The City of Pueblo, Colorado is About to Become Even More Livable

Located less than an hour from #Colorado Springs is beautiful #Pueblo, Colorado. Here, residents enjoy a fairly low cost of living, outdoor activities, arts and more.  It is a city consistently ranked with a high livability score. It’s about to become even more livable thanks to the recent announcement of two #community solar projects by #Black Hills Energy. Read on for more information!

What is Community #Solar?

Community solar, in essence, allows anyone to “go solar.” Basically, it is almost as though a person’s rooftop is covered in #solar panels, so they are able to enjoy financial savings – but the solar panels are, in point of fact, located elsewhere. Low-income homeowners, renters and multi-family properties are able to participate. These individuals and families might not have rooftop solar as an option because they live in an apartment they rent, or maybe trees are in the way, blocking their roof. Either way, there is a reason they are otherwise unable to take advantage of this form of renewable #energy.

#Grid Alternatives Colorado to the Rescue

GRID Alternatives Colorado (an affiliate of GRID Alternatives, the largest nonprofit solar installer in the country) will be constructing the clean-energy projects with the objective of expanding environmental and economic benefits of renewable energy to families that otherwise are unable to install rooftop solar on their own.

Cost-Savings and Community Development

The majority of the solar capacity to come from the 2.5 MW solar projects (60 percent) will be utilized to offer cost savings for affordable housing customers and low-income customers in the Black Hills’ Southern Colorado service territory. Moreover, solar industry workforce development training will be led by GRID Alternatives Colorado throughout the duration of the solar project. Volunteer opportunities will also become available in the community.

In accordance with Black Hills Energy’s VP of operations, Vance Crocker, the goal is to create options for customers with an interest in renewable energy (or solar energy) and to deliver reliable energy for 96,000 Southern Colorado customers. Solar or renewable energy will become more accessible to locals.

Executive director of GRID Alternatives Colorado, Adrienne Dorsey, made a powerful statement. Dorsey discussed how GRID Alternatives Colorado recognizes the fact that renewable energy has the ability to lift up communities. It really does!

A Great Partnership

GRID Alternatives Colorado is front-runner in making affordable solar power and solar jobs accessible to those in underserved communities. Their partnership with the #City of Pueblo is sure to lead to great things.

Solar is not only taking off in the city of Pueblo. As a matter of fact, 2.5 MW of community solar was completed by Black Hills Energy in Ordway and Rocky Ford, CO earlier this year. Community solar projects like these have helped to add more renewable energy choices for consumers.

GRID Colorado is doing great things. Since 2013, more than 5 megawatts of solar have been installed for low-income families. In addition, more than 2,300 persons have finished job training over the last five years. A $1.2 million community solar pilot project was completed in 2017 with the Colorado Energy Office. This was created to showcase the benefits of community solar for low-income communities across the state of Colorado.

Construction is expected to start on these solar projects by June. The solar gardens should be in service by November, according to spokesperson for Black Hills, Julie Rodriguez.

The solar gardens are sure to make a difference in the city of Pueblo, CO. Perhaps other cities will follow suit. There are so many renewable energy projects popping up all across the country. It is wonderful when people and corporations come together to try to make the world better, more affordable and cleaner. How is clean energy changing your community? Have you seen rooftop solar going up on new homes or even old homes in your neighborhood? Keep looking toward the future and keep following solar news! Stay tuned to discover upcoming solar projects dedicated to making a positive impact on our planet, and those who live here.

 Sources:

https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/11/black-hills-energy-grid-alternatives-community-solar-pueblo-colorado/

https://www.chieftain.com/news/black-hills-grid-alternatives-colorado-to-bring-solar-gardens-to/article_ed0b42ca-defe-11e8-ac57-d3f0d5c76916.html

 

 

New Solar Project Coming to Alaska Village

In northwest #Alaska, a #remote village called #Buckland is about to benefit from a new #solar project. The goal of the solar project is to lower high utility costs in the area when three #solar arrays are turned on this week. Next year, according to Alaska’s #Energy Desk, a battery system will be operational, too.

