11-26-2007, 10:34 PM
Solar water heaters are a must now in Karnataka <!--emo&:ind--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/india.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='india.gif' /><!--endemo-->
DH News Service, Bangalore:
<b>With a view to promoting the use of solar energy, the State Government has made the use of solar water heating system compulsory for all categories of houses with built up area of 600 sq ft and above, industries, hospitals and nursing homes and hotels, among others.</b>
To reduce the wastage of energy due to the use of incandescent bulbs, the government has made compulsory the use of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL) in all government and aided buildings. However, no time-frame has been set for the installation of solar heaters.
In a notification, the Energy Department has stated that all departments will have to amend their rules/by-laws within a period of two months from the date of issue of the order, to make the use of solar water heating systems compulsory.
These departments will also designate a district and state level modal officer. He will monitor and report the progress of enforcement to the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL).
The notification also says use of use of Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) would be made compulsory in government buildings, besides buildings of aided institutions, boards and corporations. The use of incandescent lamps is banned in all these buildings with immediate effect.
Power utilities will effect necessary modification in the load demand notices within two months from the date of issue of this order to promote the use of CFL, while releasing/sanctioning new connections/loads.
The government has also made mandatory use of ISI marked motor pump sets, power capacitors, foot/reflex valves in agriculture sector.
Moreover, the notification says that all the new buildings to be constructed in the government/ aided sectors will incorporate energy efficient building design concepts, including renewable energy technologies with effect from one year of the date of issue of order.
A committee shall be formed by the PWD to examine all new building plans/drawings to be constructed in the government/aided sector. This should be done to ensure that all features of the energy efficient building design concepts have been incorporated in these.
The notification says that KREDL has been designated as âThe Designated Authorityâ to coordinate, regulate and enforce the provisions contained in the Energy Conservation Act.
SUNNY DAYS
*Govt move to reduce wastage of energy
*Incandescent bulbs get the boot
*Use of CFL to be promoted
*All new buildings in govt/aided sector to be energy-efficient
Another interesting article.
Solar energy from balloons
Arun M Isloor
<i>Electricity from Balloons? Tough as it is to believe, that is what Dr. Pini Gurfil of Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, has developed.</i>
He has come up with a number of designs for generating electrical power using helium-filled balloons carrying embedded solar cells. The advantage of this is in the amount of solar radiation captured.
Solar radiation reaches the Earth's upper atmosphere at a rate of 1,366 Watts/m2. While travelling through the atmosphere, 6 percent of the incoming solar radiation (insolation) is reflected and 16 percent is absorbed, resulting in a peak irradiance at the equator of 1,020 W/m².
Average atmospheric conditions (clouds, dust, pollution) reduce insolation by 20 percent through reflection and 3 percent through absorption. In North America the average insolation lies between 125 and 375 W/m² (3 to 9 kW/m²/day).
Photovoltaic panels currently convert only about 15-25 percent of incident sunlight into electricity; therefore, a solar panel in the contiguous United States delivers on average 19 to 100 W/m² or 0.45-2.7 kW/m²/day. In addition, the DC/AC conversion incurs an energy penalty of 4-12 per cent.
When grid connected, solar electric generation can displace the highest cost electricity during times of peak demand (in most climatic regions), can reduce grid loading, and can eliminate the need for local battery power for use in times of darkness and high local demand.
Back-up
The main disadvantage of solar electricity is limited power density, requiring relatively large collecting sites, occupying considerable land. In this regard, Dr. Gurfil and his team mitigate this deficiency by designing a lighter-than-air system for collecting solar electricity.
This concept may be used as backup for existing power plants or as a primary energy sources in countries where land resources are scarce.
The lighter-than-air craft technology has been proven useful for various commercial, military and civil applications, including meteorological balloons, intelligence blimps, and stratospheric observatories.
To date, however, there are no existing balloons comprising embedded solar cells for electricity generation.
These balloons are strapped to the ground using dual-use insulated cables, carrying helium to the balloon and transporting electric charge to a ground segment.
The choice of helium rather than a hot-air balloon stems from its unique properties: Low boiling point, low density, low solubility, high thermal conductivity, and inertness. In addition, pressurized helium is commercially available in large quantities.
Because of its extremely low index of refraction, the use of helium reduces the distorting effects of temperature variations in the space between lenses in some telescopes.
According to Dr. Gurfil, the new design developed by him has several clear advantages. First, the balloon concept transforms light into electricity without occupying precious land area. It constitutes an accessible, portable and infrastructure-free access to electric power that could be used in diverse locations, including remote areas and at sea.
The Technion researchers estimate that two helium balloons will be needed for each apartment/house unit. With mass production of the solar cell coated helium balloons, the price will fall dramatically from where it stands today - $700 for each cubic meter of cellular cell.
The researchers, who have registered a patent for their method, hope that it will be competitive with existing energy sources.
