Energy Sources

Everyone wins with biomass initiatives

2010-01-16T04:26:00.000-08:00

Peter Goldmark, commissioner of public lands, is off to a quick start in his effort to create a new, green industry on state lands. Goldmark, who is just beginning his second year as the leader of the state Department of Natural Resources, has been a strong supporter of biomass initiatives - turning the limbs and woody debris left over after a stand of trees is logged into new sources of energy.

The Department of Natural Resources manages 5.6 million acres of forest, range, agricultural, aquatic and commercial lands on behalf of Washington residents. About 3 million acres is state trust land that provides revenue to help pay for construction of public schools, universities and other state institutions. Generating revenue from those trust lands is a primary mission of Goldmark’s office.

A year ago, lawmakers passed House Bill 2165 which authorized the Department of Natural Resources to take the initial steps toward two biomass energy pilot projects — one in eastern Washington and another in Western Washington.

This biomass initiative may well lead to alternative energy sources and at the same time improve the environment.

Today after a logging company moves through forested property, the remaining woody debris is generally pushed into huge piles that are burned. Slash burns pollute the air and pose a serious health risk for people suffering from breathing problems. The burning is a terrible waste of natural resources.

Goldmark believes that woody debris can be put to a much better use. He says removing biomass feedstock in ecologically sustainable ways to produce energy — liquid fuels or heat and electricity — can:

• Provide income for forest landowners while improving forest health.
• Create rural jobs.
• Reduce wildfires and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Aid in the production of renewable energy.

In fact, Goldmark believes that wood biomass from forests has the potential to supply half the energy consumed by Washington residents.

That’s an exciting possibility. Just think about the potential when massive amounts of tree stumps and broken branches are transformed into electrical power or fuel for machines.

Last summer, the Department of Natural Resources invited companies to submit letters of interest to become partners in the biomass pilot projects. In a recent interview with The Olympian’s Editorial Board, Goldmark said he was encouraged by the amount of interest, the number of potential partners and the variety of energy proposals.

DNR selected four pilot projects Wednesday to turn biomass from state forestlands into clean energy and jobs.

In advance of the legislative session, Goldmark prepared a couple of bills to move to the next phase of the process — Senate Bill 6236 and House Bill 2481. The bills do not require an appropriation from the state’s financially strapped general fund. Both bills had hearings in their respective committees earlier this week.

The bills give DNR authority to maintain a list of forest biomass available on public lands. DNR can then use those inventories to limit the sale of forest biomass when it is determined that the supply in a region or watershed is depleted.

Secondly, the legislation authorizes the department to enter into forest biomass supply contracts for terms of up to five years. The legislation also would allow DNR to lease state lands for the supply of forest biomass for a term of no more than 50 years.

“The bio-energy industry is under economic stress, and this bill will make it easier for them to encourage investors,” said Goldmark. “This bill will also allow DNR another opportunity to generate revenue and help spur rural economic development.”

Goldmark also said securing reliable and predictably priced biomass feedstock supply is a major obstacle to maximizing the benefits of the emerging biomass energy economy.

But even with these legislative measures, Goldmark’s plan remains somewhat in doubt. Private landowners in the state, including Weyerhaeuser and Simpson Investment Company, have long dreamed of a day when slash from their own forests could be used to fuel their energy-intensive manufacturing plants. Unfortunately, the historic cost of slash-to-energy conversion has rendered the process largely unfeasible. Until the price of power reaches a level high enough to justify this cost, or until yet-to-be-unveiled technology lowers the cost of biomass conversion, Goldmark’s plan faces major economic hurdles.

Nevertheless, it’s exciting to think where this creative initiative might lead eventually. It has the potential to transform forest practices to be friendlier to the environment and at the same time generate much needed energy and revenue for the state of Washington.

Everyone wins.

[http://www.theolympian.com/]

Montana Plant Could Burn Biomass

2010-01-16T04:23:00.000-08:00

NorthWestern Energy eyes turning closed Montana plant into biomass energy production site

NorthWestern Energy told state lawmakers Friday that a Frenchtown, Mont., linerboard plant soon to be shuttered by Smurfit-Stone Container could make a good location for a biomass energy production facility — but no firm plans are in place.

Northwestern Energy said entering talks about such a plan with Smurfit-Stone would be premature until that company emerges from bankruptcy.

"We have contacted Smurfit and told them we would be interested in having a conversation with them about that facility," company lobbyist John Fitzpatrick told the legislative Environmental Quality Council.

But getting the plant would just be the first of many big issues to deal with, he said.

A biomass plant would burn wood to make electricity using a conventional boiler system. It would be used as a source of primary power for NorthWestern, and would not be suitable as "firming" power for other alternative energy sources like solar and wind, Fitzpatrick testified.

Fitzpatrick said the U.S. Forest Service would have to allow a lot more logging of beetle killed trees in order to ensure enough fuel to keep a large plant running. NorthWestern estimates that as much as 4,000 acres a year would be needed to supply such a facility.

"Something is going to have to happen with this process so you can get quantity for fuel supply," he told the legislative oversight panel. "They are not doing a tremendous amount of logging at this time."

Other types of fuel, such as agriculture waste, would not work because the transportation costs would be too high, he said.

But he told the EQC that NorthWestern plans to pursue the idea as a way to get another sizable power plant in the state.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester has said that wood that would have gone to Smurfit's pulp mill could be used as an energy source.

Tester is trying to advance a plan to mandate a lot more logging in Montana, and a lot more cutting of beetle-killed trees. It is touted as a careful compromise between the logging industry which would get the trees and environmentalists who would secure more declared wilderness area with the deal.

Smurfit-Stone Container's pending closure of the plant, which employs 417, will be phased in over the rest of the month.

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. first announced on Dec. 14 that it was closing the Frenchtown plant as the company sought to cut costs and emerge from bankruptcy protection.

[http://abcnews.go.com]

Geothermal Drilling Safeguards Imposed

2010-01-16T04:19:00.000-08:00

The United States Energy Department, concerned about earthquake risk, will impose new safeguards on geothermal energy projects that drill deep into the Earth’s crust.

The new policy is being instituted after a project in California that used the new technology was shut down by technical problems and encountered community opposition, federal documents indicate.

The project, by Seattle-based AltaRock Energy, would have fractured bedrock and extracted heat by digging more than two miles beneath the surface at a spot called the Geysers, about 100 miles north of San Francisco. The company ran into serious problems with its drilling and faced accusations from scientists and local residents that it had not been forthcoming enough about the earthquake risk. AltaRock denied those accusations.

The documents, provided to The New York Times by the Energy Department, indicate that the Geysers project has run through $6 million in federal financing in several unsuccessful efforts to drill to the necessary depth. As a result, the Energy Department “considers the project in the Geysers to be concluded,” according to a letter addressed to Henry A. Waxman, the California Democrat and chairman of the House committee on Energy and Commerce.

The letter, dated Dec. 30, is signed by Cathy Zoi, an assistant energy secretary. The Times reported in early December that AltaRock had removed its drill rig from the site and informed the department that the project would be abandoned, but the company had refused to comment publicly.

In a second document dated Sept. 11, 2009, but not previously disclosed, the department concluded that earthquakes that would have been set off by the AltaRock project would “not have a significant impact on the human environment.” And in another endorsement of the company, the department later awarded AltaRock $25 million to try a similar project at the Newberry Volcanic Monument near Bend, Ore.

The Oregon project was one of 123 geothermal projects in 38 states that received $338 million through the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package, Ms. Zoi said in the letter.

Two seismic experts who read the documents said the message about the perils and potential of geothermal energy was unclear. But Ernie Majer, a seismologist and deputy director of the Earth Science Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, said that the new standards were a welcome development. The letters show that the department “is being ultra-careful about any induced seismicity,” he said, referring to earthquakes triggered by humans.

Among the new safeguards are requirements that projects monitor ground-motion sensors and other data and have an approved plan to shut down if earthquakes induced by the drilling are too powerful. Companies must also file estimates of expected earthquake activity and submit project proposals to outside experts for a review of the risks and the likelihood of success.

Ms. Zoi conceded in her letter that the department’s findings were “likely to have little practical effect on the AltaRock project at the Geysers,” because the project apparently no longer exists. But she said that the defunct project and the findings “have provided valuable lessons.”

In a statement responding to questions on the documents, Stephanie Mueller, a spokeswoman for the department, said that those lessons “will help the United States succeed in safely harnessing geothermal energy.”

Donald O’Shei, AltaRock’s chief executive, said in an e-mail message that the company was pleased by the department’s finding that the Geysers project would not have had a significant impact on people in the area.

Regarding the Oregon project, Mr. O’Shei said that the company was “working on an initial planning process for the technical, permitting, and community education and outreach aspects of the project.”

Mr. O’Shei added, “Bend is located approximately 22 miles away from the demonstration site, which is in a sparsely populated area to the west of Newberry in central Oregon.”

[http://www.nytimes.com/]

In the new cold-war on energy, China wins

2010-01-02T03:36:00.000-08:00

During the Cold War (1945-1991), China was the only major country that stood at the intersection of the two superpower camps, a target of influence and enmity for both the United States and the Soviet Union. Today, China is creating a path to sustainable energy that could conceivably make it the most powerful nation in the world.

Threats to a countries energy security include the political instability of several energy producing countries, the manipulation of energy supplies, the competition over energy sources, attacks on supply infrastructure, as well as accidents and natural disasters. The limited supplies, uneven distribution, and rising costs of fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, create an immediate need to change to more sustainable energy sources.

Over the past 30-years, China has changed from a centrally planned system, that was largely closed to international trade, to a more market-oriented economy. As part of their strategy, China and Hong Kong have loaned the United States $940.9 billion dollar's to help pay the U.S. $3.498 trillion dollar debt. Certainly, this shows that China has faith in the U.S. Economy. More importantly, it gives China a steady cash return on its investment that can be put to use in further advancing its position in global affairs by stabilizing its energy future.

China is aware of the political instability created by the lack of a stabilized and sustainable source of energy. Therefore, they recently modified their 2006 Renewable Energy Law to require that every bit of renewable energy capacity generated in the country's hinterlands be connected to commercial grid networks by major utilities. However, this move entices western financiers to invest in China alternative energy programs instead of those in the U.S.

At the Copenhagen Climate Conference, Chinese negotiators showed up with major carbon intensity reduction targets in hand: they intend to cut carbon output per unit of GDP by 40%-45% before 2020, based on 2005 levels. Officials are also maintaining their raw target of that 15% of their entire energy production would come from clean energy over the next decade. That is up from 9% today.

In the United States, electricity networks still do not integrate clean energy into their power delivery mechanisms while in China those who do not integrate will face major fines. Thus, the burden of getting China's green power percentage to 15% by 2020 will rest squarely on the shoulders of grid administrators — not on wind and solar power plant operators.

Currently, in both China and the United States, regional utilities tend to operate too independently for a large-scale national clean energy roll-out to be implemented smoothly. However, China's central government asserts its control thus catalyzing market changes through the development of sustainable energy capabilities.

Obviously, the Chinese know that smart grid technology, like intelligent load metering, can only be maximized if all resources are linked to end-users in residential and commercial areas. Not so, in the U.S. Capitalist system, especially one with remnants of anti-regulatory fever, left over from the Ronald Reagan years, still waging war in Congress. Here in the U.S. clean energy companies can only hope that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will assert its oversight rights to build an integrate energy system.

China isn't just linking power supplies. The government just announced plans for 42 high-speed rail lines that will run nationwide at an average of 217 miles per hour. They know that speed is a key factor in pulling commuters and long-haul transit customers out of their cars and off of planes, both of which are heavy polluters that will hamper China's carbon intensity targets. Unlike U.S. rail policies, Beijing planners are committed to getting rail done right.

