Reworld20131112 DL

Microinverters
Enter the
Commercial-
scale Solar
Market
When & Where?
Bioenergy
from a UK
Dairy Farm
Cows power the
entire cheese-
making operation.
Hydropower's
Renaissance
Key growth areas
include China,
Africa and Brazil.
p. 34 p. 56 p. 60
Best
of the
Best!
Our Projects of the Year
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 VOLUME 16 ISSUE 6
Progress!
Ivanpah is
Ready to Go.
p. 42
1311REW_C1 1 11/22/13 10:36 AM
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RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 3
PROJECT PROFILE
Ivanpah Solar's
CSP Success
42
26
26
COVER STORY
Global Excellence:
Projects of the Year
Votes are in and winners
have been notified. Here's
an in-depth look at our
annual project of the year
award winners. These are
amazing renewable energy
projects from all over the
world. Meg Cichon
34
SOLAR TECHNOLOGY
Microinverters Moving
into Commercial Scale
Nearly ubiquitous in U.S.
residential solar rooftops,
microinverters are poised to
break into commercial-scale
projects. James Montgomery
44
WIND TECHNOLOGY
Keeping Wind
Workers Safe Working on
wind turbines is a high-risk
job. Here's a look at the
growing wind operations
and maintenance training
industry that emphasizes
safety at every step.
Tildy Bayar
50
RENEWABLE ENERGY
AND THE GRID
Subsea Cables Bring
Offshore Wind
Power to the People
The offshore wind resource
is huge but the challenges
of getting that power to the
populations that need it are
even bigger. Tildy Bayar
56
BIOENERGY
Lush Grass Becomes
Green Energy for a UK
Dairy Farm By taking
advantage of everything
that farm has to offer,
U.K.-based Wyke Farms
is now powered by 100
percent renewable energy.
David Appleyard
features
ON THE COVER
Our Winning Projects of
the Year.
Best
of the
Best!
1311REW_3 3 11/22/13 10:47 AM
4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD MAGAZINE
departments & columns
On RenewableEnergyWorld.com
RenewableEnergyWorld.com provides daily news and
information to keep you informed.
Visit us on the web to:
v|ew v|deo coverae o| |enewab|e |nery Wor|d
Con|erence and |xpo, Nor|h Amer|ca.
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Chec| ou| :ome o| our 1o|a| Acce:: par|ner:.
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60
HYDROPOWER
Hydropower Renaissance
Signals Investment Surge
With its environment credentials
bolstered, new hydropower is
attracting a wave of investment.
David Appleyard
63
GEOTHERMAL
Partnerships Pushing the
Innovation Envelope In one
geothermal power plant, using
technology in a new way resulted
in higher efficiencies and lower
maintenance costs. Tom Weinandy
7 Editors Letter
Ce|ebra||n 5ucce::e: |n 201J
8 Regional News
New: |rom |he C|oba|
|enewab|e |nery |ndu:|ry
21 Te Big Question
Wha| |: |he |u|ure U|||||y
bu:|ne:: |ode|?
42 Project Prole
|vanpah 5o|ar |eache:
"||r:| 5ync" |||e:|one
68 Calendar
68 Advertisers index
69 Training and
Educational Events
70 Last Word
|n:ur|n Aa|n:|
|enewab|e |nery
|qu|pmen| |o::
features
1311REW_4 4 11/22/13 10:47 AM

1311REW_5 5 11/22/13 10:47 AM
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A
As we wrap up 2013, I can say with resolute confidence that renew-
ables are on solid ground. Official installed capacity numbers for all
technologies wont be released for a few more months but all indica-
tors are that renewables are on a roll. The solar industry spent much
of 2013 correcting itself through consolidation and yet continued to
install PV at incredible rates. It is expected that somewhere in the
vicinity of 35 GW of solar PV were installed in 2013, finally surpass-
ing the 100 GW mark for overall installed global capacity. Total glob-
al wind capacity is expected to surpass the 300 GW mark by the end of
2013 (it was 283 GW at the end of 2012) but 2013 is not expected to be
a great year for wind capacity additions in general. In fact, for the first
time in history, solar capacity additions in 2013 may be more than
wind capacity additions.
This issue celebrates our renewable energy successes by highlight-
ing our Projects of the Year. These amazing projects show how renew-
able energy can provide power to markets all over the globe. Our
Solar Project of the Year The Electrification of 57 Remote Villages in
India exemplifies the contribution that renewable energy can make
to improve our world. In this case, a microgrid comprised of solar
energy with battery storage came in as the most economical way to
bring electricity to villagers. Read about all the projects on pp. 26-33.
As the days get shorter and we settle in for holiday revelry, dont for-
get to raise a glass to celebrate the progress of the renewable energy
industry. Youve done great work, renewables! Heres to another year
of success.
From t he Edi tor
Jennifer Runyon, Chief Editor
PUBLISHER James M. Callihan
CHIEF EDITOR Jennifer Runyon
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Meg Cichon
ASSOCIATE EDITOR James Montgomery
EDITORIAL OFFICES
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While every attempt is made to ensure the
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accept any liability for errors or omissions.
1311REW_7 7 11/22/13 10:47 AM
R
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LATIN AMERICA
Tracking Latin Americas
Clean Energy Investment Climate
Latin America and the Caribbean
captured six percent of the total
U.S. $268 billion invested world-
wide in clean energy last year,
slightly more than the year before,
thanks to strengthened govern-
ment policy support and expand-
ing supply chains, according to
Climatescope 2013, a report from
the Multilateral Investment Fund
(MIF) and Bloomberg New Energy
Finance (BNEF).
Nations were scored on 39 data
points in four themes: enabling
framework, clean energy invest-
ment and climate financing, low-
carbon business and clean energy
value chains, and greenhouse gas
management activities. The study
tracked 110 clean energy policies
as of the end of 2012, vs. 80 in the
prior year.
Among the studys encouraging
data points: retail power prices
remain generally high across the
region which makes deployment
of renewables more attractive,
and nearly all of identified value
chain links are filled. There are
927 carbon-offset projects across
the region, more than half of
which are for power generation.
And eight countries now have net
metering laws.
Brazil continues to lead the
region in renewable energy sup-
port, but other countries are step-
ping up. Total financing outside
Latin Americas largest country
jumped to 45 percent in 2012 from
17 percent the year before, noted
BNEF chief executive Michael Lieb-
reich, specifically calling out Chile,
the Dominican Republic, Mexico,
and Uruguay. Chile came in sec-
ond overall, quadrupling its renew-
able investments from 2011-2012 to
$2.1 billion. Third-place Nicaragua,
which has the regions second-low-
est GDP per capita, was the region's
clear winner in the framework
and investment/financing catego-
ries. Renewable sources represent
36 percent of Nicaragua's power
matrix, toward a goal of 94 percent
of generation by 2017. The Domini-
can Republic also placed highly in
the rankings, jumping seven spots
after doubling its clean energy
investments to $645 million.
Latin American Wind Capacity Doubling in a Decade
Latin America is the hottest growth market for
wind energy, and installed capacity will rough-
ly double by 2022 to 4.3 GW, according to Navi-
gant Consulting. Policy and macroeconomic chal-
lenges are slowing wind energy adoption in other
regions, but Latin America will account for nearly
six percent of global new wind power installations
this year alone, and will exhibit double-digit com-
pound annual growth rates through the next 10
years, claims research director Feng Zhao. Brazils
latest wind power auctions led to 1.5 GW of new
wind capacity and helped stabilize higher prices,
he noted, and will provide the foundation for wind
energy growth in the entire region.
1311REW_8 8 11/22/13 10:47 AM

ASIA
IPPs Can
Compete
in Indias Solar
Market ...
By Waiting
Indias solar market
surpassed the 2 GW mark
cumulatively at the end
of September, toward a
goal of 1.1 GW by the end
of the current fiscal year
ending March 2014. But
intense competition for
solar projects is having an
impact on independent
power producers (IPP)
because they dont have
the advantages of tax
incentives. Solar projects
have been competitively
bid and awarded tariffs
of about 6.5 rupees/
unit, about 30 percent
below what rating
agency Crisil claims is
needed for a reasonable
internal rate of return
of 16 percent. Non-IPPs
such as Mohan Breweries
and Essel Mining, which
have high taxable profits
and the wherewithal to
keep plants as assets on
The rapidly falling costs of
clean technologies such as solar
and wind power combined with
an improved investment climate
means that clean energy gener-
ation in the region is now truly
affordable, stated Nancy Lee, gen-
eral manager of the MIF.
Multilateral Investment Fund: Climatescope 2013

Report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Argentina
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Trinidad & Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
E
n
e
r
g
y

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ENERGY MARKET EQUITY FINANCE DEBT FINANCE TAX-BASED CARBON MARKET
1311REW_9 9 11/22/13 10:47 AM
China
USA
Europe
Japan
ROW
Polysilicon
c-Si
wafer
c-Si
cell
End-market
demand
c-Si
module
news R
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Chinas Solar Lion Roars
China has been the largest solar
photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer
for several years now, but its
also emerging as a massive
end-market. Global solar PV
demand reached 9 GW in 3Q13,
up 6 percent from the prior
quarter and nearly 20 percent
from a year ago, according to
Solarbuzz. Chinas share of that
3Q demand exceeded 25 percent,
compared to 10 percent just two
years ago. Meanwhile, Chinese
production throughout the crys-
talline silicon supply chain was
anywhere from 8-11 GW.
That domestic demand ramp-
up is boosting Chinas suppliers,
especially given the decline in
European demand, points out
Solarbuzz senior analyst Michael
Barker. With the importance
and risk attached to European
shipments having been signifi-
cantly lowered during 2013, the
ability to pick-and-choose more
profitable supply arrangements
while increasing shipment levels
will come as welcome news to a
PV industry as it recovers from
its highly unprofitable phase of
2012, he writes.
How the c-Si supply-chain flow feeds end-market demand.

Credit: NPD Solarbuzz
their balance sheets, can afford
those lower numbers thanks to
accelerated depreciation (AD)
of up to 80 percent of capital
costs in the first year, points
out Bridge to Indias Jasmeet
Khurana. Barring the National
Solar Mission (NSM) and Gujarat
allocations, where separate
tariffs have been offered for
projects not availing AD, a
majority of the bids received for
solar projects in India are from
companies that can avail AD, he
notes adding that when ADs
were discontinued from Indias
wind market, capacity additions
fell by half. The answer may
not be in direct competition,
but in collaboration: once that
AD goes away and contractual
lock-ins expire, non-IPP players
will want to unload those solar
assets and invest elsewhere, so
IPPs should be ready to acquire
those projects and refinance
them to be more viable. If such
an ecosystem for transferring of
assets from non-IPPs to IPPs can
be created, it will incentivize the
non-IPPs to keep the eventual
buyer in mind and ensure
quality oriented implementation
of projects, Khurana writes.
Overall, it might not be a bad
proposition for sector for now.
1311REW_10 10 11/22/13 10:47 AM

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC 2013
MOVING ENERGY
FORWARD
JOURNALS. VIDEOS. INFOGRAPHICS. TRENDS.
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1311REW_11 11 11/22/13 10:47 AM
news R
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Icelands Renewable Power
Pipeline Gains Support
A long-dreamed power cable con-
necting Iceland to Europe, export-
ing the islands vast geothermal
and hydropower resources into
mainland markets, appears to be
gaining favor again.
Both Icelands president la-
fur Ragnar Grmsson and for-
mer U.K. energy minister Charles
Hendry, speaking at a fall con-
ference in London, claimed a
number of international inves-
tors are expressing interest in
pursuing the project, a proposed
1,000+ kilometer subsea power
cable that would export Icelands
potential 18 TWh of geothermal
and hydropower out to power-
hungry European nations, com-
manding higher prices and creat-
ing a green revenue stream.
Logistics aside, it's a complex
proposal. Tapping those higher
market prices could potentially
raise domestic electricity rates,
particularly for businesses. And
those same renewable resources
have kept Icelands electricity
and heating prices very low,
helping the nation work through
especially painful times during
the recent financial crisis.
A second feasibility study is
already underway for the project,
which could cost as much as 4.0
billion (U.S. $6.4 billion) and take
until 2022 to complete. Neverthe-
less, theres no doubt in my mind
that in Britain the political will
is there, so if there is a political
will in Iceland, we want to work
together, declared Hendry.
EUROPE
EC Highlights Energy Storage in
Energy Infrastructure Push
The European Commission
(EC) has highlighted 248 energy
infrastructure projects of com-
mon interest that it wants to
accelerate as part of a 5.85 bil-
lion budget in trans-European
energy infrastructure for 2014-
2020. Among them are about
140 projects related to renew-
able energy and electricity
transmission: German offshore
wind interconnections, pumped
hydro in Northwest Ireland and
Austria, compressed air in U.K.
salt caverns. (Heres the full
list, updated every two years.)
This fast-tracking will mean
faster planning and permitting
(no more than three and a half
years) with one national com-
petent authority acting as a
one-stop shop to lower admin-
istration costs and increase the
transparency of the projects.
Theres also the possibility that
some projects will receive finan-
cial support under the Connect-
ing Europe facility, though many
of these projects can be done
with EU money.
First call for proposals to
receive grants will be in early
2014, for projects that face dif-
ficulties in their commercial
viability, according to the EC.
Enhanced loans, project bonds,
and equity instruments will
be available separately, offered
and managed by internation-
al financing institutions such as
the European Investment Bank.
Once the list of projects is sub-
mitted to the European Parlia-
ment and Council theyll have
two months to oppose it (with a
potential two-month extension);
if they dont reject the list it will
enter into force.
1311REW_12 12 11/22/13 10:47 AM

