Energy Poverty Alleviation – 3...
The four quadrants of EPA matrix 1. Community Driven EPA Initiatives Availability of Resource – High Capacity to Pay – Low There are many villages which have abundance of sunlight, are in deep forests with lot of biofuel available but the local population is deep in poverty depending on natural habitat agriculture and cattle grazing for...
AGENDA for ACTION The world is grappling with the challenge of providing energy access to nearly 2bln people deprived of it. Alleviating energy poverty poses numerous problems. Most of the energy poor live in remote rural areas making it difficult and costly to connect to the electrical grid. Some energy poor countries simply do not have the i... 
“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Eleanor Roosevelt Today the world, our earth stands at a critical juncture, where disasters of our own making are coming back to us. One of the biggest challenges that the entire world faces today in unison is energy poverty. Briefly defined, Energy Poverty is a term for a lack of access to... 
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KoreaMORE
- KIER Seeks to Develop Technologies for Recycling NF₃
- It aims at developing technologies on equal or higher level than those in the United States and Japan. A research institute in Korea will develop technologies for recycling NF₃ generated in processing semiconductors and LCDs.
Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) announced on September 16 that it decided to support the ‘project of developing technologies for recycling NF₃ generated in processing semiconductors and LCDs’ as part of the third short-, mid- and long-term programs of developing energy technologies in the latter half of 2013.
The project is designed to develop technologies of recycling NF₃ generated in processing semiconductors and LCDs. And it is aimed at developing technologies for recycling NF₃ on equal or higher level than cutting-edge technologies developed by the United States and Japan, in terms of such indicators as dust removing efficiency, dehydration efficiency, and concentration and recovery ratio.
Specific technologies to be developed under the project will include technologies for substance and system for low energy gas preprocessing of semiconductors and LCDs; materials for absorbing low-loss NF₃; separation membrane material for refining and collecting highly selective and highly transparent fluorinated gas; technologies for catalyzing, decomposing and treating NF₃ with low energy; technologies for engineering preprocessing, separating, concentrating, treating systems of separation membrane-absorption hybrid NF₃; and technologies for reproducing NF₃ gas with purity of over 99.999% from collected NF₃ gas.
According to KIER, NF₃ is one of greenhouse gases, whose emission is ruled to be reduced with top priority in the post Kyoto Protocol system in 2013 as its global warming potential is as high as 17,200. As a gas mainly used in semiconductor and display industries, it is also subject to be controlled by regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
And its consumption volume is increasing as a gas that partly substitutes SF₆ in processing, and companies in Korea are producing over 70% of the entire world’s demand for NF₃, calling for early development of technologies for separating and recycling NF₃.
Through this project, KIER intends to deal with international restrictions on emission of NF₃ to be intensified in the future and increase share in related markets.
Fluorinated gas-related technologies are applied to direct treatment, collection, refinement, recycling and substituting other substances. Their world market is predicted to increase from 1,650 billion won in 2013 to 2,550 billion won by 2019.
Given that 90% of entire consumption volume of NF₃ is used for etching, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and cleaning semiconductors and displays, the KIER’s project is expected to help major electronic companies in Korea, such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and SK Hynix, improve competitiveness.
A manager at KIER said, “As it is unique that international markets of technologies for separating, concentrating and reusing fluorinated gas related to NF₃ gas are almost equivalent to those in Korea, technologies developed in Korea can preoccupy and control both international and local markets. Particularly, since OCI Materials in Korea supplies 70% of world’s NF₃ demand, companies in Korea will be able to competitively lead market of collecting and reusing NF₃, and technologies developed in Korea are expected to be adopted as world’s standard technologies.” Source: Todayenergy
- Seoul City Government Starts to Build 120MW Fuel Cell-based Power Generation Project
- In the first phase, it will build 20MW Noeul Fuel Cell Power Plant in the World Cup Park.
The Seoul City authority signed an MOU with KHNP, KDHC, POSCO Energy and SCG for the project.
