Green Energy

The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) has granted permission to two joint ventures involving foreign partners to supply power to areas not connected to the national grid.

“One is for households in Ye Township, and the other is for the developer of an industrial zone in Bago,” said U Than Aung Kyaw, deputy director-general of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA), at a press conference on Monday.

The Southern Myanmar Development Co., a Singapore-Thai-Myanmar joint venture, won a contract to supply electricity to villages in Ye Township, Mon State. According to DICA, the 26-billion-kyat project will generate 10 megawatts of electricity daily with a diesel generator.  The Singapore and Thai partners each hold 33 percent in the venture, while the local partner holds 34 percent.

i-Land Park Myanmar Co., an 80-20 Singapore-Myanmar venture with initial investment of $23.18 billion, will supply 19 megawatts to Singapore-backed i-Land Park Myanmar Industrial Zone in Bago Region. It will use a type of fuel to generate electricity, DICA said.

According to MIC’s statistics, in the current fiscal year, Myanmar citizens have invested 172,267.324 million kyats in four electricity-supply projects, and foreigners have invested $405.774 million in five projects.

Up to 70 percent of the country’s population, the majority of them living in rural areas, has yet to be connected to the national power grid, DICA said.

Myanmar Oil and Gas Services Society Chairman U Kyaw Kyaw Hlaing said: “Most of the rural areas are out of reach of the national grid. Even if they get electricity from private suppliers, locals have to pay 250 to 300 kyats per unit of electricity, which is five times the rate in Yangon.”

“The government should be fair to the whole country. It is not fair that electricity prices are cheap in Yangon and high in rural areas,” he added.

“It is good that foreigners are investing in the electricity sector; the more investment, the better. But it is more important that electricity prices fall,” he said.

“Rich people use a lot of electricity. The government said it loses [money] for every unit it produces. This means it is subsidizing power for the wealthy. The government should change. Only then will it be fair,” he added.

The government spends about 333 billion kyats annually on electricity subsidies, according to figures from the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.

According to the 2014 national census, 77.5 percent of the urban population uses electricity, but in rural areas, the percentage is just 14.9 percent.

Domestic electricity consumption increases by 15 percent every year, according to the ministry.

Currently, households pay 35 kyats per unit up to 100 units and 40 kyats per unit up to 200 units. Above 200 units the rate is 50 kyats.

Industrial users pay 75 kyats per unit up to 500 units, 100 kyats from 501-10,000 units, 125 kyats from 10,001-50,000 units, and 150 kyats from 50,001 to 300,000 units. The unit price drops to 100 kyats for usage above 300,000 units.

Indian renewable energy developer ReNew Power has inaugurated a 16kW micro-grid in Paniyara village, near Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The village was adopted by ReNew Power in 2016, as part of its Corporate Citizenship initiative, known as SVARG (Smart Village Adopted by ReNew Group), and the micro-grid will power around 200 households, two government schools and the local child care centre.

The company aims to provide off-grid power solutions to 100,000 people in underserved rural communities by 2022. Meanwhile, ReNew also installed the highest amount of solar of any developer in India last year, according to Bridge to India’s latest quarterly report.

Earlier this month, ReNew Power also signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Uttar Pradesh for the development of 1.2GW of renewable energy in the state, including 1GW of solar and 200MW of waste-to-energy projects, at a cost of INR80 billion (US$1.23 billion).

ReNew has also signed an MoU with the government Andhra Pradesh to develop 1GW of solar and 1GW of wind in the state at a cost of INR130 billion (US$2 billion).

Power management company Eaton has announced the first pilot project of its recently launched UPS-as-a-Reserve solution for Swedish electricity transmission system operator Svenska kraftnät.

Svenska kraftnät has selected Eaton’s UPSaaR, alongside the Spring service by Fortum, in order to trial how the technologies can help to balance the Swedish power grid. Eaton’s technology was launched at the end of 2017 and is the first of its kind for the data centre industry. It enables operators to earn from their investments in Uninteruptible Power Supply while helping energy providers balance sustainable energy demands. Data centre operators can also respond immediately to grid-level demands to keep frequencies within allowed boundaries to avoid power outages.

Eaton’s UPSaaR technology gives data centre operators an opportunity to work with energy providers to momentarily reduce the power demands of the data centre and even return power to the grid.

Svenska kraftnät selected the Eaton solution for a pilot that is researching the utilisation of energy storage for demand flexibility. Starting in the first quarter of 2018, Fortum will offer 0.1 MW of UPS capacity to Svenska kraftnät’s frequency-controlled disturbance reserve. This reserve activates automatically and quickly if there is a drop in the electricity network’s frequency.

“Svenska kraftnät has recognized the benefits of Eaton’s UPS-as-a-Reserve solution in helping stabilise the power grid” said Jussi Vihersalo, business development manager, Eaton. “Sweden is at the forefront of renewable energy technologies and we’re convinced that it will be a model that other countries and organisations will emulate in the coming months and beyond.”

Eaton is also sponsoring the first DCD Energy Smart conference in Stockholm, on 13 March. This event will bring together the power and digital infrastructure industries. At the conference, Eaton and Fortum will present a keynote “Green Money in Grey Spaces” on how UPSs can act as virtual power plants and generate revenues for a data centre.

Australia has affirmed its position as the world leader in holding or producing key mineral resources such as gold, iron ore and lithium, according to the latest statistics released by Geoscience Australia (GA).

The statistics are contained in GA’s publication, Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources, unveiled at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention in Toronto.

Speaking at the convention, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Matt Canavan said that by almost any measure, Australia was a world leader in mineral resources.

“We hold the largest identified resources of nine commodities, including gold,” Senator Canavan said.

