World Solar PV Market To Hit 45 GW In 2014, Deutsche Bank Forecasts

See on Scoop.itGreen & Sustainable News

Deutsche Bank is the latest to upgrade its forecasts – for the second time in as many months – predicting that the 2014 global solar market could jump to 45 GW, after rising to 38-40 GW in 2013.

>Deutsche’s analysis is more bullish than an NPD Solarbuzz report last week that forecast solar PV demand for calendar 2013 to reach a record high of 35.1 GW, after a strong second half that would result in 20 GW being installed. In March, the research group predicted full year demand of just 31 GW.

NPD Solarbuzz analyst Michael Barker said the market was still in transition (from older markets such as Europe to newer ones in Asia), and would continue to rely on four key countries for the bulk of demand – Germany, China, Japan, and the US – which accounted for more than 60% of demand in the first half.

It said China and Japan alone would account for 45% of global demand in the second half, up from just 10% three years ago.<

 

Sustainable Heating and Cooling of Buildings | Leonardo ENERGY

See on Scoop.itGreen Energy Technologies & Development

In many non-residential buildings across Europe, the energy consumed for heating and cooling is more than half the total energy consumption of the building. This is not inevitable. The introduction of simple design concepts and currently available technologies can lead to significant reductions in the energy consumption, operating costs, and carbon emissions of both new and existing buildings.

See on www.leonardo-energy.org

Plan B Updates – 115: Peak Water: What Happens When the Wells Go Dry? | EPI

See on Scoop.itGreen Energy Technologies & Development

Peak oil has generated headlines in recent years, but the real threat to our future is peak water. There are substitutes for oil, but not for water. We can produce food without oil, but not without water.

See on www.earth-policy.org

The Obama Administration Proposes $8 Billion in Loans for ‘Clean’ Fossil Fuel Technologies

See on Scoop.itGreen & Sustainable News

As part of President Obama’s new energy initiative, the U.S. Department of Energy has proposed $8 billion in loan guarantees for fossil fuel technology projects that are able to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

> […]the U.S. Department of Energy has proposed $8 billion in loan guarantees for fossil fuel technologies to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The proposal would fund schemes such as waste heat recovery and carbon dioxide capture, however it has unsurprisingly received criticism as it would draw focus away from green technology projects such as renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Speaking about the new proposal, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz stated:  “Coal and fossil fuels still provide 80% of our energy and 70% of electricity, and they will remain an important part of our future, as the president noted.”<

See on inhabitat.com

The Amazing Energy Race

See on Scoop.itGreen & Sustainable News

The United States is falling behind. To catch up, we need to reorder our priorities, find cleaner and smarter fuels and develop new technologies.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

>“In reducing coal’s historic dominance, the president is formalizing a market trend that was already taking shape,” remarked Andy Karsner, who was an assistant secretary of energy in the last Bush administration. His bigger message, though, was “no matter where you find yourself on the political spectrum, it’s useful for the nation to discuss, debate and consider a strategy for climate change. The consequences of inaction are potentially greater than all the other noise out there.”<

See on www.nytimes.com

China opens city-sized shopping mall, with fake sun

See on Scoop.itGreen & Sustainable News

If you don’t care about authenticity, the New Century Global Center has everything you could want, including an artificial Mediterranean village. Read this article by Tim Hornyak on CNET.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

>The New Century Global Center building opened recently in Chengu, a city of more than 14 million people in southwest China’s Sichuan province. It’s described as “the world’s largest standalone structure” by Chinese officials and is 328 feet high, 1,640 feet long, and 1,312 feet wide.

While Boeing’s plant in Everett, Wash., is the world’s biggest building by volume, the Chinese mall seems to be tops in floor space. Almost the area of Monaco, its 420 acres of floor space could fit nearly three Pentagons, four Vatican Cities, or 20 Sydney Opera Houses.

