Greenicles | Green Energy + Green Environment + Green Power

Nigeria’s Power Reforms: Good News for Solar?

2014-05-14T19:45:00.003+01:00

By Lanre Okanlawon

One of the best things happening to the power sector in Nigeria is the ongoing power sector reforms. Initially conceived by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in August, 2000 and currently midwifed by President Goodluck Jonathan, the economic importance of reforming Nigeria’s power sector cannot be understated.

According to Power Minister, Professor Chinedu Nebo, Nigeria seeks to provide quality and sustainable electricity supply to a good number of citizenry and is prepared to take in support from around the world towards revamping her power sector using various power technologies available. With this assertion, coupled with recent milestones achieved with regards to the reform’s road map, there seems to be an atom of hope for Africa’s most populous country after so many decades of erratic supplies and incessant power outages.

With a population of over 160 million people and a strong contender to take the number one spot as Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria’s current move to overhaul its power sector is seen by all as a step in the right direction. Developing countries like Nigeria require very large scale investments in their power sector to boost economic activities and improve living standards. But this level of investment is rarely provided by the public sector, hence the need for privatization and changes from business as usual.

For many years, Nigeria’s power sector has relied heavily on hydro-electric power resources and gas-fired thermal stations. Even despite having one of the world’s largest gas reserves, Nigeria has not been able to solve its power plague. According to the 66 page Power Reforms Roadmap document released by the Presidential Task Force on Power in August 2013 , “Nigeria has abundant renewable energy sources that should be exploited for energy security“.

In a world where every developed nation is obsessed with becoming more energy secured and independent, it is imperative that a more diversified and vibrant energy market needs to be created for Nigeria to attain its self acclaimed status. An evident power option for diversification, putting in mind recent technological advances, crashing prices and abundance of resource in developing countries like Nigeria, is solar energy. Tropical locations like Nigeria experience more than 330 days of sunshine for over 10 hours daily. Large scale solar farms could provide electricity to power hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses as currently in operation in some countries like Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan, China, Spain, France, Belgium, Australia, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, India and South Africa. Last year, Germany actually surpassed 30 Gigawatt of installed solar capacity in terms of electricity generation; the highest in the world.

Germany does not have as much sunlight as any country in Africa but it has been able to achieve this feat as a result of political will and the right mind-set and approach by acknowledging the fact that the solution to any country’s power predicament does not solely lie in any one particular energy resource but in the use of different power resources readily available in a sustainable and cost effective way.

With Nigeria’s enormous gas reserves, hydro-electric dams, abundant solar resource and fiscal wealth, more power plants can be built to augment existing ones to provide additional power to enhance trade, local industries and the overall socio-economic wellbeing of the nation.

There are also some regions with very unusual circumstances as they are not connected to the national grid, leaving distributed solar generation as one of their only plausible choices. Such localities should not be left out.

Over the years, the global power industry has witnessed significant developments and improvements in solar technologies which have inevitably resulted into more efficient and cheaper solar technology components; ranging from solar panels to inverters and solar charge controllers to even storage batteries. Prices of solar cells (which make up a solar panel) have crashed from $23.00/watt in 1980 to £0.50/watt in 2013, a staggering 98% decrease in price.

Apart from supplementing electricity generation, the emergence of a thriving solar power market in Nigeria will reduce the current burden on existing gas transmission facilities, stimulate job creation and increase regional trade within the continent.

With promising economic forecasts on Nigeria by prominent global institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), sustained efforts by the government, policy makers and other stakeholders will be required to achieve sustainable electricity generation and its subsequent delivery. Partnering with the international community, engaging foreign and local power experts and creating constructive and stimulating energy policies for solar power such as the Feed-in-Tariffs, Renewable Obligation Certificates and tax breaks and incentives will definitely spur the government’s power diversification agenda.

The African Energy Mix: Adopting Renewables

2013-10-22T16:45:00.003+01:00

It is no secret that there is an ongoing energy revolution taking place worldwide. Many countries are making conscious efforts in becoming more energy independent and sustainable. In achieving this, all energy options are being considered and in the past ten years, renewable energy sources have been the most prominent. The rationale for any country seeking to be energy independent is clear; to reduce exposure to unreliable energy imports and attain a state of energy security. The technicalities of achieving these are unlimited but often intricate.

Africa’s energy climate has been perpetually described as appalling. The continent’s progress of energy development has varied widely for several years. Very few countries have recorded significant successes while most have stagnated or deteriorated. This has been attributed majorly to lack of policy implementation, incompetent human capital and corruption. In a recent energy fact sheet released by the World Bank, 24 of Africa’s 54 countries are described to be in energy crisis situations. Most other African countries lack even basic power facilities adequate to cater for their citizens. Today, power is erratic, inaccessible and widely pricey for many in Africa. This has been partly responsible for the low standard of living and hardship the continent faces.

So what is Africa’s current energy mix? Fossil fuel based power generation is the sole largest electricity generation in Africa contributing about 60 percent of the continent’s electricity supply. Hydropower and coal are the other major energy sources making up about 32 percent and 7 percent respectively. These resources present a huge challenge to the continent as they are not evenly distributed and are limited. As a result, most African countries are significantly vulnerable to supply uncertainties. Without energy security and the appropriate mix of energy sources, most countries in Africa risk disappointing investors as well as their own citizens.

As you may agree, the ultimate solution to any country’s energy problem is not necessarily from a single energy source, but instead, a combination of several sources to achieve efficient, reliable and sustainable energy generation to distribution processes while preserving the environment. Africa is endowed with a broad range of renewable energy resources ranging from wind and solar to geothermal and hydropower. Other sources such as biomass, tidal and wave energy are also very valid clean energy sources.