1311REW_13 13 11/22/13 10:47 AM
news R
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Record Growth for UK
Offshore Wind Energy
Wind energy installed capacity
in the U.K. surged 40 percent
to roughly 9.7 gigawatts (GW)
between June 2012 and June 2013,
and within that is a significant
shift in onshore vs. offshore activ-
ity, according to trade group
RenewableUK.
Roughly 1.4 GW of new capaci-
ty was commissioned during that
12-month period, resulting in a
79 percent jump in total offshore
wind capacity to about 3.3 GW,
mainly thanks to four projects
including the world-topping 630-
MW London Array. Meanwhile,
onshore wind added 1.25 GW of
new capacity during the same
period, a 25 percent increase to
about 6.4 GW cumulatively.
Part of that changeover is due
to declining onshore wind project
sizes amid a rise in smaller-scale
projects (below 5 MW) under the
feed-in tariff (FIT), which make
up two-thirds of new submis-
sions. Meanwhile, fewer large
sites are becoming available.
Investors surveyed by Renew-
ableUK see a better investment
climate this year, likely due to
resolution of the Government
Onshore Review which shored
up the support for onshore wind
under the Renewables Obliga-
tion (to 0.9 ROC/MWh). But their
views for the investment climate
ahead are tempered by increas-
ing worries about the long-term
outlook and concerns about the
Governments policy commit-
ment, the group claims.
ONSHORE AND OFFSHORE UK WIND PROJECTS (in MW), JUNE 2012-JUNE 2013
Operating Commissioned
In
Construction Consented In Planning
Onshore
England 1,438 366 479 444 1,148
Scotland 3,983 791 958 928 4,832
Wales 481 58 67 156 1,142
N. Ireland 487 43 67 63 621
UK-wide 6,389 1,258 1,571 1591 7,743
Offshore
England 2,981 1,463 721 1,489 4,100
Scotland 190 0 0 100 1,500
Wales 150 0 576 0 0
N. Ireland 0 0 0 0 0
UK-wide 3,321 1,463 1,297 1,589 5,600
Credit: RenewableUK
1311REW_14 14 11/22/13 10:47 AM
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Find the solution at www.swissre.com/renewables
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provider of Solar Impulse, the only manned aircraft to y day and
night with only the power of the sun.
1311REW_15 15 11/22/13 10:47 AM
NORTH AMERICA
news R
E
G
I
O
N
A
L
Driving Development
of Canadian Biomass,
Energy Storage
Canadas National Research Coun-
cil (NRC) is launching new research
programs to improve the technolo-
gies and economics in two renew-
able energy areas: bioenergy and
energy storage.
The Bioenergy Systems for Via-
ble Stationary Applications pro-
gram is a multiyear strategic R&D
initiative to help Canadian com-
panies in forestry, agriculture, and
municipal solid waste capitalize on
opportunities in converting locally
sourced biomass into station-
ary energy (heat and power) sys-
tems, helping them develop and
deploy integrated solutions for
near-term stationary markets
where bioenergy is already cost-
competitive. Specifically, the NRC
is seeking to address technical
and cost barriers at the interface
between biofuels and the power
plant: increasing biomass conver-
sion efficiencies, optimizing biofuel
upgrading processes, resolving bio-
fuel compatibility issues, and low-
ering capital and operating costs.
Meanwhile, the NRC also is
launching a program to explore
grid-scale energy storage technol-
ogies close to the load to help sta-
bilize generation of intermittent
renewable energy, enable peak
shaving and arbitrage, and defer
costs of new transmission and
distribution. The Energy Storage for
Grid Security and Modernization
program aims to reduce costs by at
least 50 percent from todays levels,
to under $500/kWh energy rating
and less than $1,250/kWh power
rating, while doubling operating
Proposed U.S. Legislation Could
Empower Small-Scale Hydropower
Only three percent of the U.S
80,000 dams currently generate
electricity, a potential untapped
resource of up to 12 GW genera-
tion capacity, according to the
U.S. Department of Energy. Two
similar bills that have now passed
overwhelmingly with bipartisan
support in the U.S. Senate and
House of Representatives could
unlock that potential by grant-
ing more authority to the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers for water
resource development activities,
including hydropower.
The Water Resources
Reform and Development Act
of 2013 (House Resolution
3080) would preserve Congress
role in authorizing projects at
Corps dams and reservoirs,
upon which many co-ops are
heavily dependent, while also
preventing ad hoc alterations that
could present a risk to federal
hydropower generation. The
legislation includes provisions to
streamline the Water Resources
Development Act of 1986 by
limiting feasibility studies
1311REW_16 16 11/22/13 10:47 AM
North Americas Premier Exhibition
and Conference for the Solar Industry
Moscone Center, San Francisco
The solar hotspot for connecting 18,000 visitors from
80 countries and 600 international exhibitors
Meet the decision makers who are shaping the solar market
Identify prospects and implement your business strategies
Tap into the incredible potential of the U.S. solar market
Go solar at North America's most-attended solar event
Exhibit now!
Co-located with
Golden trees in
autumn sun, via
Shutterstock
lifetimes to exceed 15 years. The
efforts will engage stakeholders at
all levels in a multiparty collabora-
tion model, from utilities and inde-
pendent power producers (IPPs) to
suppliers of storage materials, com-
ponents, and controls.
durations (to three years) and costs

(to $3 million), while requiring them
to be conducted concurrently and
initiated within 90 days of their
submission. A Senate version of the
bill (S.601) passed this spring, also
with strong support. The next step
is likely formation of a committee
to expeditiously resolve any
differences between the two.
1311REW_17 17 11/22/13 10:48 AM

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
news R
E
G
I
O
N
A
L
South Africa Plants
Renewable Energy Flag
In a third of five planned tenders, dubbed Window 3, South Africas
Department of Energy has approved 33.8 billion rand (roughly U.S.
$3.3 billion) for 17 clean energy projects totaling 1.45 GW of capacity,
chosen from a pool of 93 applicants for 6 GW of proposed renewable
energy. Seven of the preferred bidders are for wind energy develop-
ment (787 MW), six for solar PV (450 MW), two for concentrated solar
(200 MW), one for biomass (16.5 MW), and one for landfill gas (18
MW). Financial closing for the projects is expected by next summer.
South Africas Renewable Energy Independent Power Produc-
er Procurement Program (REIPPPP) aims to bring nearly 4 GW of
renewable energy online by 2016, and 10,000 GWh of renewable
energy. Long-term power-purchase agreements (PPA) with state
utility Eskom, which supplies practically all the nations power
(and almost all of that from coal), reportedly helped drive $5.7 bil-
lion of clean energy investments to South Africa in 2012, about a
quarter of the total invested in sub-Saharan Africa.
More Scrutiny, Disagreements

Over Nile Hydropower Project
Proponents of a $4.2 billion, 6-GW dam to be built in Ethiopia on a
Nile tributary are in disagreement over re-examining the project,
after calls for a more in-depth look at its reliability. Water minis-
ters from Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt are mulling over whether to
launch new studies of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, set
to be Africas largest when completed in 2017, after concerns from
international experts over how it will be filled and discharged and
its downstream impacts including reducing flow of the Nile,
upon which Egypt depends heavily for its water. Egypt reportedly
wants to bring in trusted international consultancies from neu-
tral countries for a new study, while Ethiopia doesnt want to
delay or scale down the project, and both Ethiopia and Sudan
believe no extra international oversight is necessary. The three
sides will reconvene in Khartoum in early December.
Djibouti Lines
Up Backers For
Geothermal Push
African nations in the sub-
Saharan regions are turning
to renewable energy to enable
more reliable and cheaper elec-
trification, energy security, and
a cultural self-reliance. Geo-
thermal energy in particular is
being explored in Eastern Afri-
ca as a baseload resource, pur-
sued by several nations from
Kenya to Rwanda to Ethiopia to
Tanzania. And now geothermal
is making inroads into Djibouti,
where the World Bank is pledg-
ing $16 million toward a $31 mil-
lion project in Fiale Caldera in the
Lake Assal region. Other backers
include the OPEC Fund for Inter-
national Development, the Afri-
can Development Bank, the Dan-
ish Sustainable Energy Fund for
Africa, and the Agence Franaise
de Dveloppement, plus a small
kick-in from the government. Dji-
bouti's energy goals dont get any
loftier: 100 percent green ener-
gy by 2020, according to Ilyas
Moussa Dawaleh, Djiboutis Min-
ister of Finance and Economy.
We believe that bringing cut-
ting-edge technology in geother-
mal exploration to Djibouti can
be a true game-changer, added
Inger Andersen, World Bank vice
president for the Middle East and
North Africa region.
1311REW_18 18 11/22/13 10:48 AM

INVITATION TO EXHIBIT
BOOK YOUR SPACE TODAY!
Renewable Energy World Europe, together with POWER-GEN Europe offers unrivalled networking opportunities connecting the utility-
scale renewables and general power industry. The busy exhibition foor is populated by major players in the renewable sector, alongside
a high-level conference featuring strategic and technical presentations by leading experts in the renewable power energy feld. Industry
professionals value the opportunity to come together each year at the annual Renewable Energy World Europe and POWER-GEN Europe
conference and exhibition. No other conference and exhibition brings together these now essential partners in the harmonization of
Europes energy future. Make sure you dont miss out.
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For information on exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.renewableenergyworld-europe.com and select the exhibit
tab or contact:
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E: exhibitree@pennwell.comInternational:
INTERNATIONAL:
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E: exhibitree@pennwell.com
LATIN AMERICA, SPAIN & PORTUGAL:
Juan Gimenez
T: +54 11 4787 3817
E: exhibitree@pennwell.com
1311REW_19 19 11/22/13 10:48 AM
Owned &
Produced by
Presented by Supported by Media Sponsor
5 EVENTS + 5 DAYS
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December 911, 2014
Orange County Convention Center West Halls // Orlando, Fl
www.renewableenergyworld-events.com
Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America offers utilities, project
developers, investors and other stakeholders access to all clean energy options in one
place. Plus, you can visit with traditional power generation companies at the same
time through our co-located events - POWER-GEN International, NUCLEAR POWER
International, the POWER-GEN International Financial Forum and the GenForum.
REGISTER TODAY!
1311REW_20 20 11/22/13 10:48 AM
What Is the Future Utility

Business Model?
Renewable energy technologies are taking off and costs are dropping each year,
so whats holding the industry back? A new report called Americas Power Plan
suggests that the real culprits are outdated utility business models rewarding
utilities for building and maintaining fossil-fuel plants is dragging the industry down.
The report suggests several policy shifts that can help the problem, such as
increasing renewable energy requirements and abandoning rate of return as a
basis for utility proft. Former U.S. Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu
believes that utilities should own, install and maintain residential
solar and storage systems and continue to sell power as they do
now just as phone companies previously owned entire telephone
systems from the telephone lines down to your home phone.
Renewable Energy World asked industry experts to share
their insights on one important question: What do you
think the future utility business model will look like?
The Big Question
Key executives weigh in on worldwide renewable energy issues
Wind turbine transmission
via Shutterstock
Kevin Wedman
Vice President of
Power and Utilities,
Bureau Veritas
North America
THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF FACTORS today that
deter the development of utility-scale renew-
able energy projects, including a lack of reli-
able energy storage technologies, high initial
capital costs and perceived technology perfor-
mance uncertainty. However, one of the most
pressing obstacles to the development of util-
ity-scale renewable energy is the lack of appro-
priate transmission infrastructure to support
these projects.
Several issues contribute to the shortage of
available transmission for renewable energy.
These include: 1) the need for new transmission
corridors to serve remote sites, and 2) the need for extensive environ-
mental impact assessments that often take several years to complete.
Some of the best land for renewable energy development
is located far from demand centers and existing distribution
1311REW_21 21 11/22/13 10:48 AM
The Big Question

