Global Warming Solutions

EU sees solar power imported from Sahara in 5 yrs

2010-06-25T19:48:00.001-07:00

2010 Jun 21: ALGIERS (Reuters) - Europe will import its first solar-generated electricity from North Africa within the next five years, European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said in an interview on Sunday. The European Union is backing projects to turn the plentiful sunlight in the Sahara desert into electricity for power-hungry Europe, a scheme it hopes will help meet its target of deriving 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources in 2020.
"I think some models starting in the next 5 years will bring some hundreds of megawatts to the European market," Oettinger told Reuters after a meeting with energy ministers from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
He said those initial volumes would come from small pilot projects, but the amount of electricity would go up into the thousands of megawatts as projects including the 400 billion euro Desertec solar scheme come on stream.
"Desertec as a whole is a vision for the next 20 to 40 years with investment of hundreds of billions of euros," said Oettinger. "To integrate a bigger percentage of renewables, solar and wind, needs time."

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE65K02F20100621?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

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Hydrogen facts

2010-05-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Liquid hydrogen has long been used as a fuel in rockets, and now it powers some automobiles. Though hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, it doesn't occur naturally in liquid form. To make liquid hydrogen, you need to get gaseous hydrogen and get it extremely cold.
Gas

Production of liquid hydrogen starts with pure hydrogen gas. But pure hydrogen is extremely rare on Earth; nearly all the planet's hydrogen is locked in compounds with other atoms.
Extraction

Hydrogen gas can be obtained by extracting it from natural gas through a process called steam methane reforming, or by splitting water into its components--hydrogen and oxygen--through electrolysis.
Cooling

Once hydrogen gas has been isolated, it's pressurized and super-cooled to a temperature a little colder than minus-423 degrees F, which is hydrogen's boiling point. At that temperature, the gas condenses into a liquid.
Appearance

Liquid hydrogen is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-corrosive. However, it's also extremely flammable; when liquid hydrogen is mixed with air, the slightest spark can trigger an explosion.
Fun Fact

Hydrogen's freezing point is about minus-434 degrees, not much colder than its boiling point. Chill hydrogen to that point, and it becomes a metallic solid.
Source:

Universal Industrial Gases: Hydrogen Properties

Air Products via Harvard University: Liquid Hydrogen

Stanford University: Hydrogen

NASA: Solid Hydrogen Particles

Read more: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/01/18/universities-add-wind-power/

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Universities Add Wind Power

2010-03-20T12:42:00.003-07:00

2010 Jan 18

Two universities — Southwestern University and the University of Maryland — are planning to get their electricity from wind power, while Texas Tech University has it sights set on a research wind farm in partnership with the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the University of Maine plans on designing and testing components for deep water offshore wind turbines.
Southwestern University will meet all of its electricity needs over the next 18 years from two wind farms, thanks to an agreement with the city of Georgetown, Texas. The wind power will be provided through AEP Energy Partners, a subsidiary of American Electric Power, reports North American Wind Power.
These two wind farms, comprised of 151 wind turbines, each can generate between 0.7 and 2.3 megawatts (MW) of electricity, reports North American Wind Power. The initial contract is for five years and is renewable through 2028, according to the article.
The University of Maryland plans to use the generated electricity from a long-planned $131-million wind farm project in West Virginia, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Wind power developer, US Wind Force, has received site approval from state regulators and is ready to start construction on its first wind farm development as soon as a purchase agreement is signed with the university, according to the article.
US Wind Force began working on the Pinnacle project in mid-2002, and is expected to generate as much as 55 million watts of electricity, according to the newspaper.

Read more: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/01/18/universities-add-wind-power/

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Michael McCarthy: The day offshore wind power came of age in the UK

2010-03-19T18:25:00.001-07:00

2010 Jan 8

Think of a big power station, a 1,000 megawatt job that can provide the electricity for a major city. Think how enormous it is, visible for miles around with its giant chimneys and cooling towers. Now think of 32 of them. Now think of 32 of them out at sea.

That’s one way of envisaging the real significance of the new programme to build offshore windfarms around the coasts of Britain, announced today by the Government.

Offshore wind has hitherto seemed like a novelty, almost a curiosity, with a few turbines here and a few turbines there, their spinning white blades spottable on the horizon from the odd seaside promenade.

This announcement envisages 6,000 of them, and maybe more, bigger than ever and sprouting from the water in gigantic windfarms in the North Sea, the Channel and the Irish Sea - generating a total of 32 gigawatts of capacity (a gigawatt is 1,000 megawatts).

Overnight it changes offshore wind from a novelty to a serious part of Britain’s energy generation, ultimately up there with coal and gas; you might say today was the day offshore wind power came of age in the UK.

The driving force behind it is Britain’s commitment to meet the EU target of generating 20 per cent of the community’s energy from renewable sources by 2020. Britain’s own share of that is 15 per cent renewable energy; and that in turn means between 30 and 40 per cent renewable electricity; at present we generate about five per cent. The gap to be bridged in ten years is therefore colossal; hence the colossal size of the offshore programme.

It has many other attractive possibilities, recognized yesterday by environmentalists. “It’s the best chance we’ve got of securing energy security, while creating thousands of jobs and giving us a position as a world leader in the green economy,” said Jim Footner, of Greenpeace.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/michael-mccarthy-the-day-offshore-wind-power-came-of-age-in-the-uk-1862168.html

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Report Outlines New Vision For Solar Power

2010-03-18T12:22:00.001-07:00

2010 Mar 9

A new report from Environment Minnesota outlines a vision for 10 percent of the United States' total energy to be generated by solar power by 2030.

The report describes how solar energy can repower America's homes, businesses and industries through a wide variety of solar technologies and tools.

From laundromats to universities and homes to cars, solar energy has the ability to enhance energy security and reduce pollution, according to the report.

The report outlines a few examples of how solar energy is already being used to reduce business' costs and pollution. Included in the examples are Walmart's use of skylights in some stores, which has reduced the need for electric lighting by 15 to 20 percent.

The Boston Red Sox have also adapted solar water heating to reduce dependency on natural gas for water heating for their laundry facilities.

Read more: http://wcco.com/local/report.solar.power.2.1548289.html

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Deere will examine its options with wind power operation

2010-03-17T13:05:00.001-07:00

2010 Feb 26

A recent report from farm equipment manufacturer Deere & Company notes that it will review its wind energy business.

According to the agricultural equipment producer, the company has retained Goldman, Sachs & Co. as its advisor during the process of reviewing its wind operations. The company has engaged in wind energy projects for five years.

"Currently, Deere has 34 wind energy projects in seven states with operational capacity of 706 megawatts," a release from Deere & Co. said. "In addition, the company has numerous wind energy projects in development."

