2013 Clean Energy Breakthroughs - www.micronesiarenewableenergy.com

AS WE head into 2014, let us take a look back into what 2013 had to offer the clean energy industry.

There were many breakthroughs last year from salt batteries to changes in the laws. Technology is quickly taking us closer to our goal of a zero-carbon future. Here are my four top innovations of last year:

1.     Vehicles that power buildings: We have all read or heard about the electric car owner who drives to work, plugs his car in and by the end of the work day his battery is fully charged to take on whatever after work activity he has. Nissan has taken it one step further by pioneering a new system that allows the flow of electricity to go both ways. This innovative technology is called vehicle-to-building. Basically what it does is reverse the flow of energy during peak hours in which the building draws energy from the vehicle’s battery. When the energy consumption slows, the energy then flows back to the vehicle. The U.S. military is also trying out this technology with their vehicle-to-grid pilot program. Because of the capability to store energy in the car’s battery, the car can be a source or power during power outages. Imagine turning your car on instead of running a generator. As more renewable energy is added to the grid, battery storage is a necessity and this innovation is helping bridge that gap.

2.     Battery power: As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, being able to store the energy created for a time when it is most needed is the key to renewable energy. Batteries of the past are bulky, costly, have low storage and are not very safe. The renewable energy industry has been working hard to make batteries more efficient and more affordable. Last year saw the use of nano-technology that yielded a higher level of conductivity in a smaller, lighter, lithium-sulfur battery. Tests are still undergoing if the battery is safe enough to be used. The year 2013 also saw a solar plant in Arizona come online, but this was no ordinary plant. For the first time in the United States, this plant has a battery that will keep generating power even after sunset. The battery uses a thermal energy storage system made of molten salt and can produce energy up six hours after the sun sets. This breakthrough is a huge step for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology that is dependent on the sun.

3.     Solar cells: In March last year, Alta Devices set a new record of 30.8 percent conversion efficiency. Conversion efficiency is the measurement of the amount of light that hits the solar cell and is changed into electricity. The industry standard is usually 18.7 to 24 percent. To achieve this record, the solar cell was made with a smaller thinner surface area. These cells are perfect for mobile phones, tablets, watches and more.

4.     Wind turbines: Last year was a big step in wind energy. A Norwegian-based oil and gas company started work on floating wind turbines that is taking advantage of the offshore wind. The traditional wind farm requires a lot of construction and cannot be put in water over 195 feet. The floating wind farm simply needs a few cables to moor with and can be placed in water up to 2,295 feet.

GE has also done some innovations with its line of wind turbines. They have turbines that calculate wind availability and the demand for power. When used with a grid-scaled energy storing battery, it will smooth out power fluctuations to the grid and will have power available during peak hours.

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Tracy Voacolo is the president of Micronesia Renewable Energy. She has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. Tracy can be contacted at info[at]micronesiarenewableenergy.com.

For more information about Micronesia Renewable Energy, visit http://micronesiarenewableenergy.com/. 

Battery storage – get ready! - www.micronesiarenewableenergy.com

THE use of energy storage in various forms has been around most of our human existence in one form or another. An example dates back to the 1300s where stored or dammed waterways controlled watermills for use in grain processing and farm irrigation. Energy storage gives us control over the supply and demand of energy. In the next two years, battery storage systems will become mainstream and change the renewable energy industry forever.

Japan, Germany, the United States and China have been investing millions of dollars into battery storage over the last three years and it seems that it will be finally paying off. In the past, the problem with this technology has been the low energy density, its availability and the high costs. The density of storage is the relation of the amount of energy stored in a given unit, the higher the energy density the more energy you can store.

Now is the time to get excited because battery storage will not only be affordable but will make sense to add this technology to renewable energy systems that will help save you a lot money in the years to come.

