Sun Is The Future

Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers, (Please click on red links below),

To continue our series of discussion on Australian Solar Incentives, in addition to Australian Federal Solar Incentives, most states also offer support for solar and other renewables via Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) schemes. Under the FIT scheme owners are paid for each unit of power that they export to the electricity grid. The FIT rates offered range from zero to as much as  66c or 68c per kWh. Most Australian states and territory governments either currently have or previously had a Solar Feed-In-Tariff  (Solar FIT) (also known as a Solar Bonus Scheme or Solar Buy-Back Scheme) in place. A uniform federal scheme to supersede all State schemes has been proposed by Tasmanian Greens Senator Christine Milne, but not enacted. National feed-in tariff systems have been enacted in numerous countries including Brazil, Canada, China and many EU countries.

There have been many changes to Feed-In-Tariff legislation in all Australian states and territories within the past two years. For an overview of these state incentives offered, please see the summary table of Australian State Government Feed-In-Tariffs Schemes, available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feed-in_tariffs_in_Australia

Feed-in-Tariffs were introduced by a number of states in Australia to increase the amount of solar PV power generated. They can be classified by a number of factors including the price paid, whether it is on a net or gross export basis, the length of time payments are guaranteed, the maximum size of installation allowed and the type of customer allowed to participate. The Solar Feed-In-Tariff schemes currently available in Australia are predominantly “net” schemes. A net Feed-In-Tariff rewards one for each unit of solar power that one had exported to the electrical grid. The governments of New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), South Australia (SA), and Queensland (QLD) are operating under net Feed-In-Tariff scheme. Net FIT’s generally pay comparatively little to the producer (generally a household) because electricity produced by solar photovoltaic or other renewable energy just offsets the producer’s usage. Net FIT’s are referred to as “fake feed-in tariff” and is actually net metering, with a monthly payment for net generation, instead of the normal roll over. Gross tariffs conform to the normal definition of a feed-in tariff, and provide a more certain financial return, paying for all electricity produced, even if it is consumed by the producer, reducing or helping meet peak demand. If you are still not clear about the difference between gross vs net feed-in-tariff, think of net feed-in-tariff as having a cap on the amount of energy one can sell back to the grid at the level of one’s energy consumption whereas gross feed-in-tariff does not have such a cap. Many Australian state feed-in tariffs were net export tariffs, whereas conservation groups argued for gross feed-in tariffs. In March 2009, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) started a solar gross feed-in tariff. For systems up to 10 kW the payment was 50.05 cents per kWh. For systems from 10 kW to 30 kW the payment was 40.04 cents per kWh. The payment was revised downward once before an overall capacity cap was reached and the scheme closed. Payments are made quarterly based on energy generated and the payment rate is guaranteed for 20 years.

The ACT , TAS, and New South Wales have  or had gross feed-in tariffs. Other State Governments have enacted net feed-in tariff schemes which have been criticised for not providing enough incentive for households to install solar panels and thus for not effectively encouraging the uptake of solar PV.

Australian FIT laws tend to focus on providing support to solar PV particularly in the residential context, and project limits on installed capacity (such as 10kW in NSW) mean effectively that FITs do not support large scale projects such as wind farms or solar thermal power stations.

Solar FITs are one of the key incentive mechanism for the promotion of renewable energy generation across the globe. Through FITs, Germany was able to become the world leader in rooftop solar power. China has also introduced a national FIT program in an effort to expand domestic demand for solar PV systems.

Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker

Related link/URL:

Feed-In-Tariff

Decarbonisation on the Cheap, How an Electricity Efficiency Feed-In-Tariff Can Cut Energy Costs

Why FITs (from Alliance For Renewable Energy)

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Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers,

(Please click on red links below)

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Please show your support for Renewable Energy by visiting-signing-sharing Renewable-FIT For Sunshine State!

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This is an interview with a team member David of TAFE SA Solar Spirit team of TAFE South Australia University at World Solar Challenge 2013 at Hindmarsh Square of Adelaide, Australia. SOLAR SPIRIT 3 is an extremely comfortable car to be sitting in. I can now attest to that fact. Below is the interview conducted inside SOLAR SPIRT 3 of TAFE SA:

TAFE SA stands for Technical and Further Education South Australia at: www.tafesa.edu.au Below is description/explanation of TAFE SA from their web site.

