Home: Renewable Energy News: April 2012

Renewable Energy News

APRIL 2012 | View archive list |

Monday 30 April, 2012

Free Solar Power Systems For Cayman Islands Households
The Cayman Islands government is taking an interesting approach to helping low income families battle increasing electricity costs - by providing free solar panel systems.

Super Solar Panel Glass Boosts Efficiency
While solar panel glass is designed to reduce reflection; a new type of glass developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will virtually eliminate it altogether.

Thursday 26 April, 2012

Tonga's Solar Grandmothers
Two grandmothers from the island nation of Tonga have acquired the skills to install solar panel systems in the nation's communities without access to mains grid electricity.

2012 P3 Award Solar Winners
The U.S. EPA has awarded more than $1 million in grants to 15 university and college teams for their innovative environmental solutions. Among the winners are several projects related to solar power.

Most Overestimate The Cost Of Going Solar
A recent survey carried out in the USA reveals the vast majority of people overestimate the cost of installing solar power systems.

Wednesday 25 April, 2012

UK/US To Collaborate On Floating Wind Turbines
A new agreement between the UK and US governments will see an increased focus on developing floating wind turbines for use in offshore areas that have substantial wind resources, but which are off-limits to fixed-structure wind turbines due to water depth.

The USA's Biggest Green Electricity Users
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated its Top 50 Green Power Partnership rankings, with Microsoft entering the top 5 and McDonald's USA also making its debut appearance on the Top 50 list.

Tuesday 24 April, 2012

Greener, Cheaper Solar Grade Silicon From Cambridge Uni
Researchers at Cambridge University are working on a new process for creating solar-grade silicon that will be far more efficient in terms of energy consumption, cost and emissions intensity.

Australia's Renewable Energy Target Under Threat
A new study states electricity generation from renewable sources may fall well short of the Australian government’s mandatory target of 20% by 2020.

Monday 23 April, 2012

11 Year Old Kenyan's Solar Invention Saves Livestock
A boy from Kenya has created a system powered by solar energy that protects his family's cattle from attack by lions.

Solar Power Subsidies Pale Beside $4 Billion Mining Support
While some fret and fuss over financial incentives for solar power, a rogue elephant in the room - mining subsidies - have remained comparatively ignored.

Friday 20 April, 2012

Repowering Port Augusta With Solar And Wind - Blueprint
Non-profit think-tank Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) has released 'Repowering Port Augusta'; a blueprint for replacing South Australia's emissions intensive Northern and Playford B brown coal-fired power stations with wind power and solar energy facilities.

'Turbo' For Solar Cells Developed
Solar cells for home solar power systems with conversion efficiencies approaching 40% are on the horizon thanks in part to Australian ingenuity.

Thursday 19 April, 2012

Carbon Tax Related Electricity Price Rises - Latest Estimates
With a carbon tax just a few months away, researchers from the University of Queensland say they have arrived at the most accurate predictions for associated electricity price rises in Australia's eastern states.

Wednesday 18 April, 2012

Walmart Utilised 1.1 billion kWh Of Renewable Energy In 2011
The world's largest retailer has released its latest sustainability report and among what it says are Walmart's top ten sustainability achievements for last year are its efforts in making the switch to renewable energy.

Energy Matters Video News - Episode 65 - April 18, 2012
Virginia reports on Australia's solar rebate rush, major electricity price hikes on the horizon, and Energy Matters attending Tasmania's Agfest again this year.

Panel Installation Begins At WA's Greenough River Solar Farm
Last week, installation of solar panels at what will be Australia's largest solar photovoltaic (PV) power project commenced.

Tuesday 17 April, 2012

Wind Turbine Extracts Water From The Air
Water is all around us - even in the desert - in the form of moisture in the air. A new wind turbine prototype uses the power of the wind to extract that moisture.

Asia's Largest Concentrated Solar Energy Plant Announced
In more positive news for India’s sun-drenched state of Rajasthan, AREVA Solar recently announced construction of Asia’s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) installation.

Monday 16 April, 2012

ACT Electricity Prices To Soar - But So Will Solar Uptake
Residents of Canberra may enjoy some of the lowest power prices in Australia, but they too could soon receive a nasty electric (bill) shock; perhaps motivating more households to go solar.

Rebate Update - Lodging Of Solar Power Applications Urged
Ergon Energy is reminding electricity customers wanting to install solar power before a 33% reduction in the Solar Credits rebate to submit network connection applications soon - and households in other states may want to take note.

Friday 13 April, 2012

G20 Clean Energy Investment's $263 Billion Surge
New research from The Pew Charitable Trust has shown investment in clean energy continued to surge in 2011 in G20 nations, rising to $263 billion, representing a 6.5 percent increase on the year before.

Destroying Mercury And Venus For Limitless Solar Power
The 'disassembly' of Mercury and Venus for materials to create a Dyson Swarm to be stationed around the sun are is we need to do to access limitless solar power. Intrigued? Disturbed? So were we.

