Seize the Opportunity

During peak production seasons, it is not rare for utility companies to set ceiling caps for electricity consumption or to charge a premium during hours of heavy energy demand. They even warn some companies to taper their energy usage or they will be compelled to pay a hefty penalty.

In cases such as this, what choice do industrial companies have?

Many companies, especially those in consumer goods and industrial production, only have a handful of months that they regard as their peak production season. During these months, the requirement for their products exponentially increase, hence they find the need to use their production machinery at full capacity and to extend their operational hours round-the-clock. As a result of intense production activities, their power consumption spikes.

Will they have to control their electricity usage and risk foregoing the opportunity of making double or triple their off-peak revenue? Will they have to go on with the feverish production pace and choose to pay the penalty, which could take a sizable amount off the profit that they will be making?
Hiring the services of temporary power providers to augment the existing power supply is an option that industrial companies can take in times of peak production. Using mobile power stations will allow these companies to avoid paying a considerable penalty imposed by utility companies, and to work around the ceiling cap for energy consumption if they require more electrical power. There is a real risk that the increased tariff rate during peak hours and the fine enforced by the utility companies may take out a substantial amount from a company’s peak season revenues. In times like this, it may be more cost-beneficial to run alternative power sources, like interim power plants.

Because temporary power stations are modular, flexible and adaptive, they can be easily installed in a variety of customer locations anywhere in the world. Modern gensets have the capability of producing electricity according to customer requirements, precluding over- or under-sizing. They also have a plug-and-play configuration that allows them to be installed, commissioned and activated in as little as days.

More importantly, as a temporary solution when power demand is heightened, mobile power plants bring more cost-efficiency compared to paying hefty fines or limiting production activities. Several studies conducted in different industries in different countries show that in short- or medium-term use, the price of procuring, running and maintaining power plants for hire is significantly lesser than the cost related to the effects of lost business opportunities, customers, production time and raw materials.

The negative effects of peak lopping can be countered by engaging the services of mobile generator providers. Temporary power plants are cost-beneficial and bring about invaluable paybacks to the operations of industrial entities. With interim power plants, companies can take full advantage of a peak production season onwards to raising a more sustainable and prolific business.  

 *The foregoing article is based on what was originally published in the October 2014 issue of Power Watch magazine, India.*

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Robert Bagatsing
Altaaqa Global
Tel: +971 56 1749505
rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Balanced Energy Mix

India’s energy situation was precarious. Energy experts estimated that about 300 million people in India had no access to electricity, and that the demand for energy in the country was consistently outstripping the supply. Energy authorities feared for the worst as electricity requirement during months of peak consumption was expected to exploit the country’s thin energy capacity.

Recognizing the situation’s need for an urgent resolution, the country has ventured into ambitious renewable energy generation projects that could potentially instill balance and reliability to India’s mix of energy sources. Now, India is said to have the fifth-largest power generation portfolio and is touted to be the fifth largest wind energy producer in the world. Power generation from renewable sources in the country is on the rise. In 2013, the share of renewable power in the country’s total energy mix accounted for 12.3%, up from 7.8% in 2012. Wind power accounts for 68% of the aforementioned percentage, with an installed capacity of 19.1 GW. India has also entered into small hydropower, biomass and solar energy generation.

Drivers for growth of renewable energy generation
India’s economy is now enjoying an upturn, with growth rates predicted to peak at 6% in the coming years. With the expanding economy come the growth in urbanization and the rise in per capita energy consumption. As electricity requirements in the country increases, expenses from importing fossil fuel for power generation proportionally spikes. In this light, government authorities in India deemed to encourage the country’s transition from fossil-based energy options to renewable sources through offering various incentives, such as tax holidays and generation-based incentives (GBIs).
When technologies were gradually rolled out, renewable energy proved to be increasingly cost-competitive compared to fossil-based power. Renewable sources were also considered to be highly scalable and distributed, thus alternative power generation became justifiable in the electrification of remote areas, which may have deficiency in power grid and road infrastructure.

With renewable energy generation becoming an attractive endeavor for foreign and local investors alike, India’s government created a liberal environment for investment in renewable energy projects.

Some challenges ahead
India is now among the world leaders in renewable energy generation. While the process holds much potential, there are some observed challenges that are yet to be resolved by the country.