Solar and wind farms naturally have additional challenges such as cloud cover and changing weather conditions. When these systems are connected to the grid, these uncontrollable conditions cause fluctuations of energy. When a battery storage system is added, these systems deliver reliable and efficient energy to the grid with minimal voltage fluctuations. Batteries that use Ni-Cd (Nickle-Cadium), Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydrate), and Li-ion (Lithium-ion) deliver a high performance, long service life and low to zero maintenance. Even in extreme conditions, these batteries stand the abuse. This value proposition is designed to optimize energy efficiency, enable more flexible grid management, maximize investments and provide peace of mind knowing energy balance is under control across the entire energy supply chain.

In the commercial and residential markets, solar companies are partnering with energy storage companies and creating hybrid systems. These systems can store your excess energy produced during the day and delivering this energy to your electrical system once the sun goes down. This new technology is being produced with logic controls in which the owner can preset and program when to dispatch the stored energy and under what conditions. When commercial and residential storage become more common it will eliminate the heated debate about net metering. Net metering gives power customers who generate renewable power the opportunity to give their excess power to the power company in exchange for reduced power bills. Battery storage will give customers the opportunity to store their excess renewable energy for later in the day when needed and not adding it to the grid once it is created.

Continued research and development from the pioneers of energy storage and the decrease in prices will upgrade the renewable energy industry. I believe battery storage is the missing link needed to complete our need for energy independence from fossil fuel. This new and exciting technology will soon be mainstream and it could not come at a better time. 

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Tracy Voacolo is the president of Micronesia Renewable Energy. She has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. Tracy can be contacted at info[at]micronesiarenewableenergy.com.

For more information about Micronesia Renewable Energy, visit http://micronesiarenewableenergy.com/. 

PACE Now - www.micronesiarenewableenergy.com

I HAVE had the pleasure of meeting a lot of people on Guam who would love to go solar or install some means of energy efficiency to help lower their energy costs, but simply have no way of coming up with the extra cash to pay for it. It’s that old catch-22 situation that if I had the money to install these systems I could save money, but my energy costs keep rising and with my everyday expenses there is simple no way to come up with the money. Although regional banking institutions will loan monies now for solar energy and energy-efficient systems, the finance term is usually five to seven years and for most households that are struggling already to make ends meet, this is usually very cost prohibited. But what if there was a program that would amortize this loan for up to 20 years at a low interest rate with no money down – wow! Please sign me up.

PACE – Property Assessed Clean Energy – is an innovating way to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to residential and commercial buildings. Interested property owners evaluate measures that achieve energy savings and receive 100 percent financing for these measures while repaying the loan as a property tax assessment for up to 20 years. Owners of these properties under the PACE program can eliminate upfront fees and greatly reduce their energy bills with very low cost financing which greatly overcome the challenges otherwise faced by the costs associated with these technologies.

PACE was first introduced in the United States in 2008. Today there are 31 states and the District of Columbia that have adopted legislation that enables local governments to offer PACE benefits to building owners. This community initiative creates permanent private sector jobs, strengthens our local economy and helps Guam become less dependent on fossil fuel. The PACE program is also increasing property values. Data shows that PACE homes are less likely to default and many studies have found that homes with energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades sell at higher prices relative to those without.

The steps needed for Guam to become the first territory and enable every homeowner or business owner the ability to own an energy-efficient or renewable energy system through a PACE program are as follows: establish public policy promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency as a means to enable every credit-worthy building owner the means to lower their energy bill, and in turn, lower the carbon foot print and help to create a third industry here. Building owners who voluntary participate in the program can hire an experienced energy auditor, which can be found through the Guam Renewable Energy Association membership, to provide the building owner with a full audit and proposal. The government provides financing for the project typically by selling bonds secured solely by payments from the property owners. The building owners receive financing from the government and agree to repay the loan usually through a property tax assessment for a 20-year term.

Everyone wins with PACE. The building owner has a renewable energy system that now enables the owner to become cash flow positive from day one; in some situations, cutting their energy bills by up to 40 percent. The community wins by lowering the carbon footprint of Guam and benefiting from not only a cleaner world, but the buildup of a viable third industry that Guam truly needs.

