ASIA
S LAR PV +
M AG AZI N E
A New U.S. Solar Market Force Aims To “Generate Energy From Every Roof” Interview with Mr Chin Soo Mau
President of Malaysian Photovoltanic Industry Association (MPIA)
Floating Solar Reaches New Territories 1 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
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CONTENTS
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15
< SOLAR POWER
< SOLAR FIELDS
SUPPLIER KYOCERA TEAMS UP WITH BLOCKCHAIN FIRM TO IMPROVE ENERGY DISTRIBUTION
OF GREEN: RESEARCHERS FIND SYMBIOSIS AT THE FOOD-WATERENERGY NEXUS
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< SUSTAINABLE MINING: GRANNY SMITH GOLD MINE PLANS BATTERY-BACKED SOLAR POWER SYSTEM
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24
< FLOATING SOLAR
< INDIAN
REACHES NEW TERRITORIES
GOVERNMENT APPROVES $1.2 BILLION SUPPORT FOR 12 GIGAWATT SOLAR POWER PLAN
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28
< MATERIALS “SANDWICH” BREAKS BARRIER FOR SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY
32 < SCIENTISTS INVENT INGENIOUS EMISSION -FREE SYSTEM TO BOTTLE SOLAR ENERGY IN THE SUMMER TO SAVE FOR WINTER
30 < POWER FROM THE “HIGH FRONTIER” – CHINA PLANS TO LAUNCH SPACE-BASED SOLAR POWER SATELLITE
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< SOLAR, RENEWABLES, ENERGY TRANSFORMATION RESHAPING THE GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE
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< THIS NON-TOXIC MATERIAL COULD SOON REPLACE LEAD IN SOLAR CELL TECHNOLOGY IN SPACE
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MR CHIN SOO MAU, PRESIDENT OF MALAYSIAN PHOTOVOLTAIC INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (MPIA)
MOUS TO ADVANCE THE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AGENDA @ IGEM 2018
< INTERVIEW WITH
< SEDA SIGNS THREE
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EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MESSAGE A S IA
S LAR+PV MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER FBI Publications (M) Sdn Bhd PUBLICATION MANAGER Vanny Lim vanny@fireworksbi.com MARKETING COMMUNICATION Nur Izyan binti Dzulkifli izyandzul@fireworksbi.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Atthira Zawana CREATIVE Jean Tan BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kenny Yong Susan Tricia
Susan Tricia
FBI PUBLICATIONS (M) SDN BHD
Editor
(1168942-P)
Unit 9-3, Jalan PJU 5/6, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: (+603) 6151 9178
Warmest greetings to the readers of our inaugural edition of Asia Solar + PV Magazine! Being the only Solar and PV magazine in South East Asia, we are delighted to share with you the developments in the local, regional and international scene. To grab your free copy regularly, you can subscribe online or visit us at our booth in some of the regional exhibitions that we will take part. Our international team of journalists and writers are always farming for the latest news in the industry to deliver you the juiciest bits ensuring you are always up to date. Catch the news of floating solar, combination of solar power supplier with block chain firm to improve energy distribution, how solar energy benefits the agriculture, the first sustainable solar-powered storage system and more that are worth reading. So go ahead and indulge in this edition while keeping the feedback coming in to ensure our writers are always keep on their toes ensuring a quality read. Thank you!
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ORGANIZATION NEWS
BREAKING:
The Largest Solar Factory In The Western Hemisphere Is Now Online
H
anwha Q Cells has begun shipping solar panels from its 1.7 GW factory near the Georgia-Tennessee border, as the second major U.S. module factory to announce production this week.
Half-cut mono Hanwha Q Cells is making its Q.Peak Duo L-G5 modules (data sheet – .pdf) at the factory, which comprise 144 half-cut monoPERC cells, given them an equivalent format of a traditional 72cell module. Such a large factory dedicated to half-cut modules is a major validation for the technology. Modules using half-cut cells have been manufactured by REC in Singapore for a number of years, but Hanwha Q Cells is one of the first other manufacturers to adopt this technology at a mass scale. The cells additionally feature 6 busbars, and both this and the half-cut design suggest improved evacuation of electricity off the cell surface. This and the use of Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) technology provide the modules with a high 380-395 watt rating, at module efficiencies that range from 18.9 to 19.6%. (Editor’s note: you can read more about the Q.ANTUM technology used in these cells in our previous coverage.) These modules will be supplying one of the largest solar projects in the U.S. South, the 102.5 MWac Early County plant which is being developed by Silicon Ranch and which will be one of several that supplies power to a new Facebook data center in Newton, Georgia.
Four factories Image: Hanwha Q Cells
A few weeks ago, we were wondering when the 3.8 GW of solar factories that had been announced in the United States last winter and spring were going to actually come online. Turns out, we didn’t need to wait long. Coming only two days after JinkoSolar held an opening for its 400 MW solar panel factory in Jacksonville, Florida, Hanwha Q Cells has now announced that it has put its massive solar panel factory in Dalton, Georgia online. When fully ramped the factory will have the capacity to put out 1.7 GW of solar panels annually, and has already begun shipping modules. Like JinkoSolar’s factory, this does not mean that the factory is running at full capacity yet. Hanwha Q Cells has let out very little information about the facility, but did state that the factory commenced production on February 1, and that it has already sent out its first shipments. 8 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
As mentioned earlier, this is the second of four large factories planned in the wake of the Section 201 tariffs and Republicandriven tax reform which has gone online. As for the others, the construction contractor who built LG’s 500 MW PV module factory in Huntsville, Alabama has stated that construction is complete, but it is unclear on what schedule tools will be installed and the facility will be online. Additionally, First Solar is building a 1.2 GW PV module factory in Ohio to make its large-format Series 6 modules based on its cadmium telluride thin film technology. The company says that this factory will be producing modules by the end of 2019. Altogether these four factories will increase the aggregate PV module capacity in the United States to around 5 GW. This represents around half of the nation’s current market for solar. Hanwha Q Cells is one of 18 companies whose factory – either under construction or online – is featured in the United States which are featured in pv magazine USA’s PV module maker directory. Source: pv magazine
ORGANIZATION NEWS
SOLAR POWER SUPPLIER KYOCERA TEAMS UP WITH BLOCKCHAIN
J
FIRM TO IMPROVE ENERGY DISTRIBUTION
apan’s solar power supplier Kyocera has partnered with LO3 Energy to test blockchain-based virtual power plants (VPP) for improved energy distribution, according to a press release published on Feb. 25.
Scheduled for Feb. 28, 2019, the test will allow the companies to evaluate the feasibility of VPPs that promote a low-carbon society without fuels or carbon emissions based on peer-to-peer (P2P) distributed consensus network. Within the joint project, Kyocera — which has 81.79 billion yen ($736 million) in net income — will set up small VPPs using its solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and batteries, while New York-based LO3 Energy will be responsible for managing energy flow based on its distributed ledger technology. LO3’s blockchain technology is applied for verifying and recording transactions, distributing energy with their own solar panels through a microgrid rather than using large energy grids. In turn, Kyocera has been specializing in solar power generating systems and storage batteries for Japan’s government-led VPP test projects, developing new expertise in remotely controlled distributed power resources.
Lawrence Orsini, CEO of LO3 Energy, said that the necessity to reduce carbon emissions exerts a profound impact on energy providers all over the world, while using blockchain can enable micro energy transactions that are needed to meet this challenge. He claimed that the combination of Kyocera’s energy expertise with LO3 Energy’s blockchain knowledge can potentially build a new generation of virtual power plants that can accelerate Japan’s transition to a low-carbon society. In May 2018, global tech giant IBM partnered with blockchain firm Veridium Labs to tokenize carbon credits that will allow companies to track their carbon footprint with blockchain, which also addresses the issues of global warming. In November last year, scientific journal Nature Sustainability reported that cryptocurrency mining processes consume more energy than mineral mining. According to the study, mining copper, gold, platinum require less energy to generate one United States dollar than mining major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Litecoin (LTC). Source: CoinTelegraph
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ORGANIZATION NEWS
Sustainable Mining:
GRANNY SMITH GOLD MINE
Plans Battery-Backed Solar Power System
T
he Granny Smith gold mine in Western Australia plans to install an 8 MW battery-backed solar power system. Once completed, the solar installation should generate almost all the energy required to power the Laverton mine’s processing operations. This is part of the company’s drive towards sustainable mining. The 20,000 solar panel installation will be one of the largest renewable energy microgrids in the world. A 2 MW/1 MWh solar battery will also store surplus energy to provide backup power when needed. The installation will also be integrated with a 24 MW gas generation system and thermal generators to create a hybrid system.
