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Ivanpah: the value of first-of-line green energy projects, even when they fail

Karin Kloosterman — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 06:50:04 +0000

A major solar power plant project called Ivanpah, that was granted over a billion dollars in US Government federal loans is now on the road to closing two of its three units, with energy experts labeling it a “boondoggle”. While critics argue that the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility is another example of government waste, it’s essential to recognize the role such first-in-line projects play in advancing clean energy.

In 2011, the US Department of Energy (DOE) under former President Barack Obama issued $1.6 billion in loan guarantees to finance the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, a project consisting of three solar concentrating thermal power plants in California. At the time, then-Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz called it an “example of how America is becoming a world leader in solar energy.”

The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, a $2.2 billion concentrated solar plant in California, was once hailed as a breakthrough in renewable energy.

It was a time when spending on green energy projects was flush, starting with a boon around 2006 and 2007. Investors and government subsidizers were looking to fund dreams and Ivanpah promised a world with free energy harnessed from the sun.

Solar thermal versus photovoltaic PV panels

Solar thermal technology uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight, generating heat that produces steam to drive a turbine for electricity. It is known to kill birds that pass by it, attracted to the light. In contrast, photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor materials. While solar thermal can include energy storage with molten salt, PV is generally cheaper, more efficient, and easier to scale.

Ashalim is producing power but local financial estimates say it was not worth the cost.

Ashalim producing power in 2022. You will see a blinding light when you drive by it in the desert

Now, after more than a decade, Ivanpah is set to shut down 2 out of 3 of its units. The facility never lived up to its energy production goals and required backup natural gas to stay operational. Its primary buyer, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), has canceled its agreement 14 years early, citing cost savings for customers. Critics argue that the plant was not only financially unsustainable but also had environmental drawbacks, such as harming wildlife in the Mojave Desert.

The plant’s operators plan to begin closing units in early 2026, with decommissioned units potentially being repurposed for photovoltaic solar energy production. Operator NRG Energy plans to shut down two-thirds of the Ivanpah Solar CSP plant after Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) decided to terminate two power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the facility to save ratepayers money.

Ivanpah sp;ar energy panels

But while Ivanpah may not have been a commercial success, dismissing it entirely as a failure ignores the bigger picture. Groundbreaking energy projects often face immense technical, financial, and environmental challenges—many of which only become apparent through real-world implementation. These projects are bold experiments that inform future innovations, providing invaluable lessons that improve the next generation of technology.

Ivanpah isn’t the only example. The solar thermal plant at Ashalim in Israel also fell short of expectations, proving too costly to compete with newer photovoltaic solar technologies. Similarly, MASDAR City in the United Arab Emirates, envisioned as a fully sustainable zero-energy metropolis, has struggled to achieve its initial ambitions and remains sparsely populated. We have an intern dispatch what it’s like. However, these efforts have contributed to advancements in green energy, from refining solar technology to informing large-scale urban sustainability planning.

Even failed projects serve as milestones on the road to a more sustainable energy future. Without Ivanpah and other early ventures, the solar industry wouldn’t be where it is today—producing cheaper, more efficient energy. Green innovation requires trial and error, and while not every project will be a financial success, the lessons they provide are often worth far more than their price tag. Saudi Arabia, for instance, is investing in hydrogen energy projects which may never be commercially viable without massive investments to sustain them. So let’s see “failing” as an outcome of bravery.

Ivanpah wasn’t the first to fail.

Ivanpah is connected to Israel through BrightSource Energy, the company that developed the solar thermal technology used in the plant. BrightSource is an Israeli-founded company specializing in concentrated solar power (CSP). The same technology used in Ivanpah was later implemented in Ashalim, a large CSP plant in Israel’s Negev Desert. Both projects faced challenges related to efficiency, cost, and environmental concerns, highlighting the difficulties of scaling solar thermal technology.

Ashalim, developed and owned by EDF Renewables, is operating today, but at a loss. There are more than 25 similar CSP towers across the world, including China, Spain, Morocco and the United States — but only one, in the United Arab Emirates, stands taller than the plant in Ashalim, Israel.