The good news is that in all of these, there is a genuine opportunity for investors, African policy makers, governments and other stakeholders to turn this menace around for the better. Based on data from Bloomberg new energy finance, there is a new trend in global renewable energy investments. Renewable energy investors are gradually shifting to developing countries as financiers seek for viable opportunities in regions with broad, underdeveloped portfolios of green energy resources. Africa’s renewable energy sources are very many and are evenly distributed in large amounts. The continent is bounded by the Indian Ocean in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the west, which possess vast ocean winds and currents. Solar energy on its own is undoubtedly the chief clean energy source available. Another largely untapped, freely occurring renewable energy source is geothermal (ground source heat) in eastern Africa. South Africa, Egypt, Morocco and Kenya are some of the few countries that have identified these potentials and have taken commendable steps to creating enabling environments for renewable energy initiatives. Their new approach to energy development has galvanized their economies and attracted foreign investors.

In the last couple of months, South Africa’s renewable energy market witnessed an optimistic outlook as it ramped up another gear. RustMo1, a 7-MW solar photovoltaic power generating facility, is scheduled to commence power generation in November 2013. Also, Google Inc. announced its first renewable energy project in Africa — the Jasper Power Project, a solar energy project in South Africa.

Also, Egypt and Morocco have actively reformed their electricity sectors by creating energy policies to encourage renewable energy investments in power generation. They have also set modest targets to be met in the near future. Crucial laws have been passed by their respective parliaments to create competitive energy markets and attract domestic and foreign investors.

This has unquestionably boosted wind, solar and hydropower projects in these northern African countries. Morocco has an ambitious renewable energy programme seeking to generate more than 40 percent of its energy from renewables. At the moment, Morocco has seven completed wind farms, the largest of which is the 140-MW Tanger Farm.

Moving over to the east, a significant amount of Kenya’s electricity generation is from geothermal sources via two power plants; Olkaria I (45 MW) and Olkaria II (65 MW). As Africa’s pioneer geothermal nation, Kenya has exploited the vast ground source heat from the Great Rift Valley of east Africa. The geothermal plants supplement the overall energy generated from Kenya’s hydropower stations, a petroleum-fired plant and imported electricity from Uganda.

The adoption of renewable energy in Africa proffers a huge opportunity to improve socio-economic indices and living standards. Better access to electricity will also go a long way to reduce poverty and ensure environmental sustainability. In many parts of Africa, millions live kilometres away from developed towns and cities and are not connected to the grid. Renewable energy sources provide clean energy alternatives in such cases for the provision of off-grid electricity supplies to less privileged people in very remote areas. Also, the urban population growth being witnessed in many African cities poses a great challenge on existing electricity infrastructures. This can be enhanced by including renewable resources. In the words of United Nations’ Environment Program Executive Director, Achim Steiner, “the uptake of renewable energies continues worldwide as countries, companies and communities seize the linkages between low-carbon green economies and a future of energy access and security.”

Strong economies all over the world are highly dependent on accessible, reliable and affordable electricity supplies. One of the obvious ways that Africa can achieve global competitiveness is to significantly provide electricity access as a very clear relationship exists between economic activity and electricity use. Africa’s future prosperity requires a change from the status quo; a deviation from the current total reliance on conventional energy sources.

Written by Lanre Okanlawon as published in African Business Review Magazine (July/August Edition).

Nigeria: Renewable Energy Opportunities Blossoming

2013-08-17T11:54:00.001+01:00

By Lanre Okanlawon

Just like any country, Nigeria in the 21st century faces enormous challenges, and one of its most crucial is power. Nigeria has been confronted with incessant electricity problems ranging from power generation to its transmission and distribution. The main sources of its electricity are gas and hydropower, but for many decades, homes, businesses and industries have faced the huge challenges when accessing electricity.

Nigeria is the seventh most populous country in the world and by the end of 2013 its population will hit 170 million, according to the National Population Commission — but 60 percent of Nigeria’s population have no access to electricity, according to Nigeria’s Infrastructural Concession Regulatory Commission.

In most countries that have experienced similar setbacks, the ultimate solution has not been from a single source of energy, but the culmination of several. As an advocate of renewable energy, it is really great to see governments all over the world including green sources of energy in their mix. These actions have predictably increased their respective Total Electricity Installed Capacity (TEIC). Several projects have been proposed with the aim of increasing the TEIC of the country, which currently stands at about 6,000 MW. Recent proposals include the development of new hydropower plants in Mambilla (3,050 MW) and Zungeru (700 MW) and a 10-MW wind farm in Katsina.

The following are the TEICs of nine countries and their respective estimated populations as at the end of 2010; United States (1,000,000 MW, 315 million), Argentina (32,000 MW, 40 million), Venezuela (23,000 MW, 29 million), Poland (33,000 MW, 38 million), United Kingdom (93,000 MW, 64 million), South Africa (44,000 MW, 51 million), Morocco (6,000 MW, 32 million), Egypt (27,000 MW, 83 million), Libya (6,000 MW, 6 million). A quick glance at these figures compared to Nigeria’s (6,000 MW, 170 million) shows an urgent need for melioration, and one common feature that cuts across most of the above listed countries is the adoption of renewable energy sources.

