350MW Floating Solar Farm For Brazil

Brazil's Energy Minister, Eduardo Braga, has announced a massive floating solar farm project at the Balbina hydroelectric plant in the Amazon.At a news conference late last week at the Federation of Industries of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan),  Minister Braga said the Ministry of Mines and Energy intends commencing pilot tests of solar power generation in hydroelectric dams within four months.Far from just dabbling in floating solar technology, the first floating PV power station will be huge - 350MW capacity. Electricity produced by the facility is expected to cost between approximately AUD $90 and $101 per megawatt hour.Built between 1985 and 1989 to provide a renewable electricity supply to the city of Manaus, the Balbina hydroelectric plant has been a controversial project.

In addition to the loss of habitat that occurred with its construction, it's claimed that methane released from the massive reservoir, which covers 2,360 square kilometres, means the facility emits more greenhouse gases than most coal plants. The hydroelectric capacity of Balbina is 250MW.Brazil is no slouch when it comes to renewable energy. Spurred on by the oil shocks of the 1970's, the nation turned to alternative energy; primarily from hydro and sugarcane ethanol. Renewables accounted for more than 85.4% of the domestically produced electricity used in Brazil by 2009.According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Brazil has set the following renewable energy targets out to 2019Hydro: from 83.1 GW in 2010 to 116.7 GW by 2019.

Small hydro: from 4 GW in 2010 to 7GW by 2019.Biomass: from 5.4 GW in 2010 to 8.5 GW by 2019.Wind: 1.4 in 2010 to 6 GW by 2019The IEA says Brazil's 10-year plan foresees an investment package of BRL 952 billion (approximately AUD $385.5 billion at current exchange rates).Floating solar farms have been rapidly gaining popularity around the world - they solve issues relating to land usage, reduce water evaporation and the growth of algae. The water also helps to keep the solar panels cool, boosting conversion efficiency.Closer to home, a floating PV facility is currently being constructed at Jamestown in South Australia’s mid-north region; which is expected to be operational next month.

Turkey To Commercialise Australian Solar Technology

Australia's Dyesol has caught the attention of the Development Bank of Turkey (TKB) in a big way.Dyesol announced earlier this week it had received a non-binding Letter of Intent from TKB, which wishes to fund and commercialise the company's revolutionary perovskite based photovoltaic technology.The end goal is to construct a 600 megawatt plant at Mersin in Turkey that would employ up to 2,500 technical, manufacturing, installation and maintenance staff.“We are very excited about our commercialisation prospects in Turkey," said Dyesol Managing Director, Richard Caldwell."In particular, the Turkish Development Bank appreciates the inherent risks in the scale-up to mass production of our revolutionary solar technology and we have every confidence in securing their substantial financial support.

It is gratifying that the Turkish Development Bank has identified our technology as a leader in the field of next-generation renewables."Dyesol says TKB is focused on developing internal manufacturing capacity, minimising the import of foreign energy products and is ready to provide the required project finance pending suitable conditions and an appraisal. It seems TKB will also consider taking a strategic equity interest in Dyesol at terms yet to be considered and agreed upon.Additionally, TKB can provide a tax shelter during the early years of development of the technology and favourable terms for the employment of labour.Dyesol is working with three different perovskite based materials.

Perovskite is a mineral named after Russian mineralogist Lev Perovski. Its properties include superconductivity, magnetoresistance, ionic conductivity, and various dielectric attributes. It's believed perovskite could be used to make solar panels at a cost of between 10 and 20 cents per watt, due to the small amount of material required to construct a solar cell.Last month,  Stanford University researchers demonstrated cheap silicon solar cells layered with perovskite experienced a 50% increase in efficiency.Dyesol was established in 2004 to commercialise  Dye Solar Cells (DSC), also known as Dye Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSC).

Dye Solar Cells are made of low-cost materials and manufacturing does not require elaborate equipment. Dyesol says DSC's perform well in less than ideal conditions - shade, dawn, dusk, dappled light, haze, cloud, winter, and even indoor lightDyesol  is the winner of many awards, including the 2013 Coolest Company in Australia Award, the 2012 Clean Energy Council Innovation Award and the 2009 ACT Chief Minister's Export Awards.

