, I don’t know what is.”
A recent report issued by an affiliate of another prominent national environmental organization, too, lists Utah among the top 10 states in the country for clean energy job creation announcements and related transportation for the first three months of 2015.
The Wednesday compilation was researched and produced by E2, or Environmental Entrepreneurs, which is affiliated with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
In its state by state analysis, the report pointed to the 300 jobs that are slated to come online in Utah with a large-scale solar farm planned for Iron County. Those jobs are among the nearly 10,000 clean energy and clean transportation jobs announced during early 2015.
Barrett said that type of concession by an environmental group bolsters his contention that Utah is making strides in the renewable energy arena.
“We are a proactive partner for companies looking to develop these resources. We do everything we can to encourage this activity, short of mandating a certain resource mix to our utility companies, because we don’t think that is appropriate.”
Email: amyjoi@deseretnews.com
Twitter: amyjoi16
When the Wright brothers began their experiments with flight, no one could have imagined that years later air travel would become thoroughly routine. To be successful, the brothers had to overcome numerous hurdles. When no manufacturer could supply them with an engine light and powerful enough to propel them into the air, they built their own. By doing so, they changed history.
Now, with the record-breaking Solar Impulse 2, history is being written once more. As The National reported yesterday, the aircraft completed the most difficult leg of its journey around the world on Friday when it successfully landed in Hawaii after crossing much of the Pacific. Swiss explorers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, the driving forces behind the project, have effectively succeeded in creating the first plane capable of perpetual flight.
The flight was made possible after years of hard work, research and development. However, it’s also important to note that this is just the start of a much longer journey. More work needs to be undertaken to develop solar flights that are currently impractical due to the slow travel time, unpredictable weather and weight constraints of the aircraft.
The focus should now be on reducing the weight of solar-powered aircraft and improving speed in the air. Another area to improve is the power storage system. Batteries are not yet efficient enough to allow solar power to compete with fossil fuels. Their cost remains relatively high and they store limited amounts of energy.
But the good news is that research is already underway at Masdar Institute and, indeed, elsewhere to develop more advanced solar energy storage. While this research may not yet have yielded any new advances for solar aviation, the Institute’s focus on sustainable energy systems is likely to throw up new lines of development to pursue.
The history of flight tells us that there are always new technologies that can lead to the next “big thing”. Solar Impulse 2’s journey around the globe will end soon, but the journey towards universal fuel-less flights continues apace.
Updated with information on a fire ban. — Ed.
A smoke advisory has been issued for Fort St. John and surrounding areas due to smoke from wildfires in the area.
The situation is expected to persist for at least the next 24 hours.
Exposure is of particular concern for infants, the elderly and those who have underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes and lung or heart disease.
The B.C. Ministry of Environment warns that people with heart or lung conditions may be more sensitive to the effects of smoke and should watch for symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, discomfort, or irritation of airways.
Wildfires are currently burning on both sides of the border.
RELATED STORY: 15 gas plant workers forced to flee Petitot River Wildfire
In the Prince George Fire Centre (which includes all of Northeast B.C.), crews are responding to the 415-hectare Mount Bigfoot Fire about 90 kilometres southeast of Fort Nelson.
The Petitot River Fire is also burning about 115 kilometres northeast of Fort Nelson, which was about 3,600 hectares at last estimate. An evacuation alert was issued by the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality.
On the Alberta side of the border, there are two wildfires burning north of Worsley.
Real-time air quality information is available at www.bcairquality.ca.
— People with heart or lung conditions may be more sensitive to the effects of smoke and should watch for any change in symptoms that may be due to smoke exposure. If any symptoms are noted, affected individuals should take steps to reduce their exposure to smoke and if necessary see their physician. People with symptoms should go to their health care provider, walk in clinic or emergency department depending on severity of symptoms.
— Use common sense regarding outdoor physical activity – if your breathing becomes difficult or uncomfortable, stop or reduce the activity.
— Stay cool and drink plenty of fluids.
— Smoke levels may be lower indoors, however levels of smoke particles will still be increased. If you stay indoors, be aware of your symptoms.
— Consider visiting a location like a shopping mall with cooler filtered air. Keep in mind that staying indoors may help you stay cool and provide some relief from the smoke, however many air conditioning systems do not filter the air or improve indoor air quality.
— Reduce indoor pollution sources such as smoking or burning other materials.
— You may be able to reduce your exposure to smoke by moving to cleaner air. Conditions can vary dramatically by area and elevation.
— Residents with asthma or other chronic illness should activate their asthma or personal care plan.
— Pay attention to local air quality reports, air quality may be poor even though smoke may not be visible.
— Commercially available HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters can further reduce poor indoor air quality near the device.
— Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting from short-term exposure to air pollution.
— For general information about smoke and your health, contact HealthLink BC available toll free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 8-1-1, or via the web at: http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kbaltindex.asp.
A fire ban also went out on Friday across the majority of the province except areas along the western coast of Vancouver Island that includes campfires and fireworks.
Cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes are exempt.
The fire ban covers all B.C. Parks, Crown and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by a fire department.
B.C. Wildfire Management does not have jurisdiction within municipalities, says Fire Information Officer Emily Epp.
“But a lot of municipalities have their own bylaws in places about back yard burning,” she said.
Both the Dawson Creek and Fort St. John fire departments warn residents that there is currently a ban on backyard fires both cities that includes open fires of any size, the use of fireworks, sky lanterns and tiki torches, burning barrels or burning cages of any size, exploding rifle targets or use of forced-air burning systems.
For more information on the ban call the City of Fort St. John fire department (250-785-4333) or the Dawson Creek fire department (250-782-9898).
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