Read more: http://www.machinefinder.com/ww/en-US/articles/857

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Hydrogen highway inches closer

2010-03-17T12:18:00.001-07:00

2010 Mar 7

A few days before B.C. Transit unveiled 20 gleaming new hydrogen-powered buses in Whistler, the fleet got its first fuel-up at a North Vancouver company called Hydrogen Technology and Energy Corporation, or HTEC.
But the three-year-old company doesn't yet have the plant equipment to ship hydrogen over long distances, so when the Whistler buses went back to the pump in the resort town, they refuelled with hydrogen brought in by tanker truck from Quebec.
Critics of hydrogen technology were quick to point out the contradiction of zero-emission vehicles that are reliant on transcontinental trucking. The question of how green this fleet really is nicely encapsulates the debate over how worthwhile hydrogen energy really is -- a debate HTEC thinks it will win.

By the time it gets used, hydrogen is a miracle fuel. It's odourless, non-toxic and burns with almost no emissions. Feed it into a fuel cell, and you can pry loose even more energy and get no emissions at all, save for some heat and clean water.
Since the phrase was raised in the 1970s, a "hydrogen economy" seemed to offer a productive industrial society without any of the hazards of smog, climate change and foreign interventions connected with oil production. It has always been attractive to politicians, as the cabinet minister-studded unveiling in Whistler demonstrates, as a super-clean, ultra hi-tech solution to a very tough problem. In the effort against climate change, it is certainly easier to announce funding for local research than it is to effect more systemic societal changes.

Read more: http://www2.canada.com/northshorenews/news/story.html?id=d1a8fba5-f9eb-4826-a5b1-516c621a5068

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San Luis Valley looking to tap geothermal power

2010-03-16T15:44:00.001-07:00

2010 Feb 28

ALAMOSA — The mention of alternative energy in the San Luis Valley may cause most people to look skyward toward the sun that's led government and business officials to tout solar power.

But a group of state officials, business owners and the just plain curious sat down Saturday to talk about a resource beneath their feet at a geothermal workshop hosted by the Governor's Energy Office.

Geothermal energy comes from harnessing the earth's subsurface heat. And in the valley's case, direct use of that heat has come through the harvesting of hot water to heat buildings, greenhouses and, most famously, keep alligators alive in sub-zero temperatures.

Nearly 150 million acre-feet of water, much of it hot, sits beneath the valley in the confined aquifer, the deeper of the valley's two major groundwater formations.

Paul Morgan, senior geothermal geologist with the Colorado Geological Survey, said the state was gifted with a high heat flow. That characterization included the Rio Grande Rift, the geological formation that runs beneath much of its namesake river, but Morgan said there is not a lot of specific data about the resource in the area.

"We don't know a lot about most of the San Luis Basin," he said.

What is known suggests that hot water at a temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit can be found in most parts of the valley at about 5,000 feet below the surface.

Read more: http://chieftain.com/articles/2010/02/28/news/local/doc4b89fe9bec78e291434993.txt

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Japan loans Kenya $375m for geothermal power plant

2010-03-10T20:23:00.001-08:00

2010 Feb 22

Japan has announced plans to provide Kenya with JPY29.5bn ($375m) in yen-denominated loans to build a geothermal power plant, according to reports.
The loan, to be implemented by the end of March, will aid in the country’s climate change efforts.
Of the total amount, $320m will be given directly to this project while $55m will be used for drought responses and reforestation in the country, according to the Daily Nation.
Japan Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said he will give additional assistance to other areas of the country’s effort to fight climate change and in particular will help Kenya develop a nuclear power plant.
Kenya is aiming to increase input into its grid by 800MW and is witnessing increasing interest from the private sector.
Earlier this month Ormat Technologies signed a letter of intent with Kenya Power & Lighting to expand the Olkaria III geothermal power plant by up to 52MW to a total capacity of 100MW.

Read more: http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by_region/asia/japan-loans-kenya-375m-for-geothermal-power-plant.html

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Texas is urged to help expand solar power

2010-03-10T16:31:00.001-08:00

2010 Feb 10
Texas "has what it takes to be a national leader in solar power," including ample sunshine, but it needs to embrace more ambitious policies and adopt new financial incentives to make it happen, according to a "Lone Star Power" report issued Wednesday by Environment Texas and the Go Solar Texas Coalition.
The groups urged Gov. Rick Perry -- in a letter signed by more than 80 businesses, including 12 in Dallas-Fort Worth -- to make development of solar power a much higher priority.
The biggest criticism of solar has been its high cost compared with other energy sources. But the report contends that if Texas electric companies would "offer a variety of incentives and rebates to reduce the upfront cost," that would "help create economies of scale to make solar affordable for everyone and create a major economic engine for the state to boot."
Oncor Electric Delivery, the major electric transmission and distribution company in North Texas, has a Texas Solar Photovoltaic Program to provide financial incentives for solar installations.
The Texas Public Utility Commission is considering adopting a new target of 500 megawatts of new nonwind renewable energy by 2015, an amount roughly equal to the generating capacity of a single coal-fired power plant. But the Go Solar Texas Coalition wants the state to aim for 1,000 megawatts of solar power by 2015 and 5,000 megawatts by 2025, which would still be less than 10 percent of Texas' total generating capacity. Solar now provides less than 1 percent of Texas' power.
Four potential solar facilities -- totaling 459 megawatts -- could be established in Presidio, Pecos and Tom Green counties in West Texas, said Dottie Roark, a spokeswoman for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, operator of the power grid for most of the state.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/02/10/1961196/texas-is-urged-to-help-expand.html

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Riyadh stakes step toward solar power

2010-03-10T16:16:00.001-08:00

2010 Feb 12

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Saudi Arabia announced plans to expand its use of solar energy by building the kingdom's first solar-powered water desalination plant.
The program launched by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology aims to couple green-energy technology with a stable water supply for the future of Saudi Arabia.
Turki bin Saud bin Mohammad, vice president of research at KACST, said the program will save the kingdom money while moving forward with a plan to advance solar energy projects in the country.
"The solar energy program will reduce the cost of producing desalinated water and of generating power for use in the kingdom, an oil-dependent nation, which has launched a national energy efficiency program," he said.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2010/02/12/Riyadh-stakes-step-toward-solar-power/UPI-87821265988097/

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Sumitomo named to build new PLN geothermal power plant

2010-02-26T23:26:00.001-08:00

2010 Feb 27

State power firm PLN has appointed Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation to construct a geothermal power plant in Lampung representing a total investment of US$156.7 million.

The Ulubelu geothermal plant located in the province’s Tenggamus regency will have two power generation units each with a capacity of 55 megawatts (MW).

“The power plant is expected to begin commercial operations by 2012,” PLN’s president director Dahlan Iskan said during a contract signing ceremony with Sumitomo on Wednesday.

The project will be financed with a loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). “It’s a soft loan with an interest rate of only about 0.7 percent,” Dahlan said. The loan will also cover the funding for the construction of a 150 kilowatt (kW) power grid and substations.

PLN’s director for planning and technology Nasri Sebayang said the power plant would supply power to the PLN grid in Lampung and South Sumatra.

The power plant will receive steam from the geothermal field in Ulubelu district, which is operated by PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), a subsidiary of state oil and gas company PT Pertamina.

