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CleanTechies Staff

100 MW Ontario Solar Project to Move Forward

CarbonFree Technology, solar project developer and operator, based in Toronto, Canada, announced its participation as a development partner of Samsung Renewable Energy, Inc. and Connor, Clark & Lunn Infrastructure in a 100 MW solar power project located in the City of Kingston and Loyalist Township, Ontario.

The Kingston Solar Project, which will produce enough emission-free electricity to meet the needs of more than 17,000 Ontario households, will rank among the largest photovoltaic projects in North America. With an equipment nameplate capacity of 140 MW DC, the project will use approximately 464,500 polycrystalline silicon PV modules provided by Canadian Solar Solutions Inc. The power generated will be sold to the Ontario Power Authority under a 100 MW (AC) 20-year Feed-In Tariff (FIT) contract.

The project financing came from a mix of equity investment from Connor, Clark & Lunn Infrastructure, Régime de rentes du Mouvement Desjardins, CAAT Pension Plan and Industrial Alliance as well as debt financing from a syndicate of banks. Samsung Renewable Energy Inc. originated the project as part of its commitment to investing in solar and wind energy in Ontario.

CarbonFree Technology will also provide construction management services while the project is built. Canadian Solar Solutions Inc. is the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project, and will work together with prime subcontractor H.B. White Canada Corp. Construction will begin very soon and is scheduled to be completed by late 2015.

Canadian Solar will supply all of the solar modules for the project, and will also manufacture the medium voltage inverter houses. The project will use 125 inverters manufactured by SMA Canada Inc. Fixed-tilt racking for the project will be manufactured by Cosma International. All modules, MV stations, inverters and racking will be manufactured in Ontario.

07/23/2014 0 comment

Clean Transportation

Affordable TurboCord Makes Charging Electric Cars Easy

written by CleanTechies Staff

A key driver for rapid adoption of electric cars is that the fuel infrastructure already exists. It’s simple: find nearest outlet, plug in, charge up, go. In reality, electric car buyers are often spending thousands of dollars installing dedicated electric car charging stations at their homes. Now, this may become as outdated as EV lovers believe gas cars should be.

In response to garage tinkerers who began modifying the 110-volt (Level 1) charge cords that come with electric cars so they could be plugged into standard 220-volt electric clothes-dryer outlets, AeroVironment introduced the TurboCord. It’s the same concept, only certified for sale, meeting all legal safety requirements and, according to the company, up to three times faster than the standard Level 1 charging cord.

And unlike a hard-wired (Level 2 EVSE) charger, the TurboCord compares well on price at $599, with no installation charge – unless you need to add a 220 volt outlet. That’s about the same as an replacement 110-volt charge cord costs for a Chevy Volt. For an extra $50, you can also get the TurboCord Dual, which has an adapter for 110-volt outlets. That way, you can take advantage of the fastest available charging whenever the opportunity presents itself.

TurboCord is 20 feet long and charges at up to 20 amps. So while it can’t take advantage of the really fast on-board chargers on cars such as the Ford Focus Electric or the Nissan Leaf SV or SL, it is in fact faster than some hard-wired EVSEs. Take a look at the video below to learn more about this product.

07/16/2014 0 comment

Renewable Energy

Reducing Food Waste with “Inglorious” Marketing?

written by CleanTechies Staff

The modern grocery store is a marvel in fruit and vegetable perfection. But ask any gardener (or kindergartner for that matter) and they’ll tell you that a good percentage of produce pulled, picked and tilled is just plain old ugly. Sadly, approximately 300 million tons of food is wasted in a year; including those misshapen vegetables you never get to see – let alone eat.

Happily, Intermarché, a chain of French supermarkets has decided to do their part by purchasing fruits and vegetables that suppliers usually throw away – and sell them at a discounted price. To help their customers realize that the misshapen vegetables and fruits were just as good as their regular produce, they distributed “inglorious” fruit juices and soups.

