Construction starts on wind farm to help meet ACT's energy needs

The ACT aims to source 90 per cent of Canberra’s electricity from renewable energy by 2020. Photo: Rohan Thomson

The first wind farm to supply renewable energy to power thousands of Canberra homes is one step closer. 

Building work on the Coonooer Bridge Wind Farm near Bendigo is set to start today. 

It was one of three wind farms in Victoria and South Australia to win 20-year deals with the ACT government to supply a third of Canberra’s electricity needs within two years.

The deals are worth a total of $68 million a year to the three companies and will cost Canberra households an average $93 extra a year on their power bills at the peak in 2020. 

The farm will help the ACT meet its goal to source 90 per cent of Canberra’s electricity from renewable energy by 2020.

Environment Minister Simon Corbell said the Victorian farm would generate “the lowest-cost wind energy in Australia” at $81.50 per megawatt hour.

“Wind is currently the lowest-cost renewable energy generation available, and will play a big role in the decarbonisation of the ACTs electricity supply.

“It will contribute approximately three-quarters of the ACT’s 90 per cent renewable energy target.”

Mr Corbell said an expected annual output of 82,000 megawatt-hours would be enough to power about 12,000 homes.

The farm will be managed by wind energy development company Windlab from its global operation centre in Canberra. 

The hub was set up as part of the company’s bid for the wind auction and currently employs 15 staff, a number which should grow to 70 by 2035.

Construction of the Coonooer Bridge Wind Farm should be finished in the first half of next year. 

Construction starts on wind farm to help meet ACT"s energy needs

Report: Germany's 'Green' Revolution Is Running Out Of Money

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It wasn’t long ago that President Barack Obama was pointing to Germany as an example of how the U.S. should develop green energy, but that was before news that Europe’s biggest economy might be running out of money for its green energy revolution.

Germany’s $412 billion plan to power itself with green energy may be running low on cash, according to a new report by financial consultants, as consumer energy prices skyrocket and traditional power plants require more subsidies to stay in business.

“The necessary equity funds for the expansion of the network infrastructure and offshore wind can probably be provided only with the participation of alternative and international investors,” warns a report by consultants with Roland Berger and the World Energy Council.

“High risks however make it questionable whether the investment needs can be met at a sufficient capacity and speed,” reads the unpublished study obtained by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, a German newspaper.

For years, Germany has been trying to force more wind and solar energy onto its electrical grid, but what started as a well-intended effort to fight global warming devolved into an expensive labyrinth of subsidies and special interest politics.

The idea was that once the grid was transformed to power more green energy, costs would go down as new technologies and efficiencies came onto market. But the report by Roland Berger and the World Energy Council cautions that at least 280 billion euros will be needed in the next 15 years to meet Germany’s green goals. And that’s with “sustained political support,” the report warns — without it, the transformation could get even more costly.

That’s only the tip of the cost-berg, the report warns. The report also warns that funding for offshore wind farms faces “high risk and market entry barriers” and a “significantly tighter situation.” Germany and other Europeans countries are increasingly relying on offshore wind farms for electricity, especially as nuclear power plants are phased out.

“The high risk of investing in offshore wind farms, however, contradicts the risk profile of institutional investors,” the report warns.

And don’t forget money needed for the transmissions systems required to bring such localized and dispersed electricity production to the homes and businesses which need it. The German Energy Agency estimates these systems will cost the country 28 to 43 billion euros by 2040.

One thing that’s often overlooked by green energy supporters is that people need energy while new sources are being built. Germany’s energy transition, however, is causing traditional power plants — which still supply most of the country’s power — to go into the red financially and require an ever increasing amount of state subsidies to survive.

“Many traditional utilities, which previously financed investments in the electricity sector, mainly through their shareholders’ equity, are today with their backs to the wall,” Uwe Franke, president of the German wing of the World Energy Council, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Franke told the paper that “new investors would have to be found to ensure ‘the energy transition and the security of supply.’”

[H/T The Global Warming Policy Forum]

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Report: Germany"s "Green" Revolution Is Running Out Of Money

Coal miner turns to the sun for energy

Reuters | 2015-07-01 07:52:47.0

A coal mine. File photo.
Image by: Robert Tshabalala

A coal mining company in Botswana plans to develop a solar power station to generate up to 200MW of electricity as the country struggles with power shortages

Botswana’s central bank warned last month that the electricity disruptions could undercut aims to maintain growth above 4%.

Shumba Coal said its solar installation would initially produce 100MW and this would increase to 200MW over time. The project includes the installation of 400000 photovoltaic cells across an area of 200ha, the company said.

“We see solar energy as complementary to our coal-based energy projects,” said Shumba’s managing director Mashale Phumaphi.

Power from the station would also supply upcoming copper mines in the Kalahari copper belt, which are currently not connected to the national grid, he added.

Cupric Canyon Capital, a private equity firm backed by a unit of Barclays, said last month it would soon begin construction of a copper mine in the area.