An Israeli business newspaper, Calcalist, called the Ashalim power plant “one of the saddest stories” in the history of Israeli infrastructure. Others say the tower’s more expensive energy is, in fact, almost imperceptible to Israeli citizens, since the higher cost is spread across the millions of consumers on the national grid.

Let’s look at a few failed power plants from the west:

1. Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project (USA)

Investment Cost: $1 billion
ROI: Negative – declared bankrupt in 2020
What Happened? Crescent Dunes, a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in Nevada, was backed by a $737 million federal loan guarantee. It was supposed to provide 10 hours of energy storage using molten salt technology, allowing it to generate power even after sunset. However, persistent technical failures—including leaks in the molten salt storage system—resulted in multiple shutdowns. In 2019, its sole customer, NV Energy, terminated its contract, leading to its financial collapse.

2. Kemper Clean Coal Plant (USA)

Investment Cost: $7.5 billion
ROI: Negative – converted to natural gas after exceeding budget by $5 billion
What Happened? The Kemper Project in Mississippi was designed to be the first large-scale “clean coal” power plant using carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Initially estimated to cost $2.4 billion, expenses ballooned to $7.5 billion due to construction delays, cost overruns, and unproven technology. In 2017, after years of setbacks, the project was abandoned as a clean coal facility and converted to a conventional natural gas plant, making its CCS ambitions a complete failure.

3. Pelamis Wave Energy Project (Scotland)

Investment Cost: Estimated £100 million+ (~$130 million)
ROI: Negative – company went bankrupt in 2014
What Happened? Pelamis was one of the first large-scale attempts at harnessing wave energy. It deployed snake-like floating devices off the coast of Scotland to generate electricity from ocean waves. While the technology showed promise, it struggled with durability, maintenance costs, and efficiency. After failing to secure further investment, the company went bankrupt in 2014, demonstrating the difficulties of making wave energy commercially viable.

These examples highlight the immense challenges of scaling up new energy technologies. Despite their failures, they provided valuable lessons that inform ongoing advancements in solar, clean coal, and wave energy.

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Who was Mária Telkes, the solar energy Sun Queen?

Karin Kloosterman — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:38:13 +0000

Mária Telkes, a solar energy pioneer. The Hungarian-American biophysicist and inventor Mária Telkes pioneered solar energy by inventing a solar oven, a solar desalination kit and, in the late 1940s, she helped design one of the first solar-heated houses.

Mária Telkes, born on December 12, 1900, in Budapest, Hungary, emerged as a solar energy pioneer long before the world would turn to renewable energy. She invented a solar oven, a solar desalination kit and, in the late 1940s, she helped design one of the first solar-heated houses. She is known as the Sun Queen.

Telkes, who came from a Jewish family that converted to Christianity, studied at the University of Budapest and then later in Switzerland at the University of Geneva where she mastered chemistry and physics, and earned a Ph.D. in 1924.

In 1925, while visiting her uncle in Cleveland, USA, she worked along the renowned surgeon George Washington Crile who performed the first successful blood transfusion.

Telkes dedicated the next 12 years of her life to researching the energy changes cells undergo during death or cancer, resulting in the publication of their findings in a collaborative book.

Upon becoming an American in 1937, Telkes joined Westinghouse Electric, where her focus shifted towards solar energy in 1939 upon becoming a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Solar Energy Conversion project.

As the world grappled with the Second World War, Telkes was enlisted by the Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD), which worked on the Manhattan Project. Her task was to leverage solar energy to transform salty water into drinkable water, addressing the critical issue of dehydration faced by soldiers at sea.

Maria Telkes solar energy invention so soldiers could drink water at sea

In response, Telkes invented the first solar water distillation device, capable of producing one liter of drinkable water per day using seawater. This innovation quickly became a standard component in every soldier’s pack, earning her a merit from OSRD for her invaluable contribution.

Maria Telkes dscribed the science of solar desalination in this paper from 1953

However, Telkes’ most renowned invention was the creation of the first solar house in 1948, the Dover Sun House, near Boston, designed by Eleanor Raymond and tested by the Némethy family, Telkes’ relatives.

