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News:
| 24.11.2008 |
New Study from Energy Watch Group
Rapid expansion of renewable energies is affordable - new nuclear
power plants are unnecessary!
According to a press release from the Energy Watch Group (EWG), formed
by the initiatives of international parliamentarians, the phasing
out of fossil/nuclear energy supplies is feasible financially with
manageable investments. This was the conclusion drawn by the authors
of the new study, "Renewable Energy Outlook 2030". According
to the study, at least 17-30% of the worldwide power and heat demand
can be met by regenerative sources by 2030.
The annual capital expenditure requirement necessary will reach
€62 to €124 per head of the global population by this
time. Overall, required investments have ranged between €510bn
and €1.021bn, depending on the speed of expansion. As a comparison,
2005 saw a worldwide expenditure of about €800bn for armaments,
€120 per head of the global population. According to the press
release, Germany is currently spending about €100 per citizen
for investments in culture.
The "Renewable Energy Outlook 2030" study analyses two
scenarios of the expansion of renewable energies - a lower and an
upper variant. Supply with fuels is not considered. It deals exclusively
with electrical power and, with certain limitations, with heat.
Channelled into the study are technology costs, learning curves
for manufacturing costs, projected investments, the different economic
power of regions across the world, available potential for renewable
energies and growth progression. The analysis was compiled on behalf
of the Energy Watch Group by Stefan Peter (Institute for Sustainable
Solutions and Innovations, ISUSI) and Dr. Harry Lehmann. The English
version of "Renewable Energy Outlook 2030" is available
from the Internet (155 pages, PDF format) under www.energywatchgroup.org.
An abridged German version (14 pages) is also available.
Source: Energy Watch Group (EWG)
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| 06.10.2008 |
Spain puts the brakes on growth in the solar industry: Solar power feed allowances are being reduced and photovoltaic expansion is being limited
The Spanish government has re-regulated the funding of solar power.
As reported by Corporate Law firm Rödl & Partner in a press
release, feed allowances for electricity from photovoltaic systems
are sinking less than previously expected (by about 30% to 34 Cent/kWh
for roof installations and 32 Cent/kWh for ground installations),
but the maximum rating of roof installations will be limited in the
future to 2 Megawatt (MW) and of ground installations to 10MW. The
annual allocation payment is being capped for the whole of Spain at
267MW for roof installations and at 133MW for ground installations
(upper limit of funding). An additional 100MW capacity has been approved
for roof installations and a 60MW capacity for open-area solar parks
as part of a transition ruling for 2009 and 2010. The new ruling is
based on Royal Decree 1578/2008 that came into force on 28.09.2008.
In the future, allowance tariffs are to be increased/decreased in
accordance with the trend of the allocation payment applied for. If
all allocation capacity is used up in one round of allocations, the
tariff is reduced in the next round, whilst, conversely, the tariff
is increased in the next round of allocations in the event allocation
payment remain free.
Rödl & Partner: Photovoltaic projects in Spain can also be
cost-effective in the future. The Spanish government justifies the
measures with the objective of braking, and better controlling, the
rapid development of photovoltaics, whilst at the same time promoting
research and development. "In the future, however, it will only
be those investors applying for projects at an early stage and submitting
the required documents in their entirety who have good chances of
success."
Source: Rödl & Partner: |
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| 05.08.2008 |
Gabriel rejects nuclear plans from
Glos: "We need sustainable energy policies, not nuclear energy lobbying"
"The coalition agreement is unequivocal - an exit from high-risk
atomic energy technology remains in place. If the Federal Ministry
of Economics tinkers with strategies to re-address it, it is not only
a clear violation of the coalition agreement, it demonstrates above
all that Glos is conducting out-and-out atomic lobbying". This
is how Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel commented on the
plans from the Federal Ministry of Economics for a "nuclear energy
deployment law". Sustainable energy policies must, however, rely
on a massive increase in energy efficiency and on renewable energies.
