Today: International Day of Energy Efficiency 2017

Today on March 5 Energy Efficiency needs to be central in energy policies around the world. Energy Efficiency Day is an opportunity for companies and individuals to improve their energy consumption habits. It’s also a day to learn how to use electronic devices correctly both at home and at work.

Reducing energy consumption should be an important goal for our society. Energy Efficiency Day encourages a more sustainable society based off of renewable energy sources and more ecologically—friendly technology.

With actual Power Peak Prices  all of the core imperatives of energy policy — reducing energy bills, decarbonisation, air pollution, energy security, and energy access — are made more attainable if led by strong energy efficiency policy. As the world transitions to clean energy, efficiency can make the transition cheaper, faster and more beneficial across all sectors of our economies. Indeed, there is no realistic, or affordable, energy development strategy that is not led by energy efficiency. For the IEA, it is the first fuel, as the last report indicates.

Source: iea.org Energy Efficiency 2016

And yet energy efficiency is far from fulfilling its potential. Globally, two—thirds of the economic potential remains untapped. An entire 70% of the world’s energy use takes place outside of any efficiency performance requirements. For instance, two—thirds of energy consumption from buildings being built today has no codes or standards applied to it. A mere one—third of NDCs include energy efficiency related targets, despite IEA analysis that shows it is the single largest action in the optimal pathway to a decarbonised energy system. The IEA report is an important step in understanding global trends in energy efficiency. It tracks the key indicators of energy intensity, energy efficiency investment and their impact. IEA report finds — despite lower energy prices — progress is being made, but not fast enough. It shows where policy has made a real difference, but also highlights that much more can be achieved. It highlights the threat of a continuation of lower energy prices to the energy efficiency agenda, but also demonstrates clearly that strong, well—designed policy, can mitigate that threat.

The greatest efficiency gains have been led by policy, and the greatest untapped potentials lie where policy is absent or inadequate. There are lessons of success from around the world, including US vehicle standards, Japan’s progressive Top-Runner program, and China’s Top 10 000 program. The report focuses on the progress made in China. China’s energy efficiency story is told in great detail for the first time by this report. It is a story of great progress, achieving huge efficiency gains over the last ten years, but also revealing the opportunity for China to achieve much more on a path to the efficiency levels of other countries.

«I hope this report will be of great interest to energy policy makers and professionals in all sectors and in all regions. It quantifies the latest trends, tracks global progress, and examines key drivers and market issues. It provides answers to the central question: how can the world achieve more? In this sense, it is a call to action. Energy Efficiency is the one energy resource that every country possesses in abundance. The IEA is well determined that all countries fully exploit it.»

Source: Dr Fatih Birol

Executive Director,   

International Energy Agency

Poor results for Spain in Energy Efficiency

The RISE report (Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy) prepared by the World Bank has recently been published, reflecting in a hierarchical way the positioning of the different countries in terms of access to energy, commitment to renewable energies and energy efficiency. Spain occupies the position 22, of the 111 countries analyzed, in terms of energy efficiency behavior, behind the countries of our economic and territorial environment. This position is consistent with the lack of an energy policy and a lax concern for improving our energy performance.

PhotoCredits: Flickr/ Adriano Agulló

Energy inefficiency does not correspond to our position in the world Gross Domestic Product or of course with reality as a country, having one of the highest degrees of energy dependence of the European Union from which we separate more than 20 percentage points, 73% of Spain compared to 53% of European average, and that considering in this calculation to nuclear energy as an autochthonous source, which is not. This dependence means that for every 10$ rise on the price of a barrel of oil, our balance of trade balance deteriorates by 6,000 million euros.

To be efficient in Spain in the matter of energy consumption should be one of the priorities of energy policy, as has repeatedly been stated by the Renewables Foundation, not only to be able to compete with the countries of our environment, but also to be able to carry out Policies that are more environmentally sustainable and less exposed to the volatility of fuel prices that we have to import.

Spain has sufficient legislation to have a better energy efficiency behavior, as a consequence of the mandatory transposition of the different European Directives, mainly the 2010/31/EU on energy efficiency in buildings and the 2012/27/EU energy efficiency. The problem is that we have been unable by our own decision to implement the operational instruments required by the legislative framework.

Thermometer in a shopping center in Madrid. The label below shows the RD regulations that fails to comply with.

