Off-grid solar to be used in Haiti relief efforts

Solar-powered equipment for water, lighting, and communications is being sent to Haiti as part of the reconstruction efforts following last week’s devastating earthquake.

Fort Pierce, Fla.-based manufacturer Sol on Tuesday said it shipped 15 of its solar streetlights to Haiti as part of an aid mission. With hospitals operating without power, the lighting can be used to extend the time that doctors can treat the wounded, company executives told WPTV.

Sol intends to donate another 100 of its streetlights, which have a small solar panel mounted above an LED lamp, but it has not yet connected with an organization with the space to carry the equipment.

Access to clean water is another high priority for relief workers in Haiti, which suffered a powerful aftershock on Wednesday. Panel manufacturer SolarWorld said that it is donating enough panels to power 10 water pumping stations operated by nonprofit Water Missions International.

The 10 water purification systems will provide clean water for as many as 175,000 people. “Fuel shortages in Haiti are causing major roadblocks in providing aid,” George Greene, vice president for international programs at Water Missions International, said in a statement.

The difficulty of getting power is a problem for cell phone communications, which have been working intermittently in Port-au-Prince. Dutch company Intivation earlier this week said that it is donating 1,000 solar-powered mobile phones meant for the Port-au-Prince area in Haiti. The phones, which have been offered by Caribbean carrier Digicel for over a year, have built-in solar panels for charging.

Meanwhile, Solar Ovens International is planning on shipping its solar ovens, insulated boxes with reflective aluminum panels that can be used instead of charcoal, President Paul Munsen tells MSNBC. The company, which is taking donations to purchase solar ovens for Haitians, said it is working with a relief organization to send 270,000 meals and solar ovens next week.

by Martin LaMonica
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10438167-54.html (January 20, 2010 1:22 PM PST)

The Federal Government is to introduce safety guidelines and cut the rebate for its $3.9 billion home insulation scheme.

There have been allegations of widespread rorting of the scheme and claims that shoddy work practices have caused house fires.

The Federal Opposition says poor training has led to injuries and one death, and a Senate inquiry will examine the scheme’s operation.

Environment Minister Peter Garrett has confirmed the rebate will drop from $1,600 to $1,200 per home from midnight tonight.

He says the safety guidelines will include a ban on the use of metal fasteners on foil insulation, mandatory use of covers on downlights and an inspection program in Queensland where most of the problems have occurred.

As part of the changes to the scheme, Mr Garrett says the Government will publish a name and shame list for any “dodgy” businesses or those struck from the installer register.

“There’s no room in this program for businesses that aren’t willing to stand publicly by the quality of their work, so from December 1 all installers on our register must do just that,” he said.

He says the new safety measures follow meetings with representatives from the insulation and electrical trades sectors.

“The ban on metal staples and fasteners will immediately reduce the risk of electrocution for foil insulation installers, while making the application of covers over downlights mandatory goes further than the Australian Standards to further maximise safety,” he said.

He says 11,000 ceilings will be inspected by the end of the year.

The Government says cutting the rebate of its home insulation program will save $250 million.

The Opposition says the introduction of mandatory safety rules and a cut to the rebate for home insulation do not go far enough.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt says better training is needed for installers and wants the rebate reduced to $1,000.

“We know about the dangers, we know about the tragedies,” he said.

“We know this program has not been safe – better training standards are necessary.”

More than 500,000 homes have already had ceiling insulation installed.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/01/2729756.htm?section=australia

THE Rudd government’s $480 million “national solar schools” program was quietly suspended yesterday afternoon via a notice posted on the popular scheme’s website.

“The National Solar Schools Program has been suspended to any new claims in 2009-10. This suspension takes effect as of 3:00pm 15 October 2009,” the notice said.

A spokesman for Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who did not formally announce the program’s closure, said 1300 schools had been approved under the program last year and 500 had already been approved this financial year, with another 700 “still in the pipeline for assessment”.

Those 700 would be funded if eligible, and additional money made available if required.

But no more applications will now be considered until next financial year.

Announcing the program in July 2008, Mr Garrett said “the Rudd Labor government wants every Australian school — primary, secondary, public and private — to have the opportunity to become a ‘solar school’ and the commencement of this half-a-billion dollar program delivers on our election commitment.”

“… Industry too will benefit from the program from the $480 million federal funding injection, creating increased demand for large solar power systems for school roofs,” Mr Garrett said at the time.

The suspension is the latest in a series of changes and cuts to government solar programs, including the introduction of a means test on the household solar panel rebate and the ending of the remote solar program.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt said it was “amazing that this government can waste $16billion on unwanted school halls but suspend a key solar program that every school appears to want”.

The program has already hit implementation hurdles with NSW’s centralised tendering process meaning no school had installed panels more than a year after the program started, and many schools running into problems hooking their panels into the power grid.

Mr Garrett’s spokesman said the Department of the Environment would contact every school registered under the program as well as those with applications on hand to advise of the suspension until next year.

Under the program schools were eligible for up to $50,000 to install solar power systems, or energy efficiency spending on items such as lighting, fans or awnings. Rainwater tanks, small wind turbines, small hydro power generators and skylights were also eligible.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26216449-11949,00.html