TAFE SA is the largest provider of vocational education and training (VET) in South Australia delivering more than 1000 courses to an average of 80,000 students per year at our campuses across the State. TAFE SA offers training across more than 80 activity and industry-related areas with a wide range of quality courses and flexible study options to suit your personal needs. TAFE SA plays a major role in the development of South Australia’s future workforce with 88% of students employed or in further study after graduating. In building the State’s skill base, TAFE SA works with industry and business to deliver relevant, high-quality, vocational education and training to better link skills and training with job opportunities, ensuring sustainable employment within the state.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building solar car is part of the curriculum for students at TAFE South Australia University. Students at TAFE should be proud of what they have accomplished and be thankful for this opportunity to advance their skills in green technology of solar car building as I am thankful for being able to sit in this wonderfully comfortable vehicle to conduct this interview.

For a closer look at many of the solar cars participating at World Solar Challenge 2013, please feel free to click-> Sunisthefuture Photo Gallery.

More development will be brought forward as the challenge progresses. Keep checking back www.sunisthefuture.net for more !

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~have a bright and sunny day~

gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker

Any of your comments will be welcomed below or via sunisthefuture@gmail.com (please note if you do not want your email to be shared)

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Dear Readers,

If you are in favor of renewable,  clean, or solar energy, please sign this petition for FIT/CLEAN Program, accessible at http://sunisthefuture.net/?page_id=1065 Thank you very much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MibIzEE-xOE

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Dear Readers,

This post may had been prepared/written earlier than the day it appears, but right after the finish of the Veolia World Solar Challenge (world solar car race of twenty countries, 3021 km (1877 mi) between Darwin, Australia, to Angle Vale (official finish line) and Adelaide (ceremonial finish line), Australia, and thirty-seven solar cars) I had to fly to a location/ country where my internet access was not very convenient (it kept on being disconnected whenever I tried to write).  However, I was able to load up various video clips onto youtube and I hope many of you have been enjoying these videos about the Veolia World Solar Challenge of 2011.  I understand one of you from Netherland is trying to gather as much information about the race as possible.  Since this is my first  time covering Veolia World Solar Challenge, or WSC (and only had time and budget for the start and end of the race), I hope these photos I took and video clips I uploaded (and filmed by Mike) to youtube will help to meet part of your need.  I promise you in two years (next Veolia World Solar Challenge) more detailed coverage about the scrutineering process (before the race) and events along the race will be included.  Please keep in mind that the goal and focus of this World Solar Challenge is to increase greater awareness and education for our future generations in application of solar energy in cars and to stimulate greater interest in math, science, and engineering. The emphasis is both in how far and how fast (rather than just how fast) these solar cars can go using energy from the sun. As a matter of fact, part of the rule this year had actually restricted total surface area of the solar cells to 6 sq m and of which only 3 sq m can be of GaAs (gallium arsenide) so to even the playing field.    Facility is available if a solar car needs to be “trailered” when insufficient sunshine is available for the duration of the race.  This year, due to the extra challenges of cloudiness, rain, and bush fire, only about 7 out of 37 solar cars were able to finish the course completely using solar energy.  The atmosphere at WSC is friendly and encouraging rather than fiercely competitive. One finds this to be true either in the scrutineering process (insuring safety of drivers/pilots and those around), tracking of the timing (please refer to: http://www.worldsolarchallenge.org/files/318_2011_veolia_world_solar_challenge_provisional_results_pending_protests.pdf), or in the finish presentation (ritual dip in the Victoria Fountain by all teams (those that were not too shy or too cold) at the end of the race or not so ritual “burning rubber” of the German team).  Finally, I’d like to take my hat off to Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 team for being able to pull off a race of this magnitude (involving solar cars from twenty countries) with mostly volunteers working together to make this race work.  Running an organization composed of mostly volunteers is not the same as running a normal company (I’ve had experience in both and believe me, running an organization composed mostly of volunteers is not easy!).  So, if any of you out there with good ideas (to help improve the solar car race), funding, or time to volunteer, perhaps you’d like to contact Mr. Chris Selwood (leader and rightful owner of Veolia World Solar Challenge) and/or the organization at  http://www.worldsolarchallenge.org/contact_us For the ease and convenience of our readers’ pleasures, there are written descriptions for these solar cars with each of the youtube video clip of the interviews for its team members.  So please be sure to read (click on “Show more” at each youtube clip) about the descriptions for these solar cars.  I tried to take photograph and to interview as many of the participating solar cars of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 as possible, but due to time constraint, please forgive me if I missed any one.  With regard to all the video interviews at youtube, if any of the interviewees’ names is either misspelled or not mentioned, please feel free to contact me at sunisthefuture@gmail.com so I can make the necessary modification.  Below, you will find links to our youtube clips/interviews with various teams and photographs of these solar cars. Keep in mind that these videos and photos pertaining to Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 are under Creative Commons as long as you would attribute it/them to Sun Is The Future at http://sunisthefuture.net There will be more posts on human interest stories and lessons learned  regarding Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 later.