And the government wins by providing the people of Guam with smart policy that will provide everyone with the opportunity to investment in renewable energy and our children’s future.

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Tracy Voacolo is the president of Micronesia Renewable Energy. She has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. Tracy can be contacted at info[at]micronesiarenewableenergy.com.

For more information about Micronesia Renewable Energy, visit http://micronesiarenewableenergy.com/. 

Climate change and the deterioration of our oceans - www.micronesiarenewableenergy.com

THE argument of climate change has been around now for more than 10 years. Whether you believe in it or not, the facts are stacking up that this is a real phenomenon and is becoming a tangible problem for us all.

The Chamorro people of Guam and Micronesia region have a kindred relationship with the ocean. Guam has been inhabited since approximately 2000 B.C. The Chamorro people were excellent sea men and a lot of their diet came primarily from the sea. The ocean has been a major part of the Chamorro culture and today, unfortunately, our oceans are in trouble. Earth is heating up, putting extreme stresses on our oceans.

On Oct. 3, an international panel of marine scientist published disturbing results from the latest International Program on the State of the Oceans report. The report stated, “The ocean is absorbing much of the warming and unprecedented levels of carbon dioxide and warn that the cumulative impact of this with other ocean stressors is far graver than previous estimates.” The decreasing oxygen levels in the ocean are being attributed to the climate change, chemical pollution, overfishing, and many other factors.

There are three major concerns affecting our oceans today. The first is de-oxygenation, which is a decline in dissolved oxygen in the ocean interior. Evidence shows the oxygen levels of the ocean are gradually declining at an alarming rate. Second is acidification, or the unbalanced chemical equilibrium of the ocean, caused by the absorption of carbon dioxide. If the current levels of carbon dioxide release continue, we can anticipate extremely serious consequences for ocean life, our food and coastal areas. Third is the climate change, which, in turn, is warming up the ocean. Many of us who dive the oceans have experienced these three factors through observing the bleaching and dying of our coral reefs.

Our glaciers and Artic ice shelves are melting at alarming rates causing the seas to rise. Islands such as Kiribati and Tuvalu in the South Pacific could disappear within our lifetime. NASA’s website, www.nasa.gov, has some concerning pictures that show how detrimental climate warming is. Compare the 1917 picture of the Peterson Glacier in Alaska to the picture taken in 2005 – the glacier has literally disappeared.

I do not understand why we as a civilization continue to harm our planet, especially with all of the renewable energy technology that we have now such as wind, solar and hydro. On Guam, we must find better ways to scale back our use of fossil fuel and eliminate the dangerous emissions our power plants produce. We must join the renewable energy movement so future generations will the have the opportunity to experience this beautiful island and Mother Earth for many, many more generations to come. It truly is in our hands now. Pope Francis said in a biography, “We must be protectors of our Earth that the Lord has entrusted us with.” Powerful words indeed!

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Tracy Voacolo is the president of Micronesia Renewable Energy. She has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. Tracy can be contacted at info[at]micronesiarenewableenergy.com.

For more information about Micronesia Renewable Energy, visit http://micronesiarenewableenergy.com/. 

Energy conservation starts at home - www.micronesiarenewableenergy.com

AS PARENTS, we want to teach our children many things such as good manners, personal hygiene, and the value of a dollar.

Teaching them about living a greener lifestyle should be no different. After all, they are the ones who will be the caretakers of the planet after we are gone.

There are many lessons to be taught about how to make them stewards of Earth.

Recycling

Throughout the world, recycling is becoming more and more a common practice. Not only households, but businesses, schools and government agencies have made strides in creating programs to reduce and reuse waste. Guam has recently rolled out its Curbside Recycling Service, making recycling much easier. Get kids involved, put them in charge of the recycling chores. This is a great way to teach them about household consumables that can be recycled.

Visit a recycling center with your children to show them how the materials they collect are recycled into materials that can be reused. It is important that children learn that the community recycles.

Be creative, go online and look for projects that reuse household containers. I have seen such crafts as flowers from plastic bottles or glass jars turned into candleholders.

