Tag: alternative energy sources

Problems and Solutions solved with energy storage

Posted on by Linda

One of the biggest problems with the efforts to use renewable energy to produce large amounts of the energy consumed on a daily basis has been its inability to reliably supply power at the times it is most needed. This can and will be addressed with the installation of battery systems that allow households, businesses and energy network providers to store renewable energy for use at night or in peak periods.

Solar panels convert the sun’s rays into electricity during the day with maximum generation being between the hours of 11 to 3pm. Unfortunately, for most people unless you are home during the day 80% of this power gets fed back into the grid for very little return. Likewise, although energy generation through wind is now very efficient and cost effective the times when wind produces energy can be intermittent.

Batteries also reduce the amount of electricity that is exported to the grid from rooftop solar during the middle of the day. This has the capacity to significantly reduce variability and stabilise grid supply. Continue reading “Problems and Solutions solved with energy storage” →

Battery power rating

Posted on by Linda

Before purchasing any battery storage it is critical that you understand what you want to do with the battery. If you only want to shift some energy generated from your solar panels during the day to be used at night and don’t mind if you don’t have power when the grid goes down it isn’t as critical that your battery needs to be able to provide all the power you need.

However, if you want to be energy independent and want to have power in times of power outages (as most people do that purchase batteries) then you need a battery that is capable of running your house for a period of time. You need to consider your appliances and what you consider essential and determine what power will be drawn down by all of them. As can be seen in the above image you may need multiples of some battery technologies to accomplish this which may greatly increase the cost of an installation. Continue reading “Battery power rating” →

Climate of the Nation 2017 Australian attitudes on climate change

Posted on by Linda

 

  1. Climate Change: The majority of Australians agree that climate change is occurring (71 %) and accept the scientific consensus that human activity is the main cause (57 %).2. Action: The majority of Australians want Australia to address climate change because they see strong economic, environmental and social benefits and opportunities in the shift to a clean economy (73 %).
    Continue reading “Climate of the Nation 2017 Australian attitudes on climate change” →

Voters say yes to renewables says Essential Research Australian poll

Posted on by Linda

 

 

A recent Essential Research Australian poll found that almost two out of three people agree that more renewable energy is the solution to future energy needs, and a similar amount approve of Labor’s 50 per cent renewable energy target. In other significant findings 71 per cent think the Federal Government is not doing enough to ensure affordable, reliable and clean energy for households and businesses and 45 per cent blame blackouts on failures of the energy market during extreme weather.

Climate change: 60% (up 6% since December) agree that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity and 25% (down 2%) believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate. By age groups, those aged under 35 split 70%/15% and those aged 55+ split 47%/40%. People with higher education were more likely to think climate change is happening and is caused by human activity – those with university degrees split 72%/19%. Continue reading “Voters say yes to renewables says Essential Research Australian poll” →

GridEdge and the FZSoNick battery

Posted on by Linda

GridEdge is a company that delivers both off grid and on grid energy supply to all levels of consumer demand. 

GridEdge has the Australian and New Zealand distributor rights to the FZSoNick sodium nickel chloride battery which has superior operating capabilities, compared to any other battery technology, currently available. The SoNick battery operates at a wider range of temperatures compared to other batteries and has the advantage of being a non-toxic, environmentally friendly battery that is much more compact, compared to many other batteries set up currently on the market or proposed in the near future. Continue reading “GridEdge and the FZSoNick battery” →

Molten salt energy storage for South Australia

Posted on by Linda

South Australia approves 150 MW concentrated solar thermal plant

Although , using molten salt,  this is a different technological process to our SoNick, sodium nickel chloride batteries but adds credence to the benefits of using molten salt as a storage medium for batteries. Unlike the lithium batteries that are so popular at the moment molten salt batteries are non-toxic, cannot catch fire and go into thermal runaway and are recyclable at end of life with current processes not hopefully at some time in the future.
South Australia approves 150MW concentrated solar thermal plant

South Australia has made a commitment to concentrated solar thermal, the towering clean energy storage solution seen by many as a serious contender for utility-scale moderator as intermittent sources of energy replace coal and gas generation.

The Aurora Solar Energy Project located in Port Augusta, about 300km north of Adelaide, will incorporate eight hours of storage or 1,100 MWh, allowing it to operate like a conventional coal or gas power station. Continue reading “Molten salt energy storage for South Australia” →

Tindo Bus summary

Posted on by Linda

The Tindo buses in Adelaide were the first solar powered all-electric buses in the world and the first prototype was commissioned by the Adelaide council in 2008. The Tindo buses first commenced operation on 11/2/2008 and had operated for 60,000 km by 2010. (Tindo is the Kaurna Aboriginal name for sun)

The first prototype bus was so successful that a further 2 all electric buses were commissioned in 2010. Both the buses and the FIAMM SoNick batteries have exceeded all expectations of performance.

Overall, when compared to other electric buses now in operation the Tindo bus has one of the most demanding schedules in the world.

One of the reasons the SoNick battery technology was chosen was due to its safety. The SoNick battery is non-combustible so there are no safety issues with possible explosion or fire on impact in the case of a bus crash as there can be with lithium ion batteries. Another consideration was that the batteries are fully recyclable and the cost of recycling is included in the battery price. The SoNick batteries are virtually maintenance free, very lightweight and operate efficiently, no matter what the ambient temperature is and have a longer expected life cycle than other battery technologies. Continue reading “Tindo Bus summary” →

How will Climate Change affect Australia?

Posted on by Linda

 

Across Australia, extreme weather events are projected to worsen as the climate warms further.

Extreme heat is projected to increase across the entire continent, with significant increases in the length, intensity and frequency of heatwaves in many regions.

The time spent in drought is projected to increase across Australia, especially in southern Australia. Continue reading “How will Climate Change affect Australia?” →

So much conflicting information on battery storage

Posted on by Linda

 

When consumers go online to compare different batteries there is so much conflicting information available it is very difficult to get a clear picture of what is available and to understand what is happening in the industry. What is important is you compare similar products and don’t just listen to what salespeople are telling you.

If a product has been in use for a number of years the quoted figures are more likely to be reliable than if a product is new and hasn’t yet been tested in real life conditions. Generally batteries are tested in factories at 25 degrees. This can produce different results than are experienced in real life when temperatures vary widely.

Currently there are no relevant battery standards in Australia Continue reading “So much conflicting information on battery storage” →

Battery Recyclability

Posted on by Linda

 

One of the things that you should consider when putting battery storage on your home is whether or not the battery will be recyclable at the end of its life.

Often, one of the reasons that people put solar panels on their house and put in battery storage to collect the excess usage is to protect the environment and reduce the need for coal powered power stations.

This can be counterproductive if you choose a battery that is made from toxic materials or has components that can’t be recycled. Continue reading “Battery Recyclability” →