Ministers planning 'hidden subsidies' for nuclear power

www.guardian.co.uk
20 Apr 2012

Ministers are planning to subsidise nuclear power through electricity bills-despite their promises not to, a secret document seen by the Guardian reveals. The leaked document clearly lays out plans to use "contracts for difference" for nuclear power, which would allow nuclear operators to reap higher prices for their energy than fossil fuel power stations. The plans will further inflame rows over energy policy and cause a political furore for the Liberal Democrats, who fought the general election firmly opposing an expansion of nuclear power.

Fiona Hall, leader of the Lib Dem group in the European parliament with a special interest in energy, said she now had no doubt that the contract for difference was a subsidy. "Industry on all sides believe this is a subsidy". She wants the UK court of auditors as well as the European commission to give a legal ruling on the issue and believes any subsidy runs against the coalition agreement. In a blog posted on the Liberal Democrat Voice website she calls on fellow party members to "speak out" against nuclear subsidies.

The issue is a key one for many Lib Dem supporters and has acquired even greater resonance since the Fukushima disaster and the withdrawal from nuclear of countries such as Germany and Italy. Green campaigners believe the Lib Dems have been persuaded into allowing higher energy bills to flow into increased profits for nuclear companies by a sleight of hand that lets ministers disguise nuclear subsidies as support for "low-carbon power".

The Guardian has also seen a presentation made by Scottish & Southern Energy to MPs last month, saying the plans contain "hidden subsidies", will be open to challenge on legal grounds, and could "mess up" funding for renewables. Hall commented: "I have not seen the SSE presentation but even the nuclear industry accepts this is a covert subsidy".

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Hydrogenics joins Enbridge in developing utility-scale energy storage

www.brandonsun.com
23 Apr 2012

MISSISSAUGA, Ont.-Hydrogenics Corp. and pipeline giant Enbridge Inc. have announced a joint venture to develop utility-scale energy storage in North America. The agreement, which includes a $5 million equity investment in the hydrogen generation company by Enbridge, brings together Hydrogenics' expertise in water electrolysis with Enbridge's expertise in natural gas pipeline networks and renewable energy generation.

Under the program, hydrogen produced during periods of excess renewable generation will be injected into Enbridge's existing natural gas pipeline network, proportionally increasing the renewable energy content in natural gas pipelines for essentially the operating cost of the electrolyzer. "Small quantities of hydrogen can be manageable in existing natural gas pipeline networks", the companies said in a joint release. "With the significant scale of the natural gas pipeline network, these same quantities of hydrogen have a very meaningful impact on electricity energy storage potential".

The collaboration between Hydrogenics and Enbridge will initially focus on the deployment of utility-scale energy storage in Ontario, with the opportunity to expand into Enbridge's operations elsewhere. "This clean energy solution establishes a bridge between the electricity and natural gas networks to bring seasonal storage capabilities to electricity networks", Enbridge spokesman Chuck Szmurlo said in a release. "This is another example of how Enbridge is investing in alternative energy technologies that complement our pipeline businesses while contributing to our growth in renewable and clean energy", said Szmurlo, vice-president of alternative and emerging technology.

Hydrogenics president and CEO Daryl Wilson said the two companies look forward to advancing the commercialization of hydrogen energy storage solutions that have GW-hour potential for electricity storage. "With distinct advantages over conventional energy storage methods, the hydrogen solution provides unrivalled energy storage capacity and application flexibility to meet the growing need for energy storage by North America's electricity grid operators".

Enbridge, with some 6,900 employees, operates the world's biggest crude oil and liquids transportation system with pipelines across North America and is Canada's largest natural gas distribution company with operations in Ontario, Quebec and New York state. It also has a significant and growing involvement in natural gas gathering and midstream businesses, and an increasing involvement in power transmission and has interests in close to 1,000 MWs of renewable and alternative energy generating capacity.

