The city  of Kimberley — roughly 40 minutes southeast of Cranbrook — is in the process of  installing a solar energy system to validate the airport’s figures. Dubbed the “SunMine Project,” the  system is being installed at a former mine and intended result is two-fold: (1) Prove the feasibility of solar power in British Columbia, and (2) Demonstrate that the infrastructure remaining at the former mine is valuable.

So far, Kimberley and its partners — the Vancouver, B.C.-based non-profit EcoSmart Foundation Inc. and former operator of the mine/current property owner Teck Resources Limited — have embarked on the first phase of the project. The phase consists of installing a one megawatt peak (MWp) plant that, once built, should indicate whether it’s worth it to build a large, grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) solar energy plant at the site. In other words, it’ll be something akin to the canary in a mine.

So far, two sets of test panels have been installed. Kimberley Mayor Jim Ogilvie is confident that the test will yield the results needed to move ahead with a grid-connected system:

“The test site is the first step in confirming that we have the resources we believe we do. The next step will be the development of the 1MWp solar power plant, which will establish Kimberley as an emerging player in the clean energy industry.”

There are a couple of key reasons why solar makes sense right now for the B.C. region. First, the existing infrastructure at the former mine means Kimberley will save the time and money it takes to build the grid lines to transport the energy. Second, Canada as a whole has a pretty vibrant solar-panel manufacturing industry. It’s expected that the proposed plant would use Canadian panels. If it turns out to be a success, the plant will generate investor confidence in Canadian cleantech companies and really put the country’s clean energy industry on the map.

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As relayed by Solar Industry Magazine, the EWEA says the EU will be generating 34 percent of its energy from renewable sources by its 2020 goal. Fourteen percent of the EU’s total energy consumption is expected to come solely from wind power. Solar photovoltaics (PV) will account for 2.7 percent, and concentrating solar power will provide 0.5 percent of the energy expected to be consumed each year.

The energy target, widely known as the “20-20-20 targets,” was adopted in 2009 and is designed to focus on three main goals: a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20 percent increase in the use of renewables and a 20 percent cut in overall energy consumption compared to 1990 levels.

As proposed by the European Commission in January 2008, the original target was even stricter than what the EU is currently aiming for by 2020. It was rejected, however, by Europe industry representatives who feared the impact strict green laws would have on profit margins. It appears that in the end, both sides will get their wish as the 2020 goal will likely be surpassed.

While many states have renewable energy targets, it remains unclear whether the U.S. will adopt a national renewable energy standard.

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Audi's manufacturing facility in Ingolstadt, Germany will one day be a charing station for the e-tron -- Audi's electric vehicle.

The initial system was originally installed in 2009 on 11,600-square meters of roof area. Audi’s new plan entails covering another 7,500 square meters of the facility’s roof with more thin-film PV modules that will give the system an output capacity of 500 kilowatts (KW). On its own, the new installation will produce approximately 460 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity each year — enough to fully support the energy needs of 180 average German homes. Audi’s project will be carried out by Green City Energy, a Munich-based solar energy system developing company.

Appropriately, Audi’s solar-charged German facility will someday soon be a charging station for the company’s e-tron vehicle. The e-tron was revealed in 2009 in what was somewhat of a surprising revelation, as Audi has long been an advocate for the advancement of diesel technology. While it’s still years away from launch, revealing an electric car concept and an accompanying solar-powered charging facility is a clear indicator that Audi’s management is thinking about the future of post-gasoline automobiles. Just listen to the A3′s plant manager Peter Kössler speak about his facility’s most recent solar expansion plans: “This concept shows that Audi is tackling the topic of electromobility systematically…We aim to set the standards in every area.”

What’s more, Audi’s solar power expansion in Ingolstadt is not the company’s lone clean energy endeavor. Its production plant in Neckarsulm, Germany sports a PV system on its roof and atop accompanying parking garages that’s capable of generating 1,000 MWh of clean solar energy each year.

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As reported by the Associated Press,

Beijing will create 13 industry zones and pay up to half the price of equipment for solar power projects, the Finance Ministry said. It said other costs will be covered by a subsidy of 4 to 6 yuan (60 to 90 U.S. cents) per watt of generating capacity.

The announcement came toward the end of the first of two weeks’ worth of global talks on climate change being held in Cancun, Mexico. China — along with other large developing countries like India and Brazil — has long resisted enacting mandatory targets for reducing emissions of carbon-dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The U.S., too, has avoided adopting mandatory targets by refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol, the main international framework through which countries negotiate international climate change policy obligations.

Thursday’s news today provided a boost to solar energy stocks, especially those companies expected to benefit from the new subsidies.

Another interesting tidbit included in the announcement: Beijing is aiming to install at least 1,000 megawatts of solar generating capacity each year through 2020. According to the AP, that’s roughly equal to installing two standard coal-fired power plants per year starting in 2013. That’s a good deal of solar power capacity. And China’s goal of deriving 15 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 is laudable. But, given that the country allegedly installs a new coal-fired plant each week, it’s clear that solar power’s role in China’s energy future will be overshadowed by that of coal.

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Qatar’s winning bid was announced today at a FIFA press conference in Zurich, Switzerland, and is being described by many soccer aficionados as a “stunning announcement.” What’s more stunning to us is that the Persian Gulf country, which is currently the world’s biggest producer of liquified natural gas, will use solar technology at all five stadiums slated to host World Cup games — and also at fan zones and training facilities throughout the country.

During summers in Qatar, temperatures can climb above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to offset this heat and make playing conditions, well, playable, Qatar will install solar energy systems to capture its abundance of hot desert sun and use it to power cooling systems that will bring and keep stadium temperatures under 80 degrees Fahrenheit during matches.