The lines of action put in place are insufficient and inefficient and are based on the development of diffusion campaigns and the creation of a Fund for Energy Efficiency that has not been able to apply to its purpose, in fact in the failed electric reform of the Current government used the cumulative funds to reduce the tariff deficit, and allow us to predict that Spain will not meet the demand reduction target set for the European Union countries by 2020.

A goal which, fortunately for the Government, is non-binding although, both for its responsibility and for its importance, it should be considered as one of the basic elements of any energy policy, if it existed.

This little concern to put in place mechanisms that promote the saving and the efficiency of energy has been able to see from:

  *  The non-fulfillment of objectives that the Directive marked for public buildings and that marks that had to be rehabilitated 3% each year from the inventory made in 2014. Spain has more than 1.7 million m2 of buildings for public use without anyone doing Nothing with the exception of a couple of contests facing the gallery.
   * The lack of demand by public bodies and municipalities that their electricity supply contracts include the obligation that it be of renewable origin and incorporate objectives of saving and improving efficiency as a fundamental element to be awarded.
   * The non-legislative finalist development of the magnificent Law 8/2013 on "Rehabilitation, Regeneration and Urban Renewal" known as Law 3R that allowed open work procedures and public-private collaboration to advance the rehabilitation of more than 18 million buildings, Of which even 3% does not exceed the established standards of energy behavior that marks the current legislation. In fact, the evolution of the management from the first NBE standard CT 79 to the last CTE of 2013 supposes an average reduction of the consumption per m² of 53%.
   * By increasing the fixed part of the electricity tariff by losing the incentive to save energy by reducing consumption and taxing the situation of those vulnerable groups who have to pay more without consuming.
   * The non-application of the Efficiency Fund for its purpose as a consequence of "the absence of projects" that can benefit from it by not mobilizing the energy sector in this work.
   * Considering that the improvement of energy efficiency increases the risk of the appearance of the tariff deficit of the electrical system by reducing energy consumption
   * The real ineffectiveness of rehabilitation grant schemes which in many cases have not been effective leaving a financial problem to communities who believed that it was a good idea to have a more efficient energy performance.

If we analyze what countries of our environment have done with highly positive results and the measures available in our system and not carried out, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda should be responsible for binding energy supply companies to fulfill the objectives set by The Efficiency Directive.

Companies that provide us with energy have to take on this challenge not only because of the proximity to the consumer they sell energy but also to their own benefit as a new business line, in which the sale of energy services is replacing or accompanying the Sale of energy.

Our marketers are more focused on brokering processes than working for their clients. Situation that shows its little concern to assume the energetic challenges that as a country we have assumed.

Well, we will never be efficient but we do not involve all the agents that have to do with the energy supply, starting with the public consumption and following the unplanned implementation of the electrification of the energy demand. Coverage of energy needs is more efficient if the energy used is electricity in both the climate, heat pump, and transportation with the electric vehicle.

Inefficient Spain is the result of our behavior as consumers, poorly informed, and a legislative development more focused on "programmed neglect" as an energy policy than in promoting efficiency.

Source: 20minutos: Energy as Right: @ferrandovitales @frenovables VP. The Renewables Foundation is a citizen movement with a vocation for dialogue in the debate on the inevitable change of energy model that tries to transfer to the Spanish society a new vision of the energy that is more linked to the ethics than to the economy, to the future that to the Present, to the urgency that to the complacency. In this blog, which contains a great plurality of voices and opinions, which do not have to coincide with those of the Renewable Foundation, we approach in a simple way what is often very complex with a group of experts in the very diverse aspects in the That energy is present in our daily life, but also in strategic and political issues.

Since 1998, every 5 March, World Energy Efficiency Day has been celebrated. It was during the First International Conference on Energy Efficiency held in Austria where it was decided to set a date for all citizens to reflect on the problem of the abuse of fossil fuels and the importance of starting to exploit renewable energy sources.

According to the IDAE, an efficient use of energy should not compromise our quality of life but should provide us with the same goods and services but in a cleaner and more sustainable way.

Both companies and ordinary citizens should establish the necessary measures and policies to achieve a reduction in energy consumption, favoring the saving of individuals and increasing the competitiveness of companies, promoting access to renewable energies, redirecting production processes aimed at achieving cleaner results, with the aim of making energy efficiency a reality.

