The solar farm currently has the capacity to produce 4MW of power. Eventually the solar development is going to be expanded so that the capacity will rise to 16MW. When it is completely brought into service it will be able to produce enough electricity to power 10,000 homes each year, offsetting over 225 million pounds of carbon dioxide.

The site on which the solar farm is located is 356 acres and it currently comprises 16,000 solar panels. When the project is completed that number will rise to 64,000 solar panels that rotate to track the movement of the sun across the sky. The photovoltaic panels absorb the sunlight and convert it to direct-current electricity before it is then converted to alternating-current electricity.

This solar energy development is part of the state law on renewable energy that was passed in 2007 that requires public utilities to source 12.5 per cent of their power from renewable energy by 2021.

“This first phase represents a major milestone in our overall plan to develop 16 megawatts of solar energy at this site,” said SunEdison President Carlos Domenech in a press release. “Having financed and completed this initial installation, we have mobilized resources for the next phase of the solar farm.”

There are still pockets of opposition to the development of more solar farms with the main criticism being that it is a very expensive way to create electricity. While this is true compared to the traditional use of fossil fuel such as coal, if you take a wider view and compare the cost with what it is saving the world in terms of non-renewable resources you could say that the extra dollars are a small price to pay.

There are definitely advantages to using solar power and some of these advantages are more important to some people than others. Here is a brief list:

• Solar energy is a renewable energy source. This means that no matter how much sunlight or heat we use to create electricity it won’t be exhausted.
• The creation of electricity does not disrupt neighboring residents. This is a completely silent process.
• Creating electricity from solar power does not produce pollutants, unlike coal-based electricity.
• Electricity from solar panels can be generated in locations that are isolated from an electricity grid without the need to run electricity cables all over the place.
• Solar power gives you the potential to become completely independent from a utility company.
• Over the long term you can save money on your power bill, in some cases not only will you no longer have to pay for your electricity, if you generate enough the power company could pay you for the excess electricity added to the grid.
• Once installed solar panels and solar cells don’t require any maintenance.
• Apart from the sun, solar energy requires no fuel.
• Your hot water bill will be greatly reduced after the installation of a thermal hot water system.
• With the development of CSP, it is possible to continue producing electricity from solar energy after the sun has gone down, or on cloudy days.
• Solar power can be used by a wide range of devices as well as for the production of electricity to power your home. Lights, watches, calculators, cars can all be powered by solar energy.

As was pointed out earlier, some people may not feel as though all of these solar power advantages are applicable to them. But every single person is affected by the increase of power that is generated by a means that reduces the amount of pollution that is pumped into the atmosphere. Forget about talks of the Greenhouse Effect and global warming, our immediate health can be improved by the closure of one power plant that burns coal to generate electricity.

Currently, the city’s power cost is over 32 cents per kilowatt / hour which is three times the amount paid by Anchorage residents. The peak usage in Akutan is only 7 megawatts which is currently generated by a diesel generator.

An Akutan geothermal energy power plant would eliminate the dependence on diesel in the city, reduce carbon emissions and would help to promote economic sustainability in the area.

It all hinges on the outcome of the geophysical survey which is due for completion by the end of September. This survey uses probes that can detect the presence of a possible geothermal reservoir.

A lot of work is still required to confirm that a geothermal energy power plant can actually be set up in the area. The exploration activities take place on the surface and require no drilling to complete, followed by exploratory drilling that will drill up to for slim holes up to a depth of 1,500 feet.

“Preliminary results from this summer’s fieldwork are extremely interesting,” said Amanda Kolker, project manager. “We are rapidly developing a better understanding of the geothermal resource on Akutan. By the end of the year we should have a good conceptual model of the resource, which will help in targeting successful geothermal wells.”

Space solar is once again out there as a potential feasible, if very expensive, option for creating solar energy on a constant basis. The Japanese government has stated that it is prepared to spend 2 trillion yen to bring a one-gigawatt solar power station into orbit.

The project would involve roughly four kilometers of solar panels and would orbit the Earth approximately 36,000 kilometers away. The power would be transmitted back in a laser beam or microwave.

