QUICK NEWS, March 18: SOLAR POWER PREDICTING FOR A NEW ENERGY GRID; WIND PROTECTS WILDLIFE FROM OTHER ENERGIES; SMART CITY INVESTMENT TO QUADRUPLE

SOLAR POWER PREDICTING FOR A NEW ENERGY GRID Predicting Solar Power Production: Irradiance Forecasting Models, Applications and Future Prospects

March 2014 (Solar Electric Power Association)

“…Grid integration studies of variable generation resources, including wind and solar, conclude that it is technically feasible for these resources to provide a significant portion of the nation’s energy needs at manageable costs. These studies recommend operational strategies and market structure changes needed to address increased levels of uncertainty that high-penetration of renewable resources presents to utility companies and grid operators due to their intermittent nature. The use of advanced forecasting of variable generation is one of these essential strategies. Forecasts of future solar energy system output allows grid operators and utilities to proactively manage variable output, and thus integrating solar resources into the existing grid at lower costs to society…” click here for more

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WIND PROTECTS WILDLIFE FROM OTHER ENERGIES Wind power less harmful to wildlife

Elliott Negin, March 12, 2014 (Letters to the Editor/Washinton Times)

"In its zeal to denigrate wind energy, The Washington Times editorial board seems to have ignored some key facts about the threat posed by coal and other traditional energy sources to wildlife…First, one of the biggest threats to wildlife is global warming [driven by burning fossil fuels like coal]…Wind energy, conversely, produces no carbon-dioxide emissions…Second, older U.S. coal, natural-gas and nuclear-power plants…draw hundreds of millions (in some cases billions) of gallons of water daily…[that kills] at least a billion fish, crabs and shrimp annually…[Finally, as] many as 970 million birds crash into [buildings] annually…[A]s many as 175 million birds die by flying into power lines, 72 million are poisoned by misapplied pesticides, nearly 6.6 million perish by hitting communications towers and as many as 1 million die in oil and gas industry fluid-waste pits…[while U.S. land-based wind turbines] were responsible for an estimated 573,000 bird deaths in 2012…All electrical generation has an impact on the environment. Wind power happens to be one of the most benign…” click here for more

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SMART CITY INVESTMENT TO QUADRUPLE Smart Cities: Asia Pacific; Markets, Technology, and Regional Development of Information Technology for Urban Growth: City and Supplier Profiles, Market Analysis, and Forecasts

1Q 2014 (Navigant Research)

"…Working with an evolving mix of international and regional smart city technology firms, Asia Pacific governments are piloting a variety of [networks of intelligent technologies] to solve urban problems, reduce urban energy and resource use, and prepare for future growth…[T]he group of solutions providers is growing and diversifying as Chinese and Indian firms adopt smart city strategies and expand out of their home markets, joining Japanese, South Korean, and international technology firms already active across the region. Navigant Research forecasts that annual smart city technology investment in Asia Pacific will almost quadruple by 2023, reaching $11.3 billion…” click here for more

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