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Ubiquitous Energy’s Transparent Solar Tech to be displayed at BMW Stores

In mid-April, the BMW Brand Store in Paris displayed a new form of transparent solar technology from Ubiquitous Energy, a technology company from Silicon Valley, California that specializes in transparent photovoltaics. UE’s latest technology is called ClearView, which is a lightweight film only 1/1000th of a millimeter thick and is 90 percent transparent but is capable of generating electricity by absorbing ultraviolet and infrared light.

This new ClearView technology will be put on display in BMW Brand Stores throughout the world, including London, Shanghai, Brussels, Seoul and Munich, as part of BMW’s i Exhibition. The ClearView coating will be displayed on 6-inch glass panels and available for BMW customers and partners to see.  “We’re delighted that BMW chose Ubiquitous Energy to participate in this global tour for innovative new technologies,” said Ubiquitous Energy CEO, Miles Barr. “The automotive industry has shown great interest in using our lightweight, transparent solar materials in next-generation vehicles.”

The idea behind this coating is that, because it’s 90 percent transparent, it can be put on nearly any surface and generate electricity by absorbing light. So this can, in theory, be placed on nearly any glass window, sunroof or even body panel of an electric or hybrid car and generate electricity for the batteries. How much electricity it generates has yet to be seen, but every little bit counts these days. Plus, if it can effectively replace solar panels, it would make the solar panels roofs of Tesla’s obsolete, as those are big, heavy and replace sunroofs. This could be a huge innovation for BMW to be partnered with.

While the ClearView isn’t 100 percent transparent, it could be used on tinted windows very well, as most tinted windows have far less transparency than 90 percent. This would allow an electric car owner to tint their windowsa bit with this ClearView and gain a bit of extra electricity. It would work great on sunroofs and could even work across the entire roof, as it’s so thin an transparent that is has virtually no negative aesthetic impact. And, using it on a car like the BMW i3 would still allow for BMW to claim that it’s the most environmentally-friendly car on the road, thanks to the fact that ClearView only uses low-cost, non-toxic materials.

While this technology is still in its infancy and will most likely not solve range anxiety anytime soon, it’s certainly a big help and a very impressive technology that will only get better in the future. BMW is the first automotive company to be dealing with this sort of technology and it has the potential to seriously help the BMW i Brand as well as any BMW eDrive vehicle.

Spotlight

Endless Energy

Endless Energy has grown out of a local Canterbury Electrical company, Skilled Electrical. The Skilled Electrical team, run by Dean Wilson; are very busy working in heating, ventilation, audio/video, data, solar installations and everything from residential through to the industrial sector.

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Like Natural Gas, Hydrogen is also compressed before storing to achieve lower volume and also because liquid hydrogen demands a 64% higher amount of energy for storage than its compressed gaseous counterpart. Storage tanks v/s Geological landforms: Compressed Hydrogen can be stored in surface storage vessels (like steel composite concrete vessels and in wind turbine towers) or in geological landforms like (salt caverns, depleted O&G reservoirs, and aquifers). Nevertheless, unlike the underground geological landforms which offer huge storage capacity owing to their sheer scale, the storage tanks which can range in size from a small bottle to a huge tank require high amounts of pressure to store an appreciable amount of H2 in it. Since these storage tanks are usually constructed on the surface, the pressure conditions in these tanks need to be artificially stimulated and thereby mount huge upfront costs when compared to their geological storage counterpart. 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Spotlight

Endless Energy

Endless Energy has grown out of a local Canterbury Electrical company, Skilled Electrical. The Skilled Electrical team, run by Dean Wilson; are very busy working in heating, ventilation, audio/video, data, solar installations and everything from residential through to the industrial sector.

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SEW Acquires GridExchange - Transactive Energy Platforms - Pioneering the Future of Clean Energy Transition