Some Japanese companies have already signed on to support the concept and will probably be taking part in the supply of materials and innovative expertise.

Space solar sounds as though it has a lot of potential, but there is a real downside to this idea and that’s in the number of houses that can be powered by such a massive undertaking. The power generated would only be enough to power 300,000 homes and at an estimated cost of $21 billion (and we know that’s going to blow out) it makes it some very expensive electricity being proposed.

Nevertheless the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is aiming to have a system in space by 2030 and will be attempting to launch a test satellite by 2015.

This is not a new idea by any stretch of the imagination with plans being out there undeveloped since the 1960s in the US. In fact, NASA has already put an estimated $80 million into the concept with very little to show for it. We’re now 40 years further down the track and the costs haven’t improved and there is really no indication that they’re likely to either.

Some government estimates put the cost of solar electricity generated by a space solar power plant at $1 billion per megawatt. And people complain about their electricity bills now!

The company behind the proposal is Tilbury Green Power Limited which is a subsidiary of Express Energy, a renewable energy developer. Planning approval had to be granted from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change under the Electricity Act because the plant is planned to produce over 50MW of power.

Construction is expected to take 3 years to bring the power plant on line and will provide jobs for up to 380 people. Once the plant becomes operational in 2012 it will require a staff of 120 to run.

One of the benefits of the power plant’s proposed location at the docks is that it will be easily accessible for delivery of fuel by barge. This will remove the need to use the city’s road network. Initially, 90% of the biomass is due to be sourced from Europe and America and only 10% from the UK. After three years of operation it is hoped that this will be turned around and 90% will be sourced from the UK and 10% from overseas.

“If we are to tackle climate change, we must reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and also make use of renewable sources of fuel. This power station will achieve both those objectives by turning waste into energy and using biomass, which will also contribute to delivering the U.K.’s renewable energy targets,” Energy and Climate Change Minister Phil Hunt said.

The project has cost $190 million and comprises 40 Clipper Windpower wind turbines. The electricity that is being output by the facility has been sold under long-term contract to Arizona Public Service and is enough electricity to power up to around 24,000 homes.

“The climate-friendly energy provided by the High Lonesome project is part of APS’ growing renewable energy portfolio designed to provide reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity for our customers,” said Don Robinson, president and chief operating officer, Arizona Public Service.

The project will pay $24 million in taxes and fees to the local and state economies over the next 30 years.

This is the second project that Edison Mission Group has undertaken in New Mexico with the first being the 120MW San Juan Mesa wind project that was dedicated in 2006.

As of August 2009 there are enough wind turbines operating in North Dakota to generate over 700MW of power and there are plans in development to add another 6000MW. This is according to the state Public Service commission. Even if all proposed developments are brought to completion the 7000MW of power is below the potential wind power creation of the state.

According to the American Wind Energy Association North Dakota has the potential to produce 138,400MW of power, more than any other state.

With these figures in mind the state hopes that it can lure more wind turbine manufacturers and other wind power equipment makers to the state. There are tax and job training incentives in place to make the location in North Dakota even more attractive and the fact that there is so much development in planning should ensure that there will be plenty of room for expansion of business.

The North Dakota Commerce Department is hoping that they can recruit companies that make wind turbine nacelles. This is a more specialized field than the wind turbine blade and tower manufacturing that is becoming more commonplace. More and more European companies are setting up wind power plants around the US.

As the industry becomes more established with the manufacture of components made locally, costs should start to fall over the next few years.

The idea of the Carbon Trust Innovation Awards is to recognise the forward thinking solutions that have been devised to help fight the growing carbon problem in the world. Not only is there recognition that goes with the award but also there will be a means of accelerating the new clean technologies to the market.

The recognition also brings other opportunities by making businesses and investors aware of what is being done with past winners finding an attraction of customers and commercial partnerships.

There are six categories for the awards with 4 of them for technology developers and providers and 2 of them for users and early adopters of low carbon technologies.

The four technology innovation categories are open to individuals and groups who can show that they are researching or developing a new technology with strong commercial potential and the ability to significantly reduce CO2 emissions. The specific areas of development are: Power; Buildings; Transport, and; Industry.

