QUICK NEWS, June 7: ANSWERING WIND’S PROTESTORS; SUN PRICES SETTING; HIGH GAS PRICE CUTS U.S. POWER USE; NURTURING A WIND TURBINE

ANSWERING WIND’S PROTESTORS
Wind farm security: Taking the wind out of protesters; Whether their arguments carry weight or not, anti-wind protestors can cause significant headaches to wind farm operators. There are ways to lessen the level of opposition, however.
Jason Deign, 30 May 2011 (Wind Energy Update)

"Anyone who thinks anti-wind farm protestors are essentially a harmless bunch should consider Richard Herbert. On Monday evening, May 21, 2007, the 47-year-old father of three drowned himself in a water-filled drain near his farm at St John’s Fen End, King’s Lynn, UK… Herbert, who had been getting treatment for mental health problems, cracked over opposition to a wind farm planned on his land. Protestors had threatened legal action and brought down a GBP£100,000-plus anemometer in previous weeks…

"In January this year…vandals caused USD$5,000 in damage after firing shots at a BP Wind Energy turbine in Bonneville County, Idaho, USA. The month before, a shooter with a small-calibre weapon took out a transformer at a wind farm in Huron County, Michigan…Such cases of vandalism are rare...[but] protestors raise more serious concern…in their ability to stall planning permissions…[W]ell-organised cell groups…operate websites and…try to manipulate town councils…file lawsuits and actively lobby for changes…In Wisconsin…anti-wind pressure led to governor Scott Walker to suspend a Public Service Commission rule on wind farm permitting, throwing project viability into doubt and causing a number of developers, including Invenergy, to pull out of the state…"

Almost no interference with developed land use (click to enlarge)

[Michael Vickerman, executive director, Renew Wisconsin:] "…[W]hat makes the anti-wind farm pill even bitterer to swallow is the fact that most of opposition on alleged environmental grounds comes from [newer residents in rural areas] who have little connection with the environment…They have zero appreciation for how energy intensive their lives are. And they have almost nothing in common with farm families who have been living in that area for generations.”

[Nick Medic, head of communications, RenewableUK:] “Farmers have a practical and businesslike attitude towards their land. It is their livelihood. What we find is farmers working hard to get projects off the ground.”

Almost no impact on property values (click to enlarge)

"…The anti-wind lobby typically gets no benefit from the industry, though, and alleges that nearby wind farms lead to symptoms of anxiety and sleep deprivation through mechanisms such as noise, shadow flicker and even mysterious, undetectable ground currents…There are also concerns that turbines could kill birds or bats, and may even pose a threat to human safety through ice throws, blade breakages or fires. These risks do undoubtedly exist…[but] as long as [the much more dangerous] traditional energy sources are extracted out of sight…the wind industry will likely have to contend with a significant not-in-my-backyard backlash from a vocal minority…

"…[D]evelopers can minimise the impact…[1, by keeping] neighbours at arm’s length by building in adequate set-back distances or buying up nearby homes…[2, by learning local demographics and building] where the neighbours are mostly farmers…[3, building] smaller clusters of turbines [that] attract less opposition than big wind farms…[4, using new turbine designs to] overcome other issues such as [the nuisance of aircraft warning lights atop turbines,] shadow flicker and landscape impact...[6, turning some turbines] off at night when power demand is reduced…[7] stopping turbines at dawn and dusk [to] reduce bat kills…[and, 8, recompensing complainants] either directly with a small annual sum or through a community fund…"


SUN PRICES SETTING
Polysilicon Price Trending down to $50/kg due to High Inventory Level and Low Visibility of Market Demand.
May 25, 2011 (EnergyTrend via Mercom Capital)

"…[M]arket demand [has] yet to pick up…[I]nventory still remain[s] at a high level. As a result, the polysilicon price has significantly dropped. The average spot price of polysilicon has decreased by over 10%...to below $60/kg…[and] the average price of [a] solar cell has decreased [0.84%] to below $0.95/Watt [considered manufacturers’ maximum tolerance]. Manufacturers indicated that the market’s confidence is as low as the financial meltdown in 2008.

