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US Stadium Installs Solar Modules to Generate Power, In Collaboration With Next Door Shopping Center
A few months ago, we had written a post on how the stadium used by Washington Redskins for their practices was getting solar modules as a source of electricity. Now, it seems like another major stadium, along with its adjacent shopping complex, are about to get completely powered by solar PV modules. Authorities of the Gillette Stadium, located in Massachusetts, recently announced that they have signed an electricity supply agreement with Patriot Place, the shopping mall located right next door to the stadium. The shopping mall is not new to embracing solar power, however. It has been running a massive solar energy system of around 525 KW capacity, since 2009. Constructed with more than 2,500 solar modules, the installation generates enough power to meet somewhere around 30% of the total energy requirement of the 1.3 million sq ft complex. The solar power modules being installed for Gillette Stadium will be extensions of the system already being used by the shopping center. The 1 MW rooftop solar farm will provide more than 60% of the total energy required by the shopping center, and channel the rest to keep most electrical systems in the stadium running smoothly. The modules shall be installed on walkways and the roof of the center, and are expected to generate more than 1 million KW-h of electricity, every year. The installation is going on as of now, and is scheduled to be complete before the 2012-2013 NFL Season starts. Authorities of both the shopping center and the stadium have stated that once the installation is completed, the solar energy system shall be counted among the largest sustainable energy harnessing systems at a leading sports venue, across United States. The statement certainly brings hope in a time when rapid growth of solar energy industry is necessary for the good of the entire planet. Now let us hope other sports venues in the US also start following the same path. It will benefit not just the stadiums, but also the entire nation, in the long run.
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Why It Is Alright to Use Solar Modules in Desert Regions, Contrary to Popular Beliefs
In a recent study, it has been conclusively proved that Sahara desert can generate enough electricity from solar energy to supply the entire world, without anyone having to use fossil fuels, ever again. Indeed, the massive desert region gets bombarded by terawatts of solar radiation every single day. If even 10% of it could be harnessed properly using solar modules and arrays of panels, then at least two of the major continents of the world could probably be supplied with electricity on a regular basis.So, why is such a massive source of energy not being harnessed on a large scale yet?Well, there are certain myths associated with the usage of solar modules in desert climates that prevent users from utilizing the technology with an open mind. Here are a few of those myths, and why you should not believe in those:Dust and sand wreck havoc on all electronic devices, and solar modules must also be similarly affected3-4 years ago, this statement might have held some merit. However, with the invention of dust covers for solar modules, this is definitely not an issue with solar energy systems any longer. Besides, dust covers are cheap, and only need to be brushed down once a week, in order to ensure that those protect the modules properly. Solar modules lose efficiency quite rapidly when exposed to sand and dust storms that occur in desertsExcept for high altitude locations, there are hardly any dust-free location on planet Earth. True, solar power modules do lose some efficiency when covered in dust, but that problem can be easily solved by dusting the modules from time to time. Simply wipe the surfaces of the modules with a moist cloth once a week, and you should be able to get maximum benefits from those. Of course, if a dust storm has occurred just a little while ago, then you should dust the modules immediately. In any case, this cannot be a reason to avoid using solar modules in a desert. Solar panels degrade in performance quite rapidly when exposed to high temperatures Once again, this statement might have been true a few years ago. However, nowadays specially made cooling units are available for purchase with solar PV modules. And those do not cost too much, either. Simply buy a few such coolers along with the modules, and you should be able to use your solar PV modules without any problems for years to come. Advancement of science often eliminates problems that may have plagued earlier versions of products. Solar PV modules are no exception to this rule, either. So, if you happen to live in a desert region and are still believing the myths about lack of operational efficiency of solar modules in such regions, then you should definitely stop doing that now.
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Solar Shines in California - Salazar Approves Construction of 275 MW Solar Plant in El Centro
Ever since US President Barrack Obama came to office, he has been implementing various measures to ensure that renewable energy sources gain popularity in the country. And the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, has been ensuring the President succeeds in this noble goal as much as possible, by approving a large number of green energy projects including solar power plants and wind farms. Recently, Salazar has approved the construction of a massive solar energy plant in California. The plant will be of 275 MW capacity, and will be connected with the nearest link to National grid – the San Diego Gas & Electric Imperial Valley Substation, via a 230 KV transmission line. The total electricity generated by the solar modules here will be enough to power more than 80,000 homes in the region, without a single blackout or brownout, unless there is a major natural disaster. The plant will be set up on more than 2,000 acres of privately owned land near the city of El Centro in California. The power cables will, however, run over public land, and a total of 19 acres of land have been allocated for the purpose. The project will also contribute towards reducing rate of unemployment in the region, by providing more than 350 jobs. The tax revenue generated by the project will go way over USD 30 million! Secretary Salazar was visibly satisfied after sanctioning the deal, commenting that “as (US) continues to move thoughtfully and quickly toward a clean energy future, these projects are strengthening local economies by generating good jobs and reliable power.” This is not the only project being given the green signal this year, either. Several other large scale projects have been sanctioned by the Federal Government this year, resulting in what some are calling a Green Energy Revolution in the US. As the interest in renewable energy increases among Americans and more citizens start using the technology in their homes as well, solar module manufacturers across the country are likely to have more reasons to celebrate than ever before. Let us hope 2012 makes this wish come true, and takes US yet another step forward, towards eliminating energy crisis across the nation.