Maria Telkes and the Dover Sun House. The large windows faced the sun and collected heat and stored the energy in salts. Dover Sun House was one of the world’s first solar-heated houses. It was designed by architect Eleanor Raymond and had a heating system developed by physicist Mária Telkes. Client Amelia Peabody made it noteworthy for being “exclusively a feminine project.”

To tackle the challenge of storing solar energy for use on cloudy days, Telkes ingeniously employed a glauber salt solution (natrium sulfuricium) with a low melting point (32 °C) and high enthalpy of fusion, capable of storing solar energy for up to ten days.

Despite initial challenges – the unusually cold winter of 1948 and subsequent leakage in the solution tanks in 1953 – the solar house laid the groundwork for the acceptance of solar energy as a viable heating source.

“It was a proof of premise, a radical idea for her to be thinking that broadly and to think that far ahead and actually create a liveable house as an experiment,” says Andrew Nemethy, who was a boy who lived in the Dover Sun House growing up. “She needed astronauts, and I guess we were the lucky ones,” he said in a PBS documentary.

This marked a significant shift, considering that sustainable development was not yet a recognized term. People began incorporating solar panels into house designs, often complemented by traditional heating systems in areas with insufficient sunny days.

The Dover Sun House was demolished in 2010. A PBS documentary explores the contribution of Telkers and the Dover Sun House that would be heated only by the sun in a New England winter.

Maria Telkes outside the Dover Sun House in the PBS documentary about the Dover Sun House.

Telkes received the Society of Women Engineers Award in 1952, earning the moniker “The Sun Queen” in the United States.

In 1953, when Telkes was at New York University, she received a Ford Foundation grant to develop a solar stove that could be used in developing countries. Like the designs previous, she took a simple approach.

The stove was constructed as an insulated metal box equipped with doors on both ends, topped with glass over the food placement area. Harnessing the sun’s rays, the glass amplified their intensity, aided by four metal plates strategically angled at 60 degrees.

Diagram of Maria Telkes solar cooker

Triangular mirrors positioned between the plates further enhanced the amplification of solar wavelengths. Remarkably, the stove could reach temperatures of 400 degrees, requiring no specialized materials for its construction and boasting an affordable price tag of merely four dollars.

Dr. Maria Telkes, “world’s most famous woman inventor in solar energy,” speaks with Dr. J.E. Hobson (left) and Thomas K. Hitch.

Its user-friendly design (you can download the instructions here) found a welcoming market in midcentury India, precisely the tropical climate its inventor had envisioned. Telkes enthusiastically praised its merits to a reporter during a cooking demonstration, expressing, “Everything seems to taste so much better when it is cooked by the sun.”

In 1977, the American Solar Energy Society honored her with the Charles Greeley Abbot Award. At the age of 90 in 1990, Telkes submitted her last invention, leaving an indelible mark on the field.

Returning to her hometown, Budapest, after 70 years, Telkes passed away on December 2, 1995, at the age of 94. In recognition of her unparalleled contributions, she was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2012, alongside physicist Dénes Gábor.

Mária Telkes’ legacy endures as an inspiration for future innovators and a testament to the transformative power of solar energy in shaping a sustainable future.

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Dubai’s new $4.5 billion solar energy park

Karin Kloosterman — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 09:03:49 +0000

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in Dubai, is a leading solar energy project with innovative technologies, boasting significant capacity

In recent years, the Middle East has become a focal point for sustainable energy initiatives, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the forefront of pioneering projects as it divests away from oil and natural gas. Among these initiatives, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park stands as a testament to Dubai’s commitment to clean energy. This massive undertaking aligns with the UAE’s ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as outlined in the ongoing Cop28 climate conference in Dubai.

On December 7, 2023, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the rule of Dubai officially inaugurated the world’s largest concentrated solar park. This momentous occasion marked the completion of the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, representing a significant stride towards Dubai’s clean energy aspirations.

With a staggering investment of Dh15.78 billion (USD 4.3 billion), the fourth phase covers an expansive area of 44 square kilometers. Boasting a remarkable capacity of 2.8GW a new addition of 950 MW will provide renewable energy to approximately 320,000 households in the UAE. More impressively, it is expected to contribute to an annual reduction of carbon emissions by an estimated 1.6 million tonnes.