Even more broadly, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, December 29, that China-focused equity funds took in $6.8 billion in 2009, leading emerging markets in absorbing a record amount of investment inflows during the year. Hong Kong Highpower (NASDAQ: HPJ) and China BAK Battery (NASDAQ: CBAK) have delivered extraordinary gains in 2009, proving how broad the green stock spectrum is in China. Best of all, China's top clean energy companies are bringing shares to Wall Street on a platter.

Without a doubt, in the new cold war over energy superiority, China is beating the U.S. hands-down.

by Michael McGreer [http://www.examiner.com/]

Mass. planning new solar energy push in 2010

2010-01-02T03:31:00.000-08:00

BOSTON — Massachusetts is planning a new drive for solar energy in 2010 with a string of programs designed to dramatically increase the number and size of solar panel arrays in the state.

The push comes as Gov. Deval Patrick, heading into an election year, hopes to make good on his pledge to turn Massachusetts into one of the nation’s renewable energy hubs.

The administration is already touting what it says are its successes in helping encourage the use of solar panels — pointing to "a nearly 15-fold increase in solar installations over Governor Patrick’s first four-year term."

In the past two years, the state’s Commonwealth Solar program has awarded about 1,270 rebates for residential, commercial and municipal solar panel projects.

But the relative success of the program also shows how steep a climb Massachusetts and other states face in trying to make the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

The 1,270 projects produce enough energy to power just 3,200 home annually in Massachusetts, a state with a population of more than 6 million.

Still, the administration is quick to point out that however modest, the 22.3 megawatts of solar power generated through the program’s grants is a dramatic increase from the 3.5 megawatts of solar power being generated annually in Massachusetts when Patrick took office.

That number could double by the end of 2010.

With the addition of federal stimulus-funded solar panels slated for installation on water treatment facilities and other public buildings, the total amount of solar power could top 50 megawatts over the next 12 months.

"Commonwealth Solar has already played an important role in speeding the Bay State’s transition to a clean energy economy," Patrick said.

By the end of January the administration hopes to have a series of new programs up and running that they say will add to the state’s solar power tally.

The first is an extension of the current Commonwealth Solar program, which offers rebates to homeowners and small businesses to install solar panels.

Commonwealth Solar II will continue that rebate program for residential and commercial solar installations of 5 kilowatts or less. The programs rely on $1 million each quarter from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust.

The trust is funded by a small charge on monthly bills of electric utility customers.

A second program — Commonwealth Solar Stimulus — will rely on $8 million in federal stimulus funds to help companies install large solar arrays aimed at generating more than 5 kilowatts each.

Officials said at least two other states, Connecticut and Maryland, have launched similar solar rebate programs using with federal stimulus revenue.

BOSTON — Massachusetts is planning a new drive for solar energy in 2010 with a string of programs designed to dramatically increase the number and size of solar panel arrays in the state.

The push comes as Gov. Deval Patrick, heading into an election year, hopes to make good on his pledge to turn Massachusetts into one of the nation’s renewable energy hubs.

The administration is already touting what it says are its successes in helping encourage the use of solar panels — pointing to "a nearly 15-fold increase in solar installations over Governor Patrick’s first four-year term."

In the past two years, the state’s Commonwealth Solar program has awarded about 1,270 rebates for residential, commercial and municipal solar panel projects.

But the relative success of the program also shows how steep a climb Massachusetts and other states face in trying to make the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

The 1,270 projects produce enough energy to power just 3,200 home annually in Massachusetts, a state with a population of more than 6 million.

Still, the administration is quick to point out that however modest, the 22.3 megawatts of solar power generated through the program’s grants is a dramatic increase from the 3.5 megawatts of solar power being generated annually in Massachusetts when Patrick took office.

That number could double by the end of 2010.

With the addition of federal stimulus-funded solar panels slated for installation on water treatment facilities and other public buildings, the total amount of solar power could top 50 megawatts over the next 12 months.

"Commonwealth Solar has already played an important role in speeding the Bay State’s transition to a clean energy economy," Patrick said.

By the end of January the administration hopes to have a series of new programs up and running that they say will add to the state’s solar power tally.

The first is an extension of the current Commonwealth Solar program, which offers rebates to homeowners and small businesses to install solar panels.

Commonwealth Solar II will continue that rebate program for residential and commercial solar installations of 5 kilowatts or less. The programs rely on $1 million each quarter from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust.

The trust is funded by a small charge on monthly bills of electric utility customers.

A second program — Commonwealth Solar Stimulus — will rely on $8 million in federal stimulus funds to help companies install large solar arrays aimed at generating more than 5 kilowatts each.

Officials said at least two other states, Connecticut and Maryland, have launched similar solar rebate programs using with federal stimulus revenue.

The state is also developing regulations for a third program, a new solar credit market. The program was authorized by the state’s 2008 Green Communities Act to provide predictable market support for the solar industry. The initiative is also set to begin this month.

Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles said the goal of all the programs is to make Massachusetts "a national solar energy powerhouse."

"Commonwealth Solar has exceeded all expectations, putting solar power within the reach of more people and businesses than ever before." he said.

Patrick has set a goal of 250 megawatts of solar energy — enough to power at least 37,500 homes — by 2017.

The administration said the solar push has also translated into jobs. They said the number of solar contractors and subcontractors has grown from about 50 in January 2008 to nearly 200.

They also pointed to a survey of 98 solar panel manufacturers and installers that showed the companies doubled their Massachusetts employment from 1,086 in 2007 to 2,075 in 2008, with an anticipated additional 960 workers during 2009.
___

Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs: www.mass.gov/eea

Market Directions for 2010

2010-01-02T02:18:00.000-08:00

After a "messy" 2009, the new year may see a steadily growing role for utilities as developers and a continued reliance on federal dollars.

Renewable energy consultant Nadav Enbar may have offered the understatement of the year when he described 2009 as “pretty messy.”

Messy, indeed. Projects were scaled back, postponed or cancelled altogether; sources of finance dried up almost overnight; demand for electricity fell; and natural gas prices remained remarkably low through much of the year playing havoc with project development economic forecasts.

“Development was slow going, particularly for large projects that required upfront capital,” said Enbar, Boulder, Colo.-based research manager for IDC Energy Insight.

Despite the mess — or perhaps because of it — two trends emerged that seem likely to drive renewable energy markets well into 2010.

Utility Involvement

First was the steadily growing utility role in the renewable energy sector. No longer “simply” off-takers through purchased power agreements with independent power providers, utilities are emerging as a significant development force. Their emergence is driven by ongoing access to capital, growing comfort in renewable technologies, an array of financial incentives and — in the case of solar photovoltaics — a drop in price that makes PV an attractive investment.

The price decline spurred at least seven utilities across the country to begin developing PV facilities for their own rate base, said Lisa Frantzis, managing director for renewable and distributed energy with Navigant Consulting. Those utilities include Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, Public Service Electric and Gas and Duke Energy, among others. “I have never seen so much interest,” she said.

A related development is the growing use by utilities of investor equity, tax equity or pools of tax equity capital to develop projects.

“Utilities have tax burdens that are roughly six to seven times higher than what has historically been the pool for tax equity finance,” said Chris O’Brien, who heads market development efforts for thin-film silicon maker Oerlikon Solar. “Now utilities can use the credits themselves, increasing the opportunity for them to invest directly in projects,” either to include in their rate base or as a non-regulated investment.

Investor-owned utilities seem to have weathered the economic downturn better than other sectors. “The important thing was we (investor-owned utilities) were able to continue to borrow on a long-term basis” during the financial crisis, said Mark Agnew, director of financial analysis for the Edison Electric Institute, which represents many investor-owned utilities.

At the height of the financial crisis, a number of those utilities cut their capital expenditure budgets by an average of 10 percent. As the year progressed, however, many of those cuts were reversed. “We’re back on track for capex in 2009-2010 in the mid-$80 billion range,” Agnew said.

Another utility trend is that for the first time, more than half of the utilities polled by the Electric Power Research Institute said they considered themselves renewable energy project owner-operators. That factor is likely to put more downward pressure on costs as utilities work to cut costs further, said Bryan Hannegan, vice president of environment and generation at EPRI. “The days of freewheeling, ‘I’ll buy it at whatever cost’ are ending,” he said.

Government Intervention

A second major trend likely to influence the sector during 2010 is the federal government’s financial market intervention, which included some $67 billion of stimulus money, loan guarantees and grant programs for the renewables industry. Intervention actually began last autumn when Congress extended an already existing series of tax incentives and then took the step of making utilities eligible for the credits for the first time. In February after the economy fell on the floor Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the “stimulus bill”). Included were a variety of loan guarantee and grant programs offered through the departments of Treasury and Energy and intended to keep money flowing for project development and new manufacturing initiatives.

“The government stimulus made up for the shortfall in private sector finance,” said Hannegan. The money helped the renewable energy industry maintain momentum it otherwise would have lost.

The federal financial aid has allowed virtually every developer to opt between receiving a production tax credit or an investment tax credit, said Energy’s Insight’s Enbar. And it also allowed developers to receive up-front grants, “which is, in some ways, the best way to get financing.”

The stimulus was critical to filling the gap to “keep companies from going belly up,” Frantzis said.

(To learn more about how one wind developer leveraged stimulus money and a novel “pre-pay” strategy to develop a 60 MW project, read The Deal, here.)

One question for 2010 is whether or not the federal stimulus money is sustainable over time. Barry Worthington, executive director of the U.S. Energy Association, offered the reminder that “what the federal government giveth, the federal government can taketh away.” He wondered whether pressures to balance the federal budget may lead Congress to retrench on some of the financial programs that benefit the renewable industry. Tighter fiscal policy, he cautioned, could eclipse interest both in climate change and the push for national renewable energy standards.

A related question is the extent to which the private financial sector reenters the renewables market. Loan conditions tightened and lenders showed little appetite for billion-dollar-plus projects during 2009. Instead, lenders favored projects in the range of $300 to $400 million earlier in the year, then as markets recovered, expanded that range to $700 million to $800 million.

Even so, lenders are showing an aversion to risk, which extends to everything from technology or manufacturer risk to site-specific risks. For example, one proposed wind energy project on a site at 8,000 feet of elevation in southeastern Nevada offered a capacity factor of around 40 percent. Despite the quality of the wind resource, sizable infrastructure requirements kept the project from obtaining finance.

“The number of projects deferred or cancelled is really sad,” said Blair Loftis, vice president and national director of alternative and renewable energy for engineering firm Kleinfelder. The company currently is involved in perhaps six wind projects, one-third the number it counted 18 months ago.

“We’re still helping wind clients, but we don’t have as many boots on the ground,” Loftis said. Instead, the company spent part of 2009 recasting itself as a developer’s agent in project planning. And it’s focusing resources on utility-scale solar, photovoltaics in particular.

“We have an enormous number of projects underway” in solar PV, most in the range of 5 MW to 40 MW, Loftis said. The projects may be relatively small, but they are scalable and thus offer long-term business prospects. “You can add 15 to 20 MW and grow them,” he said. Equally important, capital requirements are less daunting. “Instead of needing to raise $500 million to develop a sizeable wind farm, a solar PV development might cost $100 million or so and then can be scaled up over time.”

Because of this and other examples, Ed Feo wonders whether the federal loan guarantee program may eventually form the basis for the still nascent “green bank” concept. “Does it become the vehicle for federal support for renewables,?” asks the Los-Angeles-based partner in the law firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP and co-chair of the firm’s project finance and energy practice. If yes, then perhaps the federal government could end up as a principal, or even the principal, source of finance.

Small-scale Preferred

A third trend relates to project scale and scope. Ongoing frustrations with siting, permitting and transmission access have some developers seeking the path of least resistance. That favors small, distributed projects.

This strategy is being pursued by Southern California Edison, among others, as it deploys 250 MW of rooftop-mounted solar PV across its service territory. Rather than site all that capacity in a single project, the utility is adding it in 1 and 2 MW increments. The approach aims to achieve several things.

