Thursday, November 20, 2008
By Mehtab Haider
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to abandon various departments related to alternative energy currently working under the umbrella of four ministries/divisions and merge them with Alternative Energy Board in order to reduce millions of rupees expenditure incurred on each of them on per annum basis, it is learnt.“We have decided merger of departments of alternative energy related initiatives working under various ministries/divisions in order to reduce expenditures and avoid duplication of work,” a senior government official disclosed while talking to The News here on Wednesday.
However, when official spokesman of Alternative Energy Board (AEB) was contacted for comments on Wednesday, he said that the AEB was not aware of any development in this regard.But the ministerial level source insisted that the decision to this effect was taken by high powered ministerial committee of the PPP government in a bid to overcome severe criticism on the incumbent regime for appointing battalions of ministers, minister of state and parliamentary secretaries at a time when the country is getting loan from the IMF.
For more on this article, please click on the following link: Govt plans to merge all departments working on alternative energy: The News
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Tubular sunshine: Economist
Oct 9th 2008
From The Economist print edition
A new sort of solar panel is less fussy about where the sun shines from
SOLAR power should be a cheap and simple way of making electricity, but like any technology the practicalities tend to get in the way. Even if the sun does come out the panels may not face in the right direction. Then there is the cost, which can exceed $40,000 for a household system—more than half of which is accounted for by installation. This week, however, a Californian company launched a new type of solar panel that tries to overcome these problems.
Standard solar panels are assembled from arrays of photovoltaic cells made from silicon, like computer chips. These cells absorb photons in light and transfer their energy to electrons, which form an electrical circuit.
Solyndra, based in Fremont, is taking a different approach. It is one of a number of firms, including First Solar, Nanosolar and Global Solar, using different materials to produce the photovoltaic effect and building them in extremely thin layers, almost like printing on paper. As these films use less material they are cheaper to produce, not least because they can be deposited on bases like metal, glass and plastic.
For more on this article, please click on the following link: Tubular sunshine: Economist
From The Economist print edition
A new sort of solar panel is less fussy about where the sun shines from
SOLAR power should be a cheap and simple way of making electricity, but like any technology the practicalities tend to get in the way. Even if the sun does come out the panels may not face in the right direction. Then there is the cost, which can exceed $40,000 for a household system—more than half of which is accounted for by installation. This week, however, a Californian company launched a new type of solar panel that tries to overcome these problems.
Standard solar panels are assembled from arrays of photovoltaic cells made from silicon, like computer chips. These cells absorb photons in light and transfer their energy to electrons, which form an electrical circuit.
Solyndra, based in Fremont, is taking a different approach. It is one of a number of firms, including First Solar, Nanosolar and Global Solar, using different materials to produce the photovoltaic effect and building them in extremely thin layers, almost like printing on paper. As these films use less material they are cheaper to produce, not least because they can be deposited on bases like metal, glass and plastic.
For more on this article, please click on the following link: Tubular sunshine: Economist
‘Pakistan to add 20,000MW in 10 years’: The News
Friday, November 14, 2008
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Pakistan is likely to add 20,000MW hydro-electricity generation capacities in next 10 years that besides mitigating power shortage would have sobering effect on the average cost of electricity generation.Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman, Shakeel Ahmad Durrani stated this during an interview with The News. He said the major hydro-electric generation would come from Dialmer Basha Dam that would produce 4500 MW electricity, the construction of which would start by second quarter next year. He said earlier, WAPDA was concentrating on mega dams only that served the dual purpose of providing water for irrigation and generating electricity. He said now it has been decided to explore all avenues from where the hydro-electric generation is possible.He said Bunji a run of the river project would produce 5400MW electricity. Engineering of this project has been completed and its tenders would be invited in early 2010. This project would be completed in seven years and its cost is $6 billion. The project would be built on River Indus near Gilgit, he added.He said Dasu is another run of the river electricity generation project, located 2km upstream on Indus River 69km downstream of Diamer Basha dam. He said feasibility study of the project would be completed within this year. He said tentative project cost is $6.5 billion. The project he added should be completed within a decade as its implementation period is estimated to be 7 years.
For more on this article, please click on the following link: ‘Pakistan to add 20,000MW in 10 years’: The News
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Pakistan is likely to add 20,000MW hydro-electricity generation capacities in next 10 years that besides mitigating power shortage would have sobering effect on the average cost of electricity generation.Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman, Shakeel Ahmad Durrani stated this during an interview with The News. He said the major hydro-electric generation would come from Dialmer Basha Dam that would produce 4500 MW electricity, the construction of which would start by second quarter next year. He said earlier, WAPDA was concentrating on mega dams only that served the dual purpose of providing water for irrigation and generating electricity. He said now it has been decided to explore all avenues from where the hydro-electric generation is possible.He said Bunji a run of the river project would produce 5400MW electricity. Engineering of this project has been completed and its tenders would be invited in early 2010. This project would be completed in seven years and its cost is $6 billion. The project would be built on River Indus near Gilgit, he added.He said Dasu is another run of the river electricity generation project, located 2km upstream on Indus River 69km downstream of Diamer Basha dam. He said feasibility study of the project would be completed within this year. He said tentative project cost is $6.5 billion. The project he added should be completed within a decade as its implementation period is estimated to be 7 years.
For more on this article, please click on the following link: ‘Pakistan to add 20,000MW in 10 years’: The News
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Virtuous cycles: CNN
By Matthew KnightFor CNN
LONDON, England (CNN) -- New technology devised by a Connecticut firm, The Green Revolution Inc is turning sessions in the gym into clean renewable electricity.
It's a workout that hopes to work out some of our energy problems and offers a glimpse of what could be achieved if we all do our bit for the environment.
The first devices were recently installed on seventeen bicycles at the Ridgefield Fitness Club in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
The energy generated is fed straight into the club's electricity control cabinet where a grid-tie inverter pumps energy back on to the grid.
The new venture is the brainchild of founder and CEO of Green Revolution, Jay Whelan.
It was during recovery from a shoulder injury that Whelan -- a former Partner at management consultants, Accenture -- first had the idea to create a machine than could harness human power.
For more on this article, please click on the following link: Virtuous cycles: CNN
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