The two users of low carbon technology awards recognise the important role that early adopters can play in stimulating the market for emerging low carbon technologies. Organisations will need to demonstrate innovation in the use of low carbon technologies, going well beyond standard industry practice. The awards are divided into 2 categories: Public Sector, and; Private Sector.

This is a way of rewarding and encouraging further low carbon innovation to speed up the process of exploring alternatives to the higher carbon emitting methods. It is hoped that the way in which users use energy will also be changed through the innovations that are fostered by these awards.

Technological innovation may be aimed at renewable energy sources such as wave power, tidal power, geothermal energy, carbon capture and storage. It may also come up with ways in which the energy used within major buildings can be reduced through various forms of on-site power generation.

So here are 10 benefits of solar energy.

1. Solar energy is not only sustainable, it is renewable and this means that we will never run out of it. It is about as natural a source of power as it is possible to generate. Not only are we able to refuel our vehicles with it we can heat our water and light our homes.

2. We can generate our own source of electricity via solar panels potentially enabling us to live off grid. In other words we need not be dependent on the public utility companies to supply our power and we also won’t be required to pay for out power.

3. The creation of solar energy requires little maintenance. Once the solar panels or troughs have been installed and they are brought up to maximum efficiency there is little else to do to ensure they are in working order.

4. They are a silent producer of energy. There is absolutely no noise made from photovoltaic panels as they convert sunlight into usable electricity.

5. The creation of solar power is unobtrusive, particularly the solar electricity that is generated from photovoltaic panels that sit on top of the roofs of buildings.

6. Many governments around the world and locally offer generous rebates and monetary incentives to install solar panels and solar hot water systems. The governments of various nations understand the importance of the creation of electricity from renewable sources is to the entire world and are receptive to making it as attractive a proposition as possible for individuals.

7. If you produce enough solar electricity or if you don’t use all of the electricity that you produce you can sell it back to the utility company for electricity credits. This is a rare occurrence for the most part, unless you are away on vacation for a week or two, in which case your solar panels will go on producing electricity that you won’t be using.

8. Large solar energy facilities can produce electricity regardless of whether the sun is shining or not making them sustainable and reliable electricity producers. The solar power plants capable of achieving this feat are generally thermal solar power producers capable of storing the heat generated and using it when the sun is not shining.

9. The advancements in technology used to create solar energy are continuing to improve making it even more cost effective. As it becomes cheaper to install new solar energy generators the price of solar electricity will continue to drop bringing it more into line with traditional, fossil-fuel generated electricity.

10. Solar electricity power plants and personal solar panels produce zero emissions and make no adverse mark on the environment.

The Oyster has a few design features that help it to stand out from other wave power facilities currently in development around the world. It’s a system that is capable of operating at shallow depths and it uses an onshore base that makes it a lot easier and cheaper to maintain than other wave power designs.

Hydraulics are used by the Oyster asset transfers high-pressure water to shore. The high-pressure water is then converted to electricity using wave power to fuel a hydroelectric plant located onshore. The waves motion activates the device which then works an oscillator powering pistons which pump the water through a pipeline. Water is converted into electricity via onshore generators.

The oyster devices are designed to be deployed in multi-MW arrays. Each device is capable of delivering the capacity of 300 to 600 KW and when a farm of 10 devices are installed they would be capable of producing enough renewable energy to power around 3000 homes.

The Oyster combines the new world technology of wave power with more conventional hydroelectric power to produce a new hybrid kind of renewable energy. It is hoped that this new hybrid produces electricity in a reliable fashion and at a price that is competitive with other forms of electricity creation.

The fact that the Oyster works best at depths of around 12 – 16 m means that it is using waves that are more consistent will result in less wear and tear on the device. This shallow depth also makes it possible to deliver energy in a more consistent fashion than otherwise may have been possible.

The development of this device is still in the very early stages and a trial demonstration is about to be conducted in the waters off the Orkney Islands. Should this demonstration proves that successful developers are hoping to introduce the system in the waters off Spain, Portugal, the US, South Africa, Australia and Chile. There are many locations that would prove conducive to the type of conditions where the Oyster would be suitable.