Puerto Rico Wind Energy

Think of wind energy and you probably conjure up an image of giant turbines. But students in Cornell’s Vibro-Wind Research Group have a different model of wind power in mind. They’re working on an ultra-efficient, cheap method to transform vibrations from wind into clean energy with a $100,000 grant from the Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future’s Academic Venture Fund.

Undergraduate students at Cornell have been working on the design, which consists of a panel mounted with foam oscillators, for the past semester. The conversion from mechanical to electric energy was achieved using a a piezoelectric transducer–a ceramic or polymer device that releases electrons when stressed.

No word on when the students’ design might be commercialized, but eventually the group hopes that vibro-wind setups could be placed on buildings that might not have room–or money–for traditional turbines. We’ll be watching to see what else these enterprising students come up with.

Can the stimulus money really help drive down the price of solar electricity by half in the next five years? Yes, according to a White House report on Tuesday touting the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The report said federal spending will enable solar electricity to reach grid parity — pricing that’s comparable to power from coal and other fossil fuel sources — in many states by 2015. Solar pricing could fall below the overall retail rates for power by 2030, if certain technology breakthroughs happen.

The government has pumped billions of dollars into solar, including research, manufacturing and project development over the past year and half, and it’s reasonable to expect results from these hefty investments. However, the report raises some questions about what numbers and how those numbers are used to draw conclusions, as well as whether the recovery dollars will lead to big drop in solar electric rates.

The report specifically says that the stimulus could lead to the cost of generating solar power at homes to drop from about 20 cents per kilowatt-hour to 10 cents per kilowatt-hour by 2015. Technology breakthroughs could push the price down to 6 cents per kilowatt-hour by 2030, making it “cheaper than retail electricity from the grid,” the report said. The government’s analysis looks at the impact of the entire stimulus package over time, not just the spending allocated so far, said Jen Stutsman, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Energy. It also doesn’t take into account state and local incentives.

A big issue with a report like this is that it paints an impression that solar electricity will fall by half by 2015 because of the stimulus dollars, and it doesn’t acknowledge the fact that competition and other market forces will play a bigger role in energy pricing. The issue of accuracy and the cause and effects of markets plagues private market research reports as well, where projections beyond a year could turn out to be incredibly inaccurate.

This happened last year, when solar panel makers and their suppliers first weathered demand freeze, layoffs and contract re-negotiations, leading to declines in the price of their goods by as much as 50 percent. Although they experienced an unexpected boom starting in second half of 2009 thanks to a huge demand from Germany (and government incentives), strong competition from low-cost manufacturers in Asia has kept the prices low, if not pushed them lower.

The White House report, of course, is meant to highlight the good work of the stimulus money and not meant to be a comprehensive market analysis. But it’s also targeting the general public, not those who understand the dynamics of the energy market. Tossing out numbers about how much consumers can expect to pay for solar electricity without more caveats and in-depth discussion doesn’t serve the public well.

Let me point to this government report from June 2008, before the government was in the throes of the stimulus package. It said, “Both residential and commercial systems will be less expensive [than] grid electricity by 2010, assuming that the 4.7% annual growth rate continues.”  The 4.7 percent growth referred to inflationary rate. The chart on page 6 showed that the cost of producing solar electricity for homeowners could reach 10 cents per kilowatt-hour (factoring in the federal incentives at that time) by 2015. The same cut in solar pricing as is now being attributed to the stimulus. The report noted that the forecast was conservative, and didn’t take into account any recent changes in supply-and-demand.

It’s not easy to make a strong case that federal spending will play a pivotal role in halving the cost of solar power. Certainly, public money that makes it possible to build large-scale solar power projects and factories should help. But it’s always a good idea to view numbers and forecasts with a critical eye.

The report also failed to address the potentially negative effect of taking away $3.5 billion from the $6 billion renewable energy loan guarantee program that’s supposed to accomplish a great deal for manufacturers and power project developers. Congress first took $2 billion from the $6 billion budget to fund the Cash for Clunkers program last year, and it took $1.5 billion away from the program recently to help stop teachers and other public employees from losing their jobs.

“The raiding of the loan guarantee is definitely a setback for us. One of our priorities is to get that funding back,” said Jared Blanton, a spokesman for the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Granted, the loan guarantee program provides for not only solar, but also other renewable energy projects, as well as companies in electric grid transmission, electric vehicles, energy efficiency and even coal. The program is making it possible for some large-scale projects to line up financing at time when investors aren’t willing to make that kind of big bets. The report highlighted loan guarantees that have made it possible for Solyndra to secure a $535 million loan to build a factory and BrightSource Energy to line up $1.37 billion for a solar energy project in California. Though not mentioned in the report, the DOE also has approved loan guarantees of $1.4 billion for Abengoa Solar’s power plant project in Arizona and $400 million for Abound Solar to expanding manufacturing of cadmium-telluride solar panels.

