Archive for the 'biomass' Category
September 30, 2015
World:
¶ The UK’s South West is self-sufficient and even able to export electricity on sunny summer days, the region’s renewable industry body has revealed. The potential of Solar power in Devon and Cornwall is highlighted as new official figures showed that more than a quarter of the UK’s electricity came from renewables this spring. [Western Morning News]
Cold Northcott wind farm in Cornwall. Photo by Jon Coupland. CC BY-SA 2.0
¶ Speaking in a radio interview on Tuesday morning, Australia’s Energy Minister confirmed that the Liberal Party, under the new leadership of Malcolm Turnbull, its new leader and subsequently Australia’s new Prime Minister, will be supporting the renewable energy sector and opening up support for emerging technologies. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Like the US, China has been slow to adopt fuel cell electric vehicles, but it looks like things are stepping up in a big way. The cities of Foshan and Yunfu are jumping into the lead with a $17 million order for 300 fuel cell electric buses, just announced by the Canadian company Ballard Power Systems through its Chinese licensee. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Western Power, the state-owned company that operates the grid in the south-west corner of Western Australia, may take some communities completely off grid so that it can save money on costly network upgrades and extensions. They are considering up to ten stand-alone systems, using solar, batteries, and back-up diesel. [One Step Off The Grid]
Margaret River, Western Australia, is one of the communities that may go off-grid. Photo by Rob & Jules. CC BY 2.0.
¶ BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, did an analysis of climate change, and issued the findings in a report. The company says it believes climate change is real and that action will be taken. In fact, the introduction calls for an agreement to restrict global warming to 2 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels. [Business Insider Australia]
¶ Despite getting 55% of its energy from coal-fired plants, the Alberta premier says the province will drop coal. She said the government is looking for a strategy to phase out the use of coal as quickly as possible, switching to renewables and efficiency without imposing unnecessary price shocks or unnecessarily stranding capital. [MINING.com]
¶ Rosatom initially pledged to have the first of the four reactors in the southern Turkish town of Akkuyu ready by 2019 but regulatory hurdles and Russia’s financial woes have slowed the $20 billion project’s progress. In March, there was talk that it would be delayed until at 2022, at earliest. Now, more delay is expected. [Today’s Zaman]
US:
¶ A newly expanded Nevada plant is providing 16.2 MW of renewable energy, enough for 22,500 Los Angeles households, reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 14,600 cars off the road, officials announced Tuesday. The plant, built as an expansion of an existing facility and completed months ahead of schedule. [MyNewsLA.com]
Don Campbell I geothermal plant in Nevada. Photo courtesy of the Nevada Department of Energy
¶ International credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service expects battery storage to be economical within 3 to 5 years in the US. The biggest losers will be coal-powered generators and peaking gas plants. Moody’s says battery storage costs have fallen 50% in recent years, and their rapid fall is likely to continue in the next few. [CleanTechnica]
¶ The US House passed the RAPID Act, prohibiting federal agencies from following draft guidance from the White House Council on Environmental Quality for “consideration of greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change” in environmental reviews. Citibank puts the worldwide cost of the emissions at $44 trillion annually. [CleanTechnica]
The Deep Water Wind project will create five turbines off the coast of Block Island. Photo by Hans Hilewaert.
¶ Three miles off the coast of Block Island, Deep Water Wind is overseeing construction of the first offshore wind farm in the United States and is expecting the controversial turbines to begin producing electricity by fall 2016. The project will consist of five turbines connected to the mainland by an underwater cable. [The Brown Daily Herald]
¶ Solar energy pricing is at an all-time low, according to a report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Driven by lower installed costs, improved project performance, and a race to build projects ahead of a reduction in a key federal incentive, utility-scale solar PV power sales agreements are averaging just 5¢/kWh. [solarserver.com]
¶ North Carolina has surpassed 1 GW of installed solar capacity, the fourth US state to do so, according to the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. The state reached 1.04 GW of installed capacity as of September 24. California, Arizona, and New Jersey had already reached the 1-GW milestone. [CleanTechnica]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
August 14, 2014
Opinion:
¶ “‘Experts’ Have Been Misleading People About Renewable Energy” one of the striking patterns of behaviour in the energy industry over the last decade has been the ability of the “established” energy experts to underestimate growth of renewable energy and to overplay fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]
Science and Technology:
¶ Morgan Stanley’s report on Solar Power and Energy Storage contains a fascinating comment about the potential ramifications of Tesla’s focus on developing large numbers of electric batteries, indicating that the batteries could be a grid defection tipping point in the US and Europe. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ A Western Australian government review has revealed the full catastrophe of the state’s electricity market, highlighting the extraordinary waste and misdirected subsidies that are costing it billions of dollars, much of this spent on fossil fuel plants that have never been used. [RenewEconomy]
¶ RWE, Germany’s second-biggest utility by market value, posted a 62% drop in profit on Thursday and announced plans to shut down more power stations. The utility blamed the expansion of renewable energy in Germany. [Financial Times]
¶ The UK solar power industry accused the government of undermining the development of renewable technologies, after it emerged that a total of £205 million a year will be available for major forms of renewable energy, including wind, solar farms, and biomass power plants. [The Northern Echo]
¶ A British Columbian First Nation Tribal Council signed a partnership agreement this week with the independent power firm Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. with respect to six separate run-of-river power projects, worth up to $720 million, on streams within their territory. [Vancouver Sun]
¶ New Zealand gentailer Contact Energy unveiled its most advanced geothermal power station at the “world-class” Wairākei geothermal resource. The 159 MW Te Mihi station boasts two 83 MW steam turbines. [Business Spectator]
US:
¶ If the controversial northern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline is approved and built, the resulting amount of carbon emitted into earth’s atmosphere could be up to four times greater than the US State Department estimated, a new scientific paper shows. [Resilience]
¶ A grass-roots group based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is working to “responsibly retire” the Schiller Station power plant in Newington and is increasing pressure on state legislators to force divestiture of the plant. The coal-burning plant is owned by Public Service of New Hampshire. [Seacoastonline.com]
¶ Ford Motor Company is teaming with DTE Energy to build Michigan’s largest solar array at Ford World Headquarters. The project will provide employees with 360 covered parking spaces and 30 charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles. [Stockhouse]
