Toshiba’s track record of supplying electrical equipment for locomotives in South Africa, combined with the reputation for energy-efficient performance and reliability secured by the equipment and systems Toshiba has previously delivered, contributed to the award of the new order

There are two responses: Stop wasting so much on the rapid development of wind and its questionable economics, or plough on regardless, in which case enormous grid investments are urgently needed.”

there are now other forms of energy harvesters developed initially at the micro level which are now being scaled to produce enough energy to replace or supplement grid power. For example, take the humble bicycle dynamo - based on an electrodynamic energy harvester. The same technology is also used in large scale wind power, but now it has been redesigned to work beyond a rotary means. EnOcean, Germany, offer more than 500 products based on this technology from light switches powered by pressing the switch to wirelessly monitored mouse traps powered by the mouse entering the trap. Re designing the decades old technology is now making other, larger scale applications possible.

This is why Highview has been testing its 300-kilowatt pilot plant for the past nine months, supplying electricity to the UK's National Grid. The process stores excess energy at times of low demand by using it to cool air to around -190 °C. Excess electricity powers refrigerators that chill the air, and the resulting liquid air, or cryogen, is then stored in a tank at ambient pressure (1 bar). When electricity is needed, the cryogen is subjected to a pressure of 70 bars and warmed in a heat exchanger. This produces a high-pressure gas that drives a turbine to generate electricity. The cold air emerging from the turbine is captured and reused to make more cryogen. Using ambient heat to warm it, the process recovers around 50 per cent of the electricity that is fed in, says Highview's chief executive Gareth Brett. The efficiency rises to around 70 per cent if you harness waste heat from a nearby industrial or power plant to heat the cryogen to a higher than ambient temperature, which increases the turbine's force, he says. Unlike pumped-storage hydropower, which requires large reservoirs, the cryogen plants can be located anywhere, says Brett. Batteries under development in Japan have efficiencies of around 80 to 90 per cent, but cost around $4000 per kilowatt of generating capacity. Cryogenic storage would cost just $1000 per kilowatt because it requires fewer expensive materials, claims Brett.

It recognises that the potential for pump energy savings is substantial. Europump (a pan European association of pump manufacturers) estimate that systems could be 30 to 50% more energy efficient by careful consideration of components, design and installation. Indeed our research has shown that a potential energy saving of 82% is achievable between the worst operating constant flow systems and the best designed variable flow systems.

Global capacity of wind power installations grew by 35.8 gigawatts (GW) in 2010, a 22.5% increase on the 158.7 GW installed at the end of 2009, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) announced on February 2. This brings total installed wind energy capacity up to 194.4 GW, according to figures from the global wind industry trade association. For the first time, more than half of all new wind power was added outside of the traditional markets in Europe and North America. The shift was driven mainly by the continuing boom in China, which installed 16.5 GW in 2010 and now claims global leadership with 42.3 GW of wind power.

Even Royal Dutch Shell is starting to sound the alarms about our inability to keep up with the growing demand for energy and how this is contributing to profound uncertainty around the world.

Replacing older oil-fired technology at the site, the gas turbines will increase the plant's efficiency and reduce its environmental impact in line with the Portuguese government's regulation to promote efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions (Fig.1). Approved in January 2010 and in support of the European Union cogeneration directive, a new Portuguese law will regulate cogeneration on a national level.

The programme I am setting out today has been arrived at after active engagement with our external partners. A key theme to emerge from this process has been that these partners believe that although the regime is generally fit for purpose, there are things we can improve. This confirms the Department’s belief that the building regulations should remain the national minimum standard that building work should comply with. While much of the programme of work is deregulatory in nature, it will, however, include work to deliver our commitment to increase energy efficiency through part L (conservation of fuel and power). This will represent our next steps towards zero-carbon buildings and will also provide an opportunity to consider provisions for the existing stock in the light of the Government’s emerging policies on reducing carbon emissions, including the green deal. We will also explore how better to ensure high levels of compliance.

Set against this there are a number of key areas where we want to explore the potential for deregulation and streamlining of the existing provisions. In particular, representations made to Government demonstrate concern with the costs imposed on electricians by part P (electrical safety—dwellings). We believe it is now time to evaluate the building regulations’ contribution to the safety outcomes they were intended to support and, if we are to retain regulation of this kind, how we might minimise the associated costs.

While not quite that advanced yet, technology in appliances now allows mobile control of devices - one of a number of clever features.

In light of this, The Energy Collective's latest webinar seeks to explore how China may rise to the challenge of meeting its rising energy demand while fighting climate change, and how those efforts will impact energy markets and technology in the rest of the world:

A new report by Pike Research, a market research and consulting firm focused on global clean technology markets , predicts that by 2020 fluorescent and light emitting diode (LED) lighting technologies will become the standard lighting types in the Unites and will account for over three quarters of the market by 2020.

This project will be India’s and indeed Asia’s first at commercial scale and will deliver important economic and environmental benefits for the region, as well as paving the way for similar developments within Gujarat

One of the major benefits of VSDs is the flexibility they allow to dryer users, helping them both control costs and manage the drying process. Many dryer users specify an oversized dryer, as they may be uncertain of the initial market size for their finished products. A VSD allows them to start at 50 per cent drying capacity and then increase this as demand grows, without having to buy another machine.

ABB will deliver five turnkey 34.5/69kV substations including 12 step-up power transformers rated at 33MVA, air and gas-insulated switchgear, medium-voltage reclosers, and distribution transformers. The company will also supply and install 60km of 69kV overhead transmission lines to connect a 290MW wind farm to the national electricity grid that is currently under construction in the northeastern state of Bahia. According to ABB, Brazil currently has around 600MW of wind power capacity, with another 450MW under construction.

India's National Solar Mission made public India's intent to increase to 20,000 Megawatts its solar installation by 2022. Burdened by permanent electricity shortages and complicated energy needs, India has the type of population and economic growth – as well as a geographic landscape naturally primed to support PV implementation – that bodes well for a future of clean tech and growing PV business opportunity. According to Vishal Shah, the Indian market is very promising.

However, Mr Engel insisted the world would continue looking to wind as an alternative to fossil fuels in the long term and highlighted China among the strongest sources of growth. Vestas achieved record Chinese orders last year as the government poured tens of billions of dollars into green technology. “We have lost market share in China to local competition yet our sales are still growing because the market is expanding so strongly,” said Mr Engel.Chinese wind power capacity has grown from 6,050 megawatts in 2007 to an estimated 43,853MW last year, surpassing the US for the first time, according to Citigroup. It is forecast to more than double by 2013. Mr Engel said technological innovation was the key to staying ahead of competition, noting the company’s research and development workforce had increased from 300 when he took charge in 2005 to more than 2,000 today. “We are at the end of the beginning in this industry. From here, it’s going to be driven by technology.”

The first solar-powered air conditioner that can also send energy to the grid has rolled off the production line of China’s largest residential air-conditioner manufacturer Gree Electric Appliances.

There are no technical barriers to the integration of large amounts of wind into the European electricity grid, according to a new report, but a single market and better interconnection would bring major benefits.