Zambia has started rationing power to that country’s mines. “They have given us a schedule indicating how much electricity they will supply to us at different times of the day,” a source said.

Africa’s second-biggest copper producer has cut generation by 300MW after levels in Kariba Dam fell due to drought.

Coal miner turns to the sun for energy

The Easygoing Guy's Guide to A/C Maintenance

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Summer has finally arrived and that means some quality time in the shade. But first things first. Let’s cross “Check the A/C” off the Honey Do list to assure maximum cool – and domestic tranquility – in the scorching heat of Colorado’s July and August.

Now is the time to make sure air-conditioning units are in perfect working order.

“Maintaining your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) is incredibly important for your family’s comfort and safety and for the value of your home,” Trent Urban, owner of The Wire Nut, Colorado Springs, Colorado, says.

A well-maintained HVAC system is key to lower utility bills, fewer costly repairs in the future and an overall longer life expectancy for your system.

Check out these 5 tips for maintaining your HVAC:

1. Get a tune-up

No one wants to get stuck in a sticky situation – literally – when the air conditioner breaks down during a heat wave. Twice a year before major weather changes, Trent Urban recommends getting your HVAC system serviced by a professional. Specifically, he says to do this twice a year before major weather changes. “You’ll save yourself time, money and peace of mind by taking this preventive step,” he says.

2. Check the air filters

It is not commonly known, but a healthy furnace is needed to have an active air conditioning system. Dirty air filters in an air-conditioning system lower air quality, unit efficiency and can lead to breakage from an overworked system. You should clean your filters about other every month. The process only takes about 10 minutes (check your owner’s manual for specific instructions). “If the filter filth builds up too quickly, it might be time for a replacement of the unit,” Trent says.

3. Keep the area clear

In order for your system to work properly, all vents and units need to be free of debris. Keep lawn clipping, brush, leaves and other vegetation at least two feet away from your outdoor air conditioning unit. Free up indoor vents from objects such as blinds or furniture to keep air flowing.

4. Check your seals for leaks

Just as an open door or window lets heated or cooled air out, so can leaks in the seals of your windows, doors and ventilation ducts. Check these areas periodically for breaks in the seal to prevent less efficient cooling and heating and higher utility bills.

5. If it’s broken, get it fixed today

Don’t put off getting your HVAC checked out if something seems wrong; little problems can become major ones very quickly. Some signs of damage include: rattles and squeaks from your unit; warm air delivered from the A/C unit; the air conditioning unit does not switch on even when interior temperature reaches a trigger point; fluid pools under or near your furnace or air conditioning unit.

When life is too busy for HVAC patrol or if your air conditioner is not cooling the air in your home to the level you expect, turn to the professionals at The WireNut. Since 2004, Front Range homeowners have come to count on The WireNut’s excellent products, terrific value and great customer service.

Nobody beats our guarantees:

• Speed: Our “There today or you don’t pay” guarantee assures that we’ll arrive same day on any service for all jobs booked before 4 p.m. In addition to our “sam day” services, we’re also available for 24-hour emergency service when you really need us.

• Satisfaction: If an A/C system we install does not perform as stated and we can’t fix it, we’ll remove it and return 100 percent of your investment.

• No lemons: If an A/C compressor fails twice in the first five years we will install a complete and new outside unit.

• Performance: If an A/C system we installed does not cool your home within three degrees of the temperature we stated, we will repair or replace the system at no charge.

• Home protection: We protect your landscape, walls and furniture during a job and will replace or repair anything damaged during a job.

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The Easygoing Guy"s Guide to A/C Maintenance

Winds of change as Ethiopia harnesses ecofriendly power

By Karim Lebhour, AFP
June 29, 2015, 12:10 am TWN

ADAMA, Ethiopia–The wind blows hard over Adama, a range of rocky hills in Ethiopia’s highlands that provide the perfect location for one of the continent’s largest wind farms.

“In February, during the dry season, it is even difficult to stand here,” said Solomon Yismaw, the engineer in charge of 102 Chinese-built turbines each rising 70 meters into the sky, lining the horizon.

The Adama wind farm opened last month, its 153 megawatt (MW) capacity making it the largest wind farm in sub-Saharan Africa, and the latest of three giant Ethiopian wind farms.

The hills here, 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of the capital Addis Ababa, are 2,000 meters high.

Farmers using simple ox carts to plough the soil around the bases of the wind turbines offer a striking contrast between rural lives, little changed for centuries, and the central government’s ambition to develop a modern, climate-resilient economy.

Without its own reserves of either gas or oil, Ethiopia is turning to its significant renewable energy potential to fuel its rapid economic development — including damming the vast Blue Nile, with turbines there providing over 90 percent of the country’s electricity production, and the southern Omo River.

But the flow of rivers is subject to rainfall that is erratic in Ethiopia.

“We have an abundance of hydroelectric energy sources, but during the dry season and when droughts happen the level of the dam decreases,” said Solomon, who pointed out that the wind turbines were immune to the dry spells.