Experts on the ground reveal that one of the obstacles to the proliferation of renewable energy facilities, particularly that of wind and solar, is the perceived insufficiency in the strict employment of renewable purchase obligations (RPOs), which is said to be limiting the demand for power from renewable energy sources. Constraints in transmission infrastructure is also a salient hindrance, because, owing to this, only a limited amount of generated power reaches the grid. Economic factors, like a weak Indian Rupee and delays in payment, also put pressure on project financing and investor interest, respectively.

Perhaps the most striking disadvantage of utilizing renewable energy sources, say experts, is their unpredictability and apparent instability. As wind or solar power generation facilities depend on nature to run, it may be difficult to forecast its performance, which is of particular importance in critical applications. While highly sophisticated prediction equipment is available, it cannot be 100% reliable, and weather disturbances or aberrations can still happen. In cases when there is not enough natural “fuel” to run renewable generation facilities, the areas to which they supply could suffer from load shedding or rolling blackouts. Additionally, in peak summer months or in the coldest winter months when climate control systems are usually in full blast, renewable energy plants can potentially be overwhelmed by the demand if not enough impetus enters the systems.

The need for an energy “safety net”
For a burgeoning country like India, the solution to sustaining economic growth and energy viability may not be simply ascribed to one single source of power. It has been documented that the country’s existing traditional permanent power infrastructure may encounter some difficulties in supporting India’s power demands in a variety of contexts, hence the effort that the country is exerting to make inroads into renewable energy generation. While the new technologies may hold water, total immersion into the new paradigm may take time, as shown by the range of legislative and economic considerations that still present themselves as impediments to alternative energy growth. Renewable technologies are on their way to progress and advancement, as research and development endeavors are well encouraged by the Indian powers that be. Improvement, however, may not happen overnight, and as it unravels, renewable energy facilities may find merit it taking in support from stable and tested technologies, like rental power systems.

Rental generators may be able to supplement the existing power generated by traditional and renewable sources of energy. They can act as an energy “safety net”, preventing electricity levels from falling beyond what is acceptable and productive. These rental generator sets are equipped with state-of-the-art fast-start systems that allows them to supply the needed power at the shortest possible time, in cases of instability from other sources of electricity.

Interim energy technologies also represents a cost-effective immediate solution to power supply shortages, as they do not require sizable initial capital to be acquired. India, as a country looking to increase its expenditure in renewable sources in years to come, may find benefit in this attribute, as renting power generators would not entail denting a country’s budget or restructuring financial resources allocated to other services.

Because they are modular and flexible, temporary generators can also be installed where renewable energy facilities find most appropriate applications. Rental power systems can be easily delivered from any point on Earth to another and, owing to its easy, plug-and-play configuration, can be started in as short as few days.

With rental power plants on board, the perceived limitations of traditional and renewable energy sources can be overcome, and the power can be bridged until the other sources regain their stability. In this context, temporary power plants find their maximum benefit in being used as supplementary or back-up power while permanent energy facilities are being constructed or refurbished, or when alternative energy sources are being advanced and improved.

The key to power is balance
Having a balanced energy mix may be the key to a sustained economic, political and social stability. As countries like India enjoy an economic upturn, growth industries, such as manufacturing, utilities and oil & gas, should be expected to consume large sums of energy. With limited resources, it may be difficult for a country to rein in energy consumption at the expense of economic opportunities. What developing countries need are support systems – like what rental power plants are for energy sustainability. As India maps its road to energy stability, temporary electricity generation facilities are available to support the country’s existing infrastructure to produce continuous and reliable electricity needed to power the country’s future.

*The foregoing article is based on what was originally published in the September 2014 issue of EPC&I magazine, Northern Lights Communications, India.*

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Robert Bagatsing

Altaaqa Global

Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Hydropower-dependent Economies: The Big Dry

Many developing countries are gradually embracing the hydropower technology as one of their main sources of electrical power. Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and in the Middle East are actively pursuing the construction of large dams to develop more hydropower resources. In recent years however, hydropower facilities have been facing power generation challenges, largely owing to variations in climatic parameters brought about by climate change and discrepancies in the pattern of seasonal months. Some countries have been experiencing low amounts of rainfall, and the heavy rains expected to kick in during the wet months have been delayed. As a result, water levels in many reservoirs in developing countries have dropped, causing the amount of electricity generated by hydropower plants to recede.