Australian Solar Anti Dumping Investigation May Be Terminated

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What some may have considered as a waste of taxpayer's money and also a threat to Australia's solar revolution could be binned.The Australian Anti-dumping Commission has been tasked with investigating claims of alleged dumping of some solar panels exported from China."Dumping" is a form of predatory pricing, where manufacturers export a product to another country at a price either below the price charged in its domestic market or below its cost of production.The outcome of this investigation could have resulted in penalties being applied to certain solar panel products, making them more expensive.The Commission has determined during the period 1 July 2012 to 31 December 2013 (the investigation period) were exported at dumped prices; but that the injury to the Australian industry caused by those exports was negligible.

The "Australian industry" pretty much consists of a single manufacturer, Tindo Solar, the party that instigated the action. Tindo produces alternating current (AC) solar panels, which the Commission describes as "a premium model and priced significantly higher than the imported direct current (DC) PV modules or panels."This difference was one of the arguments posed by the Clean Energy Council, which stated in a submission that at that point in time there were "no panels or modules sold on the Australian market that are “identical” to those assembled by Tindo Solar."The Commission found dumping margins associated with five manufacturers to be within a range of 2.1 and 8.7 percent, with four of the five at 4% or lower.

The Commission's Statement Of Essential Facts (PDF) states based on its findings, and subject to any submissions received in response to the document, the Commissioner proposes to terminate the investigation under subsection 269TDA(13) of the Customs Act 1901(the Act)1.The Australian Solar Council welcomed the outcome."It is a win for Australian solar PV consumers," said the Council's CEO, John Grimes. "It is a win for common sense."The Commission says it is important to note that the Statement Of Facts may not represent the final views of the Commissioner. Interested parties have 20 days to respond to the SEF. The Commissioner will consider these responses before making a final decision to terminate the investigation or to submit a final report to the Parliamentary Secretary.

Seven Sisters Solar Project Under Way In Utah

SunEdison has announced it has commenced construction preparations for a 22.6 megawatt solar farm project in Southern Utah.The Seven Sisters project incorporates seven separate solar power plants, four of which are located in Beaver County and three in Iron County."We are excited to be breaking ground today for the Seven Sisters solar project," said Paul Gaynor, Executive Vice President of North America Utility and Global Wind at SunEdison. "These solar power plants will provide significant economic and environmental benefits for the people of Utah. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Beaver and Iron counties, Rocky Mountain Power, and the State of Utah."Utah's Governor, Gary R. Herbert, said the projects will generate construction job opportunities and tax revenue for Iron and Beaver Counties.Power generated by the facilities, which will be enough to supply more than 4,000 Utah homes, will be purchased by Rocky Mountain Power under separate 20-year power purchase agreements (solar PPA) with SunEdison. Ongoing operation and maintenance of the solar power stations will be performed by SunEdison Services.

In other recent SunEdison news, the company said it recently won three awards at the Game Changer Awards Gala, an event hosted by the  Canadian Solar Industry Association (CanSIA), which took place in Toronto, Canada on March 26, 2015.SunEdison was the recipient Solar Developer award for being the leading developer in the Canadian market. Last year, SunEdison's Canadian arm interconnected 108 megawatts of solar capacity, bringing Ontario's total to more than 260 MW of operating solar projects. The company says another 56 MW of capacity is currently under construction.SunEdison Director of Business Development Jonathan Frank won the Emerging Solar Leader award and SunEdison Vice President and Country Manager Michelle Chislett won the first-ever Solar Power Woman of Distinction Award.

Also recently announced by the company was the appointment of Julie Blunden to the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of SunEdison . Ms. Blunden had previously served as Chief Executive Officer of ClimateWorks, Executive Vice President at SunPower and has also held executive positions at KEMA, Green Mountain Energy Company and a decade of experience at AES.

