Seven Days of Solar 12-4-11 | Green Energy News

January 8, 2012 – Vol.16 No.43

SEVEN DAYS OF SOLAR 12-4-11.

What if instead of making electricity or heat, solar energy was used to make carbon-neutral, renewable natural gas? HyperSolar of Santa Barbara, California says it has a process to do this.

A company press releases says this:

“HyperSolar is developing a breakthrough technology to make renewable natural gas using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. This renewable natural gas is a clean, carbon neutral methane gas that can be used as a direct replacement for traditional natural gas to power the world, without drilling or fracking, while mitigating CO2 emissions. Inspired by the photosynthetic processes that plants use to effortlessly harness the power of the Sun to create energy molecules, we are developing a novel solar-powered nanoparticle system that mimics photosynthesis to separate hydrogen from water. The free hydrogen can then be reacted with carbon dioxide to produce methane. From sunrise to sunset, our proprietary nanoparticles will work in a water based solution to produce clean and environmentally friendly renewable natural gas that can be collected for use in power plants, industrial plants and vehicles – anywhere and anytime.”

As well as this:

"If the CO2 is obtained from carbon-positive sources such as coal-fired power plants and natural gas power plants, then the renewable natural gas made from HyperSolar’s technology approaches carbon neutral. If the CO2 is obtained from carbon neutral sources such as biofuels, then the renewable natural gas made from HyperSolar’s technology is permanently carbon neutral, meaning that no new CO2 is introduced to the atmosphere after combustion."

If the process works as promised, solar-made, renewable natural gas could go on the list of energy storage options for solar energy.

Hyper Solar http://www.HyperSolar.com

*****

During the week beginning December 4, 2011, this publication received news announcements regarding more than 18 megawatts (MW) of solar energy projects completed, 552 MW of projects under construction, and more than 62 MW in the development pipeline.

Completed.

--- Arizona Public Service (APS) has announced that another solar facility – the 17 MW Cotton Center Solar Plant – has come online in Gila Bend. The area is quickly becoming a hub of solar energy within a state that is working to become the Solar Capital of the World.

Developed and constructed by Solon, Cotton Center is located on 145 acres and consists of more than 93,000 photovoltaic mounted on a single-axis tracking system. To date, the Cotton Center Solar Plant has used almost 142,000 man-hours of work, contributing to the creation of more than 200 jobs in Arizona.

APS continues to come back to the Gila Bend area because the small town – recognizing the economic benefits solar can bring – created a Solar Field Overlay Zone. Within this zone, the permitting for solar projects can be fast-tracked. This ensures plants come together quickly, unencumbered by unnecessary red tape. With more than 300 days of sunshine and clear skies, Gila Bend is one of the most ideal locations in the nation’s ideal state for soaking up the sun’s rays and turning it into clean, solar power.

APS http://www.aps.com
Solon http://www.solon.com/us/index.html

--- Renewvia Energy Corporation has completed a 281 kW solar power system at Casa Carranza, a Mesa, Arizona apartment complex.

The grid-connected photovoltaic solar electrical system is currently providing 25 percent of power to the 300-unit apartment complex, resulting in a 50 percent savings on the complex’s power bills: $50,000 per year is anticipated. The project covered a total of 15,000 square feet atop the parking canopies features 1004 high efficiency solar panels manufactured by Suntech.

Renewvia Energy Corporation http://www.renewvia.com
Suntech http://am.suntech-power.com

--- The City of Dinuba, California, Chevron Energy Solutions and Tioga Energy have completed a 1.15 MW solar electric system that will reduce energy costs for operations at the city's largest energy consumer: its wastewater treatment plant. The ground-mounted racking system of 4,704 photovoltaic modules sits atop a capped landfill. The project is expected to cut the City of Dinuba's electrical utility usage at the site by 70 percent.