PGE currently has so far produced geothermal energy for the generation of 272 megawatts (MW) coming from its three geothermal fields in Kamojang in West Java, Lahendong in North Sulawesi, and Sibayak in North Sumatra. The company expects to increase its geothermal energy production to 800 MW during the next five years.

As for the Ulubelu geothermal power plant, PGE has agreed to sell the geothermal energy to PLN at 4.2 US cents per kilowatt hour (KwH).

Dahlan said the price was relatively low. “But, the price cannot be used as a basis for all geothermal projects, because the Ulubelu project is being developed with a very soft loan,” said Dahlan, adding price had always been the most difficult issue in geothermal steam sales and related power purchase agreements.

Aside for the Ulubelu project, PLN and PGE have also signed a heads of agreement for steam sales and power purchase from 11 other geothermal fields. “The development of the 11 fields is part of the second 10,000 MW power program,” Nasri said. He added that PLN and Pertamina had not agreed yet on the steam prices for the 11 projects. “We expect to reach agreement on this by October,” he said.

Read more: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/02/18/sumitomo-named-build-new-pln-geothermal-power-plant.html

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Global Wind Power Projections for 2010. Both Onshore and Offshore Wind Sectors To Continue Upward Trends

2010-02-22T16:35:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 4

As well, the growth in the offshore sector, which has lagged the onshore sector, will continue to develop and grow as more governments and power generation companies locate areas where the wind energy warrants wind farm development.

Wind Power a Viable Energy Source

In 2010, the global acceptance of wind power as a viable alternative energy source is closely related to the capability of the international community and governments of all countries to negotiate and agree upon legally binding terms on limiting greenhouse gasses.
While Copenhagen 15 did not result in any binding agreements on limiting greenhouse gasses, wind power was represented by a large wind turbine erected on-site, a massive rotor blade, and photographs of onshore and offshore farms.

European Wind Power

In Europe, which has a much longer experience with the capability of wind power to generate electrical energy, than North America, wind energy has become a driving force, and the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), the voice of the European wind industry, reports that it now has over 600 members from almost 60 countries, with a 90 percent share of the world wind power market. Members include manufacturers, plus component suppliers, research institutes, wind and renewables associations, developers, electricity providers, finance and insurance companies and consultants
European wind power will continue to grow as the older and antiquated onshore grid systems are enhanced and a dedicated offshore grid is established.

Read more: http://energy-conservation.suite101.com/article.cfm/global_wind_power_projections_for_2010

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Md. report optimistic about wind power

2010-02-22T16:14:00.001-08:00

2010 Feb 10

BALTIMORE, Maryland could meet two-thirds of its electricity needs through offshore wind turbines, a new study says.
The report was prepared by the University of Delaware's Center for Carbon-free Power Integration for the Abell Foundation, The Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday.
Researchers said as many as 2,900 turbines could be placed off the coast. They recommended putting them at least 9 miles out to sea so they could not be seen from resorts such as Ocean City and said they would also have to be located where they would not block shipping into and out of Delaware Bay.
But the report suggested Maryland might become a net exporter of electrical power as new technology, including placing turbines on floating platforms, develops.
"There is, if Maryland so chooses, a significant opportunity to develop
a very robust offshore wind energy economy and create a new economic and job base in the state," said Jeremy Firestone, lead author of the report.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/02/10/Md-report-optimistic-about-wind-power/UPI-86651265785787/

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Group urges Texas to promote more solar power use

2010-02-11T19:09:00.001-08:00

2010 Feb 10

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas – With a surplus of both land and sunshine, Texas could easily be the nation's leader in solar power generation but needs more help from state leaders, advocates said Wednesday.
A coalition of environmentalists, politicians and more than 80 businesses held events around the state to release a letter urging Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Public Utility Commission to take more action promoting solar power use.
The group noted that Texas, which produces and refines a huge portion of the nation's oil, already is home to many companies in the solar business as well as plenty of high-tech and energy industry expertise. So they say there's no reason only 0.01 percent of the state's power should come from the sun.
"We're here today to call on Governor Perry to use his authority to make Texas go solar," Environment Texas spokesman Sriram Madhusoodanan said at a 5,000-square-foot home in suburban Dallas that produces its own solar energy. "Right now is really the time for Texas to take the lead, to lead the world."
Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said the governor supports all sorts of alternative energy in Texas, which leads the nation in wind energy production. Three major solar projects are scheduled to begin this year, others are in development and 11 utility companies are already offering rebates for solar energy systems, she said.
"Texas is the very picture of a state aggressively seeking its future in alternative energy through incentives and innovation, not mandates and overreaching regulation," Castle said.
Energy supply is a huge concern in Texas. The state is growing so fast that an estimated 2.2 million single-family homes are expected to be built between 2010 and 2030. Texas also has chronically dirty air, caused in part by numerous coal-fired power plants.
The PUC is considering a rule requiring electric companies to obtain 500 megawatts of electricity from solar energy and other emerging renewable technologies by the year 2015. That's about the size of one coal-fired power plant.
The solar group, called the Go Solar Texas Coalition, wants the rule passed quickly and wants Perry to increase those numbers dramatically. It thinks Texas should push for 1,000 solar megawatts by 2015 and 5,000 by 2025.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100210/ap_on_bi_ge/tx_solar_power_texas

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Energy Resources: Solar power for Venezuela?

2010-02-10T16:14:00.001-08:00

2010 Feb 9

CARACAS, Venezuela, (UPI) -- Venezuela announced plans to invest more than $6 million in solar power as the government declares a formal electricity emergency.
Venezuela's Foundation for the Development of Electric Service announced plans to invest $6.2 million to install 1,531 photovoltaic systems throughout the country.
Jesus Marerro, the national director of the so-called Sewing Light program, said the plans include installations on schools, community centers and water purification centers, Venezuela's El Universal newspaper reports.
The plans come as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez signed a formal electricity emergency as the country struggles with rolling blackouts.
Chavez said during his radio program that pervasive drought was causing problems for his country, which relies on hydropower for much of its energy needs, the BBC reports.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2010/02/09/Solar-power-for-Venezuela/UPI-32461265737904/

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L.A. takes a shine to another Owens Valley product: sun

2010-02-10T16:04:00.001-08:00

2010 Feb 2

The Department of Water and Power wants to transform the area into one of the largest producers of solar energy in America.

Reporting from Lone Pine - First it was silver ore that streamed to Los Angeles from the rim of the Owens Valley, then the water from the valley floor.

Now, L.A. has come back for the sunshine.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the agency responsible for turning Owens Lake into a dusty salt flat and snatching up nearly every acre from Lone Pine to Bishop, has its sights on transforming the Owens Valley into one of largest sources of solar power in America.

Interim DWP Chief S. David Freeman says the valley on the dry side of the Sierra Nevada is blessed with the "best sun in the country." He envisions a gigantic solar array that could cover 80 square miles of dry lake bed and nearby flatlands, a sea of photovoltaic cells roughly the size of Cleveland that would generate up to 10% of all the power produced in California while simultaneously calming the region's fierce dust storms.