Solar & Storage Dominate North American Clean Energy Proposals

A new white paper from Bloomberg New Energy Finance has found solar and energy storage dominating North American requests for proposals for clean energy.A total of 27 solar requests for proposal (RFP) totaling 1.8 GW were issues in North America throughout 2014, the most in terms of both capacity and number of RFPs. Energy smart technologies, particularly energy storage, also saw a lot of interest in 2014, with at least 12 RFPs being issued, which the authors of the report believe could be "evidence that these may be initial experimental forays into a rapidly changing sector," by virtue that most of the storage RFPs were for relatively small capacity.

“The data reveals particularly strong interest in energy storage,” said Will Nelson, head of analysis for Bloomberg New Energy Finance in North America.The Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) white paper reported 52 RFPs for clean energy in 2014, with the West being the biggest region, with 1 GW being requested.The largest single RFP came from Alliant Energy, which is looking for 600 MW of wind projects in Wisconsin. The US Armed Forces might register relatively low on the capacity sought in 2014, but they lead the way with 7 RFPs.Leading issuers (grouped by parent company) of RFps in 2014, ranked by total capacity soughtTotal capacity sought (MW) by sector and by geography for RFPS issued in 2014“For project sponsors and equipment vendors, RFPs are the lifeblood of their business development efforts,” said Mark Taylor, product manager for Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

“They also give an early but concrete glimpse into which sectors are catching the eye of the market, and about the strategic direction of utilities and other energy-consuming organizations.”The white paper is available for download from Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Ontario Opening 140 MW Solar Tender

The Canadian province of Ontario recently opened up a 140 megawatt (MW) solar procurement round targeting projects over 500 kilowatts (kW) in size, as part of the larger "Large Renewable Procurement" program, according to recent reports.The new solar tender is only open to pre-registered bidders.

The list includes 42 different companies and can be found here.Many big names are amongst those on the list, including: SunEdison, NextEra Energy Resources, Conergy, and EDF.Project proposals need to be submitted by September 1, 2015. Project winners will reportedly be notified sometime in November and/or December.

Solar Panels Or Greenery For Every New Building Rooftop In France

A new law was approved in France recently that requires the rooftops of every new building in a commercial zone to be partially covered with either solar panels or plants. Environmental activists in France wanted all new buildings to be completely covered by plants or solar panels, but the French government only went about halfway to that point.It did not want to pass a law that would be too "extreme." The rationale was that legislation that imposes too much extra cost on businesses (even if it's just upfront costs leading to financial savings) can have a damaging effect on an economy. (It will be interesting to see if there will also be an economically stimulating impact due to the extra solar power activity and extra purchase of plants and supporting materials.)

The point of adding solar panels is obvious enough -; generating electricity cleanly -; but if you're confused about the second part, including plants can help buildings by deflecting sunlight so that they stay cooler during hot periods, and they also provide extra insulation that allows the buildings to retain heat during cold weather.Over the long term, building owners might save money by generating a portion of their own electricity and by paying less in utility bills (if their green rooftops do reduce cooling and heating costs significantly).Interestingly, solar panels not only generate electricity, but also have a similar insulating effect. Green rooftops also attract and support birds in urban settings that can otherwise be fairly inhospitable to them. They also can help reduce the heat island effect in urban areas, so temperatures during summers are comfortably decreased.

France currently relies mostly on electricity from nuclear power, but many of these power plants, and this new law seems that it will result in a lot more solar power systems being installed.American researchers found a number of years ago, that green rooftops can reduce global warming and climate change. "The researchers found that replacing traditional roofing materials with green roofs in an urban area the size of Detroit, with a population of about one million, would capture more than 55,000 tons of carbon. That is roughly similar to eliminating a year’s worth of carbon dioxide emitted by 10,000 mid-sized SUVs and trucks."NASA has published some information on green rooftops as well.Of course, green rooftops are probably more aesthetically appealing, but this effect is not agreed upon by all.While the new law didn't go that far, people could choose to put both plants and solar panels on their roofs....Related Story: Green Roofs & Solar Panels: The Future of Renewable Energy?