Tioga Energy financed, managed and owns the project through its SurePath (tm) Solar power purchase agreement (PPA), selling the generated electricity back to the city at predictable rates over a period of 20 years.

City of Dinuba, California http://www.dinuba.org
Chevron Energy Solutions http://www.chevronenergy.com
Tioga Energy http://www.TiogaEnergy.com
Tioga Energy's SurePath Solar PPA
http://www.tiogaenergy.com/annotated-ppa-index.php

Under construction.

--- MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company has entered into definitive agreements to acquire the Topaz Solar Farm from First Solar. The 550 MW photovoltaic power plant being built in San Luis Obispo County, California, will have the capacity to generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 160,000 average California homes. The more than $2 billion Topaz project is one of the two largest PV projects in the world, both being built by First Solar.

First Solar has agreed to construct, operate and maintain the Topaz project for MidAmerican. Construction began in November 2011 and is expected to be complete by early 2015. The project will create approximately 400 construction jobs and 15 ongoing operations and maintenance jobs. According to an economic benefits study by The Brattle Group and California Polytechnic State University, the project is estimated to infuse $417 million into the local economy, the majority of which will be generated during construction, with the remainder over the project’s minimum 25-year operating period.

MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company http://www.midamerican.com
First Solar http://www.firstsolar.com

--- A 2 MW solar array is now under construction to serve the City of Bryan, Ohio. The project will be among the first to serve an Ohio municipality. Rudolph/Libbe Inc., of Walbridge, will develop, design and build the $7.42 million system that will use 24,000 thin-film modules from a First Solar manufacturing plant in the state. Focusing on Ohio-sourced labor and components; Nextronex, of Toledo, will manufacture the inverters and API Inc. of Ridgeville Corners, will provide the racks for the modules.

The project will create about 60 construction jobs and will sustain another 300 manufacturing jobs in the state. The array will be built on 12 acres owned by the City of Bryan. City officials plan to use the property as a future water supply as well as a power source.

City of Bryan, Ohio http://www.cityofbryan.com
First Solar http://www.firstsolar.com

In the development pipeline.

--- SPI Solar has been contracted by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation to install an additional 230 kilowatts of rooftop photovoltaic solar to the company’s Century City studio complex. The new solar system will utilize the rooftops of sound stages 26 and 29 and complement the 160 kilowatt system completed by SPI in February, 2011.

The new addition of 230 kilowatts will not only reduce studio operating costs, but also makes an important contribution to the motion picture company’s Global Energy Initiative.

A case study and photographs of the first system installed by SPI at the Twentieth Century Fox studio complex can be seen at the Company’s web site.

SPI Solar http://www.spisolar.com

--- Rockford Solar Partners, a renewable energy development joint venture between Elgin, Illinois-based Wanxiang America and Chicago-based New Generation Power, have received Department of Energy (DOE) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA environmental approval to proceed on America's largest commercial airport solar farm. The agencies have issued the FONSI "Finding of No Significant Impact" for the 20 MW Solar Farm at the Rockford Airport.

The Illinois airport has over 70 prime acres to install the solar panels, and Rockford is well known for its other green practices and incentives.

Wanxiang America will supply the photovoltaic solar panels from their newly operating, privately funded Rockford-based solar panel assembly plant which has a solar module production capacity of 30 MW per year and has expansion plans for an additional 60 MW of production per year. Panel production is well underway and Wanxiang will ramp up jobs and production as the project expands.

This high profile airport solar project will create hundreds of construction, manufacturing and maintenance jobs in Rockford.

Ameren Illinois has also executed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Rockford Solar Partners to acquire the energy and all renewable attributes from the project as part of the Illinois Power Agency's long-term renewable energy procurement program.

Rockford Solar Partners has committed to scale up the project to 62 MW to help meet the demands of the Illinois solar renewable portfolio standard, which projects 6% solar by 2015.

New Generation Power http://www.newgenerationpower.org
Wanxiang America http://www.wanxiang.com