Majority in UK accept wind turbines on landscape-poll

www.reuters.com
19 Apr 2012

• Two thirds of respondents favour wind power
• Majority says look of wind turbines acceptable
• Vocal minority still an obstacle for expansion

(Reuters)-A majority of British people accept the look of wind turbines on the landscape and around two thirds favour wind power as an energy source, a sample of over 1,000 adults surveyed across the United Kingdom showed. Onshore wind is the least costly source of low-carbon energy, but a minority opposed to the look of turbines has slowed its development and raises costs for the UK to achieve its climate targets, a spokesman for RenewableUK said.

"Opposition to wind farms is the reserve of a relatively very small, but a very noisy and vociferous minority that is causing more difficulties at a local level", said Adam Bell of the wind and marine power lobby group, which had commissioned market research group Ipsos MORI to conduct the survey. "What this poll shows is that there is a silent majority in favour of wind power and a silent majority that (accepts) the look of wind turbines", he said, noting a number of onshore wind farm projects have been facing difficulties in getting approval.

In the online survey, respondents aged 16 64 were asked to rate the level of acceptability of the look of wind farms on the landscape on a 10 point scale ranging from completely unacceptable (1) to completely acceptable (10). Fifty-seven% of the 1,009 respondents gave a score between seven and 10, while one in six gave scores between one and four. Two in 10 were neutral, while 4% did not know. The survey results were similar to a renewable energy survey carried out late last year by online research firm YouGov, suggesting opposition to wind is often localised to particular projects and does not reflect wider public opinion.

The UK has one of the most ambitious climate targets in the world, with a 2050 goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from 1990 levels. It has set legally binding targets for four five-year periods to 2027, known as carbon budgets. Britain also has a 2020 target to deliver 15% of the country's energy consumption from renewable sources, such as wind, solar, marine and biomass. Data from the UK's Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (DECC) suggests installed onshore wind capacity could grow to 13 GWs by the end of the decade from just over 4 GW in operation today.

But the government may have to turn to other, more expensive renewable sources if the vocal minority opposed to the erection of more onshore turbines succeeds in blocking development. "The less onshore wind you deploy, the more expensive technologies you will have to deploy instead which just increases the cost of going green", Bell said. The cost of electricity generated from onshore wind ranges between ₤75-₤127 ($120 $200) per MW, according to DECC, citing 2010 data. By comparison, the cost of solar ranges between ₤202-₤380 pounds/ MW, offshore wind ₤149-₤191/ MW and dedicated biomass ₤127-₤165 pounds/ MW.

Moyne Shire 'lucky' to have boom

www.abc.net.au
19 Apr 2012

The chairman of Rural Councils Victoria, Ken Gale, says the Moyne Shire, in the state's south-west, is experiencing a boom. The organisation is hosting the annual Rural Summit in Port Fairy. Councillor Gale is also a councillor on the Moyne Shire and says it has been blessed with large industrial developments while other small municipalities are struggling. He says gas and renewable energy developments are driving growth.

"We're very lucky here, we've got very low unemployment, we're in an excellent situation, we've got the wind farms, the power companies are setting up a range of projects throughout the shire", he said. "I think there's something like 17 projects on the go at the moment, so we're very lucky that we've got that to boost our economy".

He says most rural councils have a small rate base and need help. "We want them to really survive and thrive", he said. "They're doing an excellent job but they need a really big boost I believe from the Federal Government. "I don't think there's a lot of money around, state or federally, so we'll just have to wait and see but I would urge,.. mainly the Federal Government, to look at our smaller municipalities".

Vestas to install research wind turbine at Sandia facility in Texas

phys.org
18 Apr 2012

The initial phase of Sandia National Laboratories' Scaled Wind Farm Technology facility (SWIFT), currently being constructed in partnership with Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, will be a little bigger than originally planned. Leading wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems will add its own 300 kW, V27 research turbine to the two Sandia National Laboratories V27 research turbines. The Labs worked with Vestas Wind Systems to develop the new three-turbine site plan, uniquely tailored to study turbine-to-turbine interactions. Sandia National Laboratories and Vestas Wind Systems will conduct collaborative research with all three turbines, although each turbine can also be used separately with minimal interaction.