Key Features of the Fourth Phase

The fourth phase of this CSP plant introduces features that underscore Dubai’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of renewable energy technology. Notably, it features the world’s tallest solar tower, standing at over 263 meters, and a record-setting thermal energy storage capacity of 5,907 MWh. This innovative approach reflects the convergence of three hybrid technologies – 600 MW from a parabolic basin complex, 100 MW from the tower, and 250 MW from photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid highlighted the significance of the solar park in achieving sustainability goals, emphasizing its role in the global effort to combat climate change. This sentiment resonates with the objectives of the Cop28 climate conference, where nations gather to discuss strategies for mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Strategic Importance and Global Leadership

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is a pivotal element of Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. These strategic roadmaps aim to achieve 100 percent energy production from clean sources by the middle of the century. Spearheaded by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the solar park is set to reach a total capacity of 5,000 MW and reduce carbon emissions by 6.5 million tonnes annually upon its completion in 2030.

The fourth phase has already commissioned 717 MW, incorporating over 790,000 PV solar panels and integrating 70,000 mirrors that dynamically track the sun’s movement.

Noor Energy 1, a consortium led by DEWA and Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, played a pivotal role in designing, building, and operating the fourth phase. This collaboration further solidifies Dubai’s status at the forefront of the clean energy revolution, showcasing its commitment to sustainable development and global leadership in the renewable energy sector.

The latest phase of construction brought the farm’s total capacity up to 2.8GW, comparable to the capacity of the Golmud Solar Park in China, the largest solar farm by capacity.

The differences between CSP and PV solar

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Photovoltaic (PV) solar technologies are distinct approaches to collecting solar energy. CSP systems concentrate sunlight using mirrors or lenses to generate heat, which is then used to produce steam and drive turbines for electricity generation. This technology is particularly effective in areas with high direct sunlight, offering the advantage of energy storage capabilities through the use of thermal storage systems.

CSP solar system by Aora. The company founded in 2002, Israel appears to be no longer in business

On the other hand, PV solar systems convert sunlight directly into electricity through the photovoltaic effect, where semiconductor materials in solar cells generate an electric current when exposed to sunlight. PV technology is versatile, scalable, and widely applicable, making it suitable for various installations, from small residential rooftop systems to large-scale solar farms. PV systems do not require water for operation, making them well-suited for arid regions.

PV solar panels

Successful CSP plants around the world

Several large Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) installations around the world showcase the immense potential of this technology in harnessing solar energy for electricity generation.

Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, USA: Located in the Mojave Desert in California, Ivanpah is one of the largest CSP installations globally. With a capacity of 392 megawatts (MW), it utilizes three centralized solar thermal power plants to produce electricity by focusing sunlight on tower-mounted receivers.
Noor Complex, Morocco: The Noor Complex in Ouarzazate is a series of CSP plants, with Noor III being the standout. It has a capacity of 150 MW and employs a solar power tower technology to generate electricity. The entire Noor Complex is expected to have a total capacity of 580 MW.
Solana Generating Station, USA: Situated in Arizona, Solana has a capacity of 280 MW. It utilizes parabolic trough technology with thermal energy storage, allowing it to provide electricity even when the sun is not shining.
Ilanga-1, South Africa: Ilanga-1, located near Upington, has a capacity of 100 MW. It uses parabolic trough technology and contributes to South Africa’s efforts to increase renewable energy capacity.
Shouhang Dunhuang, China: The Shouhang Dunhuang project in Gansu Province, China, is a 100 MW molten salt tower CSP installation. It incorporates advanced energy storage technologies, enhancing its ability to supply electricity consistently.
Israel’s Ashalim Power Station is a notable CSP plant. Combining parabolic troughs and a solar tower, it has a capacity of 300 MW, contributing substantially to Israel’s renewable energy goals.

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17MW solar power project, the biggest PV project yet for Palestinians!

