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Printing company Sandy Alexander has announced a seven-year agreement to purchase half of its electric power from clean and renewable wind-generated sources, beginning in December, 2005. The company's purchase of 4,500 megawatt hours per year of wind power makes the company the largest consumer of green power in the printing and publishing sector, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership.
Sandy Alexander’s purchase of NewWind Energy from Pennsylvania-based Community Energy will include at least 1,000 MWh per year of power from the Jersey-Atlantic Wind Farm, currently nearing completion in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Jersey-Atlantic Wind Farm is the first commercial wind project in New Jersey, and the nation’s first coastal wind farm. The balance of Sandy Alexander’s wind energy will come from other wind turbine installations across the United States.
The company estimates that its annual purchase of wind energy offsets more than 4.9 million pounds of carbon dioxide that would have been released into the atmosphere through conventional power generation. "The environmental benefit of our wind-energy purchase is the equivalent of planting nearly 336,000 trees, eliminating 4.2 million miles of automobile driving, or taking 357 cars off the highway every year," said Roy Grossman, Sandy Alexander’s president and CEO. Source: GreenBiz.com, 11/2/2005.
Using innovation to drive market demand for renewable energy, 3 Phases Energy proved its leadership in the renewable energy industry at the 10th National Green Power Marketing Conference in Austin, Texas, held Oct. 24 to 26. The Industry recognized 3 Phases Energy with two awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy: Renewable Energy Technology Supplier of the Year for general excellence supplying renewable energy, and Green Power Beacon, for the company's ability to originate business sector interest in renewable energy. In the history of the awards, no single renewable energy supplier has been recognized with two awards in the same year.
"The award recognition given to 3 Phases Energy is a testament to their leadership in the green power market," said Kurt Johnson, Director of the U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership. "Through suppliers like 3 Phases Energy, corporations and institutions can use clean, renewable energy and be recognized nationally by programs such as the EPA Green Power Partnership."
Reflective of 3 Phases' impact, one quarter of all 33 Green Power Leadership Awards granted by the U.S. EPA and DOE were associated with 3 Phases Energy, either directly or through its partners. 3 Phases Energy serves an elite group of green power purchasers, including 7 of the Top 10 largest in the United States. As a partner to utilities, 3 Phases' programs consistently exceed national benchmarks. 3 Phases' customers receiving Green Power Leadership Awards this year include Safeway Inc., Starbucks Coffee, HSBC North America, Johnson & Johnson, U.S. Air Force and its utility green pricing partnership program with PacifiCorp, Blue Sky.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced that voluntary demand for renewable energy increased tenfold in the past five years, primarily attributable to large corporate buyers of green power. 3 Phases Energy serves 28 Fortune 500 companies, has formed partnerships to support four utility green pricing programs, and currently supports 230 MW of new renewable energy capacity, representing 10 percent of national voluntary demand for renewable energy.
By developing genuine partnerships with visionary businesses, 3 Phases Energy has shown how an organization and its partners can work together to build awareness and relevancy of renewable energy while bringing new, clean generation to market. Source: MongaBay.com via 3 Phases Energy News Release, 11/2/2005.
Portland, OR-based engineering design and development firm David Evans and Associates, Inc. announced a new agreement with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation under which the company will purchase renewable energy credits, or green tags, to offset the environmental impacts of its electricity use.
DEA noted that the company is looking to attain reductions of 10 percent in 2005, 25 percent in 2006, 50 percent in 2007, 75 percent in 2008 and 100 percent in 2009, after which the company plans to continue "greening" 100 percent of its company-wide electricity usage, which represents approximately 7 million kilowatt-hours per year.
According to DEA, the amount of renewable energy the company has subsidized represents an annual savings of approximately 10 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. Contact: Tami Boardman, DEA, phone 503-499-0404. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 10/31/2005.
Now, though, there are encouraging signs that the demand for sustainable energy is getting more and more support through voluntary means. "Five years ago, the voluntary green power market was focused primarily on residential purchasers, and there were only a handful of significant non- residential purchasers," says Douglas Faulkner, acting assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. "The entry of commercial, industrial, and government purchasers into the renewable energy market has resulted in tremendous growth in the development of clean and limitless renewable energy resources."
Faulkner's comments came during the 10th National Green Power Marketing Conference in Austin last week. While there, the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Lab released a report saying that voluntary power purchases accounted for 2,200 megawatts, which is an increase from 167 MW — 1,000 percent — over the last five years. The growth has been spurred by national retailers, universities and manufacturers, along with various government agencies.
"Using more wind power can quickly and effectively help alleviate the natural gas crisis and stabilize volatile prices — the more wind power the U.S. installs, the less natural gas and other fuels are needed for electricity generation," says Randall Swisher, executive director of the American Wind Energy Association. "Wind farms can be installed quickly — typically within two years, with construction requiring less than six months, faster than new fields can be drilled or liquefied natural gas terminals built ... ."
Right now, about 300 utilities in 32 states offer renewable energy alternatives. And while some programs are mandated, others are not. Johnson & Johnson is the largest U.S. corporate purchaser of renewable energy. It has committed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 7 percent from its 1990 levels, and by 2010. The company says that its green power use in 2004 accounted for 18 percent of its worldwide electricity use. "Investing in green power not only benefits the environment, but is also a good business decision because it provides the company with a reliable and stable supply of energy," says Dennis Canavan, energy manager for Johnson & Johnson.
Despite the obstacles, consumers and policymakers have said they want to see green energy play a greater role in the nation's energy formula. Capital is scarce and cost-effective technologies are not widespread. But the persistence shown by renewable energy advocates is paying off. Greater public-private support, they say, would allow green energy to capture more market share. Source: Extracted from EnergyBiz Insider, By Ken Silverstein, Editor-in-Chief, 11/2/2005.
More residents are experimenting with solar and wind energy, with a new report showing a 50 percent boost in renewable power use in the past year. An audit of the national "green" power program shows use of renewable energy has increased by 43 per cent nationwide.
NSW Utilities Minister Carl Scully said the results proved more Australians were embracing other energy options. "More green power customers are signing on in NSW and across the country and this means more green energy projects," Mr Scully said in a statement. "It means an investment in clean energy technology such as wind, solar, hydro-electric and landfill gas projects."
The National Green Power Accreditation Program Annual Audit found there were now 161 green power projects nationwide, most using solar, wind and the plant-based biomass energy. Last year, 125,411 domestic and 6084 commercial customers purchased clean power nationwide. In NSW, green customers increased from 14,076 in 2003 to 21,723 in 2004—up 54 percent. Source: The Courier Mail, 10/20/2005.
Japan Bank for International Cooperation will provide loans for projects in Paraguay that may give Japanese companies emission credits to comply with the Kyoto Protocol. The Nikkei Business Daily reported today that Paraguay's power utility, Administracion Nacional de Electricidad, will build a hydropower plant with a capacity of 200 megawatts. Construction will be from October 2007 to February 2012, the newspaper said. The total cost will be 28 billion yen ($240 million), Nikkei said.