¶ Oklahoma Gas and Electric was ultimately unsuccessful when it took the US EPA to court over the regional haze, mercury, and air toxics rules. Now, the time to start complying with the regulations has come, which the utility says will mean higher electricity bills for customers. [KGOU]
¶ Hoosier Energy has entered into a 15-year power purchase agreement with EDP Renewables North America that will add 25 MW of wind energy from an Illinois wind farm beginning in December of 2014. [Inside Indiana Business]
¶ Former President Jimmy Carter is back, this time proposing a carbon tax to fight global warming and calling out skeptics. Carter said that such a tax was “the only reasonable approach” to fighting global warming. [Daily Caller]
¶ The US DOE issued the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission line, clearing it for final permitting. It is expected to bring New York up to 1,000 MW of renewable power, reducing dependency on the Indian Point nuclear plant. [POWER magazine]
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Tags: hydro power, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
December 31, 2013
New Year
¶ “A resolution for 2014 – go 100% renewable!” The only thing slowing us down is the lack of political will. The countries winning the clean energy race all have one thing in common: effective national laws and policies. [The Ecologist]
¶ “Top 10 Solar News Stories we’re thankful for in 2013” Solar is getting to be the fastest-growing industry in the US. When the military is getting in on the action, you know something’s going on. [PV Solar report]
¶ “Executive Perspectives: The Most Important Trends in Energy Efficiency” Was 2013 the year efficiency got cool, sexy and cheap? Not quite. But it did become cooler, sexier and cheaper than ever before. [Energy Collective]
Opinion:
¶ “7 things everyone knows about energy that just ain’t so” The list is getting longer as the fossil fuel industry (which has little interest in intellectual honesty) continues its skillful manipulation of a gullible and sometimes careless media. [Resilience]
World:
¶ People in British Columbia understand that wind power is emissions free. The surprise for most is that wind energy is now the province’s lowest-cost renewable resource for new electricity generation, and experts say the costs will continue to fall. [Vancouver Sun]
¶ Data from Ofgem, the UK’s regulator of electricity and gas markets, shows Scotland’s installed solar PV capacity has reached 106 MW – an increase of 28 MW (36%) on the same time in 2012. At the end of 2010 Scotland had just 2 MW of PVs. [Energy Matters]
¶ A group of lawmakers from Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party seeking to phase out nuclear power has made a proposal that would describe nuclear power as a “transitional” energy source, the sources said. [The Japan Times]
US:
¶ Vestas recently received an order of 150 MW of wind turbines for multiple First Wind projects in the US, enough to power up to 50,000 homes. Around the same time, it received an order for 110 MW worth of wind turbines for another US wind farm. [CleanTechnica]
¶ RGS Energy, the commercial and utility division of Real Goods Solar, Inc., has joined forces with Green Lantern Capital to co-develop seven solar projects totaling 4.5 MW in Vermont. The company expects to complete construction by November, 2014. [MarketWatch]
¶ An anaerobic digestion (AD) system has begun operations in Akron, Ohio. The project can now accommodate 100% of the biosolid waste stream and is expected to generate 10,000 MWh of electricity annually. [Biomass Magazine]
¶ EDF Renewable Energy has begun operations of two biomass power plants in South Carolina, a 17.8 MW plant in Allendale County and a 17.8 MW facility in Dorchester County. [Biomass Magazine]
¶ The controversial production tax credit given to wind-energy developers expires with 2013 ending. But the controversy won’t disappear with the new year, spawning instead new discussions about potential compromises over the federal subsidy pie. [Christian Science Monitor]
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Tags: biomass, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
December 25, 2013
Opinion:
¶ “Renewable Energy: From Pipe Dream To Mainstream” More and more ordinary businesses and institutions are aiming for 100% renewable energy, challenging conventional thinking that such targets are just pipe dreams. [TFM]
¶ “The nuclear renaissance is stone cold dead” 2013 has been the nuclear power industry’s annus horribilis and the nuclear renaissance can now be pronounced stone cold dead. Dr Jim Green reveals the global unravelling of the nuclear dream … [The Ecologist]
World:
¶ Hydrotec Renewables Inc. says it plans to build hydro power plants on the Philippine island of Leyte. The renewable energy company is currently scouting for potential sites where it can put up mini and micro hydro facilities. [Business Mirror]
¶ The International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank, has offered to support the Indian state of Odisha in formulation of a renewable energy policy with focus on solar and small hydro power. [Economic Times]
¶ Renewable Energy Generation Limited, the UK renewable energy group, announced that it has entered into a turbine supply agreement with Vestas Celtic Wind Technology Limited covering the supply of nine turbines for sites in Cornwall and Cambridgeshire. [4-traders]
US:
¶ Napa County may soon be taking another step in joining a Marin County-based energy program that could offer residents of the unincorporated area access to 50% to 100% renewable energy for their domestic use. [Napa Valley Register]
¶ Solar panels have been installed on the rooftops and in the parking lot of the Desert Research Institute in Reno. The solar array will save the facility $80,000 a year in electrical costs and create seven full-time jobs. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
¶ Kalaeloa Renewable Energy Park, one of Hawaii’s largest solar energy generation facilities at 5 MW, has opened and will begin generating electricity for Hawaiian Electric customers on Oahu, following testing in November. [Solar Industry]
¶ The US Army has successfully flown the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on Gevo’s ATJ-8 (alcohol-to-jet). Gevo hopes isobutanol will be used as a blendstock for the Farm-to-Fleet program that aims to produce renewable fuels in the US. [Hydrocarbon Processing]
¶ An initial funding of $210 million is being put into renewables financing by the New York Green Bank. Gov. Cuomo says the funding represents a new market-oriented approach to accelerate clean energy deployment and create jobs. [Solar Industry]
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Tags: biofuel, hydro power, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
November 22, 2013
Opinion:
¶ “Ranking the climate culprits” Groundbreaking, independent new research — eight years in the making — is shining fresh light on the biggest climate culprits in the world, and quantifying exactly how much of the climate change pie belongs to whom. [eco-business.com]
World:
¶ The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has set an ambitious target to replace all of the nation’s cars with electric vehicles as part of a government effort towards environmental sustainability as well as to reduce the cost of fossil fuel imports. [EconomyWatch.com]
¶ The government of Zimbabwe is looking to renewable energy as part of a solution for its financial problems and increasing manufacturing output in the country, creating employment and decreasing poverty in the process. [BizDay Zimbabwe]
¶ Alstom installed its first 6 MW Haliade 150 off the coast of Belgium. It is the largest offshore wind turbine ever installed in sea waters. The turbine has a 15% better yield than earlier models. [Renewable Energy Focus]
¶ Coalition talks in Germany to form the next government between Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU and the social democratic SPD are considering a two-year extension to premium feed-in tariffs for offshore wind. [reNews]
¶ A nuclear reactor at Scotland’s Torness Power Station was today shut down for the second time this year after its seawater cooling system again became clogged with seaweed. The 640 MW reactor is expected to remain closed for a week. [Edinburgh Evening News]