First, it spreads capacity across the local grid, distributing benefits and drawbacks inherent in the solar resource.

Second, building on rooftops eases many of the siting and permitting headaches that accompany greenfield development. Local building codes and permits still must be followed, however.

The development focus in the solar energy sector likely will shift from “enormous solar farms in the desert to 1 to 20 MW projects co-located with substations,” said O’Brien. The approach allows for new capacity without the need for additional transmission, a third benefit to the distributed energy approach.

(Mike Taylor with the Solar Electric Power Association notes that unlike PV projects and with the exception of a project at Florida Power & Light, utilities largely have not opted to own centralized solar projects. He said this could be due to a “lingering notion of technology risk.”)

Ongoing worries about permitting and siting are leading developers to take deliberate steps to site projects close to an interconnection, said Kleinfelder’s Blair Loftis. In the West in particular, developers may prefer negotiating with multiple landowners rather than deal with the federal Bureau of Land Management where many project proposals now are logjammed. Too few staff to review too many development proposals is one reason for the delays.

“Renewables are not the oil and gas industry of the future, we’re the industry of today and we need to have staffing” at state and federal permitting agencies, said Karl Gawell, executive director of the Geothermal Energy Association. The sheer volume of applications — which Gawell characterized as a “tsunami” — and the lack of staff at federal and state permitting agencies are slowing the development process.

Cautious Optimism

Most sources expressed cautious optimism that the worst of the recession is over and that 2010 will see growth resume. They point to the infusion of federal stimulus dollars and renewable portfolio mandates in most states that compel adopting renewable energy technology.

At the same time, however, sources noted conflicting trends that make it too early to tell whether or not sustainable recovery is likely in the next 12 to 18 months.

It’s a tough time to predict the future, said Jeff Dennis, a regulatory specialist with the Edison Electric Institute. On the one hand, demand for electricity is down, but state renewable portfolio standards and federal policies continue to push renewable energy deployment. “There are so many competing drivers that are 180 degrees from each other,” Dennis said.

One uncertainty is the prospect for a federal renewable energy standard. Work on legislation to create such a standard stalled during the autumn as lawmakers argued over health care reform. Several sources suggested the outcome of the health care debate and proposals for financial sector reform may actually determine whether or not a comprehensive energy bill is possible.

“Watch health care,” said USEA’s Barry Worthington. That debate has left some lawmakers wondering whether a comprehensive energy and climate change bill is the best course. Work in a more piecemeal and incremental fashion might be the preferred route. “The administration may be more empowered with a renewable energy standard as law even without a comprehensive bill,” Worthington said.

Regardless, if Congress fails to pass any sort of a bill before mid-2010, the prospects of getting climate legislation done next year will begin to fade. That leaves Congress with little more than a six-month window to complete its work. “It’s very difficult to get much out of Congress after July 4th” during an election year, Worthington said.

But if congressional action on federal standards is sluggish, renewable energy portfolio standards or goals in place in a majority of states are continuing to have an effect. California this fall raised its goal for renewable energy as a percentage of overall generation to 33 percent by 2020. But here too, uncertainty exists.

Can California meet its near-term goal of 13 percent renewables by the end of 2010? Sources said hitting that goal seems a stretch at present. In California as elsewhere, transmission adequacy remains a major impediment. Equally vexing are bottlenecks within federal agencies responsible for approving requests for projects on public lands–everything from transmission to projects themselves–a big factor in the west where federal landholdings are vast.

“The government has taken some good steps to incentivize renewables,” said Martin Gross, power systems president for ABB. But he believes those steps fall short of enabling the country to reach a goal of even 15 percent renewable energy in the U.S. generation mix by 2020.

“Fifteen percent at an availability of 30 percent would require 500 GW of installed capacity nationwide,” he said. “How does that happen?” For one thing, investors need a predictable 10-year return on their investment. For another, firm in-service dates for new transmission need to be set. “If you don’t see that it will be a continuation of 2009 with delays, delays, delays, delays,” Gross said.

Transmission and permitting will be perennial issues for renewable energy projects for the foreseeable future, said EPRI’s Bryan Hannegan. Opposition continues to large-scale developments, even those that promise low-carbon renewable energy. “We may have misled ourselves,” Hannegan said. “Folks still won’t want those in their backyards.”

PV Shines On

One bright spot in 2010 may be utility-scale solar photovoltaics, which shows signs of emerging from the economic turmoil well positioned for growth. PV panel prices dropped by around 35 percent in the last year and seem likely to continue to drop. That’s good news for developers. But the price decline comes largely at the expense of suppliers, who have too much manufacturing capacity and too much supply.

Manufacturers saw the market start to reverse in the third quarter of 2008 when the Spanish government moved to curtail what it saw as an overheated domestic market. That market also accounted for around 40 percent of the world’s large-scale PV demand. The Spanish market contracted some 80 percent on the government’s retrenchment and suppliers worldwide started to see inventory pile up.

The Spanish government’s action had a “dramatic and immediate impact on companies that ramped up capacity” to meet global demand, said Chris O’Brien of Olerikon Solar.

Hard on the heels of the Spanish reversal came the collapse of the U.S. tax equity market, which had been a cornerstone for much of the lending that supported renewable energy development.

That collapse “sent a chill through the market,” O’Brien said, and it added to the fall in component prices.

“Everyone in the channel needs more profit to stay in business,” said Ron Kenedi, vice president of solar energy solutions for Sharp Solar. Having seen a 35 percent drop in PV panel prices in the last year, Kenedi said, “I don’t see how that (sort of price decline) can continue.”

Unpredictable Natural Gas?

A wildcard in any 2010 forecast is natural gas, which saw volumes soar and prices fall during 2009. In the still-unsettled waters after the economic storm, a wide difference of opinion exists when it comes to the implications for renewables.

On the one hand, the drop in natural gas prices “helps wind enormously,” said USEA’s Barry Worthington. Low natural gas prices could further discourage coal-fired power plant development. And it could affect the economic viability of new nuclear power plants.

On the other hand, Blair Loftis at engineering firm Kleinfelder said “as long as natural gas prices are low it will suppress the (renewable energy) market.”

And Jeff Anthony, director of business development for the American Wind Energy Association, said “a wind project does not look as economical with low gas prices.” To its advantage, however, wind offers long-term fuel price certainty and relatively short project construction times. In places where wind competes head-to-head with natural gas capacity, those factors can still benefit wind.

Finally, EPRI’s Bryan Hannegan said that although the historically low price of natural gas is “not good in terms of the renewable industry trying to build” new capacity, ongoing pressure exists through renewable portfolio standards to build new renewable energy capacity.

That may be enough to counter natural gas’s economic effects, And as the economy has righted itself in recent months, interest in developing renewable energy projects has resumed.

“The market is hungry for good economic projects,” said Tim Howell, managing director and commercial leader for power and renewable energy with GE Energy Financial Services.

Technology Innovation

Also driving change in 2010 and beyond is technological innovation. Energy Insight’s Nadav Enbar said innovation allows for production cost reductions and installation cost reductions, either one of which improves a project’s financial performance.

Solar PV may be among the most innovative technologies at present.

For example, Oerlikon Solar achieved a new stabilized record efficiency level for amorphous silicon (a-Si) single junction PV cells. Recent test results reconfirmed and approved by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory show efficiencies of more than 10 percent power conversion. These results set a new world record for amorphous thin film silicon PV technology. The improvement is important because higher-efficiency thin film requires considerably fewer balance of system components, O’Brien said.

Competitors have not been standing still. Cost-leaders in crystalline technology have been driving costs down by using lower-cost polysilicon and less expensive manufacturing processes. A cadmium-telluride competition by FirstSolar showed promise of continuing to drive down costs still further. During the second quarter of 2009, FirstSolar became one of the first PV manufacturers to produce modules for less than $1 a watt.

“The importance of producing a module at under $1 a watt is enormous,” said Enbar. “There is enough disparity between production costs that they (FirstSolar) become the low-cost leader.” The cost currently is less than $0.90 a watt and could fall to just above $0.50 a watt by 2013. Work is underway to drive down balance of plant costs, such as inverters and racking.

Solar may be seeing the most dramatic technology changes, but wind is among the most advanced renewable energy. It will still be awhile before the onshore wind market becomes saturated in the U.S., but a lot of movement offshore exists. The coming months could also see the first offshore wind farms developed in the U.S. This comes 20 years after some of the first offshore turbines were installed in Denmark.

Duke Energy may be among the first to install offshore turbines with plans to invest $35 million for three turbines in waters off the North Carolina coast in Pamlico Sound. The Atlantic coast could be home to more than 1 GW of offshore wind farms, said the National RenewableEnergy Laboratory, which pegged the potential at roughly 900 MW off the Pacific coast. The U.S. Department of Interior said about 2 GW of offshore wind projects have been proposed in the United States. To date none have been built.

The controversial Cape Wind project off Cape Cod in Massachusetts is close to receiving its final permits, an important milestone prior to obtaining financing. That project could see 130 wind turbines with a generating capacity of 420 MW. Developer Cape Wind Associates has spent about eight years and $40 million so far on its efforts to build the facility in waters 5.5 miles from Hyannis, Mass. The total price tag is estimated to be $1 billion.

And the Bluewater wind project in waters off the Delaware coast first issued a PPA in 2008 and could make additional progress during 2010, buoyed by its purchase by NRG Energy announced Nov. 10.

Offshore wind could also move ahead in Texas, in part owing to the state’s unique regulatory environment. The state claims jurisdiction 10 miles into the Gulf of Mexico, more than three times the distance claimed by states along the Atlantic coast. That puts Texas projects beyond the range of important “view sheds” and also removes red tape by largely eliminating federal review.

In geothermal, work is underway to improve resource detection and development. Geothermal development can be more risky than either oil or natural gas development, said Dan Jennejohn with the Geothermal Energy Association. Dry holes are not uncommon. What’s more, it’s become more expensive to develop a geothermal field. In the past a geothermal project was not considered financeable unless one-third of a well field was drilled and confirmed. Now the figure is closer to two-thirds to as much as 70 percent confirmed.

“Lenders are applying the same increased scrutiny and decrease in tolerance for risk as in other industries,” said the Association’s Karl Gawell. Even so, technology developments are underway on fracturing techniques to enhance a geothermal resource. The Department of Energy provided $400 million for technology development, and was oversubscribed by a factor of five.

In the hydroelectric sector, interest is growing in new developments and repowerings. “It’s time to reinvest in hydro,” said Linda Church-Ciocci, executive director of the National Hydropower Association. Efficiency improvements are expected at a number of existing sites. And interest is growing around areas such as dam-less technologies that insert turbines into navigation locks that previously had not been powered. Pumped storage projects are also gaining renewed attention as a way to provide storage capacity for wind and solar. Conduit and water system projects are among the low-power projects that are seen as more feasible.

Stimulus funding provided $32 million for hydro. “We anticipate seeing a significant boost to projects on existing hydro facilities to improve their efficiency,” Church-Ciocci said. “Certainly the stimulus money is working.”

As proof, electric power generator PPL Corp. announced plans last April to file a new application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a $440 million project that would add 125 MW of generating capacity at the Holtwood hydroelectric plant on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, Penn.

“PPL has reconsidered this project in view of the tax incentives and potential loan guarantees for renewable energy projects that are in the federal economic stimulus package,” said William H. Spence, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company, which controls 1,100 MW of generation including coal, natural gas, oil, uranium and water. “These stimulus package benefits could make the project feasible again by more than offsetting the factors that caused us to withdraw our original application in December (2008) and the further decline in future energy prices since that time.”

While regulatory and other hurdles still must be cleared, the utility said it may put this new generating capacity into service by the spring of 2013.