Owens Valley residents crowded into a Methodist church recently to hear Freeman's pitch. Though intrigued by the idea of turning the scarred earth at Owens Lake into a source of clean energy and local jobs, many still chafed at L.A.'s near feudal reign over the valley.

"Given our history with them, there's skepticism," said Mark Bagley of the Owens Valley Committee and Sierra Club, which took successful legal action to force the DWP to restore the Lower Owens River. "But it's promising if it's done right, the right way."

The fast-moving project has become essential to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's promise to end the city's use of coal-fired power by 2020, a course he vowed would be "irreversible" by the time he leaves office in three years.

Villaraigosa also wants to use the lucrative contracts for the solar array as leverage to bring renewable-energy companies and new manufacturing jobs to Los Angeles.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-owens-solar2-2010feb02,0,2677831.story

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Celebrating solar power

2010-02-10T15:44:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 23

CSU dedicates 15-acre plant that will put out 3½ million kilowatt hours

CSU on Friday dedicated one of the largest solar plants at a university in the nation.

Covering 15 acres, the solar power plant will generate more than 3½ million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. That's enough to meet more than 10 percent of the electricity consumed by the Foothills Campus at Colorado State University.
Gov. Bill Ritter, who attended Friday's dedication, said the project delivers on Colorado's promise of a "New Energy Economy."
"Not only is CSU researching and developing new clean-energy sources, it's adopting them to power its own operations," Ritter said in a statement.
CSU President Tony Frank said the university is "a leader in developing clean and renewable research solutions and has a strong research history in the field of solar energy."
"Our students and the community benefit from seeing real-life application of renewable energy at work. At the same time, we're saving money during tight fiscal times," Frank said in a statement. "Over 20 years, we expect to save the university more than $2 million in electric costs from the solar plant alone."
Read more: http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100123/NEWS01/1230328/Celebrating-solar-power

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Intel Plans 8 Solar Power Installations

2010-02-09T18:08:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 28

Intel is installing solar panels at eight locations in four Western states as part of its larger power conservation program. The new solar panel installations will generate about 2.5 megawatts of power and will all be online within the next seven months. The infrastructure announcement coincides with Intel being named the country's top purchaser of green energy by the EPA.

Intel in 2010 will continue its push to increase the proportion of renewable energy used in its global operations.
The chip maker is installing new solar panels at eight locations throughout the Western United States that will generate about 2.5 megawatts of power.
All eight solar power installations in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Oregon will be online within the next seven months, according to Intel officials.

To take a look at the planned solar panel installations, click here.

Read more: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Infrastructure/Intel-Plans-8-Solar-Power-Installations-581511/

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New Report: record-breaking year for wind energy in the United States

2010-02-09T16:45:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 26

In 2009 the US wind energy industry installed a record-breaking 10,000 megawatts of new capacity, according to a new report released today by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). That's enough electricity to power 2.4 million homes.
In the 4th quarter of 2009 alone, the wind energy industry brought 4,000 MW of new capacity online.
“The U.S. wind energy industry shattered all installation records in 2009, chalking up the Recovery Act as a historic success in creating jobs, avoiding carbon, and protecting consumers,” says AWEA CEO Denise Bode.
The American Recovery and Investment Act, introduced last year by the Obama administration to battle the recession has invested more than $80 billion in clean energy, with much of that going invested in the wind power sector. On the White House blog today, Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, wrote in reaction to the positive wind energy numbers that:
"Across the country, communities are beginning to establish the clean energy industries that will power the 21st century global economy. Just last week, President Obama got to see firsthand how clean energy investments are putting people to work during his visit to the Wind Turbine Manufacturing and Fab Lab facilities at Lorain County Community College (LCCC) in Elyria, Ohio. LCCC is offering the first associate's degree credit program in Ohio in the burgeoning field of wind turbine power generation."

Read more: http://www.energyboom.com/wind/new-report-record-breaking-year-wind-energy-united-states?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eboom_wind+%28EnergyBoom+Wind%29

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Solar Power Is Now an Option for Even the Most Cash-Strapped Suburbanites

2010-02-09T16:22:00.000-08:00

2010 Jan 16

Residential solar leases offer a no-money-down, low-monthly plan that makes solar electricity cheaper than the stuff we get by wire -- and you don't have to buy the panels.

Say hello to the thing that could save our sun-splashed suburban lifestyle: affordable residential solar power that puts roof-top solar panels within reach of the most cash-strapped America consumer. This breakthrough is not a result of technological innovation, but a new financing scheme cooked up on Wall Street called a "residential solar lease," a no-money-down, low-monthly plan that has made solar electricity cheaper than the stuff we get by wire. It's an old approach to a new source of energy, and it is taking California by storm.

"Go solar for $0 down. Now you can afford to go solar without the high initial cost of installing a system. Instead of buying the equipment, you simply lease it," boasts the Web site of SolarCity, a well-financed Silicon Valley start-up that has been pioneering the residential solar lease.

A solar lease is a fairly simple arrangement that is not unlike a car lease. Instead of dishing out tens of thousands of dollars upfront to buy and install a rooftop solar array, homeowners simply borrow one for a low monthly fee. Like a car lease, customers sign a contract that locks them in for a specified period of time with the option of extending their lease or buying the panels at the end of the contract.
Read more: http://www.alternet.org/environment/145205/solar_power_is_now_an_option_for_even_the_most_cash-strapped_suburbanites/

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Geothermal Power Heats Up

2010-02-08T15:56:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 28

The United States continues to lead the world in geothermal energy capacity and growth, the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) said this week in a report that details gains and milestones over the past year.
Geothermal energy supplies a total installed capacity of 3,152.72 MW to the United States, in states including Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
The report identifies up to 6,442.9 MW of new geothermal power plant capacity under development in the United States in those states as well as Oregon, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. This pushes the prospects of nearly 10 GW of installed capacity in the coming years over a broad section of the nation. At that level, geothermal power will satisfy the needs of over 10 million people in 14 states and still have tremendous growth potential.
The report, which highlights the geothermal industry's growth, status as a green energy source, job creation and investment potential, comes on the heels of GEA's Geothermal Energy Finance Forum, an event that brought geothermal development experts and major financial players together in New York City's financial district.
"The Geothermal Energy Industry is experiencing unprecedented growth with future years's promising double-digit, year-over-year expansion," said Karl Gawell, GEA Executive Director. "While stimulus money has been driving much of our recent growth, we are also seeing that as geothermal technology pushes forward the economics of these projects really make sense."
A major source of the geothermal industry's 46% growth in confirmed new power projects over the past year and 33% increase in employment was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, which expanded tax credits for new projects to include a 30% investment credit and a "cash grant" alternative. ARRA also "laid the foundation for sustained future growth" according to Gawell by providing up to $400 million in new funding to implement a wide range of research, development, demonstration and deployment activities. The amount of Federal funding provided to the geothermal industry through ARRA is unprecedented and is spurring the continued development of domestic geothermal resources.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS4562100020100128

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Why Geothermal Power Deserves More Hype

2010-02-07T14:12:00.000-08:00

2010 Feb 5

Here at CalFinder Solar, we focus mainly on residential solar power, and for good reason. Solar energy is chock-full of benefits for homes, humanity and the earth as a whole, and will definitely play a primary role in the coming transition to renewable power. But the issue of intermittency, a significant disadvantage for solar power and a greener electric grid, can be solved immediately using geothermal power.