Renewable energy investors are currently looking for investment opportunities in Nigeria after the country was ranked one of the four top investment destinations and growth areas in the world by a leading global audit, finance and tax advisory firm KPMG in March 2013. Understandably, many private investors are not willing to take part in this paradigm, which is being championed by their counterparts in developed countries. There is a measurable amount of risk due to political and economic uncertainties in the nation just like in other parts of Africa.

It is at this juncture that the government should step in and promote this revolution by creating and enabling a sound investment environment and favourable policies to guarantee financial rewards like tax exemptions and renewable energy credits. The benefits of generating more electricity from solar, wind, hydropower and biomass in Nigeria are numerous. The most apparent are the creation of millions of jobs, increased incomes, economic growth and (of course) more stable power supply.

Nigeria, Energy Poverty and Renewable Energy

2013-06-24T19:50:00.000+01:00

By `Lanre Okanlawon

Nigeria’s decision to attain 7 percent renewable energy use by 2025 has been tagged to be a very proactive commitment. An important fact to note is that more than 60 percent of the nation’s population is not connected to the national grid and the remaining population can only boast of epileptic power supply.

Apart from the ill state of existing generation, distribution and supply network in Africa’s most populous country and second largest economy, decades of ineffective institutional framework and appropriate policies have been responsible for the increasing levels of energy poverty. So many questions remain unanswered as it becomes clearer day by day that Nigeria is under-performing in terms of the provision of power security to its 160 million people. To further unlock the nation’s economical and industrial potentials and attract more foreign investments, new scientific breakthroughs in efficiency and delivery of alternative energy technologies have to be taken advantage of.

The country’s present over-dependence on gas fired generation plants has resulted in supply disruptions in times of gas shortages which are very common occurrences. The need for alternative power generation options cannot be overstated considering the country’s current demand for power. In 2011, Nigeria emerged as the country with the largest gap between demand and supply of electricity in the world according to a progress report submitted by the country’s presidential task force committee on power reforms. This is definitely inadequate to stimulate economic growth.

Nigeria’s abundant renewable energy resources led by solar energy, biomass and wind energy have been largely neglected and it’s high time these were actively employed to provide the necessary power generation levels. Nigeria’s power demand is reported to grow at a rate of 8.2 percent annually. Any additional generation sources with economical justifications should be highly considered.

Nigeria is faced with an enormous task; the need for greater electricity supply with improved grid reliability and security. Energy poverty is never synonymous with any form of national development. Nigeria definitely has plenty of work to be done in this regard as it takes more than making upbeat pronouncements to be among the top 20 nations in the world by the year 2020.

2013-02-06T13:35:00.005+00:00

Solar-powered office building, Doxford International Business Park, near Sunderland, United Kingdom.

The 3500sqm solar office building at the Doxford International Business Park near Sunderland, UK incorporates 646sqm of photovoltaic modules. These have a peak power output of 73kW and generate some 55,000kWh of electricity per year. The building is well insulated and uses passive solar design to maximise the use of natural daylight and to minimise space heating and air conditioning needs. it is also designed for natural ventilation and night-time cooling.

Photovoltaics may well make a significant contribution to world needs in coming decades, but at present its share of world consumption is small. This is mainly due to the very high cost of PV modules, which are currently produced in relatively small quantities. Studies have shown that if the annual output of the manufacturing plants that produce PV modules were increased by a factor of about 20, the cost of PV-generated electricity could be reduced to a point at which it would be competitive with electricity from conventional sources in many industrialised countries.

Liquid Air Could Be The Fuel Of The Future

2012-10-07T21:51:00.000+01:00

By Admin

Imagine owning a car that runs on air. Impossible, you reckon? Think again. The car in the video below does exactly this.

Scientists in Britain are developing a new technology that uses normal air to store energy by reducing its temperature to as low as minus 190 degrees Celsius turning it into liquid air.

This is definitely good news especially with the ever increasing costs of fuel and environmental pollution issues associated with fossil fuels.

Sources: YouTube, Sky News

Chanel Invokes Green Energy of Fashion

2012-10-02T22:15:00.002+01:00

By 'Lanre Okanlawon

Echoes of renewable energy were constantly heard earlier today in Grand Palais, Paris as Chanel sent her gorgeous fashion models on a blue solar panel pattern runway surrounded by towering white wind turbines at its new spring-summer look.

Chanel Spring/Summer 2013

Karl Lagerfeld welcomed fashion enthusiasts, including Jennifer Lopez and her daughter, Emme to the grand show. “Energy is the most important thing in life”, he said enthusiastically, commenting about solar panels and wind turbines. If I had to build a house, I would put them in the garden,” he concluded.

How to Go Green

2012-09-29T17:57:00.000+01:00

By Jacob Gordon

The cost of electricity is going up (both in dollars and in environmental and health impacts) and it doesn't show any signs of doing otherwise. About half of the energy in the American grid is coal generated. We won't bore you with what you already know: coal is a really stinky, dangerous, nasty, unsustainable, and silly way to make power.

By using less energy, and greening the electricity that we do use, we can lighten our footprint immensely. The subject of electricity and its environmental impacts is a massive one and we can't cover every corner of it here; hopefully, this brief guide can offer some solid suggestions for greening your electricity and use thereof.

Audit yourself

A home energy audit is a way to inventory your home's energy use, where energy is lost, and where it can be saved. You can do an energy audit yourself or get a pro. Many utilities also offer home and business energy audits for free.

Reduce your use

The lowest hanging fruit just begging to be picked are simple energy-saving practices. They're also the most cost effective. Top tasks include:

a. Replace your light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or even cutting-edge light emitting diodes (LEDs).

b. Turn off lights and other devises when they're not needed.