> Solar Installation To Reduce Energy Use And Emissions Construction of the installation starts in May for completion by the final quarter of 2019. Once up and running, the mine’s solar power system should reduce fossil fuel use by up to 13 per cent. It will also generate around 18 GWh of clean energy each year, according to installation company Aggreko. The battery storage system will also provide the security and reliability of supply that the mine needs to operate continuously .
> Solar Energy Part of Sustainable Mining Vision The mine’s owner, Gold Fields Limited, acquired the mine in 2013. The global company has a vision to be a world leader in sustainable gold mining. Gold Fields’ vice president Stuart Mathews described the solar project as a “welcome addition” to the company’s suite of onsite energy solutions, that will enable the company to reduce its carbon footprint. Public opinion and cost savings are encouraging more Australian mining operators to assess and invest in renewable energy like solar power and battery storage. Sustainable mining is a way for the industry to ameliorate its poor reputation environmentally.
> Coal-Fired Plants Set To Retire By 2040 The Australian Energy Market Operator predicts that 70 per cent of coal-fired generation capacity will be retired in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria by 2040. Because the cost of solar PV modules is falling by 3 to 8 per cent each year, a hybrid plant could save mine operators up to 75 per cent on fuel bills. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, commercial battery storage is also becoming more viable. Projected figures price lithium-ion batteries at around USD$73/kWh by 2040 compared to about USD$250/kWh in 2017.
Granny Smith’s owner Gold Fields aims to be a global leader in sustainable gold mining. Image: Gold Fields
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WA Gold mine harnesses sun power Source: www.energymatters.com.au
ORGANIZATION NEWS
TESLA ADDS BACKUP CAPABILITY To Powerwall For First Time Tesla Powerwall 2 and Backup Gateway. Image: Tesla.
T
esla is launching hardware in which adds backup power capabilities to its Powerwall domestic battery storage system for the first time in Europe.
The addition of the new Backup Gateway 2 will make the Powerwall uninterruptable power supply (UPS) enabled, allowing it to provide backup power in the instance of a power outage. The company said today that the hardware is launching initially in the UK, marking the first time Tesla battery systems have had this capability in Europe. Homes and small businesses with solar installed will benefit the most from Powerwall. A traditional solar system will shut down during an outage to prevent any power from going back into the grid. However, Tesla’s new tech manages the grid connection and allows solar to continue operating during an outage. Each Powerwall battery provides up to 13.5kWh of usable energy, which can be monitored when linked up with the Tesla app. When paired with solar, Powerwall has the potential to run a home indefinitely as it can continue to recharge. Powerwall also stores energy for use on a daily basis. It can smartly charge and discharge based on the time and price of energy to reduce energy bills.
The home storage energy market appears to be of growing interest, evidenced by recent activities from energy majors Shell and - in the UK - Centrica. It was announced last week that Shell is to acquire German battery storage manufacturer sonnen, less than a year after making an investment in the company. In the same week, Centrica suggested that locating domestic batteries alongside rooftop solar could enable more than 4.5GW of flexible power capacity for the UK. When residential batteries first hit the market, many were not designed to provide a backup power function. Tesla launching a new version of the Powerwall with the Backup Gateway 2 may be an indication of where residential energy storage may be heading as the technology continues to rapidly develop and costs continue to fall. In an email to our sister site Energy-Storage.news, a Tesla spokesperson said: “Rolling out in the UK this month, our new Backup Gateway 2 for Powerwall will enable a number of significant new features here and around the world for customers. “It’s the first time that Backup hardware is available for Powerwall in Europe and we are excited to bring the new functionality alongside increased connectivity, a new design and easier installation.” Source: solarpowerportal 11 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
INDUSTRY NEWS
Solar Fields Of Green:
RESEARCHERS FIND SYMBIOSIS AT THE FOOD-WATERENERGY NEXUS 12 12
ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
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esearchers around the world are discovering a variety of benefits resulting from installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems on farms and ranch lands, as well as the use of solar energy to power pumps for irrigation systems. Researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis discovered some surprising benefits associated with installation of solar PV panels installed in a field on the OSU campus. “The major concern of farmers for installing solar panels in their farms is that panels occupy vast areas, which is true. [However,] our research shows that by having solar farms we can have more food, water and energy,” Elnaz Hassanpour Adeh, a PhD researcher at OSU’s Nexus of Energy, Water and Agriculture Lab (NEWAG), told Solar Magazine. “We experience longer growing season, three times more water-efficient biomass, and 90 percent more biomass.” That’s in addition to the emissions-free electricity the solar energy system is producing for OSU.
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INDUSTRY NEWS In Minnesota, others are finding that building solar energy systems based on eco-friendly design and construction principles can help revive and sustain dwindling populations of crop and plant pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Adopting these practices conveys other environmental benefits, as well, including reducing storm-water runoff and erosion by making use of native, perennial vegetation rather than the nonnative species, gravel or turf grass typically used at solar energy sites.
What they found surprised them. Grass biomass was 90 percent greater in areas covered by PV panels, there was a greater variety of grasses growing under them and they were three-times more water-efficient than those growing in areas not covered by PV panels. In addition, grasses under the panels were experiencing longer growing seasons.
Smallholder farmers, their families and communities in developing and lesser developed countries are benefiting from investments in solar energy, as well. Analyzing two solar energy-irrigation systems projects in Senegal, a UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) research team found that they yield an outsize return on investment (ROI), as well as increase crop yields and quality, and farmers’ incomes significantly.
“The focus on the NEWAG Lab at OSU is on the water, energy and food nexus, so this research is part of a greater vision. [It] was an experiment to find basics related to Agrivoltaics – Agriculture under photovoltaics. We think this research needs to include economics and law, [as well as applied science and engineering].”
A Chance Observation Leads To Surprising Agri-Voltaics Research Results
Adeh’s research is part and parcel of an expanding range of research OSU’s NEWAG Lab is undertaking.
An accidental observation made while walking through the PV-equipped, OSU field led Adeh and NEWAG Lab colleagues, with the guidance and support of lab founder and Adeh’s Major Professor Chad Higgins, to undertake what would be her PhD research project. “We were crossing the field with these solar panels…It was hot summer, and we realized the grasses were greener under the panels, so we started to think about measuring the soil moisture and grass biomass and quantifying the results,” Adeh said in an interview. The solar panels were installed in 2013, Adeh and NEWAG Lab colleagues began their research project, which was carried out with funding from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, in 2015. “I measured parameters for the growing season, which was May to September 2015. Our weather station data are available for two years,” she explained.
Sheep graze under the 35th Street Solar Array at Oregon State University. | Photo: Mark Floyd, Oregon State University
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Community solar, agriculture and ecosystems in Minnes ota Shared, community solar has been growing by leaps and bounds since the state government enacted uncapped, Community Solar Gardens legislation in 2013 and investor-owned utility Xcel Energy launched its Solar Rewards Community for Minnesota program in 2014.
Just 14MW of solar power capacity had been installed statewide in Minnesota as of year-end 2014. As of end August this year, more than 400MW of community solar power capacity is up and running, and growth is expected to continue. Looking address landowners’ concerns about the effects largescale solar energy installations would have on property values and the environment, Minnesota passed legislation establishing eco-friendly solar site management practices in 2016. Rather than following standard, boilerplate site design and construction practices, solar project developers plant native, perennial plant species that benefit pollinators, such as birds, bees and other insects, as well as reduce storm-water runoff and erosion. Five other states – Illinois, New York, Maryland, Vermont and South Carolina – have followed suit.
Minnesota electric cooperative Connexus Energy won over the local community and authorities and gained approval to build a utility-scale solar PV installation in Ramsey after highlighting the ecological benefits, and local, economic opportunities, building the project based on “pollinator-friendly” design principles would have. Testifying in front of local authorities, pollinator experts and ecologists pointed out that the solar energy system would open up work opportunities for local seeders and apiarists, as well as provide ecological benefits for the surrounding area. Adopting “pollinator-friendly” solar energy site design and construction practices may help solve some vexing problems for farmers, ranchers, ecosystems and society – the mysterious honey bee “Colony Collapse Disorder” experienced in the U.S. over the past decade, as well as declining numbers of other signature species that play important roles in crop and plant pollination, such as the Monarch butterfly. Adopting these practices gives solar project developers a competitive advantage when seeking approval from landowners, other community members and local authorities, according to Rob Davis, director of the Center for Pollinators in Energy.