networks, therefore the construction of these transmission lines is a huge
undertaking. It requires investment for the construction of thousands of
miles of power lines in multiple jurisdictions, such as the Bureau of Land
Management, state and local governments. In addition, many of the existing
transmission systems that exist today require reconductoring and, in some
cases, a complete overhaul in order to handle the power generated from
renewable sources.
These factors create a bottleneck in the development of renewable
energy projects as they lead to delays in project fnancing, licensing and
permitting, and the receipt of power purchase agreements for the output of
these projects.
Transmission infrastructure will not be constructed without some guar-
antee that there will be generation sites to feed it, yet the generation centers
will not be built without the promise of adequate transmission systems for
the power that is produced. Transmission infrastructure and access is nec-
essary to enhance the renewable energy market and ensure that it is viable
well into the future.
Kevin Wedman has over 25 years of building and safety experience for both jurisdictions
and public agencies. He is currently the vice president of power and utilities for Bureau
Veritas North America in Sacramento, Calif.
MOST OF TODAYS commercially available renewable
energy technologies are subject to the whims of nature:
sunshine intensity fuctuates and wind strength and direc-
tion is diffcult to predict. Storing renewable energy often
is not feasible kinetic storage such as hydroelectric
pumped storage is rarely close by the renewable source
making the supply less controllable than fossil fuels.
Electric utility companies are using dated models to
predict demand that assume peak usage at certain times
of day. Technology advances are increasing the use of elec-
tric vehicles and information-communication technolo-
gies, such as wireless networks used to access cloud services, which means
electricity consumption in the future will be far different from the traditional
load shape we have seen in the last 50 years. More importantly, those models
do not adequately consider input from renewable resources, preventing grid
companies from including them into the supply mix.
Increased adoption of smart meters creates a wealth of new data that
can be collected and analyzed to identify true usage patterns, more accu-
rately forecast demand, and optimize supply. This includes input from
George Danner
Business
Laboratory
1311REW_22 22 11/22/13 10:48 AM
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renewable resources, and
how they can be incor-
porated in the future. My
own experience in demand
forecasting in the UK sug-
gests that smart meters
combined with demo-
graphic data give us a
much sharper picture
of energy consumers of
tomorrow.
Computing advances pro-
vide capability to simulate
and model a wide range of
plausible futures. The reso-
lution rests on regulators,
utility companies and oth-
ers to recognize the need
for our energy models to
adapt, with smarter logic
and comprehensive sce-
nario planning. It is then
that we will be able to visu-
alize the proper role of
renewable technologies in
the energy mix, both now
and in the long run.
Danner has 29 years of
experience in corporate strategy
across multiple industries. At
Business Laboratory, he utilizes
simulation modeling to improve
organizational performance
through problem solving,
optimization and advanced
forecasting. George holds a
bachelors degree in mechanical
engineering from Texas A&M
University and a masters degree
in management from MIT.
For more information,
enter 10 at REW.hotims.com
1311REW_23 23 11/22/13 10:48 AM
NOW THAT UTILITY SCALE SOLAR ENERGY is reaching price
parity with natural gas generation, its time to reward utili-
ties for making the switch.
The price of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels has been fall-
ing at exponential rates for decades. Like many technolo-
gies, the more units sold, the lower the cost. Today there is a
new solar installation every four minutes in America, com-
pared to every 80 minutes just seven years ago. The result?
Solar PV modules now sell for less than $1 USD per watt,
which is more than a 100 fold decrease compared to 1975.
However, other costs now dominate the price equation.
These balance of system costs include the cost of the
inverter and electrical system, mechanical racking, instal-
lation, and permitting. The good news for utility-scale proj-
ects is that these system costs can be at least three times less expensive for
large installations. A solar inverter for a home, for example, may cost more
than 60 cents per watt, whereas a utility buying megawatt-size solar invert-
ers could pay less than 20 cents per watt.
At utility scale power levels, these economies of scale have fnally driven
down the cost of solar to the point of price parity with natural gas generation.
In September 2013, David Eves, CEO of an Xcel subsidiary, shared with
the Denver Business Journal how, this is the frst time that weve seen,
purely on a price basis, that the solar projects made the cut without con-
sidering carbon costs or the need to comply with a renewable energy stan-
dard strictly on an economic basis. Xcel recently proposed adding 170
megawatts of solar, 450 megawatts of wind, and 317 megawatts of natural
gas electricity in Colorado, noting that solar and wind would be the most
cost-effective resources.
Brian MacCleery is the principal product manager for clean energy technology at National
Instruments where he leads design tool development initiatives for advanced FPGA-based
control and simulation applications. MacCleerys mission is to accelerate the design,
prototyping and commercial deployment of smart, grid tied power inverters and other
clean energy technologies.
Brian MacCleery
Principal Product
Manager, Clean
Energy Technology,
National
Instruments

To lend your voice to future discussions, email megc@pennwell.com for more details.
The Big Question