“We are also the world’s largest producer of five commodities. This includes lithium, a mineral resource with potential that is just beginning to be unlocked through new and emerging technologies,” he said.

“We are also leading the way internationally in mining innovation and are exporting more mining services around the globe than ever before.”

Senator Canavan said resource companies wanted to invest and do business in Australia.

“Our first-class regulatory system and stable economic and social environment makes us an attractive destination for mining investment,” he said.

“In 2016-17, mineral resources made up around 37 per cent of Australia’s exports. Overall, the mining industry sector currently accounts for 7.4 per cent of Australia’s gross domestic product.”

Lightning Systems, a global developer of efficiency and emissions improvement solutions for fleets, announced that it is on schedule for March deliveries of its new battery-electric LightningElectric conversion system for Ford Transit. The LightningElectric conversion package for Ford Transit was announced last September as part of Ford Motor Company’s eQVM program. Lightning Systems also announced it has developed a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell range extender for the product.

The new Lightning Systems zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell range extender for the LightningElectric Ford Transit has been developed in partnership with several industry partners and will extend the range of the LE 50 to over more than miles. It will be available in California beginning in September 2018 where significant vouchers for fuel cell vehicles and infrastructure exist.

Both the all-electric and the zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell range extender are available for heavy-duty Transits with a 10,360-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Ford’s vehicle warranty covers the base chassis for vehicles with the Lightning conversions. Installations and service are performed by Ford QVM upfitters and dealers around the world.

The all-electric Lightning product features a liquid-cooled Lithium-ion battery from a volume-ready world-class battery supplier that can be fast-charged in thirty-minutes on DC fast charging, and in six hours with Level 2 charging. Depending on battery option and drive cycle, LightningElectric has a payload capacity of up to 4,000 pounds.

I’m especially thrilled to announce the upcoming zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell range extender for the Ford Transit. It is a natural step for Lightning with our extensive experience with sensor-equipped high-pressure composite vessels that we pioneered with our hydraulic hybrid offering.

—Tim Reeser, CEO for Lightning Systems

The LightningElectric fuel cell range extender uses hydrogen stored onboard in high-tech carbon fiber-wrapped pressure vessels equipped with sensors.  The hydrogen will be delivered to the fuel cell system to generate electricity to charge a Lithium-Ion battery with up to 30 kW of power.  In addition to the range of more than 200 miles, the vehicle will have a top speed of 75 mph, making it suited for applications in which long range and zero emissions are required.

Lightning Systems, formerly known as Lightning Hybrids, is headquartered in Loveland, Colo. A variety of new Lightning Systems’ efficiency and emissions improvement innovations are being introduced over the next two years to support commercial and government fleets.

LightningAnalytics, a new cloud-based analytics system that provides drive, route and predictive vehicle health scoring for maximum range and efficiency, is available as an option with every Lightning Systems vehicle. The analytics system provides fleets with real-time information to operate their fleet at peak efficiency. LightningAnalytics also is available with the LightningElectric system, and is available as a standalone product with a variety of modules to provide efficiency solutions to fleets.

Porsche took its first step in the station wagon segment when it introduced the Panamera Sport Turismo. It could soon add a second long roof to its catalog of performance-bred models. The Mission E Cross Turismo concept unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show hints at what it might look like.

The German firm explains its latest concept evolved from the Mission E that made its debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show. Some of the styling cues (including the 911-inspired low hood and the rectangular headlights) come straight from the original design study. It sits taller than the Mission E, which nearly hugged the ground and it looks more rugged thanks to add-ons like the back trim around the wheel arches and the rocker panels.

On one hand, this is a completely different kind of Porsche. On the other hand, we would be remiss not to point out it reminds us a little of the toughened-up 959s that won the grueling Paris-Dakar Rally in the 1980s. Porsche’s off-roader heritage goes well beyond the Cayenne.

Designers looked toward the future, not the past, to put together an interior that’s high-tech while remaining intuitive to use. The driver faces an evolution of the 2015 Mission E’s dashboard that looks much closer to production. There is a wide, wing-shaped TFT screen in lieu of the instrument cluster, plus two additional screens that stretch nearly the entire width of the dashboard. The slanted center console incorporates another touch-sensitive surface the front passengers use to adjust the climate control settings. The only buttons are on the multi-function steering wheel.

Eye-tracking technology puts the information the driver wants front and center. If a weekend getaway is in order, Porsche’s DestinationApp helps the passengers plan by suggesting potential destinations and points of interests along the way. The software illustrates what the brand means when it says it’s going digital.

The Cross Turismo is a station wagon, an electric one at that, but it’s a Porsche above all. It is powered by a pair of electric motors that join forces to deliver 600 horsepower to all four wheels. Stefan Weckbach, the head of Porsche’s electric vehicle project, told Digital Trends on the sidelines of the Geneva show that Porsche teamed up with an external supplier to design the Mission E’s motors. They draw electricity from a lithium-ion battery pack.

Each electric motor lies over an axle, a setup which gives the Cross Turismo on-demand all-wheel drive, while torque vectoring and dynamic chassis control (DCC) technology boost driver engagement. The wagon takes 3.5 seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop, and engineers went to great lengths to ensure it can do that over and over again without losing performance. An 800-volt charging system provides a 250-mile charge in just 15 minutes. Alternatively, wireless inductive charging can also top up the lithium-ion battery pack.

Porsche remains committed to introducing the Mission E next year. It will compete in the same segment as the Tesla Model S. While the Cross Turismo hasn’t been approved for production yet, Weckbach told us it’s one of the options currently on the table. It’s based on the Mission E so making it a reality wouldn’t be overly costly or time-consuming.