Vikram Solar | Tags: solar modules, solar module manufacturers -
Will Pay-As-You-Go Solar Energy Programs Bring Unlimited Electricity to Rural India?
Did you know that India gets more than 300 sunny days, every year? Indeed, the nation gets bombarded by more terawatts of solar energy every year, than most other countries across the globe. Still, a large fraction of citizens living in rural regions of the nation still do not have electricity in their homes, while so much surplus solar radiation is being wasted. Isn't that a great irony of fate? Or is it? Could the scenario be changed, by offering electricity to citizens in the rural regions via affordable pricing models that they could afford? Well, a Bengaluru-based company is trying out such a strategy now. If the business model succeeds, then it can certainly be put to good use, for lighting up a large number of rural Indian households, even in the remotest of locations. So, what's this big plan, which can be expected to revolutionize the solar energy industry, across the country? Let's have a look at the various steps of it:1. Customers are offered solar modules and associated equipment at discounted prices, as per tariffs offered in the state. They make a small down payment, and are then asked to decide a monthly installment plan that they would be able to support on their income. 2. The company assists the customer to install the solar PV modules and necessary wiring in his home. 3. The customer pays for the energy he uses, by topping up his account with the company using his mobile phone. This usage of mobile fund transfer as a payment process has not been used on a large scale in India before, but the process is so simple for the end users that customers should be able to use it without any problems. 4. Each payment that the customer makes for using energy generated by the solar energy system, also counts towards the price of the solar power modules, batteries, and wires that the company has supplied to them. Once the complete price of the system is paid to the company, the customer does not have to pay for the energy any longer. From then on, they get completely free energy. The pilot project utilizing this method has been launched in the state of Karnataka. If it succeeds, then the company running the project plans to replicate it in other states, especially in the rural regions. Let us hope it does happen. A system like this could end the dark days (no pun intended) for citizens living in remote, rural regions across the country, and that too, without burdening them too much with expenses.
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Dr Farooq Abdullah Wishes Net Metering to be Introduced for Rooftop Solar Installations
Will rooftop solar energy systems built using solar PV modules and associated equipment soon come with net metering facilities as well? Dr Farooq Abdullah, Honorable Minister of New and Renewable Energy did give such a hint in his inaugural speech at a national consultation in New Delhi recently. The consultation, organized jointly by Ministry of New and renewable Energy with GIZ from Germany, focused on the future of rooftop solar energy systems set up using solar modules. During his speech, Dr Abdullah tasked the officials of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy with the responsibility of preparing an action plan for the introduction of net metering facility for rooftop solar energy systems (of both residential and commercial nature), as soon as possible. The objective of this is the rapid expansion of solar energy systems across the nation, which the consumers would be able to use profitably.Dr Abdullah explained that the cost of solar power has been around INR 18 per unit in 2010, and this is likely to go down as far as INR 8 per unit in 2012. He expressed hope that with such drastic reduction in prices, solar module manufacturers and other companies related to the industry of solar energy equipment manufacturing should be able to devise affordable solutions for consumers. Once a net metering system is introduced, the meter will keep track of how much electricity is being consumed by the user from the solar modules, on a regular basis. The surplus energy will then be automatically channeled to the National Electricity Grid. This will allow the consumer to gain rebates on electricity bills, depending on the quantity of electricity supplied to the Grid. In the long run, this can indeed lead to major savings for the consumer, allowing him to recover a significant portion of money invested in the solar energy system pretty quickly. How quickly can such a system be established in India? Well, discussion and planning phases are certainly in progress, but one thing is for sure. The sooner such a system is in place, the sooner India will be able to take a giant leap forward in making solar energy and solar power modules into household names across the nation.