1311REW_24 24 11/22/13 10:48 AM
Conference & Exhibition
1719 March 2014
Cape Town International Convention Centre
Cape Town, Republic of South Africa
www.powergenafrica.com
www.distributechafrica.com
Owned and Produced by: Presented by:
POWER-GEN Africa combines with DistribuTECH Africa for the frst time to
provide an extensive coverage of the power needs, resources, and issues facing
the electricity generation, transmission and distribution industries across
sub-Saharan Africa.
The Pre Show Guide offers you a comprehensive event overview with
everything you need to know to be part of this all inclusive power event.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:
penin Keynore Session learurin keynore speakers
Mr. Dikobe Benedict Martins, Minister of Energy, Republic of South Africa
Mr. Steve J. Lennon, Group Executive, Sustainability, Eskom Group Holdings,
Republic of South Africa
WorlcClass Conlerence Froramme wirh 145 speakers anc 42 conlerence
sessions focussing on hot industry topics
Dynamic ExhiLirion Floor learurin 80 inrernarional exhiLirors anc
technical training workshops
nlormarive Technical Tours ol Eskom's power planr laciliries
WADE Alrica Decenrralizec Enery Workshop
ursrancin Nerworkin pporruniries inclucin penin Feceprion,
Closing Reception and Best Paper Awards
EQUIPPING AFRICAS
ENERGY FUTURE
For Exhibit and Sponsorship Opportunities
please contact:
Leon Stone
Exhibition Sales
Rest of the World
Fhone: 44 (0) 12 c5c c71
Email: leons@pennwell.com
Andrew Evans
Exhibition Sales
Africa
Fhone: 27 (0) 21 30 515
Email: andrewe@pennwell.com
Tom Marler
Exhibition Sales
Renewables & Hydropower
Fhone: 44 (0) 12 c5c c08
Fax: 44 (0) 12 c5c 700
Email: tomm@pennwell.com
PRE SHOW GUIDE OUT NOW -
REGISTER TODAY!
Host Utility Sponsor: Offcial CPD event of:
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT
Save $200 or more if you
register by 18 February 2014!
To register for your Early Bird Discount or for more information, please visit:
www.powergenafrica.com or www.distributechafrica.com
1311REW_25 25 11/22/13 10:48 AM
From electrifying remote villages
in India to tackling landll waste
in California, this years Project
of the Year Award winners
represent the ever-shifting global
renewable energy landscape.
Te 2013 awardees display
excellence in ve renewable
energy technologies: Solar, Wind,
Biomass, Geothermal and Hydro.
Editors from Renewable Energy
World and Power Engineering
selected the winners from among
the nalists in each technology
category. Te award winners were
announced and recognized at
the co-located Renewable Energy
World North America Conference
and Expo and Power-Gen
International in Orlando, Florida.
To be eligible for an award,
a project needs to have been
commissioned between August 1
st
,
2012 and July 31
st
, 2013 and make
a signicant impact on the entire
renewable energy industry. When
judging the nalists, network
editors considered the technology
that was employed as well as the
projects impact on the industry
at large and on the communities
in which they were installed.
Here are some of the projects that
are helping to change the energy
landscape.
Global Excellenc
Project of t
Winners Annou
COVER STORY
Q s ol ar
WINNER: Solar Electrication
of 57 Remote Villages
Deep in the heart of Andhra Pradesh in southern
India, hundreds of villagers huddled by candle-
light to go about their nightly activities, many hav-
ing never seen electricity in their lifetimes until
MEG CICHON, Associate Editor
CLICK TO PLAY THE VIDEO
1311REW_26 26 11/22/13 10:48 AM
ence:
the Year Award
Announced
now. Premier Solar Systems electrifed 57 of these
remote villages with solar energy, and it was no
easy task.
To reach each village, workers typically were
forced to walk several kilometers through wilder-
ness trails, cross rivers by boat, and then walk
some more. A long line of workers carried equip-
ment to each site on foot one with a solar panel,
the next carried a sack of bricks, then a roll of wire,
a bag of nuts and bolts, batter-
ies and so on. After several days
of hauling, technicians, with
help from the locals, would con-
struct an 8-kilowatt (kW) solar array, and the
villagers would fnally see light.
These off-grid projects collect solar ener-
gy throughout the day, which is stored in bat-
teries. At night, a dusk-to-dawn switch is
activated, and the batteries provide fresh
solar energy to the villages. Each installation
powers an average of 23 homes per village.
Street lights are also installed, which turn
off at 9:30 p.m. and switch back on from 5:00
to 7:00 a.m.
According to Premier Solar, the solar
installations have revolutionized the vil-
lages and connected them to the rest of the
world. Construction created jobs for vil-
lagers to earn income, which has allowed
some to purchase electronics and learn the
concept of trade some even opened their
own shops.
Premier Solar will contin-
ue its work to electrify vil-
lages by taking on anoth-
er 20 in Adilabad and 19 in
Khamman.
RUNNER-UP: Solar-Agro-
Electric Model
In Gujarat, India, a solar proj-
ect is providing both elec-
tricity and agricultural ben-
efts. The Solar-Agro-Electric
Model consists of a 3-MW
solar project that spans over
17.5 acres of farmland in a
rural community.
Its a symbiotic relationship.
1311REW_27 27 11/22/13 10:49 AM
COVER S TORY
during its 3-year construction
and 23 full-time permanent
positions.
RUNNER-UP: Marble
River Wind Farm
The 216-MW Marble River
Wind Farm is the frst project
in North America to utilize
the V-112 3-MW wind tur-
bine, however it was not the
frst, or even second, choice.
Starting in 2005, the project
has commenced construction
three times before settling
on the 3-MW turbines due to
environmental concerns.
Due to the resiliency of
developers and local gov-
ernment, the Marble River
Wind Farm was able to min-
imize impact on local wet-
lands from triple digits when
the project began,
to single digits with
the 3-MW turbines.
With more than
150 separate lease-
holders benefting
directly from the
projects cash fows,
Marble River rep-
resents the benefts
that can accrue for
a community. The
towns of Ellenburg
and Clinton, New
York are both sig-
nifcant benefcia-
ries of the wind farm and are
set to acquire million of dol-
lars in royalties.
The panels produce electricity for the villagers, but also provide
necessary shade and security for the growing crops below. The
panels are washed often for increased effciency, and the crops
are watered simultaneously. Post-harvest residues are replaced
under the panels for improved fertilization.
The project has provided agricultural work for 100 villag-
ers, and the crops are sold at local markets and also distributed
among the workers.
Q wi nd
WINNER: Bison Wind Project
In the U.S., phase 2 and 3 of the Bison Wind Project came online
in late 2012, bringing an additional 210 MW of capacity to the
grid. The North Dakota-based project, which is now at a total
capacity of 292 MW, is part of Minnesota Powers larger goal
of transitioning from mostly coal to an energy mix of one-third
renewables, one-third coal and one-third natural gas by 2030.
The project delivers power to customers via a repurposed trans-
mission line built in the late 1970s, which now carries renew-
able wind power rather than coal.
Perhaps what is most unique about the Bison project is its
energy storage arrangement with Manitoba Hydro. When
wind resources are
high or demand is low,
Bison wind energy can
be stored in hydroelec-
tric reserves in Canada
and then utilized when
necessary.
Bison clocks in at a
42-44 percent average
capacity factor, beating
the national 34 percent
average, according to
Minnesota Power. This
performance is due in
part to its use of dino
tail blade technology
patented by Siemens. The spiked blades are more effcient and
quieter than typical turbines.
The project has boosted the local economy, bringing 280 jobs
1311REW_28 28 11/22/13 10:49 AM
COVER S TORY
Q hydr o
WINNER: Xiangjiaba Hydroelectric Power Plant
Along the Jinsha River between the Yunnan and Sichuan Prov-
inces in China is the Xiangjiaba Hydroelectric Power Plant. Part
of Chinas West to East Electricity Transfer Program, which
strives to deliver more power to the ever-growing eastern prov-
inces, the plant will offer 6,400 MW of much-needed power
capacity to the region when it is complete.
Utilizing the highest-output air-cooled hydro generator units
at 800-MW each, all four units at its underground powerhouse
are currently in operation, totaling 3,200 MW of capacity.
The project ranks in at several top-ten lists, including: Chi-
nas third highest capacity hydroelectric plant, the worlds
seventh highest capacity
hydro plant, and the worlds
ninth highest capacity plant
of any fuel type once the
remaining four 800-MW
units come online in 2015.
Due to the sheer size of the
units, custom ventilation and
cooling components were
adapted to prevent ener-
gy losses, and Alstom devel-
oped and patented double-
layer thrust bearing pads
to ensure reliability and
1311REW_29 29 11/22/13 10:49 AM
COVER S TORY
maintain normal pressure distribution. Despite its massive size
and custom parts, developers were able to install and commis-
sion each unit quickly at about two months apart.
Once completely commissioned, the 6,400-MW plant is expect-
ed to supply 40 million people with electricity yearly.
RUNNER-UP: North Fork Skokomish
Powerhouse and Fish Passage Facility
A dual initiative of clean energy and environmental respon-
sibility, the North Fork Skokomish Powerhouse and Fish Pas-
sage Facility in Washington produces clean energy while mind-
ing the fragile fsh habitat of the Skokomish River. The 3.6-MW
facility includes an innovative fsh collection and passage sys-
tem to help bolster the population of Washingtons endangered
steelhead and salmon.
Two dams had blocked fsh since the 1920s, but now the
North Fork facility traps fsh swimming upstream with a safe,
passive-capture system powered by the water discharged by
its turbines. The fsh are then moved to a hopper, which takes
them to the top of the dam where they are sorted then released
into the upper river.
Q geot her mal
WINNER: McGinness Hills
Geothermal Power Plant
Resource exploration is con-
sidered one of the major barri-
ers to geothermal development.
Even if resources are visible
above ground, successful con-
struction is not always a guar-
antee, which is why the McGin-
ness Hills Geothermal Power
Plant developed by ORMAT is
such a notable project. Not only
was the project located amidst
protected wildlife, it was also
a blind resource due to its
lack of surface hot springs and
fumaroles, which means that it
was extremely diffcult to pin-
point and develop.
The 30-MW project located
in Nevada was developed with
a mix of conventional and inno-
vative exploration techniques
and tests, including soil mercu-
ry geochemistry, geologic map-
ping, gravity survey, 3-D GIS
modeling, slim hole drilling,
and well testing. This data was
compiled into reservoir model-
ing technology, partially fund-
ed by the U.S. Department of
Energy, which was able to show
a clearer picture of what was
brewing underground. Due to
this extensive testing, the typi-
cally 3-year permitting process
was fnished in less than two,
while mechanical construction
took less than eight months.
Developers also took special
care not to disrupt the fragile
1311REW_30 30 11/22/13 10:49 AM
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COVER S TORY
sage grouse habitat a bird
local to that area of Nevada.
Efforts included minimizing
noise impact, continued mon-
itoring or impact analysis,
construction noise limitations
to not disrupt mating season,
and underground piping to
reduce land impact.
With its huge presence in
Nevada, ORMAT has donat-
ed more than $200,000 to
local educational institutions
to contribute to the develop-
ment of the geothermal work-
force, while also establishing
hundreds of jobs at its power
plants across the state.
1311REW_31 31 11/22/13 10:49 AM
COVER S TORY
Q bi oener gy
WINNER: Sacramento BioDigester
Communities around the globe are scrambling to fnd ways to
fght a mountainous problem: landflls. Though recycling and
effciency efforts have come a long way over the years, it is still
a growing issue that must be contained, which is why the city of
Sacramento, California has developed the Sacramento BioDigest-
er the largest biodigester in the U.S.
A technology that is fnally gaining steam, the biodigester
facility processes 10,000 tons of food and agricultural waste
per year that would have
otherwise been thrown
in a landfll. According to
developers, the digester
generates the equivalent
of 2 MW of energy in the
forms of heat, electricity
and gas. For example, it
produces nearly 200,000
diesel gallon equivalents
of renewable natural gas
and enough fertilizer
enhancements to supply
more than 20,000 acres of
farmland.
The Sacramento Bio-
Digester has also been
deemed a zero-waste
facility it generates
enough electricity to power both its operations and the neigh-
bor fueling facility, and remnants from the waste are used as
fertilizer. The biodigester project has been so successful in fact
that as of June 2013, it has started the process of scaling up to
process 40,000 tones of waste per year.
The project began in 2004, when professor Dr. Ruihong
Zhang of the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) urged
the school to take part in the advancement of anaerobic
digesters. The California Energy Commission soon partnered
with UC Davis and invested in research initiatives. In 2009,
CleanWorld was established, and together with several Cali-
fornia businesses and establishments, developed the Sacra-
mento BioDigester.
The facility supports 16
green jobs and more than
$10 million in economic
activity. The CleanWorld bio-
digester manufacturing facil-
ity also hosts 12 permanent
positions in the Marysville
community.
RUNNER-UP: Gainesville
Renewable Energy
Center
The 100-MW Gainesville
Renewable Energy Center
(GREC) biomass facility locat-
ed in Gainesville, Florida was
just commissioned this sum-
mer. The project uses boiler
and turbine technology that
reduces emissions and meets
stringent Maximum Available
Control (MACT) standards.
1311REW_32 32 11/22/13 10:49 AM
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COVER S TORY
Its 930,000-pound per hour
bubbling fuidized bed boiler
(BFB) supplied by Metso and
a 116.1-MW Siemens turbine
provide low-combustion and
low-excess air, which results
in minimal emissions.
GREC uses waste wood
from sustainable sources
such as forestry and saw-
mill operations, urban wood
waste and storm debris.
Addressing sustainabili-
ty concerns, GREC abides
by strict forest sustainabili-
ty rules that are designed for
long-term forest health and
productivity.
Q r eader s' c hoi c e
WINNER: Solar Electrication of 57 Remote Villages
1311REW_33 33 11/22/13 10:49 AM
SOL AR
Microinverters Moving
Into Commercial-scale Solar:
When Will It Happen?
Nearly ubiquitous in U.S. residential solar rooftops,
microinverters are poised to break into commercial-
scale installations heres why, where, and how.
JAMES MONTGOMERY, Associate Editor
Back in mid-August, Vine Fresh Produce in Ontario unveiled
a 2.3-MW solar rooftop array on its greenhouse, the largest
commercial rooftop project under the provinces feed-in tar-
iff (FIT). This system notably incorporates a technology thats
been more familiar in the U.S. residential solar market: micro-
inverters. (The devices, made in Enphases Ontario plant,
helped the project qualify for that FIT.) Weeks ago Enphase fol-
lowed that up with another large-sized project using microin-
verters, 3.1-MW of distributed solar across 125 buildings for
the San Diego Unifed School District.
Those announcements were meant as stakes in the ground.
Weve proven [microinverter technology] in residential, were
proving ourselves in small commercial... but our ambitions are
much bigger than that, said Raghu Belur, Enphase co-founder
and VP of products and strategic initiatives. Were seeing peo-
ple deploy [microinverters] in signifcantly larger systems.
Microinverter technology is rapidly gaining traction. Ship-
ments will reach 580 MW this year, with sales topping $283
million, and average global prices sinking 16 percent to $0.49/
Watt, according to Cormac Gilligan, IHS senior PV market
analyst. By 2017 he sees shipments soaring to 2.1 GW with
revenues of about $700 million, and expansion beyond the U.S.
into several regional markets, especially those in early stag-
es of development that might be more open to newer tech-
nologies: Australia, France, the U.K., Switzerland, and even
Hawaii. Japans big residential solar market is especial-
ly attractive, but poses certifcation challenges and strong
domestic competition. Navigant Research, meanwhile, pegs
the combined market for module-level power electronics
1311REW_34 34 11/22/13 10:49 AM
(microinverters and DC optimizers) at nearly 53 GW installed
from 2013-2020.
But as those two Enphase projects illustrate, theres anoth-
er growth area for microinverters besides regional expansion
upward into commercial-sized rooftop solar installations.
The same reasons residential customers like microinverters
apply to small-scale commercial projects: offset partial shad-
ing, more precise monitoring at the individual module level,
provide a more holistic readout of what the system is produc-
ing, and improve safety because they typically use a lot lower
voltage. Just nine percent of microinverter shipments in 2012
were to commercial-scale use,
noted Gilligan but he sees
those surging to nearly a third
of shipments by 2017.
Whos Making Microinverters
The microinverter space is get-
ting crowded (see table on next
page), if not yet a model of par-
ity. Enphase continues to dom-
inate with more than half of
the sectors revenues in 2012,
four million units cumulatively
shipped and four product gener-
ations. We are a high-tech com-
pany that happens to be in the
solar sector, Belur explained.
Compared with what he called
the big iron, big copper guys
who are now broadening their
inverter portfolios with micro-
inverters, were all about semi-
conductors, communications,
and software. The compa-
ny designs its own chips for its
microinverters, and outsources
manufacturing to Flextronics.
SMA is one of those afore-
mentioned big inverter suppliers
that is broadening its reach; it
entered the microinverter game
with the 2009 acquisition of
Dutch frm OKE. In the residen-
tial market it became clear to us
that customers were interested
in the microinverter architec-
ture, said Bates Marshall, VP of
SMA Americas medium-power
solutions group. With the emer-
gence of the U.S. solar end-mar-
ket, SMA recently started ship-
ping microinverters to the U.S.
Vine Fresh Produces 2.3-MW
(2-MW AC) solar project in
Ontario. Credit: Enphase.
1311REW_35 35 11/22/13 10:49 AM
SOL AR
from its German inventories, but a production
line is now being qualifed at the companys Den-
ver facility. SMA also is willing to push some R&D
and product development over here so we get to
drive the bus to a greater extent, he said.
Power-One, recently bought by ABB, also aims
to supply whatever type of power conversion
capability customers need, noted Chavonne Yee,
director of product management for North Amer-
ica. So far demand for microinverters has come
from the U.S. residential market, offering high
granularity and maximum power point tracking
(MPPT). However, she sees most of the commer-
cial-scale demand switching from traditional cen-
tral inverters to three-phase string inverters, not microinverters.
Module supplier ReneSola also sells a standalone microinvert-
er; Brian Armentrout, marketing director, touted the typical fea-
tures with some higher (208-240) voltage options for small light
commercial, but at a 15-20 percent lower price point. He proj-
ects that ReneSola will be in the top three next year for micro-
inverter sales, while simultaneously aiming high for the top spot
in module shipments. Down the road the company wants to take
the end-around route of integrating microinverters directly onto
solar panels; its gen-2 microinverter should be available in the
spring of 2014.
Others are looking to integrate microinverters directly into the
modules as well. SolarBridge has worked closely with SunPower
and BenQ to design its microinverters to eliminate several com-
ponents that typically fail, notably the electrolytic capacitors and
opto-isolators, explained Craig Lawrence, VP of marketing. They
also minimize other typical costs such as cabling, grounding
wires and even tailoring the microinverter for a specifc module
type to optimize the microinverters frmware, he explained. He
sees the trend to bring microinverters into the commercial-scale
environment, particularly with SolarBridges more recent sec-
ond-generation microinverters in the past year or so.
Microinverters vs. String Inverters
In general, installers are making a choice between microinvert-
ers and string inverters, comparing functionalities and costs.
Both sides make a case for reliability: microinverters use fewer
components and represent lower cost when something does fail;
Solar panels on a building for the San Diego Unified
School District. Credit: Enphase.
string inverter vendors point
out microinverters have only
been on the market for a few
years and cant make sub-
stantial claims about reliabil-
ity. Another consideration:
the sheer number of micro-
inverter devices in the feld
potentially requiring repair/
replacement could be daunt-
ing, points out IHS Gilligan.
SolarBridges Lawrence
argues in favor of microin-
verters on an operations &
maintenance (O&M) basis.
Central inverters account for
half of an O&M budget and
its the single highest failure
component in a solar PV sys-
tem; thats why theres been
a shift from those to string
inverters on commercial-
scale solar. All the reasons
youd do that, are the exact
same reasons to go from
string inverters to microin-
verters, he said. You want
as much redundancy and
1311REW_36 36 11/22/13 10:49 AM
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1311REW_37 37 11/22/13 10:49 AM
SOL AR
granularity as you can possibly get, to maximize your rooftop
utilization and simplify your O&M. Factoring in replacement
costs, labor savings in not having work with high-voltage DC,
for most of our customers that alone is enough to justify the
additional [price] premium. With a microinverter youll know
when (and which) one panel is underperforming, and it might
be tolerable to just leave it alone; on a string inverter you might
not know where the problem is while you lose power over the
entire string, he pointed out.
Scott Wiater, president of installer Standard Solar, acknowledg-
es that microinverter technologies and reliability have improved
over the past couple of years, but hes not convinced this is an
argument in their favor vs. string inverters. I have concerns over
the long term, he said. If you truly believe youre going to get
25 years out of a microinverter with no maintenance, that might
hold true, but we havent had that experience. In fact he advises
that any residential or commercial system should plan to replace
whatever inverter it uses at least once over a 20-year lifetime.
Commercial-scale Adoption: Yes or No?
Both inverter vendors and solar installers seem to agree that the
choice of microinverters vs. string inverters for commercial solar
settings is emerging in light commercial applications. Not every-
one, though, thinks the technology is quite ready to move up in
scale to the commercial level.
For projects under 50 kW,
we have found that microin-
verters can be positive for the
project LCOE [levelized cost of
energy] on an all-in basis,
explained Jeremy Jones, CTO
of SoCore Energy, an early
adopter of microinverters,
including commercial solar
projects into the hundreds of
kilowatts in size. In general
the technologys high granu-
larity of real time data is very
useful in the ongoing asset
management, and SoCores
projects with microinvert-
ers have consistently out-
performed our other string
inverter and central inverter
sites. The technology stacks
up favorably to central and
string inverters (especially
for three-phase 208-volt sys-
tems) in terms of added costs,
he said: warranty extensions,
third-party monitoring, and
other balance-of-systems
costs. Microinverters perfor-
mance and low-cost warran-
ties also beneft longer-term
fnance deals, he added.
However, above 50 kW we
have had a harder time mak-
ing microinverters pencil on
typical projects, Jones added.
Until costs come down, those
larger-sized projects where
microinverters can make
sense tend to be unique cases
where theres a higher value
per kilowatt-hour (higher
Established
Microinverter Supplier
Inverter Suppliers
Offering
Microinverters Start-Ups
Enphase Energy Power-One AE Conversion
SMA SolarBridge
Darfon Enecsys
Samil Power APS
Omnik Chilicon Power
i-Energy
Involar
TABLE
1311REW_38 38 11/22/13 10:49 AM
lll/N bH0 / 9 l/Y ZC4
SOL AR
electric rates or SREC values), or sites that can maximize kWh
per kW due to high balance-of-systems costs, such as parking
canopies, he explained.
SMAs Marshall is bullish on the commercial market because
thats where the volume will be for inverters in general, but he
doesnt see it as a big boon for microinverters because of what he
calculates as a 25-30 cents/Watt cost delta vs. residential string
inverters. In the residential space there are ways to knock pric-
es down to mitigate that difference, but in the commercial space
that gap is too big for the average buyer, he said. As a main-
stream option? We dont see it today. Microinverters may work
for some unique projects such as campuses or municipalities
spanning multiple buildings, but the big growth in commercial
solar will be in large retailers, big fat open roofs, and big fat
structures like carports, he said, and for those a three-phase
inverter blows the door off in terms of raw economics.
Other vendors echoed that sentiment. We are seeing some
demand in small light commercial applications ranging from
50-kW up to 500-kW, said
ReneSolas Armentrout, but
beyond that point string
inverters make more sense.
SolarBridges Lawrence
similarly sees a lot of activi-
ty in smaller commercial set-
tings (100-kw or less), tallying
to 15-20 percent of the com-
panys product installations.
But while the company is bid-
ding into projects ranging up
to 1 MW, its harder to make
the case above 250 kW, he
acknowledged. Those dont
pencil out for us right now.
Anything below around
one megawatt, we are
