Chevron Redefines Itself by Testing Solar Technologies

Chevron Redefines Itself by Testing Solar Technologies

On an 8-acre dirt plot, which used to be one of their old refineries pumping out gasoline and asphalt, the oil powerhouse Chevron will begin testing seven emerging photovoltaic technologies to add to their energy portfolio.

The test site will be home to 7,700 solar panels. The seven different photovoltaic solar technologies represented will come from seven different solar companies that are in a position to manage the power demand for all of Chevron's worldwide operations.  Of the seven technologies, six are thin-film technologies from Abound Solar, MiaSolé, Schüco, Solar Frontier, Sharp, and Solibro, and one is a crystalline-silicon photovoltaic technology from Innovalight.  Chevron will monitor all of the panels to compare performance and cost versus output.

With operations in 100 countries, Chevron officials say that they are looking for solar panels that are significantly affordable but still more reliable and efficient than other products.

Ever since Chevron started monitoring their resource usage in 1992, they have been saving money by employing hydrogen fuel cells and solar technologies at their facilities.  They have cut energy use by a third and have saved approximately $3 billion in energy. 

Des King, president of Chevron Technology Ventures, said “By bringing together seven emerging solar technologies, Project Brightfield represents one of the most comprehensive solar energy tests of its kind and is an innovative approach to evaluating new technologies.  Testing competing technologies side by side means that we can better understand their potential application at other Chevron facilities.”

Chevron Technology Ventures is a division that identifies, evaluates, and showcases emerging technologies.

Rich Hessler Solar
Home to Solar Financing and Solar Marketing 

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Lights Out on Maricopa Solar Incentive ED-3

In late 2009, Electrical District No. 3 (ED-3) started offering up to $15,000 rebates on professionally-installed photovoltaic solar systems. The was so much interest in the program that ED-3 looked at ways to reduce its popularity. Already, the response has exceded the funds set aside for the rebate.

The ED-3 solar rebate program is funded by a renewable energy fee it charges customers - 30 cents a month for residential users and $12 a month for commercial. These fees help the company raise $300,000 a year, some of which is used to continue funding renewable energy projects.

Unfortunately, these projects pale in comparison to major utility companies such as Arizona Power Service (APS) and Salt River Project. These companies charge its customers between $1.88 and $3.46 a month for renewable energy projects and incentives. This will provide APS with $86.7 million in tariffs in 2010.

Despite collecting a large amount of money to fund renewable energy, APS and SRP are planning to scale down their solar programs. The number of pv solar installations in 2009 is greater than the previous 8 years combined.

One way APS will accomplish this is through reducing it's maximum rebate to ~$13,000. If APS does not takes this action, the funds set aside for this year will run out by June.

Still, thanks to the generous rebates offered by the federal government and APS, a solar system costs $8,000 - $12,000 out of pocket (instead of $30,000 - $35,000). Imagine purchasing a solar system at $8,000 that will provide you with electricity for the rest of your life!

In addition, any excess energy produced by your solar system will run your meter backwards, giving homeowners a rebate on their electricity.

APS is also looking into raising fees to support these renewable energy programs. APS is discussing whether the renewable energy fees are something the residents of Phoenix would want to pay.

This brings up one important point - the residents of Phoenix are paying for the solar rebates. Why would anyone continue paying for other homeowners to install photovoltaics instead of taking advantage of this offer? Getting a solar system 60% off in a state with as much sunshine as Arizona seems like a no-brainer.

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Renewable Energy - Replenishable Energy of the Future

Renewable energy is created by natural resources that are regenerable or replenishable. This means that after energy is consumed, natural processes regenerate the source. These resources include sunlight, wind, rain, tides, geothermal, biofuels, and more.

Unlike fossil fuels, these resources will not run out and produce little waste. Here is an overview of how humans harness sunlight, wind, rain, tides, geothermal, and biofuels.

Sunlight:

• Photovoltaics - converting sunlight directly into electricity
• Solar Thermal - using sunlight to heat up water/oil. The hot water is used in homes and hot water/hot oil are used to spin a turbine to generate electricity.

Wind:

• Turbines - spinning turbines generate electricity

Rain:

• Dams - rain collects into rivers to return to the ocean. Dams harness the "downward" movement of water to spin turbines to generate electricity. Someday, water might be pump behind a dam during the day (and maximum photovoltaic electricity production) to be used to generate electricity at night.

Tides:

• The movement of tides can be harnessed to generate electricity. Since the tide is almost always moving in or out, electricity production is consistent.

Geothermal:

• Heating - water warmed by geothermal resources is circulated in floors and walls, providing home heating.
• Electricity Generation - hot water can be used to spin a turbine and generate electricity.

Biofuels:

• Algae - nutrients, algae, and sunlight are combined to produce different types of fuels. Unlike the fuels underneath the earth, fuel produced by algae is renewable and removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
• Corn - Corn is converted into ethanol, which is used to power cars and generate electricity.

We all know that renewable energy is the future of our civilization. Someday, fossil fuels will run out and force us to adopt renewable energy. Right now, renewable energy is supported (to a very small extend) by governments worldwide. With government rebates, it is economically feasible to switch to photovoltaic for electricity production. If you want to discover how photovoltaics are economically feasible, sign up for this free photovoltaic webinar.

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