Portugal to triple solar capacity by 2021
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享Clean Technica:Thirty-one new solar power plants will be installed in Portugal with a total of over 1,000 MW of production capacity by 2021, according to an article on Dinheiro Vivo. The total value of the projects has been stated to be about 800 million euros.“By 2021 we will be able to triple the solar capacity in Portugal, from the current 572 MW to close to 1600 MW,” said Jorge Seguro Sanches, Portugal’s Energy Secretary of State.Portugal has already generated over 100% of its electricity needs using renewables, mostly from hydroelectric and wind power.Portugal’s goals is to run completely on renewable electricity. “Last month’s achievement is an example of what will happen more frequently in the near future. It is expected that by 2040 the production of renewable electricity will be able to guarantee, in a cost-effective way, the total annual electricity consumption of mainland Portugal,” stated the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association and the Sustainable Earth System Association.One economic benefit of running completely on renewables is the cessation of fossil fuel subsidies, “Separately on Tuesday, the government suspended subsidies for guaranteed power supplies paid to producers, worth about 20 million euros a year, most of which goes to fossil fuel plants left in stand-by mode.”Naturally, any excess electricity could be exported and this is exactly what has occurred, “In addition, the Portuguese electricity system had an export net balance of 249 GWh, which translates into almost 24 M€. The electricity export prices increased due to the emergency of the French electricity sector and to the adverse weather conditions in Central Europe.”More: 31 new solar power plants bring 1 gigawatt of renewables to Portugal Portugal to triple solar capacity by 2021
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享Khmer Times:Shanghai-based Jinko Solar, one of the world’s leading solar module manufacturers, will participate in the construction of what will become the Kingdom’s largest solar plant by supplying more than 200,000 solar modules to local firm SchneiTec Group. The 60-megawatt solar plant will be raised in Kampong Speu province.Warren Lee, business development manager for Southeast Asia at Jinko Solar, said both companies have been working on the deal for about a year before coming to a final agreement. He said it is the company’s biggest deal in the Kingdom yet: “We have other small projects here already, mostly for residential rooftops and smaller scale commercial projects. “But, this project is our first utility-scale installation,” Mr Lee said.The power produced at the upcoming plant will be supplied to Electricite du Cambodge (EDC), Mr Lee said.“This project marks a milestone in Cambodia’s renewable power section, not only in terms of capacity, but also as major stepping stone for the country to find clean and efficient energy solutions in tackling the energy deficit,” he said.The installation of the modules is due to begin next month, with an expected completion and commercial operation date set for December 2019, Mr Lee said.More: Milestone solar deal reached Jinko Solar, SchneiTec to build 60MW PV plant in Cambodia
Hitachi reportedly on verge of canceling U.K. nuclear project FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享The Guardian:The Japanese conglomerate Hitachi looks certain to cancel its plans for a £16bn nuclear power station in Wales, leaving Britain’s ambitions for a nuclear renaissance in tatters.An impasse in months-long talks between the company, London and Tokyo on financing is expected to result in the flagship project being axed at a Hitachi board meeting next week, according to the Nikkei newspaper.The company has spent nearly £2bn on the planned Wylfa power station on Anglesey, which would have powered around 5m homes.Withdrawal by Hitachi would be a major blow to the UK’s plans to replace dirty coal and ageing reactors with new nuclear power plants, and heap pressure on ministers to consider other large-scale alternatives such as offshore windfarms.Hitachi and the UK and Japanese governments have been negotiating over a guaranteed price of power from Wylfa and a potentially £5bn-plus UK public stake in the scheme. Talks have proved “tricky to find a solution that works for all parties”, industry sources said.Hitachi said it had made no final decision. “No formal decision has been made in this regard currently, while Hitachi has been assessing the Horizon Project including its potential suspension and related financial impacts in terms of economic rationality as a private company,” it said. The reference to a “potential suspension”, however, was the first official public confirmation that a withdrawal was being considered.More: Hitachi set to cancel plans for £16bn nuclear power station in Wales