Eliminating electronics that sleep on a standby setting; they continue to pull a current even when "turned off."

"Wall warts," those clunky AC adaptors on many power cables, pull current, too, so those should be taken out of the wall when not in use -- this is also known as phantom power. Your best bet is a "smart" power strip, or a power strip that can be turned off at night.

Clothes driers gobble up a lot of power, so line drying can be a great energy saver.

Put your house on a diet

Homes consume an enormous amount of energy, especially in heating and cooling, and American homes consume around six times the world average. Once you've audited your home for energy use (even if you haven't) some simple moves can cut your electricity bill. Keep your house cool with natural ventilation instead of air conditioning as much as possible. Use in-room, ceiling, or whole-house fans to move air throughout the house. Blocking sunlight during hot hours of the day can help lower your cooling load. If your house uses electricity for water heating, wrapping your water tank in an insulating blanket can save on power. Also, if your house is heated with electricity, see How to Go Green: Heating for more in-depth advice.

Buy wise

After cooling and heating, appliances and other plug-in devises are the next biggest users of energy in your abode. When looking for new appliances, seek out the most energy-efficient models. Most new appliances come with a yellow EnergyGuide label which, like mileage ratings on cars, shows its consumption in terms of kWh per year. Also look for Energy Star rated products (more on Energy Star below).

Electronics like computers and audio equipment can be big power suckers, too. See below for more on greening your computer usage. Being smart with lighting is another key way to green your power usage.

Homemade juice You think making your own bread at home feels good? There's nothing quite like the feeling of making your own electricity from the sun, wind, or water. Installing an home alternative energy system is becoming more and more cost effective as technology improves and assistance programs spread.

Photovoltaic, or solar electric, systems are the most common. Depending on your available space, local climate, budget, and local utility, a solar electric system can provide all the energy needed for a typical home (and possibly more). Check with your local power utility about subsidy programs or other available programs. Small, home-sized, wind turbines are a rapidly growing field. Time Magazine called the Skystream 3.7 one of the best new inventions of 2006. These can be pricey little whirleygigs, but depending on your local wind conditions, it can take a big chunk out of your energy use and replace the dirty with clean. There's also a thriving DIY wind movement.

Charge up your toys

For all the portable electronic gizmos in your life, consider feeding them green power with a solar charger. Some look like notebooks, cell phones, flowers, or are built into backpacks. Your MP3 player, laptop, PDA, cell phone, and camera can all be charged with portable solar, and you'll never find yourself searching for a plug (see below for a list of chargers that TreeHugger has covered).

If you build it...you will save A home or building designed and constructed around energy efficiency can realize enormous savings. Everything from the positioning of the house, use of daylight and natural ventilation, lighting and appliances, and renewable energy system can push a building closer and closer to net zero energy consumption. If you are considering building a home, do serious renovations, or an addition, make sure that energy efficiency is a key design criterion.

Buy renewable energy credits

Another way to support renewable energy and "offset" your own environmental footprint is to buy renewable energy credits (RECs). There are many websites that will help you calculate your energy consumption and buy a requisite amount of RECs to compensate for it. RECs are a pretty new idea; they're not well understood and there are many rumors of not-so-green or altogether fake credits being sold. The most recognized certifier of RECs is Green-e, an independent, non-profit group that verifies renewable energy credits and certifies that they are what they claim to be.

Think lifecycle

We all use energy. It's just a fact. Even an off-the-grid house is filled with embodied energy. Everything from the power it took to manufacture the solar panels (which was a lot), to the fuel burned in transporting the micro wind turbine from the factory, embodied energy, or lifecycle energy, is in everything we buy and use. Manufacturing, advertising, packaging, shipping, etc. are all part of a product's energy history. We should all learn to think of things this way. Solar panels, for example, have a great deal of energy embodied in them, much more than, say, a passive solar water heating system.

The Heat Revolution

2012-09-25T22:36:00.002+01:00

By `Lanre Okanlawon

It’s nearly here. The much awaited Renewable Heat Incentive!

After so many months of speculations, official papers have been released for the cash incentive scheme to “reward” households who key into the use of eligible “green technologies” for heating. The RHI will be in place to reward households who meet their space heating and/or hot water needs by using new and renewable energy technologies such as heat pumps (air source and ground source), biomass and solar thermal panels. At the moment, more than 1.5 million UK households use boilers and a recent poll suggests that at least one in every five household plans to replace their existing boiler.

The latest Government announcement indicates that the scheme will commence in summer 2013 and the subsidy payments will be paid over a period of 7 years. The rates are 6.9p-11.5p for air source heat pumps, 12.5p-17.3p for ground source heat pumps, 5.2p-8.7p for biomass boilers and 17.3p for solar thermal panels. These will be paid per estimated units of power generation in kilowatt hours (kWh).

For a house that has an air source heat pump (9kW) that costs about £8,000 to install, the owner will receive roughly £880 yearly in RHI payments for seven years, in addition to a continuous annual savings of about £390. This means the initial installation costs will be realized in about ten years!

Picture of the Week

2012-09-04T19:50:00.000+01:00

A New Twist in the Energy Efficiency Story

2012-08-30T20:34:00.003+01:00

By Elisa Wood

Blend a little new energy tech with a pinch of behavioral psychology and you’re bound to get something unexpected.

Consider what happened when New York City-based ThinkEco recently lead a four-month energy challenge for international industrial packaging company Greif.

The goal, of course, was to save energy. And that they achieved. Sixty employees in two Greif buildings cut their energy use 2,400 kWh over 10 weeks. But it was something else that made the challenge interesting, especially for businesses.