1.  Open Ceremony of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 at Darwin, Australia, part 1 of 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iAnz_sOjs4

2.  Open Ceremony of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 at Darwin, Australia, part 2a of 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gscMsAP1cpE

3.  Open Ceremony of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 at Darwin, Australia, part 2b of 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL282bRrUGg

4.  Interview with Chris, Selwood, the leader and rightful owner of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=102F8993NGs

5.  Interview with Nanyang Technological University of Singapore’s Nanyang Venture V day before the race started:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orKZfIGojiA

6.  Interview with Wahj of Seraaj Solar Car Team and Professor day before the race started:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGfEfETJY0Y

7.  Interview with Tokai Challenger 2, Winner of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011, at Adelaide, Australia:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFZA9kQnAnQ

8.  Interview with Nuna 6 Driver of Nuon Solar Team (Netherlands), Second Winning Team of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Riju3yX1OSc

 

 

9.  Arrival of Nuna 6 of Nuon Solar Team (Netherlands), Second Winning Team of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011, at Victoria Square of Adelaide, Australia:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdNZei5kJmw

10.  Interview of Quantum Driver/Member of University of Michigan (USA), Top Third of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWttRwxB96E

11. Arrival of Quantum of University of Michigan (USA),  Top Third Winning Team of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011, at Victoria Square of Adelaide, Australia:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E6yO30-5Q8

12.  Interview with Ashiya University (Japan) Solar Car Project’s Ashiya Sky Ace V team (4th car that arrived) member at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtkKA2MKyYs

13.  Scrutinering of Ashiya University Solar Car Project’s Ashiya Sky Ace V after the race:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guxo7yrWFvo

14.  Arrival of  21 Connect of Solar Team Twente (Netherlands) as 5th Car Arriving at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcKRX8mw4-s

 

 

 

15.  Interview with Xenith member of Stanford Solar Car Team (USA)at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTYEU-P6Y8M

16.  Arrival of Stanford Solar Car Team’s Xenith (USA):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPvnzfQAN4A

17.  Interview with volunteer Martin Brook of Aurora Vehicle Association (Australia) at aurorasolarcar.com:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeWLx2SaEes

 

18. Interview with German Hochshule Bochum Solar Car Team BO GT of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpkXy2-Ig2U

19.  Arrival of Hochshule Bochum Solar Car Team’s BO GT (Germany) at Veolia World Solar Challenge 201:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3DFWlxu4hs

20.  Interview with Solar Spirit Australia (Australia) in Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHijwso8sHw

 

 

21.  Arrival of Solar Spirit Australia of Tafe University of SA in Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ0zJ5oblsA

22.  Interview with Principia’s Ra 7s (USA) at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI_7nRL3n40

 

 

23.  Arrival of Ra 7s of Principia (USA) at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keenHgvTOC8

24.  Interview with MIT’s Chopper Del Sol (USA) at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jGy08T3odk

 

 

25.  Interview with MIT’s Chopper Del Sol (USA) team member minutes before the beginning of the race at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8r2rVpfnEM

26.  Interview with French Canadian’s Eclipse 7 in Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwGqa9wt1J4

27.  Interview with Taiwan’s Apollo VI team member at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiMZtexRye0

28.  Interview with Solar Ranger 2 team member of United Solar Ranger team (Malaysia) at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMRd4I15t-c

 

29.  Interview with Schulich Axiom team member of University of Calgary (Canada) at Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9xDtH3bnOU

 

Now, here are more photos of solar cars that were part of Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011, below:

More on human interest stories and lessons learned from Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 will be  coming in posts following.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More stories on human interests and lessons learned from Veolia World Solar Challenge 2011 will appear in following posts.

written and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker, sunisthefuture@gmail.com

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Any comments and suggestions are welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com

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