Tagged with solar power

Embracing Renewable Energy in Kuwait

The Middle East has huge potential when it comes to renewable energy. Due to the all-year-long sunshine, and flat planes, it is a suitable area for solar and wind farms. This potential must be used! Because of that fact, many companies who are in the clean energy business choose to move to Kuwait. Opportunities are endless, and everyone should start embracing renewable energy in Kuwait.

Let’s research this topic a bit more, to discover the true potential and possibilities!

Types of renewable energy sources

In order to better understand the nature of renewable energy sources in Kuwait, it is crucial to learn a bit more about its types. Today, there are seven major renewable energy sources:

  1. Solar power – Solar energy is produced by exploiting the radiant energy of the Sun. Sunlight converts into heat, hot water, or electricity. That is achieved through the help of solar cells and the PV system.
  2. Wind power – Wind energy is produced at wind farms, using turbines. There are 3 types of systems used for the production of wind power: Single wind turbines, commercial-grade systems, and utility-scale wind farms.
    • single wind turbines are most useful for pre-existing energy organisations.
    • commercial-grade systems are used to power multiple organisations
    • utility-scale wind farms are for those who want to purchase on a wholesale or a contract.
  3. Hydroelectric power – When it comes to hydroelectric energy, the most known form is a dam. The water running through the turbines is converted to electric energy.
  4. Oceans – Oceans are massive sources of energy. When it comes to oceans, they can generate thermal and mechanical renewable energy. Thermal energy comes from the warm water surface, while mechanical energy develops due to the flow of the tide.
  5. Geothermal sources – Geothermal energy comes in the form of heat trapped beneath the earth’s crust. You can see these sources in nature, they are called volcanoes and geysers. The way geothermal energy is used is through the steam that is generated at the source.
  6. Biomass – Biomass is a matter that comes from plants or organisms that died. When it is processed, it creates bio energy. A very familiar example is using wood to start a fire. So, bio energy can be created either by burning biomass, or harvesting methane when organic materials decompose.
  7. Hydrogen power – Opposite to other sources, hydrogen must be combined with other elements to produce results. It can be used both for fuel and electric energy.

Kuwait is a fertile ground for solar and wind farms. There lies huge potential, waiting to be exploited. Not only it can be used for business purposes, but also in projects that include self-sustaining homes.

Wind farm at sunset, representing renewable energy in Kuwait

Kuwait is a fantastic area for solar and wind farms, and people must begin to embrace renewable energy in Kuwait

Embracing Renewable Energy in Kuwait

Even though such potential exists, not much is done on the matter of renewable energy in Kuwait. While I do think that raising awareness about renewable energy is the best strategy, there is more to the story. Long term goals for 2030 announce that Kuwait will produce 15% of electric energy thanks to renewable sources. However, current numbers are lower than 1%.

With such potential and conditions, one might wonder why is that.

It’s all about the oil

Let’s face it, Kuwait currently runs on burning fuel oil and imported gas. The volume of oil reserves is massive, and they export around 2m barrels per day. Furthermore, there are plenty of unexploited resources waiting in the background. With such a strong economy, the numbers are looking good. The production cost is also lowered, thanks to demand. Currently, it is just not that important to shift the focus toward renewable energy in Kuwait.

Nevertheless, there is a word of caution in this tale. As with everything else on our planet, oil and gas reserves are limited. That is something that must be taken into consideration. Embracing renewable energy in Kuwait is the strategy for the future! There are plenty of benefits of renewable energy, and that is an opportunity that must not be missed.

Important numbers to look at

Let’s talk a little bit about the situation with renewable energy around the world. Due to the potential benefits, all major countries are trying their best to improve in this area. Due to the demand, the production cost for solar power dropped by a whopping 90%! Even better, it is still declining, and it will continue to do so as long as possible.

On another note, the demand for electricity in Kuwait is becoming larger and larger on a daily basis. Due to the rising population and increased consumption of electric energy, it is essential to look for new, renewable energy sources.

Not only that the renewable energy could help Kuwait on a grand scale, but it would also power neighbouring countries. The potential is big, and the production cost is low.

Moving your business to Kuwait

Thanks to the potential of the market, a lot of companies are choosing to move their offices to Kuwait. Especially those companies that are in the renewable energy business. Since the awareness is still low, whoever uses the chance has the possibility of becoming a pioneer and tightly grab the opportunities on the market.

If you are thinking about moving your offices, you should know that transporting office supplies to your new address is now easier than ever. It is important not to lose any time, the sooner you start with the process, the better.

The future of renewable energy in Kuwait

With all that has been said, I can say that Kuwait has a bright future when it comes to renewable energy. However, it is crucial to raise awareness. Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research is working on many future projects. One worth mentioning is the development of solar plants, located at Shagaya Renewable Energy Park. Nevertheless, it is crucial to raise awareness among people, and help them embrace renewable energy in Kuwait. Nothing is possible without the demand!

This article was kindly written and contributed by Sally Norton.

New Printed Batteries To Transform Australian Renewables

Solar panels could soon be made with their own embedded battery storage in what is an Australian global first.

Batteries would be laminated to the back of the panels and deliver “in-built” storage, making it eventually standard for them to deliver energy day or night as required.

It’s one of several plans for ultra-thin, flexible screen-printed batteries that could eventuate within three years and offer new opportunities for manufacturing.

Currently companies such as Tesla and South Australia’s Redflow offer solar panel and battery solutions, but the batteries are separate entities. If this idea takes hold, printed-on storage could be part of an ordinary solar panel.

printed batteries

Photo: article supplied

Because they can be printed in any shape, printed batteries could also power electronic skin treatment patches and other wearable technology.