"We've agreed to provide a loan for the power station, though the amount is undecided," JBIC spokeswoman Yoshimi Tamura said by telephone from Tokyo today. JBIC, the Japanese government's main overseas lender, is providing loans to developing nations to help Japanese companies obtain credits from projects that reduce their overall emissions output. The nation has a goal under the Kyoto Protocol of a 6 percent reduction of greenhouse gasses by 2012 compared with levels in 1990.
JBIC may be able to secure emission rights of about 100,000 tons a year with the proposed hydro power plant, Tamura said, calculated based on the difference between emissions from the plant and one that burns coal or oil products. The bank will sign an agreement on the Paraguay project today, Tamura said. Source: Bloomberg, 11/1/2005.
Christopher Eccleston, Dr. Who star, is backing a campaign for wind turbines to be placed around the M60. The Salford-born actor is supporting the Manchester Is My Planet scheme, which looks at a number of ways of improving the city's environment. Campaigners are asking all households in Manchester to pledge to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 20 percent by 2020. Source: Manchester Evening News, 11/1/2005.
The U.S. Air Force leads the nation in green power purchasing, recently announcing collective purchases in excess of 1 billion kWh annually. This more than triples the 320 million kWh that the Air Force purchased in fiscal year 2004, which at the time represented 41 percent of all green power purchased by the federal government.
Most of the green power purchased by the Air Force comes from wind energy, but its portfolio also includes the use of biomass energy at Hill AFB in Utah, and more than 3,500 ground source heat pumps at various installations. In addition, the Air Force generates its own power by operating a 2.4-MW wind farm on Ascension Island and a 1.3-MW wind farm at F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming. At least two bases—Dyess AFB in Texas and Fairchild AFB in Washington—purchase green power for 100 percent of their electricity needs. Source: EERE Green Power Marketing Monthly Update, 10/2005.
AMD, a leading supplier of computer microprocessors and memory, announced that it has committed to purchase renewable energy to meet 100 percent of the electricity needs of its Austin operations for the next 10 years, including its new Austin Campus, which is expected to be operational in 2007. AMD was one of the first companies in Austin to purchase green power through Austin Energy's GreenChoice program and has expanded its purchases over time. Currently, AMD purchases more than 52 million kWh of green power annually from Austin Energy, making it the 12th largest purchaser in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership program.
The company's green power purchases have helped reduce overall corporate energy costs because the green power is purchased at a fixed rate over the life of the contract. Globally, AMD has committed to reduce its energy use by 30 percent, water use by 40 percent, and greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by the end of 2007, relative to 2002 performance levels. Source: EERE Green Power Marketing Monthly Update, 10/2005.
McKenzie Bay International, Ltd. subsidiary WindStor Power Company recently announced the groundbreaking for a commercial wind turbine at the Pioneer Bluff senior citizen apartment complex in Ishpeming, MI. According to WindStor, The Ishpeming Housing Commission, which manages Pioneer Bluff, has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with WindStor.
According to Ishpeming mayor and Housing Commission executive director Evelyn Valente-Heikkala, power produced by the turbine will be used to supplement the existing electricity provided by Upper Peninsula Power Company.
"Under the power purchase agreement, the Housing Commission will purchase onsite generated electricity provided by WindStor at a fixed rate for the first 15 years of the 20-year agreement," said Doug Russell, director of the Northern Lights Energy Program at Bay College. "The program is providing a $159,000 low interest loan to fund start up costs. The Housing Commission will realize immediate cost savings of approximately 10 percent and much more during the next 15 years as UPPCO raises their rates." Contact: McKenzie Bay, phone 248-489-1961. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 10/28/2005.
On October 31, an Ellensburg-area homeowner will begin capturing renewable energy from both the wind and sun, and eventually contribute her surplus power to the electrical grid. Dr. Marilynn Carr, a family medicine practitioner and member of Our Wind Cooperative, is having a nine kilowatt wind-solar hybrid system installed on her property with support from Puget Sound Energy's Green Power Program.
The wind-solar hybrid system's output will help serve the Carr household's electric load. When the system's output exceeds the home's electric demand, the excess energy will be delivered to PSE's electric grid. Energy returned to the grid will be credited to the Carr's account. Dr. Carr estimates she will save about $1,200 a year on electricity by using this system.
"I'm excited my fellow PSE customers will be able to support wind power generation that is directly tied to our local grid," said Dr. Carr. "I hope my example of generating renewable energy might spur others to follow."
PSE's Green Power Program offered to purchase the renewable energy credits ("Green Tags") generated by this and other Our Wind Co-op turbines in Washington and Oregon. Residential and business customers participating in the Green Power Program are helping to foster development of renewable projects like the Carr's wind turbine.
"Puget Sound Energy is proud to support local renewable resources in our communities and build on our reputation as a national leader in utility green power programs," said Mike Richardson, manager of renewable-energy customer programs at PSE. "Dr. Carr is putting herself at the forefront among independent generators of renewable energy."
Our Wind Co-op was established in 2003 to foster growth in small-scale, distributed wind power in the Northwest. The Carr's turbine marks the Co-op's fourth project in Washington, and the first within PSE's service territory.
"The sale of green tags is often essential for our small-wind projects to be economically viable," said Ed Kennell, president of Our Wind Co-op. "We certainly appreciate the support of PSE and its customers participating in the Green Power Program."
PSE's voluntary Green Power Program enables subscribers to help support the development of renewable resources in the Pacific Northwest. Minimum participation in the program is just $4 per month. This level purchases 200 kWh of renewable energy every month. PSE's business-recognition program starts at $20 per month.
In addition to PSE's voluntary "Green Power Program," the utility is aggressively developing its own renewable-energy facilities. The effort is part of PSE's goal to provide up to 10 percent of its customers' total electricity supply from renewable resources by 2013. To that end, the utility is developing two large wind farms in Eastern Washington with a combined 400 megawatts of power-generating capacity.
For more information on PSE's Green Power Program call (800) 562-1482. Source: climatesolutions.org, 10/25/2005.
Jordan Kabat would rather switch than fight. Instead of complaining about natural gas bills, the partner in Edmonton Trailer is turning to an alternative source — geothermal energy — to heat the firm's new 15,000-square-foot, $1.5-million fabrication shop at 16809 128A Ave. "I'm just a dumb trucker but I can figure it out — it's simple math," Kabat said as finishing touches were put on Edmonton's first large industrial geothermal installation.
The system is a web of 18 wells, plastic pipe, and a heat pump or temperature-exchange device that Kabat calls his "black box." The wells penetrate a zone of constant 10 degree C temperature about 20 metres beneath the ground. The pipes convey the temperature to the black box by circulating a blend of water and anti-freeze. In winter, the heat pump amplifies the underground temperature and circulates the warmth through pipes laid in the building's floor. In summer, the system cools the shop by absorbing heat from its air and taking it underground.
"It's a no-brainer," added the 43-year-old entrepreneur, who spent his youth behind the wheel before teaming up with fellow driver Denis St. Andre to build the 40-employee truck sales, rental, service and manufacturing company. At current feverish prices, and based on painful experience with the firm's older buildings last year, he predicted the new hangar-like structure would cost $4,000 to $6,000 a month to heat with natural gas this winter.