This solar project is seeing a great deal of support by both the United States Department of Energy and Northwest Alaska Native Association. The focus on solar demonstrates a push in the region toward clean, renewable energy. Upon reading more about Buckland and local electric costs, you will see why there is a desire to go solar.

The Benefits of Solar in a Remote Village

Solar can majorly help remote villages in Alaska. How? Well, to start, out in Buckland, you will find very few people – roughly 400. Roughly 75 miles from Kotzebue, the village can only be accessed by plane or boat. Now, here’s the kicker: the majority of its current power is the result of diesel, as it comes from generators. Out in rural Alaska, one can be looking at extremely expensive costs for electricity. As a matter of fact, monthly bills can be in the ballpark of $1,000, or six times the national average. The numbers alone are enough to make one living elsewhere re-think complaining about their electric bill!

Even though a state subsidy program assists in lowering electric bills, locals still have to pay the total cost in the event they surpass 500 kilowatt hours in their monthly billing cycle. This is more than half the national average for a residential power bill.

In accordance with state data, out in Buckland, one is looking at 47 cents per kilowatt hour. For comparison, the cost would be 19 cents in a place like Anchorage. Needless to say, there is a desire to shift toward solar energy because people want to get away from fuel. Erik Weber runs the water plant in the village and has said that everyone wants to move away from fuel.

Solar Saves Money

It might be surprising to many, but electric costs can be even higher in other parts of Alaska. Buckland is on a river, and diesel can come in on a barge. But in a place such as Noatak, fuel sometimes has to be flown in. Clearly, solar can make a very welcomed difference. Oil price fluctuations many, many miles away are negatively impacting too many people. Shifting to solar and other forms of renewable energy is important.

While the solar project is sure to be beneficial, it is not likely to drop electric prices overnight. However, solar projects like this could assist in the protection of villages against diesel price spikes, as per the association’s director of energy, Sonny Adams.

The three new solar arrays could make a world of difference when it comes to sky-high electric prices. Once this new solar project is operational and connected with wind turbines, Buckland should be able to turn off its diesel generators for a good amount of time in the summer. The solar arrays were put into place earlier this year, however, they were not turned on. Now, everything is set and ready for operation.

The goal is for the solar project in this remote Alaskan village to be a stepping stone and a point of reference for other locations. If this solar project is as impactful as it is expected to be, then it will prove solar can truly make waves.

Continue to follow solar news to learn about the latest and greatest solar projects popping up all over the planet. Is your neighborhood being impacted by solar or renewable energy in general? Have you noticed solar panels going up on new homes? What about solar farms in nearby areas? Think about how solar could be used to make a positive difference where you live. The possibilities seem endless!

Sources:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/alaska/articles/2018-10-25/alaska-villages-renewable-energy-project-set-for-operation

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2018/10/24/a-solar-project-in-rural-alaska-takes-aim-at-sky-high-electric-bills/

Electric Transmission Planning Key for Business Solar Utility

One such company, Walmart, is currently working towards 100 percent renewable #energy and has plans set in place to bring #solar energy projects into their business models in order to benefit customers, their overall business mission, and of course, the environment.  

One particular Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas is on its way to receiving three separate solar wind farms thanks to a deal signed with EDP Renewables, a solar energy and wind utility provider. Vice President Mark Vanderhelm, who oversees Walmart’s energy projects, told Renewable Energy World this month that the partnership will help Walmart reach its goals for solar energy utility. EDP Renewables also expressed their enthusiasm for working with Walmart to help them reach 100 percent renewable utility through solar energy. 

The Need for Electric Transmission Planning 

While wind and solar energy have revolutionized the way many states and businesses have received and utilized their energy utility, the implementation of these assets for certain states and entities has proved to be more of a challenge. Because wind and solar energies rely on weather and climate to produce optimal energy output, researchers, organizations and solar energy advocates have had to work to solve the issue of bringing solar energy to locations that do not necessarily provide these perfect conditions. The solution and topic of discussion this month in the solar energy realm as to how to alleviate this issue revolves around transmission expansion and careful electric transmission planning. 

Electric transmission planning makes it possible for regions that lack the necessary climates for optimal solar and wind energy production, to incorporate solar energy despite being in areas away from the coasts or in isolated areas. Originally, this sort of transmission planning was utilized within established solar energy sectors that focused on growth within a specific region. Now, business have been able to use this same planning to receive solar energy for their businesses, as long as a transmission line is properly established.  