A “pollinator-friendly” photovoltaic site | Photo: Bolton Bees
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Solar-powered irrigation systems in Senegal Smallholder farmers and ranchers in developing and lesser developed countries, such as Senegal on Africa’s west coast, face a very different set of environmental and socioeconomic conditions, issues and challenges. That said, the basics of growing crops for food, materials, and energy, remain the same, and farmers and ranchers in Senegal are tapping into the same solar energy vital to growing crops and raising livestock in order to increase yields, enhance the value of their agricultural products, and improve their livelihoods, communities and ecosystems, as well.
efficiency investments in the milk, vegetable, rice and tea value chains in Kenya, the Philippines, Tanzania and Tunisia, efforts that are part and parcel of the multilateral Powering Agriculture – An Energy Grand Challenge for Development initiative.
Solar irrigation: Across -the-board benefits, a word of caution
Applying INVESTA to evaluate Professionals Without Borders and Green Cross’s Energy to Stay solar irrigation systems development projects, Serge Noubondieu from Rome’s Sapienza University, in collaboration with members of FAO’s energy team and the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), revealed the attractive investment and sustainable development prospects these projects hold, as well as the actual benefits these projects they are yielding already. Pictures of the “Energy to Stay” solar irrigation system | Source: Costs and benefits of solar irrigation systems in Senegal (FAO)
A research team that investigated the financial, economic, social and environmental effects of two, international solar irrigation systems projects in Senegal funded by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS) found that farmers and farming communities were earning higher incomes and local jobs were being created as a result of using solar PV energy to power more modern, drip and flood irrigation systems. Financially, both projects have high, positive net present values (NPV) and internal rates of return (IRR) and pay for themselves in just two years. Proponents have been pushing international development agencies and others to invest in solar-powered irrigation systems development projects in developing and lesser developed countries for many years. Those efforts began to bear fruit around 2009, when solar PV costs began to decline sharply, FAO points out. There’s a lot more to carrying out a solar energy development project, and fully realizing its potential benefits, than purchasing equipment, however. That lead FAO to develop and launch INVESTA (Investing in Energy Sustainable Technologies in the Agri-food Sector), a methodology that enables researchers to comprehensively and holistically asses the costs and benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency practices with an eye towards revealing their hidden socioeconomic and environmental costs. Research teams have used INVESTA to evaluate renewable energy and energy 16 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
Financial and economic CBA of the interventions “Energy to Stay” (solar pumps and Californian irrigation system) | Source: Costs and benefits of solar irrigation systems in Senegal (FAO) – Table 3.3
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INDUSTRY NEWS
“The two projects had positive economic and financial outcomes. From an environmental perspective, the replacement of fossil fuel powered electricity generators by solar systems for irrigation led in both case studies to a reduction of greenhouse gases emissions.” – Stefania Bracco, FAO consultant and Adjunct Professor of Quantitative Methods for Social Sciences at the University of Turin, Italy, told Solar Magazine. Just 14MW of solar power capacity had been installed statewide in Minnesota as of year-end 2014. As of end August this year, more than 400MW of community solar power capacity is up and running, and growth is expected to continue.
“From a social point of view, the projects resulted in an increase in household income and in employment creation.”
The benefits of investing in solar-powered irrigation come with risks, and new investments may suffer as a result of previous success, however, Bracco pointed out. “Solar irrigation systems can be positive investments since they show good financial returns, reduce GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions, avoid fuel purchases, may improve access to energy and reduce time needed to supervise irrigation operations, and create employment, including technical support services. However, they are not suitable in areas where water is a scarce resource because they can increase water use,” she cautioned.
Source: Solar Magazine
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Malaysia Opens Tender For RM2b Large-Scale Solar Power Projects
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he Malaysian government had called for bids for an estimated RM2 billion worth of projects under the third round of the Large-Scale Solar (LSS3) scheme to increase electricity generation from renewable energy. The Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin said the competitive bidding process will be opened for a six-month period from February to August 2019. She said the outcome of the exercise is expected by year-end.
Yeo said the government has decided that for the LSS3 scheme, the quota offered to each developer will be increased to 100MW from 30MW previously to allow project developers to obtain better financing rates from financial institutions, and therefore lower electricity tariffs.
“This is an open tender free for all. Whoever that can give us the lowest price for the first 500 megawatts (MW) — having passed all the [required] financial and technical qualifications — will be the winner [of this bidding exercise].
Yeo said the government is confident that by 2030, or earlier, electricity tariffs can be lower and competitive against those from other forms of power generation such as gas and coal.
“Ownership can be [up to] 49% foreign, but the contractor for engineering, construction and commissioning must be 100% local as there are enough competitive local players in Malaysia, who however may not have enough financial muscles. We do not limit procurement because we want the best price,” Yeo said at a press conference on the LSS3 scheme bidding process.
Additionally, quotas offered to developers will no longer be based on capacity range, in order to allow them to bid for higher capacities, according to her.
“Tariffs are more stable for renewable energy because they are calculated based on the levelised cost of energy, instead of relying on market prices of fuel which is an issue we are currently faced with. “While solar tariffs went as low as 33.98 sen per kilowatt hour under LSS2, we believe that tariffs could go lower with this open tender exercise and welcome the lowest prices,” she said.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A
NEW U.S. SOLAR MARKET FORCE AIMS TO “GENERATE ENERGY FROM EVERY ROOF”
U.S. solar growth prospects received what could be a substantial boost recently when Standard Industries announced the launch of a new unit, GAF Energy, that “will drive scalable adoption of integrated and affordable rooftop solar solutions across GAF’s established distribution network.”
developers have been installing Decotech solar panels and PV systems since 2013. Having relationships with so many prospective residential solar and larger, C&I customers conveys a big competitive advantage.
More than one million GAF roofs are installed in the U.S. every year through the company’s network of authorized dealers and installers, GAF Energy President Martin DeBono told Solar Magazine. That opens up lots of opportunities for GAF Energy to market and install GAF’s Decotech line of rooftop-integrated solar PV systems and give the company a leg up on the competition. Commercial and solar project
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Credit: JRumans Photography
“Standard Industries saw an incredible opportunity to show consumers and contractors that roofing is valuable real estate. By embracing a new approach to solar, we can accelerate the adoption of clean energy sources by leveraging the large scale of the roofing industry.” – DeBono explained in an interview. “We will have, by far, the lowest cost of acquisition in the industry relative to retrofit solar companies because our customers come to us when they’re already in the market for a new roof – offering scale for our integrated rooftop solar solutions vis-a-vis traditional, rack-mounted offerings.”
Building A World-Class Solar Team Standard Industries and GAF have gained a lot of insideindustry knowledge and experience in the U.S. solar market since the companies began working with C&I project developers some six years ago. “Standard Industries is building a deeply experienced team at GAF Energy: We know roofing, and we know solar. Standard Industries is already one of the largest players financing major solar projects across the U.S., and GAF Energy is the natural next step in leveraging its broad roofing distributor and contractor network to drive meaningful adoption of solar,” DeBono said. “This legacy of working with both large brands and solar finance partners led Standard Industries to create GAF Energy and focus its efforts on creating a simple, affordable, moneysaving offering for both homeowners and roofing contractors. We believe that this new approach to going solar will delight homeowners when they see lower energy bills and provide incentive to roofers when they can grow their business, hire more installers, and better serve their customers’ needs.”
working relationships with roofing contractors in every U.S. state, DeBono pointed out. GAF Energy’s initial focus will be on cash sales, and it will partner with leading, traditional solar lenders to offer customers solar financing packages in states “with a superior value proposition for solar,” DeBono explained. “These are states that have good sun, good policy or high electricity prices, like California, Florida, Illinois and states in the northeast to start.”
One million more U.S. solar roofs? U.S. solar energy growth has been sagging of late amid crystalline-silicon PV cell and module import duties and international trade disputes. Globally, corporate funding of solar energy companies, including venture capital (VC), private equity (PE), debt and public market financing, fell 24 percent year-over-year in 2018, from $12.8 billion in 2017 to $9.7 billion last year, according to Mercom Capital Group. “2018 was a year filled with uncertainties, which started with Section 201 tariffs followed by an announcement from China that it was capping installations and reducing its feed-in-tariff. More bad news came from India which imposed safeguard duties on imports,” Mercom co-founder and CEO Raj Prabhu said for a press release. GAF Energy management believes there is an opportunity for each one of the one million GAF roofs installed in the U.S. each year to become a solar roof, according to DeBono. “For comparison, solar panels are installed on just 300,000 roofs in the U.S. annually. GAF Energy’s value proposition is making the choice to go solar easier and more convenient for consumers with a turnkey approach, and training and project management support to roofing contractors,” he explained.