Fuel cell-based power facility that can generate electric power and heat simultaneously will be built in the World Cup Park in Seoul. As it provides advantages of low noise and high spatial efficiency, the fuel cell is evaluated as a renewable energy, which is suitable for downtown area.
The Seoul City government concluded on September 12 an MOU with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), Korea District Heating Corporation (KDHC), Seoul City Gas (SCG) and POSCO Energy for building the Noeul Fuel Cell Power Plant with capacity of 20MW.
This is the first phase project of the 120MW fuel cell-based power generation facilities to be built based on the MOU concluded between the Seoul City authority and KHNP in September 2012 for investing and developing renewable energy facilities. Private companies will invest in building the fuel cell-based power plant, and the City government will provide land for the facility and administrative support.
KHNP, KDHC, SCG and POSCO Energy will jointly establish a special purpose company (SPC) to build and operate the power plant, and KHNP will manage the overall business and purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Also, KHNP will supply heat generated by the fuel cell-based power plant for district heating, and SCG will supply city gas. POSCO Energy will design, purchase and install fuel cells while providing long-term maintenance service (장기서비스).
The Noeul Fuel Cell Power Plant will be constructed between December 2013 and November 2014 to generate electric power that can be used by 43,000 households a year. And the plant will sell electric power through Korea Power Exchange. In addition, the plant will also provide heating service to some 9,000 households using heat generated in process of chemical reaction, while reducing emission of about 21,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year.
Empathizing that development and dissemination of renewable energies are important tasks for solving energy issues, the Seoul City government and partner companies agreed to join forces for raising power independence rate and expanding distributed energy supply facilities in the future, in addition to the Noeul Fuel Cell Power Plant project.
Particularly, the Seoul City authority intends to make use of idle space in the World Cup Park, which was built in the one-time waste landfill site, and enhance citizens’ understanding of eco-friendly energies by operating a field-trip program, linking the fuel cell-based power facilities with neighboring resource recovery facility and hydrogen station.
Director General Im Ok-gi of Climate and Environment Office at Seoul City government said, “This fuel cell-based power facility will not only improve power independence of Seoul but it will also position as an example of eco-friendly and distributed power supply facility in downtown area. The City authority will steadily increase fuel cell-based power generation facilities.” Source: e2news
GlobalMORE
- Newer U.S. homes are 30% larger but consume about as much energy as older homes
- Analysis from EIA’s most recent Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) shows that U.S. homes built in 2000 and later consume only 2% more energy on average than homes built prior to 2000, despite being on average 30% larger.
Homes built in the 2000s accounted for about 14% of all occupied housing units in 2009. These new homes consumed 21% less energy for space heating on average than older homes (see graph), which is mainly because of increased efficiency in the form of heating equipment and better building shells built to more demanding energy codes. Geography has played a role too. About 53% of newer homes are in the more temperate South, compared with only 35% of older homes.
The increase in energy for air conditioning also reflects this population migration as well as higher use of central air conditioning and increased square footage. Similar to space heating, these gains were likely moderated by increases in efficiency of cooling equipment and improved building shells, but air conditioning was not the only end use that was higher in newer homes. RECS data show that newer homes were more likely than older homes to have dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, and two or more refrigerators. Newer homes, with their larger square footage, have more computers, TVs, and TV peripherals such as digital video recorders (DVRs) and video game systems. In total, newer homes consumed about 18% more energy on average in 2009 for appliances, electronics, and lighting than older homes. Source: EIA Related Articles:
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- UK steps up strategic investments in marine energy
- Nordic marine energy technology company Minesto secures rights to perform tidal energy tests in Northern Ireland
Nordic marine energy technology leader Minesto, with a proven technology to cost efficiently produce electricity from low velocity tidal and ocean currents, has been authorized by the Crown Estate in the UK to perform tidal energy tests in the waters off Northern Ireland.
The upcoming tests of Minesto’s tidal and ocean current energy solution Deep Green in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland, is a major step forward in the commercialization of this innovative technology that has the potential to double the amount of tidal power that the UK can produce. Deep Green is the only available solution that works cost-effectively in slow currents.