1311REW_39 39 11/22/13 10:49 AM
SOL AR
shifting from a central to more of a string inverter, but were
certainly not going to the microinverter level yet nor do we
think we will anytime soon, said Standard Solars Wiater. The
economics behind the projects and having it pencil out, micro-
inverters just cant compete with string or central inverters on
a larger scale. While microinverters can help on some rooftop
applications where shading might be an issue (close to elevator
shafts, vents, HVAC units), a more tightly-designed system with
an effcient string inverter can have a much better return for
the customer, he said.
Jeff Jankiewicz, project/logistics manager at Renewable Ener-
gy Corporation in Maryland, defnitely considers microinvert-
ers as part of a system design; we like the performance and eff-
ciency they provide. His company focuses on residential and
small commercial projects the largest theyve done is a 20-kW
system out in Marylands horse country and anything big-
ger than that would be a case-by-case comparison, specifcally
weighing shading and energy conversion.
Microinverters and the Grid: Te Solar Industrys Next Battle
Everyone we talked with about microinverters agreed on one
thing: theres a growing need to incorporate more advanced grid
management capabilities, such as reactive power and low-voltage
ride-throughs, giving utilities more control to reach in and curtail
availability to support grid reliability. Those grid-management
capabilities are already coming and very, very soon, Lawrence
urged, pointing to new requirements being codifed in Australia
and the U.S. probably following within a year or so. Californias
already devising an update to its Rule 21 to include technology
requirements for enabling such interconnection and control func-
tions in distributed generators.
Integration of energy storage, which recently got its own Cal-
ifornia state mandate, is another looming question as it relates
to inverters. Standard Solars Wiater thinks addressing the
issue of buffering solar energys intermittency is an even big-
ger challenge for inverters than grid-friendly controls. Some
inverters are being designed to interact with energy storage, he
noted, but he questions how that would work for a microinvert-
er, claiming it defeats the purpose of switching from DC to AC
on a roof and then converting back to DC again. Power-Ones
Yee, meanwhile, sees more distributed solar combined with
battery storage as a tipping point in favor of multi-port string
inverters being a more cost-
effective approach.
SMA, Power-One, ReneSo-
la, and SolarBridge all echoed
concern over regulations and
requirements coming down
the road that will necessi-
tate microinverters becoming
more grid-friendly. They also
questioned whether all micro-
inverter architectures are
suited for such site-level con-
trols and specifcally called
out market-leading Enphase,
which they said is limited in
its architecture and topology.
Those criticisms are an
oversimplifcation of the
problem, responds Enphases
Belur. We 100 percent sup-
port the need for advanced
grid functions, and we are
absolutely capable of provid-
ing those, he said. Enphase
offers several of those func-
tions in Europe such as ride-
through and ramp rate, but
other functions such as reac-
tive voltage/power fow con-
trol arent allowed in North
America under current IEEE
and IL regulations. The com-
pany will continue to work
to enable those grid-man-
agement requirements here
but Belur urges it must
be done judiciously through
standards, certifcation and
testing bodies, and with poli-
cy support to make it all hap-
pen: It needs to be done,
lets do it properly. By the
1311REW_40 40 11/22/13 10:49 AM
PVSYST SA | 107 route du Bois-de-Bay - 1242 Satigny - Switzerland | admin@pvsyst.com
available on www.pvsyst.com aavailaable o on www w om .co yst. vsy w.pv w
Designed for engineers, architects, researchers, education
SOL AR
time Rule 21 requirements are offcial sometime by mid-2014,
Enphase pledges to have a fully compliant product.
On the installer side, Wiater agrees that grid management fea-
tures are coming, and that the bigger inverter technologies (and
vendors) have been out in front of some of these requirements,
e.g. to curtail output. SoCores Jones isnt seeing customers or
utilities push strongly for such capabilities yet, but specing
these features in now will allow us to future proof our designs
and open up possible future revenue streams.
This issue might have bigger ramifcations than just compet-
itive gamesmanship between inverter suppliers. As distributed
solar generation increases its penetration into the grid, utilities
will say they cant support it without stronger control capabili-
ties, SolarBridges Lawrence warned. Likely this will be hashed
out in negotiations between the solar industry and utilities and
implemented via codes and standards that are applicable to
everyone but the solar industry as a whole needs to get out in
front of that conversation and its resolution. The solar industry
is going to have to partici-
pate, or utilities will have a
good case why they can limit
the penetration of solar PV,
Lawrence said. He cited dis-
cussions that his compa-
ny has had with a large U.S.
solar developer, which listed
smart-grid control capabili-
ties as one of its top-four pri-
orities for the coming year,
so they believe its com-
ing. Getting the solar indus-
try working together to help
speed these capabilities
along will help head off util-
ity objections to more and
more solar.
1311REW_41 41 11/22/13 10:49 AM
t
h
e
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
In late September 2013, NRG, Bechtel and Brightsource Energy, develop-
ers of the massive Ivanpah Solar project, announced that the system pro-
duced energy when it was connected to the grid for the frst time. With a
392-MW capacity, Ivanpah will be the largest solar thermal project in the
world once it is fully operational.
Ivanpah is located in the California Mojave Desert, spans more than
3,000 acres and boasts Google as one of its investors. At Google we invest
in renewable energy projects that have the potential to transform the ener-
gy landscape. Ivanpah is one of those projects, said Rick Needham, Direc-
tor of Energy and Sustainability at Google. Were excited about the project
achieving this frst sync a landmark event along
the path to completion. Congratulations to the many
people who have worked so hard to get this far.
project Proling Stand-out
Renewable Energy
Projects Worldwide
Success! Ivanpah Solar
Reaches First Sync Milestone
1311REW_42 42 11/22/13 10:49 AM
6.
7.
1. & 2. Ivanpah uses more than
170,000 heliostats, essentially large
mirrors, which reflect the solar
energy onto the power tower
in order to create power. These
images show Tower 1s heliostats.
3. The top of tower 1 is lit
demonstrating its ability to
generate power.
4. Heliostats stacked outside
the HAB building during
construction.
5. Aerial image of Ivanpah showing
the three power towers spread over
the 3,000 acre facility.
6. Close-up of the base of Tower 1.
7. Aerial view of Tower 1.
All images credit Bechtel.
By the Numbers
86
170,000
$1.6 B
377MW
21,000
Permanent
jobs in
operations and
maintenance
Heliostats in the desert
DOE loan guarantee to
help fund the project
Construction jobs
at peak build-out
net solar
thermal
capacity
1311REW_43 43 11/22/13 10:49 AM
WI ND TECHNOLOGY
Keeping Safe When Working
with Wind Power
Te wind industry knows that working on
wind projects is a high-risk job. As the industry
grows, employs more people and moves further from
population centers, risks grow too. How do the major
OEMs approach safety standards and procedures in
order to minimize these risks and keep everyone safe?
Wind service technicians
check their safety equipment
at the Panther Creek Wind
Farm. Credit: GE.
TILDY BAYAR, Contributing Editor
Safety procedures are becoming an integral part of OEMs
commercial strategies and are increasingly business-critical,
according to Claus Rose, chairman of the Global Wind Orga-
nization (GWO) and environment, health and safety (EHS)
offcer for Siemens Wind Power Division. As well as want-
ing to keep its workers safe, the industry is responding to
increased regulatory scru-
tiny. Authorities in a num-
ber of countries are starting
to ask how the industry can
assure that it has a proper
safety policy in place, and
how we materialize that,
1311REW_44 44 11/22/13 10:49 AM
he said. These authorities
want evidence that we have it
under control.
Rose said that while the
wind industry is self-regu-
lating with very few legal
requirements around its busi-
ness practices, safety pro-
cedures have evolved as the
wind industry has grown,
and organizations such as the
GWO have worked to estab-
lish standards and promote
their use.
Andy Holt, head of global
projects and services at GE Renewable Energy, said the indus-
try recognizes that safety is a collective concern. It is neutral
ground where competitors work together to share best prac-
tices. This raises the bar for the industry, he said. My coun-
terparts the people who run [EHS] businesses for our com-
petitors feel the same way. Ill share every one of our best
practices tomorrow with anyone who wants them because they
might help someone do their job more safely, he continued.
A High-Risk Job
Among the areas of highest risk for wind farm workers, Rose
pointed to the risk of electrical incidents when working with
high- and low-voltage equipment as highly critical. Such inci-
dents can result in explosions and serious injury.
Then you have very simple things which people dont realize
A tower at the Siemens
wind service training
center in Orlando,
Florida. Credit: Siemens.
1311REW_45 45 11/22/13 10:49 AM
WI ND TECHNOLOGY
are problems, he continued. Materials handling, where workers
carry around very heavy stuff in conditions that are cramped,
closed and very tight, is such an area. Manual handling training
is part of the GWOs standard for basic safety training.
During turbine installation, lifting is a major area of concern.
This is where the industry is very different from oil & gas off-
shore, or other major construction onshore, Rose said. The
number of lifts we do on a turbine site, whether during installa-
tion or O&M, is extremely high. Lifting is a main focus area for
safety within the wind industry, he added.
When asked about the safety concerns related to working at
height, Rose said: Sometimes there is an assumption that just
because it is very high up in the air it must, by default, be a
major risk area. It isnt, because we have a very good idea of how
to control it, the safety systems involved are quite well developed,
and we have well-equipped turbines. While working at height is
always a risk, he said, and it is defnitely on the radar, it is not
the most signifcant concern at this time.
For Holt, the safety areas GE is most focused on are working at
height, lockout/tagout, and driver safety.
Lockout/tagout, or LOTO, allows workers to put a personal lock
on any power source while working on it, tagging it during the
work so only that worker can unlock it and return it to service
when the work is fnished.
Then we have soft tissue injuries, Holt said, where work-
ers can fip and hurt their back, try to lift something and strain
their shoulder, twist an ankle. These injuries are regrettable
and we struggle to eliminate them everyone does, he said.
But of greater concern are driving accidents One of the most
dangerous things people do every day is drive, he said where
workers may be driving big trucks in remote areas on unpre-
pared roads, or even off-road. Holt said all of GEs drivers receive
yearly defensive driving training.
During installation, he said, there is a lot of crane work and
the risk from suspended loads is huge. Youve got very large
cranes lifting very tall tower sections and aligning them; then
people bolting things together so in addition to working at
height, LOTO and heavy equipment handling, there are also sus-
pended loads. Working under a suspended load is forbidden and
workers have to constantly make sure theres no one under the
load, he said.
Instilling a Safety Culture
Rose said safety on the job
has a lot to do with mental-
ity. Siemens aims to instill
in its workers a mindset of
safety that goes beyond the
work environment, he adds.
In general, Rose is against
micro-regulating aspects
of the work environment
such as housekeeping, the
industry term for keeping
work areas clean and free of
1311REW_46 46 11/22/13 10:49 AM
WI ND TECHNOLOGY
obstructions. Mentality is more important than making rules,
he said; rules are the outcome of poor management. With good
management and high worker awareness, you can have very
few rules. If workers have good risk awareness, theyve already
done whatever it takes to move everything that can put them in
harms way. Workers personal and professional commitment to
safety will reduce accidents more than management telling them
to be safe, he said.
Further, he stressed that good management includes explain-
ing to workers why safety rules and procedures are important. If
you say [workers] cannot do something and dont tell them why,
and they dont understand the risks associated with it, the rules
will be less effective, he said. In the US, Siemens has developed
a campaign for workers
called I Am Safety that takes
the campaign back into the
home, asking whether work-
ers would consider something
safe to do at home.
While GE has dedicated
EHS staff, Holt said, they are
limited in number. Instead
we rely on people who have
extra EHS training to be
part-time EHS people that
are more highly trained than
Technicians at the Siemens
wind service training
center in Newcastle, U.K.
learn about safety when
performing wind O&M.
Credit: Siemens.
1311REW_47 47 11/22/13 10:49 AM
WI ND TECHNOLOGY
regular workers. Theyre there at the site, and there are more of
them than the full-time EHS folks. And everyone has a certain
level of awareness. Everyones an EHS person, he said.
GEs workers are also trained to take responsibility for per-
sonal injury prevention. Climbing up and down wind towers
is strenuous exercise: Holt refers to wind O&M as an athletic
event and to GEs workers as industrial athletes who receive
gym memberships, healthy eating training and stretching pro-
grams to begin the working day.
Learning From Other Industries
Naturally, a young industry will look to older sectors for guid-
ance. Theres a whole climbing industry out there, people who
climb mountains, TV towers; theres a lot of working at heights
in the world. We reach out to those industries because theyre
often ahead of us, said Holt. And GEs safety policies have been
informed by its experience in other sectors. We have a safety
culture born of GE aircraft engines, gas turbines, the nuclear
business, the railroad industry, the medical industry which has
been applied to the younger wind business, he said.
For an example, he explained, In the nuclear business the
last thing you want to do is drop tools you dont want to drop
something metal into a nuclear reactor or any part of a nuclear
system. Our nuclear business has a variety of tethering technol-
ogies that help us tie up tools so if you drop them they dont fall,
and weve applied that to working at heights you dont want
to drop something down through a wind turbine tower either.
Rose believes that talking to other industries is critical to
moving wind safety forward. Experience from the offshore oil &
gas industry, for example, could help in setting up requirements
for the new types of service vessels that will be increasingly used
as wind farms move further offshore.
Future-Proong Safety
GE is constantly changing our procedures and products in order
to be safer, Holt said. And were always watching the latest reg-
ulations, rules and codes to make sure our products are compli-
ant. Trade associations AWEA and EWEA are particularly act-
ive in pushing legislation and procedures to help improve safety,
he said.
Safety standards and procedures will continue to be adapted
in reaction to wind farm accidents, Rose said, but on the other
hand we can help put rules in
place where we see a need,
not based on incident statis-
tics but supported by a risk
profle. The industry wants
to not just be reactive, he
said, but to be ahead of the
game.
Among other issues, the
GWO is currently looking into
safety procedures for vessel-
to-site crew transfers, work-
ing with the Internation-
al Maritime Organization to
establish standards. It is also
looking at designing tests
and standards for worker ft-
ness, for example to avoid
cases of seasickness or dizzi-
ness at height. And, Rose said,
as wind sites move further
away from population centers
and even from land, there is
a growing need for training
requirements for advanced
frst aid workers who can
close the gap between emer-
gency medical staff, who may
take a while to arrive at the
scene of an accident, and
basic frst aid.
On-site safety is a con-
tinually moving target,
explained Rose, because
we dont know whats going
to happen. We can antici-
pate events and try to work
in that direction, but we may
get surprised along the way
and have to shift lanes. You
dont know whats going to
hit you.
1311REW_48 48 11/22/13 10:49 AM
Event Organizers: Presented by: Supporting Organization:
EXHIBITION AND SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES
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Exhibit Sales Manager
PennWell
T: +44 (0) 1992 656 645
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E: amandak@pennwell.com
INVITATION TO EXHIBIT
If you are involved in the renewable energy industry and are looking to increase
your business and knowledge in the region, then join us as an exhibitor in New Delhi
for Renewable Energy World India 2014 the regions premier renewable energy
industry event.
With a track record of selling out well in advance, now is the time to book your
booth space to ensure you get a premium position.
Take advantage of this prime opportunity and reach out to the industrys key
decision makers by attending Renewable Energy World India 2014 to:
|aunoh new produots
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Meet your oustomers faoe-to-faoe
For further information about exhibiting at Renewable Energy World India 2014,
visit www.renewableenergyworldindia.com
Co-located with:
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KEY TO INDIAS
FUTURE GROWTH
57 MAY 2014
PRAGATI MAIDAN
NEW DE|Hl, lNDlA
www.renewableenergyworldindia.com
Tom Marler
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1311REW_49 49 11/22/13 10:49 AM
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE GRI D
Subsea Cables
Bring Offshore Wind
Power to the People
Cables are increasingly recognized as a crucial aspect
of wind farm construction and operation. Here, we
ofer a glimpse of a Norwegian subsea cable manufacturing
facility and review the challenges of this evolving market.
TILDY BAYAR, Contributing Editor
One might be surprised to learn that Norways tallest build-
ing is Nexans 120-meter extrusion tower at the companys
submarine high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable factory
in Halden. Nexans makes subsea cables that connect offshore
wind farms to the grid, transports them around the world and
installs them underwater so that the cables can bring clean
power from offshore wind farms to onshore substations and
from there to our homes.
Several different types of cable are used in offshore wind
projects. Low- (up to 1 kV) and medium-voltage loop cables
transmit the electricity produced in the turbines generator
to the transformer, usually located at the towers base. Then
array cables connect the turbines on a wind farm to each other
and export cables carry their power to the grid. Finally, under-
ground and overhead line (OHL) cables that make it all work
on land. (See cable type images, page 56.)
On a recent tour of the factory, sponsored by Nexans, guides
explained that the high tower at the Nexans factory houses the
vertical extrusion machinery that begins the cable-making
process. From clean rooms at the top of the tower, super-
clean polyethylene and cross-linkable, super-smooth semi-
con are fed through a closed system of huge tubes back down
to an extruder at ground level, where the conductive material
and insulation are spit out
simultaneously from multi-
ple extruders that feed into
a single head. The tower can
produce 15 km of cable in
one week before the work-
ers have to stop the process to
change the enormous receiv-
ing baskets.
The height of the tower is
important because all of the
heat must be removed from
the materials before they
enter the tube. Curing and
cooling takes place in a dry
atmosphere of pressurized
nitrogen in the building before
the materials are fed from the
tower to various stations in
other buildings through cable
ways, little wheeled tracks
running across and between
buildings.
1311REW_50 50 11/22/13 10:50 AM
Using copper, aluminum, lead and wire, the materials are
formed into cable lengths weighing up to 400-500 kg. At the end
of the process the lengths are combined using proprietary joints
to make 60- to 70-km cables.
After several more processes involving insulation and
strengthening of the cables, they are tested for resilience and tor-
sion. As a wind turbines nacelle rotates, the cables are severely
twisted, so they must be extremely resistant to both torque and
vibration. The torsion tests on cables simulate 20 years of use in
a wind installation. Nexans said the exact test applied to a given
cable depends on the customers specifcations.
A Challenging Market
The wind industrys move to deeper waters is challenging,
according to Nexans, because transport vessels can only hold
so much cable. Nexans fagship transport and laying boat, the
Skagerrak, holds 50 tons of cable on its built-in turntable. The
Skagerrak can accommodate
65 workers and has travelled
all over the world. Not many
vessels can hold its capacity,
according to the company,
and there are just one or two
others in the world including
the Giulio Verne, belonging
to Nexans main competitor
Prysmian.
With wind farms mov-
ing further offshore, Nex-
ans customers are seeking
increasingly higher transmis-
sion capacity, which means
producing larger and longer
cables, said Vincent Dessale,
chief operating offcer of the
companys submarine high-
voltage business line. The
Halden plant ran into prob-
lems in 2012 with an invoice
delay in submarine cables
leading to a drop in Nex-
ans stock and an eventual
restructuring of the business.
The company has learned
some lessons, he said, includ-
ing that feeding in more
machines and manpower to
match market demand is not
suffcient and that coping
with growing complexity and
increasing timeline uncer-
tainty requires highly struc-
tured organization, robust
processes and the right
mindset.
Another challenge is that
cables are becoming increas-
ingly important in risk man-
agement. One of the key
Hywind Offshore
Wind Farm via
Shutterstock
1311REW_51 51 11/22/13 10:50 AM
GE 1.6-100 turbine at Invenergys Bishop Hill wind
farm in Illinois, United States
Copyright @ General Electric and Invenergy LLC
2013 Navigant Consulting, Inc.
All rights reserved. 00002552
Gammel. Kongevej 1
DK-1610, Copenhagen, Denmark
Phone: +45 97325299
Fax: +4597325593
per.krogsgaard@navigant.com
birger.madsen@navigant.com
feng.zhao@navigant.com
WORLD MARKET UPDATE 2012
FORECAST 2013 - 2017
INCLUDES:
Milestone: more than 285 GW wind power
globally
45 GW of new capacity added in 2012,
including 1.1 GW from offshore wind
The US surpassed China as the largest
market in terms of new installations in 2012
Signifccnl :hifl in pc:ilicn: cmcng lhe lcp
10 wind turbine suppliers in 2012
The top 15 wind owner-operators as of 2012
Market forecast to 2017 (on/offshore ) and
prediction to 2022
Latest incentives in key wind power
markets
Special section: Cold Climate Turbines
Major industry trends covered in more than
80 tables and graphs
More than 150 pages providing
comprehensive assessment of both supply
and demand in the wind market
A BTM WIND REPORT
RENE WABLE ENERGY AND THE GRI D
differences between offshore and onshore wind
farms, at the concept and design phase, is the
need to consider cable failure when design-
ing the electrical architecture, said David
McNaught, senior engineer at consultancy
Frazer-Nash. If a submarine cable fails in ser-
vice the consequences for the operability and
proftability of the wind farm could be dire,
especially if there are delays in securing a suit-
able repair vessel or if weather conditions are
severe, likely during the winter months.
It is essential that the electrical cable
systems of wind farms have high reliabil-
ity, that the system has the ability to withstand unforeseen
circumstances, McNaught continued. Cable risk is a rela-
tively new aspect of wind project fnancial analyses, he said,
but it is increasingly being considered to the point where
new guidelines from GL Renewables Certifcation, published
Coils of cable at the base of the
Nexans 120-meter extrusion
tower at the companys
submarine high-voltage direct
current (HVDC) cable factory in
Halden, Norway. Credit: Nexans.
1311REW_52 52 11/22/13 10:50 AM
Inter array
MVAC 3-core
Export
HVAC or DC
Underground
HVAC or DC
OHL
AC AC or DC AC or DC AC or DC
S S S
The current Skagerrak,
the third in its line at 130
km, was built in 1993; the
Skagerrak 4, which is expect-
ed to be complete in 2014,
will be 140 km.
in January, include on-site and power export cables. To
address this growing concern, Nexans said it has scaled
up risk analysis at the tendering stage and the company is
working to develop and implement risk mitigation before
beginning production.
Another challenge is transport for larger and longer cables.
The Nexans Capject can dig
trenches in soft or hard sediments,
according to the company, and is
able to operate in depths of up to
1,000 meters. Credit: Nexans.
Offshore wind export and inter array cable types. Credit: Nexans.
1311REW_53 53 11/22/13 10:50 AM
Conference & Exhibition
4 - 6 March 2014 | Expocentre, Moscow, Russia
For information on exhibiting
and sponsorship at HydroVision
Russia, please visit
www.hydrovision-russia.com
or contact:
Worldwide:
Amanda Kevan
T: +44 (0) 1992 656 645
F: +44 (0) 1992 656 700
E: amandak@pennwell.com
Tom Marler
T: +44 (0) 1992 656 608
F: +44 (0) 1992 656 700
E: tomm@pennwell.com
Russia and CIS:
Natalia Gaisenok
T: +7 495 258 31 36
F: +7 495 258 31 36
E: nataliag@pennwell.com

