Home: Renewable Energy News: Wednesday 13 May, 2009

Renewable Energy News

WEDNESDAY 13 MAY, 2009 |

Budget - Coal Cleans Up, Off Grid Rebate In Doubt

Australia's budget - 4.5 billion for clean energy
Last night's budget saw $4.5 billion to go towards clean energy, but the lion's share went to coal. Of the total, over half will go towards low-emissions coal technologies, also known as "clean coal" or "new generation coal".

According to Australian Greens leader Bob Brown, the budget was a missed opportunity for shifting Australia to a low carbon economy, saying "the Rudd government is more interested in propping up the coal industry than investing in the clean, renewable energy jobs of tomorrow".

Steve Campbell of Greenpeace Australia Pacific said that funding for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), a component of low emissions coal technology, was "a bridge to nowhere". However, another Greenpeace representative pointed out in a blog post on the organisation's site that while the “green new deal” didn't occur, support for renewable energy at the scale that can replace coal-fired electricity did; with $1.5 billion dedicated to building four solar power stations able to generate enough renewable energy to power 3,000,000 Australian homes.

The budget also provided additional funding so the current Solar Homes and Communities Program (SHCP) $8,000 rebate can continue until the Solar Credits scheme under the Renewable Energy Target is legislated. The Solar Credits program is due to be rolled out on July 1 this year and while it will offer less incentive than the current scheme; unlike the SHCP's means tested rebate, it will be available to just about every Australian business and home owner wanting to install grid connect solar power.

Missing from the budget was any direct mention of future funding for the RRPGP (Renewable Remote Power Generation Programme). This program provides substantial rebates on off grid solar and wind power systems. At an industry meeting in April, government representatives stated that funding for the off grid rebate was rapidly running out, and that without further funding announced in last night's budget, the program would have "only a matter of months" left to run.

Thin Film Solar Cell 19.6% Efficiency Achieved

Thin film solar efficiency record
A record has been set by the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, for thin film solar cell conversion efficiency, which has produced under pilot production conditions.

ZSW said that a 19.6% conversion efficiency had been recorded using an inline multistage process in its automated coating plant and the results have been certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. The thin film cells are made from from copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIS or CIGS for
short)

Manufacturers have produced almost 90 percent of all solar cells from crystalline silicon, such as is seen in polycrystalline solar panels and monocrystalline solar modules, but thin-film technology is becoming more popular. In 2008, thin film solar cells accounted for 12 percent of total installed photovoltaic capacity globally and 20 to 30 percent is forecast for 2010.

One of the current challenges of thin film solar panels are their relative inefficiency compared to other module types; meaning that more thin film panels are required to create the same amount of electricity. This can pose a problem where suitable roof space is limited, such as on the average house. However, ZSW board member Michael Powalla predicts that efficiency levels of between 14 and 15 percent can also be achieved for commercial thin film modules within the next few years.