Karin Kloosterman — Tue, 01 May 2018 09:16:33 +0000

This 1.5 MW solar PV project in Jericho was the largest solar energy installation in the West Bank, until now

We want to high five you whenever we hear news like this, news that trumps violence and despair: Two new large solar energy photovoltaic (PV)projects are being built in the West Bank with energy output totalling 17MW. The project is part of the Noor Palestine Program which is designed and implemented by the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF).

Msader for Energy Systems Co and ET Solutions International will build and oversee the solar energy installations.

With a total capacity of 17 Megawatts, the two projects will operate Jericho and Tubas by the end of 2018. These two PV plants will be connected to grid and to the Jerusalem Distribution Electricity Company and the Tubas Distribution Electricity Company. The two PV plants will cover the electricity needs of public facilities, factories, households and schools. Solar panels will be placed on top of the facilities.

Solar energy projects in Palestine have a strategic economic, social and political dimension, as they contribute to the creation of jobs for graduates and engineers working in the sector and also develop their skills. Also, electricity bills can be reduced by about 50% over the next 25 years.

Investing in such projects can also reduce the need to import electricity from the Israeli Government, which constitutes more than 80% of the electricity imported to Palestine. If the Palestinian Authority can produce its own power it can certainly be more proactive and stable in governing its future. And of course the issue of climate change and greenhouse gases is a meaningful one in the Middle East where temperatures are almost unlivable in some summer months.

Solar water heaters in Israel

Like Israel does, over half of all households in Palestine utilise solar energy heaters to heat their hot water. In Israel the tanks on the roofs are white, the West Bank they are black. The Jericho plant was commissioned in 2014, but it’s a tiny drop in the bucket to what is needed. Although a very high percentage of Palestinian houses are connected to the central grid, powering remote villages with smaller-scale photovoltaic systems (PV) would be much more feasible than extending the grid.

Comet ME solar energy panel

One of the local NGOs I know and have visited is Comet-ME, who along with the Dutch Government erected solar/diesel hybrid systems in the Palestinian village of Jubbet ad-Dib. They are constantly in conflict over building permits but continue to educate and install solutions for solar and water to those that need them most.

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Morocco heats up with 16 new solar energy plants worth 25 gigawatts

Green Prophet — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:38:07 +0000

You might meet snake charmers in the square of Marrakech and also storytellers who tell a good tale. But there is one thing always true about Morocco: the sun always shines.

Foreign firms are eager to bank on Morocco’s attractive feed-in tariffs and catch some healthy profits from our sun.

Solar energy companies like Martifer Solar (www.martifersolar.com) from Portugal already has business in the United Arab Emirates. It’s common for European companies to go to European banks for financing then establish themselves in the Middle East and MENA region. This seems to be the only way forward to advance solar energy in the Middle East, always rife with conflict and instability.

The recent break up of the solar power consortium Desertec has been a huge disappointment to the renewable energy community. The idea was to create a pan-European North African, even Middle East energy grid with solar energy collected in the MENA region which could then be shipped via cables to Europe.

Despite the Desertec collapse (too many industrial cooks spoiled the broth), Europeans are still seeing green opportunities in the MENA region.

The Swiss company Sola Terra has recently announced its plan to set up no less than 16 photovoltaic (PV) plants in the super sunny area of southern Morocco.

The sites, totalling 25 megawatts of energy will be in the areas of Ourzazate, Ain Bni Mathar, Foum Al Oued, Boujdour, and Sebkat Tah. More locations will be announced soon.

Sola Terra has a thing for the Middle East and already operates in similarly shiny places like Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, Turkey, and Morocco.

“The sun, unlike oil energy, is not part of the economic culture of the Middle East, but that will change,” said an insistent David Heimhofer, Terra Sola’s president.

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New 50MW solar park near Israel’s Timna copper mines seeks partners

Karin Kloosterman — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 08:34:23 +0000

The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative announced yesterday that a tender will be issued to set up and operate the Timna Solar Park, a new 50 Megawatt PV Tracker solar energy field in southern Israel. This is expected to be the first phase of a 170MW project.

The new Timna Solar Park will be located on a 1000 dunam (247 acre) plot of land adjacent to the site of the former Timna Mines, which is approximately 28 km (18 miles) north of Eilat.