"The Lubbock site benefits from high wind resource and low turbulence, which is ideal for research", said Jon White, project manager and researcher in Sandia National Laboratories's Wind Energy Technologies group. "Wind at the site comes predominately from the south, making it easy to set up the turbine array for research on turbine-to-turbine interactions". The SWIFT concept reflects a shared emphasis amongst the partners on lowering the cost of wind power by maximising the output of a wind power plant rather than a single turbine.

Read more…

CEFC review to fast-track transition to low cost clean energy

www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au
17 Apr 2012

The clean energy industry today welcomed the report on the Clean Energy Finance Corporation delivered to the Federal Government by the independent Expert Review Panel led by Reserve Bank Board Member Jillian Broadbent. Clean Energy Council acting Chief Executive Kane Thornton congratulated the panel on recognising the importance of developing our clean energy future, to insure Australia against rising energy prices in years to come.

"Australia has some of the best renewable energy resources in the world. Taking advantage of those through the CEFC can attract a massive amount of investment into clean energy and develop a range of technologies that will enable us to deliver low cost clean energy in a carbon-constrained world", Mr Thornton said. "We are encouraged by the review's understanding of the challenges our industry must overcome to develop new clean energy technologies such as wave energy, geothermal and large scale solar power.

"The report reveals a strong understanding of the complexities involved in providing support for new technologies, while not distorting the existing markets for proven clean energy sources like wind, solar and hydroelectric. The panel's recognition of the need for the CEFC to work in tandem with the Renewable Energy Target and a carbon price reflect a mature understanding of Australia's energy landscape. "The recognition that flexibility is required in assessing funding opportunities on a case-by-case basis is particularly important, as well as the independence from government that will ensure only the best projects receive investment support.

"This includes remaining open minded about investments in transmission, energy storage and the potential to aggregate smaller-including community owned-clean energy projects", he said. Mr Thornton said there had not been any form of electricity generation technology developed in Australia without significant government support. "The current challenge of developing new forms of energy technology is not unique to the clean energy sector, and other technologies such as coal and gas generation have enjoyed decades of public support to get to where they are today", said Mr Thornton. "Some level of government support is warranted when long-term investments requiring large amounts of capital are needed to kick-start promising first-of-kind technologies.

"Investment in an institution like the CEFC is all the more worthwhile given the risk to our economy if we put all our faith in fossil fuel-based technologies whose costs are increasing. The CEFC will help rapidly bring down the costs of the next generation of clean energy technologies for all energy users". The Clean Energy Council is now calling for the Australian Parliament to legislate the CEFC as a matter of urgency to allow the industry and investors to get on with the job of transforming Australia's electricity sector.

Ex-Corangamite mayor takes on Macarthur wind farm role

www.standard.net.au
18 Apr 2012

FORMER Corangamite Shire mayor Brendan Ryan has been appointed AGL Energy's Victorian wind farm operations manager to oversee operations at Macarthur and Glenthompson. Mr Ryan will be based at the Macarthur wind farm, but will also manage AGL Energy's Oaklands wind farm near Glenthompson. He said he was excited to take a lead role in a large scale development, while still working in a rural setting. Mr Ryan has worked in the wind power sector for eight years, working as a technician at the Yambuk wind farm and also working on five projects in South Australia, including AGL Energy's Hallett wind farms and the Snowtown wind farm which have combined project costs of more than $1 billion.

The former Corangamite Shire mayor and Camperdown electrician said he had witnessed the benefits the wind industry could provide regional areas. "From my experience in drought-stricken South Australia, the wind farms stimulated the community's retail income and generated employment", he said. "I know many local workers who would have been forced to leave their home district to find work elsewhere, but have instead become long-term employees in the emerging wind industry". Mr Ryan's new role will include inspecting wind turbines 90 metres above the ground, meeting with local government and community representatives and discussing permit compliance and potential community funding opportunities.