The story begins with the Ohio-based Greif already high on the sustainability charts. The manufacturer, which had $4.2 billion in sales last year, reduced its energy use company-wide 10 percent between 2007 and 2010.

Further, Greif plans to achieve a 15 percent cut in energy use by 2015 and 20 percent by 2020 (measured by per unit of production with 2008 as a base year). The company also has aggressive goals to reduce greenhouse gases and landfill waste.

Having done the obvious to save energy, Greif was in search of the innovative. Enter The Modlet, developed by energy efficiency tech company ThinkEco (Thank you, ThinkEco, for not calling it a plug-load demand-side management optimization solution.)

The modlet is a small box that you plug into an electrical outlet. It comes with a USB port that goes into your computer. This sets up a wireless signal that allows the modlet to talk to your computer. You plug an appliance into the modlet, and then your computer screen shows the energy use of the appliance.

Most interesting, from your computer you can control the power flow into the appliance, and even schedule shut offs in advance. For example, you might set up a schedule to turn off power to devices not in use on nights and weekends.

Using the modlet, ThinkEco arranged a competition between two Greif buildings, with a team of 30 employees in each. The project stems from behavioral research that indicates people are more apt to save energy when comparing their performance against others – one of several ideas emerging in the study of how and why we use energy.

Modlets were handed out to the employees. The teams used the devices to uncover ways to save energy, achieve reductions, and build an energy IQ. Members of each team shared a common web dashboard where they could monitor results and share ideas.

The teams performed well. But what surprised Mei Shibata, ThinkEco’s chief strategy officer, wasn’t the energy savings, but how employees went above and beyond what was required.

“We were surprised by how much offline interaction there was between people on the dashboard,” Shibata said. “That to me was interesting. They did it on their own.”

The project took on a life of its own and started to achieve other kinds of employee goals businesses strive for, unrelated to energy savings. Young employees became engaged. Team members met on their own over lunch to strategize. Hierarchies dissolved.

“It became a team building exercise. It was a great way to get people to talk to each other. I was amazed at how seriously people took it – we were asking them to think about something that was not in their job description,” she said.

She added that the project seemed to democratize the workplace. “We had administrative assistants, line managers… we had all types of employees participating. It didn’t matter who you were, you were in it together with the rest of your team.”

Shibata is not completely sure what inspired them to rally, but at least part of it seemed to be the visual nature of the project. Many understood in an abstract way that their company was pursuing sustainability, but here they were able to actually see and effect changes.

Before then “they knew they worked for a sustainable-minded company – but how did it relate to me?” she said.

The project paid for itself through the energy savings. The motivational benefits and the team building were an added benefit.

So if ThinkEco and Greif are an indication, the integration of behavioral psychology into energy efficiency may create added and unexpected improvements to corporate cultures that have nothing to do with energy. This is something to watch for as more and more businesses explore employee-driven energy efficiency.

Elisa Wood is a long-time energy writer whose work appears in many of the industry's top magazines and newsletters. Elisa serves as US correspondent for Renewable Energy World International magazine. This article has been republished on Greenicles with her consent and was originally posted on www.realenergywriters.com

Energy Saving Light Bulbs Taking Over

2012-08-05T19:51:00.001+01:00

By `Lanre Okanlawon
The last few years have witnessed a gradual phasing out of inefficient light bulbs and the emergence of new and improved energy efficient light bulbs. This has been a worldwide trend and proven to be very worthwhile and practical as its positive impacts have been recorded globally. The gesture has been highly appreciated due to its tremendous impacts on numerous pockets, energy consumption and the environment. In other words, they can help you save money, energy and the environment.

Governments all over the world have realized the extent to which these new products of technological evolution can benefit their economy and the environment. In fact, many have taken practical steps to phase out traditional bulbs for general lighting purposes. Brazil and Venezuela initiated this in 2005. Australia, Switzerland and the European Union started the phase-out in 2009. Similarly, other countries already have future phase-out plans; Argentina, Canada and Russia in 2012 and Malaysia in 2014.

Along the way, several myths have been shattered establishing the fact that energy saving light bulbs actually do us and the environment a lot of good. These new breeds of bulbs, by contrast, use the same efficient technology as fluorescent lights but are more compact and use far more less energy to light up an area. Voluntary initiatives have been on course in different parts of the world to phase out traditional light bulbs where there is a suitable low energy replacement. Advantages such as better quality of light, longer durability (they last 12 times longer than traditional light bulbs), more energy savings, cost effectiveness, recyclability and their brilliant aesthetic designs justify the switch.

In terms of quantifiable attributes these new class of light bulbs use up to 70% less electricity than traditional light bulbs but emit the same amount of energy. This means that you get to pay 70% less than you are currently paying for your light bulbs electricity bills if you use them. Good news, isn’t it?

But the news gets even better! Over the years, there have been tremendous improvements since energy saving light bulbs were commercially introduced, so has the way they look. As a matter of fact, there are varieties of stylish designs available to suit your aesthetic demands.

Energy saving light bulbs- these cleverly modified light sources may be rather modest, everyday objects, but there’s certainly more to them that meet the eye!

What a bright idea!!! J

More Efficient, Cheaper Solar Panels on the Way

2012-06-29T23:31:00.000+01:00

By `Lanre Okanlawon

The past two decades witnessed improvements to conventional processes of manufacturing photovoltaic (PV) cells which translated to increased working efficiencies and significant cuts in production costs. Such changes have made the solar energy technologies more attractive to energy users and competitive with more widely used sources of energy. On the average, solar panels are currently selling for $0.70c per watt- a dramatic decline from 1998 costs of about $10.80 per watt.