Timna residents have already fought against gondolas in the desert. We wonder what they will feel about solar power fields.

Photos of the proposed site below.

The tender will be open to only PV Tracker solar systems and the cost of the bid will cover only the acquisition of the land. The tariff per installed kilowatt has already been determined by the government of Israel according to regulations established in 2012 for solar energy harvested by PV Tracker systems.

The allocation of the land and project have already been approved by the Israeli Land Authority.

Timna Solar Park Tender Details

The tender to build and operate the Timna Solar Park is scheduled to be published on October 19. The tender is open to qualified bidders worldwide, while the Timna industrial zone, where the Timna Solar Park will be located, will be managed by the Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative.

Detailed maps of the area and a completed environmental impact report will be provided to qualified bidders as part of the bid process. Each bidder will be required to submit a detailed plan of its proposed technology and systems to the Israeli National Planning Committee for approval.

“We are very proud to announce this tender for the Timna Solar Park and significantly expand the amount of solar energy produced in the Arava and Eilat regions, which currently stands at 65 megawatts,” explained Dorit Davidovich-Banet, CEO of The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative: “The new Timna Solar Park offers bidders and their investors an attractive opportunity to build a profitable solar energy field supported by excellent infrastructure and a dynamic renewable energy ecosystem.”

“The Timna Solar Park will substantially increase Israel’s renewable energy production and will play an important role in diversifying the country’s energy mix,” said Eitan Parnass, Director General of the Green Energy Association of Israel. “This project also holds the potential to serve as the basis for international cooperation throughout the region with connectivity and supply of solar energy to the national grids of neighboring countries.”

At the Eilat-Eilot Green Energy Conference, there will be a special conference session dedicated to discussing the project details and bidding process for the Timna Solar Park. This conference session is scheduled for 1pm on December 9. The following day at 8am on December 10, bidders will be taken on a tour of the Timna Solar Park site.

Israel’s PV sector has to date installed about 500 MW in the entire country and is viewed as a promising destination for solar PV firms. However as newcomers to the business in Israel learn, the Israeli PV policy landscape is fraught with complications, with many various support schemes and details.

Potential bidders are invited to request additional information by sending an email to info@eilateilot.org.

Image of Timna Park from Shutterstock

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Scientists make spray-on solar cells efficiencies close to silicon

Karin Kloosterman — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 05:59:33 +0000

To date the most efficient way of making solar cells is using silicon. Now a team of scientists at the University of Sheffield in the UK is the first to fabricate perovskite solar cells using a spray-painting process – a discovery that could help cut the cost of solar electricity.

Cutting the cost of solar energy, PV and CSP is the reason why last year was a record year for solar energy uptake globally – as we reported.

The Sheffield team found that by spray-painting the perovskite they could make prototype solar cells with efficiency of up to 11 per cent. Lead researcher Professor David Lidzey said: “There is a lot of excitement around perovskite based photovoltaics.

“This study advances existing work where the perovskite layer has been deposited from solution using laboratory scale techniques. It’s a significant step towards efficient, low-cost solar cell devices made using high volume roll-to-roll processing methods.”

Experts from the University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering have previously used the spray-painting method to produce solar cells using organic semiconductors – but using perovskite is a major step forward.

Efficient organometal halide perovskite based photovoltaics were first demonstrated in 2012. They are now a very promising new material for solar cells as they combine high efficiency with low materials costs.

The spray-painting process wastes very little of the perovskite material and can be scaled to high volume manufacturing – similar to applying paint to cars and graphic printing.

“Remarkably, this class of material offers the potential to combine the high performance of mature solar cell technologies with the low embedded energy costs of production of organic photovoltaics.”

While most solar cells are manufactured using energy intensive materials like silicon, perovskites, by comparison, requires much less energy to make. By spray-painting the perovskite layer in air the team hope the overall energy used to make a solar cell can be reduced further.

Professor Lidzey (pictured above) said: “The best certified efficiencies from organic solar cells are around 10 per cent.

“Perovskite cells now have efficiencies of up to 19 per cent. This is not so far behind that of silicon at 25 per cent – the material that dominates the world-wide solar market.”