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享The Guardian:The share of coal in the UK’s electricity system has fallen to record lows in recent months, according to government data. The figures show electricity generated by the UK’s most polluting power plants made up an average of 0.7% of the total in the second quarter of this year. The amount of coal used to power the electricity grid fell by almost two-thirds compared with the same months last year.A government spokesperson said coal-generated energy “will soon be a distant memory” as the UK moves towards becoming a net zero emissions economy. “This new record low is a result of our world-leading low-carbon energy industry, which provided more than half of our energy last year and continues to go from strength to strength as we aim to end our contribution to climate change entirely by 2050,” the spokesperson said.The UK electricity market is on track to phase out coal-fired power generation entirely by the government’s target date of 2025.This year three major energy companies have announced plans to close coal-fired power plants in the UK, which would leave only four remaining after the coming winter. RWE said this month it would close the Aberthaw B power station in south Wales, its last UK coal plant, after the winter. SSE will close the Fiddler’s Ferry plant near Warrington, Cheshire, in March 2020, and EDF Energy will shutter the Cottam coal plant in September.Meanwhile, the government’s data shows that renewable energy climbed by 12% from the second quarter of last year, boosted by the startup of the Beatrice windfarm in the Moray Firth in Scotland.More: Share of coal in U.K.’s electricity system falls to record lows Coal use in U.K. electric sector continues falling, drops below 1% in 2nd quarter
He’s been called the progressive path to Bubba. David “Mudcat” Saunders is an outspoken, foul-mouthed, unapologetic redneck from Roanoke, Va., who has managed to become rural Appalachia’s key liaison to Democratic candidates. Providing a reminder that Democrats like God and guns too, his work has contributed to changing the South’s political landscape from predominantly red to a new shade of purple. He helped put high-profile candidates Mark Warner and Jim Webb in office in his home state. Right now he is spreading the message that Barack Obama offers the best path to economic equality in the South. Saunders chatted with BRO before a bow-shooting session at his home in the Roanoke Valley.———-BRO: You originally supported John Edwards. Why?DS: Edwards’ message was ‘Let’s screw those who screwed us.’ We need to enforce anti-trust laws and level the playing field on trade treaties. Let’s bring American jobs home.BRO: Can Obama swing key states like Virginia and North Carolina?DS: Absolutely. Obama can get through to rural culture, but he has to prove to these people that he’s going to work for their best interests. In Virginia, [former governor] Mark Warner opened a lot of doors. He’s the only Democratic candidate in the last 25 years to get a majority of rural votes on a state-wide ballot. He got through to the culture, and made it okay for people to say they’re Democrats again.BRO: How much is race an issue in the South?DS: I don’t think Obama’s race is a big deal. Anybody who would vote against him because of the color of his skin is either 1) not registered to vote, or 2) someone the Republicans already have. Doug Wilder, the United States’ first African-American governor, got 48 percent of the most rural districts in Virginia 20 years ago. If Obama gets just 40 percent of it, he’ll win Virginia.BRO: What is the most important issue on the minds of rural Appalachian folk?DS: You can come down here and talk about change, but we’re predominantly a Scotch-Irish culture, and we’ve been hearing about change since the 1700s when the British kicked us out. Every time we talk about helping working people, the Republicans talk about the redistribution of wealth like we’re communists. If I were Obama, I would welcome the argument of wealth distribution. Economic disparity is the worst it’s been since Teddy Roosevelt took office.BRO: Are people in Appalachia starting to care about being marginalized by mountaintop removal mining?DS: Mountaintop removal is an uphill battle. People are more worried about jobs. They told us with NAFTA that the technological revolution was going to create new jobs. Well it did, but they outsourced them all to India. Nobody hates mountaintop removal more than I do, but people are more worried about short-term concerns like how they’re going to eat.BRO: Are green collar and alternative energy jobs appealing to Appalachians?DS: Anything that will feed us down in the sticks is appealing. That’s what it’s all about. When I was a kid, there were red spruce all over these mountains. You can’t find one now. Our brook trout streams are all but gone. I’m an outdoorsman, and I hate coal-fired generators. But long-term health is a tough argument, because right now people are more concerned about putting food on the table.