"My utility bill would be close to my mortgage payment," Kabat said. Warming the new building with the geothermal system will cost $420 a month, not counting variable expenses of a backup forced-air heater that burns used oil and will temporarily fire up to blast away frigid gusts when big garage doors open.
The alternative energy source lops as much as 90 percent off the cost of gas during its price peaks, Kabat said. "I know what my cost will be. There's no guessing, no worrying." The alternative-energy technology added $80,000 to $100,000 or about seven per cent to the new shop's construction costs. But if Kabat is right in suspecting the cost of gas will stay up, the geothermal system will pay for itself in as little as 18 to 24 cold months or just four or five Edmonton heating seasons.
Geothermal heating's popularity will multiply if gas prices stay high, predicted Edmonton Trailer project engineer Kit Leitch and a partner of Terasen Utility Services and Ener-West Geo-Energy Services Inc. that devised the industrial installation. Eleven projects are underway and more are in planning stages across the province from Fort McMurray south to the Calgary satellite of Okotoks, said Doug Knight, Alberta manager for Vancouver-based Terasen.
Kabat is confident business and industrial sectors will not be far behind if the soaring price of fossil fuels raises the resale value of buildings equipped to avoid paying it. Source: By Gordon Jaremko, The Edmonton Journal, 11/1/2005.
American Semiconductor Corporation and GE Energy recently announced an order from the Wild Horse Wind Farm project for two D-VAR voltage regulation systems. According to AMSC and GE Energy, the D-VAR systems will be used to help meet Wild Horse's grid interconnection requirements. The wind farm is located near Puget Sound in Washington state.
"Our D-VAR-based voltage regulation system has become the industry product of choice for helping wind facilities meet these new grid interconnection standards," said AMSC vice president and Power Electronic Systems business general manager Chuck Stankiewicz. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 10/31/2005.
This week marked the completion of a 309 kW solar array at a U.S. Naval facility, the largest federal deployment of solar energy on The Hawaiian islands. According to RenewableEnergyAccess.com, the array covers 31,000 square feet of roof space, and incorporates 1,545 solar panels made by Sharp Corporation. During the daytime, this solar system generates energy equivalent to that normally used to power over 300 homes.
"The deployment of solar power at NAVFAC Hawaii demonstrates the Navy's commitment to using energy management practices that reduce operational costs and protect the environment," said Captain Richard D. Roth, commanding officer, NAVFAC Hawaii. "Using clean generation is very consistent with the Navy's ongoing efforts to leverage superior operational expertise and technologies," he added.
The array's solar power will be added to the Navy's electrical grid at Pearl Harbor and provide additional peak shaving power during the busiest part of the work day. Not only will it reduce the demand on Hawaiian Electric Company's power grid, it will improve air quality by avoiding thousands of tons of polluting nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions.
In addition, the solar power is expected to save the Navy $40K per year, at current Hawaiian Electric Company rates. "Installing photovoltaics at governmental facilities is a sound, sensible way for us to use distributed energy resources to meet our renewable energy goals as well as reduce operating costs," said Captain Roth.
"Solar power proved to be a wonderful energy solution," said Kevin Saito, energy manager, NAVFAC Hawaii. "By leveraging Hawaii's abundant sunshine, this photovoltaic system combines the environmental benefits of solar with the ability to provide onsite power. This project provides a more, cost-stable source of electricity, mitigating the sharp increase in fuel prices with which we are so familiar," he said. Source: Dominican Today, 10/19/2005.
The United States accounts for 28 percent of the world's installed geothermal energy, when both electric and thermal heat capacity are examined. There is 8,932 MW of installed power capacity in 24 countries, generating 56,951 GWh per year of green power, according to the International Geothermal Association. The average capacity factor is 0.73, ranging from a low of 0.56 in the Phillippines to a high of 0.96 in Kenya.
The U.S. has 2,564 MW which generate 17,917 GWh, explains an overview presented at the 2005 World Geothermal Congress in Antalya, Turkey. Others in the top ten rankings for green power include the Philippines (1,931 MW for 9,419 GWh), Mexico (953 / 6,282), Indonesia (797 / 6,085), Italy (790 / 5,340), Japan (535 / 3,467), New Zealand (435 / 2,774), Iceland (202 / 1,483), Costa Rica (163 / 1,145) and Kenya (129 MW / 1,088 GWh/year).
For direct use geothermal (including earth energy heat pumps), the global total from 72 countries is 28,268 MW, providing 75,943 GWh a year of thermal energy at an average capacity factor of 0.31, ranging from 0.16 in Norway to 0.53 in Turkey. The U.S. is in top spot with 7,817 MW and 8,678 GWh, followed by Sweden (3,840 / 10,001), China (3,687 / 12,605), Iceland (1,844 / 6,806), Turkey (1,495 / 6,900), Japan (822 / 2,862), Italy (607 / 2,098), Norway (600 / 857), Switzerland (582 / 1,175) and Germany (505 MW / 808 GWh).
Over the past five years, 1,000 MW of geothermal electric capacity has been commissioned, as well as 13,000 MW of thermal capacity in direct use geothermal, most of which has been in earth energy heat pumps, according to the report. Growth in the power industry has increased 2.9 percent a year while direct use has increased 13.2 percent annually in capacity and 7.5 percent in energy produced. The global use of geothermal displaces the annual emission of 131 Mt of CO2, and saves the combustion of 267 million barrels of oil a year, which is equivalent to 3.5 days of world consumption. Source: ReFocus Weekly, 11/2/2005.
Northern Power Systems, a subsidiary of Distributed Energy Systems Corp., has been awarded a contract to install and commission three additional NorthWind 100 wind turbines for Anchorage-based Alaska Village Electric Cooperative. The contract brings the total number of turbines AVEC has purchased from Northern Power to 10, representing what is believed to be the largest investment in wind turbines made in Alaska in a single year.
The Northern Power Products division will also supply and install wind turbine Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems for the villages of Toksook Bay and Kasigluk. These systems will leverage Northern Power's "SmartView" software, which will allow AVEC to monitor and control the wind turbines in both villages, as well as monitor the overall power generation system assets. The combined value for the turbine sale, the SCADA systems and other value-add services is $1.8 million.
The upcoming installation of the initial NorthWind turbines contributes to AVEC's initiative to integrate renewable wind power into more of the isolated Alaskan communities to which it provides electric power. The 10 wind turbines ordered to date will generate electric power for four of the 52 remote communities served by AVEC, including the communities of Toksook Bay, Savoonga, Gambell, and Kasigluk, located in western Alaska.
The NorthWind turbines are being integrated into a long-term diesel power plant and tank farm upgrade program by AVEC. The first installation — at Toksook Bay — includes a three-turbine array integrated with fuel-efficient diesel generators to generate power in a new, automated power plant, all of which will be monitored with the SmartView software and the associated SCADA system. Working with the generators at Toksook Bay, the three new turbines will produce approximately 675,000 kWh annually, replacing over 30 percent of the energy normally generated by diesel and, at current fuel prices, providing an estimated annual fuel cost savings of approximately $100,000.
