400 MW Solar Power Plant in USA

Good news for solar power enthusiasts. The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that it will give around USD 1.4 billion to BrightSource Energy in order to help stimulate the production and use of green energy, according to the company's website.

The plan is to fund the construction of three concentrated solar power plants which are capable of producing around 400 megawatts of electricity, in California.

Concentrated solar power works in a way that's slightly different from traditional solar power generation methods. The principle of converting solar energy into electricity remains, but the method involves the use of thousands of mirrors to concentrate sunlight and create high-temperature heat that drives large turbines.

Apart from the environmental benefit, this solar power project will also offer economic benefits of creating jobs for around 1,000 people.

Concentrated solar power plants are rare, despite the growing popularity of solar power. A few months ago, Taiwan opened up Asia's largest Concentrated Solar Power Plant that will generate up to 1,000 MW. 

Spreading the Use of Solar Power

The British government has recently come up with a plan to give solar power to more people owing to an imminent rise in energy prices across the country. As Chiara Cavaglieri puts it,

Hoping to encourage a movement towards renewable energy, the Government has finalised details of its feed-in tariffs, which reward people who produce their own energy by investing in technology such as solar panels and small wind turbines.

"This new scheme is a fantastic opportunity for householders to make money, cut fuel bills and play their part in slashing carbon-dioxide emissions," says Dave Timms, green homes campaigner for eco-action group Friends of the Earth. "Developing the UK's massive small-scale renewable energy potential will help to tackle climate change, create new green jobs and industries, and increase our energy security."

From 1 April, any household generating its own energy will be rewarded with tax-free payments. The cashback levels will depend on the technology used, with solar panels attracting the most generous payments. Further payments will be awarded to householders directing any energy they don't need back to the National Grid. However, these bonus payments for exporting energy have been reduced to 3p/kWh from an initially proposed rate of 5p/kWh.

The type of technology used will depend on the property type. So a solar photovoltaic (PV) system needs a south-facing, preferably sloping, roof. In England and Scotland, planning permission is not usually required, although there are some restrictions in terms of size, and exceptions apply for any listed buildings, and properties near a conservation area, national park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In Wales and Northern Ireland, householders must consult their local authorities about planning permission.

Well, this is certainly encouraging, but one this is still stands in the way - it's still cheaper to rely on traditional sources of energy. Unless consumers have a long-term view, they will see little reason to switch to solar power.

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Feed-in-Tariff System for Britain

According to Reuters, Britain plans to expand its feed-in tariff system for small renewable power generation, such as solar panels and small wind turbines, to include the world's first incentive scheme for renewable heat.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said on Monday the scheme for renewable heat would start in April 2011 following the introduction of feed-in tariffs for small power generation in April this year.


"They (the schemes) should see a real growth in the UK in the renewable sector," said Andrew Lee, managing director of Sharp Corp's solar unit in Britain.

"Previously the UK lagged behind the rest of Europe," he said, adding only about 1 percent of about 5,000 solar panels Sharp makes each day in Wales were installed in the country.

DECC calculated small scale renewable installations could meet 2 percent of UK electricity demand in 2020, helping raise the green power's total share in the country's overall generation to about 30 percent from 5.5 percent at present.

Britain's small wind sector has already been booming in the run-up to the scheme's introduction, with many rural homes, farms and small businesses putting up turbines in yards to counter higher energy prices and blackouts.

Householders and communities that install low carbon electricity technology such as solar photovoltaic (pv) panels and wind turbines up to 5 megawatts will be paid for the electricity they generate, even if they use it themselves.

They will get a further payment for electricity they feed into the grid. The scheme will also apply to installations commissioned since July 2008 when the policy was announced.

Source: Reuters
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