Eco Friendly in the Home

The home construction sector is one of the most rapidly changing sectors of the economy as witnessed by the tremendous growth. Because of the massive levels of pollution in the environment, one of the fastest growing sectors of homes construction has to be the eco-friendly side. More and more people are starting to think about what they do and the affects it has on the environment. This article looks at four of the most popular areas of construction in their quest for a safer, well-protected environment.
Materials used for construction
The type of materials used in constructing ecofriendly homes has changed in recent years. The use of recycled materials, thanks to new recycling technologies, has been embraced. Construction studs, walls, insulation materials and others are all made from recycled materials in most of these eco-friendly homes.
As such, we have homes built from materials that would rather go to waste or pollute the environment. This is one reason why most people use these materials. Moreover, the benefits are beginning to show sinceit’s estimated that recycled materials used in construction last longer and consume way less cement or other expensive materials. Even then, during your quest for a more eco-friendly home, ensure that the materials used don’t have toxins.

Energy conservation
Use of energy is one of the most crucial elements to consider in making eco-friendly homes. On the basic level, homes are constructed with adequate energy efficient system. The use of effective energy efficient appliances such as towel rail in bathrooms, energy efficient radiators and other kitchen ‘A’rated appliances have become paramount now more than ever. People are also turning to the use of solar energy as much as possible, as this way of generating power is one of the best and affordable renewables on the market. Overall people generally need to ensure a high quality of the appliances by getting them from the experts such as Trade Radiators.

Water conservation
A home would not be classed as eco-friendly if water conservation was not taken into consideration. There are a number of ways in which a home can conserve water and you may already be doing it without even noticing. Your toilet can use large amounts of water wastefully. If your toilet is more than 10 years old then you may need to think about changing it or getting special tools to stop as much water being wasted. Rainfall is also a great way to conserve water, having a tank connected to your guttering can provide year round water for watering the garden and other this that don’t require filtered fresh water.

Alternative energy
As more homes become eco-friendly, energy is one of the biggest elements that needs to be taken into consideration. With technology becoming more and more readily available and the energy they use on the up, something needs to be done. So momentum is being gained with the use of alternative energy sources for normal functions, it’s a factor that everyone needs to consider and with the help of the government things are moving forward. People have already noticed solar panels popping up on homes and on large scale projects wind is being harnessed with wind turbines.
In general, getting an eco-friendly home has never been more important as it is today. Simply put, your home needs to effectively utilize energy, water, and air without harming the environment.

Denmark, Wind power

Denmark has an impressive track record when it comes to the adoption of renewable energy, and the nation has been working quickly to develop its substantial offshore wind potential. Last month, with the installation of their 36th 3.6 megawatt (MW) Siemens wind turbine, the nation reached an impressive 1 GW wind-power capacity – enough to power 25 percent of the nation. Moreover, they aim to be 50 percent powered by wind farms within the next eight years, not simply through the installation of renewable energy infrastructure, but through a holistic adoption of energy-efficient policies and technologies.

Denmark’s aim to be 50 percent powered by offshore wind by 2020 suggests that the country’s adoption of renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure is running ahead of schedule—just last year a government report stated a goal for 35 percent by 2020, and an extraordinary 100 percent from renewables by 2050. The latest turbine installation brought the capacity of Denmark’s Anholt closer to the total 400MW generation planned for the facility, which is one of five significant wind farms in Danish waters.
According to Forbes, however, this is set to soon be eclipsed as the government puts out a call for bids for an additional 1,500 MW (1.5 GW), of offshore wind. In the near term, wind power will be accompanied by biomass and gas power, in an effort to take all coal-fired plants offline within 20 years. But Denmark, fast to embrace the enormous wind potential of the North Sea, has met with a few bumps as they develop greater reliance on offshore farms.
The New York Times explained “A major concern is that the supply of electricity might exceed demand for about 1,000 hours each year by 2020 unless there are substantial changes in the way electricity is managed in Denmark,” management which currently relies on exporting excess wind power to support hydroelectric systems in nearby Norway and Sweden, and then buying renewable energy back in times of lower supply or in other words “Norway and Sweden’s hydro systems serve as large batteries in a larger interconnected system.” But there have been rare instances of this system failing — for a few hours over the winter, Denmark’s surplus was so great that they had to pay other countries to take their wind power.
As for the adoption of broader sustainable practices, Copenhagen provides an extraordinary example of ambitious planning with an aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 through a number of strategies. Nationwide, the government appears equally hopeful. The government hopes to have 200,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2020, and recently installed Europe’s first nationwide electric car charging network. Better Place estimates that there could be 20,000 electric cars on Danish roads by 2014—which will far from make up the majority of traffic in a nation of 5.5 million people, but it’s still a substantial start.