US:
¶ As House and Senate budget negotiators look for ways to lower deficits, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) today introduced legislation to eliminate tax loopholes and subsidies that support the oil, gas and coal industries. [vtdigger.org]
¶ Wind and solar were the fastest growing technologies for electricity generation in 2012, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Wind capacity grew 28% to 60 GW in 2012 and PVs were up 83% to 7.3 GW compared to 2011. [Denver Post]
¶ Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative has dedicated a new 49-megawatt biomass plant that turns wood waste into electricity. The $178 million plant will provide 6% of NOVEC’s power and help the Virginia’s 15% renewable energy standard. [Electric Co-op Today]
¶ The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and a consortium of solar industry professionals have introduced standardized solar contract templates, which make it easier for everyone involved in the industry, from homeowners to financiers. [Clean Energy Authority]
¶ Ohio’s renewable energy law of 2008 has saved the state 5 million MWh through mandated efficiency and reduced peak demand by 1,583 MW. Also, 313 MW of wind power and 25 MW of solar capacity were added statewide in 2012 alone. [HispanicBusiness.com]
¶ EDF Renewable Energy and Santee Cooper today dedicated the Pinelands Biomass project which consists of two nominal 17.8 MW generating facilities located in Allendale and Dorchester counties in South Carolina. [The T and D.com]
¶ According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Energy Projects, 694 MW of new renewable capacity was added in October, 99.3% of the total. Of new capacity, 72.1% was solar, 17.7% was biomass, and 9.4% was windpower. [Green Building Elements]
¶ A Maryland county has passed a precedent-setting clean energy bill – it could be the first in the US to require all government buildings to run on renewable energy. Every building must have 1 kW of clean energy per 1,000 square feet. [SustainableBusiness.com]
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Tags: biomass, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
November 17, 2013
World:
¶ The new hydropower systems recently installed on the River Thames are now generating enough power for Windsor Castle, and more according to the director. They are producing 200 kW, and sometimes running some electricity onto the grid. [Royal Central]
¶ Ontario will achieve its goal to eliminate coal-fired generation before the end of 2014. Over the next year, the Thunder Bay Generating Station will stop burning coal and be converted to use advanced biomass as fuel for electricity generation. [4-traders]
¶ Power station Drax said full year earnings will be “materially ahead” of market forecasts following a better than expected performance from its first biomass unit in Yorkshire. [Yorkshire Post]
¶ Tokyo Electric Power Co. is looking to shed 1,000 jobs through a voluntary redundancy program to boost efficiency and improve earnings, sources revealed Saturday. [The Japan Times]
¶ A 20-year program to convert highly enriched uranium from dismantled Russian nuclear weapons into fuel for U.S. power plants has ended, with the final shipment loaded onto a vessel in St. Petersburg’s port. [Las Vegas Sun]
US:
¶ Lawmakers on Maine’s Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee are working on bills to be held over from 2013. They include bills on renewable energy, wind power, and the state’s renewable energy standard. [Lewiston Sun Journal]
¶ Maine’s Meadowmere Resort is adding solar PV to generate electricity. The solar field will feature over 70 panels and generate 18 kW for roughly 20,000-25,000 kWh annually. This will supply power to 36 of its 144 total rooms, with a 3-4-year payback. [Foster’s Daily Democrat]
¶ The Arizona Corporation Commission is meeting to decide whether to allow the state’s largest utility to charge more to customers with rooftop solar panels. The solar industry believes the proposal would decimate the industry. [Las Vegas Sun]
¶ A total of 42 landfill renewable energy projects have received approval through a Massachusetts program that started two years ago, according to Ed Coletta, spokesman for the state’s Department of Environmental Protection. [Boston Globe]
¶ Golden West Power Partners LLC of Moline, Illinois, is planing for a $400 million wind farm having 147 turbines with 425-foot towers on nearly 25,000 acres about 34 miles northeast of Colorado Springs, Colorado. [Pueblo Chieftain]
¶ All the stuff folks in Gresham, Fairview, and Wood Village, Oregon put down their toilets and other drains is being harnessed to slash energy costs for sewer system customers. Eight years ago it cost $40,000 per month; soon it will be $0. [Portland Tribune]
¶ The nation’s largest facility for turning food scraps into biogas is about to go online in north San Jose, California. Food waste from restaurants and commercial businesses, will be processed in 16 massive digestion chambers, each holding 350 tons of waste. [Contra Costa Times]
¶ Exelon CEO Christopher Crane has acknowledged that the Quad Cities and Clinton nuclear plants are in financial trouble. He says both plants could stay open if they can get long-term contracts at prices above current market rates. [Crain’s Chicago Business]
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Tags: biomass, hydro power, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
November 16, 2013
Opinion:
¶ “Solar Power–The Future Energy Resource For Africa” The “second liberation” of Africa would be the use of solar energy to generate electricity to power our homes and industries, pulling Africa out of poverty. [spyghana.com]
World:
¶ This year’s U.N. climate conference in Warsaw was expected to be a quiet international gathering. The horrific, still-unfolding tragedy wrought by Typhoon Haiyan half a world away has changed that. [Energy Collective]
¶ Data from Energinet, the Danish grid operator, says wind power has produced 30% of gross power consumption so far in 2013. During 90 hours wind produced more than 100% of power needs, with the high at 122%. Looking ahead, these figures will probably grow. [Energy Collective]
¶ Siemens Energy is planning to reduce the costs of offshore wind power in the coming years by increasing output, reducing weight, and improving the production and installation processes of wind power installation. [CleanTechnica]
¶ The installed capacity of the UK’s offshore wind sector has risen by 79% in one year. In the period from July 2012 to June 2013, capacity increased from 1,858 MW to 3,321 MW, boosted by four huge wind farms becoming operational. [Treehugger]
¶ Scientists at a German research institute have analysed costs of solar PV and windpower there. Power from PVs ranges from €0.08 to €0.14/kWh, and from onshore wind energy is from 0.05 to 0.11 €/kWh. The costs are similar to those of fossil fuels. [PennEnergy]
¶ Japan’s decision to abandon its climate commitment, resulting from the Fukushima Disaster, has been greeted with dismay in Warsaw, Poland, where negotiators are meeting to discuss a new climate protocol — one that was supposed to go beyond Kyoto. [Public Radio International]
US:
¶ In the year since California launched the nation’s largest greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program, the state has proven that climate change action can be led by states and can even spread across national borders. [Energy Collective]
¶ Corn closed at its lowest price in more than a week after the US EPA proposed easing an annual requirement for corn-based ethanol in gasoline. Soybeans and wheat also declined. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ Duke Energy filed its renewable energy proposal with the North Carolina state regulator, which will pave the way for the utility to legally work with companies that want to buy clean power from the utility. [GigaOM]
¶ Leaders from UCLA, the White House and Los Angeles today unveiled a university plan to turn Los Angeles into a global model for urban sustainability. The goal is for the Los Angeles region to use exclusively renewable energy and local water by 2050. [UC Los Angeles]
