Solar ... In the news

EricMears

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Back to the PPA issue, I said that export in the hols is irrelevant to the school, but I suppose when they are buying more, more expensive leccy in the winter months, they might wish they were open during August instead!
Mart.

One - almost unbelievable ! - example of a local authority showing a bit of common sense was when my wife's school (in Mansfield) shut down for an extra week at the end of the Xmas hols around 15 years ago. The reason given was to save on fuel bills at the most expensive time of year (and they made the time up by shortening the Easter break).

We thought it was an excellent idea but AFAIK, they've never done it again since.

Martyn1981

EricMears wrote: »

We thought it was an excellent idea but AFAIK, they've never done it again since.

Hiya Eric. I know I'm only dreaming, but we could consider ideas, going forward, to better match supply and demand.

One simple idea for PV would be to extend BST right through the year, which seems well supported anyway. I watch my generation stop earlier each evening, then when it hits 6pm, the clocks change and it drops to 5pm.

In the early spring it rises to 5pm, before leaping to 6pm.

Just a thought.

Mart.

EricMears

Martyn1981 wrote: »

One simple idea for PV would be to extend BST right through the year, which seems well supported anyway

Absolutely NOT !!!

"British Summer Time" was a stupid idea when it was introduced and is still ridiculous. It doesn't make an iota of difference to the amount of daylight we experience nor of course would it give us any extra PV generation.

What we should have done (during WW1 I believe) was to stick with 'proper' time but legislate for businesses starting earlier in the summer. Anyone who wants to get up earlier in the summer is always free to do so and the modern trend of flexible working means that they ought to be able to adjust their working hours to suit their preferred waking pattern.

And while I'm in rant mode, just what is the point of the continent adopting 'Berlin Time' ? The Greenwich Meridian actually passes very close to Paris and I'm sure if we hadn't called GMT Greenwich Mean Time the French would have settled for using the same time scale but calling it Paris Mean Time. And for Spain to use 'Berlin Time' (and move it even further forward in the summer is even more stupid - Noon on the Atlantic coast must occur round about 3pm on local clocks !

Martyn1981

EricMears wrote: »

Absolutely NOT !!!

So you wouldn't be a fan of GMT+1 in the winter and GMT+2 in the summer then? :whistle:

Mart.

EricMears

Martyn1981 wrote: »

So you wouldn't be a fan of GMT+1 in the winter and GMT+2 in the summer then?

Mart.

Again : Absolutely NOT !!!

I've no quarrel with anyone who wants to get up two hours earlier in the summer than they would in the winter but really don't see why the whole country has to take part in that farce.

Changing clocks makes it really awkward for shift workers who have to work an extra hour one day in autumn and an hour less one day in spring. It's also particularly useless for farmers who need to milk their cows at regular intervals.

The argument has often been suggested that everyone keeping the same time would make it easier for EU officials to liaise with all states - thank goodness Brexit has knocked that one on the head ! - but large countries like USA, Australia & Russia have always managed to cope with different parts of the country celebrating different times.

Martyn1981

Little article about GM and their aim to be using 100% renewables by 2050:

Solar to be pillar of GM’s commitment to 100% renewables by 2050

Like Nissan they are repurposing car batts for stationary storage:-

GM said its “pursuit of electrified vehicles and efficient manufacturing”, combined with its expertise in electric vehicle batteries, will see it meet its 2050 target. “Energy storage can ultimately address the intermittency or reliability of wind and solar energy,” it said in a statement.

GM is using repurposed Chevrolet Volt batteries, originally used in Chevrolet’s Volt extended-range electric cars, for energy storage from solar and wind generation at its vehicle testing facility in Milford, in Michigan. The Volt batteries supply power to its Milford data centre; excess energy is returned to the grid supplying the rest of the Milford site.

A similar scheme is in place in Japan, where Japanese trading company Sumitomo has a joint venture with Nissan Motors to reuse electric vehicle batteries.

Mart.

Martyn1981

Interesting little project in Oxford to install PV and storage:-

Project ERIC

Project ERIC (Energy Resources for Integrated Communities) is an initiative bringing solar PV power and smart energy storage to 80 homes a school and community centre in Rose Hill, East Oxford. Project ERIC is led by Moixa Technology and Bioregional and is part-funded by Innovate UK.

