City of Sydney's Solar Powered Electric Car

 

The City of Sydney has taken delivery of what will be Australia's first commercially available electric car - the Mitsubishi i-MiEV; which will be recharged using solar power.
 
“This electric car will be trialled as part of the City’s fleet and Sydneysiders will see it on a daily basis as our frontline staff deliver key services around the city,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said.
 
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV has a range of up to 160 kilometres and a top speed of 130 kilometres per hour. It recharges in less than eight hours using a standard 15 amp power point.  The power for the electric vehicle will come from Sydney Town Hall's 240 Suntech Pluto solar panels. If the 48 kilowatt solar array was dedicated to the task, it would have enough capacity to supply 17 electric vehicles. 
 
The use of the i-MiEV is a step towards City of Sydney's commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions by 70 per cent by 2030.
 
The City of Sydney’s i-MiEV is one 40 electric vehicles leased to government departments, councils and companies around the nation ahead of its
release in Australia next year.
 
The City runs a fleet of 150 light vehicles, including 43 hybrid cars which use about 40 percent less fuel than convention vehicle and aims to reduce fleet emissions by 20% before 2014.
 
Earlier this year, the City also retired its Renewable Energy Certificates to help push Australia beyond the Federal Government’s 20 percent Renewable Energy Target.
 

Labor Gains Power - What It Means For Solar Power

 

It's (finally) official. Rob Oakeshott has made his decision and Australia now has it's next government - Labor, led by Julia Gillard.
  
In an announcement a few minutes ago, Independent Rob Oakeshott announced he will be backing Labor, giving the party the 76 seats needed in order to continuing governing Australia. Earlier in the day Bob Katter pledged to the Coalition and Tony Windsor, to Labor.
  
So what does this mean for Australia's solar power industry?
  
Labor renewable energy and climate policies and initiatives for the time ahead include:   
 
- 5 percent carbon emissions cut by 2020, possibly more depending on global co-operation. 
 
- Any carbon emissions trade scheme delayed until the end of 2012. 
 
- An assembly of 150 people to settle on a price on carbon. 
 
- New coal-fired power stations will be required to incorporate carbon capture and storage.
 
- A "cash for clunkers" program (that siphon money from funding earmarked for solar power)
 
- $100 million over four years towards a new Renewable Energy Venture Capital Fund.
 
- Bonus tax deduction of 50 per cent of the cost of the eligible assets or capital works to improve energy efficiency in buildings.
  
The "cash for clunkers" program has drawn fire from the Greens and given Labor will be working more closely with the party, it may have some difficulty in getting the program off the ground; particularly since the USA's own cash for clunkers appears to have been a lemon.
 
Further details on Labor's renewable energy policies 
 

Tasmanians Face Increased Electricity Bills

 

As is the case with most states in Australia, the people of Tasmania are facing a series of hikes in electricity costs, the first only months away.
 
On the mainland, TRUenergy customers in New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland were recently slugged with increased electricity costs of as much as 20%. Origin Energy also recently warned retail electricity prices will soar soon, as has AGL.
 
On the Apple Isle, Tasmania's Independent Economic regulator has proposed average increases of just over 10 percent over 2010/11 due to start on December 1, in addition to the 6 percent passed on to electricity customers in July - with more increases to come.
 
Tasmanian Greens Energy spokesperson Kim Booth MP pointed the finger at the "ruinous" 20-year Basslink contract and the purchase of the yet to be completed Babcock and Brown power station at Bell Bay, Aurora Energy Tamar Valley being key issues behind the steep electricity price rises that Tasmanians are now facing.
 
Mr Booth said the Greens have long warned about the costs looming for households due to what he termed "Labor’s inept management of Tasmania’s energy sector during the last 12 years".
 
"The Mums and Dads of Tasmania are paying through their power meters for years of Labor’s bungled energy decisions, and the Greens are determined to ensure the delivery of a reliable supply of renewable energy at affordable prices."
 
The price hikes will see some households in Tasmania consider or reconsider the acquisition of a home solar power system. Generous government solar rebates are currently available that greatly reduce the cost of solar energy. Additionally, Tasmania's feed in tariff - while one of the least generous in Australia; a contentious issue still awaiting forward movement from all parties in the state - can help to further decrease the payback time on a system.
 
Related:
 
Tasmania solar power specials
 

EU Tops Solar Power System Growth List

 

The world is experiencing an explosion of photovoltaic solar power system installations, with the European Union leading the race in clean energy generation.
 
In 2009, newly installed photovoltaic (PV) cells world-wide produced a peak amount of electricity estimated at 7.4 GW, out of which 5.8 GW was located in Europe, according to the ninth annual Photovoltaics Status Report published today by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).
  
Germany tops the ranking in new solar energy system installed capacity, followed by Spain, thanks largely to those countries’ supportive feed-in tariff policies, which pay households and businesses a premium rate for electricity fed back into the national grid. 
  
The JRC report found China remains the largest manufacturer of photovoltaic cell technology, producing 4.4 GW in 2009 as compared to 2.4 GW in 2008. Taiwan (1.6 GW and 0.8 GW respectively) and Malaysia, whose production grew from 0.16 GW to 0.72 GW also lead the field.
  
Such is the success of renewable energy generation in the EU that another study by German energy agency DEA, to be discussed at a conference in Berlin later this year, recommends many countries on the continent will need to massively enlarge their energy grids to meet the combined demands of isolated wind and solar power stations and ambitious renewable energy targets.
  
Italy alone, which trailed only Germany in new solar PV system installations in 2009, will need to expand its power grid by 170 percent by 2050 to ensure the north of the country maintains energy access to the production-heavy south.
  
Other key findings of the report
  
- Wafer-based silicon is still the main technology for solar cells and represented 80% of the market share in 2009.
 
- The market share of thin-film solar products has increased from 6% in 2005 and 10% in 2007 to 16-20% in 2009.
 
- Concentrating photovoltaics (which uses lenses to concentrate sunlight on to photovoltaic cells) is an emerging technology growing at a fast pace, although from a low starting point. The existing photovoltaic technology mix is a solid foundation for future growth of the sector, as no single technology can satisfy all the different consumer needs. The variety of photovoltaic technologies is an insurance against a "roadblock" for the implementation of solar photovoltaic electricity if material limitations or technical obstacles restrict the further development or growth of a single technology pathway. 
 

News for Monday 06 September, 2010

 

• MIT's Self Repairing Solar Cells
  


• Solar Powered Probe To Visit The Sun
  


• Renewable Energy a Cash Windfall for Investors
  


• 19 Australian Energy Retailers Back A Carbon Price
  

View all news for Monday 06 September, 2010 on one page

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