"The NorthWind 100 turbines and SmartView software represent the ideal solution for rural communities where fuel is difficult and costly to deliver," said Brett Pingree, project manager for Northern Power. "They provide non-polluting renewable electrical energy, are field-proven to withstand the harsh arctic environment, and allow AVEC to easily monitor and control their systems."
AVEC is a non-profit electric utility that serves residents in 52 locations throughout rural Alaska. AVEC covers the largest area of any electric cooperative in the world and serves over 22,000 people. AVEC is a customer-owned cooperative, financed by member equity and by loans from the Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 10/28/2005.
Tucson Electric Power Co. has helped expand Tucson's solar generating capacity with a new 60-kw photovoltaic system in the heart of downtown. The array, which sits atop the new Pennington Street Parking Garage, will generate enough electricity to power almost 10 homes. The system's output will provide power for the garage while helping TEP satisfy an obligation to produce an increasing percentage of its energy from renewable resources.
"TEP is committed to developing renewable energy resources in southern Arizona," said Steve Glaser, senior vice president and chief operating officer of transmission and distribution at TEP. "We're working closely with our customers as well as schools and local governments to encourage investment in 'green' power projects like this one."
TEP is providing a significant portion of the up-front funding for the project with a $100,000 contribution toward construction of the $420,000 system. The system's output will help TEP meet a requirement to expand its use of renewable energy under Arizona's Environmental Portfolio Standard.
The system, designed by American Solar Electric Co. of Phoenix, includes 360 Kyocera 167-watt solar panels connected to 10 Sunnyboy inverters. The panels are installed on the roof of the parking garage, facing south at a 20 degree angle to maximize exposure to sunlight. TEP, a subsidiary of UniSource Energy Corp, provides safe, reliable power to more than 380,000 customers in southern Arizona. Source: TEP Release, 11/1/2005.
The majority of finances for the joint Biomass project have been secured. "We've reached another milestone," Jim Kochevar, general manager of Hibbing Public Utilities, told two of three commissioners Monday. Commissioner John Berklich was absent. "It's a sense of relief. We're elated."
Kochevar reported that the bonds relative to the project, approximately 70 percent of the project's cost, were sold late last week. The bonds, a mix of taxable and tax-exempt, will bring roughly $58 million to the project. The remaining 30 percent of the project's cost will be financed with equity. Kochevar said the debt financing had to be in place by the end of the month in accordance with the power purchase agreement forged with Xcel Energy.
The sale comes on the heels of other major hurdles that could have caused the project to derail. Those include obtaining all necessary environmental permits and securing authorization from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to proceed with the power purchase agreement with Excel. "We have nothing more to do than to build out," said Kochevar. "Now we can go great guns."
Work at the boiler sites in Hibbing and Virginia are proceeding, he said. The Hibbing boiler will be located directly east of the existing power plant. Both sites are currently prepped for the laying of foundation and paving. Bidding for construction trades is anticipated to begin within the next few months as is delivery of equipment. The building is scheduled for completion by mid to late-October with commissioning set to begin in January.
The location of the wood site was moved from the initial plan of the Chisholm-Hibbing Airport to a location in Mt. Iron due to environmental concerns and permitting. The move will allow the utilities to fuse synergies with another company, said Kochevar. The Hibbing and Virginia Public Utilities have been working toward a joint biomass project since April 2004.
The project converts fuel — in this case, wood — to power the boilers of the respective utilities. Both Hibbing and Virginia will see a new boiler, fuel handling system and auxiliary equipment built, which will tie into existing turbine generators. Twenty megawatts of power would be supplied from Hibbing and 15 megawatts from Virginia.
The project will use both open and closed loop production to fuel the boilers. Open loop is waste wood, tops, limbs and agricultural waste. Closed loop requires wood — for this project, hybrid poplar — to be grown specifically for use in the project.
According to early reports, the project is anticipated to bring in $704 million over 20 years, with $20 million spent in labor, fuel and materials. Up to 70 jobs are expected to be retained, with a possibility of 100-plus new jobs in the wood yard, transportation and tree growth parts of the operation. The project remains on track to be up and running by the beginning of 2007. Source: By Kelly Grinsteinner, The Daily Tribune, 11/1/2005.
Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. has been advised that its power proposal submitted in June 2005 to Sierra Pacific Power and Nevada Power in response to a Request for Proposals by the jointly owned Nevada utilities was favorably reviewed and designated "Tier 1" status. Essentially this means that NGP will have an opportunity to negotiate a contract with the utility based on our proposal to supply 30 MW of power to the utilities. At the same time, we are assessing other opportunities in the bulk power market with major industrial energy consumers.
NGP today announced the appointment of Frank Misseldine, CPA, as Geothermal Development Manager with primary responsibility for bringing the Blue Mountain Geothermal Project through to electric power production. Mr. Misseldine, to be based in newly opened offices in Reno, Nevada, brings twenty years of power development and plant operating experience to NGP, having worked for companies such as Oxbow Power Services Inc., Caithness Corporation, Precursor Systems Inc. and recently Geothermal Management Services LLC. as Asset Manager/Controller for operations at the Stillwater Geothermal Power Plant.
Further to the Company's plan to advance the Blue Mountain Geothermal Project through feasibility and development into production, NGP has recently completed a major Environmental Assessment in order to obtain permits for seven initial production wells and other deep exploration drilling sites. The permits are expected to be issued by the end of November, 2005.
The Company also welcomes Don Smith, CA, MBA as its Chief Financial Officer and Secretary as of Oct. 1, 2005. Mr. Smith obtained his Commerce and Master of Business Administration degrees at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and has 30 years of experience in senior financial positions including CFO for major public and private companies. Mr. Smith replaces Jack Milligan, P.Eng. as CFO/Secretary. Mr. Milligan will continue to serve as a Director and a Member of the Audit Committee. Source: Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. Release, 11/1/2005.
To help power the electrical needs of Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass and other businesses, the Gila River Indian Community is turning to the sun. The community's utility agency is proposing to build a 4-megawatt solar plant on the Gila River Reservation to serve its growing list of customers, which already includes the Sheraton Wild Horse Resort & Spa and Wild Horse Pass Casino and several proposed shopping centers.
The plant wouldn't provide more than 5 or 10 percent of the customers' needs but would help the community become a little more energy self-sufficient, said William Pezalla, general manager of the Gila River Indian Community Utility Authority. "We'll never have enough solar to power our load," he said. "Solar is one of the more expensive types of renewable powers. Wind is more economical, but we don't have much wind here."
But even providing 10 percent of the electric demand with solar will be especially helpful during peak hot summer days when traditional power plants run at or near capacity, he said. The 24-acre plant would be at the authority's Lone Butte Substation, which is about a mile and a half south of the hotel on the Gila River Reservation. Pezalla said it would not be visible from Ahwatukee Foothills. "It won't even be visible from the Sheraton," he said.