The end result? A successful marketing campaign that led to sold out produce – and brought attention to a simple, yet highly effective, food waste solution. Here is their inspiring video showcasing advertising and sustainability at its very finest…

07/16/2014 4 comments

Renewable Energy

tado° Raises Funds to Fuel Global Expansion

written by CleanTechies Staff

Need another signal that companies involved in developing the Internet of Everything are hot? The Munich based smart thermostat company tado° has closed a new round of financing, raising $13.6 million from current backers Target Partners, Shortcut Ventures and other investors.

tado° is the European market leader in intelligent climate control for consumers. The tado° products enable households to save significantly on energy costs while also reaching a higher level of comfort. Heating or AC systems with tado° automatically adjust to users’ needs with a geo-aware app for presence detection. The tado° smartphone app automatically recognizes when residents are leaving or approaching home and sets the temperature accordingly. Additionally, weather forecasts, housing characteristics and smart algorithms complete tado°’s control strategy, which can achieve up to 31% in energy savings.

“With this new investment we plan to expand sales of our products to all major European countries and to continue building a global brand. We are very proud of having a great group of investors on board and we appreciate their trust in our company. Target Partners and Shortcut Ventures have made very valuable contributions to help build our company over the last few years,” says Christian Deilmann, founder and CEO of tado°.

“Building a fully scalable Internet of Things technology platform and at the same time developing control interfaces for over 5,000 different types of heating systems has been a challenge over the last three years. We are proud of what we have achieved with our team and we are fully committed to creating great products and cutting-edge technology. The new investment will further strengthen our position and allow us to maintain the huge technological head start we have gained in covering Europe’s varying heating landscape.” says Johannes Schwarz, founder and CTO of tado°. The company employs 40 people, two thirds of whom are software developers.

The first product, tado° Heating, was launched in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in November 2012. One year later the company entered the UK market and this was followed by a worldwide launch of the new tado° Cooling product for air conditioning. Currently tado° products are available through retail partners, utility companies and on tado.com.

07/16/2014 1 comment

Renewable Energy

The Evolution of Wind Power Visualized

written by CleanTechies Staff

The team behind wind power software Breeze has built a neat interactive infographic map showing the cumulative installed wind power capacity per country and continent from 1981-2013.

Drag the slider or push play to see the how the global wind power capacity distribution changes between nations over time. It might come as a surprise how dominant Denmark and the US were back in the 1980’s and how small the wind power industry was. ‘The Evolution of Wind Power’ map also illustrates how wind power capacity has evolved between continents, clearly showing the tremendous growth in Asia in recent years at a pace that few expected.

“What we do at Breeze is visualizing data in ways that makes it more accessible, more useful and easier to understand. ‘The Evolution of Wind Power’ is an example of how existing data sets can be presented in a new way which can lead to insights. Building over 300 GW of global wind power capacity in 30 years is an amazing accomplishment for our industry and we are certain there is much more to come,” says Breeze co-founder and Head of Marketing Fredrik Larsson.

Breeze is a software platform for modernizing wind resource assessment and wind farm management for professional wind power developers, consultants, owners and operators.

06/25/2014 0 comment

Clean Transportation

Introducing LiveWire: Harley-Davidson’s First Electric Motorcycle

written by CleanTechies Staff

The eBike of the future is now, with Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire expected to be available on the market in 2015. It’s the company’s first electric motorcycle – a sleek, futuristic looking ride that sounds like a jet airplane taking off. But will cycling enthusiasts embrace a bike that doesn’t have the loud, torqued rumble associated with Harley-Davidson?

Harley has the influence and ability to create demand and build a new market for this sleek new motorcycle technology, which lowers costs, delivers fun, fast, high performance transportation in a sustainable, eco-friendly, clean technology package.

Harley-Davidson introduces LiveWire in New York Monday, June 23^rdto an invitation only crowd. The LiveWire Tour runs through 2014 as they take the new bikes on the road for riders to try and provide feedback.

06/21/2014 2 comments

Renewable Energy

Solar Breakthrough in Australia Signals New Era for Renewable Energy

written by CleanTechies Staff

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) announced last week that a solar thermal test plant in Newcastle, Australia was able to generate “supercritical” steam using solar power.