Fujitsu launches cloud-based solar monitoring

Japanese tech company Fujitsu launched a cloud-based solar monitoring system in its domestic market on Tuesday.

The Venus service allows power companies to monitor the minute-by-minute output from each inverter rather than the overall system output.

The company claims this allows for greater oversight and means site managers can be alerted via email to drops in generation, suspensions or other abnormalities linked to specific parts of the plant.

This means problems can be identified earlier and rectified ensuring that loss of output can be minimised, according to Fujitsu.

The cloud-based platform can file hourly or daily reports on generation and can automatically store historical data. Output thresholds can also be set so that any fall below the operator’s expectations can trigger an alert.

The service will initially only be available to smaller scale utility projects in Japan with a sales target of 2000 systems by the end of the 2015 fiscal year. There was no indication from the company on plans to roll it out internationally.

Vikram Solar teams with European firms for solar cell production

India-based PV module manufacturer Vikram Solar has teamed with Fraunhofer ISE, Meyer Burger, and centrotherm to provide its previously announced plans to include solar cell production as part of overall module capacity expansions. 

Vikram Solar said it also had plans to support the establishment of a solar academy in India with support from Fraunhofer ISE. 

A MOU was signed with the companies during the Hannover Messe event, which includes Fraunhofer ISE assisting the company with the research and development of industrial scale crystalline silicon solar cell and module processing.

“Only photovoltaic manufacturers using excellent production technology will be successful in the very competitive PV market. Fraunhofer ISE is happy to support Vikram Solar to build up a production line for solar cells with the latest technology and therefore contribute to the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Indian Government”, Gerhard Stryi-Hipp, Head of Energy Policy of Fraunhofer ISE said.

Already a supplier to Vikram Solar, Meyer Burger is expected to provide selected solar cell and module manufacturing equipment, while collaborating on process improvements in solar cell and module manufacturing.  R&D on materials, processes, and device technologies are also included in the MOU. 

For its part, centrotherm will also provide solar cell equipment and manufacturing expertise to improve cell efficiency and productivity, according to Vikram Solar. 

“By collaborating with leading technology providers and leveraging proven expertise from some of the best brains in the industry, Vikram Solar aims to reinforce its positioning as a technologically advanced PV manufacturer. We believe that this will add tremendous value for our global customers, resulting in unmatched product quality at very competitive costs,” states Gyanesh Chaudhary, Managing Director & CEO of Vikram Solar.

According to PV Tech’s analysis, Vikram Solar current has a module nameplate capacity of approximately 150MW. The company was considering expanding module capacity by a further 200MW to reach a cumulative capacity of 350MW by the second quarter of 2015 and potentially under a second phase expansion by the fourth quarter of 2015 reach 600MW. 

Vikram Solar’s first solar cell production facility was previously stated to be planned for the first quarter of 2016, with a nameplate capacity of 250MW. 

The module manufacturer had previously announced the collaboration with Finish firm Cencorp in the potential to deploy to its Metal Wrap Through (MWT) solar cell and Conductive Back Sheet (CBS) based PV module technology.

However, Cencorp has recently said in financial filings that an expected signed equipment contract with a potential customer had been delayed. 

Solar Frontier To Supply 100 MW CIGS Solar Modules To India’s Welspun Renewables

Welspun Renewables Limited, a leading Indian renewable energy projects developer, has signed an agreement with Japan-based Solar Frontier for solar PV modules.Welspun Renewables will procure 100 MW of CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Selenide) solar PV modules, the company announced last week, but did not indicate as to where these modules would be used, as it has several large-scale solar PV projects in the pipeline.Welspun has a large footprint in the Indian solar and wind energy sectors.

The company plans to install 1 GW of solar and wind energy capacity this year. It has been aggressively participating in solar power project auctions organised by several state governments, and in one such auction the company secured the bid to develop the country’s largest solar PV project -; the 151 MW power plant is operational in Madhya Pradesh.Some of the major deals the company has signed this year include power purchase agreements with two southern states to develop 100 MW solar PV power capacity each.