Teach kids how to properly dispose of items that cannot be recycled such as motor oils, computers, and cell phones. Although we may not have a place to recycle many of these items, you can go online and look for companies that buy old cellphones, computers, cameras, and even ink cartridges for printers.

Create a compost area using vegetable and fruit scraps that can be used to fertilize gardens. What a great example of recycling, using discarded vegetable and fruits to grow new vegetables and fruits.

When shopping, teach kids how to read the symbols for recycling and to purchase items that can be refilled. Explain how too much waste in our landfills can be dangerous to our environment and to wildlife.

Energy conservation 

Not only does energy conservation at home reflect in your monthly power bills, but it also prepares children – no matter their age – to prevent pollution and protect the environment. Our children utilize much more power than we did as kids, from video games, to computers, to cellphones.

Help kids understand what energy is and where it comes from. Inform them that energy can come from many resources and teach them the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy. Remind them our planet needs their help in conserving energy and that coal and oil can only last so long before it is all gone. Using too much of certain types of energy can also pollute our environment. Inform them that the less energy we use, the less impact we have on the Earth keeping it cleaner and healthier.

Energy is needed to survive to keep our food safe from spoiling, to stay cool, or do our homework. Get kids involved at an early age; the sooner they become energy-conscious, the more energy they will save. Here are some things they can do:

• Unplug their cellphone chargers from the wall when their cellphone is done charging.
• Turn off lights, TVs and other electronics when they are not using them.
• Teach them to put their computers on sleep function or turn them off when not being used.
• Not to block air conditioner vents and keep them free of dust.
• Don’t stand in front of the refrigerator with the door open.
• Open drapes to let natural light in.

Teaching our children about recycling and energy conservation ensures our planet will be healthy and sustainable for generations to come. Our kids learn a lot about recycling and energy conservation from movies, such as The Lorax, school and online. Remember that good habits are not learned but ingrained by example and by practicing them daily. You are your children’s best example; if they see you taking steps to leave the world a better place, they will learn from your actions, which they will pass down for generations to come.

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Tracy Voacolo is the president of Micronesia Renewable Energy. She has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. Tracy can be contacted at info[at]micronesiarenewableenergy.com.

For more information about Micronesia Renewable Energy, visit http://micronesiarenewableenergy.com/. 

Power to the people - www.micronesiarenewableenergy.com

I TRULY believe there are a few areas in our lives that need to be governed by our own decisions, and energy is one of them. I do not expect the cost of energy to decrease any time soon. We have been prisoners to foreign oil for many years, especially on Guam. But now we do have the technology to lower our energy bills at a reasonable cost.

To understand how energy is generated, delivered and used, the renewable energy industry has come up with the term “energy footprint.” The first and most critical step we need to take along our energy footprint path is energy efficiency. Always remember that the number one rule in saving energy is not conserving energy, but simply not to use it at all.

Educating our family about turning lights and computer monitors off and controlling our air conditioning usage can have a dramatic effect on our utility bills. My customers come to me asking for solutions that are energy efficient that will last for years, which is understandable for the money that is invested. I advise my customers to use a combined technology approach that can lower their footprint and energy bills. I put the “power” in their hands to make their goals attainable.

The renewable energy industry has made strides to provide energy-efficient solutions with a long-term approach to energy independence. These solutions can now put the power in your hands to make an educated decision to install renewable energy. Guam is the perfect location for solar energy. Taking advantage of our most abundant natural resource, the sun, is not only smart but can be very profitable.

Using solar energy for our long-term strategy of energy independence on Guam makes complete sense. Guam has made strides in helping power consumers accomplish net metering. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, “net metering allows residential and commercial customers who generate their own electricity” from renewable energy such as wind or solar power “to feed electricity they do not use back into the grid.” In other words, it is now feasible on Guam to zero your energy costs and obtain a one for one credit for the extra power you create. With the cost of renewable energy systems dropping, you can expect a reasonable payback period before you are enjoying free, clean, efficient and sustainable energy. These new technologies are built to last with some of the newer solar systems constructed to last 50-plus years with limited degradation on your solar energy system.