Future of Japan's nuclear energy uncertain

www.upi.com
16 Apr 2012

TOKYO, April 16 (UPI), None of Japan's 54 nuclear reactors will be in operation as of May 6, as the country's last reactor operating is to go offline for maintenance, Japanese Trade Minister Yukio Edano said. The bulk of Japan's reactors, excluding the No. 3 Tomari reactor in Hokkaido scheduled to be shut down May 5 for maintenance, were taken offline for scheduled checkups but have stayed offline due to safety concerns sparked by the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster following the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami.

Although the May 5 Tomari shutdown means that nuclear power in Japan "will be zero from May 6 momentarily", Edano said in a speech Sunday in Tokushima that Japan will eventually reduce its reliance on nuclear power "to zero permanently", Kyodo news reports. The Tomari shutdown will mark the first time that Japan would be without nuclear power production since 1966, when the country's first reactor began operation. Prior to the Fukushima crisis, nuclear power provided 30% of Japan's electricity.

Edano's comments came as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's administration has been seeking local approval to restart the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture. While Edano on Sunday called for support for the reactivation of the Oi reactors to avoid power shortages in the near future, he maintained, "We will realistically and steadily reduce the number of nuclear reactors through a process that would not cause concerns or confusion in society while thoroughly examining their safety".

At a parliamentary committee meeting Friday, Edano said that even if the two Kansai reactors are restarted, the utility's service territory, including Osaka, could face electricity shortages during summer heat waves, particularly with increased air conditioner use. "I have to say we are facing the risk of a very severe electricity shortage", Edano told reporters. But the momentum to restart Japan's reactors is losing ground as time passes, particularly if Japan and its economy emerge relatively unscathed from a nuclear power-free summer.

As for the decision to restart other nuclear reactors, the government plans to make those on a case-by-case basis. "Each time, we will make a decision based on safety and necessity", Edano said at a news conference Friday, noting that restarting the Oi reactors would not automatically open the door for reactors at other plants to be restarted. Platts news service cited industry sources as saying that Japan could see restarts of several of the country's nuclear reactors this year, yet they say most of the total nuclear capacity of 48.96 GWs is expected to remain shut because of safety concerns.

WA farms for solar power

www.governmentnews.com.au
17 Apr 2012

Utilities will use renewable energy generated from a solar panel installation at Greenough River solar farm through a public and private joint venture. The Western Australian Water Corporation will purchase 100% of the sustainable energy generated by the 10 MW farm to offset the requirements of the Southern Seawater desalination Plant near Binningup. As a joint venture between Verve Energy and GE Energy Financial Services, the Western Australian Government has committed $20 million to the project, including $10 million from the Royalties for Regions Program and the Public Utilities Office.

According to a release from Verve Energy, the two companies each own 50% of the facility and no debt has been raised to fund the project. Installation of above ground electrical works and structural elements supporting the panels has been the focus of the construction since November 2011. Photovoltaic module (PV) manufacturer, FirstSolar will supply more than 150000 of its thin film PV modules to the facility. Additionally, FirstSolar will supply operations and maintenance support, engineering, procurement and construction services once the solar farm is operational. Minister for Energy, Peter Collier said the Greenough River solar farm will generate enough electricity for 3000 average homes while displacing 20000 tonnes of greenhouse gas each year.

"The demonstration of this proven technology in WA on a commercial scale should encourage the development of larger projects and reduce renewable energy costs in the medium to long term", Mr Collier said. FirstSolar vice president business development and sales, Jack Curtis said FirstSolar's panels will produce electricity with no water use, waste production or CO₂ emissions. According to the WA Government, the City of Geraldton will generate millions of dollars for the local economy from the employment of local contractors as well as sourcing of products. The solar farm 50 km south of Geraldton is expected to open in July/August 2012.

EU’s ‘Recession-Busting’ wind industry set to triple in value

www.bloomberg.com
16 Apr 2012

The European Union's "recession-busting" wind power industry is forecast to triple in value as its labor force doubles in the 10 years through 2020, the European Wind Energy Association said.