¶ Duke Energy’s efforts to include solar power in the generation mix for its regulated utilities will start in the Carolina. In particular, North Carolina has renewable energy requirements and a strong local solar industry. [The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area]
¶ The decommissioned Connecticut Yankee nuclear plant received another $126 million in a dispute with the US DOE over the continued storage of nuclear waste in Connecticut, the plant’s owner announced Friday. [Hartford Business]
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November 13, 2013
World:
¶ The International Energy Agency says the world will likely need to have around 48% of total electricity generation produced by renewable energy sources by 2035, if it is to meet the stated climate change goals of international governments. [RenewEconomy]
… World Energy Outlook 2013 expects renewables to represent 31% of the global electricity supply in 2035, and warns that the path which we are currently on will not come close to limiting warning to two degrees centigrade. [solarserver.com]
¶ The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) solar energy sector is gearing up for significant growth with the regional market for photovoltaics and solar thermal power plants expected to reach 3.5 gigawatts by 2015, an expert has said today. [Middle East Events]
¶ The Australian federal government said it will cut funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency by $435 million. A bill to defer a further $370 million to nearly a decade hence is also enacted in proposed new legislation. [RenewEconomy]
¶ A Minesto “Deep Green” ocean energy generating unit is now producing power in the waters off Northern Ireland, marking the first time a system designed for low velocity currents has produced electricity at sea, the company said. [HydroWorld]
¶ Gaelectric and Dresser-Rand will work together on a compressed air energy storage project near Larne, Northern Ireland. When completed the project will comprise a 268 MW twin power-train storage and electricity generation facility. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ Japan’s lawmakers approved a first step to weakening the monopolies of regional power utilities by setting up an independent body to coordinate supply and demand across the nation’s electricity grids. [Businessweek]
¶ Ontario Power Generation wants a 30% increase in the rate it is paid for electricity generated by nuclear power. The rate increase, if approved by the Ontario Energy Board, could add about $5.36 each month to the bill for typical residential customers. [Waterloo Record]
¶ Japanese officials have admitted for the first time that thousands of people evacuated from areas near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant may never be able to return home. [The Guardian]
US:
¶ GE has announced a contract with E.ON for GE’s PowerUp, is a customized software-enabled platform that increases a wind farm’s output by up to 5%. E.ON will enhance 469 of its North American GE wind turbines with PowerUp. [Your Renewable News]
¶ An Associated Press has put the ethanol industry and the Obama administration on the defensive at a critical time for the government’s biofuels mandate, claiming that millions of acres of wildlife habitat has been converted to corn production for ethanol. [National Journal]
¶ Green Mountain Energy Company announced today that its headquarters in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas, is the city’s first commercial interior to be awarded LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Business Council. [Newswire Today]
¶ CleanWorld received the highly sought “International Bioenergy Project of the Year” award for its Sacramento BioDigester facility. The facility converts 25 tons of food waste per day into heat, electricity, and natural gas. [MRO]
¶ Eon has hailed renewables as “a mainstay of our earnings” as it confirmed its outlook for the financial year. The German utility saw dips in earnings for the first nine months in a performance that “continues to be in line with its expectations”. [reNews]
¶ The catastrophe at the Fukushima nuclear power plant appears to be ongoing, and Alaska now has become part of the story. Some radiation has arrived in northern Alaska and along the west coast, raising concern over contamination of fish and wildlife. [Esquire]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
November 7, 2013
Opinion:
¶ “Is the world’s fossil fuel ‘addiction’ an illusion?” To successfully address climate change, the first thing we need is a positive vision about the future and human ingenuity, and the second is recognition that it will take real effort. [eco-business.com]
¶ “Fossil fuel subsidies equal $112 per adult in rich countries” The world’s richest countries are “shooting themselves in both feet” by providing high subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, according to a report from the Overseas Development Institute. [Responding to Climate Change]
Science and Technology:
¶ Research from Sheffield University’s faculty of engineering shows mixing plutonium-contaminated waste with blast furnace slag and turning it into glass reduces its volume by up to 95 per cent. It also locks in the radioactive plutonium, creating a stable product. [Yorkshire Post]
World:
¶ As Ontario is in the final stages of a decade-long plan to eliminate all coal facilities in the province by the end of 2014, Samsung Renewable Energy and partners expect to invest $5 billion to create a 1,369 MW green energy cluster of wind and solar resources. [POWER magazine]
¶ An innovative project in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island has been working on the task of matching renewable energy supply to demand on a smart grid by operating a virtual power plant, which can adjust both. [Greentech Media]
¶ A leading German Social Democrat warned on Wednesday that the European Union planned to investigate German renewable energy discounts for industry, a move that could end up hitting a raft of companies operating in Europe’s biggest economy. [Reuters]
¶ TEPCO is preparing to remove 1,533 nuclear fuel assemblies from the spent fuel pool in Fukushima Daiichi’s Unit 4. New equipment has been installed, and the working environment has been cleaned of debris from the explosion the building had in 2011. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ Voters in three communities in Colorado succeeded in passing fracking moratoriums or outright bans on election night Tuesday. Anti-fracking measures passed handily in the Colorado cities of Lafayette, Boulder and Fort Collins, but may have failed in Broomfield. [Huffington Post]
¶ Westar Energy reached agreement with Apex Clean Energy to purchase 200 megawatts of electricity from a wind farm Apex will build near Arkansas City. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2015, and the wind farm is expected to begin providing electricity in late 2016. [WIBW]
¶ The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded nearly $10 million to a consortium of academic, industry and government organizations led by Colorado State University to research using insect-killed trees in the Rockies as a sustainable feedstock for bioenergy. [EIN News]
¶ Xcel Energy has filed a proposal filed with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to encourage rooftop solar generation by paying an incentive based on the amount of energy rooftop systems produce, rather than providing an upfront payment. [Fierce Energy]
¶ U.S. motorists will spend $7 billion to $11 billion more on gasoline next year if the government scales back ethanol use requirements, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. [Bloomberg]
¶ A new 1.4 MW utility-owned fuel cell is now in full operation at Cal State San Bernardino. Integrated into the campus’s central plant, the fuel cell is generating electricity to the utility grid with waste heat to the campus at no cost to the university. [InvestorIdeas.com]
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Tags: biofuel, biomass, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