Welspun Renewables has commissioned over 366 MW solar and wind power projects and another 978 MW capacities are currently under construction.Long-term investment commitments are even more ambitious. In January, the company signed agreements with the state government of Gujarat to set up 600 MW of solar power and 500 MW of wind power capacity. This capacity expansion would require a total investment of over $1.2 billion.At the RE-INVEST global investors summit organised by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy in February, the company committed to set up 8.66 GW of solar power and 2.34 GW of wind energy capacity all over the country over the next 5 to 7 years.

India’s Telengana State to Auction 2GW Solar Power Projects

The southern Indian state of Telangana is set to launch one of the largest tenders for solarphotovoltaic power projects in the country.The government of Telangana is planning to issue a tender to auction 2GW of solar power capacity, most likely 100% solar projects, over the next few weeks. 

The tender is probably the first and is most certainly the largest to be issued by a government, central or state, following the official announcement in late February this yearto increase the solar power capacity addition target from 22GW to 100GW by 2022. 

The state government would offer prospective developers projects through competitive bidding where the base tariff is expected to be below US$0.1 per kWh. Telangana has an ambitious plan to add 5GW solar power capacity and 4GW wind energy capacity by 2019.

To learn more :polycrystalline solar panels

Burundi Gets Grants for 7.5MW Solar Plant

Two international grantshave been provided for a 7.5MW solar project in the central African nation of Burundi, where only 4% of the population has residential access to electricity. The proposed project will increase the country's generation capacity by 15%. Burnundi saw its power capacity increase by 6% last year after its power grid was interconnected to East Africa's largest utility-scale solar field, an 8.5MW facility in Rwanda. 

Currently, Burundi experiences a high frequency of blackouts, with downtime in electrical access an average of two days a week. Burundi has a total of only 52MW of installed electrical capacity, including 15.5MW of diesel-generated power. 

The project also has wider economic benefits. “We believe that this pioneering solar project can be the bellwether for further western investment in Burundi," said Come Manirakiza, Burundi's minister of Energy and Mines.

Edited by ReneSola

US renewables set for record year in 2015, says BNEF

Booming renewable energy deployment, the shuttering of coal-fired generation and increased natural gas consumption will combine to make 2015 a “watershed” year for decarbonisation of the US power sector, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

US renewables deployment in 2015 will hit a record 18GW, with solar leading the way at an all-time high of 9.1GW, BNEF has forecast, closely followed by wind with 8.9GW.

In parallel, BNEF said 2015 would be a record year for coal retirements, with 23GW expected to come offline in the US this year, around 7% of the country’s coal capacity.

And the US is expected to burn more natural gas then before in 2015 as a result of low prices.

BNEF said the confluence of these factors would result in 2015 CO₂ emissions from the power sector ending up 15.4% lower than 2005 levels. The country is targeting a 28% cut all its CO₂ emissions by 28% relative to 2005 levels by 2030.

"More interesting than the single-year drop in emissions are the ‘structural’ impacts that will live on for decades,” said William Nelson, head of North American analysis. “Emissions can rise or fall year to year based on weather anomalies and volatile fuel prices – but in 2015, we’ll take a giant, permanent step towards decarbonising our entire fleet of power plants.”

According to BNEF half of the 9.1GW of solar expected this year will be built in California, where a handful of mega-projects are due for completion. This will be bolstered by a wave of “baby ground mounts”, projects in the 1-10MW that BNEF also believe offer the US solar sector the most promising future prospects. Residential rooftop solar is expected to hit 1.9GW this year and commercial rooftop 1.6GW.

The BNEF report said 2016 could see similar levels of new solar and wind capacity built as developers rush to complete projects ahead of the expected cuts in federal tax credits. But this in turn could mean the decarbonisation expected this year will not be repeated.

“Decarbonisation will continue post-2015,” Nelson said, “but at a slower pace. We may never again see 23GW of coal capacity retire in a single year; and renewable build could drop significantly in 2017, when important federal tax incentives step down or expire”.    