Thanksgiving is a time when you come together with people you see once or twice a year. It is a time to give thanks, watch too many parades and football games, and eat until you can’t stand the site of food any longer. This has been the way my family and I have done it ever since I can remember. We head to Pennsylvania with our snow boots on and belts one notch looser so we can grow into them later that day. When this past year’s Thanksgiving rolled around, my family decided to break tradition and head into the mountains to have what we now cherish as one of the most memorable holidays we have experienced.
About 30 minutes from civilization deep in the mountains of western Virginia lies a small cabin nestled between the mountainside and the James River. Arriving after sunset and later than expected, thanks to a heavy snowfall that day, we quickly nestled into bed eager to wake up Thanksgiving morning to take in our surroundings. There are six of us in my immediate family so we felt very close (literally) sleeping in a two room cabin. When Thanksgiving morning rolled around I woke up and immediately grabbed my hammock, put on boots, mustered my siblings and ran outside to see what adventures were amongst us. Right beside the cabin were steep steps covered in snow built into the river bank leading down to a narrow path beside the river.I hung my hammock right beside the river from a tree whose branch reached slightly across the rushing waters. We all hung out here for a while admiring the strong river and snow covered mountains behind it until Mom called us in to eat. Usually the meal is a focal point of Thanksgiving. While we were enjoying every bite of the warm potatoes dripping with gravy and all the other tantalizing food, we ate fast and made sure not to fill up — we were about to go exploring!With the country roads still snowy and the sun beginning to peak through the clouds and brighten the mountainside, we drove to a trail head that we noticed driving into camp the night prior. As we began our ascent up the trail, it was evident from the fresh powdered snow that no one else had been there to leave their tracks. The path led up the side of a rocky stream where we crossed twice by bridge and once by large rocks poking above the ice cold water. There were several teasingly small, crystal blue, cascading waterfalls glimmering in the snow like a picture on a calendar. Our surroundings were so calm and peaceful. All you could hear was the stream flowing and our boots crunching through the snow. Two or three miles up the trail we began to hear a faint rustling noise. As we pressed on, the soft beat turned into a roaring rush. We approached a wide, gushing waterfall that was clearly the purpose of this trail. As we sat and watched the fall spill out into a deep blue water hole surrounded by splashed rocks and shimmering snow, we admired all great and powerful beauty amongst us.
My older brother and I are in college and rarely make the trip home. When we are home, my dad works full time so it is hard to all be together. Just like most families, we bicker and argue about useless things like whose turn it is to clean up dinner. However, as we sat in awe at the power of nature and this special holiday, it seemed as if nothing else mattered except for being with the people you love in the beautiful outdoors. It is hard to describe the strong bonding and love for one another we experienced Thanksgiving Day underneath that waterfall. None of us would hesitate to say that day was full of memorable moments that will continue to bring back warm recollections for years to come. In this fast-paced game we call life, it is very important to slow it down, be with your loved ones, and give thanks to everything this earth has blessed us with.
I don’t get to paddle enough. Basically, my paddling consists of loading my kids on the front of my SUP and floating down the French Broad through downtown Asheville. My life could be worse. But when a chance to paddle a two-day stretch of the Toccoa in North Georgia came up, I jumped on it, throwing my SUP on top of the car and filling the cooler full of local beer before heading south. The trip happened to coincide with the bottle release of Freak of Nature from Wicked Weed. If you haven’t had Wicked Weed’s Freak, it’s a double IPA that packs a punch at 8% ABV. That’s pretty standard for a double IPA, but the problem is, all that booze is hidden under tropical fruit notes and hop zest. In other words, Freak is a sneaky son of a bitch. The beer has put me under the table more times than I’d like to count. It’s like Jager shots—one minute you’re fine, the next minute you’re out in the street with your shirt off asking strangers if they want to compete in a foot race. True story.