The report mentioned $2 billion in loan guarantee spending. Would consumers see cheaper solar electricity even sooner if the full $6 billion of allocation is taken into account?

The cost of solar electricity has come down and now many states are offering rebates and other tax incentives for you to install your own solar photovoltaic system.

For those of us who are already attached to the electric utility grid, the most cost effective way to go solar is to have a “grid inter-tied” system. This is a system that sends power to the grid when you make more energy than you are consuming, and draws energy from the grid when you need more power. One nice feature of a grid inter-tied system is that when demand is greatest on the grid, on hot summer afternoons, your home system is making the most electricity.

In some states you can sell your excess energy to your electric utility through a program called ‘net metering”. This way you get a credit for every kilowatt you send back to the grid which can be used to offset your utility bill. It is even possible to make a profit from your solar photovoltaic installation, you should check with your utility or your state energy office to find out about what incentives are available and what your situation is regarding net metering.

If you live in one of the unfortunate states that doesn’t have net metering, write your congress person! Net metering encourages more people to install solar, creates jobs and reduces the use of fossil fuels. The utilities lobby against net metering, and they have deep pockets so it takes lots of dedicated people to lobby, write letters and basically harass your congress people to get them to see the light.

My office has overseen the installation of lots of solar hot water and photovoltaic systems throughout the United States. We have run the numbers and it pays to go solar. The value of a solar system increases with increases in energy costs. Also, solar photovoltaic systems, once installed, have very few problems and require little maintenance.

What a neat design! I am totally overwhelmed by this Wind Shaped Pavilion- a design proposal for a large fabric structure. The most enticing thing is that while the lightweight fabric structure changes its shape randomly with the flow of wind, it also engenders enough electricity to illuminate the premises at the nighttime.

With a skimpy chance of getting back to the original position, the shapes of the inimitable structure initiates out as a fairly symmetrical form. The Wind Shaped Pavilion is supposed to offer the inhabitants a fantastic chance to rotate the segments according to their varying needs such as scenic views, weather conditions etc.

What a fabulous building to live in! Well, it’s still a proposed design and those who are thinking of buying a flat for themselves in the Wind Shaped Pavilion need to sit back a while and wait for the fabulous design to get into the real shape.

Although Texas is best known for its fossil fuel resources (oil, natural gas, coal), the state also holds great promise for the development and production of renewable energy. This morning, I attended the 9th Annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair in nearby Fredericksburg, and checked out some of the options for solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass energy production. According to the Texas State Energy Conservation Office, the average Texan household produces 2,235 pounds of carbon dioxide each month, through use of electricity, natural gas, and gasoline. The state has mandated that 5,880 Megawatts of electricity should arise from renewable resources by 2015, but we can probably do better than that.

The three most promising renewable energy resources for Texas are wind, solar, and biomass. Wind energy alone, generated by turbines in West Texas, the Panhandle, and along the Gulf Coast, has the potential to provide all of state’s electricity needs. Solar energy harvesting is feasible throughout the state, but would be especially productive in West Texas, South Texas, and the Panhandle. Biomass energy can be generated from plant material, or from certain types of garbage, and would be practical to produce in East Texas and in the Panhandle. Most people I know who use pickup trucks to haul stock trailers, or as transportation on farms and ranches, purchased diesel engine models, which can be converted to run on clean biofuels for about $1000.

Biodiesel processor and fidgety Segway

The official purveyor of cerveza for the Roundup is the New Belgium Brewery of Fort Collins, Colorado, which is responsible for the excellent range of Fat Tire beers, and which utilizes wind-generated energy for production. There were many other interesting booths and exhibits, on organic gardening, rainwater harvesting, recycled construction materials, electric conversions for cars, local and seasonal food choices, solar-powered septic loos (!), and growing native plants. For lunch I had an excellent Senegalese vegetable stew in peanut sauce, served over couscous (which I suspect was infused with the power of Jah); I will not rest until I’ve figured out how to prepare something similar myself, and recipe suggestions are welcome.

Solar battery electric Jeep and Porsche conversions

Fredericksburg, like many Texas Hill Country towns, was established by German immigrants, and remains populated largely by their descendants. German farmers and ranchers developed ingenious ways to channel streams and springs, to harvest rainwater, and to store water in natural tanks, in the semiarid limestone terrain. Those lucky enough to have land near a river may have been able to use a waterwheel for at least part of the year.