A New Trend for Corporations 

The Wind Solar Alliance (WSA) revealed in a recent report that corporate demand is ultimately increasing for solar energy utility, in part due to decreasing costs for wind and solar energies overall, but there are still issues for larger corporations. One of the producers of the report, David Gardiner and Associates (DGA), found that these issues primarily come about during the transmission planning processes. In the past for some of these larger corporations, the growth both in the short term and for the long term has not been taken into account. Finding solar energy solutions that allow for sustainability while a company grows and progresses is critical, should the solar energy utility be implemented at all in the first place. Co-author of the report and president of the DGA, David Gardiner, stated that transmission expansion for business solar utility is already “falling short.” However, there are plans set in place, dedicated to perfecting solar transmissions in order to push businesses past these initial growing pains and make solar implementation easier. 

The mission of solar utility companies like the DGA and the Wind Solar Alliance is to continue to help alleviate the challenges that businesses face when it comes to proper and sustainable implementation of solar power resources. Although some corporations may have yet to grasp the full scale of requirements for making one’s business “go green”, there is hope for the future that with continued research and up-to-date reporting, businesses can further develop techniques for efficient transmission of solar energy. Having a sustainable and reliable plan in place is important to businesses that are making the switch. 

Walmart is not the only corporation to aspire to 100 percent renewable utility energy for their business. GM, Microsoft, Johnson&Johnson, as well as P&G are all setting similar goals for how to utilize solar energy methods and resources. With declining costs for solar utility, along with innovative strategies like electric transmission planning, we will likely see businesses nationwide, regardless of climate or location, be able to provide high-quality solar energy services. 

Resources 

https://www.power-eng.com/articles/2018/10/renewable-hungry-companies-need-to-get-on-the-rto-asap.html 

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2018/10/walmart-procures-233-mw-wind-energy-ppa-from-edp-renewables.html 

 

Volvo Carbon Neutrality Goal Assisted by Solar Panels Installation

With much more to consider for the reduction of emissions, greenhouse gas and protection of the environment with hybrid and electric cars, there is now the production line moving toward the contemporary use of #solar power. Additionally, there is more to say for the Ghent location and its existing use of wind power. This makes up approximately 11 percent of its current power usage, stated by plant managers in the first week of October. Also, a heating system that was installed back in 2016 reduced plant carbon emissions by about 40 percent. With all of these numbers it is a positive view that the company as a whole is moving their production procedure more toward renewable and sustainable #energy. 

Installation of Solar  

Statements have been recorded from leaders of the company that these steps in company protocol are all part of Volvo’s overall effort to minimize the environmental footprint of the Volvo name. Even after the previous wind power and more, the installation of solar panels further expands their constant focus across the Volvo production lines that operations include the work to use renewable sources with as much renewable effort as possible. It is nice to see that a company that exists in an industry that has been known throughout history to hold so little an eco-friendly brand that they are working so hard at reducing this footprint over time. 

Various renewables have been a part of Volvo plants since 2008. That is a decade now that involves the development of improved resources, renewable energy and now even solar power to help produce cars with as little emission as possible. And it is wonderful to hear that this is much better than producing cars that produce as little emission as possible, but also becoming a corporation overall that produces as little emission as necessary.  

Actual Details of Installation Status are Different than Posted 

Additionally, it is important to realize that the panels have not yet been completely installed as is implied by the press release posted in the news. Installation is planned to occur over the next few months. Again, the details are not quite specified as to the number of panels, the amount of energy to be generated and more. Estimation includes the number of 15,000 panels, production of between 4.8 and 5.25 megawatts of solar power depending on the use of 320- or 350-watt panels, the details of which have not completely been specified as of yet. 

Another interesting piece of information includes the fact that the Volvo company has invited employees to invest in the installation. While the news presents installation of a heat module, the details aren’t included considering the fact that it occured this January at the engine factory in Skovde, Sweden, to turn that building into Volvo’s first climate-neutral manufacturing plan. This heat system was built from waste incineration rather than fossil fuel burning. Biomass and recycled bio-fuels are also used to help with the work toward carbon neutrality. There is no true answer as to whether this is the case, but the company is definitely hopeful that their efforts across corporate locations are moving in that direction for the future. 