Photo: NewRüf
Moving forward, GAF Energy will be tapping into and leveraging Standard Industries’ extensive North American Francisco Bay and New York metropolitan areas. Standard has
Asked what the companies’ principal goals were, DeBono responded: “Simple: customer and partner satisfaction. We are getting into energy because we believe it will give our customers and partners greater satisfaction by choosing GAF than any other alternative.” Source: Solar Magazine
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Floating Solar Reaches New Territories
I
n Cambodia, Singapore’s Cleantech is building a 10 MW solar plant including a 2.7 MW floating section, and in Lithuania, state-owned utility Lietuvos Energija is deploying a floating plant at the Kruonis pumped storage hydroelectric power plant..
Although located at different latitudes and on different continents, Cambodia and Lithuania now share the distinction of joining the list of nations that have embraced reservoir-based floating PV. Singapore-based renewables company Cleantech Solar has announced the completion of a 9.8 MW solar installation that includes 2.8 MW of floating PV and will power Cambodian cement manufacturer Chip Mong Insee Cement Corporation (CMIC). The solar facility, Cleantech said, includes a 7 MW rooftop with the floating section on CMIC’s water reservoir. The project was designed and financed by Cleantech and will sell power to the cement provider under undisclosed terms. “The plant will help CMIC reduce operating costs without having to make [a] capital investment, nor having to take the performance risk of [a] solar system,” the developer said. “In addition, the deployment of the floating solar system will shield the reservoir from wind and the direct, hot midday sun, which is expected to reduce water loss through evaporation, contributing to CMIC’s water conservation efforts.”
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Cambodia’s Solar Push The reservoir section of the project is Cambodia’s first megawatt-sized floating PV installation. The country has so far seen limited development of solar power with a 10 MW solar park connected to its power network, although a 100 MW project is currently being tendered. In October, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) urged the Cambodian government to use solar to drive down electricity prices which are among the highest in Southeast Asia. “The government is on the verge of committing to an expansion of its hydropower program and coal plants, and this will limit the scope for solar development and potentially lead to additional social and environmental consequences,” the UNDP said at the time. Last month, the Cambodian government issued new rules for the adoption of solar. The policy enables the installation of solar plants for self-consumption as long as they do not require grid connection and synchronization. The provisions also establish only medium and high voltage energy users are permitted to consume electricity generated on site and also be synchronized with the grid.
Up To 250MW Of Waterborne Capacity In a separate development, the Lietuvos Energija Gamyba (LEG) unit of state-owned Lithuanian utility Lietuvos Energija Group, announced the Lithuanian Business Support Agency has provided additional funding of €235,000 for its planned floating PV project at the Kruonis pumped storage hydroelectric power plant it owns. The project, being developed with the Kaunas University of Technology, will be the first of its kind in Lithuania, LEG said in a press release. The floating solar plant will initially have a capacity of 60 kW but may expand to 250 MW as the water surface identified by LEG for it runs to around 300 hectares. “The successful implementation of such [an] innovation would create greater value for Lietuvos Energija Gamyba shareholders and would contribute to the development of renewable resources in Lithuania, as the capacity of the currently installed solar power plants in Lithuania would increase three times,” said Darius Kucinas, production director for LEG.
According to the utility, the project is expected to be complete by 2021. The large-scale solar array will provide the hydropower plant with a reliable frequency control regulation service. The utility unveiled its Strategy of Lietuvos Energija LE 2030 in May, a plan to increase renewable energy power production and pursue international development in neighboring countries. The strategy includes the development of high-tech energy storage capacity in power plants and solar is expected to represent more than a third of the group’s total installed renewable energy capacity by 2030, said LE – around 1.19 GW. Under the plan, wind and biofuels are set to reach 1.65 GW and 160 MW of capacity, respectively, and LEG also intends to acquire strategic power generation capacity abroad.
Cleantech’s floating solar system in Cambodia. Image: Cleantech Solar Projects Resource: pv magazine
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
INDIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES $1.2 BILLION SUPPORT FOR 12 GIGAWATT SOLAR POWER PLAN
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he Indian government recently approved a funding scheme to support implementation of 12 gigawatts of solar power capacity through government-owned companies.
Earlier this month, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved a plan to provide financial support for development of 12 gigawatt solar power capacity across the country. The proposal was submitted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and shall be implemented through companies owned by the central and state governments. The government allocated Rs 8,580 crore ($1.2 billion) for this scheme which shall be disbursed as viability gap funding to project developers. The government has also mandated that all projects under this scheme shall use solar cells and modules manufactured in India. As the power generated from these projects shall be used by the government itself or government entities, the obligation to use domestically manufactured equipment would stand the test of WTO norms. The Indian government, in order to boost domestic manufacturing of solar cells and modules, had earlier introduced the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) that mandated project developers to use Indian solar PV equipment to set up projects. This was successfully challenged by the United States at WTO, and the Indian government had to put an end to that scheme. Due to security concerns the WTO, however, allows mandatory use of domestic equipment if the output is being consumed by the government or its entities. India is planning to use this clause to implement this scheme.
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The viability gap funding scheme will be implemented in a manner similar to any other scheme â&#x20AC;&#x201D; through reverse auctions. instead of bidding for the lowest tariff project developers shall bid for the lowest capital cost support required to set up projects. The 12-gigawatt scheme was approved just weeks after the government decided to scrap a part of another scheme that had lost its relevance due to change in market conditions. We reported in late December 2018 that the Indian government would not go ahead with the auction of 12-gigawatt capacity under the bundling scheme. A replacement to the cancelled bundling scheme was essential for the government to fill gap created to achieve the 100-gigawatt installed capacity target by March 2022. The new viability gap funding projects shall, however, be fully completed by March 2023 only. The scheme seems a stop-gap measure to ensure there is no latency in implementation of projects for the 100-gigawatt target. The government essentially has taken it upon itself to fill this gap. Several government-owned companies has already been asked to set up large-scale solar power projects. These include the likes of Coal India, Indian Railways, the Indian Armed Forces, NLC, shipping ports, airports, and oil marketing companies. The government estimates that the scheme would bring in Rs 48,000 crore ($6.75 billion) in investments, and create around 180,000 jobs across industries. Source: CleanTechnica
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Kaitaia College Unveils Solar Energy System Kaitaia College unveils the largest solar energy system on a school in New Zealand The largest solar energy system on a school in New Zealand was officially opened in a ceremony today at Kaitaia College. Te Tai Tokerau MP, Hon. Kelvin Davis, unveiled a plaque to acknowledge completion of the 368-panel project which is spread across the rooftop of multiple buildings on the school campus. The project, a partnership between Kaitaia College and SuperPower Technologies, will have significant financial benefits for the school and act as a springboard for students and the community to building understanding about solving local energy problems. Kaitaia College Principal Jack Saxon says “The Kura is working with SuperPower Technologies and other community groups, including Muriwhenua iwi, to develop an integrated curriculum around renewable energy and are also planning to integrate energy monitoring within the junior curriculum, focusing on energy conservation.
25-year guaranteed life of the system Kaitaia College will save hundreds of thousands of dollars based on current consumption and electricity prices. Board Director of The Sustainable Energy Association NZ (SEANZ), Dwayne Crocker, speaking at the opening, says “Solar is the perfect solution for schools, allowing them to divert money spent on power bills into education and resources for students – it’s a win-win.
“Our ākonga (students) lead community projects around developing solutions to local challenges and one of the most exciting elements currently being scoped with a local power provider is the potential for the school to send excess power back to the grid and have their whānau access this” Mr Saxon says.
“SEANZ commends SuperPower Technologies for this ground-breaking project, working with a low-decile school and using a unique finance model to bring immediate savings and significant long-term financial benefits to the school,” Mr Crocker says.
The 101 kWp, 368 panel system is 25 times larger than an average household system and is spread across the roofs of the College’s gymnasium, library, science, and technology blocks.
Project Lead from SuperPower Technologies, Hadleigh Fisher, says: “We are extremely proud to be part of this project, especially working with Jack (the principal) and Board members who equally see solar not just for its financial benefits but more a catalyst for change in renewable energy. Having students actively involved to help the school further reduce its carbon footprint and overall power consumption, then take what they have learnt back into the community, is all extremely exciting.”
SuperPower Technologies have arranged finance for Kaitaia College to purchase the system. The system will be cashflow positive for the school from day one, saving the school tens of thousands of dollars over the 10-year payback period. Over the 26 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
Source: Sustainable Energy Association New Zealand (SEANZ)
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TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT NEWS NEWS
MATERIALS
“SANDWICH” BREAKS BARRIER FOR SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY
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EM Alum and NYU Tandon Professor André D. Taylor’s Team Combines Materials and Borrows Lessons from Nature to Build a Better Organic Solar Cell.