Countries that have anchored a major part of their national power supply to hydroplants are bound to encounter economic, social and political obstacles in the face of changes to weather patterns. Myriad case studies conducted throughout the world have shown that lack of reliable power sets off a disastrous domino effect, wreaking havoc in several industries, including utility generation, industrial and commercial production, telecommunications, transportation, urban and rural electrification, mining and petrochemicals. Massive losses in finances and in social services could result in public unrest, often leading to street protests and demonstrations. As the country’s political stability may be threatened by social discontent, transformative investors could lose confidence altogether in pouring in money in ongoing and prospective projects in that country.

Emerging countries can find benefit in studying the impacts of climate change and prolonged summer months before and during the implementation of hydropower projects. Proactive approaches such as this may help them respond and adapt to the effects of climate change, and save costs in maintenance and refurbishment in the long run.

Power for insufficient power  
In cases when the power generation capacity of hydropower plants is not enough to meet the existing energy demand during extremely hot months and days of elevated temperatures, there are available technologies that are capable of supporting them, like large-scale mobile rental power generators. Employing temporary power technologies can potentially be an integral part of any proactive approach to counter the effects of climate change on hydropower facilities. For one, interim electric generators represent a cost-effective alternative when supplemental power is required for short periods of time, like during droughts or prolonged absence of rain. As procuring them does not require large capital outlays, provisional power technologies can secure a government or a utility company’s cash flow by not necessitating considerable initial expenditure.

Because every minute counts during potential electricity interruptions, such as load shedding or electric blackouts, solutions to bridge the power gap should be swiftly and rapidly deployed at any given time. Owing to their flexibility and modularity, hiring rental power plants can be a quick and temporary solution for emergency and exceptional situations. Interim power stations are furthermore equipped with cutting-edge innovations that allow their capacities to be ramped up or scaled down, depending on the need of the situation. For instance, when rains start to kick in but are still not enough, utility companies have the liberty to lower the temporary power generation, gradually blending the productions from hydropower plants and rental gensets.

Choosing a power partner
As with the technology, choosing an appropriate interim power partner is an important element of a proactive initiative to mitigate the effects of climate change on hydropower plants. As was established in the foregoing discussion, hydropower generation has increasingly become one, if not the foremost, sources of power for many countries, thus hiring a temporary power provider entails momentous stakes. Imagine, when a country’s economic, social and political stability is on the line, should the government or hydropower companies entrust the power project to companies with little experience in large-scale operations?

There are several factors to consider in choosing a suitable mobile power provider. Governments and utility companies have to be discerning of a rental power supplier’s experience and track record in delivering executable, measurable and sustainable solutions to projects involving hydropower facilities. Industry stakeholders are advised to avoid dealing with backyard companies, which may not be able to deliver the required solutions on time nor on budget. This may create more problems in the long run, leaving vital institutions of a country – schools, hospitals, production plants, airports, telecommunication entities and petrochemical companies – suffering prolonged hours of no electricity and losing millions of dollars in cash and in opportunities by the minute.

Governments and hydropower companies should also consider the manpower expertise and after-sales service delivery of a prospective rental power supplier. A temporary energy partner should have spare parts and human resources readily available to carry-out after-installation support in times of emergency at any given location anytime.

Industry stakeholders should also be keen on a power supplier’s capability of providing flexible, scalable and turnkey solutions for a wide array of requirements. The potential power partner should have the appropriate expertise to study and evaluate a situation and to prescribe the exact solution up to the minutest exigency of a project. In order to translate plans into tangible and executable output, a rental power provider should have adequate and state-of-the-art technologies available in its product line.

Proactivity is key 
Reversing the effects of climate change may involve time – years or, even, decades. It entails paradigm shifts, not only in one country, but in all countries, developed and developing alike. The magnitude of the task at hand is enormous, and governments in several countries are working to commence the change. It remains to be a work in progress, and not all of us may be lucky to see its fulfillment. To support these efforts, governments and utility companies should be proactive and vigilant in moderating the consequences of climate change on the lives of their citizens and customers, respectively. As a sweeping transformation could not implemented overnight, the best thing to do at this very moment is to prepare. Humans of today are fortunate to have acquired the ability to foretell the effects of climate change, and to have on hand solutions to assuage or preclude them. The onus is now on us to put them to productive use.