Vikram Solar | Tags: None -
Hotels In India Planning to Halve Energy Costs Within 3 Years By Switching to Solar Energy
According to a recent news report, top level executives of major hotels in India have been given an Herculean ordeal to perform – in the form of cutting down energy costs by as much as 8% of the total operational costs of the hotels, within the next three financial years. Even the incentives of some of them are now directly linked to the energy costs of the branches of the hotel that they work in. The step might seem a little excessive at first, but it was necessary nonetheless. Energy costs of the hotels have increased to around 15%-16% of their total operational costs in the last year. Unless it is trimmed down to more manageable levels, it will soon start eating its way into the profits made by the hotels. Renewable energy sources offer a sliver of hope for the hotelsThere are several ways of reducing the energy expenses of the hotels, and not surprisingly, all of those are based on the adoption of renewable sources of energy. Be it using piped gas instead of diesel for boilers, or installing solar modules on the roofs of the buildings to generate significant percentage of the electricity required keep the entire building functional, sustainable energy sources are the best trump cards for the hotels, at this point of time. Solar energy is likely to be the best solution, thoughTrue, there are several renewable energy sources that the hotels can switch to. However, solar energy stands apart for its simplicity and reliability. First off, most hotels have large roofs, which offer lots of available space, where solar PV modules can be installed. Secondly, most hotels have enough space available for storage of solar batteries, which would hold the energy generated during the day. Finally, considering the rate of energy consumption of the hotels (an ordinary hotel with 100 rooms can consume somewhere around 3,500 units of energy every day), it should not be long before they are able to recover most of their investments on the solar energy system.India is on the verge of a major business boom in the hospitality sector, and application of solar modules for optimizing energy usage is likely to help the businesses here focus more on counting profits than worrying about energy expenses. And who knows - in the coming years, this might indeed lend a helping hand to the National Solar Mission, as well.
Vikram Solar | Tags: None -
India Should Start Generating Electricity from Solar Energy Right Away, Says a Professor From Barkeley
Did you know that India gets bombarded with 600 tera watts worth of solar energy every year? And that even tapping into 10% of that using solar power modules, panels and associated equipment could solve India's energy crisis, forever? Indeed, a research conducted by Graham R Fleming, the VC for Research at the University of California in Berkeley seems to indicate just that. In a recent speech given at S N Bose Memorial Lecture in Kolkata, the professor stated these facts and more, showing just how quickly India could become energy independent, if only the citizens started embracing solar energy. The professor was quick to point out that approximately half of the energy received by USA on the landmass of the nation is wasted at present. For India, the situation is even worse, since the nation still uses irreplaceable fossil fuels like coal and pete to fulfill as much as 42% of the citizens' need for fuel. At the present rate, Fleming warned, India would have to import somewhere around 80% of the fuel required by citizens by the year 2030. This situation, according to him, can be changed for the better, simply by increasing the rate of usage of solar energy across the nation, for the purpose of generating electricity. However, he did mention that during the initial stages, considerably high amounts would have to invested in the technology, in order to generate a considerable quantity of electricity from solar energy. And in the long run, he stated, high capacity batteries would be required to ensure most of the energy captured by solar PV modules is converted to electricity and stored for future usage. The batteries, he stated, would need to be three times as powerful as the ones presently available, and four times cheaper than those as well. At present, he said, the efficiency of the batteries are way below acceptable levels, as only about 12.6% energy stored in a car battery is utilized, while more than 60% is simply wasted. Dr Fleming was happy about the technological advancements being made by the team of researchers from University of California, Berkeley, who are working in collaboration with students from IIT Kharagpur, in an attempt to create better solar energy equipment. Their target is to develop high capacity batteries to be used with solar modules, panels and similar solar energy equipment. Solar power modules manufactured in India are already pretty high in efficiency ratings. As newer, higher capacity batteries are developed, the energy produced by those modules will obviously be harnessed more efficiently. Let us hope that the day is not too far away, when India will emerge as one of the largest energy-independent nations across the globe.