Svetlana Strukova
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For queries relating to the
conference, please contact:
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Conference Manager
T: +44 1992 656 634
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E: Mathildes@pennwell.com
HydroVision Russia, co-located with Russia Power, provides an ideal setting to explore business
opportunities, meet new partners, suppliers and the industrys most infuential decision-makers.
The 2013 event combined with Russia Power attracted over 5,500 attendees from 64 countries.
The three day event, comprises a busy exhibition foor featuring major Russian and international
hydropower companies accompanied by a thought provoking conference programme.
Promoting Modernization Effciency and Innovation
RESERVE YOUR SPACE AT RUSSIAS LEADING
INTERNATIONAL HYDRO EVENT
Owned and Produced by: Presented by: Supported by: General Sponsor:
Join us at HydroVision Russia and be part of an established
event that continues to infuence the hydropower industry.
Co-located with:
www.hydrovision-russia.com
Why should you be at HydroVision Russia 2014
Be part of the largest international hydro event in Russia
Discover new products and the latest technology
Learn about helpful services and new solutions
Connect with leading decision makers and luminaries in the hydro power market
Interact with hydro experts from Europe, Latin America, North America,
and the Middle East
Network and meet high profle professionals and peers gathered in one place
Gain knowledge, market updates and insight from speakers throughout the world, including
Austria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Georgia, Pakistan, Russia,
Spain, Switzerland, and USA
Gain insight and key updates about potential hydro resources that can be developed
Gain the knowledge and tools needed for designing, operating, controlling, and
refurbishing power plants
Find ways to save money and work better
Offcial Supporters:
Russian Energy Agency
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