Estimation of Solar PV System Output

Factors Affecting Output
Standard Test Conditions
Solar modules produce DC electricity. The dc output of solar modules is rated by manufacturers under Standard Test Conditions (STC). These conditions are easily recreated in a factory, and allow for consistent comparisons of products, but need to be modified to estimate output under common outdoor operating conditions.
STC conditions are:

• Solar cell temperature = 25 degree C;
• Solar irradiance (intensity) = 1000 W/m2 (often referred to as peak sunlight intensity, comparable to clear summer noon time intensity); and
• Solar spectrum as filtered by passing through 1.5 thickness of atmosphere (ASTM Standard Spectrum).

A manufacturer may rate a particular solar module output at 100 Watts of power under STC, and call the product a “100-watt solar module.” This module will often have a production tolerance of +/-5% of the rating, which means that the module can produce 95 Watts and still be called a “100-watt module.” To be conservative, it is best to use the low end of the power output spectrum as a starting point (95 Watts for a 100-watt module).
Temperature Losses
Module output power reduces as module temperature increases. When operating on a roof, a solar module will heat up substantially, reaching inner temperatures of 50 – 75 degree C. For crystalline modules, a typical temperature reduction factor recommended by the CEC is 89% or 0.89. So the “100-watt” module will typically operate at about 85 Watts (95 Watts x 0.89 = 85 Watts) in the middle of a spring or fall day, under full sunlight conditions.
Dirt and Dust Losses
Dirt and dust can accumulate on the solar module surface, blocking some of the sunlight and reducing output. India has a rainy season called monsoon and much of dry season. Although typical dirt and dust is cleaned off during rainy season, it is more realistic to estimate system output taking into account the reduction due to dust build up in the dry season. A typical annual dust reduction factor to use is 93% or 0.93. So the “100-watt module,” operating with some accumulated dust may operate on average at about 79 Watts (85 Watts x 0.93 = 79 Watts).
Module Mismatch Losses
The maximum power output of the total PV array is always less than the sum of the maximum output of the individual modules. This difference is a result of slight inconsistencies in performance from one module to the next and is called module mismatch and amounts to at least a 2% loss in system power. A reasonable reduction factor for these losses is 98% or 0.98. So the “100-watt module,” operating with some dust and module mismatch may operate on average at about 77 Watts (79 Watts x 0.98 = 77 Watts).
Wiring (Ohmic) Losses
Power is also lost to resistance in the system wiring. These losses should be kept to a minimum but it is difficult to keep these losses below 3% for the system. A reasonable reduction factor for these losses is 97% or 0.97. So the “100-watt module,” may give an output of about 75 Watts at inverter terminals after ohmic losses (77 Watts x 0.97 = 75 Watts).
DC to AC Conversion Losses (Inverter Losses)
The DC power generated by the solar module must be converted into common household AC power using an inverter. Some power is lost in the conversion process, and there are additional losses in the wires from the rooftop array down to the inverter and out to the house panel. Modern inverters commonly used in residential PV power systems have peak efficiencies of 92 – 94% indicated by their manufacturers, but these again are measured under well-controlled factory conditions. Actual field conditions usually result in overall DC-to-AC conversion efficiencies of about 88 – 92%, with 90% or 0.90 a reasonable compromise. So the “100-watt module,” may give output of about 67 Watts at the output terminals of inverter (75 Watts x 0.90 = 67 Watts).
Transformer Losses
The AC power generated by the inverter must be stepped up to transmit the power efficiently at higher voltage. Some power is lost in the transformation process in transformer. These losses are inclusive of ohmic losses in transformer winding, eddy current losses in laminations and all other losses in transformer. Efficiency of Power Transformers is up to 98%. So we can use the factor 0.98. In case of system not using transformer such as house hold roof top, should not consider the losses of transformer. So the “100-watt module,” may give output of about 65 Watts at the output terminals of transformer, if used (67 Watts x 0.98 = 65 Watts).