Assuming the financing comes through, the $17.6 million plant would be built over 10 years, with the first of eight phases constructed early next year on 3 acres. The first phase would provide 408 kilowatts. The authority plans to pay for the plant with grants, energy bonds, sales of renewable energy credits and its own funds. Source: By Betty Beard, The Arizona Republic, 11/2/2005.
A joint biomass project using wood to power the boilers for utilities in the Iron Range communities of Virginia and Hibbing is well on its way to becoming a reality. The general manager of Hibbing Public Utilities says most of the financing is in place. Jim Kochevar says about $58 million in taxable and tax-exempt bonds have been sold to finance about 70 percent of the project. The plan calls for both cities to have new boilers, fuel handling systems and other equipment that will work with existing turbine generators. Between Virginia and Hibbing, about 35 megawatts of power is expected to be produced. The biomass facilities are expected to be operating in early 2007. Source: The Associated Press, 11/2/2005.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 900,000 MW of wind power potential exists within 50 miles of the U.S. coastline. That is roughly equivalent to the total installed generating capacity of the U.S. Until recently, most of the focus of the U.S. wind industry has rightly been on developing the country's vast land-based potential. However, looking a few years down the line, the nation will need to begin developing its offshore wind energy potential in order to meet the growing need for clean, indigenous electricity generation close to large demand centers. Source: AWEA October Windletter, 10/31/2005.
Townsend schools, like many a school, have watched tax dollars go up in smoke—literally—every heating season. But with the installation of a new biomass wood pellet boiler this coming year, the schools' annual heating bill of $50,000 will be cut in half. And school officials say that over a 30-year period, the school expects to save $1 million, which it can pump into education instead of into heat bills.
When the boiler is installed this coming summer, Townsend will join Troy as the first two schools in Montana using a wood pellet boiler, according to Angela Farr, Montana Fuels for Schools coordinator. The Townsend school district was among the most recent to be awarded a Fuels for Schools grant this spring, bringing in $130,000, said Farr. That money should cover one-half to one-third of the installation cost, depending on whether the new boiler heats just one of the school buildings or all of them, said Nick Salmon, architect and project manager for CTA Architects, Engineers in Missoula. The district will make that final decision once bids come in, he said.
CTA is designing and overseeing the project for the Townsend schools and has worked on about a dozen similar projects, he said. In spite of borrowing money for some of the installation costs, the district will be "cash flow positive" in its very first year of operation, said Salmon. That means that the district, even with a loan payment, will still save money over its current bills for propane and heating oil. This is a very good sign, Salmon said. Some participating schools aren't cash flow positive until their 11th year. "The primary thing is it is protecting the school against inflation," Salmon said. While prices for gas and oil have been volatile, escalating at 6 to 8 percent per year, prices for wood products remained relatively stable, he said. Source: The Billings Gazette, 10/31/2005.
Lithium Technology Corporation recently announced that its German subsidiary GAIA Akkumulatorenwerke GmbH has received a contract from a leading German supplier of wind turbines to purchase lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries as backup power for the turbines' rotor blade pitch control system.
According to LTC, GAIA's Li-ion batteries are one-third the weight of the lead acid batteries currently used for rotor-adjustment backup power, are maintenance-free and have an electronic battery management system that allows checking the status of the battery remotely.
"The multiple advantages of our lithium-ion technology make our products particularly well suited to this application," said GAIA managing director Klaus Brandt. "This opportunity opens an entirely new high-end segment for LTC's GAIA batteries. This segment is characterized as a fast growing niche market as there is a steady rise of new wind turbine installations and retrofits into existing units." Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 11/1/2005.
With 100 representatives from states, Million Solar Roofs partnerships, and industry stakeholder groups looking on, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council announced the five winners of their 2005 Innovation Awards at their annual meeting.
Winners this year are the CTSHA Village Solar Electrification Pilot Project, Santiago, Ecuador; Wisconsin’s Doable Renewables: An Energy Education Revolution; Florida’s SunSmart Schools Program; the Renewable Energy Demonstration Center at Lakeshore Technical College; and the Renewable Energy Technologies Diploma Series at North Carolina Solar Center, NC State University.
In addition, IREC presented four Special Recognition Awards to Russel Smith from theTexas Renewable Energy Industries Association, Trudy Forsyth from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Kirk Laflin from the Partnership for Environmental Technology Education, and Mary Spruill from the National Energy Education Development Project.
“All of these projects, programs and people deserve this recognition.They are at the forefront of moving renewable energy forward and their contributions to our community are significant,” said Vicki Colello, IREC’s Chairperson.
Every year, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council recognizes state and local governments, schools, and non profits and community groups that have implemented innovative projects during the past year that promote and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technologies.
Ken Jurman, Chair of the IREC Awards Committee, states, “Each project, in the judgment of IREC and independent judges, has demonstrated a measurable positive impact that is replicable and innovative.This year’s winners are national models.” The runners up for this year's competition include:
A new U.S. Chamber of Commerce report sheds light on the attitudes, experiences, and expectations of business leaders toward corporate citizenship. The survey delves into the corporate citizenship motivations, challenges, priorities, and investments of 1,189 small, medium, and large businesses across the United States. Responses represent a breadth of industry sectors and geographic regions.
Findings from the survey, produced with The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for Corporate Citizenship with support from The Hitachi Foundation, reveal that for today's businesses, the question is no longer if corporate citizenship should be a priority, but rather, how they approach it in the context of their business and the scope of their commitment. In fact, among large companies:
Executives fall into two camps regarding business' role in society. Slightly more than six in ten perceive business as balancing the interests of multiple stakeholders, including investors, employees, consumers, communities, and the environment. The remaining respondents take a more compliant perspective focused on fulfilling employee and shareholder obligations. And while all companies engage in similar corporate citizenship activities, large companies are far more likely to have an expansive definition of their role in society. Among large companies:
Engagement is largely driven by internal considerations — 73 percent of companies cite their company's traditions and values as the primary actuating factors — and few respondents name employees (16 percent), top management (10 percent), or middle management (8 percent) as hindrances in their corporate citizenship efforts. Despite this internal recognition of corporate citizenship importance, 54 percent of executives report that a lack of resources is their biggest barrier. And while executives clearly view their role as societal stewards as important, the findings suggest a modest gap between executives’ expressed attitudes and the actions companies are actually undertaking.
The findings do reveal that, across the board, companies are actively engaged in public life. Private sector involvement in social issues includes environmental protection, supporting education, and economic development in our poorest communities. The means by which each company relates to society is unique, and there is no one universal corporate citizenship strategy. Download full text of the report online. Source: GreenBiz.com, 10/11/2005.
Consumer watchdog magazine Consumer Reports launched a Web site dedicated to the environmental impact of consumer products. Find health and environmental information — including an energy-efficiency rating — on products for home and office (or home office), including consumer electronics, cars, home appliances, and garden products. The Recycling Center offers an impressive list of recycling and donation programs for computers and cell phones. The site also features basic information on environmental issues such as climate, waste, toxics, and household energy. Source: GreenBiz.com, 10/11/2005.
