This is for you science types with an interest in renewables. Excerpt: Applications of solar energy in Saudi Arabia have been growing since 1960. A systematic major research and development work for the development of solar energy technologies was started by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in 1977. The Saudi Solar Radiation Atlas project was initiated in 1994 as a joint research and development project between the KACST Energy Research Institute and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Said et al., 200. The solar village project site is located 50 km northwest of Riyadh and supplied between 1 and 1.5 MWh of electric energy per day to three rural villages. It was the biggest project of its type in 1980 and cost $18 million (Sayigh et al., 199. In 2007, the Ministry of Higher Education established a Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. The aim of the center is to further scientific development in renewable energy with an emphasis on solar energy. At the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology, 2 MW PV cells were installed. This solar power plant is located in Thuwal, north of Jeddah, and started operations in May 2010. It has 9300 modules of 215 Wp over 11,600 m2 and is intended to produce 3300 MWh of clean energy annually while saving up to 1700 tons of annual carbon emissions. The total cost of this photovoltaic grid-connected (PVGC) power plant was approximately 65 million Saudi riyals (SR) (National Solar Systems, 2010). The Farasan solar power plant, with a capacity of 500 kWp, was constructed in Saudi Arabia over an area of 7700 m2 (National Solar Systems, 2010). This solar power plant is a stand-alone system intended to feed Farasan Island, south of Saudi Arabia, and has been in operation since June 2011 (National Solar Systems, 2010). The worlds largest solar parking project, the North Park Project located in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, at the headquarters of the oil company Saudi Aramco, has a 10 MW carport system with a capacity to cover 200,000 m2. Because solar energy is an important renewable energy source, many organizations and countries have made efforts in terms of research and investment in solar energy as a key alternative to burning fossil fuels. The scope of the research is about how to transfer solar energy into electrical energy through PV cells then inject it directly into the power transmission lines and thus this article does not mention about storage energy. However, some studies have mentioned it (Al-Ali et al., 2012 and Mansouri et al., 2013). 2. Environmental and health issues Unpolluted air is a basic condition necessary to preserving human health, but air pollution remains a threat to public health around the world. The conventional electricity-generating industry is a main contributor to the production of harmful gases polluting the environment. Low-quality fuels and the methods of generation typical in Saudi Arabia (such as crude oil with high sulfur content in power plants with negligible emission controls) emit a variety of pollutants that contribute to public health issues (Alnatheer, 2005a). Conventional power plants emit greenhouse gases such as CO2, SO2, and NOx, which are known contributors to global warming. Saudi Arabia leads the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in its CO2 emissions, contributing 56% (Qader, 2009), and has been ranked 14 in the world for CO2 emissions (US Energy Information Administration, 2010). The relationship between electricity consumption and CO2 emissions (US Energy Information Administration, 2010) (Fig. 1) is approximately linear. Accordingly, future use of conventional generation will increase the levels of CO2 emissions in Saudi Arabia proportional to the expansion of its generation capacities. Power plants will therefore play a large role in reducing such emissions through the use of alternative electricity production such as PV power. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1018363914000221 snip Accordingly, the most convenient state is approach C because it is comparable to the current policy of energy in Saudi Arabia. Thus, solar energy is expected to be competitive with conventional generation by 2020. snip Moreover, the cost of solar energy is less than that of conventional generation if the indirect costs of fossil fuels are included, such as environmental costs and health costs. The period of peak loads in Saudi Arabia is 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M., while solar radiation is available from approximately 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Accordingly, peak saving during peak hours could be achieved through the contribution of PVGC systems in conjunction with existing power generation systems. Thus, by 2020, Saudi Arabia is expected to be fully ready to establish PVGC power plants in partnership with conventional power plants to support its national grid and meet the expected required loads.