MINISTRY OF ENERGY
1311REW_54 54 11/22/13 10:50 AM
The market is growing in complexity, too, said Dirk
Steinbrink, executive vice president for high voltage and
underwater cables. The project scope of Nexans work has
expanded to offer not just cables but turnkey interconnection
solutions, he said.
On the Northwind project, which is expected to be com-
pleted before the end of 2013, Nexans is contracted to supply
cables to connect the Belwind 2 offshore wind farm to North-
wind, and Northwind to the shore. The projects scope includes
cable design, testing, supply, jointing termination work and on-
site testing (called cable witnessing). The company said that it
would use the largest cable ever manufactured at the project
site, a 1-meter wide, 30-kg behemoth.
Offshore wind farm developers must also consider the social
impact of the installation process. The acceptance level from
people living [near a site] is quite low, Steinbrink said. They
like green energy but dont want to see us doing the work. So
we do micro-tunneling, especially in places with tourism.
Frdric Michelland,
senior executive vice pres-
ident for high-voltage and
underwater cables, North
and South America, does
not expect the market for
wind turbine cables to evolve
dramatically over time.
Today, he said, Nexans cov-
ers 80 percent of the Euro-
pean market, while tomor-
row that will move to North
America and China but we
expect our market to remain
largely European. In Europe
there are still plenty of proj-
ects where most of the action
will take place, he said.
1311REW_55 55 11/22/13 10:50 AM
BI OENERGY
Lush Grass Becomes
Lush Green for UK
Biogas Project
Te UKs largest independent cheese producer and milk
processing rm is also the countrys greenest as a new biogas
plant makes the brand 100 percent powered by renewable energy.
DAVID APPLEYARD, Contributing Editor
Deep in the gently rolling Mendip Hills of Somerset, in the
southwest of England, nestles a dairy farm with 150 years of
cheese-making heritage. It lies only a few miles from the site of
the world-famous Glastonbury rock festival and the cows clear-
ly dig the music, because they not only produce enough milk for
some 14,000 metric tonnes of top quality cheese a year they
also power the farm.
Wyke Farms is the U.K.s largest independent cheese pro-
ducer and milk processor, supplied by around 30 surround-
ing farms as well as its own three dairy units. In a 5 mil-
lion (US $8 million) project that took fve years to plan and
construct, an on-site anaerobic digestor (AD) system together
with two gas engines and associated ancillaries now power
the farm and dairy.
With the cows help, the operation supplies both process
heat and electricity, enough to make this thriving business
entirely powered by renewable energy.
Featuring three 4,600 m
3