Yet most of the hype surrounding renewable energy goes to solar and wind power. To focus too heavily on these excellent but intermittent resources would be a major mistake, especially when a valuable, baseload power source is waiting in the wings. Geothermal energy deserves more hype in the race to clean up our skies, hype which I plan to give it right now.

Geothermal Potential

Within roughly six miles of the earth’s crust there is 50,000 times more geothermal energy than exists in all the oil and gas reserves in the world. So, the geothermal conundrum is not a matter of available resources – it’s a matter of getting to it. Geothermal energy works best in areas with high seismic activity, which aids in breaking up the super-heated layer of rock and allows heated water and steam to travel toward the surface. Many of these areas are already using a good amount of that energy. California houses some 40 geothermal plants, accounting for 5 percent of the state’s energy needs. Iceland, which has some of the best geothermal potential in the world, already gets more than 90 percent of its energy from geothermal power.
Yet geothermal power is available everywhere. So called “milder” resources are prevalent throughout the United States, and new technologies like Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are drilling deeper than ever before. Like solar and wind power, geothermal power stands on the brink of greatness, yet seems to get less attention.
This is especially worrisome because many energy companies and politicians are looking to “clean coal” and nuclear energy to solve the 24/7 power problems of mainstream renewables. They see these questionable alternatives as our only chance to clean our energy grid in the short term, rather than waiting for renewable technologies to advance.

Geothermal Investment

That’s not to say there hasn’t been a recent trend towards geothermal, despite the hype that solar and wind projects receive. A joint report by MIT and the Department of Energy estimate that more than 100 gigawatts of geothermal power could be produced by 2050. In response, the feds and private investors, including $10 million from Google, have begun investing more heavily. Some $800 million was invested in geothermal energy projects in 2009. The Department of the Interior opened up 190 million acres of public land to geothermal projects, a move that alone could triple geothermal output by 2015 at least.

Geothermal Growth

According to the Geothermal Energy Association, more than 3,152 megawatts of geothermal power are online now, nearly 83 percent of which comes out of California. Other Western states, including Nevada, Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii, Wyoming and Alaska, are using but a pittance of their geothermal potential. Hawaii, for example, with all its seismic and volcanic activity, houses just one completed geothermal power plant.

Read more: http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/geothermal/why-geothermal-power-deserves-more-hype/

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US Must Transition to Clean Power by 2012 or Miss the Chance

2010-02-07T13:08:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 26

If the US was smart, we would be funding a massive switch to renewable energy now, while we still can. By 2012 we could be out of luck. China is sitting on the only currently mined sources of many of the rare earth minerals needed to build electric cars, solar panels and wind turbines. Reasonably enough, having developed the resources, China wants to keep them for its own needs, that is has planned for.
But we are not smart. Even before the Supreme Court ruling this week, we already allowed fossil interests to dictate our energy policy by allowing the purchase of both policy makers and the formerly public airwaves to impede smart energy policy. In no other democracy is such corruption allowed.
The result is that we will be out of the ability to protect ourselves from peak oil from 2012 to at least 2020 (the earliest that new rare earth mines outside China might begin to come online). If we don’t pass effective climate legislation this year, we will miss that crucial transition window.
Now that other nations are beginning to move into renewable energy development, the world will need 200,000 tons of rare earth elements by 2014. In just a decade world needs went from 40,000 tons to 120,000 tons, but there is not enough to go around. Faced with shortages, China plans to stop exporting completely by 2012.

Read more: http://cleantechnica.com/2010/01/26/us-must-transition-to-clean-power-by-2012-or-miss-the-chance/

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Geothermal Power: 6,442MW Under Development in 14 States

2010-02-03T20:04:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 27

Geothermal Power: 6,442MW Under Development in 14 States

SustainableBusiness.com News

The United States continues to lead the world in geothermal energy capacity and growth, the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) said this week in a report that details gains and milestones over the past year.
Geothermal energy supplies a total installed capacity of 3,152.72 MW to the United States, in states including Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
The report identifies up to 6,442.9 MW of new geothermal power plant capacity under development in the United States in those states as well as Oregon, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. This pushes the prospects of nearly 10 GW of installed capacity in the coming years over a broad section of the nation. At that level, geothermal power will satisfy the needs of over 10 million people in 14 states and still have tremendous growth potential.
The report, which highlights the geothermal industry’s growth, status as a green energy source, job creation and investment potential, comes on the heels of GEA’s Geothermal Energy Finance Forum, an event that brought geothermal development experts and major financial players together in New York City’s financial district.
“The Geothermal Energy Industry is experiencing unprecedented growth with future years's promising double-digit, year-over-year expansion,” said Karl Gawell, GEA Executive Director. “While stimulus money has been driving much of our recent growth, we are also seeing that as geothermal technology pushes forward the economics of these projects really make sense.”
A major source of the geothermal industry’s 46% growth in confirmed new power projects over the past year and 33% increase in employment was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, which expanded tax credits for new projects to include a 30% investment credit and a "cash grant" alternative. ARRA also "laid the foundation for sustained future growth" according to Gawell by providing up to $400 million in new funding to implement a wide range of research, development, demonstration and deployment activities. The amount of Federal funding provided to the geothermal industry through ARRA is unprecedented and is spurring the continued development of domestic geothermal resources.
The report identifies up to $342 million of federal funding currently allocated to 132 geothermal research, development, and demonstration projects in 27 states. When cost sharing among the awardees is accounted for, the amount of dollars allocated to geothermal research and development over the last year increases to approximately $626 million. Nevada leads the way in ARRA projects with the Department of Energy funding totaling over $70 million.
The funding is being used to study many emerging geothermal technologies including Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and Geothermal Hydrocarbon Co-production (GHCP).

Read more: http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/19643

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Geothermal Power Projects Grow 46% in 2009

2010-02-03T18:09:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 27

The U.S. geothermal energy industry has a total installed capacity of 3,152.72 megawatts (MW) in states including Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, and is considered the largest renewable energy power source in California, according to a new report from the Geothermal Energy Association.
The report, “U.S. Geothermal Power Production and Development Update – Special NYC Forum Edition (PDF),” reveals that the U.S. continues to lead the world in geothermal energy capacity, and identifies up to 6,442.9 MW of new geothermal power plant capacity under development in the United States in those states as well as Oregon, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.
The projected 10 GW of installed capacity in the coming years over a broad section of the nation will meet the needs of more than 10 million people in 14 states and still have tremendous growth potential, says the association.
The study finds that the major source of the geothermal industry’s 46 percent growth in confirmed new power projects over the past year and 33 percent increase in employment was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, which expanded tax credits for new projects to include a 30 percent investment credit and a “cash grant” alternative.
ARRA also provided up to $400 million in new funding to implement a wide range of research, development, demonstration and deployment projects, according to the association. The report also identifies up to $342 million of federal funding currently allocated to 132 geothermal research, development, and demonstration projects in 27 states, which includes $338 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding for 123 projects.