Energy poverty is the "inability of a household to meet a minimum amount of energy services for its basic needs, such as maintaining housing in adequate climatic conditions for health (18 to 20°C in winter and 25°C in summer)" One of the causes responsible for the increase of people in situations of energy poverty is the electricity price increase.

With the electrical reform in Spain, in which the renewables were left aside, completely ignoring the objective with which it was created today, and with electricity price increasing while promoting the use of fossil fuels as a source Energy, this situation will worsen.

Due to the geographical situation of Spain, our country has the right conditions to be able to successfully exploit renewable energies, which can be an excellent energy source.

On June 1, 2013, Royal Decree 235/2013 was approved regarding the energy certification of buildings. Since 2007 new buildings were obliged to issue this certificate, however with this new regulation all people who intend to sell or rent a home must obtain this certificate in advance. Thanks to this certificate we can aproach an idea of ​​the amount of our future invoices.

As measures of Energy Efficiency we can highlight:

- Use of efficient LED bulbs.
- To install self-consumption equipment, which is already partially liberalized from the sun tax for installations of less than 10kW since 2015.
- Use of far infrared heat plates, which reduce the consumption of so-called lorites or braziers up to 90%
- Do not wash at high temperatures.
- Acquiring low consumption appliances.

- Unplug appliances when not in use; In stand-by also consume.

EGA is registered as 14,302 Engineer at COITIMadrid

Karl Böer Solar Energy Medal of Merit International Award for Antonio Luque

Professor Antonio Luque, founder and president of the Solar Energy Institute has been awarded with the "Karl Böer Solar Energy Medal of Merit" award, given by the University of Delaware (USA), for his contributions to the development of photovoltaics. worth $60,000, the prestigious award recognizes the most outstanding international careers in the field of solar energy.

Thanks Professor Luque

Karl Böer prizes are awarded every two years in honor of the scientist, who was a member for years at the University of Delaware, founder of the Institute of Energy Conversion EE (UD's Institute of Energy Conversion) and one of the great researchers in solar cells. The jury awarded prizes consists of a committee which includes representatives of major US solar companies and government Department of Energy.

"Professor Luque has made outstanding contributions in the field of solar energy," said Michael Klein, Executive Director of Karl Böer Solar Energy Medal of Merit, announcing the winner in this edition. "In giving this award, we recognize the impact their work has had on the scientific and technological development of renewable energies. The selection committee is proud to make this announcement. "

A successful career

Karl Böer Solar Energy Medal of Merit recognizes the many achievements of Antonio Luque, who has several decades researching and improving solar PV technology, and turning these achievements into practical applications. In fact, Luque is one of the researchers who owes its solar energy development.

For years working in intermediate band cells, of which he has always said he is a real sun revolution. In 1969, Professor founded the Semiconductor Laboratory of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and ten years later became the laboratory at the Institute of Solar Energy (IES), a highly recognized worldwide in photovoltaic research center.

Antonio Luque developed in 1976 Si - bifacial solar cells, which are active on both sides and are able to collect as much direct light as part of it is reflected on the front face, resulting in cells with very high efficiency. In order to manufacture these solar cells, Professor founded the company Isofotón in Málaga and became its first president until 1990.

CPV : Antonio Luque, Viacheslav Andrew

In its appreciation to the Spanish scientist, US jury award also highlights that Luque supported the adoption of a generous Feed In Tarifs System for the Spanish photovoltaic, which led in 2008 to 2.6 Gw commisioned to the Spanish Electrical network by producing more electricity with this technology than the medium nuclear power plant production (500 Mw).

Many awards

This is not, of course, the first award for Antonio Luque. Professor has many other national and international awards: the SolarWorld Senior Einstein Award SolarWorld (2008); the IEEE's William Cherry Award for Photovoltaic Science and Technology (2006); the Juan de la Cierva to Technology Transfer (2003) National Award; King James I to Research in the Environment (1999); the Edmond Becquerel Prize for Outstanding Contributions to the Development of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (1992); and the National Technological Research Prize Leonardo Torres Quevedo (1987).