The next Webcast sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America program, the American Public Power Association, and Western Area Power Administration is scheduled for Dec. 8, 2005 and will address Grid Interconnection and Impacts. We invite you to participate in this Webcast and the remaining series related to the integration of wind energy into Electric Cooperative and Public Power systems. Webcasts are limited to the first 40 callers, with preference given to Electric Cooperative and Public Power personnel. There is no charge to participate in the teleconferences, but the sponsors ask that you reserve a spot beforehand so that the maximum number of participants can be accommodated. Please sign up only if you know you will be able to attend as we are limited to the seats available for this conference. Interested parties can register by contacting Debbie Rock at 1-720-962-7271.
Presentations for the Wind Energy and Air Quality Issue Forum held by National Wind Coordinating Council (NWCC) on October 20th in Lansing, Michigan, can now be obtained online. Source: NWCC Bi-weekly Update, 11/2/2005.
A NWCC research meeting on Technical Considerations in Siting Wind Energy will be held Dec 1 -2 in Washington, DC. Meeting details are online. Source: NWCC Bi-weekly Update, 10/17/2005
How Will It Affect Public Power? Nov. 10-11, 2005. This is the first of three seminars on the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Additional information will follow on the Dec. 15-16, 2005 seminar on the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the FERC and the Jan. 19-20, 2006 seminar on Conservation & Renewable Energy: Clean Renewable Energy Bonds & Other Energy Policy Act of 2005 Programs.
If you are member of the Solar Electric Power Association, this is a reminder to e-mail a RSVP for “Part 1” of the “Best of Solar Power 2005 Presentations”. Please note there has been a change in the speakers do to a conflict in schedule. Below are the details for the first “Best of Solar Power 2005” conference call seminar:
Source: Solar Electric Power Association 10/24/2005.
This report presents year-end 2004 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. It presents information on customer participation, sales, program supplies, marketing costs and strategies, and other key program design and implementation practices. The data in this report can be used by utilities as benchmarks by which to gauge the success of their green power programs. Some of the key findings of the report include:
While a relatively small number of utilities continue to dominate participation and sales figures among green pricing programs, growth is occurring in a greater number of utility programs. Source: NREL Release, 11/2/2005.
The October 27, 2005 issue of the Renewable Fuel Association's Ethanol Report is now available online. Included in this month's issue:
The California PV Utility Program Managers working group is designed to facilitate dialogue and collaboration among California Utilities and Government Energy Agencies (eg. California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission) involved in the development and implementation of photovoltaic programs. The CPVU meetings are facilitated by Tor Allen of the Rahus Institute/California Solar Center, a non-profit organization. The notes and presentations (ppts) from the September 2005 CPVU meeting held in Santa Clara, CA have been posted online. Source: Tor Allen, The Rahus Institute/California Solar Center, 100/26/2005.
Per the Energy Policy Act of 2005, tribes are now eligible for DOE's Renewable Energy Production Incentive. REPI provides financial incentive payments for electricity produced and sold by new qualifying renewable energy generation facilities. Qualifying facilities are eligible for annual incentive payments of 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (1993 dollars and indexed for inflation) for the first ten year period of their operation, subject to the availability of annual appropriations in each Federal fiscal year of operation. Source: Lizana Pierce, Project Manager, U.S. DOE Tribal Energy Program, 10/17/2005
After listening to nearly 50 highly qualified renewable energy professionals and legislators give presentations for the last two days here in the nation's capitol at the American Council on Renewable Energy's Phase II Policy Conference, the "take-aways" are plentiful.
In the conference this week, there was true bipartisanship on energy issues and policies pertaining to renewable energy and its close cousin, energy efficiency. Cabinet Secretaries Mike Johanns of Agriculture and Gale Norton of the Interior addressed the conference, expressing their personal interest and support for renewable energy, and even listed President George Bush as a supporter of renewable energy. Yet with interest in energy security issues and escalating gasoline prices running high in America and likewise among the conference's 350+ attendees, ethanol seemed to capture the attendees' imagination and was unofficially anointed the next big thing.
While ethanol's technology is well on its way and in use as a blend for gasoline, though far from the perfect, it is clear that to make the "switch" faster away from fossil fuels these leaders see new ethanol-related policy decisions on the horizon. Not the least of which is to demand that all new autos and trucks be fitted with "flex fuel" capabilities.
According to Vinod Khosla, venture capitalist presenter and co-founder of Daisy Systems and founding Chief Executive Officer of Sun Microsystems, there are already 4 to 5 million flex fuel-configured vehicles on the road today in the U.S. Yet most drivers do not even know their vehicles are so configured because the manufacturers did not inform these consumers, says Khosla, the business-minded investor and now a staunch ethanol proponent.
Should "flex fuel" capability come as a technology directive through federal legislation, according to Khosla and others, it would be at no extra cost and the benefits would be plentiful for the consumer including the opportunity to lower operating costs — and at the same time usher in nothing less than the beginning of the end for transportation fossil fuels.
Ethanol use, in its many blended forms, is already underway here in the U.S., most notably in the corn-belt of the Midwest, and to a larger degree elsewhere in the world, especially in Brazil, where the price per gallon, according to Khosla, is exported for $0.75/gallon.
Another big take-away was a greater feeling of true bipartisanship on energy issues and policies pertaining to renewable energy, and its close cousin, energy efficiency. Cabinet Secretaries Mike Johanns of Agriculture and Gale Norton of the Interior addressed the conference, expressing their personal interest and support for renewable energy, and even listed President George Bush as a supporter of renewable energy.
The ACORE event is co-sponsored with the U.S. Senate and House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus thus helping to attract Congressmen from both sides of the aisle. Speaking to confirm their commitment to accelerating the use of renewable energy as one of the solutions to help solve the nation's energy crisis, Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO), Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Mark Udall (D-CO), Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) and several others were on hand throughout the two days and also for evening reception events held at the Republicans' Capitol Hill Club.
Another technology ranking consistently high on the applause-o-meter was hydrogen energy, but the applause was to signal a confirming disapproval from the audience. When not presented in the positive or attacked as wasteful spending, many attendees in the audience applauded to express their displeasure with the current administration's hydrogen policies.
Shining in his keynote address to the conference and signaling the growing importance of states in development of energy policy and implementation, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, perhaps garnered the biggest applause approval by saying, "When it comes to our energy future, we should rely on the Midwest, and not the Middle East."
The Renewable Energy in America: Policies for Phase ll conference was designed to identify policies on the state and federal level that will increase the use of renewable energy in the U.S. by facilitating the growth of domestic renewable energy, enhancing national security, creating new jobs and opportunities for economic growth, improving the environment and health, and reducing the risks associated with climate change. Source: By Jim Callihan, President, RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 10/19/2005
The largest solar power plant in the world is scheduled to break ground in April of 2006 near Amedee Field in Herlong. Lassen County landowner, Jagjit Kang contacted DBK Corporation about the solar plant because he said he wanted to do something for his community. Kang resides in Milpitas, Calif. Plans are in the works to make the plant a 200-megawatt unit.
