About Aedan Kernan

Aedan is a business communications specialist with interests in the development of new technologies and in environmental issues. He is a former managing editor of Supply Network magazine and former editor of Industry Europe. He has edited or written Annual Reports for public limited companies in the UK and the Netherlands. Aedan has also written extensively for Higher Education institutions, mainly on research and internal management issues.
Author Archive | Aedan Kernan
Installation of Pennine Community Power wind turbine

Unexpected Twists and Turns Before English Wind Energy Project Succeeds

There can be many unexpected twists and turns before an English wind energy project succeeds, as the Blackshaw Environmental Action Team discovered. Wind turbines are a proven and fast-maturing technology. Small wind turbines are relatively cheap. With feed-in tariff payments, they should provide an excellent return to investors. But… Building a sustainable community Local food schemes, […]

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Loss of Feed-in Tariffs pushed Community Wind Power into Decline in Denmark

When the Government of Denmark replaced feed-in tariffs for wind turbines with top-ups for electricity sales, community wind power went into decline. While the Danish wind power story remains one of success, there are actually fewer wind turbines than there used to be and wind turbine ownership is becoming concentrated in fewer hands. Danish Wind […]

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How Hydro Project Management Team Navigated the Obstacles

The Harlaw Hydro Project at Balerno, East of Edinburgh, may be small, but it has faced some major challenges. It has been able to steer a path with the help of some high quality volunteers from the community, including architects, land surveyors as well as senior bankers and lawyers. The team avoided some opportunities where […]

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dam section

Small Hydro Project to Deliver Major Benefits

For a total investment of £315,000, the Harlaw Hydro Reservoir scheme at Balerno, East of Edinburgh, is expected to generate more than £50,000 per year.  Once the scheme has paid for itself (in less than 7 years), that annual revenue will be available for village improvement schemes for a further 13 years. The scheme will […]

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Project risk profile

Bringing a Renewable Energy Project from Concept to Commercial Operation

Do you want to erect a wind turbine? Cover a storehouse roof with photovoltaic modules? Or perhaps you want to get the old village waterwheel turning again and generating electricity. What do you need to consider? Where do you start on a project like that? The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has published “A Framework for […]

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Cape Wind will be America's first offshore wind farm - Photo: John Nyberg/stckxchng

U.S. Offshore Wind Turbines Now a Near-Certainty

The installation of more than 100 wind turbines off the coast of the United States is now a near certainty. The first power is expected to flow from the turbines during 2013. Cape Wind Associates plan to build 130 wind turbines with a generation capacity of 420 MW near the island of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, […]

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Argentina has huge resources of wind power - photo: Enrique Botta/stckxchng

Argentina’s Wind Power Balancing Act

Argentinians have been purchasing fossil fuels for electricity generation at prices that are well in excess of the cost of wind power. The country has massive wind power potential. The problem has been accessing the capital needed to exploit that potential. The China Development Bank Corporation has agreed to provide Grupo Isolux Corsan SA project […]

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African children enjoy their gift of solar lights - Photo: Steve Katsaros/Nokero/Flickr

Sunlabob: A Laos Solar Supplier Building Energy Markets in the Poorest Countries

Sunlabob, a commercial solar lighting supplier based in Laos, is using public sector contracts to reach the poorest in Liberia and other  markets at the base of the economic pyramid.  This cannot be a simple commercial proposition, says Sunlabob Director Andy Schroeter. The poorest cannot cover the capital costs. Liberia’s destroyed electricity infrastructure Liberia had […]

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Cape Town South Africa - Photo: stckxchng

South Africa Renewable Energy Program is Under Way

Round 1 of the renewable energy development program (REIPP)in South Africa is finally under way. The government will sign final agreements with 28 project developers in the next few days. They plan to build 1.4 GW of generation capacity and invest US$5.4 billion. The government has also announced plans for a major extension of the […]

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Light at the end of the tunnel - stckxchng

Carbon Markets – Light at the end of the Tunnel or a Near-death Experience?

Global carbon markets are collapsing with potentially devastating consequences. Carbon prices in the Clean Development Mechanism market have declined by 70% in the past year and are projected to fall further. These are not the alarmist predictions of politically-motivated climate change deniers. It is the prognosis of a high level panel established to take stock […]

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