The acceleration of renewable energy technology along with the economies of scale could not have come at a better time. I believe we have a moral obligation to our planet. Our children and future generations will live on this beautiful planet and we must be as efficient as possible and capitalize on these reliable power resources to help defend it. Our planet is facing the rapid deterioration of our oceans, worldwide destructive climate changes and patterns, and soon a shortage of crude oil. Now is the time to act. We can no longer live as business as usual.

The bottom line is we all win with renewable energy. We save money, help save the environment, and help ourselves to become more energy independent along the way. We now have the power to change our lives. Power to the people!

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Tracy Voacolo is the president of Micronesia Renewable Energy. She has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. Tracy can be contacted at info[at]micronesiarenewableenergy.com.

For more information about Micronesia Renewable Energy, visit http://micronesiarenewableenergy.com/. 

The electric car - www.micronesiarenewableenergy.com

THE electric vehicle is not a new concept and has been around since the late 1800s. Their first commercial application in the United States was by a fleet of taxicabs in New York City in 1898. One has to ask: If this technology has been around for a while, why are we still driving gasoline-powered vehicles?

Two issues that have overwhelmed this industry in the past have been poor acceleration and its short range distance before having to charge up again. This short-range distance is called range anxiety. In the late 1920s, the major automakers made a dash to get these vehicles into the mainstream. But there were several obstacles that kept electric cars from being massed produced. The first was that Ford was making leaps and bounds with their new combustion engine technologies and offering it to the masses at affordable prices. Secondly, petroleum was so cheap to purchase. These obstacles brought the electric car idea to a screeching halt. The fuel crisis of the late 1970s brought about its resuscitation although it was short-lived as the prices of oil came back down dropping the interest in renewable energy.

Today, the electric car is making a big comeback. I believe that we will soon reach peak oil, a point in time when the total production of crude oil reaches its maximum rate. Production of crude oil will start to decline causing the price to soar and never to come back down.

So what has changed in electric cars making them more appealing? One major reason is batteries are able to hold their charges for longer periods of time. Another reason is the use of a flywheel to store and regulate the car’s energy. A flywheel is wheel attached to the axel and is continuously spinning as long as the vehicle is on. These advancements reduce range anxiety. A light flywheel increases engine revs eliminating sluggish acceleration problems.

There are a number of reputable manufacturers now making electric vehicles – EVs. I was elated to learn that Nissan Guam is selling the LEAF, the only EV on the island. The LEAF is the top-selling electric vehicle in the United States, selling over 83,000 vehicles through this past September. I visited Nissan and took the LEAF for a test drive. It was easy to see this is one of the best vehicles I have ever driven; acceleration was unbelievable and it handled superbly.

The average person on Guam drives about 30 miles a day; the LEAF gets close to 75 miles on one charge. You could easily run this car for two days without range anxiety. The vehicle has 24Kwh rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is engineered for years of use. Even with the high prices on Guam for energy per kilowatt hour, the LEAF will save you half of your annual fuel costs. The savings multiply if you utilize a solar energy system. As both solar energy and electric cars become more mainstream, shopping centers, business centers, banks and other work places will install solar electric charging ports for these vehicles. Now that would be a totally green vehicle that has eliminated the use of fossil fuel for power.

On top of fuel cost-saving benefits and saving the environment, some EVs are eligible for a federal tax credit up to $7,500 (www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxevb.shtml). The Nissan LEAF qualifies for the full $7,500 and another $1,000 rebate for the battery charging system. I would like to extend my hats off to the Guam 32nd Legislature for supporting Bill 203-32, which introduces a $7,500 local tax incentive for purchasing a new EV. You truly are the heroes who have Guam’s long-term interest at heart. Thank you.

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Tracy Voacolo is the president of Micronesia Renewable Energy. She has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. Tracy can be contacted at info[at]micronesiarenewableenergy.com.

For more information about Micronesia Renewable Energy, visit http://micronesiarenewableenergy.com/.