Relaxnews
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Renewable energy exhibition Intersolar celebrates its 20th anniversary at this year's exhibition in Munich, Germany from June 8 to 10. Highlights of this year's event include the Intersolar awards, and a look at the future of solar power in Germany.
Intersolar began in 1991 as Solar'91 and has since grown into one of the world's biggest photovoltaic exhibitions and conferences; it is represented worldwide by Intersolar North America (San Francisco, July 12-14), Intersolar China (Beijing, December 7-9) and Intersolar India (Mumbai, December 14-16).
Intersolar attracts over 75,000 visitors and over 2000 exhibitors each year and is used by companies as a launchpad for solar technology; innovative manufacturers are also honored with the Intersolar Award on June 8.
This year the event will host the special exhibition PV Energy World which aims to demonstrate the extent to which solar power could meet the energy needs of cities, particularly those in Germany, in the future.
Certain aspects of the event, such as the associated Intersolar conference (June 6-10), are largely aimed towards industry professionals. However the exhibition does provide an overview of solar energy trends - such as use in the 'smart grid' - which are expected to become increasingly relevant to consumers.
More information about Intersolar can be found via the official website - www.intersolar.de, Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/Intersolar or through the official iOS app, available to download at http://bit.ly/kiAXNc. Videos from the event will also be added to YouTube at http://bit.ly/kcjT64.
The latest innovations in solar power will also be presented later in the year at Solar Power International October 17-20 in Dallas, USA.
Renewable energy of a different kind will be presented in a more global and public manner on June 15 as part of Global Wind Day: more information about this event can be found via the official website at http://www.globalwindday.org.
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
High-speed Euro train gets green boost from two miles of solar panels
Damian Carrington
The Guardian, Monday 6 June 2011
A two-mile-long Belgian rail tunnel, built to shelter trains from falling trees, will from Monday provide a double environmental benefit by hosting a unique solar power project.
The high-speed line running from Paris to Amsterdam passes Antwerp and a nearby ancient forest. To avoid the need to fell protected trees, a long tunnel was built over the line which has now been topped with 16,000 solar panels. The electricity produced is equivalent to that needed to power all the trains in Belgium for one day per year, and will also help power Antwerp station.
"For train operators, it is the perfect way to cut their carbon footprints because you can use spaces that have no other economic value and the projects can be delivered within a year because they don't attract the protests that wind power does," said Bart Van Renterghem, UK head of Belgian renewable energy company Enfinity, which installed the panels.
"We had a couple of projects lined up around London with train operators and water utilities, but they have been put on hold."
Van Renterghem said this was due to the UK government's controversial review of subsidies for large-scale solar power projects, which will lower the returns available.
The UK government argues that solar technology is too expensive, but Van Renterghem said he had seen the cost of cells halve in the last two to three years thanks to economies of scale in Germany, France and Belgium.
The new Blackfriars station in London, which will span the River Thames, will host the largest single collection of solar panels in the UK when it opens in spring 2012
The roof of the new station will have 4,400 panels and a capacity of 1MW, enough to provide 50% of the station's electricity. However, the development is not dependent on the level of government subsidy for solar power as the £7.3m bill was paid by the transport department's environment fund.
The Guardian, Monday 6 June 2011
A two-mile-long Belgian rail tunnel, built to shelter trains from falling trees, will from Monday provide a double environmental benefit by hosting a unique solar power project.
The high-speed line running from Paris to Amsterdam passes Antwerp and a nearby ancient forest. To avoid the need to fell protected trees, a long tunnel was built over the line which has now been topped with 16,000 solar panels. The electricity produced is equivalent to that needed to power all the trains in Belgium for one day per year, and will also help power Antwerp station.
"For train operators, it is the perfect way to cut their carbon footprints because you can use spaces that have no other economic value and the projects can be delivered within a year because they don't attract the protests that wind power does," said Bart Van Renterghem, UK head of Belgian renewable energy company Enfinity, which installed the panels.
"We had a couple of projects lined up around London with train operators and water utilities, but they have been put on hold."
Van Renterghem said this was due to the UK government's controversial review of subsidies for large-scale solar power projects, which will lower the returns available.
The UK government argues that solar technology is too expensive, but Van Renterghem said he had seen the cost of cells halve in the last two to three years thanks to economies of scale in Germany, France and Belgium.
The new Blackfriars station in London, which will span the River Thames, will host the largest single collection of solar panels in the UK when it opens in spring 2012
The roof of the new station will have 4,400 panels and a capacity of 1MW, enough to provide 50% of the station's electricity. However, the development is not dependent on the level of government subsidy for solar power as the £7.3m bill was paid by the transport department's environment fund.
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