Currently, the largest solar power plant is being built in Germany. It is a 10-megawatt plant and they have just reached the half-way point of five megawatts, said Deborah Valentine, director, in a press release.
After investigating the Lassen County site one of DBK engineer's found the location to be ideal. Lassen County has more than 300 sunny days per year and transmission lines were already on the property. The land is flat with very little vegetation and it has a good water supply below the surface. The land lies near Amedee Field, Sierra Army Depot's runway scheduled for expansion.
The Lassen County Solar Power Plant, during the construction stage, will use mostly locals to complete and operate the plant. The plant will increase mid-level jobs in the area as well, increasing tax revenue for the county, said Valentine. The solar power plant will use DBK Corporation's new high tech low profile Omega Solar Panel™. These panels use more than 70 percent of sun wavelength instead of the traditional 17-percent panel. They are aided by an amplification process, which vastly improves the overall efficiency.
The system will be linked to fuel cell systems, which will be able to supply power 24/7 even on cloudy days. The plant will have zero impact on the environment while supplying power to more than 160,000 homes and businesses, said Valentine. Source: By Barbara France, News Editor, Lassen County Times, 11/2/2005.
The American Wind Energy Association stated today in its Third Quarter Market Report that the U.S. wind energy industry will install about 2,500 megawatts of new wind power this year, a record amount that will help lower skyrocketing home heating and electric bills by reducing the demand for natural gas.
"Wind power's rapid growth provides what is potentially the quickest and best supply-side option to ease the natural gas shortage," said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. The full release, including map and listing of some of the wind power projects coming on line in 2005, is attached, and available on the Web. Source: AWEA 3rd Quarter Market Report, 11/3/2005.
Investors are becoming more positive towards renewable energy, and have a keen interest in learning more about green power technologies. Renewable energy is attracting “significant attention” in the UK investment community, with 46 percent reporting an increase in positive perceptions over the past year, according to the second survey on investors' attitudes towards renewables conducted by Gavin Anderson & Company for the Department of Trade & Industry. The survey concludes that the main reason cited for the growing optimism is the continued commitment from government to support the renewables industry, although this commitment and support is also seen by investors as the highest potential for risk, with the potential for change in public policy.
"The results of the latest survey are encouraging as they show there is a very keen interest among investors to discover more about renewable energy," says Ken Cronin of Gavin Anderson. "A total of 88 percent of those surveyed said they were either 'possibly' or 'definitely' interested in the principle of investing in the sector, so the potential is huge." Renewables accounted for 3.1 percent of total energy production in Britain last year, and the government has set a target of 10 percent by 2010 to safeguard energy supplies and the environment. It wants 15 percent of energy to come from renewables by 2015.
"The UK now has a renewable energy policy that is at least recognised by most investors," the report concludes. "However it is clear from the results of this survey that from this already good base, there is still room for improvement." The general election and G8 summit of world leaders last year made 2004 a difficult year to convey the message, and "it is clear that investors require more information and see government as a key source," the survey concludes. "This indistinct messaging clearly has had an impact on investors' belief that the government will achieve the 2010 target, with almost two-thirds of those surveyed stating they believe the targets will not be met."
Communications to investors was seen as good, but many want more frequent contact and the survey shows that investors view public perception as key to investing in the future. While 84 percent of investors expect wind power to become the most significant renewable technology in Britain, others expect wave and tidal, as well as hydroelectric and fuel cell/hydrogen, to gain in popularity. "The renewables sector has a growing reputation with investors and this survey highlights that positive and strengthening confidence," says energy minister Malcolm Wicks, who released the results at a meeting of the British Wind Energy Association. The survey is a follow-up to a survey done in early 2004, and some of questions in the 2004 survey were repeated to assess how views had changed in the 17 months.
There was a marginal weakening of attitudes towards renewables, with 46 percent reporting their attitudes had become more positive, 22 percent saying they were more negative, and 32 percent remaining unchanged. The more-negative attitudes were based on the perception that renewables are expensive and poor value for money, while others noted a lack of marketing and little marketing activity, political factors (including a perceived poor track record and lack of decision-making) and environmental concerns of the general public on the siting of windfarms. "Wind power is a colossal waste of time and money and it is not reliable so you have to back it up with fossil fuel generation," said one respondent. "I'm not certain that the very considerable grants given to wind power are worth it when it’s never going to help us meet the Kyoto target in any meaningful way." The majority remain interested, in principle, in investing in the renewables sector, but the level of interest is marginally below the level of 2004 and, unlike that survey, a few investors now say that they are not interested.
Among the key risks associated with investing in renewables were political factors (34 percent expressed concerns about a lack of government commitment and possible long-term changes after the next election) while 28 percent saw subsidies as a short-term measure with no evidence of commitment in the longer term. Others saw renewable energy technology as still developing and a lack of regulation and instability in the regulatory regime, while others cited concerns about profitability. Most investors were realistic about rates of return, with 80 percent considering 10 percent to 20 percent as acceptable. A small minority (8 percent) would require ROI's of more than 30 percent and the same number wanted returns of 21 percent to 30 percent. Three-quarters said the rates are achievable, and 60 percent say their acceptable level has not changed over the past two years, while 24 percent have reduced their expectations and 12 percent have higher expectations.
When asked about positive actions taken by government towards renewables over the past year, 42 percent said nothing has been done or could not specify any actions. Of the specific positive actions mentioned, 24 percent cited more general marketing activity and a general raising of awareness, while 10 percent noted the new renewables target of 15 percent by 2015. Of negative actions mentioned by respondents, 10 percent cited general inaction and a lack of decision-making and clarity in the government’s strategy, while 8 percent said the review of the Renewable Obligation produced uncertainty, and 6 percent said there was too much emphasis on wind power and the same percentage said there was too little support for solar energy.
Investors suggested that government must provide a range of fiscal incentives including tax breaks and subsidies (suggested by 28 percent) and acceleration of the planning process (22 percent). Other main suggestions include a clear and consistent strategy (16 percent), improvement and extension of the ROC regime (12 percent), covering more technologies than just wind (10 percent), creating a stable and long-term regulatory regime (8 percent), education of consumers (6 percent) and guarantees for technology risks (6 percent). Respondents were all institutional investors, banks, private equity and investment houses, with interviews in a semi-structured format to generate both numeric (quantitative) and in-depth (qualitative) feedback. Gavin Anderson & Company is a strategic communications consultancies, with 13 offices around the world. It runs a dedicated energy practice that advises companies on renewable energies. Source: ReFocus Weekly, 11/2/2005.
Yellowstone Capital Partners, LLC announced the final closing of its US$10 million fund, Yellowstone EnergyVentures, L.P., effective Sept. 30, 2005. The fund is a private equity investment partnership focused on early stage companies in the energy technology and renewable energy sectors.
Yellowstone Energy Ventures, L.P. is targeting investments in renewable energy and alternative energy technology opportunities. These include clean coal related technologies, wind power, energy storage devices, distributed power generation equipment, fuel cell technology, hydrogen production and solar power. Mr. Omar Sawaf, President of Yellowstone said, "In October 2004, when we started the fund, we concluded that the outlook for new energy sources and technologies was very promising. Strong global demand and economic growth in virtually every region combined with high capacity utilization and depleting supplies for fossil fuels, have combined to close the economic gap between fossil fuels and renewables.