October 29, 2013
From the REV Conference
¶ Vermont and Upper Austria have signed an agreement to collaborate on the promotion of biomass heating. Vermont and Upper Austria are both recognized leaders in biomass heat as a local and renewable heating source. Upper Austria has a goal of 100% renewable heat by the year 2030. [vtdigger.org]
¶ Vermont could create thousands of jobs if it used locally produced biomass to heat about 20 percent of the state’s homes and businesses using modern, energy-efficient equipment, an official said Monday. [NewsOK.com]
Science and Technology:
¶ The Australian Renewable Energy Agency late last week announced “the launch of the world’s first one megawatt wave-energy-to-electricity unit.” The unit derives power indirectly from passing waves, as the changes in height of a water column cause changes in air pressure to turn turbines. [EarthTechling]
¶ Twenty one Nobel prize winners-including South African anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu-are calling on the EU to immediately implement the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) which would see tar sands labelled as dirtier than conventional fossil fuels. [TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk]
World:
¶ According to the International Energy Agency, power generation from non-hydro renewable sources including solar, wind, and bioenergy will exceed gas and nuclear by 2016, and renewable power is expected to increase by 40% in the next five years. Bioenergy has an advantage of creating useful heat.[EP Magazine]
¶ Analysis from BCCONSULT says that at one point in early October, high renewable production drove the electricity price index covering Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland to 2.75¢/kWh at 2:00 pm. Renewable power produced nearly 60% of German grid demand and the grid did not explode. [Greentech Media]
¶ According to the Ontario Public Health Association, coal-fired power plants in Ontario accounted for 15% to 25% of the province’s a decade ago. By the end of next year, that figure will be zero, as renewable energy production and demand reduction allow the last coal plant to close. [Chatham Daily News]
¶ The first Spanish offshore wind turbine has been erected in the Canary Islands despite an industry lacking in state support. The 5 MW turbine is located at the end of a dyke and stands 154 metres (505 feet) tall with 62.5-metre (205-feet) long blades. It will be able to supply electricity to 7,500 homes. [Renewable Energy Magazine]
¶ The governor of Niigata Prefecture, says TEPCO’s processing and distribution of information on Fukushima Daiichi is “institutionalized lying.” His prefecture is the home of Kashiwazaki Kariwa, the world’s biggest nuclear complex, and he wants the company to come clean before restarting the plant. [The Japan Daily Press]
US:
¶ A1 Organics in Eaton, Colorado, the region’s largest commercial composting and organic recycling company, announced it has entered an agreement, worth tens of millions of dollars, with a renewable energy business to develop what could be the largest anaerobic digester project in the US. [Greeley Tribune]
¶ A federal complaint, filed at the U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, alleges that the plaintiffs were diagnosed with some form of cancer as a result of the negligent and reckless operation, remediation and/or decommissioning of two nuclear materials processing facilities in western Pennsylvania. [The Pennsylvania Record]
¶ Federal regulators plan to take public comment at a Nov. 6 meeting in Orlando, Florida on a proposed rule and an environmental study on the effects of extended storage of spent fuel after nuclear plants close. At issue is the federal “waste confidence” policy. [Tampabay.com]
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Tags: biomass, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
October 23, 2013
Opinion:
¶ “3 Reasons Germans Are Kicking Ass & Taking Names With Renewable Energy” Germany is racing past 20% renewable energy on its electricity grid, but what news stories often leave out is the overwhelming popularity of the Energiewende and why it so prevalent. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “UK Nuclear Future Relies on Reactor Plagued by Delays” To ensure the future of its nuclear power industry, the UK is relying on an unproven reactor design plagued by delays and billions in budget overruns. [Bloomberg]
World:
¶ German scientists estimate that out of a total of 30 million tons of cereal straw produced annually in Germany, 8 to 13 million could be used for energy or fuel. This would provide 1.7 to 2.8 million average households with electricity and 2.8 to 4.5 million with heating. [inhabitat]
¶ Revised statistics on the small wind industry indicates that the UK surpassed 100 MW of installed small wind capacity in 2012. Total installed small wind capacity will approach 200 MW this year. By comparison, at the end of 2012, the US had an installed small wind capacity of 216 MW. [RenewEconomy]
¶ With the Coalition government set to review Australia’s 2020 Renewable Energy Target early next year, Australia’s biggest utility, Origin Energy, has declared that the nation has already nearly met its 20% goal, and that further mandatory target would only drive up the cost of electricity. [RenewEconomy]
¶ Greenpeace Australia Pacific and 100% Renewable have released a report, Strangling Renewables: Origin Energy’s campaign against renewable energy, which accuses Origin Energy of strangling renewables as part of a strategy to prolong the dominance of gas and fossil fuels. [Business Spectator]
¶ The European Commission said Tuesday it would examine British government support for a massive €19 billion nuclear plant to be built by French and Chinese firms. The deal guarantees the price for electricity produced over 35 years at about double the prevailing rate. [AFP]
¶ A Japanese government committee is now looking into a drastic overhaul of the nuclear industry, which would include building a single entity to manage the 50 reactors which are all currently offline for maintenance and security checks. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ After years of delays, Kerala received its first allocation of power from the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project early Tuesday morning as part of a test run. Regular supply is expected to begin soon, officials said. [The New Indian Express]
US:
¶ In yet another demonstration of the US military’s transition to renewable energy, the Air Force Research Laboratory is eyeballing a computer center in Hawaii to demonstrate an advanced system for collecting, storing and using solar power. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Three US offshore wind projects are advancing. The 468 MW Cape Wind in Nantucket Sound, Deepwater Wind’s 30 MW Block Island project in Rhode Island and Fishermen’s Energy’s 25 MW scheme off New Jersey aim to wrap up final permitting and financing in the coming months. [reNews]
¶ Washington state law requires utilities to have 3% of the electricity from renewables by the end of this year. Critics of the law had forecast high customer costs. Now, the agency responsible is certifying that the law has been complied with, and the cost turns out to be very low. [The Seattle Times]
¶ The National Grid opened its Sustainability Hub to provide consumers with hands-on education about energy efficiency and emerging energy technologies. The facility, located in Worcester, Massachusetts and is a part of National Grid’s Smart Energy Solutions Program. [SmartMeters]
¶ EDF Renewable Energy has started construction of the Lepomis Solar Project, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The 5.96 MW ground-mounted fixed-tilt solar PV project will deliver power to the Town of Wareham, under a long-term power purchase agreement. [Solar Industry]
¶ Utilities in western states are required to buy a specific amount of renewable energy under state laws, but they are purchasing more than required in order to reduce their use of fossil fuels, because it will save them and their customers money. [Natural Resources Defense Council]