Read more: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/01/27/geothermal-power-projects-grow-46-in-2009/

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Geothermal power making its way into Palm Beach yards

2010-02-01T13:01:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 24

By DAVID ROGERS
Daily News Staff Writer

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Solar power gets a lot of attention for its role as a clean energy source.
But conservation is an equally important part of the environmental puzzle.
Geothermal power still lags behind solar and wind as an alternative energy source, but simpler types of geothermal systems have been making their way into back yards in Palm Beach and South Florida for at least 15 years.
In the process, these heat-exchange systems have helped condominiums, communities and private clubs keep pools warm in winter and cool in summer.
The large pool at Beach Point condominium, 2660 S. Ocean Blvd., is an example.
In the summer of 2008, building manager Pauline Trautman had Englewood-based Symbiont Service Corp. install a geothermal system for the pool and spa at the three-building, 105-unit complex. The system extracts the heat from well water and transfers it to the pool via a closed-pipe system that does not put well water itself into the pool.
The system can heat or cool a body of water efficiently because well water in Florida stays at a fairly constant, moderate temperature, around 75 degrees.
The new system replaced a gas-heated system.
"My gas bills were costing me $48,000 a year," Trautman said.
The heat-exchange system cost Beach Point $77,000. With the condominium's gas bill now less than $5,000 a year, the system will pay for itself this year.

Read more: http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/content/news/2010/01/24/GeothermalPools.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=7

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The big blow. Ambitious plans for wind power in Europe

2010-02-01T12:36:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 15

EUROPEAN offshore wind generation is expected to grow spectacularly over the next decade, with Britain and Germany contributing the lion's share of new capacity. According to the European Wind Energy Association around 200 turbines were installed and attached to electricity grids in European waters in 2009, with almost half of the capacity under construction in British waters. Yet it is not clear whether all new plans will actually become reality. An EU target for 20% of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2020, will be difficult to achieve. The rapid pace of construction is stretching supply chains and subsidy regimes.

Read more: http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgallery/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15311437

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20% Wind Power Possible for East Half of U.S. by 2024

2010-02-01T12:22:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 21

A shift to 20 percent or more of the Eastern Interconnection’s electrical load to wind energy is possible by 2024, but costs for new transmission lines could be as high as $93 billion, according to a new study released by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
In addition to a significant expansion of the transmission infrastructure, it will also require system operational changes and offshore wind, according to NREL.
The primary goal of the study is to use three years of modeled time-series wind speed and power output data to evaluate the power system impacts and transmission associated with increasing wind penetration to 20 percent and 30 percent on most of the eastern interconnect, reports R&D magazine.
The Eastern Interconnection grid covers the eastern half of the U.S., extending roughly from the western borders of the Plains states through to the Atlantic coast, excluding most of the state of Texas. View a map of North American electrical interconnections below.
Supplying 20 percent of the electrical requirements of the Eastern Interconnection would call for approximately 225,000 megawatts (MW) of wind generation capacity, which is about a tenfold increase above today’s levels, according to the study. To reach 30 percent energy from wind, the installed capacity would have to rise to 330,000 MW.

Read more: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/01/21/20-wind-power-possible-for-east-half-of-u-s-by-2024/

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Alstom geothermal power plants to provide 400 GWh of clean electricity to Mexico

2010-01-26T14:17:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 11

Alstom today announced it has signed a turnkey geothermal power plant contract with Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) in the Puebla state of Mexico.

The contract for the 25 MW Los Humeros II Phase B plant, worth over €30 million, follows the Los Humeros II Phase A power plant contract signed by Alstom in May 2009. When completed in May 2012, the Los Humeros II plants will produce more than 400 GWh of reliable, cost-effective and clean electricity, enough to power 100,000 homes in Mexico's eastern Puebla state.

Guy Chardon, Senior Vice President Alstom Thermal Products, said: “This turnkey contract is a further endorsement of the attractiveness of Alstom’s geothermal offering. As a leading supplier of low-carbon power generation solutions, we are proud that CFE has again chosen Alstom’s geothermal technology to help Mexico add generation capacity while reducing CO2 emissions.”

Under the terms of the contract, Alstom will supply the complete engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solution including the steam turbine, air cooled turbogenerator, turbine control and distributed control system (this project will use Alstom’s state-of the art ALSPA Series 6). The turbine will be produced at Alstom's local manufacturing facility in the municipality of Morelia, Michoacan state.

Mexico is the fourth largest geothermal energy producer worldwide after the USA, the Philippines and Indonesia. This project is Alstom’s second since its recent return to the fast-growing geothermal market. In the past, CFE contracted Alstom for several geothermal contracts including the building of four 25 MW units at the Los Azufres geothermal power plant in Michoacan state in 2000, and the supply of two 5 MW units to the Las Tres Virgenes geothermal power plant in Baja California Sur in 1998.

Read more: http://www.alstom.com/home/news/news/business_news/62957.EN.php?languageId=EN&dir=/home/news/news/business_news/

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Adobe Installs Windspire Turbines in Downtown San Jose - VIDEO -

2010-01-21T18:03:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 19

Adobe Systems is yet another company that has jumped on the alternative power energy bandwagon. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Adobe Systems has installed 20 Windspire vertical axis turbines atop the parking garage of its LEED certified office complex.
While the feasibility of placing wind turbines in urban areas was once problematic, new integrated systems have made it possible for wind energy to be used in cities and residential areas.
The Windspires, installed last month, are the first wind turbines to be installed on a downtown San Jose building. The sleek and near-silent turbines, manufactured by Mariah Power, each stand about 30 feet tall, measure four feet in diameter and weigh about 650 pounds. And the Windspires, made in the USA, are made from 80 percent recycled materials.
Although Adobe doesn’t have enough room for a significant roof-top solar system, there is plenty of wind. The software company’s three office towers, which stand 16, 17 and 18 stories high, help funnel the wind across the roof of the parking garage, which also serves as an open-air patio, basketball and bocce courtyard for employees.
And because the propeller-free turbines turn more slowly making them more visible than traditional turbines, the manufacturer says birds and bats are less likely to be harmed. In fact, there have been no reports of bird collisions thus far. And because peregrine falcons and other birds are frequent visitors to the headquarters, installing a bird-friendly system was important.
According to the company website, the 1.2 kW Windspire will produce about 2,000 kilowatt hours annually, in 12 mph average winds. It is anticipated the 20 turbines will produce less than 2 percent of the power used at the headquarters. According to Inhabitat, the San Jose-based company will eventually use the electricity generated from the turbines to power an EV charging station in the garage and the San Jose Semaphore.

Read more: http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/01/adobe-windspire-san-jose/

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Startup claims 24/7 solar power breakthrough

2010-01-21T17:48:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 20

New chemical storage technology makes solar baseload power-capable, says small, newly formed U.S. company.