*The foregoing article was originally published in the September 2014 issue of Arab Water World magazine of CPH Media, Middle East.*

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Robert Bagatsing

Altaaqa Global

Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Do Airplanes Have to Fly Blind?

Aviation professionals say that a power outage at a flight control center is “absolutely the worst scenario” one can think of. Our continuing feature on industries most affected by power outages.

In one of the worst flight control center blackouts in recent years, a major power failure at a key control center in California, USA, disrupted hundreds of commercial flights and delayed the test of a launch missile.

In July 21, 2006, the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center lost electrical power for two hours after a pick-up truck rammed into a power pole. The center automatically began running small-scale back-up generators, until those lost power as well. From then on, the building went dark.

In an interview with the Aviation Law News website, Bruce Bates, one of the center’s controllers, described the horrendous event as one of the absolutely worst scenarios a controller like him could ever think of. “For the duration of the blackout, the airplanes were up there, flying blind.”

To work around the pressing situation, Bates and his fellow controllers were compelled to use their cellular phones, which are normally required to be turned off in the control room. “We used our phones,” said Bates, "to contact other control towers to ask them to issue warnings to the aircraft.”

The Los Angeles center was responsible for directing high-altitude aircraft in Southern California, Nevada, Utah and parts of Arizona. Owing to the outage, approximately 350 flights were either grounded, delayed or diverted, and more than 25,000 passengers were inconvenienced.

Also affected was the test launch of one Minuteman III missile, which was postponed for a day because air traffic control could not give a go with a clear airspace.

In situations such as this, large-scale temporary power plants could have provided the necessary electrical power that would last till the crisis was resolved. As in the foregoing scenario of a blackout owing to a human error or emergency causes, rental power stations will also prove beneficial in cases of power utility plant shutdowns, aviation power plant maintenance, airport power plant expansion, delayed construction of permanent power sources, load shedding or peak shaving.

Interim power stations are modular, flexible and cost-effective. They can be deployed from and to any point on Earth, owing to their compact and modular design, which gives no challenge in delivering them. Thanks to the cutting-edge technologies infused in most modern large-scale generators, they are flexible and are able to supply to the exact power requirement of the client. They are also cost-efficient, representing prices that are significantly lower than the projected losses and damages should aviation facilities stay without electricity.

With air transportation being a prime mover of goods and people in today’s world, air traffic control centers cannot afford to lose power for even a moment. The aviation industry can never be grounded, no matter what. Thanks to large-scale temporary power plant technologies, the continuation of aviation operations can be guaranteed.

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Robert Bagatsing
Altaaqa Global
Tel: +971 56 1749505
rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

These Electricity Myths Can Kill You

It turns out, not everything you thought you knew about electrical power is true…

It may be possible that some people think that handling electricity is as simple as wearing a rubber glove. After all, myriad “rules” about handling electrical wires or cables have been said and documented, and most of them look pretty self-explanatory. With the assumed knowledge that one has about electrical energy and how it behaves, it is easy for some people to decide to be an instant MacGyver. 

What they do not know is that some of the supposed “rules” have fine prints: A more specific piece of information that completes the thought. Without the supplementary fact, the general “rule” may be misinterpreted and, thus, can be erroneous. We have compiled some of the most popular electricity myths and looked to set them straight.

Myth 1: Power lines are insulated. 
False. Ninety per cent of power lines may not be insulated, and even the ones that were could have lost insulation from storms.

Myth 2: A line is safe because it is not high voltage. 
False. In reality, voltage is not what will kill you, amperage will. According to studies, it takes one amp to cause fatal heart irregularities. An average house has anywhere between 100 and 200 amps running through it.

Myth 3: A fallen wire will shut off. 
False. It is not always the case, because if it falls on a poor conductor, like asphalt, the wire will not short circuit.

Myth 4: A live wire will make sparks when it falls. 
False. This does not always happen. The line will spark when it does not make firm contact. With firm contact, it will not.

Myth 5: Wood is not a conductor. 
False. Wood is just a poor conductor. Wet wood is a much better conductor, so be extra careful.