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Tags: biofuel, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
October 16, 2013
Analysis:
¶ “Why Are IEA Renewables Growth Projections So Much Lower Than the Out-Turn?” The International Energy Agency has had an extraordinarily poor track record in projecting the growth of solar and wind power in recent years. [Energy Collective]
¶ “The future cost of nuclear: expert views differ” In a poll of experts on future costs of nuclear power, it was found the average expected cost of nuclear technologies in 2030 was around $4800 per kW, with estimates ranging from $506 to $14,156 per kW. [environmentalresearchweb]
Science and Technology:
¶ The next generation of energy storage has been developed using graphene to create supercapacitors that could be used for renewable energy storage. Graphene, a one atom thick layer of graphite has high conductivity, and is also strong and flexible. [AZoNano.com]
¶ Researchers at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) have found that real contribution to emissions targets is positive even in energy markets with high penetration of wind energy. [The Almagest]
World:
¶ France’s ban on fracking is complete, as its constitutional court upheld a 2011 law prohibiting the practice and canceling all exploration permits. The decision effectively protects the ban from any future legal challenge. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Renewable Energy Generation Limited, a UK-focused renewable energy group, has become profitable. The company posted a pretax profit of £5.8 million for the twelve months ended June 30 compared to a pretax loss of £2.0 million the previous year. [London South East]
¶ GE is supplying eight of its 1.4 MW Jenbacher J420 biogas engines for a new cogeneration plant that will generate 11.2 MW of renewable on-site power at the Dan Region Wastewater Treatment Plant, the largest of its kind in Israel. [Your Renewable News]
¶ Construction of what will be Australia’s largest PV power project officially commenced today, with a turning of the sod at the site of the 20 MW Royalla Solar Farm in Canberra by the ACT’s minister for environment, Simon Corbell. [RenewEconomy]
¶ The 20 biggest power companies in Europe had a collective value of $1 trillion at their peak in 2008, and they are worth “only” $500 billion now. Germany’s biggest utility E-On has managed to decline a full three quarters in value. Renewable energy is partly to blame. [RenewEconomy]
US:
¶ Ohio’s clean energy law has come under attack by a lawmaker affiliated with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Now, a group of 2,000 veterans, military family members and supporters is pushing back in favor of clean energy. [ThinkProgress]
¶ The Top 25 companies for solar investment, ranked by installed capacity, are Walmart, Costco, Kohl’s, Apple, IKEA, Macy’s, Johnson & Johnson, McGraw Hill, Staples, Campbell’s Soup, U.S. Foods, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kaiser Permanente, Volkswagen, Walgreens, … [PR Web]
¶ The number of safety violations at US nuclear plants varies dramatically by region, pointing to inconsistent enforcement in an industry now operating mostly beyond its original 40-year licenses, according to a congressional study awaiting release. [Omaha World-Herald]
¶ The federal Government Accountability Office says the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant had the second fewest number of safety violations in the Northeast from 2000 to 2012 among facilities with only one reactor. [BurlingtonFreePress.com]
¶ The Indian Point power plant in Buchanan has been cited for more violations than any other nuclear site in the country, although 99 percent were low-risk violations, according to a federal report awaiting release. [The Journal News | LoHud.com]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
October 15, 2013
World:
¶ Solar and wind energy production accounted for nearly 60% of Germany’s electricity use on October 3rd. At peak production, at noon, wind energy and solar energy were producing about 59.1% of the northern country’s power. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Norway has more money than it knows what to do with. While leaders figure out how they want to manage the nation’s $790 billion public pension fund going forward, there’s real potential for an “unprecedented shift” in renewable energy investment. [Grist]
¶ Chile doubled its renewable-energy target to 20% and may solicit competitive bids in 2015 for contracts to sell electricity as the South American nation seeks to spur investment in new power plants and curb its reliance on imported fossil fuels. [Businessweek]
¶ Vestas has received an unconditional order for 108 MW of wind turbines for the Crucea North wind power plant, in the province of Dobrogea, Romania. The Crucea North wind power plant is one of the largest in Romania. [Renewable Energy Focus]
¶ Germany’s green energy surcharge will rise 18% in 2014, from 5.277 euro cents per kWh this year to 6.240 euro cents in 2014. Chancellor Merkel is looking for ways to reduce the cost of renewable-energy subsidies. [Businessweek]
¶ At least 40% of nuclear reactor parts exported from Japan have failed to undergo safety inspections before getting shipped out of the country. The practice affects more than 17 countries, including Taiwan. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ The strongest typhoon to reach Tokyo in 10 years was expected to slam into the region with full force Wednesday morning. TEPCO said it was bracing for the storm to hit the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. [The Japan Times]
¶ China has a new kind of trade deal that throws in loans to zoos. It works like this: Agree to export key energy technology to China; get a panda. Supply Beijing with the uranium it needs to power nuclear reactors; get a panda. [CNN]
US:
¶ The Colorado Highlands Wind project, Colorado’s newest renewable energy facility, has increased output by 36% and is now capable of generating 91 MWs of electricity following expansion. [Renewable Energy Focus]
¶ Utility company Kentucky Power Co. will buy renewable electricity from the 58.8MW ecoPower Generation-Hazard biomass plant, construction on which will take about two years. Kentucky Public Service Commission approved a 20-year purchase agreement. [BioEnergy News]
¶ State officials are looking to modernize Connecticut’s portfolio of biomass and landfill gas projects and later this month. The state will issue a request for proposals for electric power produced by those methods as well as by small hydropower facilities. [New Haven Register]
¶ Hawaii regulators have approved a new 20-year fuel contract between Hawaiian Electric Co. and Hawaii BioEnergy, which calls for the utility to purchase about 10 million gallons a year of locally produced biofuels. [Pacific Business News (Honolulu)]
¶ E.ON Climate & Renewables Solar has dedicated its first solar projects in the US at a ceremony today. The projects are in the Tucson, Arizona area and have a combined total of 15 MW of solar capacity. Tucson Electric Power is purchasing the power. [Sacramento Bee]
¶ The 280 MW Solana solar station in the Arizona desert is one of the first large-scale solar plants with thermal storage that allows it to keep producing power as much as 6 hours after sundown, allowing it to better match output to peak demand. [Treehugger]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
September 23, 2013
Opinion:
¶ “CCS or going renewable? The answer is now obvious” It could be simply the politics, by which people vote for ideas that are plainly renewable and politicians don’t fee able to support the CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) allied to fossil fuel. [The Earth Times]
¶ “Six Myths About Renewable Energy” Many of the things we think we know about renewable energy go back to the earliest arguments. Many of the debating points we hear today are based on outdated facts and assumptions that don’t hold up anymore. [Wall Street Journal]
Science and Technology:
¶ When it rains, it floods. This is the new normal, said Center for Clean and Renewable Energy Development managing director Catherine Paredes-Maceda, speaking before 120 Asia Pacific delegates at a conference on sustainable development. [InterAksyon]
World:
¶ In the German election, the FDP failed to clear 5% of the vote and will get no seats in the next Bundestag. With the FDP out, that leaves exactly zero parties in the Bundestag supporting the proposal of replacing the successful feed-in tariff with a renewable portfolio standard. [CleanTechnica]
¶ GDF Suez, EDP Renewables and Neoen Marine are forming a consortium, actively seeking to contribute to the development of offshore wind energy in France and structure an industrial sector. The partners aim to develop projects in partnership with local stakeholders. [4-traders]
¶ Finnish company Metso is to supply a biomass-fired combined heat and power plant for Oskarshamn Energi in Sweden. When the new plant is commissioned almost 99% of district heating at Oskarshamn will be produced with renewable biofuels. [reNews]
¶ A solar-thermal power plant that Areva is building for India’s Reliance Power will start operating by the end of this year. Solar-thermal plants produce steam for turbines and can deliver electricity around the clock. Areva is the biggest producer of nuclear reactors. [Businessweek]
¶ The South African Department of Energy has appeared hobbled in its lack of movement on its project to build a fleet of six nuclear reactors. The government’s sluggishness has led to growing frustration among nuclear facility construction companies. [BDlive]
US:
¶ Results of a study by the University of Virginia examining a demonstration-scale algae operation in New Mexico owned by the company Sapphire Energy show that algae biofuel at the operation easily beat out corn ethanol for Energy Return on Investment. [CleanTechnica]
¶ The case over the state’s decision to approve water rights for the proposed Green River Nuclear Power Plant starts this week. Opponents are appealing the state’s decision, claiming there is not enough water in the state as is and if a nuclear plant is built there will be even less. [ABC 4]
¶ The NRC has given Mitsubishi a notice of non-conformance relating to the design of San Onofre’s failed steam generators, and Edison has been cited for failing to ensure that Mitsubishi’s modeling and analysis of the steam generator design were adequate. [U-T San Diego]
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Tags: biofuel, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
September 16, 2013
World:
¶ Work is to begin on the largest tidal energy project in Europe after the Scottish government granted permission. A 9 MW demonstration project will come first, with the remainder expected to be built on a phased basis until 2020, when the 86 MW system will be completed. [BBC News]
¶ Australian power prices can move from $30 per MWh to $12,000 in a few minutes, and then back down again just as fast. There are implications to the fact that profits from generating power during a week-long heat-wave in Adelaide can exceed those of the rest of the year. [Business Spectator]
¶ Leading wave device developers Aquamarine Power and Pelamis Wave Power are to receive grant award allocations from the Scottish government. The two companies will share £13 million from Holyrood’s wave first array support program. [reNews]
¶ The UK’s Liberal Democrats voted to support new nuclear and fracking at their party conference in Glasgow today. The party turned against its historic objection to nuclear power by 230 votes to 183 to accept a “limited role” for nuclear power. [Utility Week]
¶ According to the head of Brazil’s energy planning agency, the country will probably scale down its plans for new nuclear plants due to safety concerns following the 2011 radiation leak in Japan and pick up some of the slack with a “revolution” in wind power. [Reuters AlertNet]
¶ Japan’s former Prime Minister Kan urged Taiwan to close all its nuclear power plants, as the island’s legislature prepares to tackle the matter when it reconvenes next week. Kan told an audience in Taipei that the Fukushima Disaster changed his views on nuclear power. [The Japan Times]
¶ Typhoon Man-yi hit central Japan Monday, with almost 300,000 households told to evacuate and fears the storm could go on to hit the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. The typhoon made landfall in Toyohashi, Aichi prefecture, with gusts of up to 100 miles per hour. [The Asian Age]
¶ Japan’s only operating nuclear reactor has been shut down for maintenance, leaving the country with no nuclear power supply for the second time in 40 years. Kansai Electric confirmed reactor no. 4 was shuttered at midnight on Sunday at its Ohi plant. [CNN]
US:
¶ Ethanol credits were supposed to help clean the air, reduce dependence on foreign oil and bolster agriculture. But a little known market in ethanol credits has also become a hot new game on Wall Street. [Livemint]
¶ Michigan utility Consumers Energy is getting ready for a $255 million wind energy park in Tuscola County, Michigan, about two hours north of Detroit. The 105-megawatt Cross Winds Energy Park will be constructed at a cost of $255 million. [SmartMeters]
¶ The coal industry, feeling threatened by federal efforts to promote wind and solar power, has opened a counterattack by opposing President Obama’s nomination of a renewable electricity advocate to head the federal agency with jurisdiction over power lines. [New York Times]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
September 4, 2013
Numbers:
¶ Renewable energy has reduced wholesale prices in Germany by €0.012 per kWh. Since the surcharge is calculated by the difference between the feed-in tariff and the wholesale price, the lower prices will lead to a nominally higher surcharge next year, but lower prices to come. [RenewEconomy]
Science and Technology:
¶ Biomass is often overlooked within the renewable energy sector, but is now emerging as a key player for many countries seeking cleaner ways to power their economy. Though it is currently overlooked, biomass may just become the game changer for some countries. [eco-business.com]
World:
¶ A recent study by a green electricity provider in the UK has found that rapid expansion of renewable energy can lead to strong cost savings by 2030. Taking the consequential costs of coal and nuclear into account, the savings can run into many billions. [pv magazine]
¶ Danish wind turbine company Vestas has signed an agreement with a manufacturer and exporter of spiral-welded steel pipes in Turkey for the construction of a 52 megawatt wind power plant. Vestas will deliver, install, and commission 16 turbines of 3.3 MW. [EcoSeed]
¶ Australia’s energy industry is on an inevitable path away from fossil fuels and further investment in the sector, particularly coal, would be very risky, according to research by UNSW. The study says 100% renewable electric power by 2030 would be cost-effective. [WA today]
¶ European Union coal demand is on course for a decades-long slide as the growth in capacity of renewable power outstrips new coal-fired plants. Across the EU, a total of 28 gigawatts of old coal-fired capacity could come offline between 2012 and 2020. [Business Spectator]
¶ TEPCO detected the highest radiation levels found so far near tanks holding contaminated water used to cool reactors at its wrecked Fukushima Daiichi plant. Readings of 2,200 millisieverts per hour were found yesterday, up from 1,800 millisieverts per hour. [Bloomberg]
US:
¶ SolarWorld, the largest US solar manufacturer, announced today that it has begun building solar carports totaling 537 kW capacity at four public parks in Thousand Oaks, California. The carports are expected save local government millions of dollars over 25 years. [Your Renewable News]
¶ Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) will deactivate its Honolulu Power Plant on Jan. 31, 2014, as part of its strategy to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce Hawaii’s dependency on imported fossil fuel. [KHON2]