Net Power at the Meter
So the “100-watt module” output, reduced by production tolerance, heat, dust, wiring, AC conversion, transformation and other losses will translate into about 65 Watts of AC power delivered to the meter panel during the middle of a clear day
(100 Watts x 0.95 ) x 0.89 x 0.93 x 0.98 x 0.97 x 0.90 x 0.98 = 65 Watts

Sankey Diagram

 

World's Largest Concentrated Solar Power Plant Switches On in Abu Dhabi

It might seem ironic that the oil-rich Middle East also holds nearly half of the world’s renewable energy potential – but yesterday the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, officially inaugurated Shams 1, the largest concentrated solar power plant (CSP) in the world. The plant was designed and developed by Shams Power Company, and it cost $600 million and took three years to build. It’s owned by Masdar, Abengoa Solar and Total.

This gargantuan power plant covers almost one square mile – the equivalent of about 285 football fields. According to Masdar, it will generate enough electricity to power 20,000 homes in the United Arab Emirates. It will also displace 175,000 tons of CO2 per year – the equivalent of planting 1.5 million trees or taking 15,000 cars off the road
Though Abu Dhabi has made a considerable investment in CSP, key members of Shams Power Company foresee most of the country’s renewable energy coming from solar photovoltaic systems to meet its 2020 energy target of producing 7% of its total energy from renewables. This is because photovoltaic systems are cheaper, faster to build and are able to be installed in more locations than CSP systems.
It is good to see a region so rich in oil look to grow its renewable energy potential. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar states, “the inauguration of Shams 1 is a breakthrough for renewable energy development in the Middle East. With the demand for energy rising exponentially, the region is undergoing a major transformation in how it generates electricity. In fact, the Middle East is poised for major investments in renewables, and Shams 1 proves the economic and environmental advantage of deploying large-scale solar projects.”

Understanding Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for Solar Projects

Traditionally PPA was vehicle for purchase of electricity from power producers and distribution utilities. However, now days independent power producers as well as owner of solar power projects assigning PPA’s with non-utility buyers/ open access consumers who have also obligation to meet their solar portfolio. Typically a third party PPA model works in such a way that a project developer builds own and operates a solar plant and signs an agreement (PPA) for selling electricity to any consumers via a long term PPA. In this process, while the open access consumer’s gets a benefit of solar electricity available at a cheaper rate, it also meets its solar power obligation as mandated by the RPO’s. If a project developer do not want to sell its green electricity he can sign a PPA only for the sale of electricity ( grey electricity) and can sell environmental attributes/ green power ( REC’s) in the open market through exchange. This means that solar electricity can be bought by a consumer who want to meet its solar obligation as well as to a consumer who only want to buy electricity. While selling electricity from a solar power generator to any open access consumer located in the same state following charges apply:

Open Access at 33 kV	Gujarat	Maharashtra	Tamil Nadu	Andhra Pradesh	Rajasthan	Karnataka
Transmission losses (%)	7.00%	4.85%	5%	4.02%	4.40%	4.03%
Wheeling Losses (%)	7.00%	6%	7%	7.89%	3.80%	5.00%
Banking Charges (%)	12%	0	0	2%	2%	2%
Wheeling Charges (Rs/kWh)	0.13	0.04	0.14	0	0.11	0
Cross Subsidy Charges (Rs/kWh)	0	0.61	2.07	0	0.38	0.11
Electricity Duty (Rs/kWh)	0	15%	0%	0	0	0
Base Rate( assumed) (Rs/kWh)	5	5	5	5	5	5
Effective Rate (Rs/kWh)	6.43	6.3425	7.81	5.6955	6	5.6615
Open Access Charges	0.79 Rs/Kwh	0.84 Rs/Kwh	6483Rs/Kwh/Month	1592Rs/Mwh/Month	146.61Rs/Kwh/Month	1.56 Rs/Kwh