So yeah, I packed a bunch of Freak for the paddle trip. But I’m a professional, so I separated the heavy stuff like Freak and Wicked Weed’s regular IPA, Pernicious, into a separate cooler and loaded another cooler with river-friendly session beers like Oskar Blues’ Pinner and Pisgah Pale. Safety first.It’s a good thing I kept the boozy stuff in reserve, too, because the Toccoa is a bony river and it took all of my synapses firing to keep from killing myself. It’s not a tough stretch of water by any means—there’s one really long class II that runs right below an A.T. suspension bridge—otherwise it’s just class I interspersed with long, deep pools. But it was shallow as hell, so I’d be paddling along fine and dandy and then my fin would hit a rock, slamming the breaks on the SUP and sending me forward into the water. I spent the entire six hours on the first day with my knees bent and eyes wide open, just waiting for disaster to strike.It was still the best paddling I’ve done in God knows how long. My buddies even caught some fish. And then that night, while camping next to the river, we knocked out a handful of Freaks and set large piles of wood on fire. If that’s not just about the perfect day, then I give up.
Who says only kids have snow days? In the Mountain State, winter means the rolling hills transform into a playground for adults (with plenty for the kids, too.)Explore everything from simple sledding to world-class skiing and snowboarding in the mountain wilderness. Here are the best winter adventures:Skiing & More1. Canaan Valley Resort State ParkBest for: A remote winter wilderness escapeTucked into the beauty of the Mountain State’s wildest landscapes, Canaan Valley Resort State Park’s snowy scenery is lined with 47 carved out trails for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. The less adventurous can swoosh down the bunny hills on inner tubes, or ice skate. 2. Winterplace Resort Best for: A romantic, relaxing retreatEnjoy an extra-long day of Winterplace tubing, skiing or stunting in the snowboarding terrain parks, exploring into the moonlit evening hours. Then stow away in a cozy cabin, or in the luxury of the nearby Resort at Glade Springs, where you can relax at the spa or sprawling leisure center.3. Snowshoe MountainBest for: An all-inclusive getawayEnjoy 1,500 vertical feet of Snowshoe Mountain skiing, snowboarding, inner tubing, freestyle terrain park stunts, and backcountry snowmobile or RZR rides. Kids can play in the outdoor pool (yes, in the winter— it’s heated!) while you relax in the sauna or hot tub. Stroll the streets of the mountaintop village for unique dining and shopping.
4. Timberline Four Season ResortBest for: Wild play and fun nightlifeTake the finely groomed paths or trails less traveled, through the untamed, wooded snow glades. Timberline has slopes for all skill levels, from short, simple runs to some of the most advanced trails in the region. After conquering the winter wilderness, enjoy the eclectic live entertainment at Timbers Pub & Fireside Grill.5. Oglebay ResortBest for: A holiday trip with the family Circle around Oglebay Resort’s fire pits to share tales as the sun sets on a day of skiing the slopes and boarding over the snow jumps. Add a holiday sparkle to your little ones’ eyes with the intricate Festival of Lights displays illuminating the mountain, the playful critters at the Good Zoo, and skating at the nearby ice rink.
Cross-country Skiing & Snowshoeing6. White GrassBest for: A budget-friendly vacationMiles of carefully manicured, open mountain trail— all for you! Near the lively small towns of Thomas & Davis, White Grass offers big excitement for only a little investment. Never cross-country skied before? A $6 lesson will teach you all you need to know in 15 minutes!7. Pipestem Resort State ParkBest for: Experienced cross-country skiersMother Nature is the only one who grooms Pipestem’s 7 rugged ski trails! Roam the golf course or the rim of the gorge in their winter beauty before relaxing at the lodge or in your own personal cottage. 8. Alpine Lake ResortBest for: Carefree cross-country trekkingTuck into a remote Alpine lakeside chalet for a leisurely cross-country skiing or snowshoeing escape. Enjoy the calm mountain mornings and stunning lakeside scenery from this secluded haven.
9.Elk River Touring CenterBest for: A remote, scenic ski tripHave you driven along the stunning Highland Scenic Highway? Come enjoy it as a winter wonderland. The untamed trails criss-cross the snow-blanketed route along the National Forest grounds. Stay on the farmstead at the quaint mountain inn. 10. Blackwater Falls State ParkBest for: A unique winter viewDid you know the powerful falls at Blackwater State Park freeze completely during the winter? Take in the marvel of this frozen wonder with a visit to the full-service sledding and cross-country ski center. The winter fun extends beyond the slopes. Find all the best winter events, activities and more in the Mountain State at gotowv.com/winter.