¶ HECO recently announced getting almost 18% renewable energy in the first half of 2013, exceeding the 2015 requirement two years ahead of schedule. Four notable bright spots are helping to drive Hawaii’s clean energy transformation. [Huffington Post]
¶ The US Energy Information Administration’s “Electric Power Monthly” says renewable energy sources provided 14.20% of the country’s net electric generation during the first half of the year (through June 30, 2013), up from 13.57% for the same period last year. [Domestic Fuel]
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Tags: biomass, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
September 3, 2013
Opinion:
¶ Five nuclear reactors have been shuttered in the United States in recent months, signaling a “rapid-fire” industry retreat that will only get worse, according to a recent study by the Institute for Energy and the Environment. [Fox News]
Science and Technology:
¶ Neste Oil and Raisioagro have launched a research project to investigate the potential of waste straw as a raw material for producing renewable diesel. Large quantities of waste straw are produced but little is currently used. [WebWire]
World:
¶ The EU Energy Commissioner warned Germany about cutting renewable energy subsidies. The Commissioner suggests that such actions could cause damage to investor confidence and reduce of renewable energy development. [Hydrogen Fuel News]
¶ Greek construction firm Ellaktor has posted a 26.4 per cent rise in its wind farm revenues for the first half of 2013, despite an overall drop of four per cent for the company. [NewNet]
¶ Japanese Prime Minister Abe said the government “will step forward and implement all necessary policies” to deal with the flood of radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi plant. [Reuters India]
¶ The Japanese government on Tuesday said it would spend the equivalent of $470 million to try to tackle the toxic water crisis at the country’s crippled nuclear power plant. [CNN]
US:
¶ Figures from industry experts Wiki-Solar show total installed capacity in the nation is now 3051 MW from 98 facilities, with 25 new sites totalling 1488 MW added so far in 2013. [reNews]
¶ More wind and solar energy users in Michigan are getting billing credit for excess power they generate. A state report shows net metering production increased by 55% from 2011 to 2012. [Iron Mountain Daily News]
¶ Both members of Vermont’s MiddleburyCollege community and environmentalists are dismayed over the institution’s decision not to divest its nearly $1 billion endowment from the fossil fuel industry. [Addison County Independent]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
August 16, 2013
Opinion:
¶ “Workers cut as Entergy redesigns” If Entergy is genuinely interested in the welfare of its employees and in the communities in which they reside, it will begin an open discussion now of the eventuality of transitioning from a power producing plant to decommissioning. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]
¶ “Go Green without Sacrificing Lifestyle” Renewable energy technology allows homeowners to maintain the quality of life they expect from their high-end homes while pulling away or unplugging entirely from the power grid. [EcoSeed]
Finance:
¶ Renewable resources are continually gaining traction both in labs and within investors’ portfolios. Which renewable source emerges the victor has yet to be seen. Taylor Muckerman, of The Motley Fool argues in favor of geothermal. [The Motley Fool] (I happen to think he is wrong, but oh well.)
World:
¶ In the past two weeks, companies such as RWE. E.ON, and EnBW have canvassed the closure of tens of thousands of megawatts of fossil fuel capacity as coal and fired plants get squeezed out of the market by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. [RenewEconomy]
¶ Peter Sennekamp, media officer for the European Wind Energy Association announced in mid-June that wind energy will surpass the threshold of 300 GW, or 300,000 MW at some point before the end of the calendar year. [RenewablesBiz]
¶ EnBW has mobilised the jack-up Goliath to the site of its 288 MW Baltic 2 offshore wind farm in Germany to start foundation installation. Foundations for a total of 80 3.6 MW Siemens turbines will be installed. Each foundation will take up to five days. [reNews]
US:
¶ Three years after it was first announced, the White House is finally getting its new solar panels. According to the Washington Post, a White House official confirmed on Thursday that the White House began installing solar panels this week. [EcoSeed]
¶ The Navy’s use of advanced biofuels could help spur private-sector investment, said Dennis McGinn, President Obama’s newly confirmed assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations, and environment. [National Journal]
¶ The bad news? Georgia is in the middle of the pack among states in developing solar energy. The good news? The Peach State is poised to become a solar leader thanks to recent action by the Georgia Public Service Commission. [Atlanta Business Chronicle]
¶ Two new reports from the US DOE sound an alert to American utilities. First, wind energy has become the number one source of new electricity generation (43%). Second, two thirds of all wind turbines installed in 2003-2012 were distributed rather than in utility wind farms. [Smart Grid News]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
July 31, 2013
World:
¶ AGL Energy Limited has said it has reached financial close on two large-scale solar photovoltaic projects in New South Wales. The projects will see a 102 MW development in Nyngan and a 53 MW plant built in Broken Hill. [Business Spectator]
¶ Global use of solar and wind energy continued to grow significantly in 2012. Solar power consumption increased by 58%, to 93 TWh, and the use of wind power increased by 18%, to 521 TWh. [Nanowerk]
¶ Renewable energy company RES has received development consent from the government for the 100 MW North Blyth Biomass Power Station. The facility, to be built on Blyth Estuary, will be able to generate low-carbon electricity using sustainably sourced wood-based fuel. [New Post Leader]
¶ China plans to invest 2.3 trillion yuan ($375 billion) in energy-saving and emission-reduction projects in the five years through 2015 to clean up its environment, the China Daily newspaper reported, citing a senior government official. [Reuters]
US:
¶ Minneapolis-based utility holding company Xcel Energy proposes to expand its wind power production by as much as 1,500 megawatts to reduce customer costs, protect against rising and volatile fuel prices, and benefit the environment. [EcoSeed]
¶ St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, could be the site of the state’s first commercial wind farm. Southern States Renewable Energy is proposing a $40 million project that would bring eight 498-foot-tall wind turbines to an isolated patch of coastal land near the Port of West St. Mary. [Westport-News]
¶ French utility EDF, the world’s biggest operator of nuclear plants, is pulling out of nuclear energy in the United States, because of cheap shale gas. The CEO said EDF would now focus on renewable energy in the United States. [Business Spectator]
¶ The University of Missouri System announced a partnership among Ameren Missouri, Westinghouse Electric Co. and two UM campuses to conduct research related to small modular nuclear reactors, or SMRs. [Columbia Missourian]
¶ As part of a reorganization plan to simplify Entergy’s corporate structure, the company is studying options for its non-utility owned power plants, mainly its aging nuclear plants operating in the U.S. Northeast which face falling wholesale prices and a difficult regulatory environment. [Reuters]
… Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant will lose 30 of its 650 employees by the end of the year as part of a reorganization announced Tuesday by parent company Entergy Corp. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]
¶ Dominion is seeking a change in temperature limit from 75° to 80° Fahrenheit for both Millstone units 2 and 3. The NRC posed a number of questions to the company and asked for additional information before accepting the request. [Patch.com]
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