Volvo’s Goals of Carbon Neutrality and Electric Production 

As of 2017 Volvo stated that all new car models released from next year (which would now be current) would be available as mild-hybrid or battery electric models. Company leaders have stated global manufacturing goals of completely carbon neutral operations, as well as 50% of global car sales on the electric market, by 2025. 

Other goals that are set by Volvo include the Omranke program that plans for the inclusion of at least 25% of plastic in its new cars to be recycled materials by 2025. One example of this already in action includes the introduction of use of recycled plastic from PET bottles used for manufacturing in the XC40 compact SUV.  

Basically, the overall carbon footprint of the company is intended to be at or close to zero by the year 2025. This is incredible to consider, especially given the fact that this is only seven years away, and just a little over one century since the company’s origination. These are amazing steps taken by a company that builds the largest trucks on the road, with a massive global market and likely an incredible impression once these changes are complete.  
 

References:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/05/volvo-installs-solar-power-at-belgian-factory.html 

https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/volvo-solar-power-mb0775/  

21 Walmart Sites in Illinois to Get Solar Thanks to SunPower

#Walmart sites in #Illinois are about to go #solar thanks to #SunPower. The combination of ground-mounted solar systems and rooftop solar is going to total 23 MW. Construction is expected to begin early in 2019.

SunPower: A Leader in the Solar Industry

SunPower is a company that holds the title as the leading high-efficiency PV maker in the nation. On top of this, it has developed commercial and utility-scale solar projects while being a prominent name in the residential solar sector, too.

SunPower has started to intensify its focus on smaller-scale solar installations, as it has somewhat moved away from large-scale solar projects after abandoning utility-scale project development. SunPower has become the fourth biggest residential solar installer in the California market.

Next up: Walmart. SunPower has made a deal to set up solar at two distribution centers for Walmart in Illinois as well as 19 Walmart stores. As mentioned, the rooftop solar combined with ground-mounted solar systems is going to total 23 MW. If you need help understanding the numbers, think of it like this – roughly 164 homes can be powered per MW, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Of course, this is dependent on electricity consumption, temperature and average sunshine.

SunPower and Walmart: A Bright Relationship

According to Mark Vanderhelm, vice president for #energy at Walmart, solar is a critical component of the company’s ever-growing renewable energy portfolio.

SunPower is arranging a power purchase agreement through which Walmart will buy the electricity generated. Walmart will have ownership of the renewable energy credits linked with the system. Walmart has a goal to meet half of its electricity demand with renewable energy sources by the year 2025. These numbers are not far off, as Walmart was the third biggest purchaser of renewable energy in terms of large corporations as per a recent Rocky Mountain Institute report.

Even more impressive, Walmart intends to cut emissions in its international value chain by 2030, to the tune of one billion metric tons.

Are there potential changes for the renewable energy policy for Illinois? Possibly, as this is something both SunPower and Walmart have alluded to as a reason for this solar deal. Numerous components of the energy policy for Illinois were reformed last summer, such as its renewable energy credit system. According to some advocates of solar, these changes are leading to a solar boom out in Illinois.

As of the most recent count, Illinois only has 98 MW of solar online, according to #Solar Energy Industries Association. The new solar installations for Walmart are going to raise the installed solar capacity in Illinois by close to a quarter. The numbers are nothing to sneeze at.

Walmart: Lighting the Path for Other Companies

Perhaps the changes being made by Walmart will lead the way for other companies. There is an obvious shift toward renewable energy happening across the globe, and it is easy to see why. Solar is a clean source of energy, and it can save a great deal of money. Moreover, it is a better energy source for the planet. As mentioned by Vanderhelm, Walmart intends to continuously pursue renewable energy projects with the recognition that these projects are better for the environment, customers and business. SunPower is only helping to move in the right direction with these admirable goals.