The cavernous structure will feature a mix of retail outlets, a 14-screen movie theater, a university complex, offices, hotels, a water park called Paradise Island, a skating rink that’s big enough to host international competitions, a pirate ship, 15,000 parking spots, and even a fake Mediterranean village.<

See on news.cnet.com

Changes in the Electrical and Micro Grid

See on Scoop.itGreen & Sustainable News

Microgrids are becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Currently an estimated $4.5 billion market in the US alone with 1,459 MW online and 1,122 MW in planning or development, the microgrid market is expected to continue to grow as the world demands ever more electricity usage and the grid struggles to keep up. The truth is that the traditional grid was not built to cope with the extraordinary level and fluctuations of present-day demand, and microgrids present the perfect solution. The question (to the utilities) is whether we are ready to embrace the change and adapt.

See on theenergycollective.com

Research and Markets: Global and Chinese Power Energy Storage Battery – 2013 Report – WSJ.com

See on Scoop.itGreen & Sustainable News
DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 28, 2013–

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nblmtd/2013_deep) has announced the addition of the “2013 Deep Research Report on Global

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

>The report begins by defining the industry giving details on classification, application, industry chain, structure industry overview, international market analysis, China domestic market, Global market analysis, macroeconomic environment, economic situation analysis and influence, industry policy and plan, product specification, manufacturing process, and product cost structure.

The report then gives statistics on 21 key manufacturers including information on capacity, production, cost, price, profit, production value gross margin, products, customers, application, capacity, market position, company contact information and other company related information. […]

In the end, this report gives a SWOT analysis and discusses a 400MWh/year investment feasibility analysis project and investment return analysis and also gives related research conclusions and a development trend analysis of Chinese and Global Power Energy Storage Battery industry.<

See on online.wsj.com

Water kit to be added to JEA home evaluation program – Jacksonville Public Libraries

See on Scoop.itGreen & Sustainable News
The popularity of JEA’s Home Energy Evaluation Kit Backpack program has spurred the utility to add a water-use evaluation kit to the tools offered to homeowners to help them reduce their utility bills

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

>The kits have been checked out 2,143 times since the pilot program started in 2010.  The backpacks are available at all Jacksonville public libraries and the Bartram Trail Library in St. Johns County, because it is in the JEA service area.

“Prior to the backpack program, customers would have to schedule an appointment with a technician who would visit the home, but the backpack allows them to get started with conservation on their own, … The hardest part about developing the kit was the instruction manual, … “We wanted to make sure it was functional, yet understandable,” said Reed.

Kits can be checked out for three weeks and are available on a first-come first-served basis, unless customers attend a JEA workshop.<

See on ht.ly

Better Buildings Act Brings Energy Efficiency Opportunities to Tenants

See on Scoop.itGreen & Sustainable News

Bipartisan Bennet-Ayotte Legislation Aimed at Boosting Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

>To date, the focus has been on how real estate owners and developers may lower energy consumption at the “whole-building” level. However, office tenants like data centers, law firms, banks, trading floors, restaurants, and retail stores use a lot of energy – especially in areas experiencing large growth and development. The Better Buildings Act takes a holistic approach by considering office tenants’ impact on energy consumption and behaviors.

In addition to the “Tenant Star” designation, the bill asks the Department of Energy to study and learn from private sector “best practices” of how commercially-leased spaces are designed to achieve high performance and help reduce utility costs for businesses.

“Senators Bennet and Ayotte have championed innovative, transformative energy policy through their Better Buildings Act and its ‘Tenant Star’ provisions,” said Jeffrey D. DeBoer, President and CEO of The Real Estate Roundtable. “Tenants consume 50% or more of the energy used by commercial buildings, so they should be recognized for making smart choices in high-performance design and operations within leased spaces they control.  This bill is a major step forward to better align commercial landlords and tenants toward a common goal of lowering energy use in built environments across our nation.”<

See on www.bennet.senate.gov