Myth 6: Rubber gloves and rubber shoes insulate. 
False. This is not always true. They only insulate if they are 100% pure rubber. Typical cleaning gloves and shoes are mixed with other materials, and they can be conductors.

The most important rule to follow is let energy professionals handle electricity. During a power outage, be it only in your home or more widespread, do not attempt to resolve the problem by yourself. Trained industry experts will be able to know the root cause of the power interruption and provide the necessary service to restore power. Electricity specialists, like those working in the rental power industry, will be capable of providing temporary power, in case the reestablishment of electrical power needs more time. You are in good hands with these skilled professionals, so it is best to leave the work to them.

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Robert Bagatsing
Altaaqa Global
Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Demand-Supply Mismatch

India is currently experiencing an economic upturn, with projected growth rates hitting pre-financial-crisis levels at more than 6%. There is, however, an escalating power supply shortage that may potentially hamper India’s continuous economic growth. 

Energy experts reveal that, to date, an estimated 300 million people in India have no access to electricity – which may seem an irony, in light of the fact that recorded data in recent years show that the demand for power in India has constantly outstripped the supply, both in terms of base load energy and peak availability. Owing to this imbalance, the country is said to register an 8.5% deficit in base load requirement and a 9.8% short-fall in peak load requirement.

This prevailing energy challenge is manifesting. Who could forget the massive blackout of 2012 that left 700 million people in India without electricity? In what is touted to be one of the worst blackouts in history, twenty of India’s 28 states suffered the effects of the power interruption that almost incited social instability and protests for fears that the country was no longer in the position to support its booming local energy demand. The repercussion was widespread and was nothing short of catastrophic: traffic jams all over the affected cities, babies wailing of heat, bodies half-burnt at crematoriums, patients gasping for every breath of life, miners trapped underground in complete darkness, passengers stranded in the middle of miles of track.

While other regions in the country are predicted to be severely affected by the energy shortage, India’s Central Electricity Authority forecasts that Northern India can expect a power surplus during the monsoon months, as most of its power generation capacity is predominantly dependent on hydropower.

This fact bodes well for region and for the other areas where it exports its surplus power, but it may not be permanently dependable. As it is largely conditioned by the amount of rainfall, one of the drawbacks of hydropower generation is that the capacity may gradually recede during seasons of less precipitation or of drought.    

In recognition of these shortcomings, the government is currently taking steps to mitigate the effects of power insufficiency and has then launched ambitious rural electrification programs. The caveat, however, is that the rate of building or refurbishing permanent infrastructure still lags behind the pace of the increase in energy demand. As a result, ground research shows that approximately 400 million Indians still lose power during blackouts and that 35.5% of Indian households still has limited access to electricity. As India’s demand for electricity is not showing signs of slowing down, the country’s energy supply just cannot keep in step.

The much needed power boost

In times when permanent power plants are still in progress and when the customary sources of energy cannot keep up with the electricity requirements, the Government and the utility industry stakeholders may opt to hire temporary power plants. Temporary power generation companies, like Altaaqa Global CAT Rental Power, have the products that can support the existing power generation infrastructure, with the end of bridging the gap in electricity supply as, where and when the necessity be.

Hiring power plants has tested and recognized merits, particularly in cases of emergencies, natural calamities and abrupt seasonal changes. Signing an agreement with interim power providers can also prove beneficial when electricity distribution facilities are not available in certain areas, like in dispersed communities; when permanent power stations are still being constructed or commissioned or when energy generation facilities are being expanded or refurbished.

India’s initiative to harness alternative sources of energy, like hydroelectric, solar, wind, geothermal and tidal has proven to be effective, but seasonal changes may alter the operations of the aforementioned facilities. For instance, some parts of the country where hydroelectric power stations operate may experience droughts or prolonged absence of rain, which in turn can drastically reduce the power generation capacity of the said plants. Solar or photovoltaic farms thrive during summer months but may experience shortage in production in months when days are predominantly cloudy or rainy. In these cases, rental power plants may support the power generation capacity of the current facilities if only to bridge the gap during the crucial months of seasonal change.