The permits for Minesto were secured in record time as the UK sees Minesto’s solution as strategically important in order to reach the EU’s “2020 target”, i.e. that renewable energy should account for 15 percent of all energy production in the UK by 2020. Tidal energy is reliable and predictable, hence the strategic value for a sound energy mix.
The Crown Estate approved three marine renewable projects, the other two being The Isle of Wight Council and Scotrenewables Tidal Power. Minesto is the only company of the three that has also secured all other permits necessary, from e.g. the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency, to commence the trials.
Deep Green is a patented technology to cost-effectively produce energy from relatively slow tides and currents, a solution that extends the total potential for renewable marine energy significantly. The Deep Green is the only known technology in the world that is capable of producing energy in a cost-effective manner in slow currents.
Deep Green resembles a sweeping underwater kite, comprised of a wing and a turbine which is secured to the seabed with a tether and moves in a fast 8-shaped path in the tidal and ocean current.
An important step in the commercialization of Deep Green
“The site permit is important for our product development and commercialization of Deep Green,” said Anders Jansson, CEO, Minesto. “There is increasing interest in our solution for cost-effective marine energy production from low velocity currents – and that is the reason for us getting the permit so quickly. Deep Green expands the total potential for marine energy considerably. Marine energy is seen as increasingly strategically important in many countries, and especially in the United Kingdom.”
The Crown Estate owns and manages the British royal family’s estate, including the coastal areas and seabed of Northern Ireland.
These sea trials are an important step forward in the commercialization of Deep Green. They will now be carried out at a scale of 1:4 for a period of up to two years to validate the technology, later being scaled up to full scale. This is the second round of sea tests; in the beginning of 2012 successful tests where completed at a scale of 1:10. The new tests are expected to start in early 2013.
Compared to other traditional and renewable energy sources, tidal and ocean current energy is considerably more predictable and reliable and with minimal visual and environmental impact. Marine energy from the world’s ocean has huge potential. Deep Green, with its low weight and ability to function in low velocity currents, has several advantages compared to other tidal and ocean current power plants: the catchment area is much larger, and service and maintenance is more cost efficient, resulting in low electricity production costs, comparable with traditional energy sources. Source: waterbriefing
OpinionsMORE
- Specific Implementation Plan is More Important for Invigorating Renewable Energy Industry
- The government announced in August a measure of invigorating renewable energy industry, focusing on increasing mandatory generation of solar photovoltaic power. In the measure, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) increased amount of target solar photovoltaic power from 1,200MW to 1,500MW by 2015 by adding 150MW of mandatory solar photovoltaic power every year to initially set amount of 330MW in 2014 and 320MW in 2015. And the MOTIE plans to readjust the target of solar photovoltaic power after 2016, linking with the Second National Energy Master Plan.
In order to induce active participation of citizens in solar photovoltaic power plants, in particular, the government plans to raise the weight from 0.7 (based on land) to 1.0 when ratio of citizens’ stakes reaches 30~50% and to 1.2 when ratio of citizens’ stakes is 50~100%. It will also expand solar photovoltaic power plants eligible for applying preferential weight (1.0→1.2) from the current such plants with capacity of less than 30kW to those with capacity of less than 100kW.
Encouraged by this measure of expanding support for solar photovoltaic power facilities, citizen-participatory solar photovoltaic power plants are expected to sharply increase. Moreover, the solar photovoltaic power market is anticipated to be invigorated by giving more incentives to individuals who install small scale solar photovoltaic power plants. But the industry regrets that the target amount of solar photovoltaic power is increased to 1,500MW by 2015 whereas it requested the government to expand it to 2,000MW.
As for non-solar photovoltaic power industries, the government said it will apply variable weights to renewable energy certificate (REC) for offshore wind power and tidal power generation, which require huge amount of investments in early stages, to achieve the target of mandatory generation and help companies mitigate burden of up-front investments. Namely, the government will help offshore wind power and tidal power generation companies recover investments early by raising the weight to 3.0 for the first 5 years of operation and lower the weight to 2.0 for 15 years thereafter. After that, it will reduce the weight to 1.0 for the last 5 years of operation.