The project is being undertaken by Printed Energy Pty Ltd, an investee company within the St Baker Energy Innovation Fund, in collaboration with two of Australia’s leading universities in the field of energy storage and materials science, the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales.

Printed Energy is the principal financial backer. It is providing $1.5 million in direct funding for the project, and $6 million in-kind assistance.

Trevor St Baker, founder of ERM Power and the St Baker Energy Innovation Fund, said printed batteries could transform everyday life.

“Unlike traditional batteries, the printed battery can be any shape required for the specific application, such as wearable electronics and medical and healthcare products such as skin treatment patches,” he said.

“It’s literally the printing of solid state batteries in a thin, flexible format that can be adapted to almost any shape.”

He said printed batteries would transform solar generation from day time energy generation to night time energy delivery.

The $12 million project has also received another shot in the arm: a $2 million grant from the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects scheme.

University of NSW Dean Mark Hoffman hailed the breakthrough as delivering the missing piece of the puzzle for renewable energy.

“The world is crying out for storage solutions, and this partnership has the potential to deliver on that urgent need. What’s exciting is that this technology also has immediate applications in wearables and small-scale devices.”

Chris Greig, director of The University of Queensland Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation and the UQ Energy Initiative is enthused about how the technology could transform Australian manufacturing.

This article was originally published by The Australian.

Click here to read the entire article.

Melbourne’s Trams To Be Solar Powered

Melbourne’s trams network will soon be powered by the first large-scale solar plant to be built in Victoria.

The solar plant, which will be completed by the end of 2018, is expected to be located in Victoria’s north-west.

melbourne-solar-powered-trams

Photo: article supplied

The state government announced on Thursday that the solar plant would produce 75 megawatts of power, with about half of that production to be linked to the tram network.

Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the government would use its purchasing power as a “large energy consumer” to boost investment in renewables.

The project is expected to create 300 new jobs. The tender to construct the solar plant will open in the first half of this year.

Ms D’Ambrosio said 35 megawatts of power was sufficient to cover the energy needs of 410 trams in the Melbourne network.

She said the solar power arrangement was “notional” but the growth in renewable energy would be sufficient to cover the tram network’s needs.

The energy produced by the plant will flow into the broader electricity system. But the government will buy so-called renewable energy certificates from the plant, which help to give it financial certainty.

Renewable power producers can sell both electricity and renewable energy certificates giving them an additional potential revenue stream.

Ms D’Ambrosio would not be drawn on how much the project was likely to cost. She said money had been put aside in the budget that would cover the cost of building the plant.

This article was originally published by The Age.

Click here to read the entire article.

German Battery Giant Teams with Australian Solar Tile Maker to Take on Tesla – Again

German battery storage giant and major Tesla rival, Sonnen, has opened up competition on yet another front in Australia, with the announcement this week of a partnership with a local roofing company that is set to launch its own version of an integrated solar tile.

Sonnen said on Thursday that it had signed an agreement with Australian company Bristile Roofing to be the national supplier of solar powered energy storage systems for homes using its new solar tile, which is due to hit the market in September.

Image: One Step Off The Grid

Under the deal, Bristile will offer the Sonnen AC Coupled modular battery storage system to the builder market, as well as its new Sonnen DC Hybrid range.

The storage system includes an inverter, battery modules, and an energy management system with built-in smart appliance control. The systems have a 10-year guarantee, but are designed for a 20-year life, according to Sonnen.

Bristile, which is a part of the building materials group Brickworks, says it expects to target the estimated 102,000 new-build homes throughout Australia in 2017-18, with a number of builders the company deals with “looking to offer integrated solar systems” as a standard feature of off-the-plan homes.

Sonnen, which launched its battery line in Australia just over a year ago, has since claimed that it is its biggest market outside Europe, and says it could soon be its biggest market in the world.

Article originally published by One Step Off The Grid.

Read the entire article here.

Remote community transformed after swapping diesel generator for solar panels

solar generatorGraeme Smith was mulling over a long-standing problem at the end of 2015: how to provide affordable power to his tiny, off-grid community.

Despite having freehold title to 170 square kilometres of land east of Tennant Creek and plenty of money in the bank, members of the Munungurra Aboriginal Corporation could not afford to live on their country as reported by ABC News.

The cost of providing power to such a remote location prevented them building an economy on their land.

“We originally had no power and no water, because we’re not on a grid. We put houses on it, we put generators on it. But still that wasn’t enough,” said Mr Smith, the corporation’s chief executive.

The corporation paid for two diesel generators to run power to two small communities, where two out of eight houses were permanently occupied.

“Whilst it gave people reliable power with two houses pulling off a generator, we’d be going through $600 to $700 a week in diesel,” he said.

“Because we have no employment on community, people weren’t able to pay for the diesel”.

So on Mr Smith’s initiative, Munungurra Aboriginal Corporation leased a solar power system at a cost of more than $200,000 from Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), and switched off its diesel generator.

IBA is a government-funded organisation that promotes economic independence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Solar change brings economic, social benefits

In the space of three months, the community’s power bill dropped by more than half, the population grew from three to 40, and local jobs and a school sprang up.

With the promise of cheaper power, the community transformed.

“With solar and with [population] numbers we were able to get services. We’ve got School of the Air now because we’ve got 15 kids,” Mr Smith said.

The increased size of the community has generated jobs as well.

Munungurra Aboriginal Corporation won two government contracts — one to provide housing repairs and maintenance, and another running Work for the Dole programs.

Mr McInnes believes Munungurra’s experience will be replicated.

“After one we will do two, three, four [communities], he said. “There’s opportunities for very similar outcomes for remote communities that are reliant on diesel — it’s about saving money.” To read more click here.