In addition, improving technologies and efficiencies of alternatives technologies, especially in wind energy, solar photovoltaic and fuel cells continue their positive trend. Anticipated increases in government intervention and incentives to reduce dependence on imported crude oil on the one hand and environmental consideration on the other increase the likelihood and shorten the time frame to make this segment of the energy sector an attractive and unique opportunity for long term investors."
Mr. Sawaf continued by saying, "Today, we announce the final closing of the fund and report that we made six investments to date during our first year, including the funding of Fideris, Protonex and Solaris Nanoscience. hese are further described on our website."
Yellowstone Capital Partners, LLC, headquartered in Houston, TX, is a merchant bank specializing in the energy, life science and food industries. Yllowstone combines financial expertise with operating experience to form a unique private equity firm committed to building businesses. For more information, contact Omar Sawaf, William Brewer, or Richard Owen at (1-713-650-0065). Source: PR Newswire, 11/2/2005.
International energy and climate talks opened Tuesday amid contention over whether the agency entrusted with leading the financial charge against global warming is doing enough to drum up investment in projects designed to harness the wind, sun, and other sources of renewable energy.
Pressure group Friends of the Earth, in a new report, accused the World Bank of doing too little to promote renewable energy, prized because it is considered to be in infinite supply—unlike oil, coal, and gas—and because it involves little or no pollution compared to those fossil fuels.
The Washington, D.C.-based bank, in a statement, countered that it had doubled its financing for renewable energy and for efforts to improve energy efficiency around the globe. The controversy came as energy and environment ministers gathered in London for international talks on climate change and clean energy.
Steering the process is the Group of Eight dominant countries, which in July asked the World Bank to develop a global framework for financing clean energy as part of a broader effort to tackle climate change beyond the 2012 expiration of the Kyoto Protocol. In its report, entitled ''Power Failure,'' Friends of the Earth said the bank did not appear up to the task.
"Based on an examination of publicly available documents for World Bank Group energy lending, the bank has failed to adequately fund and create policies to push the development of clean energy and has failed to meet even its own commitments," the report said. "This failure to adequately fund clean energy misses a tremendous opportunity to use these energy sources to promote development and poverty alleviation, and it continues the bank's long-standing over-investment in harmful energy sources."
World Bank financing for renewable energy and energy efficiency amounted to a slim nine percent of all the institution's financing in the energy sector, Friends of the Earth said. The bank increased funding by only seven percent, or $14 million, in fiscal year 2005, less than half its announced target of a 20-percent increase annually over the next five years, the advocacy group added.
The bank countered that it had in fact exceeded its $251 million target and boosted spending by $299 million in fiscal 2005, which ran from July 2004 through June 2005. In fiscal year 2005, it added, the lender and its private sector and insurance affiliates—the International Finance Corporation and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency—supported renewable energy and energy efficiency to the tune of $748 million. This included $449 million for large dams; $212 million for wind, solar, and small-scale hydropower projects as well as efforts to harness energy from the Earth's heat and from farm waste; and $87 million for energy efficiency.
"Each dollar of World Bank Group commitment," the bank said, "leveraged an average of nearly five dollars from private investors, governments, and other donors." The $748 million committed in fiscal 2005 more than doubled the $339 million allocated the previous fiscal year, the bank said, adding that it expected to see further advances. Even so, Friends of the Earth report co-author Elizabeth Bast urged a massive and immediate boost in financing.
"The bank will have to make immediate and aggressive changes to dramatically increase its renewable energy and energy efficiency lending if it hopes to have any impact on climate change before it is too late for developing countries." Environmentalists say that wind and solar power and small dams, combined with aggressive efforts to rein in energy use by improving the efficiency with which we power our livelihoods and lifestyles, can dramatically cut emissions of greenhouse gases.
Scientists blame these gases, including carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, for changes in global climate that are contributing to droughts in some parts of the world, floods and storms in others, and the spread of tropical diseases to temperate zones. In poor countries, renewable energy also can help to alleviate poverty and can provide electricity to people lacking access to traditional power grids, Friends of the Earth said.
Renewable sources account for a scant two percent of the world's energy use, compared to about 30 percent for oil, according to Chris Flavin, president of the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Worldwatch Institute. However, energy companies and governments are driving growth in the renewable sector, which is attracting roughly $30 billion in investment annually, Flavin told an energy conference in late September.
As a result, production of biofuels, wind power, and solar energy is growing by 20-30 percent per year, compared with growth rates of around two percent for oil and gas, he said. Norway gets 45 percent of its energy from renewable sources and Sweden, about one-fourth. By contrast, the United States relies on renewable sources for 4.2 percent of its energy use. China, a major industrial power and polluter, also is a leading user of clean energy, according to Flavin. Some 35 million Chinese homes already get their hot water from solar collectors—more than the rest of the world combined, he said. Source: By Abid Aslam, OneWorld US, 11/1/2005.
Winona County's proposed wind power project got a boost Tuesday with the announcement of a $200,000 state grant to help pay for a $3 million turbine. "It's wonderful news," said Anne Morse, the county's recycling coordinator and one of the lead turbine project members. "The most exciting thing is that we've done all the right things."
Mike Bull, Minnesota's assistant commerce commissioner, announced the grant — one of two awarded this year for community-owned wind projects — Tuesday night at a Winona State University energy summit. "Winona County has demonstrated all the critical elements we looked for," Bull said. The two-megawatt turbine must be completed by June 2007 to meet grant requirements.
The county's Economic Development Authority has signed rental options on two pieces of land in Mount Vernon Township but hasn’t revealed their locations. The 300-foot-high turbine would require less than an acre of land, plus an access road.
Township residents supported the project unanimously during a straw vote last month. Jeff Cook-Coyle, the project's technical consultant, said a new wind study at the proposed sites showed the turbine will operate at 15 percent more than originally expected, and its output will be well above industry standards. County officials and wind consultants project the turbine will pay for itself in 10 to 12 years and will generate a 10 percent return on investment over 20 years, the average lifetime of a turbine.
At peak power, the proposed turbine would generate enough electricity to power about 600 homes. The electricity would be fed into the power grid and sold to Xcel Energy, the state’s largest electric utility and the only one purchasing wind power. Last summer, the Minnesota Department of Commerce recommended that the state’s Public Utilities Commission require Xcel to add 2,800 megawatts of wind power by 2020.
EDA members have said a successful project would serve as a model for private investors and future community-owned turbines. The county is conducting a study of the effect a turbine would have on bird migration patterns; it's expected to conclude Nov. 8. Preliminary studies have shown the proposed sites are poor habitats, and will cause little harm to birds, Morse said.
Reporter Brian Voerding can be reached at (507)-453-3514. Source: By Brian Voerding, Winona Daily News, 11/1/2005.
This news item comes to you as a service of Western's Renewable Resources Program.
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