A U.S. and Australian partnership has introduced a new solar thermal storage approach it believes could be disruptive to the fledgling solar storage industry.
Unveiling it for the first time at the World Future Summit in Abu Dhabi, Solar Fusion Power Director Wayne Bliesner described the system as having ten times the density of conventional molten salt solar storage.
"Twenty-four hour solar storage becomes easy with this technology," he told the Cleantech Group. "We could do thirty to forty hours."
The company's approach uses calcium hydride, a simple, non-toxic salt.
Under Solar Fusion's plan, solar heat is collected by an array of heliostats directed to a central down mirror, eliminating the requirement for a power tower.
The heat, focused on a power head immersed in liquid calcium, chemically separates the calcium and hydrogen during the day. At night, the hydrogen, having been collected in a separate tank, is pumped back and reacts with the calcium to reform as calcium hydride.
The reaction runs at approximately 1,000 degrees, and powers a dual shell Stirling engine of Bliesner's design to create power after dark.
"We can generate electricity continuously unlike other solar technologies," said Bleisner, inventor of the technology and a former Boeing engineer.

Read more: http://cleantech.com/news/5536/startup-247-solar-storage-breakthrough

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European space company wants solar power plant in space

2010-01-21T17:14:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 21

EADS Astrium, Europe's biggest space company, plans to put a solar power satellite in orbit to demonstrate the collection of solar power in space and its transmission via infrared laser to provide electricity on Earth.

Chief executive officer of Astrium, François Auque, said the system is at the testing stage, but that a viable system collecting and transmitting power from space could be within reach soon. Auque said space solar power is an attractive idea because it is an inexhaustible and clean form of energy. Unlike solar plants on Earth, orbital solar collectors can work around the clock, and there is no interference from clouds or atmospheric dusts or gases, which means the energy hitting photovoltaic cells in orbit is much greater than it would be for the same panels on the ground.
Earlier concepts of beaming power to Earth from space were criticized because they relied on microwaves to transmit the power to the ground, which has safety concerns, so Astrium plans to use infrared lasers instead, which means that even if they were misdirected people and objects hit by the laser beams could not be scorched.
The transmission of power via infrared laser has been tested in Astrium’s laboratories, and they are now concentrating on improving the system’s efficiency. Work on developing converters to convert received infrared energy to electricity is proceeding rapidly, and Astrium is collaborating in this work with scientists at the University of Surrey, in the UK. The company is hoping to achieve 80% efficiency in the conversion.
According to Astrium’s chief technology officer, Robert Laine, at present the power handled by the system is limited by the size of the laser that can be built. A demonstration mission would also be necessary to prove the system works, and this should be possible within the present decade.
The concept of harvesting solar power in space has been discussed for at least the last three decades, but the problems of power loss during transmission and the expense and difficulty of assembling large arrays of solar collectors in space have seemed almost insurmountable. However, Astrium is not the only company close to bringing the idea to fruition. Last September Japan announced it is planning to put a small demonstration solar collecting satellite in orbit by 2015. This system will transmit the power to Earth using microwaves.

Read more: http://www.physorg.com/news183278937.html

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Indian tribe sees bright future in solar power

2010-01-21T16:42:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 13

JEMEZ PUEBLO, N.M.
A poverty-stricken Indian tribe that holds the sun and nature's other gifts sacred sees a brighter future for itself in solar power.
The 3,000 members of the Jemez Pueblo are on the verge of building the nation's first utility-scale solar plant on tribal land, a project that could bring in millions of dollars.
Experts say tapping into the sun, wind and geothermal energy on Indian land could generate the kind of wealth many tribes have seen from slot machines and blackjack tables.
"We don't have any revenue coming in except for a little convenience store," says James Roger Madalena, a former tribal governor who now represents the pueblo in the state Legislature. "It's very critical that we become innovative, creative, that we come up with something that will last generations without having a devastating impact on the environment."
The 30-acre site where 14,850 solar panels will be set up has been selected, and after four years of arduous planning and negotiations, a contract to sell outsiders the electricity produced by the four-megawatt operation is at hand. The plant would be capable of cranking out enough electricity to power about 600 homes.
The project — which would cost about $22 million, financed through government grants, loans and tax credits — could bring in around $25 million over the next 25 years. That could help the tribe improve its antiquated drinking water system and replace the lagoons it uses to treat wastewater.
Renewable energy is a new option for bringing revenue to Indian country, where many communities are poverty-stricken and unemployment is often double the national rate. Jemez Pueblo's effort comes after the federal government in 2008 turned down a request to let it build a casino because the proposed site was too far away from the community.
"Not every tribe is a gaming tribe, but every tribe is an energy tribe," says Roger Fragua, a Denver-based consultant who works with the Council of Energy Resource Tribes.
Indian tribes control more than 55 million acres of land across the nation, and those lands are capable of producing an estimated 535 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year from wind power, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Tribal Energy Program. Solar has even greater promise, at 17 trillion kilowatt hours per year, or more than four times the amount of electricity generated annually in the U.S.

Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0114/Indian-tribe-sees-bright-future-in-solar-power

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Beijing To Increase Investment In Solar Power

2010-01-20T19:41:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 11

From 2010, Beijing will invest at least CNY200 million each year in six major solar power projects.
These investments are outlined in "Guideline on Accelerating the Development and Utilization of Solar Power in Beijing" which was jointly released by the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Beijing Municipal House Construction Commission, and three other agencies.
The six projects are a 20,000-kilowatt photovoltaic rooftop project, a 50,000-kilowatt solar energy demonstration power plant project, a solar power campus project, a solar power hot water project, a solar power agriculture project, and a solar power night landscape project.
It is expected that the policy support will help drive a total of CNY6.5 billion social investment in three years, and with the policy in place, the total area covered by solar power heating systems in the city will reach seven million square meters, solar power generation system will reach 70 megawatts in capacities and the value of solar power output will be over CNY20 billion.

