Solar Power Cheaper than Diesel Generators – in India

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation 3 Comments

Care2.com, a catch-all web site that distributes free e-greeting cards and a blend of new age health care, pet care, and environmental news, caught this editor’s attention with the news that solar power is now cheaper than Diesel-generated electricity in India – without subsidies – and by the manner in which private industry and government agencies are adapting to this. Two giants on the industrial side have thrown their substantial resources behind solar.  BHARTI, the largest mobile phone company, is using the sun to power rural cell towers.  Jaine Irrigation, the world’s biggest mango puree producer, is building an 8.5 megawatt solar power plant, according to Care2. On the governmental side, Sustainable Business.com explains the reverse auction approach that helps India get cheaper power than other countries manage. “In India, those that bid the lowest in a reverse auction win the right to build solar plants up to 20 megawatts (MW) and sell the electricity under a 25 year contract. “Winners are …

How Green was GFC Electricity?

Dean Sigler Diesel Powerplants, Electric Powerplants, GFC, Sustainable Aviation 2 Comments

The blog received several comments about the relative energy use of electric aircraft, and how NASA and the CAFE Foundation might have overstated the efficiency and low emissions for the electric aircraft in the competition. Reader Robert Swanson thought the conversion between kilowatt hours and gasoline created a discrepancy. “The discrepancy in performance of gasoline and electric powered aircraft is due to an absurd conversion factor between kWh and gallons of gasoline.  The conversion should be calculated from the number of gallons of gasoline consumed by the engine driving the generator used to charge the batteries.” Steven Crow added this objection.  “Even after reading the relevant pdf’s, it is far from clear to me how CAFE computed ‘mileage’ for the electric aircraft. The right way of doing it is clear enough: base the mileage on the fossil fuel used to charge the batteries.  Electric motors and batteries are not subject to Carnot efficiency limitations.  They can seem to be nearly …