biogas digesters, which are
loaded up to 48 times over
any 24-hour period, some 150
tonnes of material per day are
fed into the cylindrical tanks.
The installation is licensed to
convert up to 75,000 tonnes of
biodegradable waste material
from the farm and dairy per
year, but currently the farm
processes only 55,000 tonnes
annually and there are no
plans to increase throughput
capacity at this time.
1311REW_56 56 11/22/13 10:50 AM
Wyke Farms Anarobic Digester
Units. Credit: Wyke Farms.
The feedstock includes both cow and pig slurry from the Wyke
farms dairy operation and piggery as well as dry materials such
as rapeseed plant stalks. These act as a substrate for the micro-
organisms to cling to in order to support their growth.
In addition, whey permeate derived from the cheese-making
process is used to generate biogas. However, as this material
aside from water comprising largely of lactose and minerals is
relatively high in sugar it must be fed in slowly to avoid a subse-
quent surge in gas production.
Under normal operation the AD is expected to produce some
250 m
3
of gas per hour.
Gas produced through the anaerobic digestion process is dehy-
drated and scrubbed for H
2
S compounds before combustion to
prevent excessive corrosion associated with the production of sul-
phuric acid. As part of this process, some oxygen is injected into
the digester header tanks to
encourage the growth of bac-
teria that can consume such
compounds before the gas is
passed through a carbon flter.
Alongside the digester
units, which were installed
by Germany-based Nord Bio-
gas, there are two 670-hp
gas engines with capacities
of 499 kWe and about 700
kWth each, manufactured
by MWM and supplied and
installed by Pro2.
One engine has a heat
1311REW_57 57 11/22/13 10:50 AM
BI OENERGY
business after four genera-
tions, is both the production
director at the cheese maker
and is the lead driver behind
the companys green ambi-
tions. He explained that the
project is supported under
the U.K.s renewable ener-
gy feed-in tariff support
scheme and that the compa-
ny receives 14.02p/kWh (US
$0.087/kWh) of energy pro-
duced. With an anticipated
load factor of 96 percent or
more, this equates to annual
support to the tune of around
1.2 million (US $2 million).
The project was fnanced
through an extension to the
farms existing loan facil-
ity arranged through Bar-
clays Bank, and Clothier said
recovery system that is used to aid the
process of digestion as well as to pas-
teurize the digestate.
Within the cast concrete walls of
the digester tanks, plastic tubes cir-
culate heated water from the cooling
jacket and the heat recovery exchang-
er from one of the engines. This heats
the slurry within the digester tanks to
some 40C to promote biological activ-
ity, while feed water and other source
materials are also pre-warmed.
Currently two of the three digester
tanks are being used to process mate-
rial. The third is being used to store
digestate and could potentially be
available for gas production after this
material is stored at a location cen-
tral to the farm sites. However, with
no plans to increase capacity it is likely that its use as a storage
facility will continue.
This digestate is used as a rich organic fertilizer and goes
back on the land. It is even given to local farms contracted to
supply milk to the Wyke Farms dairy and reduces the require-
ment for additional nitrogen fertilizer, which is typically chemi-
cally produced. Excess heat is also used to pasteurize the diges-
tate, eliminating any potential pathogens before distribution on
the agricultural land.
The second engine, on a different though nearby site, receives
its fuel from the digesters via a gas line. Heat from this unit is
used in the cheese-making process, supplying steam to the dairy
and farm, for example.
Alongside the gas engines are a number of gas burners to fare
excess gas in the event of say, an engine failure.
The whole system is computer-controlled and can be operated
remotely via an Internet connection. Furthermore, as it is grid-
connected, the system also can be controlled remotely by the
local distribution company or network operator. In the event of a
repair to the local network, the generators may be taken offine
and then resynchronized once required.
Tom Clothier, one of the family members still working in the
Grass clippings and cow slurry are used to create electricity and
power at Wyke Farms. Credit: Wyke Farms.
1311REW_58 58 11/22/13 10:50 AM
BI OENERGY
he expects the project to deliver
a return-on-investment within
fve or six years. The project has
a 20-year feed-in tariff agree-
ment in place.
Speaking at the offcial com-
missioning of the facility, Rich-
ard Clothier, another scion of
the cheese-making dynasty,
declared the project made the
company the greenest brand in
grocery with 100 percent green
energy supplying the farm and
dairy. However, he also called
upon other manufacturers to
take advantage of the support
schemes that make such proj-
ects desirable and economic ally
attractive. The tariff schemes
that support projects like this
are generous and they wont be around forever, he said.
Were committed to energy effciency and were proud to be
one of the frst national food brands to be self-suffcient. Sus-
tainability and environmental issues are increasing in impor-
tance to each and every consumer in the U.K. and green energy
makes both emotional and practical sense, Clothier said. Using
an AD at dairy farms closes a cycle, according to Clothier. We
can now take the cow waste [which has inherently been a prob-
lem] and turn it into pure, clean energy to drive all our own
needs and more.
The AD project is part of the cheese brands 10 million ($16
million) green energy venture. In addition to the new biogas
unit the company has also invested in a 49-kW and 39-kW solar
power installation. It has also taken other environmental mea-
sures such as water recovery from the dairy operations.
Another project under consideration is the development of
a gas upgrading system that will purify the biogas by extract-
ing carbon dioxide and also add an odor to allow direct injec-
tion into the national gas distribution grid. Clothier also is con-
sidering heat recovery systems from the water used in the dairy
process, and the company has opened its Green Visitor Cen-
tre dedicated to educating others about sustainability in action.
Wyke Farms also recently
acquired a Nissan Leaf elec-
tric vehicle that will be used
for local deliveries and will
be charged using the solar
PV on Wykes dairy farm
buildings.
Overall, the environmental
program will enable the farm
to make claimed savings of
4,000 tonnes of carbon diox-
ide emissions per annum.
Wyke Farms cheddar is
a brand with heritage and
quality at its heart, but sus-
tainability is also a core
value. Its biogas investment
is designed to mean that the
Clothier family can create
at least another 150 years of
cheese-making history.
Wyke Farms solar panels. Credit: Wyke Farms.
1311REW_59 59 11/22/13 10:50 AM
HYDROPOWER
Hydropower Renaissance
Signals Investment Surge
Massive resources remain available for hydropower
development in key growth areas such as
China, Africa and Brazil. With its environmental
credentials bolstered, new hydropower is attracting
a wave of interest, and with it investment cash.
Night lights at xthe hydroelectric dam at the Dniper River in Kiev,
Ukraine via Shutterstock.
DAVID APPLEYARD, Contributing Editor
According to the World Energy Councils latest World Energy
Resources (WER) report, hydropower already provides a sub-
stantial proportion of energy worldwide, contributing approx-
imately 15 percent of global electricity production. Indeed in
several countries, for example Iceland, Nepal and Mozambique,
hydropower accounts for over half of all electricity generation.
In terms of capacity, this new analysis declares the top fve
largest hydropower markets as Brazil, Canada, China, Russia
and the U.S. Of these, China signifcantly exceeds the others,
representing 24 percent of the total global installed capacity.
Perhaps more signifcantly, during 2012, an estimated 27-30
GW of new hydropower and 2-3 GW of pumped storage capac-
ity was commissioned worldwide, the report says. Noting the
growth in hydropower was
facilitated by renewable ener-
gy support policies and penal-
ties related to carbon dioxide
emissions, WEC fnds that the
total global installed hydro-
power capacity has increased
by 55 percent over the last
two decades. Furthermore,
since the last report three
years ago, hydropower instal-
lations have seen growth of
some 8 percent.
The report is published
to coincide with the trienni-
al World Energy Congress,
held this year in Daegu,
South Korea. This major
event brings together glob-
al energy leaders and policy
makers to explore a route to
resolving the energy trilem-
ma, which is secure, afford-
able and sustainable energy
access for all.
Richard Taylor, execu-
tive director of the Interna-
tional Hydropower Associa-
tion, echoed the WEC reports
fndings, saying negotiations
1311REW_60 60 11/22/13 10:50 AM
with environmental activists, banks and other players since 2000,
which led to the 2011 Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Pro-
tocol, have been rewarded with record deployment since 2007.
Meanwhile, Oskar Sigvaldason, founder and president of envi-
ronmental consultancy form SCMS Global, told the 6,000 assem-
bled delegates that in mature markets such as the United States
and Canada, the lowest cost charges are in those jurisdictions
which happen to be hydro-dominated. His message regarding
hydro was emphatic, wherever it is, it should be built, he said.
This positive attitude towards hydropower investment is
refected in a recent report that highlights a forecast for signif-
cant cash fow into the sector.
New analysis from GlobalData fnds worldwide cumula-
tive hydropower installed capacity is expected to increase from
1,065 GW in 2012 to 1,407 GW in 2020, at a Compound Annual
Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.5 percent. Over the same period, hydro-
power investments are expected to reach US $75 billion.
Breaking down the capacity profle, GlobalData forecasts that
by 2020 some 1,052 GW of the total will come from large hydro
capacity, with 215 GW of pumped storage and 140 GW of small
hydropower capacity.
The Asia-Pacifc region is expected to dominate the capacity
growth, at approximately 208 GW in total, with China alone like-
ly to contribute 147.3 GW over the forecast period. India, Indone-
sia and Vietnam are big players too, planning to add around 23.2
GW, 9.4 GW and 5.8 GW, respectively, the analysis adds.
Meanwhile, Europe and North America, which have mature
hydropower markets, will also experience growth in instal-
lations, with the respective addition of 271 GW and 197 GW.
Expansion of pumped storage capacity and the modernization
and refurbishment of existing plants is expected to drive invest-
ment in these regions.
According to the report, overall the hydropower mar-
ket is a lucrative area for investment, with a less risky portfo-
lio than other renewables. Furthermore, various countries have
announced expansion targets and support programs for the
development of this sector, the document adds.
Commenting, GlobalData power sector analyst, Swati Singh,
said: Although fossil fuels dominate electricity generation across
the world, more than 60 countries use hydropower to meet more
than half of their electricity needs. The technology is the most
popular non-polluting source of electricity generation for various
reasons, including its ability
to respond to changing elec-
tricity demand, water man-
agement and food control.
Evidence of the scale of
investment in hydropower
projects can be seen in Laos,
where China was reported-
ly the countys largest foreign
investor in the frst 11 months
of the 2012-2013 fnancial
year, with over $1.33 billion
of inward cash. The 290-MW
Nam Ngiep 1 hydropower
project in Borikhamxay prov-
ince was apparently respon-
sible for more than $868 mil-
lion of this total. Construction
is expected to commence next
year with completion sched-
uled for 2019.
It is also potentially the
scale of such investments
that makes them opportuni-
ties for a multitude of play-
ers. An example comes from
the Democratic Republic of
Congo and its giant Grand
Inga 3 project. Three groups
of companies are already bid-
ding to develop this $12 bil-
lion, 4,800-MW project. But,
according to media reports,
Energy Minister Bruno
Kapandji said at a recent
mining and infrastructure
conference: Were open to
other operators [joining the
bid groups] the candidates
are not closed. A develop-
ment group is expected to be
chosen next summer.
1311REW_61 61 11/22/13 10:50 AM
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HYDROPOWER
Inga 3 is the frst new phase of the proposed eight power plant
and cumulative 40-GW capacity Grand Inga project, which will
make it part of the worlds largest hydropower installation.
Its not just enormous projects like Grand Inga that are attract-
ing investors though. Small hydro, too, has seen a resurgence. A
recent example comes from the U.K. where venture capital group
Albion Ventures has invested 9.3 million (US $16 million) in
partnership with Green Highland Renewables to fund the devel-
opment of a single 2-MW hydropower scheme in the Scottish
Highlands. The group says it expects the scheme to beneft from
the U.K.s feed-in-tariff regime.
In closing the World Energy Congress, UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon reaffrmed his pledge to provide one billion peo-
ple across the globe with access to sustainable energy by 2030,
energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth,
environmental health, social fairness and opportunity, he said.
Ban Ki-moon continued: Clean, modern and affordable
energy services are essential for sustainable development and
achieving the Millennium
Development Goals.
Indeed, subsequent-
ly Executive Secretary of
the United Nations Frame-
work Convention on Climate
Change, Christiana Figue-
res, speaking at a press con-
ference, was unequivocal:
The quality of future ener-
gy will determine the future
quality of life of people on
this planet.
Of course, they werent
referring to sustainably devel-
oped hydropower alone, but
they nonetheless defned it
perfectly.
1311REW_62 62 11/22/13 10:50 AM
GEOTHERMAL
Geothermal Industry
Partnerships Push
the Innovation Envelope
In one geothermal
power plant, a new
use of technology resulted
in higher efciencies and
lower maintenance costs.
TOM WEINANDY, Power Industry
Business Manager, Baldor
Geothermal energy is a clean,
green, renewable source of
power that faces challenges
regarding costs and project time-
lines. One company has found a
way to improve the margins by
adopting innovative technology to help achieve higher eff-
ciencies, reduce maintenance costs and improve the reliabil-
ity of 30 condenser fans at its geothermal power plant in the
Oregon desert.
The Neal Hot Springs 22-MW geothermal power plant
near Vale, Oregon, began operation in November 2012.
The project was developed by Boise, Idaho-based U.S.
Geothermal Inc.
Most of the thermal energy that enters the plant has to
be removed as waste heat in the cooling system, in this
case through an air-cooled heat exchanger. Thermodynam-
ic laws dictate that the cooler the heat source the less ener-
gy can be converted to electricity. Therefore, it also means
that the heat rejection equipment, as a percentage of over-
all plant construction, becomes more expensive for geother-
mal power plants like Neal Hot Springs because the geother-
mal resource is cooler
than the geothermal
industry average and
is much cooler than
the combustion tem-
perature in a coal- or
gas-fred power plant.
For example, a
22-MW geother-
mal plant requires
the same sized cool-
ing tower as a 50-MW
natural gas steam
plant. U.S. Geothermal
VP of Project Develop-
ment Kevin Kitz said
this is why reducing
The Neal Hot Springs Geothermal Facilitys 30 100-HP condenser fans.
Credit: Baldor.
1311REW_63 63 11/22/13 10:50 AM
GEOTHERMAL
operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of the heat rejection sys-
tem are critical to the economic success of low-temperature geo-
thermal plants like Neal Hot Springs.
In searching for ways to reduce those O&M costs, Kitz discov-
ered Baldors direct drive cooling tower motor, which replac-
es the traditional gearbox confguration typically used in cool-
ing towers. I was very interested in using this motor from the
minute that I frst heard about it, said Kitz. Its a very effcient
motor that uses a variable frequency drive (VFD) to reduce para-
sitic losses to improve proft margins. It also has very low main-
tenance costs, and a fve-year warranty.
The motor combines the technologies of Baldors laminated
fnned frame RPM AC motor with a high-performance permanent
magnet (PM) rotor design, creating a high torque, direct drive
motor designed for cooling tower applications.
The laminated fnned frame construction provides a highly
effcient, power-dense package that replaces the right angle gear-
box and jack shaft installation found in conventional cooling tow-
ers. The fan couples directly to the motor shaft and is controlled
by Baldors VS1 cooling tower drive for optimal variable speed
performance.
Changing the Game
Not only was U.S. Geothermal the frst company in the geother-
mal industry to adopt Baldors cooling tower motor solution for
air-cooled condensers, it was also the frst in any industry to
apply the 5800 size motor in such a large-scale project. The air-
cooled condensers at Neal Hot Springs are also innovative for
the large diameter induced
draft fans on the horizontal
air heat exchanger bundles.
Kitz said the big fans offer a
huge advantage in terms of
performance, and the Bal-
dor motors supplement those
advantages.
In other industries, the
heat rejection system is the
tail of the dog, says Kitz. But
in geothermal power plants,
heat rejection IS the dog. It
represents as much as one-
third of the total cost of the
installed power plant equip-
ment. Consequently, even
small improvements go a long
way, and we feel we have
achieved a big improvement.
Ian Spanswick, product
director with TAS Energy,
was the power plant project
developer for Neal Hot Springs
and responsible for the tech-
nology of the power plant.
He said TAS recognized the
potential of using the cooling
Inside the fan: Baldors cooling tower motor solution
for air-cooled condensers. Credit: Baldor.
The Neal Hot Springs Geothermal Facilitys 30 100-HP
condenser fans. Credit: Baldor.
1311REW_64 64 11/22/13 10:50 AM
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Denver was my 10th HydroVision International
and as earlier I enjoyed meeting professionals
and listening to presentations. The most exciting
point was presentation of a novel brush-less
rotating exciter utilizing controlled thyristors.
Itfeatures the same fast dynamic performance
as legacy carbon-dust producing static exciters.
Tommy Hjort M.Se.E.E
Cervus Power AB
1311REW_65 65 11/22/13 10:50 AM
GEOTHERMAL
tower motor while brainstorm-
ing with the U.S. Geothermal
team, and it was through the
teams interest that TAS real-
ly started exploring it as an
option. It was a novel idea to use
cooling tower motors with air-
cooled condensers. Spanswick
said while his company strives
to fnd new and better ways of
doing things, progress like this
wouldnt have been possible
unless the customer was also
pushing to do more.
We were able to work hand-
in-hand with U.S. Geothermal to
improve the project, said Span-
swick. Working like this with a
receptive and creative custom-
er is a working relationship that is very unique. Ive rarely come
across it, and I think thats what made this successful and helped
to move the industry forward.
Kitz said its typical of his company to investigate and close-
ly scrutinize all new technology. TAS seeks engineered solu-
tions that will help it improve processes and control costs. And
he believes that the key benefts of adopting the new cooling
tower motor technology
remain clear.
Effciency, low cost of
ownership and promised reli-
ability drove our decision to
use Baldor motors in these
dry cooling, air-cooled con-
densers, said Kitz. This
motor was the right product
at the right time.
Realizing the benefts that
can be achieved with this
unique solution, U.S. Geo-
thermal also installed large-
diameter fans and Baldor
cooling tower motors at its
San Emidio plant in Nevada.
The advantages of this
arrangement have also been
noticed and adopted at other
domestic geothermal power
projects.
Looking down into one of U.S. Geothermals condenser fans at its San
Emidio 9-MW binary cycle power plant. Credit: Baldor.
U.S. Geothermal also installed large-diameter fans and Baldor cooling
tower motors at its San Emidio 9-MW binary cycle power plant, located
100 miles northeast of Reno, Nevada. Credit: Baldor.
1311REW_66 66 11/22/13 10:51 AM
Covering every aspect of the power generation industry, POWER-GEN International, NUCLEAR POWER International, Renewable Energy
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1311REW_67 67 11/22/13 10:51 AM
Adver t i ser s I ndex Scan the QR code for information on the products and services found in this issue.
The Adveritsers Index is published as a service. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.
Renewabl e Energy Wor l d Cal endar December 2013 and Januar y 2014
The Scottish Green Energy Awards 2013
5 December 2013
Edinburgh, Scotland
www.scottishrenewables.com
6th Energy Expo 2013
5 7 December 2013
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
www.energyexpo.biz
World Congress on Sustainable
Technologies 2013
9 12 December 2013
London, UK
www.wcst.org
AWEA Wind Resource & Project
Energy Assessment Seminar
10 11 December 2013
Las Vegas, NV, USA
www.awea.org
U.S. Solar Market Insight Conference
10 11 December 2014
San Diego, CA, USA
www.greentechmedia.com
The Offshore Wind
International B2B event
11 12 December 2013
Esbjerg, Denmark
www.owib.dk/
International Green Building Expo-China
11 13 December 2013
Guangzhou, China
www.igbchina.com
3rd International Conference on
the Developments in Renewable
Energy Technology
9 11 January 2014
Dhak, Bangladesh
www.icdret.uiu.ac.bd
4th Central European
Biomass Conference
15 18 January 2014
Graz, Austria
www.cebc.at
Fuels of the Future 2014
20 21 January 2014
Berlin, Germany
www.fuels-of-the-future.com
World Future Energy Summit
20 22 January 2014
Abu Dhabi, UAE
www.worldfutureenergysummit.com
Wind Power Romania & Eastern Markets
21 22 January 2014
Bucharest, Romania
www.greenpowerconferences.com
SolarTech Expo Turkey
27 28 January 2014
Istanbul, Turkey
www.greenworldconferences.com
Onshore and Offshore Wind
Operations and Maintenance Forum
27 28 January 2014
Hamburg, Germany
www.windenergyupdate.com
2nd Southern African Solar
Energy Conference
27 29 January 2014
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
www.sasec.org.za
ABB OYCV2
Bureau Veritas North
America, Inc.31
Dtech Africa 201325
Everglades University6
Hydrovision International 201465
Hydrovision Russia 201454
Mtu Friedrichshafen GmbH55
Multi-Contact AG5
Navigant Consulting Inc.52
Nexans13
Ontario Ministry Of Economic
Development & Trade1
Pennsylvania State Unniversity33
Power Generation Week 201467
PVSYST SA41
REW Europe19
REW India 201449
Schneider Electric2
Solar Promotion International
GmbH17
Solar Promotion International
GmbH37
Solarexpo & Greenbuilding39
Sputnik Engineering23
Swiss Re America Holding Co.15
Underwriters Laboratories11
Selected multi-day conferences, expos and events for the renewable energy industry
1311REW_68 68 11/22/13 10:51 AM
There are 3 ways you can contribute
content for possible publication on
RenewableEnergyWorld.com or in
Renewable Energy World Magazine.
Share your insights with the largest, most
trusted source for renewable energy news
& information with 950,000 monthly page
views and more than 250,000 subscribers
to our weekly e-Newsletters.
Have something
to say? We want to
hear it!
Opinion and
Commentary
Is there something new or controversial
happening in your feld? Contribute your
opinion on hot topics in the industry.
Technical
Do you have a new technical development,
solution or challenge that your company
has addressed? Share your technical expertise
in our in-depth tech section.
Are you watching any on-going initiatives,
markets, technologies or policies? Start a blog
on RenewableEnergyWorld.com to keep our
readers up-to-date on the latest developments.
Blog
More Info.
More Info.
More Info.
Renewabl e Energy Trai ni ng Event s
Solar Hot Water Design & Installation
Training + NABCEP Exam
Heatspring Learning Institute
Online
2 December 2013 10 January 2014
Using Biomass Now
Agroforestry & Woodlot Extension Society
Alberta, Canada
2-4 December 2013
World Geothermal Energy Summit
Arc Media Global
Nairobi, Kenya
5-6 December 2013
The Green Power Mini-MBA
Green Power Academy
Santiago, Chile
9-13 December 2013
PVOL202 Solar Training:
Advanced PV System Design
Solar Energy International
Online
13 January 2014
Wind Project O&M and Safety Seminar
American Wind Energy Association
San Diego, CA, USA
15-15 January 2014
Hands-On Solar PV Training
Boston, MA, USA
17 January 2014
Geothermal Designer Boot Camp
+ LoopLink Certification
Online, 20 January 28 February 2014
Wind Power Romania
Green Power Academy
Bucharest, Romania
21-24 January 2014
Health & Safety 2014
RenewableUK
Birmingham, UK
29 January 2014
GeoTHERM Expo and Congress
Messe Offenburg-Ortenau
Offenburg, Germany
20-21 February 2014
Biomass One-Day Course
The European Energy Centre
Coventry University, UK and Edinburgh
Napier University, Scotland and Online
Offered Year Round
Here we offer a sampling of short renewable energy educational events and certificate programs throughout the world.
If you would like your training event to considered for inclusion in this listing, please email REWNews@Pennwell.com subject line: Education and Training.
1311REW_C3 3 11/22/13 10:35 AM
Last
the
George Pooley is
head of loss adjusting
at Renewable Energy
Loss Adjusters (RELA).
He provides specialist
claims support to the
London insurance and
underwriting markets.
Insuring Against Renewable
Energy Equipment Loss
Theft from solar PV farms in south-
ern Europe has been an important
topic for the past few years. Insurers
throughout London have reacted by
offering theft warranties to lessen the
impact of theft on insured parties.
However a new trend that is emerg-
ing is solar property destruction due
to landslides. These events are often
reported as a landslide, but can occur
in the wake of storm activity.
The matter is worth attention sim-
ply due to the scale. Typically a theft
loss might cost about 150,000 but
these land movement events are caus-
ing substantially more damage result-
ing in much higher costs.
Betterment is often an important
factor in these losses. Our firm has
frequently concluded that the lack of
proper drainage infrastructure exac-
erbated losses; arguably, had ade-
quate drainage been installed initial-
ly, the loss might not have occurred.
Obviously, though, insurers are not
willing to finance betterment to solar
PV farm drainage after the event.So,
as a result, these kinds of losses give
rise to a myriad of potential issues.
Are they one-off events? Do they
occur over a period of time? How
many deductibles apply? Are the PV
farms always damaged? (i.e. the trig-
ger for most all risk policies). There
may be damage, but what exclusions
might operate? (For example: Poor
design or poor site choice.) If design
is excluded but there is a buy back
for the consequential damage, where
does which start and end? And what
of the supporting frame or the pan-
els? The industry must work to deter-
mine these answers.
These losses also seem to be
reported late often because asset
owners underestimate the scale of
the issues in play. How strictly should
insurers be interpreting their loss
notification clauses?
Adjusters are bound to raise these
issues with underwriters and can
assist in the final decision-making
on coverage. But one fundamental
point is clear: Landslide issues almost
invariably arise from poor geotechni-
cal planning and poor understanding
of land movement, especially under
fixed, long arrays that are attempt-
ing to draw straight immovable lines
across undulating and moveable coun-
tryside. Throw water into the mix and
the outcome may be inevitable.
On a positive note, of the current-
ly available renewable energy sources,
solar remains one of the better risks
in terms of dollars spent in the long
run. A positive ray of sunshine then
and an all-important one, particularly
given the anti-dumping PV panel saga
that continues to run and run.
1311REW_C4 4 11/22/13 10:36 AM

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Microinverters

Oore O-NA |nverter |s a key

1311REW_8 8 11/22/13 10:47 AM

Multilateral Investment Fund: Climatescope 2013

How the c-Si supply-chain flow feeds end-market demand.

1311REW_10 10 11/22/13 10:47 AM

1311REW_12 12 11/22/13 10:47 AM

durations (to three years) and costs

1311REW_17 17 11/22/13 10:48 AM

More Scrutiny, Disagreements

1311REW_18 18 11/22/13 10:48 AM

What Is the Future Utility

The Big Question

The Big Question

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