Among the winners in previous editions of Karl Böer Solar Energy Medal of Merit include, among others, the German Hermann Scheer (2009), for his long contribution and commitment to the diffusion of solar energy, and Adolf Goetzberger (1997), founder of Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems; David Carlson (1995), inventor of thin film solar cells; and US President Jimmy Carter (1993), who encouraged the development of this technology and aroused worldwide interest in photovoltaics.

Spanish Source: http://www.energias-renovables.com/articulo/nuevo-premio-internacional-para-antonio-luke--20141124

Ernesto Guillamo is registered as 14.302 engineer at COITIM

In a Sunny Country... Wind & Solar Hibrid Power

Hey man, In an #energy context such #Spain, where we must meet the EU targets for renewable energy by 2020, remember the importance of the #solar #pv and #wind #power inside our electricity #mix and just because we are in a country that has great resources for these two technologies, and by the way, only by joinning together two small isolated facilities in the area, which already found their owners the importance of having a few photovoltaic modules and a small wind turbine all together.

Hibrid facilities like the ones which we all have seen on Spanish roads, plus facilities that have been made by owners who have put their own money, to see how costly it was to bring the utility line of duty.

But besides this type of remote installations, where storage is present, you also could consider, as in many other parts of the world, to combine both technologies in On Grid installations, using and making profitable the same resources, you can get scale economics. While this may in some cases incur a small loss on the premises, by the interaction between this two technologies.

It is known that the hibrid site construction (solar and wind) complement each other better than it looks, but make a small summary of some of these synergies on why this happens:

• A wind farm site has surfaces on which you can install an additional photovoltaic plant.
• The combination of photovoltaic and wind systems, can make the same resource of land occupied, can produce up to twice as much electricity, while it was found that the losses caused by shading of the turbines are just only considered to be at the order of two percent at most.
• The construction of such plants hybrid energy does not require network expansion because these plants generate wind and solar energy at different times, which means that the level fed into the grid is more stable than wind power plants and photovoltaic alone.
• The effects on power grids, this type of facilities photovoltaic and wind energy in electricity networks, both global and regional level, makes these networks behave in a much more stable, because while producing wind turbines much more electricity during the coldest parts of the year, due to higher levels of wind over the winter months, the solar power plants generate more energy in summer, offsetting lower production of wind energy at this time of year.
• Losses wind shading on photovoltaic installations are minimal (evidently for that are also the designers).
• The common elements that will be used by each facility, such as network connections, authorizations, driveway, mains power evacuation, …, will lead to significant cost reductions, in addition to the aforementioned stabilization of energy production.
But besides synergies, when seeing the whole project, also a series of mutual interactions between the two facilities will be taken:
• The integration of the PV plant within the wind, generate a reduction of wind speed and wind profile disturbance, and consequently the energy production of the wind farm decreases, although very little.
• In the interaction of the wind farm on the PV system must be taken into account among others, the following topics:
- The slopes of the available areas
- The own shadows on the horizon
- The impact of shadow generated by wind turbines

But all this can be a good project circumvented in some cases, taking into account the effects of possible stabilization in production, mixing the two types of technologies, as we will have:
• wind during winter, while solar radiation is low but very efficient production in sunny days due to less cell temperature
• wind during the night, when there is obviously no radiation
• wind during the rainy and cloudy days, while radiation is low
• Good radiation on sunny days, when we anticyclone, and we have wind

A profit will also be in Capex (capital expenditure), due to the synergies between the wind farm and photovoltaic system:
• Cost of installed electrical equipment
• Cost of energy networks evacuation
• Costs of civil engineering works (access, roads …)
• Cost of land lease
• Stabilization of the energy produced

All this should be compared with revenue losses already mentioned, when they are operating the two facilities, due to the loss of energy production, as losses due to the PV system, can cause a loss of income below 1 5% by photovoltaic systems, and losses in the turbine, can also cause a loss of income below 2% (compared with independent photovoltaic plant, according to some studies consulted).
The study should be complete and contemplate:

• The mutual interactions
• Annual degradation modules
• Rates
• Discount rates

Other points where synergies could be established is in operation and maintenance activities, although it is more difficult in some of its aspects have staff specialized in both technologies, but those common elements can be treated together, after having more specialized staff Specific elements of the different facilities.

Say that, although it seems that there are lights and shadows, international experiences made are positive. And in the future framework for distributed generation and smart grids, making the generation is stable, and that fits as far as possible to demand, will make use of existing networks and lower requirements Additional investments are to collect more and more important. Not to mention that in some cases it is not possible to perform short-term lines due to environmental problems.