The Illinois Solar Energy Association has a dedication to advancing solar on a local level, helping companies such as Walmart to recognize the environmental value and economic benefits of clean energy, in accordance with executive director of the Illinois Solar Energy Association, Lesley McCain. In addition, projects like this are going to create jobs for the growing solar workforce in Illinois.

Think about how huge corporations could help to change the world by going solar. On a smaller scale, think about the differences using renewable energy could make in your community. Stay on top of solar news to be kept in the loop on the latest solar projects. They are interesting to learn about, to say the least!

Sources:

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2018/10/24/sunpower-to-install-solar-at-21-walmart-sites-in-illinois/

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/24/walmart-strikes-renewable-energy-deal-with-sunpower.html

https://www.seia.org/initiatives/whats-megawatt

Innovative New Process Creates Material that Benefits Solar Power Cost and Efficiency

For years now, incredible advances in the field of #solar power have been made. However, convincing the mass population of the ability of solar power to replace or even compete with fossil fuels as a primary source of #energy has been a challenge given the limited time of the sun to create energy, and the cost to collect and store that energy in the event that solar generation falls too low.  

Now, the price of photovoltaics has dropped significantly in the past few years and that is quite a solution to this issue. But, as always, economic challenges remain a battle that splits the nation. With plenty of other international locations moving forward at least with the first steps in taking on solar, there must be something that can be done to bring solar power into market competition with fossil fuels. And researchers at Purdue University and Georgia Institute of Technology have been working to uncover a new key factor.  

Given the fact that photovoltaics may only provide occasional storage capabilities, the new possibility is transferring solar energy to heat. That heat would then be used to power turbines rather than the wind we usually have to wait for. In addition to this process, storage of that solar-produced heat would introduce another method for round-the-clock energy originally created by the sun. This could hopefully reduce the otherwise unchanged cost of concentrated solar, providing some overall savings on top of what has been seen from photovoltaics in recent years. 

How the Process Works 

Similar to the process that solar panels on rooftops and on farms, these new concentrated power plants would run on heat energy. The sunlight heats up a fluid at the focus of the mirror, then transfers the heat to a turbine, usually a steam turbine. Heat energy would be generated using mirrors or lenses to focus a large amount of sunlight onto a small area. On this area, the heat would be created and transferred to a molten salt. 

Similar to what has been mentioned in the past about solar heat, the creation of higher temperatures produces more energy in the long run, providing more long-term work. Extreme temperatures are needed to replace the steam in the turbine with a supercritical carbon dioxide, that expands to better run the turbine, thus adding further efficiency to the process. Unfortunately, the fact that most metals would melt under this heat, the process is hard to perfect as of yet. Other factors like chemical resistance and durability add in as well. 

So, one question remains: what material will best be suited for the long-term management of this process? Most scientists have estimated the possibility of certain composite materials like tungsten and zinc carbonide. With melting points nearing 4,000K, the potential of heat conduction and halted expansion in the process may stop it altogether. 

How Were these Materials Determined? 

The initial answer to this is, “by chance.” Researchers went through an incredible process when trying to find the materials that could withstand the process of using solar heat for power. First, there was tungsten carbide, which is a ceramic that can be made into a porous material by pouring it into a mold as a powder and heating. The ceramic is machined to produce a final shape, where it is then placed in a hot, fluid mixture of copper and zirconium. The mixture then filled the pores of the ceramic to replace the tungsten. Finally, the copper formed a thin film on the surface of the resulting solid material. 

After all of this, the tungsten was able to maintain the same shape and size despite the temperature and chemical changes that occurred during the process. Additionally, zircon carbide provides the material with a stiffness that also remains at high temperatures while the tungsten id flexible enough to keep the entire thing from becoming brittle. The materials together conducted high levels of heat better than the materials that were already in use. 

Challenges Remain 

Although many questions have been answered there are issues still in question. The conditions of solar thermal plants are one. The copper on the final material would react with the carbon dioxide, forming copper oxide and releasing carbon monoxide. However, researchers have presented a preventive solution to this is adding a small amount of carbon monoxide to the supercritical carbon dioxide that could suppress this reaction, though experiments still need to be done. 

Economic Potential 

Economic analyses have also been performed on how this new process would benefit consumers. Estimates have shown that the upscale manufacturing process of these heat exchanges could be produced at a comparable or lower rate than existing stainless steel or nickel alloy-based processes.

