15 May 2012
Smart grid plans in Africa … while Eight19 solar technology expands … and the objectives of the South African Smart Grid Initiative (SASGI.)
Smart Grid News: Is there a smart grid in Africa's future? The answer may surprise you
Doug Peeples of Smart Grid News points out that despite the continent’s “terrible odds,” some countries are using smart grid initiatives to help their economies recover and develop a smart, sustainable energy future.
Although some infrastructures are seen as “inadequate, unreliable and...
08 May 2012
Off-grid renewable energy could be the answer to sub-Sahara Africa’s power poverty.
What happened
Sub-Saharan Africa can depend on off-grid renewable-generated electricity instead of grid-connected power plants, writes Renewable Energy World. According to the article, economic development, rich renewable sources, a decrease in photovoltaic prices, and an “improving business ecosystem” could kick-start off-grid renewable electricity, which could help solve the region’s long-standing power poverty.
Background ...
15 May 2012
As Alstom Grid wins substation contract for Egypt’s biggest wind farm, Egypt moves closer to its 2020 renewable energy goal.
What happened
The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) awarded Alstom Grid a €12m (US$15.5m) contract to manufacture and deliver a Gas-Insulated Substation (GIS) to the new Gabal El-Zeit wind farm by 2013, reports Electric Energy Online.
The wind farm, Egypt’s largest onshore, is located on the Gulf of Suez and covers 625km2. The new GIS substation will be the first to transmit the farm-generated power to the electricity network. Alstom...
08 May 2012
The UK’s smart grid upgrade will increase employment and bring significant economic benefits.
What happened
The UK will see a £13bn (US$21bn) boost to its economy, as well as the creation of 10,000 highly skilled jobs if the country upgrades its electric distribution network with smart grid technology. This is according to an Ernst & Young report, “Smart Grid: A race worth winning.” Click Green says this report offers the “most detailed assessment yet” of the smart grid’s potential benefits for the UK’s economy.
Reuters reports...
30 Apr 2012
Can Sub-Saharan Africa rely on off-grid renewable power?... The Emirates Solar Industry Association (ESIA) advances solar development…Botswana’s “critical” power infrastructure investment
Renewable Energy World: Rural Africa Looks Beyond the Grid
Piers Evans of Renewable Energy World discusses the different viewpoints on whether sub-Saharan Africa can rely on off-grid renewable power to meet its power needs. The article quotes from a number of reports and analysts to decipher the region’s off-grid potential. According to the article, the region is a “promising context for renewables” and could “dispense with polluting, grid-connected power plants...
15 May 2012
Costa Rica’s Reventazón Hydroelectric Dam receives a US$670m loan from the Inter-American Development Bank, bringing the country closer to its 100% renewables by 2021.
What happened
Costa Rica’s biggest, and most intricate...
30 Apr 2012
Due to delays on large hydropower projects and rising demand, Mozambique will have to wait until the end of the decade for a more reliable power supply.
What happened
Mozambique faces a limited power supply until 2020, due to escalating power demand and delays on major hydroelectric projects, reports Reuters. The proposed hydro projects include:
The1,245MW Cahora Bassa North
The 1,500MW Mphanda Nkuwa
Both are located along the Zambezi River.
Carlos Yum, director for business development for Mozambican utility Electricidad de Mocambique (EDM,) explains that the plants will be completed by around 2019. The two projects also rely on...
08 May 2012
Austria is 100% nuclear power free ... Enel Green Power builds Sicily’s PV plants ... First Solar lets 2,000 employees go.
Energy Central: Austria decides to forgo importing nuclear power by 2015
Energy Central reports that Austria is now 100% free of nuclear-generated power. The country will do away with nuclear power imports (2013 for private households and 2015 for industry customers with long-term contracts) and it no longer operates nuclear power stations of its own.
Austria’s energy utilities have embraced this commitment voluntarily. The decision comes on the back of a nuclear summit between...
30 Apr 2012
Brazilian utility, Eletrobras, may help Mozambique realize plans for a 1,500MW hydroelectric dam project.
What happened
Brazilian utility, Eletrobras, plans to construct a 1,500MW hydroelectric dam and two transmission lines in northern Mozambique to the value of US$6bn, reports Bloomberg. Mozambique’s state-owned utility, Electricidade de Moçambique, will partner Eletrobras to build the two 1,500 km (932 m)“high-voltage” power lines. The Wall Street Journal reports that one of the transmission lines will export energy to South Africa. Jose da Costa,...
23 Feb 2012
20% of British homeowners leave their devices plugged in once the battery is fully charged.
In a Mail Online article, Energy firm E.ON reports that
The top devices that are overcharged are:
43% of laptop computers
41% of mobile phones
10% of iPods
E.ON goes on to state that, by unplugging devices that are already charged, homeowners can make large savings on their energy bills.
(Exchange rates correct to date published)
Source
Mail Online: £134m of electricity wasted every year by overcharging mobile phones and laptops
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