The contribution of the wind industry to the economy of the 27 nation EU will rise to 94.5 billion euros ($123 billion) in 2020 from 32.4 billion euros in 2010, the lobby group, known as EWEA, said today in a report published in Copenhagen at the start of its annual conference. Jobs supported by the industry will jump to 520,000 from 238,154, it said. "Wind energy is a recession-busting industry", EWEA President Arthouros Zervos said in a statement. It is "providing increasing economic activity, more jobs and exports every year to an EU struggling with an economic crisis intensified by ever-increasing amounts of fuel being imported at rising costs".

The EU is chasing a target of getting 20% of all energy for power, heating and transport from renewables by 2020. The contribution of the wind industry to EU economic output increased by a third in 2010 from 2007, according to today's report. EWEA said Feb. 6 that wind power capacity expanded more than 10% last year with 21% of the bloc's new power capacity coming from wind.

Even so, the industry has struggled in recent months amid increased competition, and as European governments work to rein in budget deficits. Spain, with just under a quarter of the EU's wind farms, in January suspended subsidies to new developments. In its February report, EWEA said investment in the industry was unchanged at about 12.6 billion euros in 2011. EWEA called for "stable national renewable energy frameworks" and a joined up European power grid to spur the industry further as well as a target to cut greenhouse gases in the bloc by 30% for the 30 years through 2020, up from the current goal of a 20% reduction.

The continent's two biggest turbine makers, Aarhus, Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS) and Gamesa Corp. Tecnologica SA (GAM) of Zamudio, Spain, have both shed more than 60% of their value in the past year as competition from China helped crimp margins. Navigant Consulting Inc.'s BTM Consult said March 26 that they were the biggest and fourth-largest turbine makers by market share in 2011.

The industry now contributes 0.26% of European economic output, according to today's report. By 2020, wind power will contribute 0.59% of EU economic output, rising to almost 1% a decade later, it said. Net exports for wind totalled 5.7 billion euros in 2010, and the industry saved the bloc an identical amount in fossil fuel bills, according to the report. EWEA included wind farm developers, turbine makers and component manufacturers in its study, as well as jobs and economic output relating to transportation of the turbines, and the electronics and metals used in them.

Historic solar farm transforms WA landscape

www.watoday.com.au
12 Apr 2012

WA's historic solar power farm will soon be glistening in the outback, with the first panel installed today. In what will be the largest solar power generator in the country, the farm will house 150,000 panels across 80 hectares, creating a remarkable sight and producing an environmental feat. The 10 MW Greenough River solar farm is being built 50 km south of Geraldton, with 100 construction jobs created.

It is expected to generate enough electricity for 3,000 average homes while displacing 20,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas each year-the equivalent of taking 4000 vehicles off the road. The state government has contributed $10 million to the joint venture between WA electricity generator Verve Energy and private companies FirstSolar and GE Energy Financial Services. Minister for Energy Peter Collier said the project would be a major source of renewable energy and a benchmark example of how solar power could be farmed and distributed to the wider community and industry.

"No other jurisdiction in Australia has done what we are doing here in the Mid West region of Western Australia", he said. "There is an appetite for solar power and an expectation that governments and electricity generators like Verve Energy will build solar farms and other renewable energy projects". Australian Solar Energy Society chief executive John Grimes said the farm was groundbreaking.

"[It's] a window into Australia's solar future", he said. "Big solar makes sense in the Mid West. The region's enormous appetite for energy is matched by some of the best sunshine in the world. "Solar increasingly makes economic sense in the Mid West, with a dramatic fall in the price of solar PV countering a significant rise in the cost of electricity". Mr Grimes said there was no reason why solar could not provide a significant amount of Austral's electricity needs by 2020, particularly with the introduction of the carbon tax from July 1 and the national 20% renewable energy target.

Verve sheds light on 'clean, green' solar farm

www.abc.net.au
13 Apr 2012

The first of 150,000 panels needed to run Australia's largest solar farm, which will power a south-west Western Australian desalination plant, have been installed at its site in the mid-west. The Minister for Energy, Peter Collier, attended the ceremony at the $50 million Greenough River solar farm to lay down the first two panels. The project, about 50 km south-east of Geraldton, was financed by Verve Energy and GE Energy, as well as a contribution from the State Government's Royalties for Regions fund.