Power need not run dry

Tapping the potential of alternative sources of energy definitely has its merits, particularly in the context of natural gas conservation and of sustainability. Yet, one salient disadvantage of these alternative power technologies is their perceived dependence on nature, say on the amount of sunshine, wind or water. With the help of temporary power plants, these alternative energy infrastructure can continue to work at the optimum level, even in times of seasonal change. As a result, the areas where these facilities supply power to will not have to suffer from energy deficiency and constant load shedding. With the aid of interim generators, power need not set as the sun sets, drop as the wind drops and dry up as water dries up.  

*The foregoing article was originally published in the September 2014 issue of Power Watch, India.*

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PRESS INQUIRIES

Robert Bagatsing

Altaaqa Global

Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Mobile Gensets for Renewable Energy Sources

Rising above the electricity-related challenges that have hounded the country for decades, India is now said to have the fifth-largest power generation portfolio and is regarded the fifth largest wind energy producer in the world. As a response to the observed electricity supply shortage in India, feared to worsen as months of peak consumption draw near, power generation from renewable sources are currently being maximized and optimized to support the country’s permanent traditional energy facilities. In 2013, for example, the share of renewable power in India’s total energy mix stood at 12.3%, up from 7.8% in 2012. Wind power accounted for the lion’s share of the renewable energy generation figure, at 68% and an installed capacity of 19.1 GW.

Recognizing the merits of harnessing the potential of renewable energy sources, the government of India has launched various initiatives to encourage efforts to transition from fossil-based energy options, including offering tax holidays and generation-based incentives or GBIs. The benefits of renewable energy sources are gradually being recognized by different sectors of society, and as the government opened renewable energy projects to foreign and local venture and investment, alternative power generation technologies are seen to have a bright roadmap ahead.

Though renewable energy sources are seeing much support from the government, citizens and investors alike, energy industry professionals observe that renewable technologies have so much more potential to be developed. First, at the policy level, experts suggest the fortification of renewable purchase obligations (RPOs) to drive the demand for electricity from renewable energy sources. They are also advocating a more intense motivation to construct power transmission infrastructure, so more electricity generated by alternative energy sources reaches the grid.

At the technology level, renewable power sources have much room to be enhanced. As we speak, research and development efforts are being taken to improve on their performance predictability and dependability, despite the fact that their “fuels” (such as water, wind or sunlight) depend on natural conditions, which could not be controlled or completely projected.

As renewable technologies are being planned, constructed or augmented, and are still in diffusion to more communities and industrial areas in India, other alternative technologies can supplement them, bridging the gap in power supply and electricity demand. It has been documented that a 50 MW wind farm, for example, can be built in six months, and if one factors in the time needed for planning, designing, and receiving necessary approvals and permits, a wind farm may be operational after only a year or so. During the months when wind farms (or any other renewable energy facility for that matter) are not yet operational, mobile generator sets have the capacity to temporarily provide power to the communities planned to be beneficiaries of renewable energy.

Temporary generators are cost-effective immediate solution to power supply shortages and instability, which do not require a huge initial capital to acquire and install. Because rental gensets are modular and flexible, interim power stations can be installed in most places where renewable energy facilities find applications. Owing to their adaptive configuration, temporary gensets can be easily installed and commissioned, and can be run in as little time as a few days. Additionally, as they are containerized and have relatively small dimensions, mobile generators can be delivered from any point in the world to another.

With the support of temporary power plants, the perceived limitations of renewable sources of energy can be surmounted, and the deficit in supply of power can be filled. As renewable facilities ramp up their reliability and predictability, interim power stations can provide a viable and sustainable supply of power when needed and as needed by communities and industrial facilities in India. Alternative power sources, when enhanced and properly utilized, have the capacity to support permanent traditional sources of electricity to avoid further energy outages and load shedding, and to extend the coverage of the electricity supply even to the most remote communities and industries in India.

*The foregoing article was originally published in the September 2014 edition of The Energy Outlook, India.*

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Robert Bagatsing
Altaaqa Global
Tel: +971 56 1749505
rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Solar power is buoyant…literally

The world’s largest floating solar power plants are underway.

Did you know that Japan is currently building two gigantic solar power plants that are to be operational by April of 2015? Seems like the limitation of available land in the country is no match for Japanese ingenuity.

