Home: Renewable Energy News: Thursday 19 March, 2009

Renewable Energy News

THURSDAY 19 MARCH, 2009 |

UK Government Ends Solar Power Funding

UK solar power
In yet another case of governments underestimating the willingness of citizens to install solar power systems, the UK government has ended a controversial program well ahead of time.

As has been the case in in Spain, Florida and Ontario, Canada in relation to gross feed in tariff systems, the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has found that applications for grid connected solar power projects on public buildings has far exceeded their expectations.

Half of the £50m funding set aside for the low-carbon buildings program been used up by solar projects within just a few months.

Seen by many as a token effort from the UK government, the program was also meant to encourage the uptake of other renewable energy sources and carbon reduction initiatives. Critics believe that the other half of the funding will sit mostly unused and should therefore be accessible to solar power projects, and any funding from failed projects should be returned to the pool to and also made available.

Solar industry supporters have also said that the ending of the funding will see the local solar sector experience a gap in government support for over a year, which flies in the face of Gordon Brown's plans of of creating 400,000 green jobs to boost the economy and combat climate change.

Funding instability for the industry will also discourage investment, leading some to accuse officials of retarding progress towards a low-carbon economy for the UK by remaining too sympathetic to fossil fuel companies.

Britain's World Solar Challenge Entry - Bethany

Solar powered car - Brethany
Imagine a vehicle that could travel at a hundred kilometres an hour on around the same energy as a hair dryer uses. That's what the Cambridge University Eco Racing (CUER) team have achieved with their new solar-powered racing car design, currently codenamed 'Bethany'.

Bethany will be an entrant in Australia's World Solar Challenge and will be up against some stiff competition, not just from home-grown projects but those from overseas such as MIT's solar powered car called "Eleanor"

Weighing just 160kg and covered in 6 square meters of the world's most efficient silicon solar cells, CUER's engineering team has systematically reduced energy usage for each component of the car to the point it uses up to 50 times less power than a normal petrol vehicle car; and with potentially infinite range.

Technologies used include a 98% efficient electric hub motor, control systems providing battery management and regenerative braking, lightweight mechanical design, and carbon fibre composite bodywork.

Bethany is by no means a luxury vehicle and the drivers will undergo months of training to cope with Australia's weather conditions and the awkward seating position. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges for the drivers will be boredom as they make their way across the sun-baked outback as during the race they will only be required to steer the car and stay alert as the vehicle's advanced cruise control system will automatically adjust its speed according to conditions.

You can learn more about Cambridge University Eco Racing and their solar powered car projects here.