The National GEM Consortium has produced myriad amazing academics and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals since its inception in 1976, and Professor André D. Taylor of New York University’s Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department is among the top on that list. Dr. Taylor was awarded with prestigious GEM Fellowships for his Master’s degree from Georgia Tech and his PhD degree from the University of Michigan. Both awards were helpful in enabling Dr. Taylor to purse his advanced work in energy and materials design. Specifically, his research group, the Transformative Materials and Devices Laboratory, develops innovative architectures for energy applications. Dr. Taylor realized that solar cells have
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great potential as a source of clean electrical energy, but they are not cheap, light, and flexible enough for widespread use. Dr. Taylor’s and his research team at NYU have now found an innovative and promising way to improve solar cells and make their use in many applications more likely. Most organic solar cells use fullerenes, spherical molecules of carbon. The problem, explains Taylor, is that fullerenes are expensive and don’t absorb enough light. Over the last 10 years he has made significant progress in improving organic solar cells, and he has recently focused on using non-fullerenes, which until now have been inefficient. However, he says, “the non-fullerenes are improving enough to give fullerenes a run for their money.” Think of a solar cell as a sandwich, Taylor says. The “meat” or active layer — made of electron donors and acceptors — is in the middle, absorbing sunlight and transforming it into electricity (electrons and holes), while the “bread,” or outside layers, consist of electrodes that transport that electricity. His team’s goal was to have the cell absorb light across as large a
Dr. Andre Taylor achieved remarkable effi ciency by introducing a squarine molecule (ASSQ) as a crystallizing agent, which both donates electrons and enhances the light absorption of the active layer of the cell, properly orienting the PBDB-T donor-acceptor polymer that accepts the donor electron with the non-fullerene electron-acceptor molecule ITIC.
spectrum as possible using a variety of materials, yet at the same time allow these materials to work together well. “My group works on key parts of the ‘sandwich,’ such as the electron and hole transporting layers of the ‘bread,’ while other groups may work only on the ‘meat’ or interlayer materials. The question is: How do you get them to play together? The right blend of these disparate materials is extremely difficult to achieve.” Using a squaraine molecule in a new way — as a crystallizing agent — did the trick. “We added a small molecule that functions as an electron donor by itself and enhances the absorption of the active layer,” Taylor explains. “By adding this small molecule, it facilitates the orientation of the donoracceptor polymer (called PBDB-T) with the non-fullerene acceptor, ITIC, in a favorable arrangement.” This solar architecture also uses another design mechanism that the
Taylor group pioneered known as a FRET-based solar cell. FRET, or Förster resonance energy transfer, is an energy transfer mechanism first observed in photosynthesis, by which plants use sunlight. Using a new polymer and nonfullerene blend with squaraine, the team converted more than 10 percent of solar energy into power. Just a few years ago this was considered too lofty a goal for single-junction polymer solar cells. “There are now newer polymer non-fullerene systems that can perform above 13 percent, so we view our contribution as a viable strategy for improving these systems,” Taylor says. The organic solar cells developed by his team are flexible and could one day be used in applications supporting electric vehicles, wearable electronics, or backpacks to charge cell phones. Eventually, they could contribute significantly to the supply of electric power. Source: American Solar Energy Society
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TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT NEWS NEWS
Power from the “High Frontier”
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– CHINA PLANS TO LAUNCH SPACE-BASED SOLAR POWER SATELLITE
hinese scientists have announced plans to construct and launch a solar power satellite by 2025. The Chinese version of the concept was first advanced in a joint paper released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2010 and envisions solar panels covering 5 to 6 kilometers in area and weighing some 10,000 pounds. Power would be beamed back to earth-based solar antennas by microwave or laser beam.
Image: Prime Energy
Space-based solar power offers a number of advantages over the earth-bound panels. The sun is always shining in space. We only think it’s dark there and in reality, space is flooded with light with an intensity almost five times greater in space than on earth (the atmosphere, clouds, ozone and other factors cut the light that reaches us on the ground). Orbiting in geostationary space (22,300-22,800 miles above the earth), the satellite would only be darkened by earth’s shadow 1% of the time, defeating concerns about generating power at night. Solar Power Satellites aren’t a new idea. The concept was first developed by Peter Glaser in 1969 and then patented in 1973. The work was further advanced by Eric Drexler (MIT) and Brian O’Leary (Princeton) in the mid 1970’s. Then as now, the biggest 30 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
issue facing SPS was and is launch costs. Attention quickly turned to in-space manufacturing from raw materials mined on the moon and in the asteroid belts. Their plans envisioned a power-sat covering 22 miles in area with structural elements assembled by “beam-builder” technology – dispensers extruding graphite/epoxy compound “tape” from spools used to form long beams and struts. Whether any satellite reaches that size or not, the structure of any solar power satellite will have to be made in space. None of that can happen for many decades and for now, test platforms will have to be launched from earth. Today, launch costs to GEO can reach some $30,000 per pound so even China’s small test satellite would cost $300 million just to arrive on-station. Solar power from space will face a number of very real and sometimes strange challenges. One of them is staying on station. Space may be empty, but it isn’t still. Solar wind (energy waves radiating from the sun) will buffet the satellite changing its position and orientation (solar panels have to face the sunlight while the beaming elements stay on target to the receiving antennas). Solar flares can present even bigger problems. The gravity environment will also change as the moon orbits the earth. Perhaps the biggest challenge is thermal dynamics. How will engineers design the satellite’s structural frame and panels to remain intact when the side facing the sun is heated to 400F degrees and the side in shadow is – 250F? That’s something none of us need to worry about here on earth. In-space manufacturing is one of those terms that sound wonderous and in almost all ways – it’s still in a far-off future. Solar cells are constructed in precise layers from multiple materials and tolerances are measured by the micron. Some very large questions will need answers. Will application by spray and 3-D printing work in the Zero-G environment of space? What materials will be gained in space and what will have to be launched from earth? The world of 2050 isn’t all that far away and it’s a good thing that we’re asking these questions now. Source: Solar Magazine
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TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT NEWS NEWS
Scientists Invent
Ingenious Emission -Free System to Bottle Solar Energy in the Summer to
Save for Winter
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his ground-breaking new solar-powered battery is giving the fossil fuel industry reason for concern.
After decades of research, prototypes, and trials, the first sustainable solar-powered storage system is underway and it is poised for commercial release within the next 10 years. Only one year ago, a research group from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden presented a special kind of molecule that was capable of retaining energy harnessed from solar panels. Today, this same team has developed the system so that it can use this molecule in liquid-form to heat homes, run appliances, and ultimately reduce – if not eliminate – our need for fossil fuels. The Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage (MOST) uses existing technologies to turn thermal energy and water into steam, which can then be turned into electrical energy. By using their specially-designed liquid to store energy from the sun, the system is also entirely non-toxic and reusable for hundreds of cycles. “We’ve run it though 125 cycles without any significant degradation,” team researcher Kasper Moth-Poulsen told NBC News. 32 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
Taken together, the advances mean that the energy system MOST now works in a circular manner. First, the liquid captures energy from sunlight in a solar thermal collector on the roof of a building. Then it is stored at room temperature, leading to minimal energy losses. When the energy is needed, it can be drawn through the catalyst so that the liquid heats up. The warmth could then be utilized in, for example, domestic heating systems, after which the liquid can be sent back up to the roof to collect more energy – all completely free of emissions, and without damaging the molecule. “We have made many crucial advances recently, and today we have an emissions-free energy system which works all year around,” Moth-Poulsen added in a university press release. Furthermore, the amount of energy stored by the fuel is nothing short of extraordinary. The most effective variant of the fuel can hold up to 250 watt hours of energy per kilogram – which is twice as much energy stored by Tesla’s Powerwall batteries. While further development of the MOST system is still needed, the groundwork has been set for what appears to be a tremendous technological breakthrough within the next decade.
Source: Good News Network
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TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCT NEWS NEWS
This Non-Toxic Material Could Soon Replace Lead In
Solar Cell Technology In Space
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hat if all the world’s buildings were equipped with windows and walls that satisfy all the energy needs of its residents — rain or shine?
A new generation of cheaper solar cells — that uses the mineral perovskite as an alternative to lead — has made it possible to make solar panels in a far more cost-effective manner that is safer for the environment as well. Perovskite technology is on track to revolutionise green energy tech and access to solar power for all, given its surprising physical properties according to some experts. Now, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are approaching practical applications. Space is one of its many frontiers, where oxygen and moisture (two major stressors for a stable source of solar power) barely exist. Scientists have reported that they have tweaked PSCs to be stable enough in near space to put the technology to a test run. PSCs have an outstanding efficiency, high power to weight ratio, and a high tolerance to space radiation — a combination that makes them an exciting new-generation technology for energy in space. Yet, the extreme environment of space would still pose a big challenge to the stability of these devices, and the applications of PSCs in space are only now being researched.