Read more: http://www.chinacsr.com/en/2010/01/11/6940-beijing-to-increase-investment-in-solar-power/

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India can be solar power leader: PM

2010-01-20T17:05:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 11

NEW DELHI (AFP) – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid out ambitious plans to make his country a global leader in solar power on Monday as he launched a government initiative to boost use of the technology.
Solar can help secure India's energy independence and tackle climate change, Singh said, as well as offering new opportunities for industry in a country with a crippling shortage of power.
The National Solar Mission, launched Monday, could "establish India as a global leader in solar energy" in the areas of power generation and technology production, Singh told business leaders and government officials.
"The rapid spread of solar lighting systems, solar water pumps and other solar power-based rural applications can change the face of our rural energy sector," he said.
The Solar Mission has the goal of increasing solar energy capacity exponentially to reach 20,000 megawatts for the year 2022, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
That amount would provide enough power for 20 million homes, with each receiving one kilowatt of power.
Government figures show approximately 80,000 impoverished Indian villages have no access to grid electricity.
India currently produces just under nine megawatts of solar power, data from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) showed in October.
The prime minister said India boasted some of the world's greatest science and techology minds and they had revolutionised atomic energy, space and information technology.
"I am convinced that solar energy can be the next scientific and industrial frontier in India," he said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100111/sc_afp/indiaenergyalternativesolar

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eSolar strikes deal to build power plants in China

2010-01-18T19:36:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 9

BEIJING – A U.S. solar power company said Saturday it will help build a series of solar thermal power plants in China, as the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases tries to decrease its heavy reliance on coal, imported gas and oil.
California-based eSolar Inc. will provide Shandong Penglai Electric Power Equipment Manufacturing Co. with the technology and information to build the concentrated solar thermal power farms with a capacity totaling 2,000 megawatts.
The $5 billion investment would be the largest such project in China, though the companies didn't say who would be investing how much.
"This is a huge jump for China," said Deborah Seligsohn, director of the China climate program for the U.S-based World Resources Institute. "That amount suggests a number of commercial plants."
Interest in China as a solar energy market is growing quickly as the government looks for alternatives to coal. Saturday's deal comes four months after the largest solar panel maker in the U.S., First Solar, struck a tentative deal to build a massive solar field in China.
The eSolar deal is for concentrated solar thermal power — not the traditional image of vast farms of solar panels, but a system of taking what essentially are mirrors and focusing them to heat water to create steam to power a generator.
"There's room in the world for both systems, and we need both," Seligsohn said.
China is moving much faster than the U.S. in solar power development, eSolar officials said.
"This is an excellent example of what we all must do to fight climate change," Merrick Kerr, eSolar's chief financial officer, told a news conference Saturday in Beijing.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_china_solar_power;_ylt=AvHlwmWd8F1wC6KEsKwpc_yaK8MA

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China Tries a New Tack to Go Solar

2010-01-18T19:21:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 8

HONG KONG — As it moves rapidly to become the world’s leader in nuclear power, wind energy and photovoltaic solar panels, China is taking tentative steps to master another alternative energy industry: using mirrors to capture sunlight, produce steam and generate electricity.

So-called concentrating solar power uses hundreds of thousands of mirrors to turn water into steam. The steam turns a conventional turbine similar to those in coal-fired power plants. The technology, which is potentially cheaper than most types of renewable power, has captivated many engineers and financiers in the last two years, with an abrupt surge in new patents and plans for large power operations in Europe and the United States.
This year may be China’s turn. China is starting to build its own concentrating solar power plants, a technology more associated with California deserts than China’s countryside. And Chinese manufacturers are starting to think about exports, part of China’s effort to become the world’s main provider of alternative energy power equipment.
Yet concentrating solar power still faces formidable obstacles here, including government officials who are skeptical that the technology will be useful on a large scale in China.
Much of the country is cloudy or smoggy. Water is scarce. The sunniest places left for solar power are deserts deep in the interior, far from the energy-hungry coastal provinces that consume most of China’s electricity. Provinces deep in the interior have few skilled workers or engineers to maintain the automated gear that keeps mirrors focused on towers that transfer the heat from sunbeams into fluids.
Concentrating solar power “is not very suitable for China,” wrote Li Junfeng, a senior government energy policy maker, in a detailed e-mail reply to questions this week.
Yet the private sector in China is racing to embrace the technology anyway.
A California solar technology company and a Chinese power equipment manufacturer plan to sign a deal on Saturday for the construction of up to 2,000 megawatts of power plants using concentrating solar power over the next decade, executives from both companies said this week. That is equivalent to the output of a couple of nuclear power plants. They will start with a 92-megawatt plant in Yulin, a town in a semi-desert area of Shaanxi Province in central China.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/business/energy-environment/09solar.html

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Maryland’s Largest Single Rooftop Solar Power Installation Unveiled at Staples Fulfillment Center in Hanover

2010-01-17T16:59:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 6

The 1.01 Megawatt Solar System Provides Power Equal to that Used by More Than 100 Homes Annually

HANOVER, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS), the world's largest office products company and SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider and a subsidiary of MEMC Electronic Materials (NYSE: WFR), hosted a dedication ceremony today to unveil the largest single rooftop solar power installation in Maryland at Staples’ 200,200 square foot fulfillment center in Hanover. The 1.01 megawatt solar installation covers nearly 175,000 square feet of roof space, larger than three football fields.

The environmental savings associated with the system will offset more than 43 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) over 20 years, equivalent to removing CO2 produced by more than 4,200 automobiles driving 12,000 miles per year. The zero-emission, silent photovoltaic system will generate approximately 1.2 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year, and 21 million kWh during the initial 20 years of the project. The solar installation was financed, built and maintained under a power purchase agreement (PPA) with SunEdison. Under the PPA, Staples will purchase the electricity produced for the term of the contract.
“The solar power system installed at our Hanover fulfillment center is the latest example of Staples’ ongoing commitment to environmental leadership,” said Mark Buckley, vice president of environmental affairs for Staples. “Through our relationship with solar services provider SunEdison, we are able to purchase solar energy from our rooftop at a rate below or equal to the cost of electricity from the grid. This reduces our operating costs while freeing up more electricity during peak times for use by local homes and businesses.”
“We are proud to be a long time partner of Staples in providing economical solar solutions to meet their energy needs and commitment to the environment,” said Carlos Domenech, President of SunEdison. “SunEdison continues to be an industry leader by combining cutting edge technologies with our unique project finance capabilities to enable large-scale development of solar.”

Read more: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100106006651&newsLang=en

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Boiling Point: High Hopes for Geothermal Energy

2010-01-16T15:57:00.001-08:00

2010 Jan 14

By Paul Glader

Geothermal is boiling hot these days. Wind and solar might even want to watch out.
The industry is adding 144 geothermal power plants in 14 states, says Karl Gawell, executive director of the Geothermal Energy Association. That’s up from 121 projects on the books last March and a 73% increase from the 83 projects underway two years ago.

“We’ve added 200 megawatts in the last year,” said Mr. Gawell, during a stop at The Wall Street Journal’s New York office on Wednesday ahead of the industry’s big finance forum today. “Compared to wind, it’s not much. But it is a lot for a small industry with only 3,000 installed megawatts.”
One big shot in the arm: The federal stimulus, which is chanelling $400 million to the geothermal industry in the form of tax incentives and cash grants. The trade group has seen member ship swell to about 150 from just 30 members five years ago.
Another big key: Technology. Geothermal companies are developing new technologies that allow lower-temperature water in the earth’s core to be turned into geothermal energy. That makes development possible in more place, putting states such as Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana on the map in addition to traditional geothermal heartlands such as California.
Geothermal’s potential, thanks to advanced technologies, could be huge. The U.S. Geological Survey notes about 6,000 megawatts of discovered geothermal supplies (that’s like six nuclear power plants), with undiscovered potential between 8,000 and 73,000 megawatts. New technology could—theoretically—open the door to a whopping 800,000 megawatts.

Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2010/01/14/boiling-point-high-hopes-for-geothermal-energy/

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