The above table shows that typically if an electricity generator signs PPA from Rs. 5 with an open access consumer, the net rate to the consumer ranges between Rs. 5.6-7.8 depending on the location of the state. Cross subsidy surcharges are the major factor in the state which impact the electricity sale to a third party while few states such as Gujarat do not have any cross subsidy surcharge for Solar on the other hand states such as Tamil Nadu charge over Rs.2 as cross subsidy surcharge. In order to avoid the cross subsidy surcharge many solar investors sign a PPA under group captive scheme. The group captive scheme requires at least 26% of equity share in the solar project by the consumer and has to consume a minimum of 51% electricity from the solar project. Many large consumers are now tying up PPA’s with solar generators to take benefit of group captive generation scheme. It is important that the buyers and sellers of electricity must be aware of the different state regulations and find out an appropriate way for the third party sale. In recent time, third party sale model has also been adopted by roof top owners where in the solar power developer installs a solar plant at the roof top of any building owner and signs a PPA for electricity sale through roof top solar. In case the electricity is consumed directly by the building as off- grid consumption, no REC benefits are available. 30% capital subsidy and accelerated depreciation can be availed.

Excellent Solar REC Trading in Opening of the year 2013

The Solar REC trading for the month of January 2013 concluded on 31th jan. In contradiction to the trend of last few months, the opening month of this year has posted strong gains in volume. The Solar REC cleared volume is of 203 REC on PXIL and 2105 REC on IEX. This time REC trading showcased an impressive growth of 126% growth over last month’s trading session on IEX whereas on PXIL there is reduction of 26%. This can be due to the fact that maximum trading is happened on IEX. Considering the number of clearing volume that is maximum RECs are traded in IEX (90%) so we will discuss further for IEX on

In total buy bids 40,138 this is 24 times as compare to the previous month. IEX extended their dominance in the REC trading market with 90% Solar RECs traded while PXIL saw trading of only 10% certificates. As pointed out earlier, the growing dominance could very likely make IEX the sole exchange in the REC market. But while trading only PXIL has shown growth of maximum clearing price of REC and that is by Rs 400 per REC (increase of 3.3%)whereas IEX shown as decrease of Rs 120 per REC(decrease of 1%)
Both IEX and PXIL cleared Solar RECs at a price of Rs. 12,500 per certificate. The number of participants in IEX has shown a tremendous growth of 100% for bidding of RECs.

Conclusion
This can be due to approaching the end of financial year. This is a clear indication that companies, now more than ever are trying to fulfil their RPO as the window to do so is starting to close (March 2012 being the final month to fulfil current obligations).
The growth in the solar REC buy bids shows the growing appetite for these specific RECs while there is virtually no supply for these certificates at this time (Buy bid 40,138 and sell bid 3356). Power producers looking to setup a solar PV plant under the REC route can virtually command any price that they want.
It is unlikely that project developers are going to face difficulties in getting their RECs sold in the near term as the demand continues to soar while the supply is unable to keep up, especially in the solar REC segment which has seen very low sale bids as compare to non-solar RECs.

Abbreviations
REC: Renewable Energy Certificate
RPO: Renewable Purchase Obligation
PV: Photovoltaic
IEX: Indian Energy Exchange
PXIL: Power Exchange of India Ltd
CV: Clearing Volume
MCP: Minimum Clearing Price

Researchers Create Efficient, Recyclable Solar Cells from Trees

Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology‘s Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics (COPE), in collaboration with Purdue University have unveiled a new efficient, recyclable organic solar cell made from trees—or, more specifically, from a substrate that can be sourced not only from trees but from other plants as well. These efficient polymer solar cells are then fabricated on cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) substrates to create a more sustainable solar cell that can be quickly recycled in room-temperature water.

While this is far from the first organic solar cell to be developed, it is believed to be the first that is truly recyclable, and potentially sustainable. To date organic solar cells have, as Georgia Tech explains, largely been fabricated on glass or plastic, while others have used petroleum substrates. Professor Bernard Kippelen of the Georgia Institute of Technology led the study. Describing the research, he emphasized the importance of the team’s work: “organic solar cells must be recyclable. Otherwise we are simply solving one problem, less dependence on fossil fuels, while creating another, a technology that produces energy from renewable sources but is not disposable at the end of its lifecycle.”
The CNC substrate onto which the solar cells are fabricated are “optically transparent (like a leaf) which lets light pass through before it’s absorbed by a very thin layer of an organic semiconductor,” explains Forbes. While the current conversion efficiency rate for the tree-based solar cells might appear underwhelming, 2.7 percent, the team describe it as “unprecedented” for “cells on substrates derived from renewable raw materials.” With a provisional patent filed, the team at COPE plan to next work on reaching “power conversion efficiency over 10 percent, levels similar to solar cells fabricated on glass or petroleum-based substrates.”