Thursday 12 April, 2012

NEWSFLASH : Electricity Prices In NSW Could Jump 16% On July 1
Households in New South Wales were slapped with an increase of 17 per cent in their electricity bills just last year - and more power pain is likely just a few months away.

Energy Matters at Tasmania's AgFest Field Days 2012
For the fourth year running, Energy Matters will be exhibiting solar energy solutions at the Agfest Field Days in Tasmania.

eBay Adds More Solar Power
As part of its green initiatives, eBay has installed a 665 kilowatt (kW) solar panel array on the rooftop of its Topaz data center in Utah.

DoD To Roll Out 3 Gigawatts Of Renewables By 2025
The US Department of Defense has set a goal of deploying 3 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity at the nation's Army, Navy and Air Force installations.

Wednesday 11 April, 2012

New York City To Triple Solar Power Capacity
New York City will triple its production of solar power by installing rooftop photovoltaic systems on 10 public buildings in an effort to cut carbon emissions and meet energy efficiency targets under the city's PlaNYC 2030 plan.

AGL, Origin, TRUenergy In ACCC's Sights Re: Green Power
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is reportedly looking into claims by the Greens that AGL, Origin and TRUenergy are using their position to stymie the roll-out of competing wind and solar power projects.

Energy Matters Video News - Episode 64 - April 11, 2012
Virginia reports on Australia's top solar postcodes, a solar powered reactor for creating hydrogen currently undergoing testing, AGL dumps on small-scale solar energy (again) and the development of solar cells thinner than spider silk.

Australia's Top Solar Postcodes - 2012 Update
The latest data on home solar power system uptake in Australia again highlights the fact that solar isn't exclusively the realm of the inner-city affluent; but a tool households of all income levels and from all areas are using to rein in rapidly increasing electricity bills.

Tuesday 10 April, 2012

Not All Solar Inverters Are Equal - Energy Matters Demonstrates
A video just released by Australian solar power company Energy Matters graphically demonstrates the differing levels of quality in solar inverters - a crucial component in a solar power system.

US Renewable Energy Grant Program Generated 75,000 Jobs
The US Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a report on the impact of the Treasury Department’s 1603 grant program.

Monday 09 April, 2012

AGL Dumps On Solar (Again), Hugs Fossil Fuels
AGL's recent published criticism of solar feed in tariffs was shortly followed by news related to its continued pursuit of gas and coal fired electricity generation.

Friday 06 April, 2012

The Power Of 10,000 Suns - Solar Hydrogen Reactor
Hydrogen as a clean fuel is particularly alluring, but to split hydrogen from water is incredibly energy intensive. Using fossil fuels as the source of energy would defeat much of the purpose of hydrogen fuel, so researchers have turned to renewable sources.

Solar Cells Thinner Than Spider Silk
Researchers have developed flexible, stretchable polymer-based solar cells on plastic foil substrates thinner than spider silk and able to generate 10 watts per gram.

Thursday 05 April, 2012

Butterflies, Solar Energy and Hydrogen
New solar collection devices for use in creating green fuels may be based on existing designs in nature provided by butterflies.

Wednesday 04 April, 2012

Energy Matters Video News - Episode 63 - April 4, 2012
Virginia reports on price wars in Australia's solar sector, Energy Matters becoming Australia's first accredited REC solar professional, greening solar panel production and Victorian coal fired power stations receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in carbon tax 'compensation'.

Horizon Power To Offer Location Based Solar Feed In Tariff
Western Australia's Horizon Power has announced the introduction of area-specific solar feed-in tariffs. While owners of systems in some towns will receive a much higher rate, others will receive less.

Solar Frontier Announces 100MW CIS Solar Panel Supply MOU
Solar Frontier recently announced the signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japan Asia Group Limited (JAG) to cooperate on boosting solar power in Japan.

Tuesday 03 April, 2012

The Merit Order Effect And Solar Power : A Primer
Solar energy's supporters have been whispering about the 'Merit Order Effect' (MOE) for some time now and those whispers are only growing in volume. So what is this mysterious Merit Order Effect and what is its relationship to solar power?

Victorian Power Stations To Be Paid Hundreds Of Millions To Pollute
As 'compensation' for action addressing the problem of burgeoning carbon emissions, 6 Victorian coal fired power stations will receive the lion's share of $1 billion of Federal Government funding.

Monday 02 April, 2012

Great Lakes Offshore Wind Power Moves Ahead
The Obama Administration says the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with state governors of the Great Lakes region will open America’s north-east to 'more than 700 gigawatts' of offshore wind power.

Solar Impulse To Fly From Switzerland To Morocco
Solar Impulse is readying for its next big adventure - a flight of over 2,500 kilometers, powered purely by the sun.

Sunday 01 April, 2012

Dark side turns to solar power
The dark side is one of the largest users of solar power in the universe. From TIE fighters to Orbital Solar Energy Transfer Satellites, solar's power is almost as strong as the Force.

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