When federal tax credits were reinstated a year ago, expectations were that 2009 would be a good year for renewable energy development. Recession and financial collapse raked the industry, much the same way a hurricane reshapes a landscape. Financial markets still are recovering, the federal government (for now anyway) is a major source of capital, utilities are playing a larger role technology improvements continue to drive innovation and price reductions.

Sources agree the basic policies are in place to drive and sustain renewable energy development in the near term. Barring an economic relapse, optimism is high that the next 12 to 18 months will see recovery and growth across most renewable energy sectors.

The hope is that the “messy” capitalism that Nadav Enbar said characterized much of 2009 is indeed behind us.

[http://www.renewableenergyworld.com]

Wind: Ethical Power of the Future

2010-01-02T01:14:00.000-08:00

In looking to rely more on renewable energy sources over the more common oil, coal, nuclear, and even natural gas, many counties world wide have turned to wind energy. This more ethical power resource is fast becoming the hot trend, as in just as recently as 2005 the total global usage for wind energy was a mere 1 percent, but fast forward to2008 and that amount has risen over 30 percent. This brings wind energy power to the top of the list as the fastest growing power supply, with solar energy coming behind it.

The countries that are more heavily relying on wind energy are shifting too, as the long time wind power leader, Germany, was surpassed this past year by the United States, and China was able to double its stats over the previous year which is a feat that it accomplished four years running! And it looks like wind energy is predicted to only keep growing as some expect to see a 30 fold increase during the next five years. This is all the better as if we intend to hit many of the targets of carbon gas reduction it appears that relying on wind power may be our best shot.

As many have stated that if we don't get our greenhouse gas emissions in check by 2020, the results could not only be devastating but that the future of the Earth will be bleak. At that point what we've already seen from the climate change and global warming will only be a precursor of things to come. That being said, wind power if at the targeted 120.8 GW will be able to cut out 158 million tons of carbon gas annually and get us on that path. The biggest hitters in the wind energy adoption are North America, Europe, and Asia which is good being that these same areas are the culprits for the release of the majority of carbon gas. Some countries are adding enticing offers in the way of tax credits to get individuals to outfit their homes with residential wind turbines, and that seems to have been quite effective. While we of course need to look on a large scale and influence electric companies to abandon their oil and gas ways, perhaps we can help put the pressure on them by showing just how determined we are to turn to a renewable resource like wind. The more homes and people that are able to ditch, or at least heavily reduce, their reliance on standard electric companies, they will no doubt have to take action or risk going out of business themselves.

Wind turbines are being used on all scales, with the ones supplying as many as 600 homes towering to the heights to those of a 20 story building with blades that are 200 feet long to ones that are 10 feet tall and providing for a single home in a residential wind turbine. Ethical power sources seem to be a critical ingredient in the recipe to sticking to our goals of reducing carbon gas emissions. So while we can definitely do good by turning out lights and appliances when they aren't in use, by going a step further and sticking to eco-friendly energy sources in the ways of wind and solar we can make an even grander impact.

by Justmeans Better

via: http://www.justmeans.com/Wind-Ethical-Power-of-Future/6265.html

New Year, new troubles: Biofuel plants idled by loss of tax credit

2010-01-02T01:09:00.000-08:00

Late Thursday night, as most prepared to ring in the new year, Renewable Biofuels was joylessly preparing to halt production at its giant biodiesel fuel plant in Port Neches, just a year after it opened.

The Houston-based firm said the decision became unavoidable after Congress failed to renew a tax credit of $1 per gallon for the alternative fuel on Dec. 31.

In place since 2004, the credit gave a dollar to refiners for every gallon of biodiesel they blended into petroleum diesel. Without it, output at biodiesel plants nationwide is grinding to a halt.

“The vast, if not all, of our contracted parties have essentially said please put ours on hold,” said Jonathan Phillips, chief investment officer at Renewable Biofuels, whose 180 million-gallon-per-year Port Neches plant is being idled but could resume operation if the incentive returns.

The entire biodiesel industry is in a similar holding pattern, though it's unclear how many companies idled plants Thursday. Producers still hope the credit will be renewed and applied retroactively when Congress reconvenes later this month.

But even a temporary loss of the credit could be enough to ruin some companies, many of them already weakened by a string of recent economic and policy setbacks.

“As a result of the tax credit lapse, we expect that industry-wide pay will be cut, jobs will be lost and infrastructure and plant investments will waste away,” said Daniel J. Oh, president of Ames, Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group, one of the nation's largest biodiesel producers.

All of the company's nine plants — including one in Seabrook on Galveston Bay — “are expected to be negatively affected” by the loss of the credit, he said in an e-mailed statement without elaborating.

With the incentive suspended, the biodiesel industry could lose another 23,000 jobs after shedding 29,000 jobs in 2009, estimates the National Biodiesel Board.

“I know of a number of companies that haven't made announcements yet, but they are planning for layoffs,” said Michael C. Frohlich, spokesman for the Jefferson City, Mo.-based industry group said.

Laying off workers

In Texas, the largest biodiesel producing state — the industry provided 8,600 jobs last year across more than 30 plants, including several in Houston — the impact could be especially bad.

Renewable Fuels, for example, had already eliminated 25 to 30 employees between its Port Neches plant and corporate office amid tough market conditions in 2009, and now is weighing further cuts, Phillips said.

Other producers in the state, including Grapevine-based GreenHunter Energy, which put its 110 million gallon plant at the Houston Ship Channel up for sale earlier this year, have also idled plants and laid off workers.

That's why U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, and other Texas lawmakers say they will push to have the incentive reinstated as soon as possible.

“I'm hoping that after Congress gets back in session, we can extend that tax credit very quickly,” Green said, explaining health care reform and other issues “took greater priority” in the final days of the 2009 session.

EPA hasn't approved rules

Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning substitute to petroleum diesel. In the U.S., it is typically made from vegetable oils and animal fats.

To stoke demand, the U.S. government in 2004 approved the $1-per-gallon tax credit for companies that blend biodiesel at low levels with petroleum diesel, spurring a building boom of plants.

Today, American biodiesel plants have the capacity to produce about 2.7 billion gallons a year of the fuel, yet as of December, only 15 percent of that capacity was in use, the National Biodiesel Board said.

Energy legislation passed in 2007 was supposed to require the blending of 500 million gallons of biodiesel into the nation's fuel supply in 2009, doubling to 1 billion by 2012. But the Environmental Protection Agency still hasn't approved rules to put the requirement into practice, leaving producers without a domestic market.

In addition, new European trade barriers are blocking U.S. biodiesel exports to Europe, which had been a major source of business for many producers. And the cost of raw materials like soybean oil have risen.

“When you take all those combined, it makes for one tough sandwich to swallow,” Frohlich said.

Large and well-capitalized biodiesel producers have been able to survive thus far, even as smaller players have had to exit the market. But a prolonged delay in renewing the credit could be devastating for the whole industry.

Even big firms are feeling pressure from lenders and investors to start turning things around, Phillips said.

“There's only so much bad news they can take,” he said.

brett.clanton@chron.com

Tobacco biofuel to solve energy/ environment crisis?

2010-01-02T01:02:00.000-08:00

Baccy-burner cars, boilers to make nonsense of smoking ban

Boffins in Philadelphia, America have come up with a radical new plan for biofuels. Rather than the cars of tomorrow running on various forms of alcohol, sunflower oil, algae etc, the scientists propose that they should instead be fuelled by burning tobacco.

"Tobacco is very attractive as a biofuel because the idea is to use plants that aren't used in food production," says Dr Vyacheslav Andrianov of Thomas Jefferson University.

"We have found ways to genetically engineer the plants so that their leaves express more oil. In some instances, the modified plants produced 20-fold more oil in the leaves."

It seems that typical baccy leaves contain 1.7 percent to 4 percent of oil as a proportion of dry weight. One gene modification tried out by Andrianov and his colleagues gave 6.8 percent of oil per dry weight.

Production of oil in the leaves is seen as the big trick. Tobacco seed oil has already been tried out in diesel engines, but baccy doesn't produce enough seeds to be useful - just 600kg per acre. However it is a "high-biomass" plant overall, once the leaves are included.

"Based on these data, tobacco represents an attractive and promising 'energy plant' platform, and could also serve as a model for the utilization of other high-biomass plants for biofuel production," says Andrianov, whose paper is soon to be published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.

Baccy power would seem likely to suffer from the same issues as any other "first generation" or crop biofuel, however, despite Andrianov's optimism. Biofuels typically require the use of huge amounts of farmland to supply energy on the scale required by modern industrial civilisation, and this would still be the case with tobacco. Food might not be taken directly out of the market to make fuel, as happens with corn-based alcohols, but in the event of baccy power becoming a mainstream idea one might expect farmland to be switched from food production to tobacco. This would lead to starvation and deforestation just as ordinary biofuels do.

This is why many people keen to see biofuels succeed - for instance the aviation industry - prefer to focus on "second generation" feedstocks such as algae or jatropha, which could perhaps be grown in unused areas such as seas or deserts. Tobacco certainly doesn't fall into this class, however.

Tobacco farmers might still find the idea of an alternative, subsidised biofuel market pleasing in today's smoking-ban-swept world, though, just as US corn farmers and their powerful political allies do. And the nicotine-enslaved victims of the smoking bans would perhaps be on-side too, pleased at the idea of every car, train, home boiler etc puffing out clouds of delicious carcinogenic smoke.

By Lewis Page

5 Tips to Reducing your Energy Bills

2009-12-07T19:04:00.000-08:00

It’s probably not paying you to be loyal to your energy supplier, and it is most definitely worth the effort of making the change with the possible savings you could make.

Energy suppliers are not privitised, which means they rely on slashing prices to attract new customers. As a consumer you should be taking advantage of these price wars and dig out the service provider with the lowest energy prices. You will be surprised at how much this could reduce your energy bills over a year.

Energy Online
If you have had a good look around for the best energy prices, you would have found that they all seem to be cheaper online. Energy providers are giving preferential rates to online customers, as it is easier from their side to handle the online accounts.

It is very simple for you to manage your energy account online, all you need to do is provide regular meter readings online.

Keep it Together
For further reductions in your energy bills, you should look into using the same provider for both your electricity and gas. Using the same provider for both results in a reduced rate as well as a more convenient situation if you ever need to query anything on your account.

Simplify Payment Methods
Energy companies are always interested in making sure they get their payments in on time, as well as making the account handling process more stream-lined and therefore more cost-effective as well.

For these reasons, energy companies will often offer discounts to customers who choose to pay their account by direct debit every month. Furthermore, if you do all of your billing online, it can save you more money, as this requires no administration at all from your energy supplier.<

Keep a Close Eye
If you are serious about making savings on your gas and electricity bills, then try keeping an eye on your energy situation to ensure you aren’t paying incorrectly.

You want your estimated meter readings to be as accurate as possible. Paying too little will result in a very large bill that you may not be able to afford at the time, down the line, and if you are paying too much, you will have to wait a substantial amount of time before getting that money back again.

If you do end up in a situation where you have been paying too little and you are stuck with an enormous bill, you might want to consider a cash loan to avoid paying the interest on an overdue account.

Submit regular readings to make sure the estimates remain as accurate as possible and always make sure to check that your bill is corresponding with your readings.

About the Writer:
Julie Samuel is an euthastic mountain bike rider, she is a strong advocate for personal finance planning and advises on many personal finance aspects, including cash loans.

Next generation onshore wind turbines

2009-12-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

Siemens installs prototype of three-megawatt direct drive wind turbine

Erlangen, Siemens Energy has installed the first prototype of a newly designed direct-drive wind turbine. The new SWT-3.0-101 DD is a gearless machine with a power rating of three megawatts (MW). It has a rotor diameter of 101 meters. The prototype was installed close to the Danish town of Brande, where Siemens Wind Power headquarters is located. Direct drive wind turbines offer a smart, straightforward design that makes the use of gearboxes dispensable. Siemens will thoroughly test and validate the performance of the SWT-3.0-101 before the new product will be officially launched for sale in 2010.