From suburban New Jersey to urban Los Angeles, millions of Americans are powering their homes with clean electricity that doesn’t produce any air or global warming pollution. They are filling their gas tanks with fuels that do not increase our dependence on foreign oil or endanger our national security. How do they do it? It’s simple; they tap America’s renewable energy resources.

A few decades ago, only back-to-the-land types made serious use of solar panels and windmills, but today renewables have gone mainstream. The latest technology has brought the price of renewables down dramatically, making them more cost-competitive. Demand is booming — large utilities, municipal power companies and suburban developments are seeing the value in wind, biomass and solar power.

Wind power is the fastest growing form of electricity generation in the United States, expanding at an average annual rate of more than 20 percent. Solar energy employs more than 20,000 Americans in high-tech, high-paying jobs. Ethanol producers make 4 billion gallons of fuel a year, equal to 2 percent of our national gasoline use.

This market growth — and all of the environmental benefits that come with it — have given clean energy political muscle. Nearly 20 states have passed renewable portfolio standards that require utilities to generate a percentage of electricity from clean energy resources. Now supporters are pressing for a national standard that would require 20 percent of the country’s electricity to come from renewables.

That means wind farms and solar power plants could soon be energizing your home — and you too will be helping reduce pollution and prevent global warming just by switching on your lights.

Puerto Rico Quick Facts

Overview

Resources and Consumption

Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean and has a land area of 3,425 square miles, slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island. The island has a population of about 4 million. Puerto Rico experiences a tropical marine climate with little seasonal temperature variation. Agriculture once dominated Puerto Rico’s economy but has been surpassed by a diverse industrial sector, which includes pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, and food products. Tourism is also an important source of income.
Like most Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico relies primarily on external sources of petroleum to meet its energy demand. In 2006, Puerto Rico’s energy intensity was 7,048 Btu per dollar of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2000 U.S. dollars, lower than the U.S. average of 8,841 Btu per dollar of GDP. (Energy intensity is measured as total primary energy consumption per dollar of GDP.) In the same year, Puerto Rico’s energy consumption per capita was 142 million Btu, below the U.S. average of 335 million Btu.

Petroleum

Puerto Rico has one petroleum refinery, located in Yabucoa on the southeastern tip of the island. It is supplied with crude oil shipped in through Humacao, a port on Puerto Rico’s east coast. A few ports around the island allow for the shipment and distribution of crude oil and a variety of petroleum products, including motor gasoline, residual fuel oil, distillate fuel oil, jet fuel, and other petroleum fuel types.

Natural Gas

Puerto Rico does not produce natural gas. In 2000, Puerto Rico began receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments at the Peñuelas facility located at Guayanilla Bay, on the south coast of the island. The LNG powers the EcoEléctrica generating facility, a 540-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant. Natural gas accounts for approximately 5 percent of Puerto Rico’s total energy consumption.

Coal, Electricity, and Renewables

Puerto Rico does not produce coal, and consumes very little of this fuel. In addition to the EcoEléctrica plant, Puerto Rico has seven petroleum-fueled electric power plants, one coal-fired power plant, and six hydropower plants that supply the island’s electricity demand. The Puerto Rico Power Authority operates five petroleum-fired power plants that use residual and distillate fuel oil. In addition, independent power producers operate the EcoEléctrica natural gas plant near Guayanilla Bay and a coal-fired generating plant in Guayama.
The use of renewable energy is growing and the Puerto Rico Power Authority plans on generating more than 20 percent of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2015. Currently, Puerto Rico has 100 megawatts of hydroelectric capacity and, like many Caribbean islands, uses bagasse (sugarcane residue) as a fuel source in its sugar factories. Puerto Rico also plans to build a biorefinery to produce ethanol, primarily from sugarcane and agricultural waste. In 2007, Puerto Rico was the fifth largest solar thermal energy producer among U.S. States and territories.
Wind energy projects are currently being developed to exploit the class 4 wind resources (up to 16.8 miles per hour at 50 meters above ground level) found along Puerto Rico’s northern and eastern coasts and at higher peaks and ridges in the interior of the island. (Wind speeds designated with a class of 3 or higher are suitable for most utility-scale wind turbine applications.) Fifty megawatts of wind energy capacity is under construction and is planned to be operational by August 2012, and two additional wind energy projects are also in development. Other planned or potential renewable energy projects include additions to hydropower capacity, two waste-to-energy plants (to be completed by 2012 and 2013), a 135-megawatt solar project, and a 75-megawatt ocean thermal energy conversion initiative.