Because it is only this way that price rises for consumers can be
curbed, security of supply be guaranteed and the climate protection
objectives of the Federal Government be achieved, says Gabriel. Gabriel
emphasizes that Germany is profiting like no other national economy
from the developments in renewable energies. 250,000 people are already
working in the industry sector. Environmental technology "made
in Germany" is a major export. By 2020, the number of jobs in
this sustainable sector will have risen to at least 500,000. "A
Finance Minister looking to stall this boom is in the wrong job",
says Gabriel. Prolonging the service lives of older nuclear power
stations does not make fuel or electricity any cheaper. There is no
safe place of disposal anywhere in the world for highly radioactive
nuclear waste. At the same time, advocates of nuclear power in particular
have refused a candid search for a site here in the past. Anyone wanting
longer service lives without having a safe place of disposal is playing
politics at the expense of future generations. According to Gabriel,
prolonging the service lives of older nuclear power stations would
not reduce the price of fuel or electricity. It would simply result
in even higher profits for the four major energy suppliers. "Ludwig
Erhard would turn in his grave if he knew his successor was confusing
regulatory politics with lobbying", says the Federal Minister
for the Environment.
Source: BMU |
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| 30.07.2008 |
Solar study course in Jena successfully
accredited
When the new academic year beings this autumn, the Technical College
in Jena will start a study course quite unique within Germany - Photovoltaics
and Semiconductor Technology. The Technical College in Jena reports
in a press release that the Bachelor course has now been accredited
without any conditions attached.
The new course of study, a highly topical scientific field, enriches
the range of courses offered at the Technical College. The Carl
Zeiss trust is supporting the Technical College through a trust
professorship in the setting up of this new focus. The new course
paves the way for future employment within one of the most promising
high-tech technologies - production technologies for solar cells
and microelectronic chips. The goals and academic content of the
course have been developed jointly by representatives of the industry
so as to satisfy the growing demand for qualified engineers and
to provide graduates a successful start to their professional careers.
The Photovoltaics and Semiconductor course is being run in conjunction
with the Institute for Photonic Technologies in Jena (IPHT). The
institute has been working for years in the field of photovoltaics
research. This experience and the excellent technical equipment
also benefit the new course.
Source: Technical College in Jena
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| 14.07.2008 |
Photovoltaics: Solar roofs continue
to pay off.
Real-estate portal Immowelt.de gives the all-clear to housebuilders
relying on solar power. State aid is not being cut anywhere near as
much as feared, stresses Immowelt in a press release. Anyone installing
a photovoltaics system and feeding the solar power generated from
the sun into the public grid will, in the future, receive a not insubstantial
level of support from the state. This is because the new allowance
rates for solar power have not been cut anywhere near as much as feared.
The allowance rates in the Renewable Energies Law (REL) for new
solar roof systems are to sink by 8% in 2009 and 2010 and by 9%
in 2011. This means that the allowance for a solar roof system with
a maximum rating of 30 Kilowatt is exactly 43.01 cents per Kilowatt-hour
in 2009, 39.57 cents in 2010 and 36.01 cents in 2011. To date, solar
power allowances have decreased by 5% annually. The new ruling affects
those who, from next year on, install a solar system and feed power
into the grid. A right of continuance applies for systems already
installed. Immowelt: A return in capital is expected despite a lowering
of the allowance. The REL regulates the prices at which electricity
suppliers must take the power generated. Thanks to the support of
the REL, consumers generally receive more money for the solar power
fed into the grid than they need to pay for the power sourced from
the supplier. An appropriate allowance is paid depending on the
year in which the system was installed. This is deemed a security
of investment over 20 years and remains constant.
Source: Immowelt AG
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| 15.01.2008 |
German solar power industry continues
on expansion course - turnover rose in 2007 by 23% to €5.5bn.
Berlin - 2007 was a year of records for the German photovoltaic sector.
According to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar), the
number of solar power systems, mounted primarily on German roofs,
increased by about 130,000 to a total of 430,000 systems. BSW-Solar
announced that, with 1100 MWp of additional solar power output, more
solar power systems were connected to the grid in Germany last year
than ever before.
The turnover of German photovoltaic manufacturers rose last year by
23% to about €5.5bn. German solar companies created 10,000 new
jobs in 2007. According to the German Solar Industry Association,
the total number of employees in the solar industry rose to 40,000.
The German Association is expecting double-digit market growth for
2008 as well.
According to BSW-Solar, solar power systems with a total rating of
about 3.8 Gigawatt peak have been installed to date. The amount of
electricity generated, 3000 Gigawatt hours, is theoretically sufficient
to power all of the homes in Hamburg. After an expansion of 850 MWp
in both 2005 and 2006, about 1100 MWp of photovoltaic power was installed
in Germany in 2007.