Nautilus Solar launches integrated solar asset management division

North American downstream PV firm, Nautilus Solar Energy, has launched an integrated solar asset management division, bringing together the construction, operations and maintenance, and financial asset management of PV power plants.

The company claims that by combining these key aspects of plant operation and management, the new division, Nautilus Integrated Asset Management Solutions, will optimise the productivity and profitability of its projects.The company also plans to offer third-party asset management support to commercial and industrial project owners, and others involved in PV projects.

According to David Velasco, vice president of construction and operations of Nautilus: "The ability to offer combined physical, operational and financial asset management services is a huge advantage because the three are interdependent. By combining them, stakeholders are able to achieve a greater return on investment than if they were to handle the so-called ‘blue collar’ and ‘white collar’ aspects of solar asset management individually";.Nautilus Solar has over 100MW of PV projects under management in the US and Canada, across almost 60 separate projects.

Fronius Launches Symo Solar Inverters In Australia

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The next generation of three-phase solar inverters available in Australia have become an even more attractive investment.   "The Fronius Symo is our flagship series for 2014. It epitomises our Fronius Smart Energy approach of helping our customers realise optimised sustainable energy investments through our innovative and reliable products and services," says Adrian Noronho, Sales and Marketing Director at Fronius Australia.      

"The Fronius Symo will provide unprecedented value to our customers - summed up in a few words it is smarter, lighter, and more flexible."     The company says Fronius Symo is up to 46% lighter than comparable brands. For example, the 5kW Fronius Symo 5.0-3-M weighs just 19.9kg.      

The Symo incorporates the SnapINverter concept - an innovative hinged design that allows for quick & easy installation. An additional DC isolator at the inverter is not required as one is integrated in the unit.      Featuring a wide input voltage range (150 to 800 V [1000 VOC]), two MPP trackers and high input current rating; the Symo can be installed indoors or outdoors.      Advanced Grid Features (AGF) of the solar inverter stabilises load on the grid in the event of a grid overload while ensuring yield levels are maintained.       Smart Grid Ready (SGR), Symo is based on a flexible platform for compatibility with future system requirements; such as hybrid solar storage.      

Its Energy Management Relay feature can direct power to household appliances; turning them on and off automatically, which conveniently optimises self-consumption. An integrated WLAN data manager allows system owners to easily monitor production and consumption.      

Qualified Fronius Service Partners can perform on-site service and repair of the Symo in just one trip; ensuring maximum system uptime.   To support the launch into Australia, Fronius will be offering a 5+5 year warranty for all Fronius Symo 10 - 20kW units installed from June 1st up to December 31st 2014*.   In addition, Fronius will offer a Commissioning Validation Package* and Fronius Proactive Service* (including remote diagnosis and on-site service by a Fronius Service Partner) for 12 months from commissioning for any system larger than 50kW.  

Fronius Symo is available through Energy Matters' sister company, Apollo Energy. Fronius Symo 3.0 - 8.2 kW solar inverters are shipping now, with larger inverters to follow shortly.  

"Apollo Energy fully supports the launch of the Fronius Symo range of inverters and will exclusively offer a free weather station kit (sensor card, ambient temperature sensor, wind sensor) for the first 100 projects over 50kW that utilise Fronius Symo inverters," says Apollo Energy.   Early release stock of the larger units in the Fronius Symo range is expected from late May and Apollo Energy anticipates it will sell quickly. For pricing and detailed availability, or to place a forward order, Apollo Energy can be contacted on 1300 855 484.   * conditions apply, contact Apollo Energy for details.

SkyLock - The Solar Powered Bike Lock

The SkyLock intelligent bike locking system is creating a huge amount of buzz with bike owners around the world.    With bicycles these days sometimes worth thousands of dollars; theft is becoming an increasing problem. In the USA, approximately 1.5 million bikes are reported stolen each year.    All sorts of locking systems are available, but SkyLock is a system with some very interesting differences.       Through Bluetooth technology, Skylock offers 'keyless entry' by connecting to a bike owner's phone. Skylock senses the owner's approach and automatically unlocks - or it can be unlocked by tapping a button on the lock's phone app.  