Business Wire | October 25, 2023

SEW, a global leader in AI-Powered Connected Customer (CX) and Workforce (WX) Experience Industry Cloud Platforms, announces its acquisition of GridExchange, a cutting-edge Transactive Energy software platform, from Alectra Utilities Corporation. GridExchange empowers energy consumers to transition from passive users to proactive prosumers, leveraging distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar panels, battery storage, and EV (Electric Vehicles). Through a secure and user-friendly Customer Experience (CX), GridExchange facilitates seamless exchanges of energy, driving a reduction in greenhouse gas CO2 emissions, lowering energy costs, and strengthening grid resiliency. stated Deepak Garg, CEO and Founder of SEW. At SEW, we are shaping a clean and sustainable energy future. The acquisition of GridExchange aligns perfectly with our vision and strategy of an intelligent, resilient, and sustainable energy ecosystem. Our journey towards a sustainable future begins with empowering and educating individuals and businesses alike to actively participate in the energy revolution," emphasized Deepak Garg. "By integrating GridExchange into our SEW connected platform, we are not only driving cleaner energy transition and adoption but also revolutionizing the way people and communities engage with their energy consumption. [Source:Business Wire] GridExchange’s web and mobile application allows utilities to engage customers with DERs, optimizing grid operations by managing peak load and maximizing GHG reduction. Customers, in turn, have the flexibility to contribute excess energy or adjust consumption patterns in exchange for financial incentives and loyalty rewards redeemable at local businesses. Brian Bentz, President and CEO of Alectra, emphasized, "Our development of GridExchange, which helped to enable non-wires alternative pilots in our service territory, illustrates our commitment to enabling customers to participate in local energy markets. We are pleased that SEW will now be taking this platform to a global market.” Key benefits of the SEW-GridExchange platform include Empowering Energy Choices: Customers can harness the potential of existing DERs, transforming into proactive contributors to the energy ecosystem. Reducing GHG Emissions: The incentivization of clean energy usage through GridExchange leads to a notable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Enhancing Grid Planning: The platform unlocks and optimizes DER values, increasing grid flexibility and resiliency; and contributes to integrated system planning with non-wires alternatives, reducing or deferring overall energy system costs. Advocating for Policy Change: The initiative motivates regulators to propose standards and policies that pave the way for a cleaner energy future. GridExchange’s innovative application also demonstrates the following objectives Leveraging cutting-edge transactive energy technology to facilitate DER participation in grid services and accurately track energy generation and consumption's GHG impact. Incentivizing customers who own or operate DERsl by providing valuable grid services. Introducing a pioneering customer rewards program, where points earned are redeemable for a range of goods and services from participating merchants. SEW is committed to building a resilient and sustainable energy ecosystem through the integration of advanced technologies like AI, ML, and IoT. With over 1.2 billion users and adoption by 410+ utilities worldwide, SEW is at the forefront of driving the transition towards an intelligent energy future. This landmark acquisition not only signifies a major stride towards sustainable energy, but also underscores SEW's commitment to pioneer a greener future through advanced technology. SEW's mission is to engage, empower, and educate billions of people worldwide to conserve energy and water. Now, with the addition of GridExchange, SEW is poised to take sustainability to new heights. About Alectra Inc. Alectra Inc., through its subsidiary Alectra Utilities Corporation, serves approximately one million homes and businesses across an 1,800 square kilometers service territory comprising 17 communities including Alliston, Aurora, Barrie, Beeton, Brampton, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Guelph, Hamilton, Markham, Mississauga, Penetanguishene, Richmond Hill, Rockwood, St. Catharine’s, Thornton, Tottenham and Vaughan. The Alectra family of companies includes Alectra Inc. (Mississauga), Alectra Utilities Corporation (Hamilton) and Alectra Energy Solutions (Vaughan). About SEW SEW, with its innovative and industry-leading connected cloud platforms, delivers the best Digital Customer Experiences (CX) and Workforce Experiences (WX), powered by AI, ML, and IoT Analytics to the global energy, water, and gas providers. At SEW, the vision is to Engage, Empower, and Educate billions of people to save energy and water. We partner with businesses to deliver platforms that are easy-to-use, integrate seamlessly, and help build a strong technological foundation that allows them to become future ready.

Read More

Transportation

Fort Moore EV charging project provides another example of EVSE solution

PR Newswire | October 23, 2023

Fort Moore and Georgia Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, recently entered into a contract to install 63 electric vehicle chargers at 23 locations across the base, allowing up to 126 vehicles to be plugged in on the base simultaneously. The project is underway and expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2024. Georgia Power was awarded a task order to provide a turnkey electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) solution using the General Services Administration Areawide Contract (AWC). The AWC task order will be used to provide a holistic and scalable EVSE solution to support electrification requirements. The AWC provides a useful contracting vehicle with regulated servicing utility companies. Under this arrangement, federal agencies may order utilities and other services from that supplier. The electric distribution system at Fort Moore is owned and managed by Flint Energies. Georgia Power, in partnership with Flint Energies, will extend the distribution system and add the charging stations necessary to charge the expanded electric vehicle fleet. stated Col. Colin Mahle, Fort Moore Garrison commander. Fort Moore leads the Army in our development and adoption of large-scale EV projects. The Army's goal is for all of our non-tactical vehicles to be EV by 2035. That will take more than just adding electric vehicles to our fleet, it will take additional infrastructure. We intend to achieve our goal of 100 percent EV vehicles early. [Source:PR Newswire] The EV charging project at Fort Moore is an example of better energy use and overall modernization. It also demonstrates Southern Company's commitment to supporting the resiliency, net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and decarbonization efforts of the Department of Defense installations and their efforts to meet the requirements of the Biden Administration Executive Order 14057. "In addition to being essential for national defense, our nation's military bases are powerful economic engines for surrounding communities providing jobs and driving thriving local economies," said Chris Cummiskey, executive vice president, chief customer solutions and chief commercial officer for Southern Company. "We're appreciative of this partnership with Fort Moore, further exhibiting our mutual commitment to energy innovation and decarbonization. As the new EV charging stations become electrified across the installation this year, we're certain the investment that is being made today will benefit the base for years to come."

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