Source: iwr |
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| 20.12.2007 |
Two years ago, Google embraced
the concept of solar energy and installed a large photovoltaic system
at their company headquarters. Now the Internet group also wants to
generate revenue through the development and operation of other renewable
energy generating plants.
The self-styled world-changers in Mountain View are aiming extremely
high. Yet the technology with which they are looking to achieve their
goals does not yet exist.
Google wants to enter the renewable energy business on a large scale.
Up to now it has only been apparent that the successful company has
ambitious goals. Firstly, Google wants to build plants rated at one
Gigawatt (solar-thermal power plants, wind power systems and geothermal
power plants). Secondly, the plants are to generate electricity cheaper
than coal-fired power plants (at a cost of 1 to 3 US cents, 0.6 to
2 Euro cents, per Kilowatt hour). Thirdly, the end of November saw
Larry Page, founder of Google, announce that construction work should
take years rather than decades.
Source: Photon |
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| 29.11.2007 |
World climate protection needs
new political approaches
Dr. Hermann Scheer: World climate protection needs new political approaches.
World climate conferences can no longer be the measure of all things
for global climate protection. We need a global alliance of states
really willing to act." Dr. Hermann Scheer, Member of the Bundestag,
president of EUROSOLAR and chairman of the World Council for Renewable
Energy (WCRE), commenting on the outcome of the world climate conference
in Bali:
The conference in Bali has once again demonstrated that negotiations
aimed at an all-encompassing global agreement on climate protection
can collapse on the smallest common denominator of a minimal compromise.
But the organised pyromania of burning fossil fuels can not be stopped
this way.
Whatever the outcome of such conferences, it is not sufficient to
keep pace with the challenge actually posed and world civilization
is at risk of losing the race against time. Introducing rapid and
comprehensively laid-out steps for a turnaround in energy thinking,
whilst reaching world consensus from all governments at the same time,
is like squaring a circle. This is the experience borne out again
from Bali.
What is necessary is an international alliance of states willing to
act, "a coalition of the willing" against the on-going world war to
destroy nature, which leads by setting a good example and, with it,
triggers worldwide radiation of a technological revolution in the
use of renewable energies. Nobody will be able to shirk away from
such a dynamic.
Source: Solarnews |
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| 21.10.2007 |
Nobel peace prize winner Al Gore
guest at 2nd German EnBW climate congress
Just a few days after being awarded the Nobel peace prize, former
US Vice-President Al Gore is set to make his first public appearance
in Germany - at the 2nd German EnBW climate congress at Energie Baden-Württemberg
AG. October 23rd 2007 will see Gore hold his talk "An Uncomfortable
Truth" as part of the event's evening program. Besides Al Gore, other
renowned international climate protectors and academics will be participating
in the one-day EnBW climate congress. The aim of the congress is to
create an international, cross-discipline forum which allows interexchange
between experts and decision-makers from the worlds of science, industry,
politics and business. Federal Foreign Minister Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier
and Head of the State of Baden-Württemberg Günther Oettinger will
hold the opening speeches. They will shed light on "conflict risks
through climate change" and the "sustainability strategy in the state
of Baden-Württemberg"
Source: EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg A |
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| 08.10.2007 |
Solar lamps for the world's poor
in the era of global climate protection
In the age of space travel, has reading in the light of petroleum
lamps finally been consigned to the past once and for all? Not by
any means... Over two billion people still do not have access to electricity.
But petroleum lamps only provide weak lighting - and release harmful
soot particles. The solarprojekt-freilassing e.V association has sought
to address the problem, developing an alternative not harmful to the
environment or health with the help of the German Environmental Foundation
(DBU): SOLAR 2000-LED mobile solar lamps. "In Africa alone, it is
estimated there are more than 50 million petroleum lamps in use. This
is not only harmful to health, it is also expensive and damaging to
the environment - an average of three litres of petroleum is required
every month for lighting each lamp. The upshot is an annual emission
of 80 kilograms of carbon dioxide", says DBU General Secretary Dr.
Fritz Brickwedde. Continuing, he says "For 50 million petroleum lamps,
this equates to 40 million tons of harmful gas in one year".