Above The Prairie, the latest record from The Pines, is rich with imagery and symbolism that can only come from a band that calls the Midwest home.The Pines – David Huckfelt, Benson Ramsey, and Alex Ramsey, who fleshes out the trio on tour – have roots in Iowa and Minnesota, where there are plenty of wide open spaces and the distant horizon gives the sky a never ending quality. Those neverending sightlines have offered to the group’s songwriting the dichotomies between continuity and change, the finite and the infinite, the minuscule and the vast.A particular track from Above The Prairie worth noting is the album’s final cut, “Time Dreams.” This spoken word piece is actually a poem written by famed Native American poet and activist John Trudell. The Pines provide the musical accompaniment while Trudell recites his poem, and the combination is magical.Spend a few minutes with Above The Prairie. Simultaneously, almost magically, The Pines will make you feel both big and small.I was lucky enough to catch up with songwriter David Huckfelt and get totally random.BRO – Last great beer you discovered?DH – The Shackleton Company’s Nimrod.BRO – Last song you couldn’t get out of your head?DH – “King Kunta,” by Kendrick Lamar.BRO – Most played song on your iPod?DH – “Jaw Bone,” by Willie Chapman.BRO – Favorite late night driving music?DH – “White Lunar,” by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, “Aerocalexico,” by Calexico, and “Peyote Song,” by Mississippi Fred McDowell, Willie Nelson, and Daniel Lanois.BRO – Something that you always have in your fridge?DH – Duct tape and light bulbs.For more information on The Pines, please check out their website. And be sure to take a listen to “Sleepy Hollow” on this month’s Trail Mix.[divider]More from the Trail Mix Blog[/divider]
It’s no secret that The Northern Shenandoah Valley is a haven for the great outdoors whether you like hiking and canoeing in rural areas, strolling the downtown streets of our small cities, or taking in the vast history of our region. Whatever adventure you choose, there are places to stop along the way where local agriculture meets the fine tastes of handcrafted wines, beer, cider and distilled spirits.
Take a scenic drive along The Shenandoah Valley Spirits Trail and tour the byways and back roads to 19 vineyards, 14 craft breweries, 3 cideries and 4 distilleries throughout the Northern Shenandoah Valley, an area that is rich in outdoor adventure.
Embrace the agricultural roots that set the Shenandoah Spirits Trail apart from other regions. With surrounding mountains and rolling hills in the valley, the temperatures and rainfall, sun and soil provide ideal growing conditions for grapes and corn, hops and fruit trees, giving the visitor a chance to get closer to the process, meet the vintners and brew masters and then experience the flavors close to where they’re grown.
Some things you might experience along the trail:Grab a pint at Swover Creek Farm, a Virginia Century Farm which grows many of their ingredients on the premises.Enjoy a glass of lavender infused wine at Purple WOLF Vineyard, and take in the scenery as the grapes are grown on the same property as a beautiful lavender farm. Sample distilled spirits in a 1930’s theatre at Gingerwolf Distillery in Middletown.Have a beer with friends at Pale Fire Brewery, in the Historic Ice House in Harrisonburg. Sip a glass of wine on the patio overlooking the Shenandoah Valley at the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Twin Oaks Tavern Winery. Bring the entire family to Old Hill Cidery where you can pack a lunch and have a delightful picnic among the apple trees.Check out River Hill Distillery which makes small batch whiskey from corn grown on their farmLearn more about beer and the history our brewing heritage in Virginia from 1607 at the Virginia Beer Museum located in a place that was once referred to as “Hell Town” where people came to drink.
The Shenandoah Spirits Trail covers six different counties in the Shenandoah Valley. So whether you like a sip of wine in a quiet country setting or a bustling brewery in the historic district of a charming small city, it’s easy to sip your way through the region while enjoying the ultimate path to beverage enlightenment.
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