With batteries being hot for Solar, seems like the Data Center industry could benefit

Batteries are common in so many data centers, and technology has not changed that much.  With Solar’s growth, it looks like batteries are the new hot thing.  Gigaom’s Katie Fehrenbacher posts on a SF solar trade show.

At a big solar show, batteries take center stage

by Katie Fehrenbacher

6 HOURS AGO

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photo: Image courtesy of Gigaom.

SUMMARY:

While solar companies descend on San Francisco this week, it’s the batteries that everyone’s talking about.

How big will this get?

But one entrepreneur’s attention doesn’t make a market. Energy storage has its own momentum. The entire energy storage market is predicted to explode over the next five years, due to a combination in the growth of solar, state mandates (like the one in California) that are pushing storage, and more unpredictable weather that can cause blackouts and require backup storage systems.

Research firm IHS predicts that the energy storage market (which includes batteries but also other storage technologies) will grow from a small base of 0.34 GW installed in 2013 to an annual installation size of 6 GW in 2017 and over 40 GW by 2022. The U.S. is supposed to be the largest market in the world, followed by Germany and Japan.

Chile Rejects $8Bil dam project in Patagonia based on environmental impact

Al Jazeera has a post on Chile rejecting a $8bil dam project in Patagonia based on environmental impact.

President Michelle Bachelet's government has rejected a huge $8bn hydroelectric project in Chile's Patagonia region, citing its adverse impact on the environment.

The decision by the Chilean cabinet to shelve the controversial seven-year-old scheme was a victory for environmentalist groups which fought the proposal to build five dams in a pristine river basin.

"The Hidroaysen hydroelectric project is hereby rejected," said Pablo Badenier, the environment minister.

Hundreds of people on Tuesday cheered the decision in the streets of Santiago and in the region of Aysen, about 1,300km south of the Chilean capital.

Patricio Rodrigo, executive secretary of the Patagonia Defence Council, called the decision "the greatest triumph of the environmental movement in Chile".

The old way of only using the issue of addressing the power generation requirements have lost.

The project aimed at generating 2,750 megawatts of electricity, boosting Chile's installed capacity of 17,500 megawatts.

Maximo Pacheco, the energy minister, said the Hidroaysen project "suffers from important faults in its execution in not giving due consideration to aspects related to the people who live there".

The Two 1st of-its-kind Fuel-cel Powered Data Centers? 1999 FNB Omaha & 2013 eBay

I was at 7x24 Exchange and there was keynote by eBay on Quantitative Comparison of Critical Facility Electrical System Architectures.  In this presentation eBay said they are the first Fuel-cel powered data center.  My immediate thought was, “hey didn’t we have someone else say they had the first fuel cel powered center present at 7x24?”  I checked the 7x24 Exchange conference program and yep one year ago was the presentation by First National Bank of Omaha.

Then I was thinking maybe I misheard what was said.  eBay hit the news with its fuel-cel powered data center and found Sept 2013 so its not anything new that eBay has the 1st fuel-cel powered data center in the news

eBay turns on first-of-its-kind fuel cell-powered data center

SUMMARY:

The world’s first data center powered primarily with fuel cells has finally been switched on in Utah by its owner, eBay. Its an unusual test bed which will give eBay insight into cleaner power and distributed energy.

Digging further I found on the official eBay site that the eBay data center is the first Bloom Energy Servers used as primary power for a data center.

Our newest data center is the first in the world to use Bloom Energy Servers™ as the primary, on-site power source, instead of the traditional electric utility grid.

So eBay is the first data center powered by Bloom Energy Fuel cels, not the first data center powered by fuel cels.  Maybe I did mishear the presentation, and eBay said this is the first bloom energy fuel cels used as primary power for a data center.

Here is the 7x24 Exchange video of FNB discussing the lifecycle issues of running fuel cels for 14 years.  It was quite informative.

Containerized Wind Power - Buoyant Airborne Turbine

Wind is a favorite of some for renewable energy.  Google has its airborne wind system Makani.

Altaeros Energies is a Helium buoyant system that deploys in containers.

Low Cost

The Altaeros BAT reduces the second largest cost of wind energy – the installation and transport cost – by up to 90 percent, through a containerized deployment that does not require a tower, crane, or cement foundation. Combined with significant increases in energy output, and flexible deployment options, the BAT is designed to significantly reduce the levelized cost of energy for remote power customers.

Mobility and Rapid Deployment

The Altaeros BAT is shipped in two standard containers and can be installed and producing power in under twenty-four hours. Easy transport, setup, and redeployment offers new mobility that is not feasible with tower-mounted wind turbines.

One of the nice things about the BAT is you can put other things up at that altitude.

Additional Revenue from Airborne Services

Much like other tethered aerostats, the Altaeros BAT can lift additional communication, surveillance, and sensory equipment alongside the turbine to provide additional services for remote sites. The BAT provides a line of sight over 60 miles in any direction, offering a powerful platform that fixed towers cannot reach. The addition of payload equipment does not affect the stability or power output of the system.

Apple acquires a 3-3.5MW Hydroelectric Power Plant for Prineville DC, no Dam required

News is starting to spread on Apple’s acquiring a hydroelectric power plant for its prineville data center.

Apple acquires hydroelectric project near its Prineville data center

 

The first of two, 338,000-square-foot Apple data center buildings in Prineville, shown last year when it was still under construction. The company says it will power the facility with renewable energy. (Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian (2013))

Details that the data center crowd cares about are here.

Under the proposal, the 45-mile Hydroelectric Project will not have a dam. EBD Hydro plans to divert water from the irrigation canal, run it through turbines and generate enough electricity to power between 2,100 and 2,450 homes.

The pipes and turbines will be located about two miles north of Haystack Reservoir, several miles east of Culver, according to documents filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Power generation will only take place when water is running in the canal. Except for stock runs, most irrigation districts shut off irrigation water in the winter months.

EBD Hydro began the process more than two years ago, Gordon said. While it has been difficult, the company appreciated the support the project received from the governor, state and federal lawmakers.

The Rural Energy for America Program offers funding to help rural businesses with renewable energy projects and those that increase energy efficiency, according to the news release.

I’ll be in Bend at the of the month for the kids ski race.  i’ll see if I make a run to any of the spaces, but most likely not.  If anything I am going to the Bend, OR breweries

Some of my favorites are Deschutes and Boneyard.

Deschutes

Est. 1988, Bend – The one and only “original craftster” brew pub, formerly known as Fish Brewing! Stop by  the now two-story pub, aptly  named “Brew 1”, that started the craft brew industry in Bend. Woot! Visit the Deschutes Brewery page.

Boneyard

Est. 2009, Bend – When Tony Lawrence launched his brewing company, he went straight to the “boneyard.” In different jargon, you might say he went to a used-car lot searching for a classic vehicle. Them bones are tasty! Read more on theBoneyard Beer Co page. Cheers!