Vikram Solar | Tags: None -
How a Kerala Based Entrepreneur Saved Major Cash on Electricity Bills Using Solar Modules
Ever wondered exactly how much money could you save by switching to solar energy for generating electricity? Sure, photovoltaic solar module manufacturers always talk about how you can save money by using their products, but without undeniable proof. Well, a Chalai, Kerala based entrepreneur decided to find out just how much money he could save every month, by using solar energy equipment. In a bold initiative, the company, named Trivandrum Tube Corporation, purchased and installed solar modules and panels right on the roof of the office building. Their target – to power the single computer used in the business, along with 5 fans, and 10 each of compact fluorescent lamps and conventional tube lights. The solar energy system they invested in came equipped with an intelligent solar power management system. As such, any time the power stored in the solar batteries fell below the 70% mark, the system would automatically switch to grid power. The initiative started on May 2010, a month when Truivandrum Tube Corporation had paid INR 1,771 as electricity bills. This included an INR 300 charge for meter rent just like any other commercial organization has to bear. A year later, on May 2011, the amount had come down to just above the INR 500 mark, and yes, that too included the constant INR 300 charge. The difference is quite shocking, isn't it? The company had paid roughly INR 2 lac, in order to buy the solar energy system and get it installed. If they were saving around INR 1,200 every month, then in just about a year, they would recover around INR 14,400. Now, if you keep in mind that an average set up with solar modules and associated equipment last for around 25 years, then their total savings made by using the system would amount to around INR 3,60,000. Surely you can see how much of a profit they would be making in the long run. As you can see, switching to green energy is no longer just a stylish act. It can actually help you save big on electricity bills that you have to pay at the end of every month. So, if you are the owner of a small business, then you might want to give this technology a try. Simply install the solar PV modules on the roof of your office building, and you are likely to see the difference in your electricity bills within just a couple months or so. Try this today – you are guaranteed not to be disappointed.
Vikram Solar | Tags: None -
India Needs to Make Use of Super Critical Technologies to Generate Power, Says PM
Dr Manmohan Singh, Honorable Prime Minister of India, believes that Indian citizens need to be more energy efficient, in order to achieve the growth target of 9% mentioned in the 12th Plan (2012 – 17). According to his viewpoint, Indians are heavily dependent on electricity generated by burning fossil fuels. As such, any improvement in the energy efficiency of thermal power plants across the nation will contribute towards bringing down the energy intensity of the GDP of India. In order to make that happen, he commented, Indians need to use “super critical and ultra-super critical technologies for power generation”.According to Singh, Indians also need to rely more on public transport to get around than take their own cars everywhere. Transfer of freight should also be carried out using rail, rather than road, which would help in optimizing the usage of fuel to a great extent. Besides, using latest, cutting edge technologies like Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle in power plants fueled by gas should be encouraged, which can help in improving energy efficiency of the plants. Singh stated these facts at a recent program, organized by the Ministry of Power on the occasion of National Energy Conservation Day. The Prime Minister was all praise for the National Solar Mission, which was started with the target of generating 20,000 megawatts of electricity annually from solar energy, by the year 2020. He stated that success in achieving this target would help the nation cut down on usage of fossil fuel by as many as 23 million tons of oil equivalent. What the Prime Minister said should be of great interest to photovoltaic solar module manufacturers in India. The National Solar Mission has indeed spiked interest among the general population of the nation. More and more people are now interested in using solar modules to generate electricity in their own homes. As prices of solar energy equipment keep getting reduced, more and more people are likely to invest in solar PV modules, making the industry flourish all over the country. Let us hope that we are able to achieve the target of the National Solar Mission. It would go a long way in solving the greatly increased demand for energy that is likely to hit the nation in just a few years from now. Besides, can't we all benefit from having cleaner air to breathe?
Vikram Solar | Tags: None -
India to Offer Electricity Generated Using Solar Modules/ Panels and Fossil Fuels At Same Price By 2017
Will Indian consumers have to pay the same rates for electricity generated using solar modules and that generated using fossil fuels, by the year 2017? It sure seems that way, if a recent speech given by Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Renewable Energy is taken into account. According to Mr Kapoor, the prices of solar PV modules, panels, and associated equipment are bound to go down drastically in 2012, and are likely to keep plummeting from then on. Earlier, one of the primary objectives of the National Solar Mission was to achieve grid-parity by the year 2022. If the present trend persists, then that deadline may be brought forward by 5 years, achieving the target for grid-parity by 2017 itself! Also, quite a few major investors have come forward to finance large scale solar energy projects. If this trend continues, then pretty soon, projects of capacities as high as 2,000 MW may be set up across the nation. This will not only allow citizens to have access to electricity for cheap, it will also improve the carbon rating of the entire country to a great extent. Mr Kapoor also pointed out that prices of solar energy equipment have come down in international market. Coupled with rapid advancement in technology, this trend would greatly contribute towards flourishing of solar industry in India, in the coming years. The situation in India is highly favorable for photovoltaic solar module manufacturers. As the interest in their products keep spiking, these companies are likely to get soaring profit margins and attract the attention of plenty of new (and prospective) consumers as well. Now, all these manufacturers need to do is to keep the quality of their products as high as they possibly can, and keep prices within acceptable levels. The future of solar industry in India is definitely bright, and these companies are most likely to benefit from the same.
Vikram Solar | Tags: photovoltaic solar module manufacturers
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