It is for all this, so important to conduct this type of hibrid facilities, with only renewable technologies, for cases of small isolated facilities to small and medium connected to network an important consumption facilities, and avoid the use of large MW existing sites, where the combination of the two technologies can lead us to some technical and economic synergies.

Renewable Energies can Replace Fossil Fuels by 2050.

In 15 years, participation in Electricity Generation from renewable energies will triple the current situation, from the current 21% to 64%. In a new report entitled Energy Revolution pioneer 2015 by Greenpeace International, the Global Wind Energy Council and Solar Power Europe, former EPIA, we are shown on 364 pages, the road to an energy sector powered by 100% renewable energy, as this shows that it is possible to completely do without fossil fuels and stock only clean and renewable energies in 2050.

The Energy Revolution scenario is 2015 or something similar, is necessary if we are to have a reasonable chance of complying with the agreed target of keeping the increase in global average global temperature below 2°C.

Missing and less than three months to go to the climate summit in Paris, world leaders have the opportunity to take the first critical steps to tackle climate change by accelerating the ongoing transformation of the energy sector in the world fossils and towards 100% renewable fuels by mid-century.

According to Steve Sawyer, secretary general of the Global Wind Energy Council, we now have competitive technologies that can solve most of the climate problem, namely the carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector.

What is needed now is the political will to implement the right policies and fiscal and regulatory measures to implement them in full.

On the other hand, according to Greenpeace Sven Teske, lead author of the report, wind and solar technologies currently have a competitive cost with respect to coal. It is very likely that these outweigh the coal industry in terms of jobs and energy supplied in the next decade.

The Energy Revolution scenario 2015 shows how this transformation is possible and at what cost, as well as its impact on employment in the energy sector. The report updates the previous scenarios energy revolution, and for the first time offers an advanced with a supply of 100% renewable energy scenario and provide updated with current policies scenario of the World Energy Outlook the IEA extrapolation all this comparison purposes. A detailed report shows that the transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050, could create millions of new jobs and save money analysis.

In fact, the investment required would be more than covered by the future savings in fuel costs, since to make these changes, an investment that would be more than covered by the savings generated in the future in fuel costs would be necessary. On the one hand the average additional investment required in renewable energy by 2050 would be approximately 900,000 million euros a year, while as renewable energy, which do not require spending fuels, saving at that time would be about 950,000 million euros a year, enough to cover the investment required, with the balance point between 2025 and 2030.

In this 2015 report Energy Revolution, the largest global source of energy worldwide for 2050 would be wind energy, supplying about 30% or 32% respectively.

The wind industry alone could employ 8 million people in 2030, almost 10 times more than at present (which is almost twice as many people currently employed by the oil and gas), and in the case of the photovoltaic industry could employ 9.7 million people by 2030 worldwide, ten times more than today.

Within 15 years, the share of electricity generation from renewable energies would triple the current situation, from the current 21% to 64%, covering almost two thirds of global electricity demand. In countries with rapid development of renewable energy, such as Brazil, China and India, CO2 emissions could fall by a third, from the current 30 Gt generated annually, 20 Gt by 2030.

Smart Grids, Self-Consumption and Sellf Sufficient Micro Grids

More important, however, is the reduction of global CO2 emissions, and reaching zero emissions in the energy sector will not solve all the climate problem, although it is by far the biggest challenge, and must therefore be the main objective of the work of governments to the climate summit in Paris later this year, governments will have to manage the dismantling of the industry that is becoming obsolete, guiding the fossil fuel industry, to prepare gradually, and being aware that every euro invested in fossil fuel projects, it is a sunk cost, as declared Sven Teske, Greenpeace researcher.

Also, be careful not to be influenced by pressure from vested interests in the fossil fuel industry, that will not get in the change of renewable energies, which are the most effective and fairest way to have a clean and secure energy future, due to their investment costs.

Meanwhile Kumi Naidoo, head of Greenpeace International has urged all the skeptics who say you can not do, to read this report and recognize that can be done, should be done and it will be for the benefit of all.

We hope therefore that the climate summit in Paris, have advances that allow us to be optimistic about the evolution of our energy future.

EGA is registered as 14.302 Engineer at COITIMadrid