All World Cup stadiums will also be energy neutral. As you know, solar panels produce electricity whenever there is sunlight, so there will be energy to be had even when games aren’t being played. That energy will be exported back onto the main power grid. When games are being played, the grid will be tapped to fire energy back into the stadiums to cool the players and fans in time for kickoff. Qatar hopes to be a prototype for other hot nations looking to host a World Cup, or other large outdoor event, and will make its cooling technology available to those looking to follow suit.

The smallest Arab nation had some big supporters during its world cup bid, including former France midfielder, Algerian-born Zinedine Zidane, who spoke about Qatar’s selection shortly after it was announced:

“…it’s a victory for the Arab world. Qatar has received support from the Arab world as a whole and I think that’s been an important factor. Now they’ve got a little bit of time to get down to work and do what they have to do, which is to harness sport and football to achieve some big things. They’ve got ten years to put a team together and stage a wonderful World Cup.”

Qatar already has two of the five stadiums built and ready for action. All they need are the solar energy installations. Three other World Cup stadiums will have to be built before the 2022 tournament: Al-Wakrah Stadium, Al-Khor Stadium and Al-Shamal Stadium, which are all expected to seat over 45,000 soccer fans. Qatar has plenty of other work to do before hosting the World Cup in 12 years, including revamping its public transportation system. Time to get to work.

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OMRON — a manufacturer of medical equipment – developed HEM-SOLAR after the World Health Organization (WHO) challenged several companies to develop an accurate, solar-powered  blood-pressure monitoring tool.

According to “Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association,” when the device was tested against a manual blood-pressure system in Uganda and Africa on over 700 people, it yielded a 94 percent accuracy rating when measuring systolic.

HEM-SOLAR costs $32 and eliminates the need to purchase batteries. One potential drawback to be corrected is that the device’s accuracy level was lower when testing diastolic blood pressure.

This latest incarnation is just further testament of the many applications of solar power.

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It was completed last month by Enbridge Energy, an energy provider to over 6,000 people in North America, using solar modules from First Solar, the Tempe, Arizona-based thin-film solar manufacturer.

Through a 20-year power purchasing agreement (PPA), Enbridge will sell the power to the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) under the agreed terms of Ontario’s Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program, a feed-in tariff that was enacted to help Ontario meet its fast approaching renewable energy targets.

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The distribution deal with Radiant Holding will, according to MarketWatch, allow Ascent to venture into multiple growing solar markets in China. As a first step and a sign of good faith, Radiant Holding will showcase Ascent’s thin-film CIGS PV modules by installing them atop a demonstration site.

Ascent’s panels are lightweight, flexible, and carry one of the highest efficiency rates for its class. In October, Ascent announced that it had raised the panels’ efficiency rate from nine to 11 percent. Ascent Solar President and CEO Farhad Moghadam said he believes the relationship with Radiant Holding will give his company the opportunity to market more of its U.S.-manufactured products in the Chinese market.

“We are pleased to announce our agreement with Radiant,” said Moghadam in a press statement. “This relationship will give us access to a very large and rapidly growing market for BIPV applications in China. We also expect that other products in our lineup of flexible, lightweight CIGS modules will be marketed through this relationship. Radiant has a sound building materials business and is an excellent partner to have for distribution of our products in China.”

The Colorado-based Ascent Solar is known for its innovative and unique solar integration products. Last April, the U.S. manufacturer teamed up with Samsonite to develop a solar luggage line. Because of their flexible design, Ascent’s solar products can be integrated with building roofs, portable electronics and vehicles.

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According to Business Day, Spain’s newest plan on renewable energy will “reduce the premium above the normal electricity price guaranteed for new solar projects by 45 percent for solar or farms, by 25 percent for large panels on office or factory buildings, and by five percent for solar panels on homes.”

Spain currently ranks second among the countries with the most installed photovoltaic (PV) generating capacity. But last week the Spanish government decided to go ahead with the newest plan to cut subsidies after talks broke down over how to make broader changes to the policy on renewable energy subsidies. The discord arose, according to Bloomberg, when government ministers and energy company executives were unable to agree on prices for existing solar plants.

The subsidy reduction could prove to be a fatal blow for some 600 photovoltaic (PV) solar plant operators. According to the Photovoltaic Industry Association, those operators would be in danger of bankruptcy as a result of the new policy.

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In this graph from Solar Heating & Cooling Worldwide, the 2010 Edition, you can see that China has installed over 24,000 MW of solar thermal, more than any other individual country in the world. Granted, on a per capita basis, its investment might not seem so radical compared to others. But the Chinese preference for evacuated tube collectors reveals much more about their clean energy investment priorities.

Evacuated tube solar collectors are known for their greater efficiency and suitability for colder climates. In a nutshell, the technology permits the maximum amount of sunlight to be captured because the tubes’ curved shapes make the collector perpendicular to the sun at all times of day. Unfortunately the added complexity this brings makes evacuated tube collectors more expensive than their flat plate counterparts.

The United States has over 20,000 MW of solar hot water systems in operation, but the majority of ours are unglazed flat plate solar collectors, which we use to heat swimming pools. Solar pool heating is relatively common because of the short payback period involved. Despite the benefits of using the sun’s energy for swimming pools, however, our lack of investment in other solar hot water systems, whether flat plate or evacuated tubes, means a much larger portion of our basic water demand could be met with solar energy.

The Chinese are setting a good example here by accepting the high up front costs necessary to spread the most efficient solar hot water technology available. Let’s hope the US — not to mention the rest of the world — can follow suit.

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