http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Energy/energy-trends-in-2008/
(Jan 8, 2008)
Creating and consuming energy is going to be a hot topic in 2008 as the public starts looking for renewable power sources for homes and cars. Here are some exciting energy trends to keep an eye on. 
Solar
Solar energy is going to become cheaper as thinner, highly efficient solar panels that are easy to maintain and install become readily available. The flexible panels invented by Vivian Alberts of the University of Johannesburg in South Africa are hitting the commercial market in 2008. Super thin (five microns thick -- a human hair is 20 microns thick) these panels convert light into energy at a fraction of the cost.
India is offering a 100 percent subsidy on solar PV systems for remote village electrification and the Renewable Energy Corp. (REC) has started construction on a $6.3 billion solar cell plant in Singapore. The Canadian government is installing a 108 kW of solar panels in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and the United Technologies Corp. and US Renewables Group are working on a project in Santa Monica, California to produce enough solar energy for 500,000 homes a year.
Wind
More wind farms are going to be developed and 2008 will be the year where the industry addresses the issues of reliability and cost. Amidst a growing concern that wind farms are a danger to birds, the industry will have to look at a significant redesign, perhaps moving to vertical turbines. Siemens has teamed up with the Norwegian energy group, Norsk Hydro, to install a wind farm in the middle of the North Sea that will result in 200 turbines by 2014. The U.S. remains a world leader followed by Germany, India, Spain and China.
Tidal
The relatively unknown tidal power is due to become more popular thanks to several projects coming to fruition. Trials in the Strait of Messina, Italy delivered some promising results as did turbines on the Gold Coast of Australia. Tidal Energy Pty Ltd did a rollout of tidal turbines for remote communities in Canada, Vietnam and Torres Strait.
The British company Lunar Energy announced it would start building the world's first tidal energy farm off the coast of Pembrokshire in Wales with enough electricity for 5,000 homes. The world's largest wave farm will be built off the Scottish island of Orkney, at a cost of £10 million. The commercial prototype of SeaGen rotors was installed by Marine Current Turbines off the coast of Northern Ireland.
British Columbia Tidal Energy Corp. announced plans to deploy at least three 1.2-MW turbines in the Campbell River. A wave energy converter has been constructed for installation off the coast of Oregon and will be monitored throughout 2008. The Pacific Gas & Electric Company has signed an agreement with San Francisco to study the Bay's energy potential and the economic feasibility of tapping into tidal power.
Fuel Cell
Honda unveiled the FCX Clarity, a production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, now being tested in California. The company has plan to start building fuelling stations in the UK, thereby paving the way for fuel cell vehicles in Europe. General Motors launched the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell along with Project Driveway, the largest market test of fuel cell electric vehicles involving over 300 test groups. GM also plans to start building the world’s largest fuel cell vehicle fleet. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is creating a new research center for hydrogen fuel cell science after receiving a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
This summer, the EU-funded Zemships (Zero Emission Ships) will start operating a fuel cell hybrid ship in Hamburg on the Alster River (a tributary of the Elbe). Zaragoza, Spain will be introducing Fuel Cell Hybrid MidiBuses this summer. Millennium Cell Inc and Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies have completed a pre-production version of the HydroPak(TM) portable power generator using fuel cell technology that is a high energy alternative to lead acid battery packs and portable generators.
Geothermal
Germany has pledged to start developing geothermal energy throughout the country and the government of New Zealand is fast tracking renewable energy facilities combining wind and geothermal projects. Ten new areas in the interior of Queensland, Australia were opened for exploration of geothermal energy. The difficult and expensive task of locating good sources is undergoing a radical change with a new method developed by two U.S. researchers that uses helium isotopes.
The Idaho Power Company geothermal power plant at Raft River, Idaho reached commercial power generation and will continue to evolve. Iceland is expanding into the geothermal market and the Geothermal Energy Association identified geothermal power projects under development across Canada and nine U.S. states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah.
Shelagh McNally is the editor of Green Living Online.