An ink-jet printed perovskite solar module on a flexible matrix material. Image courtesy: Sollartek
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In a new study published in Science China Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy, researchers have attempted to look at how stable perovskite solar cells with a large surface area can be in near space (within the altitude ranges for commercial airliners and orbiting satellites). The PSCs were fixed on a high-altitude balloon rising from ground to near space, which contains trace amounts of both moisture and ozone. This region of the atmosphere also has high-energy particles and space radiation (like neutrons, electrons, and gamma rays) from cosmic radiation and solar flares. Different kinds of perovskite absorbers — with and without filters for UV — were studied, and one of the variants was found to retain 95.19 percent of its power conversion efficiency in the test. The study’s researchers anticipate that their findings will contribute to the development of stable perovskite solar cells for space.
ISRO’s military communications satellite GSAT-7A with its lead-based solar panels opened up. Image courtesy: ISRO Source: TECH2, Firstpost
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SPECIAL INSIGHT
Solar, Renewables, Energy Transformation RESHAPING THE GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE “The new energy age will reshape relations between states and regions bringing ‘A New World’ of power, security, energy independence and prosperity.” Fossil fuels, primarily oil and natural gas, have been key — the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of drivers of and have played a fundamental, pivotal role in Energy Transformation Solar energy investments and usage have grown fast and spread worldwide in recent decades, so much so that they’re influencing and reshaping the geopolitics of energy.
geopolitics since the emergence of the Industrial Age as a global phenomenon in the early 20th century. That isn’t likely to change anytime soon, but the geopolitical calculus is shifting amid rapid growth of decentralized, emissions-free, renewable energy resources. The reasons are many and varied, from the volatility of oil and gas prices, the ripple effects of fossil-fuel dependence militarily and in terms of national security and the sharply declining costs of solar, wind, other renewable energy resources, battery energy storage, digital smart grid technology and power electronics to the mounting costs and threats posed by climate change, energy poverty and the growing, worldwide divides in wealth and technological capacity.
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“The new energy age will reshape relations between states and regions bringing ‘A New World’ of power, security, energy independence and prosperity,” according to the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation. “The geopolitical and socioeconomic consequences of a new energy age may be as profound as those which accompanied the shift from biomass to fossil fuels two centuries ago. These include changes in the relative position of states, the emergence of new energy leaders, more diverse energy actors, changed trade relationships and the emergence of new alliances,” according to the commission, which presented its report, A New World, to the Assembly at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) January 11.
Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy sources are available in one form or another in most geographic locations. This abundance will strengthen energy security and promote greater energy independence for most states. At the same time, as countries develop renewables and increasingly integrate their electricity grids with neighboring countries, new interdependencies and trade patterns will emerge. The analysis finds oil and gas-related conflict may decline, as will the strategic importance of some maritime choke-points. — the commission, which is made up of prominent publicand private-sector leaders from around the world, states. There are those who would agree with the commission’s conclusions, and there are those who would not, or at least have views that differ to some extent or degree. Here are three leading experts in the field to gain greater insight and learn about their views regarding the degree and extent solar and other clean, decentralized renewable energy resources have the potential to, or already are, reshaping the geopolitical landscape, and what that may portend for the future of international relations.
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technology, manufacturing prowess, population size, etc. This will all still be there. Thus one should also be cautious not to exaggerate how great changes renewable energy will bring to international politics. Rebecca Keller, Senior Science and Technology Analyst, Stratfor (RK): On major oil producers in the Middle East, we already see efforts to diversify economies away from a dependence on oil. While these countries will be faced with limited success, there is a recognition of the inherent weakness of being excessively dependent on a single commodity. While loss of oil revenue will hurt, Russia is also grappling with a demographic decline and transition that will constrain that country’s economic growth regardless of oil. For the US, its strengths — geography, wealth, high-tech development and diversity of development — are much more diversified and far less dependent on oil. As a technological leader, despite unfriendly political environments at present, renewables adoption in the US is poised to thrive, driven heavily by private and local investments. Sergey Paltsev, Deputy Director, MIT Joint Program on Science & Policy of Global Change; Senior Research Scientist, MIT Energy Initiative; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (SP): Yes, the power of fossil fuel producers will diminish as the world relies more on low-carbon energy options and reduces its demand for fossil fuels.
Q&A: The Geopolitics Of Solar And Renewable Energy
On the face of it, the prospect of a wholesale energy transformation driven by distributed renewables and clean tech, e.g. battery and other forms of energy storage, smart grids, etc., would appear to diminish the geopolitical importance and power and influence of oil, gas and coal exporters — OPEC and Russia, certainly the US given its resurgence due to unconventional shale gas and oil production, and Canada. Would you agree or disagree and why? Indra Overland, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Oslo, Norway (IO): Yes, I think the energy transition is going to change international politics. Many analyses tend to focus on net oil imports and miss the fact that some major net importers are in fact also big producers of fossil fuels that they consume domestically. That includes China and the United States. There is also a tendency to over focus on oil and under focus on coal. Again, both China and the U.S. rely heavily on domestic coal production. If that is no longer possible due to climate change mitigation (and not even cost-efficient without regard to climate mitigation), they are going to lose an old advantage. However, I also think one should not exaggerate the importance of fossil fuels to international politics in the past. There are also many other factors that are important for international politics, such as ideology, democracy versus authoritarianism, military
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SPECIAL INSIGHT
Figure 1. The energy transition framework Note: This data is taken from the Shell Sky Scenario (2018), which has the merit of forecasting to 2100 and therefore projects the nature of the energy transformation over the course of the century. Other energy transition scenarios usually have shorter time horizons. The Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS) of the International Energy Agency (IEA), for example, only looks forward to 2040. IRENA’s REmap scenario goes to 2050. Shell’s forecast share of renewables and fossil fuels is similar to that of the IEA SDS scenario for 2040 as well as the DNV GL and Equinor Renewal scenarios for 2050. The IPCC 1.5 degree median scenario and IRENA REmap scenario anticipate a substantially larger share of renewables by 2050 with an earlier peak in fossil fuel demand. Data source: Shell Sky Scenario, 2018. | Chart source: A New World – The Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation
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Do you see a level playing field emerging in terms of any and all nations’ ability to become self-sufficient in terms of meeting their energy needs by taking advantage of their renewable energy resources potential? IO: Yes, I think there will be a very strong trend towards selfsufficiency. This will be reinforced by the fact that it is in the interest of the world’s net fossil fuel importers to rid themselves of this burden on their trade balance. This development will probably accelerate during the coming five to 10 years as technologies, and above all manufacturing learning curves, mature. It’s still early days.
RK: No, as with any technological advancement, the playing field is not level. In the near and medium term, countries with higher capital, more developed tech sectors, those with the political will to enact change or some combination of the three will be the ones more able to incorporate renewables, EVs and efficiency technologies at a faster rate. Developing countries, though the political will may be greater for countries at greatest risk to climate change, will require outside investment and tech to incorporate renewables. 38 36 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
SP: I would argue that a reasonable goal is to have zero-carbon or at least low-carbon energy rather than self-sufficiency. To illustrate the point with an exaggerated but hopefully clear example: is it useful for Canada to be self-sufficient in coffee production? As long as there is a free trade, there is no need for self-sufficiency. Reliance on own resources makes it more appealing but the goal should be to lower emissions rather than to increase self-sufficiency.
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Do you see the renewable, clean energy transformation as a foregone conclusion? Why or why not?
IO: I would not say it is a foregone conclusion, but I would say the trend is very clear and more likely to accelerate than to decelerate. The reason why I think so is that renewable energy is still a very small part of the world energy system and as it grows, so will scale economies and learning curves. Furthermore, intensive research is being carried out in so many directions that I think it is quite possible there will be a major breakthrough in one or another area, for example, one of the many battery technologies being investigated. The dramatic cost declines of
Figure 4. Impact of the energy transition on selected countries and groupings | Click here to see the full-size chart. | Data source: BP, IRENA. | Chart source: A New World report
recent years have largely been based on incremental improvements in technologies, a major breakthrough could have even greater consequences. RK: I hesitate to say any technological adoption is a foregone conclusion, but the signs are all pointing towards the fact that we are at the beginning of a nascent energy transition, one that will like contribute to peak oil demand being hit in the next 2025 years. Technological improvements and cost reductions in both lithium-ion battery technology and wind and solar power indicate that these would be likely successors to hydrocarbons. However, that’s a nuanced argument and natural gas will certainly play a larger role longer than either coal or oil in the future. The rapid adoption of EV’s (electric vehicles) for instance in places like China has exceeded many previous estimates. So, in short, while I hesitate to give an absolute answer, the economic, political and technological indicators all point towards a transformation, though it will likely be a gradual one. SP: I would say that clean energy transformation that relies on all forms of low-carbon sources, not just renewables like wind and solar, is inevitable.
