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Thursday, January 29, 2009

29/01/09: Irish Solar Energy Society next meeting 9th March at 6pm in DCU

The Solar Energy Society of Ireland will hold its next meeting in DCU on March 9th at 6pm.
Everyone welcome

More details to follow

For further information on the Society, please contact sesireland@gmail.com

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

28/10/09: €100 million funding awarded to Ireland's electricity interconnector project

East-West interconnector is vital to Ireland’s energy needs and boost for the economy –
Minister Eamon Ryan Dublin 28 January, 2009

Energy Minister Eamon Ryan has warmly welcomed the decision by the European Commission today to award €100 million in funding to Ireland's electricity interconnector project, which will link Ireland and the UK by 2012. The Commission's decision to select the Irish project for significant fast-tracked funding is part of a suite of energy projects being targeted for investment because of their strategic importance to Europe.

The package was announced today as part of a €5 billion economic stimulus package "Investing today for tomorrow's Europe". Minister Ryan has worked intensively in Brussels over the last six weeks to ensure that the Commission's support for the interconnector project was secured. He has also ensured that Ireland is included, along with the UK, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark as part of the €150 million project to develop the offshore grid in the Northern Seas Zone. Commenting on the announcement, Minister Ryan said, "I am very pleased that our efforts have led to this European investment in Ireland. The East-West interconnector is vital infrastructure for our country and will bring many benefits. Connection to the UK will enhance the security of our energy supply. It will mean we can import electricity when required from the UK market. More importantly, it will mean we can export our electricity to the UK. When the wind is blowing in Ireland, we can sell this power to our neighbours. Interconnection will also increase competition in the electricity sector, which will benefit consumers in the long-run, placing downward pressure on prices. This project will allow us to accelerate our development of renewable energy. We are rich in renewable power; we need to develop this to secure our energy supplies. This project will also help the development of the green economy, bringing investment and jobs to Ireland in the growing renewable power industry. This investment from Europe is a significant boost to the Irish economy. It brings us one step closer to energy independence."
Minister Ryan said that the outcome was also a vital recognition of the all-island benefits which the East West Interconnector will bring for consumers North and South. "The All-island Single Electricity Market has been a flagship European project in terms of creating a single energy market across Europe. Commissioner Piebalgs has taken a direct interest in its progress. The success to date of the Single Electricity Market is now further underpinned by the support for the Interconnector project with the UK."

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/ for more info

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

26/01/09: Ireland signs as Founding Member of International Renewable Energy Agency

Renewable Energy will bring thousands of jobs and investment into Ireland
Dublin, 26th January 2009

Energy Minister Eamon Ryan today announced that Ireland has signed up as a member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) at the Founding Conference in Bonn. IRENA will be the first international organisation to concentrate exclusively on renewable energy in both developed and developing countries. Its establishment has been promoted by the German government with the strong support of such countries as Denmark and Spain."

IRENA will promote the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy worldwide - it is vital that we are involved", said Minister Ryan. Renewable energy can bring much needed international investment into Ireland, adding secure jobs into the bargain. It is the area of economic growth that we need to be involved in.
In 2008, we sent approximately €6 billion overseas for imported fossil fuels to meet our national energy demands. Renewable energy will reduce this bill.Ireland has the natural advantages, Government support and a willing industry ready to meet our target of 40% electricity from renewables over the next 11 years.
As a member of IRENA, we can link directly to the worldwide investment of more than $148 billion in this sector, creating opportunities for Irish companies, both existing and emerging. In energy terms, we are nothing if we stand alone. The foundation of this Agency puts renewable energy on a firm inter-Governmental footing. This is a sector as much in our economic interest as to our environmental benefit. It is the right strategic direction for the world and is most definitely the correct move for Ireland."

IRE NA's main activities will include:
* Providing concrete policy advice for developed and developing countries (e.g. to help them improve their regulatory frameworks)
* Promoting technology transfer and providing advice on financing and enhance capacity building
* Facilitating access to all relevant information including reliable data on the potential of renewable energy, best practices, effective financial mechanisms and state-of-the-art technological expertise.
http://www.irena.org/

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

14/01/09: World Record: 41.1% efficiency reached for multi-junction solar cells at Fraunhofer ISE

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have achieved a record efficiency of 41.1% for the conversion of sunlight into electricity.

Sunlight is concentrated by a factor of 454 and focused onto a small 5 mm² multi-junction solar cell made out of GaInP/GaInAs/ Ge (gallium indium phosphide, gallium indium arsenide on a germanium substrate). In contrast to conventional solar cells, the semiconductors in these cells do not have the same lattice constant (distance between the atoms in a crystalline structure). This makes it difficult to grow the III-V semiconductor layers with a high crystal quality. The researchers at Fraunhofer ISE have managed to localize the defects in a region of the solar cell that is not electrically active. This metamorphic crystal growth now enables the researchers to use a much larger range of III-V compound semiconductors for growing their multi-junction solar cells. … Source: Fraunhofer ISE
http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/
http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/press-and-media/press-releases/press-releases-2009/world-record-41.1-efficiency-reached-for-multi-junction-solar-cells-at-fraunhofer-ise

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

13/01/09: DEL Seminar series continues Jan 26th at 4pm

Next DEL seminar is at 4pm in Focas on Jan 26th with Group 3 presenting.
Group 3
1. Tadhg O'Mahony
2. Eoghan Frawley
3. Lacour Mody Ayompe
4. Marius Claudy
5. Albert Famuyibo
6. Fergal O’Rourke

For dates of the rest of the years DEL seminars please click here http://dublinenergylab.dit.ie/intranet/documents.html