Den how come dey doin' it in Germany?... Study: Despite Subsidies, Solar Power More Expensive October 19, 2016 | Sunlight is free, but harnessing solar power to make electricity remains considerably more expensive when compared to conventional electricity sources such as coal, natural gas, or nuclear, according to a new study commissioned by the Institute for Energy Research (IER).
Solar paint - Your Walls Can Turn Heat Into Electricity... With This Revolutionary Paint, Your Walls Can Turn Heat Into Electricity Researchers have developed a thermoelectric paint that produces an energy output of 4 mW/cm2 by harnessing the waste heat from hot surfaces. Along with innovations like solar windows and solar roof shingles, the paint could be used to power homes without relying on environmentally damaging fossil fuels.
Solar powered water pumps pump water to thirsty cattle... Solar Pump Helps Herders Overcome Zimbabwe Drought December 26, 2016 Communities in one of the most drought-prone parts of Zimbabwe are ditching farming in favor of cattle raising with support from the United Nations and a local NGO.
There was an article yesterday about the falling price of solar panels making them far more attractive.
2016 was the year solar panels finally became cheaper than fossil fuels. Just wait for 2017 http://qz.com/871907/2016-was-the-y...cheaper-than-fossil-fuels-just-wait-for-2017/
Great .... So. give we readers the run down on what you have invested in? Do you live in a solar powered home? Or wind powered? Do you own or operate an auto that uses renewable electric current?
You may want to read further before singing the praises of solar panels that are getting cheaper. "Fabricating the panels requires caustic chemicals such as sodium hydroxide and hydrofluoric acid, and the process uses water as well as electricity, the production of which emits greenhouse gases. It also creates waste. These problems could undercut solar's ability to fight climate change and reduce environmental toxics" http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...r-panel-manufacturing-sustainability-ranking/
The Saudis have successfully used solar and hysolar applications all over the country.. and have whole villages operating on solar power since 1983.. and now there's Farasan Island in the Red Sea which is entirely solar.
Oh I couldn't tell you, but the Saudis are extremely conscientious about environmental issues.. You have to remember they flared off gas for years because there was no market for it.
It isn't about the environment. It is about having more oil to sell and having a functioning society when that oil runs out.
Are you serious? "Riyadh has been ranked one of the most polluted cities in the world, according a report released by a United Nations organization." http://www.arabnews.com/news/538861
You mean in 80-100 years? To quote Zaki Yamani. The stone age didn't come to an end because they ran out of stones. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in recharge dams, desalination that produces cheap electricity as a by-product and solar applications.. I expect their next move with be nuclear powered desalination. Don't underestimate them. - - - Updated - - - Because of shamals.. .. but they are not caused by oil or gas.
Don't overestimate their motives. They are in it for the money. If you grow cabbages, every cabbage you eat is one less cabbage you can sell.
Of course.. I read a KAUST study several years ago, because I was lucky enough to tour that facility a few years back.. Sunshine in KSA equals 30 million barrels of oil per day.
That's nice. Most won't realize what you said. She believes being overcharged for what amounts to a roof top water heater is called good investing. I had a roof top water heater. During the daylight it did a decent job of feeding to my gas heater, warmer water, as opposed to feeding it cold water from city supply. Back then the heater in the garage would cost brand new about $150. Then the roof top (so called excellent good investment) cost about $7,500. Sold for a robber barons price due to what? If you guessed the tax breaks were supposed to be your benefit, give yourself an A. Put into context, for $7,500 you could cut down the cost to heat water from say $75 per month to zero cost. But the water from the roof fed the gas burning unit in the garage. During the cold times, you remained on your gas feed supply. Without forcing your own neighbors to hand you their paid taxes, they would not have sold many of those roof heaters at all.
You first stated that solar is green and I proved that not really. Then you claimed Saudis used solar power because they are so environmental but when I show you not really you move the goal post again. Just admit it, solar panels create as much pollution as they prevent and Saudi is anything but green and their capital is one of the most polluted cities on earth. Your blind love affair with this country is a bit OCD