More good news- earlier this week, it was announced that a fundamentally new kind of solar cells have been discovered by Professor Michael Strano and his team at MIT and this poses to “re-revolutionalise” the solar energy industry yet again. This peculiar breed of PV cells are made up carbon nanotubes that are able to capture energy from sunlight in the near-infrared region of the spectrum- a feat which cannot be achieved by conventional silicon PV cells. This means that more solar energy will be available to be converted into power- invariably increasing solar cell efficiency. Professor Strano and his team.

Another interesting thing is that the solar cells are entirely made up of carbon atoms that are stable in air. Previous attempts to achieve this proved futile. In Professor Strano’s new discovery, the new all-carbon cells are very stable in air and do not require a layer of polymer to hold the carbon nanotubes into position. This makes the cell structure less complex and easier to attain.

Professor Strano and his team

A paper written by Professor Michael Strano describing these achievements was recently published in Advanced Material Journal.

Sources: MIT, Strano Research Group

Are You a Fan of Wind Energy?

2012-06-22T12:58:00.000+01:00

Five Interesting Stuff About Wind Energy

1. Asians used wind mills to pump large amounts of water and grind grains as early as 200 B.C.

2. The first modern wind turbine was built in Vermont, U.S.A in the early 1940s.

3. Wind farms currently produce enough electricity to meet the energy needs of more than 10 million families worldwide.

4. An average wind speed of 14 miles per hour is needed to convert wind energy to electricity.

5. A group of wind turbines generating electricity together is called a wind farm. The world's largest wind farm is located, off the coast of Cumbria, United Kingdom.It is made up of 102 turbines and has a total capacity of 367.2MW enough to power 320,000 households.

Solar Plane Completes Spain-Morocco Flight

2012-06-06T20:31:00.002+01:00

By Greenicles Admin

"I can tell you that it was one of the most beautiful flights of my life. I have been dreaming for 10 years of travelling from one continent to another without a drop of fuel."

Above are the words of Bertrand Piccard, the Swiss pilot who completed a 19-hour flight from Spain to Morocco yesterday in a solar energy-powered airplane. This experimental 1,554 mile journey from Europe to Africa was made possible by 12,000 solar cells integrated unto the plane which powered the engines and charged all batteries on-board!

Greenicles: Wow, 10,000 Visitors. Thank You!

2012-06-02T11:53:00.000+01:00

By `Lanre Okanlawon

Just a very special note of thanks- our Greenicles blog has just crossed over the major milestone of 10,000 visitors! This week marks a milestone for us. When I first started this blog, I did not imagine this would generate such widespread interest from visitors from over 40 countries worldwide. This is a very BIG thank you for all your interests and kind comments.

Today, there are 10,000 more educated individuals due to this blog. 10,000 visitors that have read for themselves and formulated for themselves their own opinions about this discourse. 10,000 visitors that today have been enlightened as to how new and renewable energy resources can ultimately power our world in an efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

10,000 Visitors, 10,000 Thank Yous with great pleasure and satisfaction that we have just recently realized this feat.

This is just the beginning!

Biogas Power Plant: A Virtual Tour

2012-06-01T07:52:00.004+01:00

By Greenicles Admin

The race is still on- the search for that ultimate energy source that will power the whole world. Everyone is looking for the next big thing. One of the alternatives that are getting some huge publicity and installations globally is the power of Biogas which has been greatly underestimated previously. Biogas is mainly made from organic waste. It refers to gas produced by the biological breakdown of materials such as dead plants, animal faeces, kitchen waste and even those that pile up in landfills. This seems a bit disgusting and outrageous, however it is not by any means a new discovery.

Here's a quick video to show that Biogas is a credible source of energy and a strong contender to become the ultimate source of power worldwide!

Video Source: Youtube

Look What we Found...

2012-05-06T10:04:00.002+01:00

By Greenicles Admin

Image: SolarCentury

The picture above is a computer-generated image of Blackfriars Railway Station, London across river Thames covered by 4,400 solar panels. Work is still in progress at this momentous London site which is undergoing major refurbishments to become the world's largest solar bridge and London's largest solar array. At the end of the project the solar panels are expected to generate 900,000 kWh of electricity annually providing more than 50% of the station’s power needs. With this, the station's yearly CO2 emissions will be reduced by about 511 tonnes. There are also plans to integrate rain harvesting systems and sun pipes for lighting.

The major managing companies, Panasonic and SolarCentury, expect the project to be completed in July 2012.

This a major milestone in our journey to become the number one green innovation company in the world by 2018. - Laurent Abadi, CEO Panasonic Europe.

Donald Trump’s Wind Farm Fiasco

2012-04-26T13:47:00.001+01:00

By Greenicles Admin

There is a very interesting public ”fight” over the construction of wind farms in Scotland’s capital, Aberdeen. Scotland is currently known as a world leader in oil and gas exploration and production. At the moment, the country is making conscious efforts in becoming a world leader in not just oil and gas but in renewables energy also. In doing this, all green sources of energy including wind, solar, biomass and tidal energy are to be employed to meet its ambitious targets. Recent polls show that more than more than 70% of Aberdeen 's residents are happy with this but US billionaire, Donald Trump isn't. Do I hear you ask why? Well, he says the proposed plan to erect eleven wind turbines seven miles away from his £1billion golf course in Scotland will spell doom for the country’s tourism industry.