Because solar power only accounts for two percent of American electricity currently, there is much room for growth and development in the solar industry. Also, since fossil fuels are more than 60% of our national power source, predictions within research give solar the room for growth to over half of America’s electricity if costs are reduced enough to impact consumer receipt of the product.

 

 

Reference

https://www.rdmag.com/article/2018/10/novel-process-could-generate-cheaper-more-efficient-solar-power   

Supporting Reference

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/10/new-material-could-up-efficiency-of-concentrated-solar-power/?comments=1&post=36209085

The Necessity of Solar Utility in the Wake of Hurricane Michael

On October 10th of this year, Hurricane Michael wreaked havoc in Panama City, Florida and surrounding cities, flattening home and buildings across five states. Going down as one of the most powerful hurricanes in our nation’s history, the lessons learned from this Category 4 hurricane extend to many sectors, including the #solar power and renewable #energy communities. One of the most devastating consequences of Hurricane Michael was the 1.3 million people who were left without power in the wake up the destruction. The power outages that resulted and the damages to electricity utility structures have brought up questions and concerns as to how these structures might be rebuilt and withstand the next natural disaster in both Florida and surrounding states. 

New Incentive to Implement Solar Power 

Solar power infrastructure and other renewable energy utilities have proven to be more resilient compared to traditional energy utility in both their physical structure and output consistency. After this most recent disaster, advocates for solar energy are speaking up about how implementing solar power utility statewide would ultimately benefit the state when it comes to natural disasters, thanks to their increased resistance compared to traditional energy utility.  

A recent write-up on Forbes.com highlighted what certain Florida businesses and their leaders are considering for their energy options when it comes to their defenses against future natural disasters. The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) surveyed Florida residents and business owners in regard to solar energy needs. They found that the majority of businesses and home owners in Florida believe that adopting efficient solar and renewable energy practices are important. Additionally, more than half of those polled are already considering installing solar utility for their business or home. The survey also noted that businesses have already been learning to integrate solar energy sources in response to customer demands for renewable and clean energy. 

Solar Power Becoming the Norm 

Jobs in the solar energy and wind utility sectors have now outnumbered those in the gas and coal sectors in Florida, Georgia and nearly 30 other states. Even though Florida is one of the top states to embrace solar energy, there is increased demand for even more solar utility after the fallout of Hurricane Michael. It is likely the events that have transpired and the damages done will ultimately influence Florida officials and advocates for solar energy to continue forward, perhaps at an even more accelerated pace than has previously been seen.  

Although Florida has the third highest rooftop solar power potential, the state ranks fourteenth in actual installation of such solar panels. This potential is now being reevaluated in light of Hurricane Michael’s impacts. One of the biggest hurdles to this implementation, however, according to the Director of Sustainability for Orlando City, Chris Castro, has been having the capital to initially invest in solar power resources and clean energy utilities. The more businesses and residents in the state can embrace the realities of solar energy, the initial start-up costs to implement such solar utility will decrease. For some businesses, embracing solar energy is easy, while others may still question the promises and effects of solar energy in the long-term. 

A New Hope in Solar Energy 

Now is the time for business leaders and those with political power to come together in unison in order to rebuild Florida in a more sustainable and resilient fashion via solar energy structure and utility. While the daunting task of implementing a new system from the ground up may be challenging, there is hope that solar power will be the solution to day-to-day sustainability for Florida residents and businesses. Additionally, solar power may also be the key to protecting the city when natural disasters inevitably strike. Investing in solar energy now is the next logical step for Florida residents and businesses alike in the wake of the hurricane. Sustainability and resilience will now be key focuses for Florida officials and solar power advocates. Despite the losses and the tasks that lie ahead, we can be assured that whatever solar methods are implemented during the rebuilding process will be able to withstand the effects of natural disasters for better than the traditional routes. 

Resources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/edfenergyexchange/2018/10/18/hurricane-michael-highlights-urgent-need-for-more-solar-opportunities-in-florida/2698741963c1 

https://www.edf.org/media/florida-business-leaders-concur-clean-and-renewable-energy-way-forward