One-hundred% of the energy it produces will be used to power the Binningup desalination plant in Bunbury. However, Verve Energy's Tony Narvaez says local businesses and community members will benefit from the economic and environmental opportunities the project provides. "What it will provide for Geraldton is a number of jobs but more importantly a lead into new technology and building up your skill set to ensure you can work off that technology and experience for future expansions", he said.

He says although no energy will be generated for the mid-west at this stage, there is a potential for future expansion. "That will create, clearly, some jobs and other levels of expertise in moving the scale from 10 MWs to 40 MWs and that energy could go anywhere", he said. "The first 10 MWs is being contracted to the Water Corporation, the next 40 could be contracted to anyone". Mr Collier says the Greenough River solar farm is just the start of a multi-faceted approach to meeting the energy needs of the mid-west.

He says the Government will continue to invest in renewable energy projects in the region. "In terms of energy projects, the mid-west is a magnificent opportunity place", he said. "You've got an abundance of wind, you've got an abundance of sun, you've got an abundance of potential with geothermal, you have an abundance of potential with wave.

"So as far as I'm concerned and as far as the Government is concerned,.. we'll continue to invest in the mid-west region to ensure those opportunities are fulfilled. "This is just the start of much more,.. I can say the best is yet to come in terms of the energy needs of the mid-west. "It is a very symbolic gesture, it is 10 MWs of clean, green energy for the future and as I said it really is the start of a multi-faceted approach to renewable energy for the mid-west and for Western Australia as a whole".

Cape Wind picks contractors for wind farm

www.upi.com
April 12, 2012

BOSTON, April 12 (UPI) Cape Wind has selected a joint venture team of Flatiron Construction Corp., Cal Dive International, Inc, and Cashman Equipment Corp, as its construction contractor to build a wind power facility off Massachusetts' Nantucket Island. The offshore renewable energy project stirred fierce community debate, partly because of expected impact on the scenic beauty of an area visible from Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket and because of fears of prices of the electricity generated at the wind farm. Construction of the wind turbines is due to begin next year.

Cape Wind President Jim Gordon said the project would "create hundreds of jobs in the region". Boston company Cashman Equipment Corp, was picked as it is one of the leading providers of floating marine equipment in the United States and provides floating marine equipment worldwide, Cape Wind said. Flatiron Construction Corp, operates from Colorado and Cal Dive International, Inc., an offshore energy marine construction and manned diving firm, has headquarters in Houston.

Cape Wind will reduce wholesale electric prices for the New England region by $7.2 billion over 25 years, a report by Charles River Associates economic consulting firm said. The report explained that ISO New England, the electric grid operator, first dispatches electric generating units with the lowest cost fuel. Since Cape Wind's fuel, wind, is zero cost, the report states that Cape Wind will displace higher priced and polluting fossil fueled units resulting in average savings of $286 million per year in New England. "This report makes it clear that Cape Wind will save electric consumers billions of dollars through price suppression while also creating jobs and helping promote cleaner air and greater energy independence", Cape Wind's communications director Mark Rodgers said.

The Charles River Associates' updated report was commissioned by Cape Wind and released last month. The original report was published in 2010. The increase in price suppression in the report update was attributed primarily to an increase in power plant retirements and a larger price difference between natural gas and fuel oil. Price suppression in wholesale electric markets occurring as a result of wind power projects has been documented in Europe and in several U.S, power markets, the report said.

Despite supporting research, controversy over the Cape Wind project continues, especially over price projections for the wind farm's electricity generation. Cape Wind is already contracting to sell part of the electricity that it won't supply to National Grid. Last month, utility company NStar agreed to purchase 27.5% of Cape Wind's energy. Supporters for the renewable energy project say higher costs may be balanced by gains made by the project's environmental credentials. "These numbers don't even take into account the added economic and societal value of avoided greenhouse gas emissions", Sue Reid, director of the Conservation Law Foundation told The Boston Globe, citing recent controversy over electricity prices.