Wind power alone is projected to generate half of the city’s energy needs but Mr Trump feels this is insignificant. He described wind turbines as ‘Ugly monstrosities’ and ‘horrendous machines’. The outspoken American business tycoon made his views known at the Scottish paliarment yesterday. He said, “This is a very, very serious problem that we are addressing. In my opinion, it is one of the most serious problems that Scotland will have or has had… Wind turbines made in China are going to be the destruction – almost a total destruction- of your tourism industry.” Yesterday, VisitScotland (a leading tourism body) published its latest survey which revealed that four out of five people said wind farms do not influence their decisions over where to holiday in the UK .

Quote of the Week!

2012-04-24T16:56:00.001+01:00

"The public has given a clear vote of confidence to clean British energy from our wind, sun and sea – it makes no sense for the government to pursue an unwanted, costly dash for gas that's causing our fuel bills to rocket"

- Craig Bennett (Friends of the Earth's director of policy and campaigns), reacting to the new poll results showing overwhelming support for clean and renewable energy. 2,844 people across the UK were questioned and only 2% backed an increase in the use of energy from fossil fuels.

Africa: Five Renewable Sources of Energy for Farmers in Developing Countries

2012-04-18T07:48:00.002+01:00

By Isaac Hopkins and Jenny Beth Dyess

According to the United Nations, access to reliable and sufficient sources of energy will be critical to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of reducing poverty and hunger by 2015. Many of the world's poorest people are rural farmers with no connections to power grids or large-scale energy sources. Most of their day-to-day energy currently comes from the burning of wood and charcoal, practices that contribute to air pollution, deforestation, and the loss of precious time and energy collecting firewood.

Today, Nourishing the Planet introduces five sources of renewable energy that are meeting the demands of poor farmers and allowing them to improve their harvests and their lives.

1. Solar Energy: Solar energy is widely harvested in two basic ways. The first is the use of solar panels, which use photovoltaic cells to convert solar radiation directly into electrical current. Such installations are efficient and versatile but have high start-up costs. The second is solar heating, which harnesses the heat of direct sunlight to boil water and cook food, activities which often constitute more than 25 percent of a household's energy use.

Solar Energy in Action: The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) is a non-profit organization that is working in more than 20 countries to install solar energy systems in rural and poor areas. One of their projects is an innovative drip-irrigation system in Benin that is powered by photovoltaics. Farmers are able to grow crops throughout the long dry season, greatly improving their food security, and SELF hopes to provide solar-powered water and lighting for all 44 villages in the district. Solar Household Energy, Inc. (SHE) provides rural farmers, often women, with solar cookers, called HotPots, and the training to use them effectively. These cookers are less expensive than photovoltaic arrays, and can heat to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, enough to boil beans. Nearly all of Africa, and much of southern Asia and Latin America, are considered prime locations for using the ovens, with plenty of sunshine. One project in Chad decreased household wood usage by up to 40 percent in only two months.

2. Wind Energy: Small-scale wind turbines typically have capacities up to several hundred kilowatts (kW), which in some cases is enough to power an entire village. Wind power can often be used in regions where solar is less effective, and can generate power at night or during storms. This makes wind energy a viable way to generate energy, and an excellent complement to a solar system.

Wind Energy in Action: The organization Practical Action helps provide many forms of renewable energy to poor residents of Asia and Africa, and they have several projects based on wind energy. They have helped villages in Sri Lanka install a wind turbine that provides electricity for the entire community. This has had benefits beyond simple access to power. Villagers pooled their resources to install and manage the turbine, they received technical education from Practical Action and as a result a number of steady jobs are created. Installing a local turbine also means people no longer have to travel long distances and pay large amounts to recharge batteries that they regularly use.

3. Biogas: Biogas can be an excellent source of free, renewable energy for poor farmers. Biogas is mostly methane that is released from any organic matter that is decaying in the absence of oxygen. Biogas can be captured from animal manure, vegetable scraps, and even human waste, and used as a clean source of energy. The sludge leftover from biogas can be used as safe organic compost because pathogens that may be harmful to humans have been inactivated by the heat.

Biogas in Action: A project run by the International Fund for Agricultural Development has been changing farmer's lives in rural China. Farmers in Fada, a village in China's Guangxi province, each built their own plants to channel waste from household toilets and nearby shelters for animals into a sealed tank. As the waste ferments, gas is captured and used in cooking. Forests are being protected because pressure for firewood has been reduced, saving 56,000 tons of firewood per year. Over five years, area farmers increased tea production from 400 to 2,500 kilograms a day and average income in the village quadrupled to more than $1 per day.

4. Micro Hydropower: Micro hydroelectric power is different from typical hydroelectric power because it doesn't attempt to significantly interfere with the flow of the river. Typically rated at a maximum capacity of 300 kW hours, the micro hydro systems don't dam rivers, but instead divert a stream of water that flows downhill through a pipeline dropping into the turbine. The turbine then generates electricity which can be stored in batteries and transported to where villagers may need it most.

Micro Hydropower in Action: The Tungu-Kabri micro-hydro power project was the first of its kind in Kenya. Rural families in Kenya use at least one-third of their income on kerosene for lighting and diesel for the milling of grain. With funds from United Nations Development Programme and development assistance from Practical Action East Africa and the Kenyan Ministry of Energy, the village of Mbuiru built a micro hydropower system that generates about 18 kW hours of electricity and benefits about 1,000 people.

5. Biomass Briquettes: Biomass briquettes are made of readily available waste materials, including potato peals, banana peals, dry leaves, and paper that shredded and pounded together into a fuel briquette that burns longer and cleaner than charcoal.

