www.power-eng.com
26 Aug 2012
Aura Systems, Inc, and Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc, announced that the two companies have formed a technology development alliance to combine the all-fuel Cyclone Engine with the AuraGen induction motor and control unit.
According to a release, the partners anticipate that the integrated renewable power generation system will be able to provide a turn-key distributed solution for customers looking to produce grid-tied or stand-alone electricity from renewable and waste resources.
Cyclone's steam engines are capable of converting recovered exhaust heat from industrial furnaces, biomass gasifiers and other waste sources into mechanical power. The AuraGen technology fits "extremely well" with Cyclone's engines, especially in applications where fluctuations in heat create variations in engine RPM. AuraGen units produce consistent rated power, at a range of engine speeds, as well as generating AC and DC power simultaneously in a variety of voltages.
Christopher Nelson, President of Cyclone, said, "Securing the partners needed to provide turn-key renewable power generator systems to our customers, both current and prospective, is an important part of our growth strategy. Aura has the generator technology, engineering team, production capabilities and resources to provide the electrical solution from start to finish. We are very pleased to be working with Aura and look forward to a long and successful working relationship".
Melvin Gagerman, Chairman and CEO of Aura, said, "We recognize the uniqueness of Cyclone's engine technology and the talents of its engineering team. This is an attractive partnership for Aura that we think provides an excellent market extension for our AuraGen product line".
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Growing demand for Renewable energy
www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au
27 Aug 2012
THE new 2012 Australian Energy Update report shows strong growth in the use of renewable energy, according to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE). "Renewable energy (excluding biomass) recorded the strongest consumption growth in 2010 11 at 21%, followed by natural gas and oil consumption which both increased by 7%" said BREE Executive Director and Chief Economist Professor Quentin Grafton.
"The strongest final energy consumption growth was observed in the mining and transport sectors. "Total energy consumption, including transformation activity, increased by 3% in 2010 11 to 6100 petajoules, supported by stronger economic growth". Total final energy consumption in Australia grew by 2% to 3839 petajoules in 2010 11. Total electricity generation remained, more or less unchanged at about 253 000 GWs in 2010 11 with declines in coal-fired generation offset by increased generation from natural gas and renewable energy sources (including solar, wind and hydroelectric).
"A 3% fall in energy production in 2010-11 to 16,640 petajoules, reflected lower production of coal, crude oil and uranium oxide primarily due to weather-related events" according to Professor Grafton. "Energy statistics and their analysis are critical to industry, government and the community to make better decisions about our energy future,
2012 Australian Energy Update
27 Aug 2012
THE new 2012 Australian Energy Update report shows strong growth in the use of renewable energy, according to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE). "Renewable energy (excluding biomass) recorded the strongest consumption growth in 2010 11 at 21%, followed by natural gas and oil consumption which both increased by 7%" said BREE Executive Director and Chief Economist Professor Quentin Grafton.
"The strongest final energy consumption growth was observed in the mining and transport sectors. "Total energy consumption, including transformation activity, increased by 3% in 2010 11 to 6100 petajoules, supported by stronger economic growth". Total final energy consumption in Australia grew by 2% to 3839 petajoules in 2010 11. Total electricity generation remained, more or less unchanged at about 253 000 GWs in 2010 11 with declines in coal-fired generation offset by increased generation from natural gas and renewable energy sources (including solar, wind and hydroelectric).
"A 3% fall in energy production in 2010-11 to 16,640 petajoules, reflected lower production of coal, crude oil and uranium oxide primarily due to weather-related events" according to Professor Grafton. "Energy statistics and their analysis are critical to industry, government and the community to make better decisions about our energy future,
2012 Australian Energy Update
One in five big Japan firms wants exit from atomic power by 2030
www.reuters.com
27 Aug 2012
(Reuters)-About one in five big Japanese firms wants to see the share of nuclear power in the electricity supply reduced to zero by 2030, a Reuters poll showed, amid a growing anti-nuclear clamor after last year's Fukushima atomic disaster. But underlining concerns about a rise in energy costs without atomic power, the rest of the respondents supported a continued role for nuclear power, with the biggest group opting for a share of 15%.
The poll comes as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda considers options for a medium-term energy plan while vowing to reduce reliance on atomic energy without saying by how much or when. Energy policy has become a major headache for Noda and his Democratic Party of Japan, its ratings battered ahead of a general election likely to take place in November and give the ruling party a drubbing.