"Compared to a standard wind turbine with gearboxes we managed to reduce the number of parts in the new SWT -3.0-101 DD by half”, said Henrik Stiesdal, CTO of the Siemens Wind Power Business Unit. “With fewer moving parts, the direct drive technology has the potential to significantly reduce maintenance time, which could result in even higher turbine availability.” The new machine will primarily be targeted for high-end onshore markets.

The new SWT-3.0-101 DD features a new, compact synchronous generator excited by permanent magnets. The generator was produced by the Large Drives Business Unit within the Siemens Industry Sector. The main advantage of permanent magnet generators is their simple and robust design that requires no excitation power, slip rings or excitation control systems. This leads to high efficiency even at low loads.

“One and a half years after starting the testing of two direct-drive concept wind turbines we are now confident that this technology is a sound base for future Siemens wind turbines”, said Stiesdal. In July 2008, Siemens installed the first of two 3.6-megawatt direct drive concept turbines. The purpose was to assess whether direct drive technology is competitive with geared machines. Stiesdal: “We can now conclude that the concept machines are operating with an excellent performance and that we are ready to move ahead with developing the concept into a commercially competitive product.”

“We will continue to develop new wind turbines based on the standard gearbox design as these machines have proven to be exceptionally robust and reliable”, said Henrik Stiesdal. “And like in the past we will pursue a careful product introduction strategy also with our new direct drive wind turbines, because rushing to the market with immature technology is not an option for Siemens.”

Earlier in 2009, Siemens had also launched two new wind turbines based on the proven design with gearboxes. Both machines have already become great commercial successes. The SWT-2.3-101 with a capacity of 2.3 MW and a rotor diameter of 101 meters is already likely to be the top selling Siemens turbine in 2010. And Siemens has orders for almost 500 of the new SWT-3.6-120 with an even bigger rotor diameter of 120 meters and a power rating of 3.6 MW. Almost all orders for the 3.6-120 turbines are for offshore wind farms in Northern Europe.

Wind turbines are one of the biggest contributors to the Siemens Environmental Portfolio. In fiscal 2009, revenue from the Portfolio totaled about EUR23 billion, making Siemens the world’s largest supplier of ecofriendly technologies. In the same period, our products and solutions enabled customers to reduce their CO2 emissions by 210 million tons.

The Siemens Energy Sector is the world’s leading supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas. In fiscal 2009 (ended September 30), the Energy Sector had revenues of approximately EUR25.8 billion and received new orders totaling approximately EUR30 billion and posted a profit of EUR3.3 billion. On September 30, 2009, the Energy Sector had a work force of more than 85,100.

Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/energy.

Mistakes and Solution - Installing a Whole House Fan

2009-12-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

Big Mistake Number One:

Heading down to to the local hardware store and purchasing a house fan without doing the proper research first is one of the biggest mistakes a home owner can make when installing one. If you assume that you have the right size fan, the best manufacturer, or all of the information you need in order to install the whole house fan yourself, chances are you will have to call someone to correct your do-it-yourself mistakes.

Solution Number One:

Hire a electrical contractor who has a good reputation for installing whole house fans. Even though the project can be relatively small, there is a lot more to it than just cutting a hole in your ceiling and turning it on. A good qualified electrician will know: What size fan to use, whether or not you have adequate attic ventilation, where to place the fan opening, and when is the best time to use the fan to maximize its benefit.

Problem Number Two:

Installing the fan without the proper tools, right insulation, and proper placement of the main intake vent is a big mistake.

Solution Number Two:

A electric services company will always recommend a fan that comes with built in insulation. When it is cold, it is important that the fan, the fan housing, the vent opening, and the attic vents have the right insulation so that you are not losing money by escaping warming air. Also, a good licensed electrician will know that the whole house fan needs to be installed in a place that permits maximum airflow starting at the windows and into the attic.

Mistake Number Three:

Purchasing the most inexpensive attic fan from a website is definitely a really big mistake. These units are a cheap investment when compared to HVAC. The less expensive models are not insulated, have generic fan assemblies, and are very loud. The last thing you need is to hear what sounds like a rocket taking off inside your house, or a squeaky fan assembly each time the house fan is switched on.

Solution Number Three:

Go ahead and get a quality attic fan that has good reviews and low maintenance. A quick search on several consumer goods review sites will steer you in the right direction. Also, consult with your electrical contractor. They might carry a certain brand of whole house attic fan that they trust and that has a great reputation for being a quality product. Definitely do not go with a brand that has no history of past performance or good reviews by lots of people.

Mistake Number Four: (And this one is a big one)

Having an attic fan installed that is too large for the home is one of the biggest mistakes a home owner can make. If there is not proper attic ventilation, a house fan that is too large can draw all of the hot air up from the interior space and into the attic, and then push that hot air back down into the home through the ceiling lights, electrical outlets, HVAC vents, small cracks, wall switches. In fact, a fan that is too large for the house may make it hotter, not cooler.

Solution Number Four:

Before installing a house fan, consult with a electrical contractor and chose the model that is right for the house. If you don't have enough attic ventilation, there are some simple steps that may be to provide that ventilation. A ridge vent, gable vent, soffit vent, and whirly gig are all worthwhile options for attic ventilation. A good electric services company will also work with a licensed builder who can usually add the correct attic ventilation in a about a day if there is not any in place.

Usually, a smaller whole house fan will cool a dwelling with less wasted energy than a larger fan, which is more often than not overkill. The goal with a whole house fan is balanced air flow. With constant movement of air throughout the house, it will stay cooler with less energy needed. Also, a smaller whole house fan means less installation work, which is always a bonus.

Mistake Number Five:

Using the whole house attic fan with the windows closed can cause a potentially hazardous. The whole house attic fan functions by drawing cooler air in from the exterior of the house through the open windows and pushing the warm air up into the attic where it leaves the home through the attic vents. If you close the windows, there is a great chance that air will be pulled from the diverter that is on top of the water heater or boiler. What this means is that poisonous carbon monoxide can be pushed into the living space, creating a potentially fatal situation.

Solution Number Five:

Make sure to open the windows before turning on the whole house fan! The whole house attic fan is not there to re-circulate bad stale air throughout the dwelling. Its primary function is to remove hot air from the home, and provide a less expensive, environment friendly cooling solution than HVAC. In fact, a properly installed whole house fan can cool an averaged sized house for a tenth of the cost of air conditioning.

This article was brought to you by Jim Christian and a licensed Coral Springs Electrician. To learn more about a whole house fan, visit Vozzcom Electric. 3617 NW 124th Avenue, Coral Springs, FL 33065.

How Does Power4Home Electricity Work?

2009-12-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

With the increasing awareness of global warming and the depletion of the non renewable sources of energy the world is slowly waking up to a harsh truth. That day is not far when resources like coal and petroleum will be totally exhausted. This realization has probably steered man to look for ways to conserve energy in whatever way possible. DIY solar and wind power seem to be the best and safest options. Not only do these help in healing the environment around you, harnessing these renewable sources of energy also enable you to save good amounts of money which you would have otherwise spent on paying your electricity bills.

Power4Home, a guide to build DIY solar and wind power generators has been designed by John Russel, as a help to those people who are keen to save their money and also valuable energy of this planet. Since the sun and wind are the most easily available sources of energy, Power4Home aims at tapping these to generate electricity for homes and offices. It is not difficult to estimate the amount of non renewable energy that can be saved if everyone decides to switch to these alternative sources of power. You may think that it is not your cup of tea to set up a power generator at your place on your own, and that you need a skilled technician who will do the needful for you. Power4Home is specially designed at casting away these misconceptions.

If you are wondering how you can build your own electricity generating systems at home, Power4Home can be your best friend. It consists of an easy guide which describes the way in which you can build your own solar panel or wind turbine. There are easy steps to follow for which you do not need to be a trained electrician. If you can lay your hands on some basic tools you are all set to create your own power generators.

Power4Home is an 'easy to follow' manual which guides you through the entire process of making your own electricity. If you are too hassled with the rising electricity bills that you have to pay every month, try this out. The electricity you generate at home will help you in more ways than one. Following are a few benefits that you can look forward to if you install DIY power generators at your place:

• Needless to say, Power4Home electricity can help you save a considerable amount of money. In these times of unprecedented economic crisis, that is a huge perk to say the least!
• When you produce your electricity at home with the help of Power4Home guide you can keep a check on your monthly consumption of power. In other words you can generate as much as you want and prevent any wastage.
• You don't have to be at the mercy of commercial power suppliers anymore. You can use Power4Home electricity as and when you need it.
• Perhaps most importantly, this enables you to contribute towards the improvement of the environment.

It's high time that you do your bit to save the Earth from possible destruction. With continuous waning of the natural resources, it is becoming progressively difficult for this green planet to sustain and support the millions of people that are its inhabitants. If you want to make the situation better, start using Power4Home electricity today. Several videos depicting the ways in which the solar panels and the wind turbines can be built have been included in the manual for your help. In your attempt to make your own solar and wind power generators you will get all the necessary assistance form Power4Home.

So, what are you waiting for? Power4Home electricity is the best way to heal the earth and save your money. Make the most of it as soon as possible!

If you liked this information you can read here about Power4Home, and learn more about saving energy and reducing you energy bills dramatically by visiting my website: http://www.Power4HomeReview.com.

Power4Home

2009-12-03T10:33:00.000-08:00

Save Electricity With Renewable Energy - Learn How With Power4Home

The conventional energy sources are depleting fast and this is a worldwide concern at present. You must know that coal, petroleum and forest reserves have been reducing at an alarming rate over the last century. They have not only been used as fuel, but also to generate electricity. And it is because of electricity that most of the technological advancements have been possible. So does the lack of conventional fuels indicate that electricity will be scarce in future? Definitely not, if you consider the fact that renewable energy sources are there to help you out.

As the name suggests, renewable energy sources are those which do not get exhausted. The two best examples of these energy sources are sunlight and wind energy. In fact, you can learn how to save electricity with renewable energy (solar and wind) with the revolutionary Power4Home system. Amazed? Simply read on.

What is Power4Home?

Power4Home is not a gadget which promises to make electricity out of thin air! It is a guide which tells you how to harness solar energy and wind energy to generate electricity at home. This way you not only save electricity produced by conventional means but also can cut down on your power bills. This guide is available in the form of a downloadable e-book which can be yours for less than $200!

What Does Power4 Home Teach You?

The power4home system can enlighten you on the benefits of using renewable sources of energy by:
• Giving you specific details of how to build your own solar panels for creating energy from sunlight.
• Showing you how to create a perfect wind power generator, right at home!
• Describing how you can install the solar panels or wind turbine at home to start producing electricity.
• Telling you how to store the electricity produced so that you can use it as and when you require.
You might want to adopt power4home for using renewable energy sources because,
• You really want to reduce the power bills which seem to increase every month. The utility companies charge you premium rates for every unit of electricity consumed because they incur high costs in converting conventional fuels to electricity and so must levy the end-user (you) in order to make profit.
• You are an eco-friendly person and realize the dangers of rapid consumption of fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum for production of electricity. You might also know about the environmental hazards caused by hydro-power projects which require dams to be built across rivers, thus hampering their natural flow. So, you want to switch to renewable energy.

Whatever be your reason, you can benefit greatly by choosing Power4Home. When you want to save electricity why wait for the mega-corporations to utilize renewable energy sources and produce electricity for commercial purposes, when you can create your own power with Power4Home?

Facts about Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is a new concept but it's rapidly growing in popularity. Here are some facts that serve as an eye-opener for you.