Supercritical steam is ultra-pressurized steam that drives some of the most advanced turbines in the world. Until now, these plants have run on fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas because solar could only achieve subcritical heat levels where bubbles formed creating inefficiencies.

The solar thermal test plant used more than 600 directional mirrors pointed at two towers with solar receivers and turbines. Researchers generated steam at a pressure of 3,400 psi and 1,058 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to CSIRO’s Energy Director, Dr. Alex Wonhas, “It’s like breaking the sound barrier; the step change proves solar has the potential to compete with the peak performance capabilities of fossil fuel sources.”

This development comes at a time when renewable energy continues to come under fire by the Abbot administration. “Imagine what our country could accomplish if our clean-energy industry had the resources, subsidies and support the Abbott Government lavishes on the non-renewable, dirty coal, mining and resources industries,” said Greens Party deputy leader Adam Bandt.

06/09/2014 1 comment

Renewable Energy

Carbon Footprint of Solar Panels Made in China Far Exceeds Panels Made in Europe

written by CleanTechies Staff

How green is the manufacturing process for solar panels? According to a new study from Northwestern University and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, solar panels made in China and used in Europe have a carbon footprint that is about twice as high as solar panels made locally in Europe.

The study found that although shifting manufacturing to China might be economically attractive, “it is actually less sustainable from the life cycle energy and environmental perspective – especially under the motivation of using solar panels for a more sustainable future,” said Fenqi You, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and an author of the paper.

Much of the disparity is because China has fewer environmental and efficiency standards for its factories and plants and a high use of coal for electricity compared to European countries where renewable energy and nuclear energy are more common.

According to the study, a solar panel made in China would need to be used for 20 to 30 percent longer than a European made panel to produce energy to cancel out the energy used to make it. While these numbers suggest a large chasm, Argonne scientist and co-author Seth Darling noted, “This gap will like close over time as China strengthens environmental regulations.”

The study did not include the energy cost to transport the solar panels to their final destination. Had this cost been included in the study, the gap would be magnified further.

The authors suggest using a stick to encourage greater sustainability in the solar manufacturing process. They propose a break even carbon tariff in the range of 105 to 129 euros per ton of carbon dioxide to offset the emissions.

06/03/2014 1 comment

Renewable Energy

Cleantech Open Expands Into Six Countries, Launches Cleantech Accelerators In Partnership with GEF and UNIDO

written by CleanTechies Staff

Cleantech Open, the world’s largest cleantech accelerator, is expanding its program for startups to six countries. In partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and local partners, Cleantech Open is launching six international cleantech accelerators in Armenia, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey through a joint initiative, the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme for SMEs. The mission of each national accelerator is to find, fund and foster small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) that can tackle the most urgent energy, environmental and economic challenges in those countries.

Participating countries will have access to UNIDO’s in-country resources and to the Cleantech Open’s proprietary events, training, materials and an online global platform that connects entrepreneurs to a global network of mentors, industry experts and investors. Each national cleantech accelerator is led by national executing partners and teams in country, hosted by major institutions, universities, and supported by local industrial associations and key stakeholders.

Key national partners already on board in participating countries include the Malaysian Industry-Government group for High Technology (MiGHT), the Technology Innovation Agency (South Africa), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), TUBITAK (Turkey), and the Enterprise Incubator Foundation (Armenia).

“Right now, entrepreneurs around the world are developing ingenious solutions to major challenges in the generation, distribution and storage of energy, air and water pollution, waste management, new forms of transport, and sustainable construction techniques,” said Rex Northen, executive director of the Cleantech Open. “The GEF and UNIDO are the perfect partners to clone the Cleantech Open DNA in countries that can most benefit from our proven accelerator program. Our objective is to help those entrepreneurs turn their ideas into transformative commercial successes.”