He added: “The perovskite devices we have created still use similar structures to organic cells. What we have done is replace the key light absorbing layer – the organic layer – with a spray-painted perovskite.

“Using a perovskite absorber instead of an organic absorber gives a significant boost in terms of efficiency.”

Solar power is becoming an increasingly important component of the world-wide renewables energy market and continues to grow at a remarkable rate despite the difficult economic environment.

Professor Lidzey said: “I believe that new thin-film photovoltaic technologies are going to have an important role to play in driving the uptake of solar-energy, and that perovskite based cells are emerging as likely thin-film candidates. “

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Israel’s 420 MW leads the Middle East in solar installations by a landslide

Karin Kloosterman — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 08:31:45 +0000

While solar power plant installations jump to a new annual record this year, according to the Worldwatch Institute, global trends show that despite all the batabata bing bing (announcements, agreements, tea ceremonies, hand-shaking), the Middle East is doing miserably in taking advantage of the sun –– one country is the exception there and it is Israel.

The Institute clocks 2013 a record year for solar energy growth for solar electricity generation as both the photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) markets continued to grow.

Some 39 gigawatts were installed worldwide, and the PV solar market represented one third of all newly-added renewable energy capacity.

Solar PV installations nearly matched those of hydropower and, for the first time, outpaced wind.

Even though photovoltaics still continue to dwarf CSP capacity, the CSP market also had another year of impressive growth. By the end of 2013, a total of 19 countries had CSP plants installed or under construction.

This is matched with consumption of power from PV and CSP plants which increased by 30 percent globally in 2013 to reach 124.8 terawatt-hours.

Who’s using solar power?

Europe accounted for the majority of global solar power consumption (67 percent), followed by Asia (23.9 percent) and North America (8.1 percent).

However, despite the record growth in installations, global investments were down 20 percent (from $142.9 billion in 2012 to $113.7 billion in 2013), reflecting a significant decrease in costs to build solar installations. Not necessarily interest in the area.

This month a global PV module spot price reached an all-time low of $0.63 per watt. For the first time, Asia overtook Europe as the largest regional market.

Prospects are bright, say experts. And in some countries solar power on roofs is less expensive than buying power retail. Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Italy, and Germany lead the way in this regard.

This year 2014 is expected to bring 40-51 gigawatts online.

Below are the country highlights showing the miserable representation from Middle East countries – countries that have the power and capital potential to lead the way. Clearly crisis management, and carbon based fuels of the last 100 years are still the number one priority for most leaders in the Middle East region.

Prove us otherwise!

Country highlights to compare to the sorry state of the MidEast MENA region:

China installed 12.9 gigawatts of PV, the most ever installed in one year by any country.

Europe installed close to 11 GW of PV.

North America added 5.2 GW of PV.

In Central and South America, solar development has been sluggish.

The Middle East and Africa had little PV activity, with the exception of Israel and South Africa, which added 420 MW and 75 MW, respectively.

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Massive solar panel factory opens in Qatar, long overdue

Tafline Laylin — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 22:48:57 +0000

Qatar Solar Energy has unveiled a massive factory that will produce high quality solar panels that make the most of the desert sun, a boon not just for the emirate, but potentially for the entire Middle East.

QSE claims that they are now the largest solar power producer in the region with 300 MW capacity, eclipsing the United Arab Emirates, which recently ranked third in the world for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) after Spain and the United States.

At the unveiling, which was attended by a host of dignitaries, QSE told Al Jazeera that they have plans to expand their capacity to 2.5GW, though board member Reyad Fezzani was not willing to predict when they might reach that goal.

“It’s an exciting future for solar energy and we haven’t even scratched the surface,” Fezzani told journalists during a tour of the facility outside of Doha.

Qatar is the sixth largest producer of natural gas, and many of its citizens are among the world’s wealthiest, but the emirate has long recognized the need to bring more renewable energy on board to cope with such difficulties as water scarcity and finite fossil fuels.

“In line with Qatar’s 2030 Vision, we are making tangible and determined steps towards deploying new and renewable energy and establishing Qatar as a technology development and research hub in these new energy industries,” says QSE on their website.

