Around the world, people are beginning to gain a better understanding of the importance of producing energy in a manner that is sustainable and preserves our planet’s delicate balance. As a result of this push for green energy, more and more people are taking to fulfilling the need for alternative energy sources into their own hands.
In Germany, for example, many of the country’s homeowners responded to the government’s call for the installation of solar panels on their homes. Driven by strong political will to see the country meet the carbon reduction goals ratified by the Kyoto Protocol, Germany passed legislation that subsidized the cost of purchasing and installing solar panels. This move, along with other similar initiatives, saw Germany curb its carbon emissions by 21 percent—one percent above its Kyoto target.
While the United States did not ratify the Protocol, the perceived need for cleaner alternative energy production sources has not been lost to the general population. In fact, different organizations have taken up the charge to aid in the production of clean energy. Among these is the University of California, which recently acquired one of the largest solar energy acquisitions by a higher education institution in the United States to date. In its University Herald, writer Stephen Adkins revealed:
The two Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed with Frontier Renewables will provide solar energy to UC for 25 years. At the same time, the University will supply 206,000 megawatt-hours per year (MWh/year) of solar energy to California’s electrical grid.
Since becoming a registered Electric Service Provider, the University’s Wholesale Power Program supplies electric power to five of the state’s 10 campuses – UC Irvine and its medical center, UC Merced, UC San Diego and its medical center, UC San Francisco and its medical center, and UC Santa Cruz.
The new solar deal will provide energy – 60 percent generated from renewable supply – to campuses part of the Wholesale Power Program. The 25-year deal with San Mateo-based Frontier Renewables will supply 80 megawatts in solar power, or 200,000 megawatt-hours annually.
In light of the increased acceptance and implementation of alternative energy sources, DC voltage transducer manufacturers and suppliers play a very important role. Solar panels typically produce a direct current output, which is later converted into an alternating current. At larger quantities, such as would be experienced in UC’s installation, accurate DC measurement can be difficult, so transducers and transformers are necessary.
By providing the measurement systems required to accurately and precisely monitor the health and performance of the power-generating equipment, power monitoring suppliers, like Aim Dynamics, assist in making a future where green energy is not the alternative, but the mainstream source, a distinct possibility.
(Source: University of California System Makes Largest Solar Energy Purchase in US, University Herald, September 9, 2014)