Biomass Briquettes in Action: Charles Onyoni Onyando, a farmer with NEFSALF (Nairobi and Environs Food Security, Agriculture, and Livestock Forum), is helping provide this clean, long-lasting fuel to people in his own community. Charles collects waste from his neighbors and uses a crank-powered shredder to make the briquettes. Each briquette lasts six to seven hours and is enough to cook two kilograms of dried beans. Charles isn't just saving the environment, he's making a profit. To make one 70-80 kilogram bag (100-200 briquettes) costs him about 400 Kenyan shillings (5.34 USD) which he then sells for about twice that much.

Isaac Hopkins and Jenny Beth Dyess are research interns with the Nourishing the Planet project.

Iceland's Volcanoes to Power UK

2012-04-16T21:19:00.000+01:00

By Greenicles Admin

UK’s Energy minister, Charles Hendry, is to visit Iceland next month to discuss the prospects of connecting homes, businesses and industries in the UK to power produced from the vast geothermal energy resources in Iceland. He will also be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commence feasibility studies.

Due to its peculiar geographical location and the abundance of volcanoes, Iceland has the most abundant underground heat resources in the world. Geothermal energy and hydropower provides over 80% of the country’s energy. All of the geothermal heat is obtained from meters beneath the earth’s surface. It is this same resource that politicians and engineers in the UK are hoping to import to their shores. Iceland has five major geothermal plants that produce heat for about 87% of its buildings. In 2004, the total amount of geothermal energy in Iceland was approximately 79.7 petajoules (PJ), about 54% of the total national energy consumption. Only 0.1% of the country’s electricity is produced from fossil fuels. It is argued that UK electricity bills are among the highest in Europe and its government says it is making a conscious effort to reverse this.

Morocco: Gradually Getting the Energy Supply Mix

2012-04-16T20:36:00.003+01:00

By Greenicles Admin

Morocco is making proactive moves in ensuring energy security for its people. The country is one of many countries in the world that are very dependent on energy imports. In its new ambition, Morocco is capitalizing on its vast wind resources and sunlight. Morocco has the second highest wind capacity in Africa after Egypt. The government there is looking to exploit plausible renewable energy options to power parts of the country.

Details of a sealed deal with EDF Energy confirm that 50 wind turbines will be constructed in the Northern region to generate 150MW. The long term plan is to be able to produce 4000MW of electricity by 2020. This will meet nearly half of the nation's total energy consumption. It has also been agreed that 30% of the construction work will be subcontracted to indigenous companies. The next phase will commence later in the year with the commissioning of another set of wind turbines to generate 850MW of power.

Also on the radar are 5 phases of a mega-solar energy project in Morocco's southern province of Ouartzazate which will cost about $9 billon to be commissioned by 2020.

The Best pro-Solar Energy Billboard you've Ever Seen!

2012-04-06T13:17:00.000+01:00

I just saw this wonderful giant bill board on facebook and thought I should share. Apparently, it's been around for sometime now courtesy of Vote Solar. It's a simple, yet important point expressed in an ingenious way. I found it hilarious but the message is very much on point.

But seriously, what happens when there's a solar energy spill?

In Case you Missed Them- Some stories that made the news...

2012-04-01T20:57:00.007+01:00

By Greenicles Admin

UK Government Loses Bid to Cut Solar Subsidies

The last week in March was a very good one for businesses and home owners in the UK who generate power from solar panels as the government lost its third and final legal battle at the courts regarding the feed-in-tariff (FiT) incentives scheme. The Supreme Court rejected the government’s bid to cut the pay outs by half. This means that many thousands of people will receive higher payments for generating their energy using solar panels. The FiT scheme pays out 43p per kWh generated by home owners and businesses for 25 years. The government’s botched plan was to reduce this to 21p per kWh. This landmark ruling has been welcomed by top industry players who hold the government accountable for the chaos the sector has been in recent months.
The government has since accepted the verdict and is committed to restore confidence in the rich solar energy sector. It has also announced its ambition to provide enough electricity for 4 million homes using solar energy by 2020.

Nigeria Signs New pro-Renewable Energy Regulations

After decades of ineffective policies and large-scale neglect, the power sector in Africa’s second largest economy has received a major boost. A few weeks ago, the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission signed 2 landmark regulations; the Independent Electricity Distribution Network (IEDN) and Embedded Generation 2012. This, according to a government whitepaper, is to encourage investment and efficiency in the country’s starving power sector. These new policies will now enable local and state governments as well as private investors to generate and distribute electricity without recourse to the national grid. This definitely opens up Nigeria’s electricity market to small, medium and large scale renewable energy technology options.

Denmark Targets 100% Renewable Energy by 2050

The legislative arm of Denmark’s government has passed the most ambitious renewable energy plan ever; a legally binding commitment to generate 100% of the country’s energy needs from renewable energy sources by 2050. The plan is to realise 50% by 2020 and all of its total energy needs, including electricity, heating, transport and industry, by 2050. The predicted rise in fossil fuel prices and unstable and wobbly crude oil market is the main reason for this. With this, the Danish government believes its people will be insulated from the adverse effects of being dependent on expensive, imported and highly polluting fossil oil and gas.

Chile’s Steaming up with Geothermal

Presently, Chile is one of the most booming countries in electricity generation from geothermal resources. Its position in the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it a hot cake for development of underground heat resources. In the past few weeks, three new exploration concessions have been awarded to Enel Green Power; the pioneering company in geothermal exploration in Chile. The project includes a geothermal power plant of 50MW capacity to generate 375GWh electricity per annum.