Sinovel agrees to supply $1 billion Agaoglu wind farm in Turkey

www.bloomberg.com
Apr 11, 2012

Sinovel Co. agreed to supply equipment to a $1 billion Turkish wind farm developed by Agaoglu Group as China's biggest wind turbine maker boosts orders overseas. Sinovel will supply parts including wind turbine towers and generators for the 600 MW project, according to a statement from Agaoglu, an Istanbul-based company with interests in construction, tourism and energy. Terms were not disclosed.

Chinese companies including Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co, plan to expand abroad to combat a slowing home market after a tighter government approval process for new projects raised competition. Goldwind Science & Technology Co, China's second-largest turbine-maker, bought two wind farms in Montana this year and will supply projects in Chile. Sinovel signed a pact to work with Greece's Public Power Corp, on wind last year.

Sinovel, based in Beijing, "looked positively" on an invitation to base part of the production in Turkey, according to the statement published on the company's website yesterday. The project's investment value is $1 billion, the company said. Turkey, which seeks to generate 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2023, needs to develop clean energy at a faster pace, Agaoglu Chairman Ali Agaoglu said in the statement.

The nation, which is seeking to curb emissions while reducing dependence on energy imports, installed 470 MWs of wind power last year, according to European Wind Energy Association data. It had 1,799 MWs of wind in total at the end of 2011, according to the Brussels-based industry group. Agaoglu Group targets power capacity of at least 1,000 MWs by 2015 and holds licenses for as much as 700 MWs of wind, Agaoglu said early March. The company was in the "final stages" of talks with eight energy and private-equity investors to sell 147 MWs of wind plants, he said at the time.

NSW Government undermines election promise on renewable energy

www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au
12 Apr 2012

Calls by the NSW Government to abondon Australia's 20% Renewable Energy Target (RET) undermine a key state election commitment as well as putting billions of dollars of renewable energy investment at risk, the Clean Energy Council said today. Clean Energy Council acting Chief Executive Kane Thornton said the timing of NSW Energy Minister Chris Hartcher's comments this morning was strange, given IPART's price determination today showed renewable energy such as wind and solar would contribute nothing to the projected NSW power hikes for the coming year.

"Page 3 of today's IPART report clearly states that 'green schemes' such as wind and solar are not responsible for any increase in electricity prices for the next financial year, Mr Thornton said. "This is a case of short term politics trumping important long-term change that will benefit everyone, and it's a knee jerk reaction that is bad for investment and bad for jobs. You can't just turn major policies on and off like a light switch", he said.

Mr Thornton said removing the RET would seriously impact the viability of billions of dollars of projects that have already been built, and undermine the massive future opportunity for jobs and investment from clean energy in NSW into the future. "It's a worrying sign that the NSW Government would seek the removal of one of Australia's most significant energy policies without considering the impact this would have on investors who have put billions of dollars into clean energy projects in NSW. The RET is scheduled to run until 2030 and these projects would face collapse if it was removed", he said.

"Mr Hartcher says he remains committed to growing renewable energy at least cost to consumers. The policy that does this is the Renewable Energy Target, which was introduced by the Howard Government in 2001 and expanded with the support of both major parties in 2009. "It is hard to see how the NSW Government could meet its election commitment on delivering 20% of the state's electricity from renewable energy without this policy. "This is a policy that will deliver more than 30,000 jobs and $20 billion in investment. Companies have already invested more than $700 million in NSW wind farms alone under the Renewable Energy Target".

US grabs lead over China in clean energy race

au.news.yahoo.com
12 Apr 2012,

WASHINGTON (AFP)-The United States has regained the lead in the clean energy race, investing $48 billion last year to surpass China, which held the world's top spending spot since 2009, said a study Wednesday. The US surge in private investment was a 42% increase over 2010 and saw Washington maintain its lead worldwide in both venture capital and research and development cash, said the Pew Research Center Charitable Trusts annual report on clean energy.

However, the US boom was largely driven by expiring tax incentives, highlighting "a persistent phenomenon in which the country fails to deploy into the marketplace the clean energy innovations it creates in the laboratory", it said. China, which fell to second, invested $45.5 billion last year, a one% increase over 2010, but maintained its global lead in wind power investment and in solar manufacturing, said the report.