“The planet has entered a new ecological era in which human activities will lead to unprecedented environmental and resource challenges. We must leverage technological innovation and action from across the private sector, especially the small medium enterprises which drive the majority of the world’s economies,” said Dr. Naoko Ishii, CEO and chairperson of the GEF. “By combining the Cleantech Open’s global platform, mentors and proven methodology with UNIDO’s international network and resources, we have a unique opportunity to tackle our biggest environmental challenges through breakthrough innovation on multiple levels, including technological, business model and policy innovation.”

“We are proud to join hands with such strong partners as the GEF and the Cleantech Open to engage with thousands of energy entrepreneurs and small businesses around the world to systematically raise the awareness, acceptance and significance of innovation and investment in clean technologies in each participating country,” said Dr. Pradeep Monga, director of the Energy & Climate Change Branch at UNIDO.

The Global Cleantech Innovation Programme for SMEs blends local market experience and networks with proven resources and programs. The GEF has more than twenty years of experience investing in pioneering and innovative country-driven projects that address local needs and deliver global environmental benefits. UNIDO is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability, and has been supporting the growth of SMEs in developing countries for more than 20 years.

The Cleantech Open was founded on the premise that entrepreneurial innovation is the answer to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, and the key to economic growth for all nations. In the United States, nearly 900 startups have participated in the Cleantech Open accelerator and raised capital in excess of $950M, creating thousands of jobs. The partnership with the GEF and UNIDO leverages their unique contributions to protecting the global environment by promoting inclusive and sustainable industrial development in developing countries and economies in transition, and aims to nurture cleantech innovation that can address global challenges.

05/22/2014 0 comment

Green Building Water & Conservation

Boston’s District Energy Network Gains New ‘Green’ Steam

written by CleanTechies Staff

A recently completed revitalization of an extensive district energy network in Boston, including a brand new pipeline extension, has begun delivering steam to connected facilities. Veolia North America, a global operator and developer of efficient energy solutions, built the new 7,000-foot pipeline to export more “green steam” to Boston from Kendall Station, a 256-megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Cambridge. The network, which will deliver steam to be used for both heating and cooling purposes, serves several of the areas major hospitals, biotech R&D facilities, 12 of Boston’s high-rise buildings, colleges and universities, and iconic infrastructure such as the New England Aquarium, Faneuil Hall, the Holocaust Memorial and the Prudential Building.

The company’s $112 million investment into the Boston-Cambridge energy infrastructure has already started to reduce the region’s carbon footprint by 475,000 tons annually – the equivalent of removing 80,000 cars annually from the road and is directly responsible for nearly 6 percent reduction of non-transportation carbon emissions for both cities.

The environmental impact on the Charles River ecosystem has also been minimized by the project through its ability to eliminate the thermal pollution, essentially decreasing the temperature of the cooling water returned to the river and thereby protecting the marine inhabitants of this precious natural resource.

“The City of Boston has been making great strides in creating a green city, which is possible through the dedication and help of Boston’s residents, businesses, and institutions,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “Veolia has been a strong and loyal partner with the City and the completion of this project marks an important step forward in attaining our Greenovate Boston goal of reducing Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.”

According to the company, the new steam pipeline connection (and planned reconfiguration of Kendall Station) supports Boston’s sustainable development goals. Specifically it:

Created green jobs: The project supported 147,500 man hours (welders, pipe fitters, insulators) that resulted in $21 million in labor costs.
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 475,000 tons annually, the equivalent of removing 80,000 cars from the roads.
Represents a $112 million investment by Veolia and its partners into improving the Boston-Cambridge system; Veolia’s total investment is $168 million since 2008.
Eliminates thermal pollution from the Charles River ecosystem, decreasing the temperature of the river and thereby protecting the marine inhabitants of this precious natural resource.
Improves air quality: By utilizing cleaner burning, domestically available fuel sources and taking into account Veolia’s infrastructure improvements and cogeneration assets, Veolia has reduced its NOx and SO2 emissions by approximately 36 percent and 61 percent, respectively.

The infrastructure improvements also support sustainable development in Boston and Cambridge by increasing the LEED ratings of buildings that tie into the system.