• You might be surprised to know that wind power-generation is growing at the rate of 30% annually!
• Many households all across the globe have adopted solar power and gadgets such as solar cookers are used for preparing daily meals.
• In some parts of the world, entire villages are powered by solar energy, simply because they do not have access to conventional power.

What you need to understand is that renewable energy might not suffice for your entire power-needs but can bear a considerable portion of your electricity requirements. As a result you can expect your power bills to some down, because you are consuming lesser units of conventional power.
So, if you really want to save electricity with renewable energy, the Power4Home system can be the best way to do it!

If you liked this information you can read here about Power4Home, and learn more about saving energy and reducing you energy bills dramatically by visiting my website: http://www.Power4HomeReview.com.

Permanent Magnet Generator

2009-12-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

Is it Really Possible to Fully Power Your Home With Magnetic Energy?

Most people can't imagine not paying for electricity each month. They don't believe a permanent magnet generator can really do what it claims. Can you really generate enough magnetic energy to fully power your home?

Well, many energy efficient experts have put in a lot of time and effort to develop a device that can do just that. Most people are already familiar with solar panels and wind turbines, but fewer people are aware of the capabilities of a permanent magnet generator.

Generating solar energy with solar panels have long been the top choice for anyone interested in fully powering their home with free energy. However, if you don't have an adequate roof top and you don't have a large back yard then solar panels aren't going to do you much good.

This is the complete opposite when it comes to a permanent magnet generator. You see, these generators require far less space since they're so small. They even have the advantage of being able to fit inside your home, preferably a garage.

Unlike solar panels and wind turbines which have to be set up outside, these generators aren't vulnerable to bad weather conditions and other factors. So as you can expect, the maintenance cost is very low with these generators.

If you were to build and install your own generator it can easily power your household on a full scale. These generators can do this by using the magnetic energy of multiple magnets to produce a continuous motion in the motor. As soon as this specific motion has been initiated it won't stop.

The generator will continue to run producing more and more energy which will be used to power your home. In fact, it will be generating more energy than your household actually needs. Using this continuous motion that never stops is how a permanent magnet generator can easily power your entire home full time.

So to answer that question, yes it is really possible to fully power your home using magnetic energy. The best part is anyone can build one of these special generators as long as they can follow step by step instructions.

If you decide to implement a Permanent Magnet Generator on a full-scale, it will independently power your household, meaning, you won't have to pay anything to the power company. Click Here and take a look at how you can begin producing free energy using one of these generators.

Just How Much Does a Wind Turbine Cost?

2009-12-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

Wind experts quickly distinguish customers well schooled from novices by listening to their questions. Naturally, everybody wants to know how much a wind turbine will cost, how much it will cost to generate a kilowatt hour of electricity from a wind turbine, how that cost compares with fuel-burning generators, and how long it will take for a wind turbine to pay for itself in reduced utility bills. But only a beginner comes right out and asks the question. Well-schooled shoppers have learned that the simple question about cost, like most things wind-powered, defies a simple answer.

"So, How Much Will That Wind Turbine Cost?
"How much does a wind turbine cost?" our windsmith repeats the question. "How much do you have?" our windsmith smiles when his prospective clients look quizzically into his poker face. For a wind turbine novice, the question seems somewhere between nonsensical and funny. For our windsmith, the question seems perfectly reasonable, because the first rule of wind energy stipulates, "Bigger is better."

"How much does a wind turbine cost?" our windsmith repeats the question once more for emphasis, "Well, with wind energy," our windsmith explains, reassuring his novice clients, "you can make your towers and generators mighty big and mighty powerful, running your wind turbine cost into the millions of dollars. I'm guessing that's not exactly what you have in mind, but I must tell you, with wind energy you get what you pay for, and you are not saving any money by trying to do it on the cheap." Sensing our windsmith has given-up joking and is working toward the bottom line; his clients give him their full attention.

"With wind energy, you achieve tremendous economies of scale," our windsmith rephrases the idea of "bigger is better." "Take it as a hard-and-fast rule: Wind energy grows increasingly cost-effective as your tower-size increases and your sweep expands."

Our windsmith gives examples. Double the height of your tower, and you increase your generation between ten and twenty percent; triple your tower's height and you increase your production between fifty and sixty percent. Production grows geometrically with each height increase. Similarly, every increase in sweep geometrically increases your production, driving down your cost per kilowatt-hour. Increasing each turbine blade by a foot adds very little to the cost of construction, and it radically lowers the cost of generating electricity.

Considering the wind turbine's maintenance costs over the course of its working life, wind-power planners easily can balance minor increases in construction costs against substantial savings in repair and replacement. Upgrading the units blades from stainless steel alloys to carbon-ceramic composites, for example, adds several thousand dollars to the cost of each blade-set, but composite blades will outperform steel blades by ten to twenty per cent, and they will remain in service for twice as long as steel blades, because they do not fatigue.

Subsidizing Wind Turbine Cost
The United States and Canadian governments have offered tremendous tax incentives and other financial "considerations" for people and corporations serious about constructing wind turbines. Capitalizing on subsidies, tax breaks, and record-low interest rates, would-be builders probably can erect a community-sized wind farm for forty percent of what it would have cost just a couple of years ago. The supply and demand curves have gone out of whack, benefitting builders ready to break ground right away-"shovel ready" as they say.

Ray Kari is an alternative energy enthusiast. For more on excellent information on Wind Turbines for Sale please visit http://windturbinesforsale.net/

Get Yourself a Reliable DIY Home Study Course Before You Build Your Own Solar Panels

2009-12-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

With the ever rising electricity bills, it is normal for people to start searching for the viable option to reduce their electricity bills and the most common way is to install a solar panel at their home. However, it is not easy to start since pre-built solar panels and the installation fees are not cheap. Most of the house owners will quickly learned that it is too expensive for their pocket.

It might affordable for someone but not everyone. However, this is not the end since there are quite a lot of Do It Yourself (DIY) guides start to make their debut on the Internet. So for an individual to access the knowledge to build a solar panel is not longer impossible.

As long as an individual is serious about learning how to build a solar panel, it is not longer a dream to cut down the electricity bills and saves money. However, there are so many DIY guides roaming on the Internet, it might a bit too hard for an individual to pin-point a truly deliver guide among of hundreds of them.

To find a truly good and reliable DIY guide, the content must cover everything from the basic of the system until the project is up and running. It should come along with a good set of photo illustrations and high definition of video tutorials for additional supports. Having videos to showing how everything is done is just simply unbeatable. It is also makes the whole learning progress easy to digest and inspiring to learn.

There would be a less frustration and confusion occurred during the panel assembly if an individual have armed themselves with sufficient knowledge and good basics. If one can set up a working solar panel, the next panels would be a breeze. But in the end, it is still up to the person dedication to make a difference between success and failure for the DIY projects.

There is no perfect home energy guide that you will find on the Internet since every of them have their own charms and weakness and it is also heavily depends on the user preference as well. However, if you don't know what kind of home study course that you should get, you can visit HERE to read some reviews and see either it is fit to your preference or not, provided if you are serious to undertaking the DIY solar panels project.

How to Make Solar Panels to Eliminate Your Electricity Bill

2009-11-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

If you've ever thought about building your own solar panels, there's literally never been a better time to get started. Advancements in science and nanotechnology have made creating do it yourself (DIY) solar panels extremely effective and affordable. And with the winter months ahead of us, and many of us out of work, it's more important than ever to find ways to lower that energy bill. Besides, it's good for the planet, and the sun isn't going anywhere.

Before we begin, let's take a closer look at how solar power works and why it's an excellent choice for a DIY project:

• Property value: Solar systems are highly valued property assets as they provide clean and renewable power. Many home owners install solar right before selling their houses for a quick boost in sales.

• Cost Effective: Sunlight is free, so you're essentially producing free energy. Your only cost is the initial installation which can cost thousands of dollars. Many people see returns on their investment in a few years, but DIY solar can cost less than $200.

• EARN MONEY: Yes! You can even sell your excess energy back to the electric company, which then uses it to power other homeowners on the grid. Imagine having the electric company sending you a check each month - it's happening to people across the US right now!

• Dead Simple: There exist step-by-step guides that will hold your hand through building your solar panels, making the process foolproof and actually pretty fun!

• Smart: Investing in renewable energy is a no brainier, and will have your monthly bills dropping off in no time at all. It takes is a few days, not weeks.

• Pure, Clean, Renewable: Solar energy is unique in that it produces no negative byproducts back into the environment. It's also available in most parts of the world and requires little to no maintenance once setup

A common misconception is where solar can be placed and how much space it takes up. Most people place solar panels on their roofs, but the reality is you can just as easily place them on vacant land. As long as they are in the sun, you're good to go. And with advancements in technology, panels are becoming smaller and more powerful each passing day.

There are lots of companies that specialize in solar installation, but these can cost you thousands of dollars, which will eat into your profits. With these services it may take months and months before you get your money back with your panels. And then there's the maintenance costs of having these things fixed - it's not cheap. A much smarter but less publicized method is DIY solar. Learning how to make your own can save you time and money, and eliminate future maintenance costs because you'll know every inch of your panels. A step-by-step instructional guide, and video tutorial will have you up and running in no time at all. And best of all, the price for DIY installation guides are as little as $50 and the overall costs for the materials required for the building process won't take more than $200 - total. You will literally save thousands of dollars with a DIY solution.

There are a few bogus products out there to watch out for - there always is when there's something this incredible in the marketplace.

If you are looking for a quality and affordable guide to DIY solar, then hands down you'll have to check out Earth4Energy's line of DIY solar kits. You get step-by-step instructions, a video tutorial, 100% guarantee and lots more. They're the #1 selling DIY solar product for a reason, you can't go wrong.

Visit DIY Super Solar Power for more information.
Jason is a freelancer specializing in technology, online media, and green energy solutions.

Solar Panels For Electricity

2009-11-27T12:34:00.000-08:00

Thinking of going solar? More and more homeowners are doing it. We all know it's good for the environment, but is it a good economic decision?

The difference, financially speaking, of installing a solar energy system for your home, is whether you pay now or later. To purchase a system and have it installed, you have to come up with the money now. You'll save on your electric bill going forward, and eventually you'll break even. After that, you just have free electricity, except for the occasional maintenance of your solar system.

The break-even time varies. You have to go through the process of estimating for your specific home. There are online tools that will help you determine how big a system you'll need, how much it will cost and how much electricity it will generate. Be sure to factor in the incentives available.

Once you know the cost, you can figure out how much you'll save each year on electricity. If you're getting a system that's big enough to supply all of your home's power needs, take a look at how much you paid to the power company last year. You'll save at least that much going forward. You might choose to get a smaller system at a lower cost. In that case, figure out how much you expect your electric bills to be. If your power company buys excess power from you, you might be able to get checks from them! That would reduce the amount of time to reach the break even point.

So let's say that you've crunched the numbers and you know that it will take 10 years to break even. What now? Do you go for it? For now, let's assume that the price of solar panels is going to remain steady. (More on that later.)

If you invest in solar energy now, you can start the 10 year break even period now. If you invest in solar next year, you'll pay for one more year's worth of electric bills and then start the 10 year break even period. It would seem to make sense to take the plunge sooner rather than later.

Let's revisit the price issue. Prices of solar panels have been coming down, and it may not have reached bottom yet, but it's close. When consumers jump on the bandwagon in large numbers, prices will stabilize or even increase. More consumers are investing in solar energy than ever before. When will the floodgates really open? Maybe when the economy improves and people have the money to spend. Maybe when and if the government offers an incentive that's just too good to pass up. (Remember Cash for Clunkers?)

Speaking of incentives, currently there are incentives being offered by the federal government and by many states. Will there be incentives in the years to come? Will they be the same as they are now? Better? Not as good? It's anyone's guess, but until the floodgates open and consumers buy solar panels in droves, I suspect that the incentives will continue.