The government is considering three options for its energy portfolio: reduce nuclear power's role to zero as soon as possible, aim at 15% by 2030, or seek a 20 25% share by the same date. The share was about 30% before the disaster, which forced the government to scrap a 2010 plan to boost nuclear power's share to more than half of electricity needs by 2030. In the Reuters poll, 19% of big firms sought to cut nuclear power's role to zero, but 39% called for 15% by 2030, as a majority of companies brace for slower economic growth as reliance on nuclear power declines.
One-quarter said they wanted to see a 20 25% share and the remainder called for even greater percentages, according to the poll of 400 big firms, taken alongside the monthly Reuters Tankan business sentiment survey. A total of 268 responded during the August 6 21 survey period.
The poll reflects to some extent the stance of Japan's major business lobby, Keidanren, which advocates the need for nuclear power out of concern that high energy costs could force firms to move overseas, costing jobs and growth. "It's unrealistic for Japan to ditch nuclear power in 15 years or so", one rubber company said in the survey. "It should inevitably become around 15% while we seek alternative energy sources for overage reactors". The poll compared with a government survey of nearly 300 people which showed almost half-by far the largest group-favored the zero option.
Meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused radiation to spew over large areas, forcing more than 160,0000 people to flee. In the following months, all of Japan's remaining reactors were shut for safety checks. Two reactors resumed operations last month. The Reuters poll found 85% seeking more strict safety standards and measures for restarting the rest of the reactors which remain shut, mostly for safety checks.
To cope with increased electricity costs amid a prolonged shutdown of reactors, 69% said they would cut expenditure and 36% would seek cheaper power suppliers, according to the poll, which allowed respondents multiple choices. Underlining conditions of prolonged deflation, 26% said they would pass the cost on to their customers, while 13% would shift operations out of Japan, according to the poll. Since last year's disaster, 15% of firms have boosted in-house power generation, while 80% made no change in their power procurement, the poll showed.
27 Aug 2012
(Reuters)-About one in five big Japanese firms wants to see the share of nuclear power in the electricity supply reduced to zero by 2030, a Reuters poll showed, amid a growing anti-nuclear clamor after last year's Fukushima atomic disaster. But underlining concerns about a rise in energy costs without atomic power, the rest of the respondents supported a continued role for nuclear power, with the biggest group opting for a share of 15%.
The poll comes as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda considers options for a medium-term energy plan while vowing to reduce reliance on atomic energy without saying by how much or when. Energy policy has become a major headache for Noda and his Democratic Party of Japan, its ratings battered ahead of a general election likely to take place in November and give the ruling party a drubbing.
The government is considering three options for its energy portfolio: reduce nuclear power's role to zero as soon as possible, aim at 15% by 2030, or seek a 20 25% share by the same date. The share was about 30% before the disaster, which forced the government to scrap a 2010 plan to boost nuclear power's share to more than half of electricity needs by 2030. In the Reuters poll, 19% of big firms sought to cut nuclear power's role to zero, but 39% called for 15% by 2030, as a majority of companies brace for slower economic growth as reliance on nuclear power declines.
One-quarter said they wanted to see a 20 25% share and the remainder called for even greater percentages, according to the poll of 400 big firms, taken alongside the monthly Reuters Tankan business sentiment survey. A total of 268 responded during the August 6 21 survey period.
The poll reflects to some extent the stance of Japan's major business lobby, Keidanren, which advocates the need for nuclear power out of concern that high energy costs could force firms to move overseas, costing jobs and growth. "It's unrealistic for Japan to ditch nuclear power in 15 years or so", one rubber company said in the survey. "It should inevitably become around 15% while we seek alternative energy sources for overage reactors". The poll compared with a government survey of nearly 300 people which showed almost half-by far the largest group-favored the zero option.
Meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused radiation to spew over large areas, forcing more than 160,0000 people to flee. In the following months, all of Japan's remaining reactors were shut for safety checks. Two reactors resumed operations last month. The Reuters poll found 85% seeking more strict safety standards and measures for restarting the rest of the reactors which remain shut, mostly for safety checks.
To cope with increased electricity costs amid a prolonged shutdown of reactors, 69% said they would cut expenditure and 36% would seek cheaper power suppliers, according to the poll, which allowed respondents multiple choices. Underlining conditions of prolonged deflation, 26% said they would pass the cost on to their customers, while 13% would shift operations out of Japan, according to the poll. Since last year's disaster, 15% of firms have boosted in-house power generation, while 80% made no change in their power procurement, the poll showed.
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