“The Boston-Cambridge ‘Green Steam’ connection is an innovative environmental solution that benefits the environment and the economy. Only a handful of cities in the U.S. have the unique opportunity to implement this type of solution combining existing district energy piping networks with innovative combined heat and power technology,” said Bill DiCroce, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Veolia North America’s Municipal and Commercial Business.

“A project such as this one combines the best of public support with private investment for one common cause – a more sustainable community. Today, we recognize the leadership of individual community members, local and state government, regulatory agencies and environmental conservancy organizations in support of these investments and the sustainable development of Boston and Cambridge.”

05/22/2014 1 comment

Clean Transportation

The Future of Electric Powered Public Transit is Here

written by CleanTechies Staff

If Tesla is the undisputed leader of electric cars, then Proterra is the current holder of that title in the electric powered public transit arena. Not only did a battery-electric bus built by the company recently set a record for the most miles traveled in a day – driving more than 700 miles in a 24 hour period – it did it with an average fuel efficiency of nearly 27 miles per gallon, nearly six times that of a diesel bus and seven times that of CNG.

While the record was set as part of testing conducted on Proterra buses before they are delivered, the bus used for this test is set to go into revenue service in the Southeastern United States within the next few months. In addition, the test was conducted on a route designed to simulate both commuter and central business district routes and drive cycles.

The bus, which ran an average of 29 miles per hour with the HVAC system running, was charged periodically throughout the day, using Proterra’s proprietary fast-charging process. This technology allows a bus to fully charge in less time than it takes to charge a cell phone.

According to Proterra Inc. CEO Garrett Mikita, “this record offers definitive proof that all-electric Proterra buses combine the durability and functionality of conventional buses, while significantly reducing total cost of ownership, fuel consumption and greenhouse emissions. We are even more proud of the fact that we demonstrated this performance using a regular production bus with the same features and performance we build into all our buses.”

Proterra is the only EV bus manufacturer with buses currently in revenue service in the United States. Its buses operate in San Antonio, Worcester, Reno, Stockton, Pomona and Tallahassee, with deliveries scheduled for Nashville and Louisville, among others. Based on the strong performance of its buses, Proterra has earned repeat orders from several agencies and played a key role in spurring the interest in and growth of EV transit throughout the country.

The company has backing from a strong group of investors, including KPBC and GM Ventures.

05/16/2014 0 comment

Clean Transportation

It’s Not Super Boat Int’l. It’s Better. Ohio Hosts 2014 Solar Boat Race

written by CleanTechies Staff

Top speeds may only be 30 mph. But this doesn’t take away from the nail biting excitement for those cheering at water’s edge; watching their collegiate team’s solar powered boat vie for position.

“It gets tense,” said Dr. Tim Dewhurst, senior professor of mechanical engineering and faculty advisor for Cedarville University’s solar boat team, which led the effort to bring the 20th annual World Solar Splash competition to Ohio this year.

Dewhurst should know. Cedarville University just happens to be the most decorated participant in Solar Splash history, having won the Collegiate World Championship seven out of the last ten years. Next month, with the Wright Brother’s first bicycle shop as backdrop, Dewhurst will see his team race on home turf June 11-15 at Eastwood Park in Dayton, Ohio.

The five-day event, which attracts universities from around the world, will again test the teams of engineering student’s design and production skills through a technical inspection and a series of on-the-water competitions. Currently, in addition to Cedarville University, other teams that will participate include: the University of Dayton, Stony Brook University, The College of New Jersey, Middle Tennessee State University, Geneva College, Cal-Poly Pomona, the University of South Carolina, the University of Arkansas, and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez.

Prior to arriving at the competition, each team is required to produce, either by building, buying, or receiving parts, a piloted boat up to 18 feet in length powered by 480 Watts of solar power with 1 kW-hr of stored energy in batteries.