What about the cost of money? Unless you have the money sitting in the bank today, you may need to borrow the cost of your solar energy system. That means interest. Many people are finding that they can get a loan and the payments will be about what their electric bill was. That's a pretty painless way to go. You just keeping on paying the same amount until suddenly the expense goes away. The other option is to save up the money. Think about it this way. For every year you delay, you'll pay one year's worth of electric bills. Can you save up enough money in a year to make that worthwhile? Here again, this depends on your situation. If you are in a position to refinance your house (at the current low, low rates!), that's pretty inexpensive money.

If prices and incentives stay the same, and you can borrow money at a good interest rate, sooner is better. However, you can gamble one year's worth of electric bills if you think that prices will go down and/or incentives will go up in the next year.

About the Author
Coleen Smith manages a website with information about solar panels for sale. She has also written several articles on the residential solar systems.

First Solar plant re-energized

2009-11-26T12:41:00.000-08:00

Expansion reflects growth in demand across North America

A huge expansion of a solar panel manufacturing plant in Perrysburg Township is nearing completion just in time for a massive planned increase in solar energy use across the United States and Canada.

Utility-scale solar fields, mostly in the West and South, will consume the output of the First Solar Inc. plant through 2015 and probably will cause the company to import panels from its factories in Europe and Asia, an official said.

“We definitely have created demand in the United States far beyond what that single plant can supply and will need to supplement that with product from other plants,” said Alan Bernheimer, a company spokesman.

Executives launched an initiative two years ago to boost U.S. sales to correspond with the company's growing manufacturing capacity and offset any cooling of a solar energy-building boom in Europe that consumed millions of Perrysburg Township-made panels. Those efforts are now bearing fruit.

Massive solar fields built by First Solar have been completed or are nearing completion outside Las Vegas, in southern California, and in Ontario along Lake Huron.

Five other big First Solar projects that probably will use panels from the suburban Toledo plant are under way or have been announced. They include one that would become the largest solar array in the nation, covering nearly seven square miles and producing enough electricity for 160,000 homes.

All of the projects are multiple-acre solar fields that will be connected to the nation's electric grid.

An evolution
If the company moves forward on already-announced projects, the work would consume more than 18 million of the 2-foot-by-4-foot panels that First Solar produces.

“That's great news,” said Steve Weathers, president of Toledo's Regional Growth Partnership. “What we like to see with any company is growth in their customer base.”

He said the local plant's growth demonstrates an evolution in the local economy as northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan shift to other industries and away from heavy reliance on jobs in auto manufacturing.

First Solar, which began in Toledo but is based in Tempe, Ariz., spent $100 million to nearly double the size of its single North American manufacturing facility, which is in Perrysburg Township.

A fourth production line that will boost capacity to 2.8 million panels a year from the current 2 million is to begin making products by March 31, officials said. The plant will be able to annually manufacture panels capable of making 212 megawatts (or 212 million watts) of electricity.

The expansion project, which is to be finished by early next year, also includes a research center and added office space. It is expected to boost employment to about 840 from 700.

The plant became First Solar's first factory in 2000. The company grew out of collaboration between Toledo glass pioneer Harold McMaster and Wal-Mart retailing heir John Walton.

Since perfecting its product at the Perrysburg Township factory, First Solar has grown into a $2 billion-a-year manufacturer of a new, cheaper-to-produce panel made with thin-film technology. The firm has expanded to Europe and Asia, with manufacturing complexes in Frankfurt/Oder, Germany, and Kulim, Malaysia.

Possible problems
Large government subsidies have made Europe the destination for most panels produced by the company, including those from Perrysburg Township.

But Spain and Germany, the top two users of solar power, have scaled back on incentives in the past two years, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Coupled with increasing manufacturing capacity in the United States and around the world, the industry faces the prospect of unsold inventory and lower prices, experts warn.

In this environment, another metro Toledo start-up, Willard & Kelsey Solar Group LLC, Perrysburg, has had difficulty obtaining financing to begin large-scale production of solar panels.

A third Toledo start-up, Xunlight Corp., is hunting for customers for its sheetlike solar panels.

Stock of First Solar took a hit last month after executives announced third-quarter sales were $481 million, about 9 percent less than the $530 million expected by Wall Street.

Even with quarterly profit of $153 million, First Solar shares lost 17 percent — or $25 each — to close at $126.67 in New York Stock Exchange Trading on the day after the earnings announcement. The stock fell to $121.18 at the close of trading Friday.

Still, the firm remains one of the most respected manufacturers of solar panels in the world. It is negotiating with the Chinese government to build a massive solar field there.

And the company last month was added to the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, a widely watched stock-market barometer that consists of leading U.S. companies.

First Solar executives say their efforts to promote domestic demand have met with success.

The firm, which branched out from panel production into solar plant development and management, has announced projects with a capacity to produce 1.3 gigawatts (1.3 billion watts) of electricity.

They represent about one tenth of the 14.3 gigawatts now in development nationwide, said Monique Hanis, spokesman for the Solar Energy Industries Association.

“This is the most we've had in the pipeline in the United States,” she added.

The solar rush
The rush to boost solar, propelled in part by laws in many states requiring utilities to produce a portion of power from renewable sources, helped catapult the United States past Japan to third in development of new solar plants last year, the organization reported.

Still, in total capacity, the United States (1.6 gigawatts) ranks fourth behind No. 1 Germany (5.3 gigawatts), Spain (3 gigawatts), and Japan (2.2 gigawatts).

If all planned projects come to fruition, U.S. use of solar power would grow steeply, but projects face potential roadblocks, the industry spokesman cautioned.

Financing for solar plants became more difficult after the credit and banking crisis that swept across the nation late last year. And it is unclear if all planned projects will attract lenders and investors, Ms. Hanis added.

First Solar officials say, however, that they have not had trouble finding investors and buyers for their projects.

One example is the El Dorado Solar plant outside Las Vegas in Boulder City, Nev., a city established in 1932 to provide housing for workers building the Hoover Dam.

The Perrysburg plant provided 167,000 panels to the plant, which was completed late last year.

With a capacity to produce 10 megawatts of power, the plant is owned by Sempra Generation of San Diego and has a long-term contract to supply power to Pacific Gas & Electric, which serves customers in northern and central California. It is the nation's third-largest facility powered by solar panels behind plants in Arcadia, Fla., and in Clark County, Nevada, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

“It's been performing quite well,” said Art Larson, a Sempra spokesman. “We're in an area where the sun shines almost every day.” The facility employs one person.

Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to buy an additional 48 megawatts of power, and Sempra is awaiting approval from the state Public Utilities Commission to begin a plant expansion, Mr. Larson said.

First Solar announced last month that it has sold to Enbridge Inc. of Toronto a solar field nearing completion near Sarnia, Ont. The facility will produce 20 megawatts of power, which is enough to provide electricity to 3,200 homes.

The Ontario Power Authority has signed a contract to purchase electricity from the solar installation for 20 years.

Enbridge and First Solar wouldn't discuss the sale price of the Sarnia plant which, when completed, will be Canada's largest solar field.

Wyandot County
The Midwest's largest solar installation is being built with 160,000 First Solar panels on a longtime soybean field near Wyandot County's Upper Sandusky, which is 75 miles south of Toledo. The 10-megawatt system will be owned by PSEG Solar Source of Newark, N.J., and is to supply electricity to customers of American Electric Power Ohio, Columbus.

Frames that will hold solar panels for the ground-mounted system are rising on an 83-acre, county-owned site at County Road 44 and State Rt. 199.

It is to begin producing electricity next year.

“From the county's perspective, we are excited,” said Eric Romich, economic development director. “It puts Wyandot County in the spotlight. … We're hoping we can springboard this project to foster other development.”

More developments
Another First Solar project, to be completed by the end of 2009, is in Blythe, Calif., 225 miles east of Los Angeles. The plant will produce 7.5 megawatts for customers of Southern California Edison.

First Solar will supply 500,000 panels to a solar field to be built in Colfax County in northern New Mexico near the village of Cimarron on a hunting preserve and guest ranch owned by media mogul Ted Turner.

The solar farm, where construction is to begin in April and is to be finished later in 2010, will produce enough electricity to supply 9,000 homes. Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association Inc., a rural electric cooperative in Westminster, Colo., that serves the western United States, has committed to purchasing the power for 25 years.

The 250-acre plant will be on Mr. Turner's storied Vermejo Park Ranch, where hunters pay $12,000 each for the chance to hunt elk and other game.

Before the CNN founder bought the 920-square-mile property in 1996, it had been a retreat for Hollywood celebrities in the Roaring '20s and, later, a corporate-owned cattle ranch.

Other projects, which have yet to receive environmental and other permits, are a 550-megawatt field planned for San Luis Obispo County, California, and twin projects of 250 megawatts and 200 megawatts each in Riverside and San Bernardino, Calif., First Solar officials said.

To aid its effort to boost development of solar fields in the United States, First Solar has made a number of strategic acquisitions. In 2007, it paid Mr. Turner $34 million for New Jersey-based DT Solar, which boosted the firm's engineering, procurement, and construction capabilities.

Then last April, it traded $400 million in First Solar stock for the massive project portfolio of California-based Opti-Solar, which brought to the company most of the projects now in development.

The deal included a 50-person sales and project-development team in Oakland.

And in yet another transaction, First Solar last year signed a supply agreement with California-based Solar City, a large installer of home solar systems, as part of which Solar City will install up to 1.4 million First Solar panels on residential rooftops over the next five years.

Contact Gary Pakulski at:gpakulski@theblade.comor 419-724-6082.

Source

Ambitious solar plans unveiled by India

2009-11-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

India's Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, has confirmed details of the national solar energy development policy in a statement to Parliament.

One of the eight key National Missions which comprise India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change, the so-called Solar Mission, launched under the brand name “Solar India” recommends a three phase implementation, leading to an installed capacity of some 20,000 MW in 2022.

The first phase will last until 2012-2013, Phase 2 will run from 2013-2017 and 2017-2022 as Phase 3. The first phase will focus on capturing low-hanging options in solar thermal; promoting off-grid systems to serve populations without access to commercial energy, and modest capacity additions of grid-based systems. In the second phase, the government says that capacity will be aggressively ramped up to create conditions for up-scaled and competitive solar energy penetration.

Targets include ramping up capacity of grid-connected solar power generation to 1000 MW by 2013, and an additional 3000 MW by 2017 through the mandatory use of renewable purchase obligations by utilities, backed with a preferential tariff. This total potential installed capacity could be more than doubled to 10 GW or more by 2017 based on enhanced and enabled international finance and technology transfer, the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNES) says.

At the end of each plan - and mid-term during the first two phases - there will be an evaluation of progress and a review of capacity and targets for subsequent phases. Reviews will be based on emerging cost and technology trends, both domestic and global, with the aim of protecting the government from subsidy exposure in the event that cost reduction does not materialize or is more rapid than expected.

The ambitious 2022 target of 20 GW or more will be dependent on the first two phases, which if successful, could lead to grid-competitive solar power by the end of the programme, MNES adds. Grid parity with cheap coal-fired thermal power is anticipated by 2030, although the government warns that this cost trajectory will depend upon the scale of global deployment and technology development and transfer. Nonetheless, there are a number of off-grid solar applications particularly for meeting rural energy needs, which are already cost-effective and provide for rapid expansion.

Already faced with crippling electricity shortages, prices of electricity traded internally have touched Rs 7/kWh (US cent 15/kWh) for baseload and around Rs 8.50/kWh (US cent 18.5/kWh) during peak periods, the country is also increasing the use of diesel-based electricity, which costs as high as Rs 15/kWh (US cent 32.6/kWh).

“It is in this situation the solar imperative is both urgent and feasible to enable the country to meet long-term energy needs”, observed Abdullah.

Noting that “the next three to four years will be critical”, the Cabinet has approved 1100 MW of grid-connected solar power and 200 MW of off-grid installations using both solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies in the first phase of the Mission. In addition, the policy also focuses on developing a sustainable indigenous market.