Skylock contains a lithium battery that is recharged by small solar cells embedded in the lock barrel casing. The makers state an hour of sunlight will provide enough power for a week. In the unlikely event of the battery going flat, the device can be unlocked  by entering a combination on the capacitive touch buttons.   The battery has an expected life of around 6 years with normal use. If the lock is stored where there is no sunlight and assuming the battery is fully charged;  it will take around 250 days to fully discharge.  

Skylock also has some other novel features. Through the use of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; it can notify the owner if their bike is disturbed. It can even notify preferred contacts if the owner is involved in an accident. If there isn't an open Wi-Fi network available, an "electronic leash" can be created with Bluetooth.  

The device can also be used for creating bike-sharing programs. Users can arrange to loan their bike to anyone in a trusted network or the Skylock community while keeping track of it via the app.    The price of the device is currently USD $159; which compares favourably with other high-end locking devices. Pre-ordering is available; but SkyLocks won't be shipped until early next year.    Learn more about SkyLock here.

The Energy Matters Solar Coaster

The sailboat Energy Matters Solar Coaster shows how a little solar can do a lot in marine applications.     It's not on the scale of MS Tûranor PlanetSolar (the world's largest solar powered boat) by any means, but Solar Coaster's couple of panels and energy storage system still provide enough power to be used for propulsion.    

Owned by an  Energy Matters installation contractor on the mid north coast of NSW; the 12 metre sloop has two  BenQ Solar 327 watt Sunforte panels that were supplied by Energy Matters and 15 kilowatt hours of lithium iron phosphate battery storage.    

The 3-phase brushless AC motor and controller from EV Power silently propel the craft to and from coastal offshore racing and cruising events. The batteries provide up to 5 hours motoring when not under sail.     "Solar is changing so much, so quickly - and cleanly" says Jeremy Rich; CEO of Energy Matters. "Marine craft owners can benefit from going solar; whether it’s to replace noisy, polluting generators to run lights, communications equipment and other appliances; or as in the case of Energy Matters Solar Coaster, to provide power for propulsion."    

The BenQ Solar Sunforte modules offer an efficiency as high as 20.1%, substantially more than many other solar panel brands. The cells in these modules are made in the same factory as SunPower cells. BenQ Solar is a division of AU Optronics.     EV Power Australia Pty Ltd designs, manufactures and sells Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP or LiFePO4) battery packs and components for a variety of applications. LFP chemistry offers a longer cycle life and improved safety over standard lithium-ion batteries.

The Great Energy Rip-Off

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Greenpeace is a step closer to the next phase of its campaign regarding what it refers to as the 'Dirty Three's' assault against the Renewable Energy Target.     The group says AGL, EnergyAustralia and Origin Energy are trying to weaken or scrap Australia's successful RET.    

"They spend millions spruiking a ‘clean and green’ brand to consumers like you and I. The truth is, 'The Dirty Three' are clinging on desperately to Australia’s old, coal-powered legacy in order to maintain a monopoly over your power supplies — and your power bills too!  

Greenpeace have created a TV ad it aims to screen during the same highly-viewed ad slots used by energy companies and are requesting donations to go towards the cost of the campaign.     The ad points viewers to TheGreatEnergyRipoff - a petition site. Signatures gathered through the petition will be presented to the three companies in a high profile event.  

"Over 10 million people buy their energy from these companies and they're scared we'll find out the truth about how successful the Renewable Energy Target really is," states Greenpeace.   Some quick facts on the Renewable Energy Target from Australia's Clean Energy Council:   Power bills:   Australian households will pay over $50 more for electricity in 2020 if the RET is dumped, and beyond 2020 household bills would be up to $140 more per year.  

Jobs:   The RET will generate 18,400 new jobs by 2020 if retained in its current form.    Investment:   The RET will generate nearly $15 billion of investment in large-scale renewable energy projects by 2020 and billions of dollars more in household renewable energy systems if left unchanged.    Emissions:   Abolishing the RET would see 34.7 million extra tonnes of carbon emissions in the atmosphere by 2020.