And the MOTIE decided to raise the percentage of mandatory installation of renewable energy facilities at public buildings from the original 20% to 30% by 2020, while seeking to apply this measure to private buildings starting in 2016. For private buildings, the MOTIE will recommend to install renewable energy facilities starting with buildings that consume power over 5,000kW of contract power, instead of mandating all buildings to do so from the outset.
The government’s new measure of invigorating renewable energy industry is expected to contribute to invigorating renewable energy industries to a certain extent, though belated, which have been stagnated since the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) was adopted. But, as we have seen in previous systems, it is important to work out specific implementation plan that can support this new measure as soon as possible. I expect that the government will devise a realistic implementation plan that can provide substantial benefits to the industry, beyond declarative action of boosting the industry. Source: e2news
- Unusual Signs and Law of 1:29:300
- Counteroffensives of nature are going on. The melting speed of glaciers in the Antarctic and the Arctic is getting accelerated, and it is reportedly predicted that sea level will go up by about 1 meter by 2100.
Warnings were issued that large cities which are located on coasts around the world, such as Shanghai and New York, will be sunk under water. Many people are concerned over gloomy future of the earth as they experience a large number of unusual signs every year, such as abnormal temperature and super strong typhoons. And we empathize with them. This is the reason why we are taking part in the global endeavor of reducing carbon dioxide, enduring social costs.
There was a man named Heinrich who laid a milestone in preventing industrial accidents by systematically analyzing a series of unusual symptoms.
He was taking charge of engineering and loss statistics at Travelers Insurance Company in the United States around 1930. While analyzing numerous accident statistics, he found a general law.
He found that the number of slightly injured workers was 29 and number of potentially injured workers was 300 before a worker was seriously wounded in industrial accidents.
This is called the law of 1:29:300 of Heinrich. The key point of this law is that we can prevent serious accidents if we grasp and remove causes of abnormal signs in early stages.
We reflect that the rotational power outage made on September 15, 2011 might have been resulted from overlooking signals of abnormal symptoms, such as irregular temperature, excessive errors in demand prediction, negligence in correction effort, and insufficient examination on available electric supply reserve capacity. The rotational power outage was evaluated to be an inevitable choice to prevent more serious damages, and yet it is remembered as a day that makes us think again about overall matters of electric power industry, including practices and institutions.
After that day, Korea Power Exchange (KPX, Chairman: Nam Ho-ki) adopted the motto of ‘365-1=0’ as a core value in operating electric power systems. This emphasizes that operation of power systems cannot be recognized when it fails in operation even for a day in 365 days of a year. It implicitly expresses its will to permit no mistake by analyzing and grasping abnormal signs in advance.
At present, critical situation of electric power continues where demand and supply reserve level shows imbalance. Moreover, numerous abnormal symptom factors that negatively affect power supply and demand still remained unsettled. They are continued increase of conversion demand and power loads in industry due to low electric charges, aggravated shortage in transmission routes and power plant sites due to regional NIMBY phenomenon, malfunction in removing social conflicts, insufficient procedures for proper compensation systems and collecting public opinions, deficient publicity on electromagnetic waves, and insufficiency in forming consensus.
During this summer, electric power authorities issued 4 level-two warnings (power reserves of lower than 4 million kW, and momentary lowest reserves of 3.2 million kW), and 28 level-one warnings (lower than 5 million kW).
We could have experienced critical moments if several power generation facilities developed troubles in these cases. Fortunately, we are getting over crisis thanks to people’s participation in energy conservation drive, demand control, and adjustment of preventive maintenance periods of power generation facilities.
In order to overcome such situation, electric power authorities and experts are discussing ways of minimizing abnormal symptoms in power industry, such as improvement of electric charge system, recovery of functions for removing social conflicts, reinforcement of procedures for collecting opinions, and improvement of power supply and demand system.
It is urgently needed to reach a social consensus to move toward a country that can achieve sustainable development by keeping win-win relationship between the government and individuals. Source : todayenergy