Under the terms of the scheme, for the next three years the power trading company NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), an arm of the National Thermal Power Company (NTPC) will purchase solar power generated by independent solar power producers. Production rates are to be fixed by the Central Regulatory Electricity Commission for a period yet to be specified. Meanwhile, the government says it will provide equivalent power from an unallocated portion of NTPC’s capacity to allow other utility groups to purchase a solar power equivalent, which they will be able to count against their renewable portfolio (RPO) obligations. The solar component of the RPO will be gradually increased while the tariff fixed for solar power purchase will decline over time, the government says.

The Mission also includes a major initiative for promoting rooftop solar PV applications, with a solar feed-in tariff to be announced by regulatory authorities which will be applicable for such installations. Local power distribution companies will also be involved in purchasing this power. An awareness campaign for solar thermal heating is also planned, with targets to achieve 15 million square meters of solar thermal collector area by 2017 and 20 million square meters by 2022. Indeed, the Mission is setting an ambitious target for ensuring that domestic and industrial applications below 80 °C are solarised, among other measures making solar heaters mandatory, through building byelaws and incorporation in the National Building Code.

In the off-grid sector, the Solar Mission has set a target of 1000 MW by 2017, but plans to provide solar lighting systems under the ongoing remote village electrification programme to cover about 10,000 villages and hamlets with a 90% subsidy provided. Some 20 million solar lighting systems are to deployed in rural areas by 2022 under the terms of the scheme as outlined.

A number of concentrating solar power (CSP) demonstration projects are also planned in Phase 1, including a 50-100 MW solar thermal plant with 4-6 hours’ storage which can double plant load factor up to 40%; a 100 MW parabolic trough-based concentrating solar thermal plant, and a 100-150 MW solar hybrid plant with coal, gas or biomass to address variability and space-constraints. A 20-50 MW solar plant with or without storage and based on central receiver technology with molten salt/steam as the working fluid as well as other emerging technologies, such as solar cooling, are also to be developed under the demonstration project programme.

In launching India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change on 30 June, 2008, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh stated: “Over a period of time, we must pioneer a graduated shift … to renewable sources of energy. In this strategy, the sun occupies centre-stage, as it should.”

renewableenergyworld

Canelievered Solar Power Arc Design

2009-11-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

It has been called everything from Noah’s Eco-Arc to a giant stapler and many things in between. Born of a recall this structure was designed with reuse/recycling as well as alternative energy in mind. Following an unfortunate recall of a huge number of photovalic cells that simply could not be ethically resold Sanyo decided to use them themselves and create an amazing company structure at the same time.

Source

Sassy Solar Powered Bra

2009-11-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

It is hard to say whether the solar bra concept is more geared toward a male of a female audience. The stomach solar panel is perhaps a little less than sexy but supposedly generates enough energy to power a small mobile device such as an MP3 player or a cellular phone. The idea is interesting but the implementation is dubious. After all, who goes outside in only a bra? And what about the unwashability of such a clothing item?

Source

A dummy’s guide to California’s new energy policies

2009-10-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been busy this week. Between getting laughs during his Oracle OpenWorld keynote and signing off on a flurry of legislation, he’s quickly redefined the state’s energy policies in bold and complex ways.

In an effort to catch up, here’s a roundup of the top changes he’s made and the ambitious new goals he’s throwing his considerable weight behind going forward. The laws can be sort of arcane for the uninitiated, so here’s a clear explanation of what these new laws are all about.

Governator says ‘hasta la vista’ to renewable power standards

The governor made good on his promise last month to veto legislation requiring that 33 percent of California’s power come from renewable sources of energy by 2020 (S.B. 14). He chose instead to issue an executive order mandating the same percentage, but not requiring all of this power to come from inside the state (unlike the bill, supposedly). Schwarzenegger and his supporters argued that California doesn’t have the money to build the new powerplants, power lines and other infrastructure needed to generate that much renewable energy.

The bill’s sponsor, Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), intended for the legislation to create more jobs in California. In response to the veto, he said the executive order will be harder to enforce than a law coming out of the legislature. He also pointed out that his bill would have allowed for the import of out-of-state energy if it could be transmitted from source to consumer within 24 hours. Those opposing the bill — scaring taxpayers about hiked electricity prices — overlooked these exceptions, Simitian said. He went as far as to say that the next governor could and should easily overturn Schwarzenegger’s decision on the bill.

Allowing consumers to give back … to the grid

As more California residents choose to install roof-top solar panels, and even residential wind turbines, laws dictating how this energy should be channeled back to the grid are becoming increasingly important. To tackle this issue, at least in part, Schwarzenegger signed off on A.B. 920, an amendment to the Public Utility Code that requires electric utilities to pay for power their customers may be generating in their homes. That’s better for consumers: Until now, some utilities gave out credits instead of cash in exchange for this power, which customers could use to offset periods of high energy use in the future — but they lost the credits if they didn’t use them by a certain time.

The new law will probably give a nice boost to the residential solar industry, which has been bound up in red tape so far. The power created by rooftop panels will also count toward the 33 percent renewable energy targets the governor has laid out. As a result, a new report issued by Deutsche bank predicts solar companies in California (and those that supply the state) to hit a phase of sustained profitability — at least for the top several companies.

The most vocal opponent of this bill was Pacific Gas & Electric — somewhat of a surprise considering how progressive it has been in other conservation and Smart Grid efforts. The Northern California utility claimed that if it is forced to pay for excess energy generated by consumers, electric bills for those who don’t contribute power back to the grid will go up. But to no avail, starting Jan. 1, 2011, PG&E and its California cohort will have to defer to the state’s Public Utilities Commission, which will set the rate they will need to pay for consumer-generated wind and solar energy.

A new “feed-in” tariff: Taking a page from Europe’s playbook

California may be the most ambitious state when it comes to reforming energy policy, but it still trails Europe in subsidies and incentives. Schwarzenegger did, however, close this gap a bit by signing S.B. 32, one of several bills that will establish a so-called “feed-in” tariff requiring utilities to buy commercial-scale solar power at fixed, higher rates than they buy traditionally generated power (coal and natural gas, for example) for the next 20 years. In other words, the state is helping solar generators defray the costs of producing power by guaranteeing more revenue. And utilities may not necessarily mind because they’re eligible for subsidies for their investments in renewable energy. This type of solar-support measure already exists in Europe where certain countries have taken a long lead on solar development. Why is it called a “feed-in”? Beats us! That’s just what it’s called in Europe, and we’ve borrowed the clunky name.

This move should be a big win for smaller photovoltaic plants (producing under 3 megawatts) in California. That said, both Spain and Germany have both had to roll back their feed-in tariff policies after they led to saturation in the solar market. The countries say they will cut rates or selectively apply regulations for solar energy just enough to fix the situation without harming the industry’s growth. This is something for California to watch out for — the U.S. is already seeing prices for solar equipment drop because there is too much supply. Artificially supporting more small solar players could actually work against the industry’s progress.

Making it easier for renewables to use public land

In addition to all the legislative action, Schwarzenegger signed a first-of-its-kind “memorandum of understanding” between California and the federal government, shortening the process renewable energy companies must undergo to build on publicly-owned land. U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar also signed the document, expediting development of 30 solar, wind and geothermal projects that have been in California’s hopper for a while. All of them are looking to break ground as soon as possible in order to be eligible for federal stimulus dollars (preference is being given to shovel-ready candidates).

This is a power play for Schwarzenegger, who has expressed much frustration about how long it takes for renewable energy developments to move from planning to construction phases. Speeding up the 30 projects, amounting to as much as 700 megawatts of energy, will also go a long way toward hitting the new 33 percent renewable energy source target.

The Department of the Interior will now be intimately involved in reviewing and approving applications for renewable projects on public land. It will also team with California’s Natural Resources Agency to designate which zones are ripe for energy facilities, and which zones must be conserved — also helping to sort applications much more quickly. Interestingly, immediate preference will be given to solar applicants.

Schwarzenegger turns off big-screen TV sales

Shifting gears from sweeping policy changes to a more niche issues, Schwarzenegger took on large “energy-guzzling” televisions, today,throwing his support behind a ban on big-screen plasma TV sets measuring more than 40-inches wide. These entertainment systems are said to use as much as three times the energy consumed by the average-sized television.

It might sound bizarre, but some energy analysts say stopping sales of thes TVs could cut California’s energy expenditures by $8.1 billion dollars over the next 10 years. About 10 percent of the energy used in California residential areas goes to powering its 35 million televisions.

The measure, introduced by the California Energy Commission, obviously rubs electronics makers and the lobbying Consumer Electronics Association the wrong way. Their argument: Consumers that already own supersized sets will be penalized during already difficult economic times. But this doesn’t seem to be a reasonable rebuttal, considering that the commission is only proposing to yank 25 percent of the sets currently being sold out of stores. Other replacement efforts will be voluntary, it says, without regulators truly cracking down until 2013. The issue will likely come to a vote on Nov. 4

One group stands to benefit greatly from the new restrictions: makers of light emitting-diode television makers. These models are said to cut energy use by two-thirds in some cases, making even those screens larger than 50 inches across, more efficient to run than their much smaller plasma and liquid-crystal-based peers.

There you have it. It keeps California on the leading edge of Green. Now the spotlight turns back to Washington!

Are Green Jobs Good Jobs?

2009-10-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Many clean-technology jobs pay well, according to a report released Wednesday by the research firm Clean Edge and PayScale, an online compensation data company.

Lawmakers, clean-technology companies and out-of-work employees are hoping that green jobs can replace some of the millions of jobs lost in the recession. But controversy over the wages for these jobs has raised some dispute about whether green jobs are good jobs.

A United States Senate Subcommittee on Green Jobs report earlier this year, for example, found low pay in wind and solar energy, green construction, and recycling workplaces, with jobs in recycling processing paying as low as $8.25 an hour and jobs in renewable-energy factories paying as little as $11 an hour.

According to that report, many wind and solar factories pay below the national average for workers manufacturing durable goods, and most green carpenters, roofers, painters and laborers earn less than $12.50 per hour.

The findings from the PayScale and Clean Edge survey strike something of a counterpoint to that study.

The median earnings found in the survey range from $36,100 a year for an insulation worker to $112,000 a year for design engineering managers in alternative energy, according to Al Lee, director of quantitative analysis at PayScale.

All the jobs PayScale found were “very reasonably paid,” Mr. Lee said, adding that several entry-level positions — including jobs as solar-energy system installers and solar fabrication technicians — require only high school or associate’s degrees and pay more than $40,000 annually.

“It’s not like working the McDonald’s line,” he said.

Most of the jobs in the survey are for employees with bachelor’s degrees, and more than one-third are engineering jobs, Mr. Lee said.

Still, clean-tech jobs aren’t yet able to replace all the jobs lost in other industries, Ron Pernick, a principal at Clean Edge and the lead author of the report, said during a conference call. And many projects have been put on hold or scrapped in the economic downturn, Mr. Pernick said.

But a significant number of clean-tech jobs offer competitive wages, he added, and a number of companies are opening factories in places that have recently sustained manufacturing layoffs.

Some bright spots include wind-turbine-blade manufacturing by TPI Composites, which has hired 325 people since last year in Newton, Iowa, where Maytag laid off 1,800 workers in 2007. The company aims to employ 500 workers by next year.

Another example is a Ford assembly plant in Michigan that sent 1,500 employees packing when it closed in 2007. It is slated for conversion into a renewable-energy manufacturing park by the energy-storage company Xtreme Power and Clairvoyant Energy, a solar-panel manufacturer.

“It’s encouraging to see that in a dire economic situation, one of the few places we’re seeing job creation is in the clean-tech industry,” Mr. Pernick said.

By Jennifer Kho