In order to help facilitate research and development, the group established the Al Jazari Center of Excellence is said to host a “highly skilled and equipped R&D Lab Center.”

Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, attended Sunday’s inauguration, Al Jazeera reports.

“What impresses me is that it’s driven by a visionary view of what we should be doing for the future,” he told the paper, adding the facility was “beyond state-of-the-art.”

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Dubai Opens 13 MW Solar Plant, The Largest PV Plant in Mideast

Karin Kloosterman — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 12:12:21 +0000

In an attempt to diversify its energy balance, Dubai has just turned on a 13 MW solar energy plant. The oil wealthy nation is an OPEC member, and one of the first to make a bold statement away from oil. This makes it the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Middle East North Africa.

The $34 million plant, marking the first phase of Dubai’s Dhs12 billion Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, was built by First Solar of the United States: “This is the first part of Dubai’s plan to develop a solar park with 1,000 megawatts of power by 2030,” as Reuters quoted Saeed Al Tayer, chief executive officer of Dubai Electricity & Water Authority.

It will generate 24 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. It’s the largest of its kind (a PV plant) but not the largest installation in the Middle East in solar energy. That “prize” still goes to Abu Dhabi and Shams solar thermal at 100MW. Israel is going to take the lead soon enough with BrightSource and a 131 MW solar thermal plant planned for Israel.

First Solar said that the plant will displace around 15,000 metric tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to removing about 2,000 cars from the road every year.

“This plant represents an important step in the implementation of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 to diversify Dubai’s energy mix,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, vice chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

“For the first time, we are harnessing the sun to power growth and prosperity in the emirate, which is a significant achievement,” he added.

Jim Hughes, First Solar’s CEO, said: “Solar PV, with its price and operational efficiencies, is the right fit for the Middle East’s energy generation needs.”

Dubai’s Solar Park is expected to eventually cover 40 square kilometers and produce 1,000MW of green energy for the national grid. It will use both PV and solar thermal technology. No protests yet about the wildlife that the projects will impact in the desert. Likely because activism is not encouraged in the Gulf region where environmental awareness is also quite low.

BrightSource on the other hand, building massive solar thermal power plants in the US in California, can’t move a muscle without environmentalists breathing down their backs.

Dubai currently owns 6 percent of the world’s oil reserves and it is looking to move away from the unsustainable natural gas that fuels its power plants.

Dubai has developed the Dubai diversification plan, and according to it Dubai expects to generate a mere 5 percent of its energy from renewable energy by 2030. Some 12 percent comes from coal, 12 percent from nuclear reactors being planned in neighboring Abu Dhabi, with the remaining 71 percent of its energy needs coming from natural gas.

Dubai’s neighbor Abu Dhabi launched the Shams1 Concentrated Solar Plant (CSP) in March 2013. Shams, impressively, at 100 megawatts, is the largest solar installation in the Middle East. Green Prophet visited Shams earlier this year and you can see pictures here. This installation will contribute to the Emirate’s plan to derive seven percent of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020.

The United Arab Emirates is the most progressive in nuclear energy in the Middle East with four units to be built in the near future. A new US $20 billion project is expected to produce 5,600 megawatts of energy, which would provide up to a quarter of the Emirate’s electricity needs. The first activity is in the “Barakah” area to be run by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp., with the construction work for the first two units contracted out to the Korean company, KEPCO: “They have laid the foundations, and have installed the containment liner plates on Unit 1. They are well underway,” Jack Shillito, a senior analyst for Nuclear Energy Insider told Green Prophet.

Foundations are being laid for a second unit, and sites 3 and 4 are up for licensing: “So there are business opportunities there,” Shillito points out. Major US vendors such as Westinghouse and CH2M Hill are involved to support supply chain needs.

Within the next six months Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) will open bids for a private partner to help them build a 51-49 stake solar plant of 100 MW. They want this built in the next 3 years.

Meanwhile Israel plans to break ground on what will overtake Dubai as the largest solar plant in the Middle East, with a 131 MW solar thermal plant which will break ground early 2014, according to what the company’s Israeli CEO Israel Kroizer told me about a month ago.

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