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We’ve seen China emerge as the dominant force in the global market for solar cells, modules, etc., and the largest in terms of deploying them, as well. More broadly and for smaller, developing and less developed nations, does a renewable energy transformation open up viable, less resource-intensive and consumption-driven alternatives to the traditional model of socioeconomic development based on rapid industrialization and exportdriven economies? IO: It seems likely that future manufacturing of renewable energy equipment will be a bit like the current mobile telephone sector — dominated by a few major manufacturers who have the best technologies and the lowest manufacturing costs. In mobile telephony today that is basically Huawei, Samsung and Apple. Even the Germans, the Finns and various other US companies have been squeezed out. For a former fossil-fuel importer this will still be an improvement, but it will raise the question, “What’s in it for us?”. I think this will lead to local content becoming a hot issue. As we know from the petroleum sector, it is tricky to get local content requirements to work; there are corruption risks etc.
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SPECIAL INSIGHT
Figure 5. Regional impact of the energy transition | Click here to see the full-size chart. Data source: World Bank, IMF. | Chart source: A New World report
RK: The limited ability to replicate Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth is multifaceted and not limited to being driven by technology transitions in energy. Technology transitions in manufacturing and automation are changing the calculus of labor cost as an input, much like the container ship once changed the calculation of the cost of distance. Because of these advancements, we see the window of other countries being able to use the China model of growth slowly closing. SP: There is no unique solution that would fit all countries. Countries should establish their development plans based on their current and future comparative advantages. Indeed, domestic resources might be helpful to reduce or even eliminate payments for imported fossil fuels. As I have already pointed out, the goal should be to maximize the welfare of citizens based on country endowments â&#x20AC;&#x201D; human and natural. To illustrate the point: Can a smaller developing country compete with China and produce solar cells cheaper than China? Or, maybe they should focus on something else where the country has a comparative advantage? Why? Because based on that advantage the country can earn export revenue and buy cheaper solar cells. Each country has to make their own assessment of the best strategy to maximize the welfare of its citizens. The door for progress is always open. The examples of Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and others show that a good strategy can lead to economic development in an environment with relatively limited natural resources. 40 38 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
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Does it improve prospects for realizing U.N. sustainable development and climate change goals, and resolve increasingly challenging social and environmental issues? IO: Yes, with cheap, abundant renewable energy there is even less reason why anyone should live in energy poverty. However, the reason for poverty is not only lack of resources but governance and that is a challenge that will still have to be dealt with. However, governance may also become slightly less of a problem with renewable energy as it can be decentralized. When all that existed was landlines, development was very slow in many countries because governments were slow, incompetent, corrupt, etc. With mobile telephony that changed. The same may happen, and is to some extent already happening, with solar panels in many poor countries. RK: The adoption of renewables would certainly improve the prospects of hitting emissions targets and the like. As the impacts of climate change become more obvious and accepted, the political will and economic drivers are more likely to shift in favor of adoption. But the extent as to how, where and when this will be able to impact changes to the climate itself remains an extremely complicated question. SP: Yes, it does.
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Could it help, and do you see the energy transformation helping, resolve associated social and economic challenges that figure into the geopolitical frame, such as migration, job creation, the widening gap between rich and poor and the diminution of the middle class in developed nations, such as the U.S.? Why or why not? IO: I think those challenges have so many drivers that I would be cautious to exaggerate the possible impact of renewables on them. In some cases, people have funding which is defined as official development aid, or they have stakeholders who are oriented towards development, and this causes them to overplay such points. This is one of the weaknesses of the Global Commission’s report. RK: Climate migration is poised to be a very real issue and going back to the question above, the extent that the impact that implementation will have on migration is part of that extremely complicated question…that I don’t have a good answer for. Job creation is a complicated question that also ties
in technological advancements in other sectors and is not solely dependent on the energy sector…I also don’t have a good answer for widening wealth gap because there are so many factors going into that, as well. SP: I would argue that limited access to energy and ever more pronounced impacts of climate change increase social and economic challenges, so anything that reasonably reduces the cost of energy and provides access to it, and at the same time mitigates the impacts of climate change, helps to improve economic conditions. Is it going to reduce a gap between rich and poor? I doubt it because you need particular policy instruments that solve particular tasks.
7
Does the energy transformation also hold the potential to create new sources of conflict, e.g. over strategic mineral or other natural resources, for example?
IO: As I argue in my [latest] article debunking four myths regarding the geopolitics of renewable energy, I think the potential for conflict over strategic materials is over-hyped. People tell this story because they need an interesting story to tell and because it is easiest both for them and for their listeners and readers to deal with recognizable storylines. So they take the logic of the fossil fuel energy system and transpose it onto the renewable energy system: Countries competed over oil, so now they will compete over critical materials instead, goes the line. 41 39 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
SPECIAL INSIGHT
Figure 12. Population served by off-grid renewable energy solutions | Click here to see the full-size chart Data source: IRENA. | Chart source: A New World report
RK: There are certainly areas where key mineral resources are ‘bottlenecked’ and where leading tech nations, namely the U.S. and China, will compete for influence and where we’ll see added investments. The most obvious ones right now include Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is the world’s key cobalt producer. We’ll also see moves into South America to obtain lithium resources. Brazil’s dominance of niobium, the concentration of platinum group metals in southern Africa and China’s control of the rare earth markets are other key choke-points to watch. Australia and Canada as more secure or stable developed nations that are also very resource rich have the potential to capitalize as countries seek alternative sources to ensure the stability of renewable supply chains.
9
What are the principal hurdles and barriers?
IO: The main problems are, firstly, badly thought-through policies that provoke backlashes from the poor or those who feel marginalized; and secondly, ministries of energy and energy companies staffed with older engineers who lack competence on new technologies and think it is easier and cheaper to build coal power plants than solar and wind power plants. It is also possible that some major fossil fuel producers will resist change, perhaps more aggressively than they have done so far. We have already seen this from oil companies, mostly in the past, but it is also
SP: Yes, it does. For example, limited availability of materials for batteries can create new sources of market power and potential conflicts.
8
How long do you think it will take for a global energy transformation to be realized, or reach a tipping point, if at all?
IO: My guess is that a tipping point will be reached between five to 10 years from now. By tipping point, I mean the point at which there is little investment in any other energy types than renewables. It may also happen faster, but I don’t think it will happen slower. RK: I think it will be phased. I think the transportation sector is poised to go through it first. We’ve seen faster than expected adoption of EVs and we’ve seen aggressive forecasts for peak-oil demand come out in the last several months. I think we’ll see that peak reached at some point before 2040. SP: Hopefully, soon enough to avoid dangerous impacts of climate change. 42 40 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
possible that whole countries could start fighting back, feeling that their back is against the wall. But so far we haven’t really seen that happening, mostly they just seem a bit slow.
RK: Political will, lingering economic hurdles in the near term; the investment in replacing infrastructure that hasn’t reached end of life. SP: In my opinion, the main hurdle is still the cost of energy from long-carbon sources. We need dispatchable and reliable energy sources that can compete with fossil fuels without government support. Despite the recent advances in bringing down the costs of solar and wind power, more progress is needed to make them really competitive in all uses. And that includes solving the issue of intermittency.
10
What implications does this suggest militarily, and in terms of foreign policy, more specifically among the world’s major economic and military powers?
IO: China’s head start on renewable energy equipment manufacturing, as well as electric cars and especially electric buses, is probably putting it at a major advantage over the United States. The E.U. is in a sorry state, but as a massive importer of fossil fuels, its focus on ‘decarbonization’ is going to carry significant fruit in the long term, strengthening its position in the world. SP: I would think that [the] military would be the most eager party to root for renewable energy sources because it will solve many logistical problems that they currently face with securing fuel supplies.
11
At the end of the day, which nations, or types of nations, do you see benefiting the most from a clean energy transformation in terms of geopolitics? Which stand to see their geopolitical standing diminished?
IO: The main winners are going to be former major importers of fossil fuels who have the governance and science and technology capacities to take the lead in the energy transition. The biggest losers are going to be the main fossil fuel exporters, and especially those who do not have the capacity to handle the loss of privileges. Australia, Canada and Norway will probably take a hit, but will be able to handle it. For Iraq, Saudi Arabia or Venezuela it could be much more difficult to handle. On the other hand, if one takes a ‘resource-curse’ perspective, the energy transition might actually be a blessing in disguise for such countries in the long run. Or perhaps to the contrary, if renewable energy becomes truly cheap and abundant, we will all be resource cursed! RK: Geopolitics is about so much more than clean energy. China is clearly using the growing markets to its advantage though. SP: When the world moves away from fossil fuels, those countries that rely on exports of fossil fuels would definitely feel the impact. And those countries that are capable to advance low-carbon technologies will find themselves in a better position.