Energy trends in 2008
Solar
Solar energy is going to become cheaper as thinner, highly efficient solar panels that are easy to maintain and install become readily available. The flexible panels invented by Vivian Alberts of the University of Johannesburg in South Africa are hitting the commercial market in 2008. Super thin (five microns thick -- a human hair is 20 microns thick) these panels convert light into energy at a fraction of the cost.
India is offering a 100 percent subsidy on solar PV systems for remote village electrification and the Renewable Energy Corp. (REC) has started construction on a $6.3 billion solar cell plant in Singapore. The Canadian government is installing a 108 kW of solar panels in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and the United Technologies Corp. and US Renewables Group are working on a project in Santa Monica, California to produce enough solar energy for 500,000 homes a year.
Wind
More wind farms are going to be developed and 2008 will be the year where the industry addresses the issues of reliability and cost. Amidst a growing concern that wind farms are a danger to birds, the industry will have to look at a significant redesign, perhaps moving to vertical turbines. Siemens has teamed up with the Norwegian energy group, Norsk Hydro, to install a wind farm in the middle of the North Sea that will result in 200 turbines by 2014. The U.S. remains a world leader followed by Germany, India, Spain and China.
Tidal
The relatively unknown tidal power is due to become more popular thanks to several projects coming to fruition. Trials in the Strait of Messina, Italy delivered some promising results as did turbines on the Gold Coast of Australia. Tidal Energy Pty Ltd did a rollout of tidal turbines for remote communities in Canada, Vietnam and Torres Strait.
The British company Lunar Energy announced it would start building the world's first tidal energy farm off the coast of Pembrokshire in Wales with enough electricity for 5,000 homes. The world's largest wave farm will be built off the Scottish island of Orkney, at a cost of £10 million. The commercial prototype of SeaGen rotors was installed by Marine Current Turbines off the coast of Northern Ireland.
British Columbia Tidal Energy Corp. announced plans to deploy at least three 1.2-MW turbines in the Campbell River. A wave energy converter has been constructed for installation off the coast of Oregon and will be monitored throughout 2008. The Pacific Gas & Electric Company has signed an agreement with San Francisco to study the Bay's energy potential and the economic feasibility of tapping into tidal power.
Fuel Cell
Honda unveiled the FCX Clarity, a production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, now being tested in California. The company has plan to start building fuelling stations in the UK, thereby paving the way for fuel cell vehicles in Europe. General Motors launched the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell along with Project Driveway, the largest market test of fuel cell electric vehicles involving over 300 test groups. GM also plans to start building the world’s largest fuel cell vehicle fleet. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is creating a new research center for hydrogen fuel cell science after receiving a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
This summer, the EU-funded Zemships (Zero Emission Ships) will start operating a fuel cell hybrid ship in Hamburg on the Alster River (a tributary of the Elbe). Zaragoza, Spain will be introducing Fuel Cell Hybrid MidiBuses this summer. Millennium Cell Inc and Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies have completed a pre-production version of the HydroPak(TM) portable power generator using fuel cell technology that is a high energy alternative to lead acid battery packs and portable generators.
Geothermal
Germany has pledged to start developing geothermal energy throughout the country and the government of New Zealand is fast tracking renewable energy facilities combining wind and geothermal projects. Ten new areas in the interior of Queensland, Australia were opened for exploration of geothermal energy. The difficult and expensive task of locating good sources is undergoing a radical change with a new method developed by two U.S. researchers that uses helium isotopes.
The Idaho Power Company geothermal power plant at Raft River, Idaho reached commercial power generation and will continue to evolve. Iceland is expanding into the geothermal market and the Geothermal Energy Association identified geothermal power projects under development across Canada and nine U.S. states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah.
Shelagh McNally is the editor of Green Living Online.
2 Comments
posted Jan 16, 2008 - 3:59 pm by patricia
I'd love to see what other are doing to landscape their yards, without grass. I'm working on a plan, for the front. The back was ease. My backyard looks like a mall with planters wall to wall.
posted Mar 2, 2008 - 11:22 am by jonathan camm
what is the general solar energy situation in Southern Africa interms of use,demand,trends and environmental impacts?
Add your comment
Facebook
Digg It
del.icio.us
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Care2
RSS
.gif)
rss