California, United States — Pattern Energy Group LP announced that one of its subsidiaries has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) for the sale of 75 megawatts (MW) produced at the Pattern Santa Isabel Wind Project.

California, United States — Pattern Energy Group LP announced that one of its subsidiaries has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) for the sale of 75 megawatts (MW) produced at the Pattern Santa Isabel Wind Project.

"Puerto Rico is fully committed to the development of renewable energy projects as part of our Administration’s overall energy reform initiative. We must diversify our sources of energy—away from our traditional dependence on crude oil—lower energy costs to consumers and businesses and protect the environment, all at the same time. A viable wind energy project would be a significant piece in our overall energy strategy," said Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño.

The Pattern Santa Isabel Wind Project will create a significant number of jobs during the construction phase, as well as a number of ongoing permanent positions once operational. Pattern will begin a public outreach program in conjunction with the start of the permitting process for the Pattern Santa Isabel Wind Project to address concerns of residents.

"As part of this government’s public policies regarding renewable energy projects, we are committed to collaborate in the materialization and establishment of this project in Santa Isabel. The Pattern Santa Isabel Wind Project will be one of the pioneer renewable energy wind farms in the Island and we are very positive of the favorable impact that this project represents to Puerto Rico and its environment," said Javier Vázquez Morales, executive director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO).

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are leading a $2 million study to help widen a bottleneck that is slowing proliferation of large-scale wind and solar power generation. The four-year study aims to develop novel ceramic materials for use in a new approach to energy storage. Rather than batteries, the researchers will develop nanostructured capacitors to store energy generated by wind turbines and solar panels. With a high power density and ability to quickly charge and discharge, nanoengineered capacitors could have a significant impact on a wide range of applications, from energy production to electronics to national defense.

“The transformative nature of capacitive energy storage — a totally new approach to energy storage — will have tremendous impact on the increased use and efficiency of wind and solar power, as well as conventional coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric generation,” says Doug Chrisey, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Rensselaer, who is leading the study. “Our proposed capacitors will be smaller, lighter, and more efficient than today’s batteries, and with no moving parts the capacitors should last forever. Everyone is looking for an innovative material to help meet future energy requirements. We’re confident that our novel ceramic will help advance that conversation.”

Unlike a battery, which can supply a continuous level of low power for long periods, a capacitor quickly moves large amounts of power. The ideal solution for electrical energy storage, says Chrisey, will allow fast energy storage and discharge in as small a volume or mass as possible. To achieve this, the researchers will develop a nanostructured capacitor comprising extremely thin layers of a novel composite. The composite, a mix of ferroelectric nanopowder and low-melting, alkali-free glass, results in a capacitor that can withstand high electric fields and maintain an extremely high dielectric constant — two critical metrics for measuring effectiveness of energy storage materials. In addition, Chrisey and team are tasked with developing new processes to make the material easily and in large quantities.

“Creating a novel ceramic material and developing a cost-effective, scalable method to achieve large-capacitive energy storage could be a big boost to our national economy and increase our global competitiveness,” says Chrisey. “What we need is an entirely new approach to energy storage, and we think ferroelectric glass composites could be the answer.”

The grant was awarded through the NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) Program, overseen by the NSF Engineering Directorate, which identifies and supports initiatives in engineering research and education. For the study, Chrisey is partnering with renowned glass expert and Rensselaer Professor Minoru Tomozawa, along with nanoscientist and University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Professor Ram S. Katiyar. For more information on Chrisey and his research at Rensselaer,

Summary

Our technical staff trains and leads teams of volunteers and job trainees to install solar electric systems for low income families, helping them save money and energy while educating the community.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

The benefits of solar power are rarely enjoyed by the low-income households who need the savings the most. GRID Alternatives brings together a grassroots network of volunteers, as well as rebates, grants and low/no interest loans, to install solar for low-income families throughout California. “These projects bring together environmental and economic sustainability on a local level while helping folks gain hands-on experience with solar,” says GRID Alternatives co-founder Erica Mackie.

How will this project solve this problem?

Installing solar power for low-income families dramatically reduces their electricity bills. Mardina, a low-income senior, says “I knew about solar power but couldn’t afford it. Now on sunny days I can see my electric meter spinning backwards.”

Potential Long Term Impact

The project will install solar electric systems for 10 homeowners and their families, allowing them to increase their financial independence and long term energy savings.