Dewhurst is also hoping to have elementary and middle school students at the event. He expects to introduce a Junior Solar Splash event this year, a model solar boat competition competition for elementary and middle school students. He said, “I hope to run this as a pilot project with a few schools this year and have the races during Solar Splash at Eastwood Park.”

Dewhurst said that Cedarville’s team is unique in how much of the boat they build themselves. He said that the teams winning streak began with a student designed hull. Dr. Robert Chasnov, senior professor of engineering said, “The result of one student doing a design of the hull made it so uniquely perfect that it allowed our team to win.

Since then, the work that the students have done is to make it smoother and faster and more streamlined.” Chasnov said other teams took notice of Cedarville’s design and replicated it.

“Every time we win a competition [other teams] take pictures so that they can replicate what we did the previous year, which requires us to stay ahead by just that much,” he said. “And that’s the group of students we end up having. They have the ability to be creative, do more and make things better as they work in conjunction with the faculty.”

Dewhurst noted that having the competition in Dayton will add exposure to the world-class event and also ties in well with Ohio’s goal of advancing innovation with renewable energy sources.

05/14/2014 1 comment

Clean Transportation

Shanghai to Provide Free License Plates to Tesla Model S Buyers

written by CleanTechies Staff

By now, many of you may be aware of license plate quotas as a means to reduce the growth of the number of vehicles on the road as well as pollution. In China, major cities like Beijing and Shanghai have used license plate auctions for a number of years. In Shanghai, the cost of a license plate can cost nearly $15,000.

In an effort to stimulate the electric vehicle market, Shanghai exempted Chinese made electric vehicles from the license auction. Now, it has been confirmed that Shanghai will exempt foreign made electric vehicles as well with one caveat. The exemption only applies to the first 3,000 electric vehicles sold by a manufacturer. Once an automaker reaches 3,000, it must seek the approval of the Shanghai government for additional exemptions. News of this exemption was confirmed in Tesla’s Q1 financial statement release.

How soon will foreign automakers reach the 3,000 limit? Only time will tell. Official deliveries of the Tesla Model S start next month and may provide a good indication, especially in light of the cost of the car in China where it ranges from 734,000 to 852,500 yuan or 121,000 to 140,000 USD.

05/13/2014 1 comment

Renewable Energy

Raising Hell – Australian Government Continues Attack on Renewable Energy

written by CleanTechies Staff

Since the Coalition Party took over the reigns in Australia, the party led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott has launched attack after attack on the environment. For some reason, the environment seems to be the Coalition Party’s punching bag. Let’s see what they’ve done: Approved dredging off the coast of Queensland near the Great Barrier Reef for a coal export port and repealed the carbon tax. So, what else is the Coalition Party up to?

Well, the government is now reviewing whether or not to revise or eliminate the nation’s renewable energy target (RET). In February, the Abbott government appointed industrialist Dick Warburton, a self-proclaimed climate skeptic to lead a review of the RET. The review will be looking at “the economic, environmental and social impacts of the RET scheme, in particular the impacts on electricity prices, energy markets, the renewable energy sector, the manufacturing sector and Australian households” and with assessing how it fits with the government’s aim of “reducing business costs”

New modeling commissioned by the Clean Energy Council shows that energy bills are higher in the short term as a result of the RET, “but households would end up about $50 a year better off in 2020 if the target is left in place.” The report also noted that average energy bills would be $100 a year lower after 2020. In the short term, the report noted that energy bills would be $11 to $22 a year higher until 2017-2018. According to Daniel Leahy, development manager for RES Australia, “We are concerned that the Government may be considering a reduction of the RET on a false premise it will save consumers money – when in reality, cutting the RET will demonstrably increase our energy bills in the long term.”

Adding more fuel to the flames, new reports suggest that the Abbot administration will axe the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, the primary agency supporting renewable energy in Australia. All this in the name of cutting government spending. Clearly, the Abbott administration is thinking short term and not long term. Maybe they realize that this is their only shot at derailing the renewable energy industry in favor of cheaper, but dirtier energy. Either way, the Abbott government is moving backwards and not forward.

05/13/2014 1 comment

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