Day: December 14, 2017

Puerto Rico was recently hit by two consecutive Category 5 storms, leaving the islands in shambles and majority of the houses are without any electricity. To compound the problem, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) is in no position to repair the damaged infrastructure. The company had financial problems and filed for bankruptcy in July.

Amid the cleanup and repairs, city planners and experts see that this is a chance for Puerto Rico to start from scratch regarding their electric supply. They cite what happened in New York after Hurricane Sandy, and in New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina. According to Otis Rolley, regional director for North America of 100 Resilient Cities, it is an opportunity for Puerto Rico to reimagine their energy system boldly and innovatively. The current system is heavily dependent on imported fuels, and there is practically no initiative for renewable energy.

Solitary Light

Renewable energy users exist in Puerto Rico. Hector Santiago, a flower grower with a 40-acre nursery, installed 244 solar panels six years ago. This cost him a total of about $300,000. Although Hurricane Maria damaged 25% of his solar panels, he still has enough power to run his business while the rest of the islands is running on diesel backup generators.

Of more significant damage than the island’s electric production was the damage to the transmission lines. It lost 75% of all its borders, and this will take a lot of time and money to rebuild.

The island scenario is of concern not only to Puerto Rico and the United States but also to the rest of the world, specifically island nations which are also isolated and require energy self-sufficiency.

Other Caribbean islands sustained damage, totaling an estimated $40 billion in losses. Aside from Puerto Rico, other islands in the hurricane’s path included Antigua, Barbuda, Dominican Republic, the Virgin Islands, and Cuba.

Renewable Energy Island

Recently, the Initiative for Renewable Island Energy (IRIE) held its inaugural meeting in the Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. The IRIE is a partner of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) with goals to enhance coordination, and harness partners to help islands make a transition to renewable energy using microgrids. To achieve this goal, IRIE needs to improve political coordination. It also requires development partners for mobilizing resources to allow island nations a rapid migration to renewable energy using microgrids.

The Caribbean storms are a potent reminder that renewable energy using microgrids are a permanent solution. Using microgrids, communities can be self-sufficient with their energy, and they can trade up and down the system with the primary energy utility. Using solar panels and wind turbines, along with batteries, the power can keep flowing even in times of emergencies. Island-wide transmission issues would not be a problem since communities have their energy source.

This solution has been proven in areas which are smaller than Puerto Rico. However, scaling down or up is relatively easy. Microgrids are inherently modular, and they can connect to the primary electric grid as a unit, or the members can also connect on their own.

Following their purchase of Blade Dynamics, General Electric (GE) is planning on a new research facility at Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The site will be a GE renewable energy facility where research, testing, and development for onshore and offshore wind energy tech and hydropower will be conducted.

As part of the planned research center, GE renewable energy facility is building a wind turbine manufacturing plant with 24-hour capability. The company received permission from the Southampton City Council in April 2017. This is great news for the city as it will bring in 250 new jobs, including 150 high-tech and engineering positions.

GE chose the site of the former Vosper Thornycroft (VT Group) shipbuilding plants. It was also a manufacturing plant where the World War II plane called the Spitfire was built. One reason for choosing the site was its proximity to the University of Southampton Science Park, which also happens to be the location of Blade Dynamics offices. The company reiterated that Southampton is an excellent location with a skilled and technical workforce pool available in the area, and also due to the proximity to the University of Southampton.

According to GE, once completed, the research center indicates the importance of Southampton as an engineering and innovation center and is vital for GE renewable energy investment strategy for the United Kingdom.

Not everyone, however, is happy about building on the site. Councilor Warwick Payne, representing Woolston on the Southampton City Council, raised the issue about the noise that the 24-hour wind turbine factory generates. He is seeking feedback from residents, and this might affect any decisions on whether any future plant expansions push through.

Modular Tech

The GE acquisition’s goal was acquiring Blade Dynamics modular blade technology. Among other things, the advancements in the use of composites in blade manufacturing can be a decisive advantage for wind farms. Also, GE believes that modular blades have the potential to become a transformational technology for wind turbines. Modular blades have several advantages over conventional blades, including scalable architecture which leads to lower manufacturing costs. It also allows for better cost-effectiveness in transportation.

Starting in early 2016, Blade Dynamics was working on testing a prototype 78-meter (255.9-foot) long D78 blade at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult research center located in Blyth, Northumberland. It also has other prototyping and research sites in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, and Cowes, Isle of Wight, as well as a facility in New Orleans, LA. Blade Dynamics products are for use at offshore wind farms.

The UK is the leading offshore wind power generator in Europe. Currently, it generates 5% of its electricity needs from offshore wind plants and expects this to increase to 10% by 2020. There are 30 offshore wind farms with an operational capacity of 5.1 gigawatts (GW), with another 4.5 GW already in different phases of development.

Recently, China signed an agreement with the UK to help develop and set up offshore wind farms along with other renewable energy plants along the South China Sea coast. The UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) will be working with their Chinese counterparts on five offshore renewable energy (ORE) tech projects, including wave, tidal, and offshore wind facilities. These projects are groundbreaking and will leave a bold impact in society.