Source: Solar Magazine
43 41
ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
COVER STORY
1. CAN YOU SHARE WITH US MORE ABOUT MPIA AND THE SERVICES IT OFFERS?
3. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE MAIN FACTORS IN DRIVING THE GROWTH IN DEMAND FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY OVER THE PAST YEAR?
2. THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES IN MALAYSIA OVER THE PAST YEARS. CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF THE SIZE IN THIS INCREASE? 4. IN YOUR OPINION, IS SOLAR PV THE STRONGEST PERFORMING SECTOR AMONG ALL THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTORS IN MALAYSIA? WHY?
44 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
6. WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED TO ENTER THIS SECTOR AND HOW WILL THEY BENEFIT?
5. MPIA IS URGING THE NEWLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT TO EXPEDITE THE ADOPTION OF ROOFTOP SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ADDRESS SERIOUS SHORT COMINGS WITHIN THE BUSINESS THAT WERE LEFT UNADRESSED, WHA IS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM AND HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE?
7. WHAT IS YOUR OUTLOOK ON THE FUTURE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIA REGION IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?
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FBI IN ACTION
46 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
SEDA INITIATES COUNTRY’S FIRST INSURANCE PROTECTION SCHEME FOR HOME AND COMMERCIAL SOLAR PV OWNERS WITH ALLIANZ VIA ANORA AGENCY & MPIA
S
ustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia today witnessed the launch of the country’s first-of-its-kind All Risks Solar PV insurance, which is an initiative by the Authority to ensure the investor’s assets are well protected. The innovative insurance product was by Allianz Malaysia Bhd via Anora Agency Sdn Bhd in collaboration with the Malaysian Photovoltaic Industry Association (MPIA). The launch of this insurance scheme was officiated by YB Yeo Bee Yin, Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change at the opening of the International Greentech and Eco Products Exhibition (IGEM) 2018 this morning. The Solar PV Insurance addresses the pro-installation gaps which are typically lacking in the market. Namely, the lack of support services, the high-cost of maintenance, and the lack of compensation for damages faced by residential Solar PV owners. The Solar PV Insurance is an All Risks comprehensive protection.
Under this protection, the policy holders will not have to bear any costs repairs or the replacement of parts (including components), they will also be compensated for loss of income or savings should their solar PV system experience down time due to damage or theft up to 6 months. This product aims to serve solar PV owners such as the recipients of the feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme implemented by SEDA. According to Dr Wei-nee Chen, Acting CEO of SEDA Malaysia, as at end of September 2018, the Authority has approved in total 12,284 solar PV applications under the FiT of which 9,864 solar PV projects are commercially operational. The launch of this product is timely to meet an emerging domestic solar PV market. This innovative insurance is provided by Allianz Malaysia Bhd through Anora Agency and is designed to create an ecosystem with the local PV industry to protect the investment on solar PV systems by the individuals and commercial entities.
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FBI IN ACTION
SEDA SIGNS THREE MOUS TO ADVANCE THE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AGENDA @ IGEM 2018 48 ASIA SOLAR + PV MAGAZINE | MAR - MAY
Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia Malaysia. Japan is one of the leading countries emphasising on Sustainable Energythree Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia Malaysia. Japan is oneofofZero the leading countries(ZEB). emphasising onthis the development Energy Building Through today signed (3) memorandums of understanding (MoUs) today with signed three (3) memorandums of understanding (MoUs) the development of Zero Energy Building (ZEB). Through this Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Japanese Business with Asian Development Bank (ADB), the (JASE-W) Japanese Business Alliance for Smart Energy Worldwide and APX Inc technologies will drive dissemination and promotion of ZEB, Alliance for 9th Smart Energy Worldwide and APX Inc technologies drivein dissemination promotion ZEB, and ZEB will concept Malaysia. The and Parties will alsoofcooperate at the International Greentech(JASE-W) & Eco Products Exhibition at the&9th International Greentech & Eco Products and to ZEB concept in Malaysia. The Parties will opportunities also cooperateand provide facilitation on potential business Conference Malaysia (IGEM) 2018. These Exhibition signings were & Conference (IGEM) 2018.Minister These of signings to provide facilitation projects on potential business opportunities andand partnership-based where the Japanese knowledge witnessed Malaysia by YB Yeo Bee Yin, Energy,were Science, witnessed by YB Environment Yeo Bee Yin, and Minister of Energy, partnership-based projects where the Japanese knowledge and Technology, Climate Change Science, (MESTECC) Technology, Environment andIGEM Climate MalaysiaÊs industries. JASE-W is appointed by the Ministry during the opening of the 2018.Change (MESTECC) MalaysiaÊs industries. is appointed the Ministry during the opening of the IGEM 2018. of Economic, TradeJASE-W and Investment, Japanby (METI) to provide of Economic, Trade and Investment, Japan (METI) to provide dissemination and promotion of ZEB, and ZEB series concept in 1. O U WITH WITH ASIAN A SIA NDEVELOPMENT D EVELOPME NBANK: T BA N K : 1. M MOU 1. M O U WITH A SIA N D EVELOPME N T B A N K : dissemination promotion of ZEB, and ZEB series concept in Japan and and ASEAN countries. Japan and ASEAN countries. SEDA Malaysia is a statutory body established under the SEDA SEDA Malaysia is a statutory body established under the SEDA M O UWITH WITH APX APXINC IN C 3.3.MOU 3. M O U WITH APX IN C under the Renewable Energy Act 2011. As part of its role to underchart the Renewable 2011. of Assustainable part of itsenergy, role to the pathwayEnergy towardsAct a future SEDA The signing of MoU between SEDA and APX Inc recognizes SEDA chart the towards a futurethe of sustainable The signing of MoU between SEDA and APX Inc recognizes SEDA has pathway been tasked to develop Renewable energy, Energy SEDA Transition Roadmap 2035. The is anticipated to complete has been tasked(RETR) to develop the roadmap Renewable Energy Transition by end of 2019. Through this MoU, ADB will provide three (3) Malaysia. The TIGRs Registry („Tradable Instrument for Global Roadmap (RETR) 2035. The roadmap is anticipated to complete Renewables Registry‰), operated by Instrument APX Inc, will experts for a comprehensive of three the roadmap; by endenergy of 2019. Through this MoU, ADBpeer-review will provide (3) Malaysia. The TIGRs Registry („Tradable for provide Global a experts a Senior Energy Economist, Senior Power energythese experts for ainclude comprehensive peer-review of thearoadmap; Renewables Registry‰), operated by APX Inc, will provide a Systemsinclude and Distribution Expert, and a Senior Energy Policy represents all environmental attributes of 1 MWh of renewable these experts a Senior Energy Economist, a Senior Power energyall generated. The RECs market of will help scale up domestic Expert. will also disseminate the keyEnergy highlights of the Systems and ADB Distribution Expert, and a Senior Policy represents environmental attributes 1 MWh of renewable renewable energy and concurrently enable roadmap through knowledge briefs andhighlights workshopsof once Expert. ADB will also disseminate the key the the energy generated. The market RECs market will help scale up international domestic and domestic brands to access clean energy, in international line with global roadmap is completed. energy market and concurrently enable roadmap through knowledge briefs and workshops once the renewable and reporting criteria set energy, by CDP,inRE100, andglobal all other and targets domestic brands to access clean line with roadmap is completed. 2.2.MOU WITH JAPANESE BUSINESS M OU WITHTHE THE JAPA N ESE B USI N ALLIANCE ESS A LLIA N CEtargets major reporting platforms. andsustainability reporting criteria set by CDP, RE100, and all other FOR ENERGY SSMART MART EN ERGYNWORLDWIDE W ORLDWIDE 2. M OFOR U WITH THE JAPA ESE B USI N ESS A LLIA N CE major sustainability reporting platforms.
FOR S MART EN ERGY W ORLDWIDE
The MoU with JASE-W will enable both Parties to exchange the
The MoU with JASE-W will enable both Parties to exchange the
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ADVERTISER INDEX PAGE ADVERTISERS WEBSITE 27 Accura 31 BOSCH 35 Fire Energy Group 18 International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) www.irena.org47 25 Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA) www.cnibee.com 33 Solar Edge www.solaredge.com OBC Malaysian Photovoltaic Industry Association (MPIA) www.mpia.org.my 7 REC India www.recindia.nic.in IBC Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) www.seda.gov.my 23 Techrentals Pty Ltd www.techrentals.com.
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MINISTRY OF ENERGY, GREEN TECHNOLOGY ANDWATER (KeTTHA)
Energy Commission
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