WHAT IS PROJECT ERIC?

ERIC stands for Energy Resources for Integrated Communities. It is a research project part funded by the UK government (Innovate UK) to look at how using innovative energy storage technology could help a group of homes in a community to save energy. We have chosen Rose Hill in east Oxford as the site.

The project will involve Oxford City Council, GreenSquare and private homeowners installing solar PV panels on roofs, and at the same time project lead, Moixa Technology, installing a Maslow energy storage unit.

We will be working with up to 100 households, at least 60 of which will have solar PV, and all of which will have a Maslow storage unit.

Once installed, Moixa will monitor the energy generation from solar PV, energy demand from the household and the storage of energy within the Maslow battery. The project will run for 27months from January 2015 to April 2017.

Environmental sustainability charity, Bioregional will be overseeing the community engagement and liaison with residents.

Project ERIC represents a £1.2m investment in Rose Hill over the next two years. We hope it will have a significant impact for local residents; bringing down energy bills and giving the local community greater control and power over the energy they use.

Maslow storage specs.

Mart.

Martyn1981

Article on the Tesla Gigafactory. The author seems quite excited, but does explain what could go wrong with such a vast build.

Tesla Gigafactory 1 — Will It Succeed Or Fail?

Will this gargantuan project fail or succeed?

The answer will have dramatic consequences for the energy and transportation sectors, as the goal is nothing short of transformative. If successful, the Gigafactory will change the way we produce, store, and use energy by enabling variable renewables, wind, and solar PV as well as the large-scale electrification of transportation.

If successful, externalities of this transformation will be much cleaner air and water, as coal and liquid fuel use is displaced, and a reduction in CO2 emissions.

If the project fails, it could easily set back the transition to renewables and electric vehicles by years.

Mart.

Martyn1981

First grid scale Tesla Powerpack install in Europe completed in the UK

The first grid scale installation of the Tesla Powerpack system in Europe has been completed in the UK by Camborne Energy Storage and is set to provide ancillary services to the National Grid.

The 500kWh capacity system, has been co-located with a 500kWp solar farm in Somerset to demonstrate the potential to provide a balanced grid.

Mart.

Martyn1981

For anyone that missed it, here's an article exploring the recent record low bid for PV generation in Abu Dhabi, at just US 2.42c/kWh.

How The Jaw-Dropping Fall In Solar Prices Will Change Energy Markets

Converting to sterling and allowing for generation in Abu Dhabi being around 1,800 to 2,000kWh/kWp, gives us a UK cost of around 3.5p/kWh or £35/MWh. Though land costs here would probably push that up.

But it does suggest that PV panel costs could fall substantially, perhaps 50%. That could knock 15% off domestic PV costs, and 25% of PV farm costs, driving both towards a subsidy free price especially if the playing field starts to level with some carbon pricing.

The article goes on to point out some interesting comparisons regarding what EDF are up to around the world:-

According to PV Magazine, two other consortium, one led by French nuclear giant EdF, also beat the previous record mark.

The solar bids must also be causing some soul-searching at EdF. Its offer of $US25.33/MWh for the Abu Dhabi solar plant is just over one fifth of the price (£92.50, or $US120/MWh) it demanded for the new nuclear power plant Hinkley Point C in the UK.

And that nuclear price is over and above the huge loan guarantees, insurance backing from the government and other subsidies piled on to the proposed nuclear plant.

(And before all the nuclear boosters get on line to talk about back-up for renewables and the qualities of nuclear “baseload”, remember that the UK grid operator said the cost of back up for Hinkley would total around $12 billion over the life of the project).

That cost differential is perhaps one reason why EdF is expressing a lot of enthusiasm about solar, storage technologies, and wind energy, which recent bids have also shown is significantly cheaper than the nuclear option. Indeed, Hinkley Point is already being branded as the biggest “white elephant” in UK history.

EdF recently won a contract for 49MW of battery storage with National Grid in the UK, is building the biggest wind farm in France and the first three offshore wind farms in that country.

Mart.