<i>Reader in Chemistry, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University</i>
DH News Service, Bangalore:
<b>With a view to promoting the use of solar energy, the State Government has made the use of solar water heating system compulsory for all categories of houses with built up area of 600 sq ft and above, industries, hospitals and nursing homes and hotels, among others.</b>
To reduce the wastage of energy due to the use of incandescent bulbs, the government has made compulsory the use of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL) in all government and aided buildings. However, no time-frame has been set for the installation of solar heaters.
In a notification, the Energy Department has stated that all departments will have to amend their rules/by-laws within a period of two months from the date of issue of the order, to make the use of solar water heating systems compulsory.
These departments will also designate a district and state level modal officer. He will monitor and report the progress of enforcement to the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL).
The notification also says use of use of Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) would be made compulsory in government buildings, besides buildings of aided institutions, boards and corporations. The use of incandescent lamps is banned in all these buildings with immediate effect.
Power utilities will effect necessary modification in the load demand notices within two months from the date of issue of this order to promote the use of CFL, while releasing/sanctioning new connections/loads.
The government has also made mandatory use of ISI marked motor pump sets, power capacitors, foot/reflex valves in agriculture sector.
Moreover, the notification says that all the new buildings to be constructed in the government/ aided sectors will incorporate energy efficient building design concepts, including renewable energy technologies with effect from one year of the date of issue of order.
A committee shall be formed by the PWD to examine all new building plans/drawings to be constructed in the government/aided sector. This should be done to ensure that all features of the energy efficient building design concepts have been incorporated in these.
The notification says that KREDL has been designated as âThe Designated Authorityâ to coordinate, regulate and enforce the provisions contained in the Energy Conservation Act.
SUNNY DAYS
*Govt move to reduce wastage of energy
*Incandescent bulbs get the boot
*Use of CFL to be promoted
*All new buildings in govt/aided sector to be energy-efficient
Another interesting article.
Solar energy from balloons
Arun M Isloor
<i>Electricity from Balloons? Tough as it is to believe, that is what Dr. Pini Gurfil of Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, has developed.</i>
He has come up with a number of designs for generating electrical power using helium-filled balloons carrying embedded solar cells. The advantage of this is in the amount of solar radiation captured.
Solar radiation reaches the Earth's upper atmosphere at a rate of 1,366 Watts/m2. While travelling through the atmosphere, 6 percent of the incoming solar radiation (insolation) is reflected and 16 percent is absorbed, resulting in a peak irradiance at the equator of 1,020 W/m².
Average atmospheric conditions (clouds, dust, pollution) reduce insolation by 20 percent through reflection and 3 percent through absorption. In North America the average insolation lies between 125 and 375 W/m² (3 to 9 kW/m²/day).
Photovoltaic panels currently convert only about 15-25 percent of incident sunlight into electricity; therefore, a solar panel in the contiguous United States delivers on average 19 to 100 W/m² or 0.45-2.7 kW/m²/day. In addition, the DC/AC conversion incurs an energy penalty of 4-12 per cent.
When grid connected, solar electric generation can displace the highest cost electricity during times of peak demand (in most climatic regions), can reduce grid loading, and can eliminate the need for local battery power for use in times of darkness and high local demand.
Back-up
The main disadvantage of solar electricity is limited power density, requiring relatively large collecting sites, occupying considerable land. In this regard, Dr. Gurfil and his team mitigate this deficiency by designing a lighter-than-air system for collecting solar electricity.
This concept may be used as backup for existing power plants or as a primary energy sources in countries where land resources are scarce.
The lighter-than-air craft technology has been proven useful for various commercial, military and civil applications, including meteorological balloons, intelligence blimps, and stratospheric observatories.
To date, however, there are no existing balloons comprising embedded solar cells for electricity generation.
These balloons are strapped to the ground using dual-use insulated cables, carrying helium to the balloon and transporting electric charge to a ground segment.
The choice of helium rather than a hot-air balloon stems from its unique properties: Low boiling point, low density, low solubility, high thermal conductivity, and inertness. In addition, pressurized helium is commercially available in large quantities.
Because of its extremely low index of refraction, the use of helium reduces the distorting effects of temperature variations in the space between lenses in some telescopes.
According to Dr. Gurfil, the new design developed by him has several clear advantages. First, the balloon concept transforms light into electricity without occupying precious land area. It constitutes an accessible, portable and infrastructure-free access to electric power that could be used in diverse locations, including remote areas and at sea.
The Technion researchers estimate that two helium balloons will be needed for each apartment/house unit. With mass production of the solar cell coated helium balloons, the price will fall dramatically from where it stands today - $700 for each cubic meter of cellular cell.
The researchers, who have registered a patent for their method, hope that it will be competitive with existing energy sources.
<i>Reader in Chemistry, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University</i>