"…[T]he polysilicon price has come to 52/kg at the lowest, and the average polysilicon price has quickly decreased by 12.71%, to $58.875…[P]olysilicon manufacturers are…[struggling] to survive…Si wafer manufacturers are also under price pressure. The average price of multi-Si wafer[s] and mono-Si wafer[s] [have]…fallen by 9.87% and 6.08%, to $2.42/piece and $2.8/piece…"

click to enlarge

"…[D]ue to low demand in the module market, the average price of module[s] has continued to decrease by 3.27%, to $1.36/Watt…[T]he average price of thin film has decreased by 3.21%, to $1.055/Watt…[And] the average price of PV inverter[s] has fallen by 5.06%, to $0.244/Watt…[I]nventory turnover is still the key factor for the PV market demand recovery. Cumulative ready-for-sale inventory in Italy is around 3.5GW, and 1.5GW~2GW in other regions…[I]nventory problems also exist in the polysilicon, wafer and solar cell fields.

"EnergyTrend estimates that it will take 1-2 months to digest the total inventory in stock…Apart from high inventory level[s], many countries have curtailed feed-in tariff policies, which resulted in a decreasing IRR ratio. Therefore, EnergyTrend believes…market demand [will] not recover in the short run."


HIGH GAS PRICE CUTS U.S. POWER USE
New Study Identifies Gas Price Increases Curb U.S. Electricity Consumption
May 26, 2011 (ZPryme)

"…[A] new Zpryme study sponsored by Itron, Inc., The New Energy Consumer…surveyed 1,082 home owners or renters age 18 – 75 across the U.S…found that recent gasoline price surges made 76.5% of respondents more sensitive to electricity prices…[and] many of those same respondents had already taken energy efficiency actions in their households…

"The study…looked at energy consumption attitudes and perceptions by consumers, the smart grid communication networks and enterprise systems for U.S. utilities in the U.S…[and includes a] New Energy Consumer Survey, Smart Grid Architecture Market Analysis, [and an] Itron Q&A..."

click to enlarge

"Other findings…[1] 70% of home owners and 66.8% of renters rated their utility as good or outstanding…[2] More people monitor/manage their electricity usage on a monthly basis than any other time period…[3] The highest rated potential benefit of the smart grid was saving money; the biggest concern was the cost to build it…

"…[4] 94% of all respondents said it was important for utilities to have the most advanced communications technology to increase energy efficiency and prevent power outages;
however, only 22.0% said they wouldn’t mind paying slightly higher rates over a short time period to fund such technology for utilities…[and,5] Residents who said they wouldn’t mind paying higher rates for electricity from renewable sources tended to be male, renters, young, and with higher incomes…"


NURTURING A WIND TURBINE
What is the best way to maintain a wind turbine?
May 22, 2011 (Windpower Engineering)

"Maintenance crews acknowledge that frequent lubrications with small amounts of grease extend the working life of bearings and seals. But long hours of hub crawling is physically and mentally demanding work. A useful idea is a centralized and automated lubrication system for wind turbines. [Some versions] for lubrication tasks in a nacelle can also handle main-shaft bearings…[reduce] lubricant consumption…[and make] refilling the grease pump simple and quick. Centralized lubrication systems are said to reduce turbine operating costs, increase operational reliability, and extend service intervals.

"…[A] 24-Vdc electric-powered [lubricator]…greases heavy-duty equipment without tapping into hydraulic or pneumatic lines. It is said to set up easily and fit directly onto a 5-gallon grease pail. It works with a hose reel and hand grease gun, and can be used stand-alone or with a centralized lubrication system. It weighs about 24 lbs…The pump can refill automated lubrication systems inside wind turbines or act as the driving pump behind the system…"

A turbine has thousands of turning gears and moving parts between its blades and the grid that need greasing. (click to enlarge)

"…Hydraulic-component companies are designing more complete lubrication-oil systems for wind-turbine gearboxes. These systems would come with filters, pumps, valves, coolers, and heaters as well as manifolds and piping to connect components. The advantage here is that the assemblies are probably more thoroughly tested and proven and carry the assurance of reliability from a qualified supplier.

"…The equipment used to maintain the machinery in a nacelle are much like those used by other technicians except they are fitted with tethers to prevent them from falling many feet to the ground…A recent element intended for wind turbines is said to ensure sufficient and effective filtration levels and prevent the filter from going into bypass mode, an event common to cold starts. Also, offline filters can remove water from oil. Existing systems on turbines can be upgraded with these capabilities."