According to reports, solar panel firm Kyocera, Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation and Ciel Terre have announced a collaboration to build a total of 30 floating solar power plants, capable of generating a combined 60 MW of power. As per a joint release, the first of these plants will have 1.7 MW of power capacity, making it what is believed to be the largest floating solar power plant in the world. The solar power station will be placed on the surface of Nishihira pond in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, and the construction activities are said to start this month (September). 

On the other hand, the second solar plant is said to have a capacity of 1.2 MW and is planned to be built on Dongping pond.

Based on industry studies, the two solar power plants as specified will have enough capacity to power anywhere between 483 and 967 American homes, based on their present energy demands.

The thought of building floating solar power plants is fast gaining traction, as they are expected to have lower temperatures (because they are on water) and are seen to be more efficient. In fact, India has also been cited to have invested in floating solar panels.

Onwards to an energy-secure world

The attention that countries are affording the issue of energy security is heightened, as the calamitous effects of the ever-increasing demand for electricity are gradually being felt. Recent news items reveal that rotating blackouts are being experienced in certain cities, even regions, in the world, and that more people are suffering from power interruptions due to the inability of electric facilities to satisfy the demand. As the world’s oil reserves recede, owing to the greater rate of consumption, the situation is only expected to worsen. 

The increasing popularity, acceptance and establishment of renewable energy sources, like solar in this case, greatly help the cause of global energy security. As years pass, and as more attributes of renewable energy sources are discovered, alternative power technologies will only prove to be better, more efficient and wider in reach. 

As renewable energy systems are optimized, other alternative power sources, like rental power plants, can support their present electricity generation capacity. When renewable facilities are still not able to support the existing power requirement, mobile power stations can fill in the gap in supply and ensure a viable and sustainable source of power. Being modular, scalable and affordable, temporary energy facilities pose no challenge in terms of delivery and installation, operation or procurement.

Renewable energy technologies need to be allowed to develop. Often criticized for their perceived lack of dependability and predictability, these sources are currently being studied and improved so their users can reap maximum benefits from them. The process will take time, but with the support of other alternative energy technologies, renewable energy facilities will sooner than later come of age.  

PRESS INQUIRIES

Robert Bagatsing

Altaaqa Global

Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Have you ever heard electricity “sing”?

Yes, you read it right. Sing.

We consider electricity as something dangerous, something that has to be avoided at all cost, because it can cause life-threatening physical injuries, if not immediate death. Most of the time, we don’t even think of electricity at all. Electricity has become so ubiquitous that we often do not realize that it’s there until it is gone – during power outages and load shedding. But, have you ever stopped and imagined that electricity can also be entertaining and artistic? Have you ever thought that the “bzzzzzzz” that is usually used to denote the “sound” of electricity in shows and movies can be musical?

In technical terms, a human being can witness electricity “sing” through a “zeusaphone” or “thoramin”, a form of plasma speaker. This equipment is a variation of a solid state Tesla coil that has been engineered to produce musical tones by modulating its spark output. According to research, the resulting pitch is a low-fidelity square wave-like sound that calls to mind an analog synthesizer. How do humans hear the tone? The musical tone directly results from the passage of the spark through the air. Though some tones can be produced, this method of creating “music” may be limited, owing to the fact that the solid-state coil produces square rather than sinusoidal waves, but some people who have tried it say that producing simple chords were possible.

Though highly nerdy, the concept of a “zeusaphone” has made its way to popular culture. In Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, released in 2010, the hero named Dave (Jay Baruchel) demonstrated the workings of a singing Tesla coil to his crush, a girl called Becky (Teresa Palmer). In explaining how it was possible for electricity to sing, Dave said that the coils were firing at such a high frequency that the sparks literally created sound waves as they fly through the air.

A thoramin has also been already used in the concert scene. In a 2011 performance piece, titled Biophilia, performer Björk used the sound of a singing Tesla coil in the song, aptly called “Thunderbolt”.

Did you know? 
The term “zeusaphone” was coined by Dr Barry Gehm of Lyon College, in 2007. It is a play on the name of the “sousaphone”, giving tribute to the mythological Greek god of lighting, Zeus. “Thoramin”, on the other hand, was suggested by one Dan Butler-Ehle. The name was a play on the word “theremin”, including the name of Thor, the mythological Norsk god of thunder.

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Robert Bagatsing

Altaaqa Global

Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com