Rice Business Report February 2019 February 2019 Rice Business Report

Rice Business Report February 2019 Renewable Energy ProRenewable Energy Production Can Be Made Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels Through Surge Protection Continued from page 4….. There is a new technology available that may change the entire landscape of renewable energy, and it is actually not directly related to the industry itself. The greatest threat to both wind and solar production facilities is lightning strikes and the electrical surges that happen as a result. The damage that is produced to the windmill and solar panel after a lightning strike is unavoidable, but the damage that is produced when the subsequent surge travels across pow- er lines and reaches sensitive computer equipment is able to be stopped. In the post, SPDs (surge pro- tective devices) that were installed in these facilities were more consumer grade, and did little to pro- tect against surges. While they may have stopped the immediate flow of extra current, the facility is knocked offline after they do their job. Until they are reset or replaced, the facility is not producing electricity. New technological advances in the SPD market allow for more robust construction of the devices, making them able to handle the large loads that lightning strikes produce and regulating the flow more effectively. Specific devices from certain manufacturers also allow for the devices to contin- ue to function even after being triggered, thus keeping the facility online and producing for the maxi- mum periods of time. Through integration of these new industrial grade surge protectors into both so- lar farms and wind farms, equipment can be protected more effectively and life spans can be in- creased. These advances will bring the price per unit charged to consumers down below the fossil fuel prices of today, and there will no longer be a public debate as to the superiority of renewable energy over traditional methods. Contact Raycap for information on their innovative new surge protection devices and electrical protec- tion systems. http://www.raycap.com/wind-turbine-surge-protection-2/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Raymond_Santopietro/371042 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9413700 By Raymond Santopietro 5

Rice Business Report February 2019 February 2019 Rice Business Report | Page 5