Massive Power Needs

“At that time the wind will complement the dam. The wind is especially strong during dry season, so wind and hydro complement each other,” said Solomon.

Ethiopia’s energy needs are huge. Over 75 percent of Ethiopia’s 94 million people, mainly those living in rural areas, are not connected to the national grid, and the country needs to increase its electricity production by 20 to 25 percent per year to meet rising demand, according to figures from the country’s energy ministry.

Ethiopia has set a target of slashing its carbon emissions by two-thirds within the next 15 years, the most ambitious national goal yet presented to an upcoming United Nations climate change conference in Paris later this year.

Ethiopia said it plans to cut emissions by adopting cleaner practices in agriculture, construction and transport, as well as slowing deforestation.

While work continues on the vast Renaissance dam on the Nile — the largest in Africa — Ethiopia is working to boost other green power projects, harnessing geothermal, solar and wind energy.

“Wind farms are fast track projects, we can construct them within a short time,” said Tahaguas Andemariam, consultant engineer and professor at the university of Adama.

“Within 24 months we have constructed this big wind farm of 153 MW — hydro would have taken much longer,” he said.

The 6,000 MW that the Renaissance dam will generate will dwarf the output of the Adama wind farm, but the construction of the facility which began in 2011 isn’t slated to finish until 2017.

Yet the Adama wind farm can still power about 10 million efficient light bulbs.

Another wind farm, even larger in size and intended to produce 300 MW, is due to be constructed at Ayesha in the remote eastern desert near the border with Djibouti, another area with strong winds.

“We now have the knowledge how to develop the roadmap of this wind technology in Ethiopia,” said Tahaguas, who spent a month in China working with other engineers to learn more about the turbines.

Winds of change as Ethiopia harnesses ecofriendly power

Michigan utilities work to comply with air pollution rule

Alisha Green, Associated Press

Updated 1:13 am, Sunday, June 28, 2015

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to release a decision this week about new mercury and toxic air emissions standards for power plants, but Michigan’s utility companies have already been working toward compliance.

The case against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is led by Michigan, which was joined by 20 other states.

The justices will take the bench again Monday to hand down more opinions. They should finish their work early in the week. In rare instances, the court will put off decisions and order a case to be argued again in the next term.

The main issue is whether the EPA was required to take costs into account when it first decided to regulate air pollutants from power plants or if health risks are the only consideration under the Clean Air Act.

The EPA estimates costs of around $9.6 billion for power plants to install and operate equipment to remove pollutants in accordance with the rule.

Attorney General Bill Schuette‘s spokeswoman Andrea Bitely said Schuette “pursued this case to the top because it was an obvious overreach by the federal government.”

“Michigan’s fragile economy cannot afford the job losses and skyrocketing electricity rates that would accompany the premature implementation of this new federal regulation,” she said.

But while the case has been making its way through the courts, the state’s utility companies have taken steps to comply with the rule. Michigan’s two largest utility companies, Consumers Energy and DTE Energy, declined to comment on the case itself. Representatives for each said they are working to ensure their compliance with the rule will not result in layoffs.

Linda Hilbert, executive director of environmental services for Consumers Energy, said the company has been working on compliance since the rule was finalized in February 2012. It took effect in April of this year.

“The last thing we want is to be out of compliance,” Hilbert said.

Unlike past rules under the Clean Air Act, where Consumers was able to meet requirements through cap and trade programs, the utility has been installing pollution control equipment on coal-fired units to meet specific limitations.

“It was very, very cost prohibitive,” Hilbert said.

That’s part of why Consumers will retire seven of its coal-fired units across the state in cases where it didn’t make sense economically to add the pollution control equipment, said Dan Bishop, director of media relations for the utility.

Bishop said the company is working to place workers from the retiring coal-fired units within the company where possible.

“As far as electricity prices, we’re committed to keeping cost increases below the rate of inflation, and are doing so,” he said.

DTE Energy also plans to retire at least two coal-fired units in the state due to old age and the implementation of the air pollution rule. All of the company’s plants will meet the standard by April 2016, said DTE senior media relations specialist Erica Donerson.

Donerson said DTE has pledged that no employees will be laid off as part of its transformation. Donerson added that DTE can’t predict the impact of all these changes on rates, but said, “To recover the generation lost due to plant retirements, DTE will utilize natural gas and renewable energy sources. Whenever we purchase or build new generation, those costs become part of the rate base.”

__

Online:

Find out more about the case: http://bit.ly/1BLU24O

Michigan utilities work to comply with air pollution rule

Freedom Act would allow third-party sales of solar power in NC

Several proposed changes in solar energy law await action in the General Assembly’s current session, including the Energy Freedom Act, which could make Faith Community Church’s challenge to the status quo unnecessary.

The Greensboro church has joined with NC WARN, an energy activist group, to challenge a rule enforced by the N.C. Utilities Commission that prevents solar companies from selling the power generated by their equipment to the people who buy or lease equipment from them.

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Freedom Act would allow third-party sales of solar power in NC