Source:DBU |
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| 19.09.2007 |
Solar shares flying high
Whilst the dreary autumn weather takes hold in Germany, the sun continues
to shine for the prices of solar shares. This week, Solon, Solarworld
& Co rallied impressively and reached new record highs. Is this the
start of renewed solar hype? Anyone who thought prices of German solar
shares had surpassed their Zenith is very much mistaken. Over the
last few days, virtually all solar prices listed on TecDax scaled
to new peaks. Q-Cells boss Anton Millner triggered the solar rally.
Millner prophesized worldwide year-on-year growth of at least 40 percent
in the solar industry, demonstrating far more optimism than the Bundesverband
der Solarwirtschaft (German Solar Industry Association). Their forecasts
show a year-on-year annual increase of just 20 percent.
This growth forecast does not surprise experts.
Source: ARD Börse |
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| 07.09.2007 |
German solar boom continues
The boom in the German solar sector continues unabated. According
to the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (German Solar Industry Association),
solar cell production in Germany in the first 6 months of 2007 rose
by a third to 300 Megawatts compared to the same period last year.
Around 15 new solar factories are to be constructed in Germany by
2008. The worry concerning radical change to the Renewable Energies
Act has since receded. The federal government is apparently not looking
to restrict solar production and has decided against a capping of
funding.
Besides Germany, hopes for the solar industry are pinned primarily
on Southern Europe and the USA. A rethink in environmental protection
issues has taken place in the land of endless opportunities. The funding
of solar power is set to undergo expansion on a massive scale. The
American Photovoltaic Exhibition Solarpower is currently taking place.
This could generate new impetus.
Source: solarserver.de |
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| 13.08.2007 |
Solar power: On-roof photovoltaic
system with 1.2MW on grid
One of the world's largest roof-mounted photovoltaic systems, in Grosselfingen
(Baden-Württemberg), has been connected to the grid. Rated at 1.2
Megawatt, the system extends over 13,000m2 on three commercial buildings
and is fitted with around 6,500 solar modules. The system could meet
the entire alternative energy supply of 255 households. This power
rating elevates the system into the Top 10 on-roof systems worldwide.
The system is also impressive in regard to energy balance and environmental
friendliness. An annual emission of 705 tons of carbon dioxide is
prevented with the implementation of this system.
Source: solarserver.de |
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| 09.05.2007 |
Index shows: China and India catching
up
According to a study by Ernst & Young, India and China will be
the countries with the most potential for renewable energies in the
coming years. Consequently these countries are considered to be worthwhile
investments for the future. The quarterly appearing index, which examines
the attractiveness of investments, sees the USA as the clear-cut number
1, but India and China are gaining considerable ground.
The reasons given are extremely strong economic growth and the associated
"hunger" for energies. On the other hand, legislation favours
these developments in terms of environmental protection and increased
public sensitivity.
Internationalisation of this issue demonstrates the global importance
attached to climate change.
Source:Ernst & Young |
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| 02.05.2007 |
Photovoltaics - enormous future
potential
Whilst wind and hydro power have geographical limitations, photovoltaics
has the greatest potential and the shortest distance from producer
to consumer. In addition to the benefit of lower environmental pollution,
this short "supply chain" means low transportation costs
(if any at all).
A photovoltaic system can be installed on the smallest of roofs. No
harmful CO2 gasses are emitted and even the visual aspect of a PV
system argues more in favour of an investment than against.
Last but certainly not least, the service life of a good PV system
is at least 25 years for this type of investment in the future.
Source: ENDS |
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| 12.04.2007 |
Spain to achieve 100% independence
through renewable energies by 2050
According to a new Greenpeace study, Spain will be able to cover its
entire electricity requirement using renewable energies by 2050. Various
corners, however, are not buying into this study despite the fact
that Spain also has a pioneering role in the field of renewable energies.
This quota now amounts to a proud 25%.
Further studies indicate that the costs up to this point in time will
amount to a maximum of 1/3 of the costs required for atomic/gas energy
A figure of 12 cent per kwh (Germany 18 cent, California 13 cent)
is anticipated by 2010. This means that solar power is not only attractive,
it is also already more cost-effective than conventionally generated
power.
Source: ENDS |
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