Experts say a key difference between the United States and China is in how they attract investment--China by having solid green energy policies that reassure investors and the United States by offering tax breaks for investment. "China has been able to fuel its growth by having very consistent and long-term policies in place that really tell investors there is an opportunity for them to make a profit", said Phyllis Cuttino, director of Pew Research Center's Clean Energy Program.

"The United States has no renewable energy target but they have decided to try and incentivize clean energy investment through a variety of tax incentives, tax credits, tax subsidies, loan guarantees", she told AFP.

Read More…

Australians embrace solar to tackle rising power bills

www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au
11 Apr 2012

Regional and lower-income Australians are leading the charge towards solar power as a way to address rising power bills, according to new data. Australia's top solar postcode at the end of 2011 was Dubbo in NSW, where more than a quarter of houses (28%) have now installed solar power. Close on its heels was Caloundra in Queensland, where more than 27% of homes have now gone solar. Clean Energy Council acting Chief Executive Kane Thornton said although the top solar postcode was in NSW, it was Queensland and South Australia that dominated the top 20 postcodes across the country.

"As well as being the sunshine state, the Queensland Government's solar scheme is the most generous in the country, while homeowners in South Australia rushed to install solar power systems in 2011 before the government reduced its support program", Mr Thornton said. The official data comes from the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator*, a statutory authority established by the Federal Government. It shows that while inner-city suburbs often have some of the lowest rates of solar installation, those in regional areas and lower-income suburbs, retirement belts and some coastal regions have embraced solar in the highest numbers.

Mr Thornton said this suggested those most exposed to rising power bills were more likely to invest in a solar system. "With the price of panels now about a third what it was just three years ago, many people see solar power as a way to save on their energy bills as well as do something for the environment", he said. "We now have more than half a million solar power systems in Australia, but really we are just in the early stages of tapping in to the power of this technology. solar panels are fast becoming the Hills Hoist of the 21st Century". For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Clean Energy Council Media Manager Mark Bretherton on 0413 556 981.

The top 20 solar postcodes nationally** are as follows:

1	2830  Dubbo, NSW	28.0%
2	4511  Caloundra QLD	27.3%
3	5211  Victor Harbor, McCracken, Hindmarsh Valley, SA	25.9%
4	6208  Pinjarra, Oakley, Ravenswood, WA	24.7%
5	5214  Currency Creek, Goolwa, Hindmarsh Island, SA	24.7%
6	5173  Aldinga, Port Willunga, Silver Sands, SA	24.1%
7	4280  Jimboomba, North & South Maclean, QLD	23.9%
8	6069  Ellenbrook, Brigadoon, The Vines, WA	23.8%
9	5158  Hallett Cove, Sheidow Park, SA	23.6%
10	4208  Ormeau, Jacobs Well, QLD	23.2%
11	4505  Burpengary, Burpengary East, QLD	22.2%
12	4507  Bribie Island, QLD	21.7%
13	2477  Alstonville, Rous, Meerschaum Vale, NSW	21.2%
14	4165  Victoria Point, Redland Bay, Mt Cotton, QLD	21.0%
15	4116  Calamvale, Drewvale, QLD	21.0%
16	5169  Seaford, Moana  SA	20.7%
17	5095  Mawson Lakes, Pooraka, SA	20.5%
18	5251  Mount Barker, Bugle Ranges, SA	20.5%
19	4133  Chambers Flat, Waterford, QLD	20.2%
20	2486  Banora Point, Tweed Heads South, Bilambil, NSW	20.0%

* The Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator was amalgamated into the Clean Energy Regulator on 2 April, 2012.
** Includes all suburbs or towns within the postcode.

UK clean energy pioneer to lead Clean Energy Council

www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au
11 Apr 2012

UK clean energy pioneer David Green is to lead the Clean Energy Council as its new Chief Executive Officer. Clean Energy Council Board Chairman Michael Fraser said Mr Green had been at the forefront of clean energy policy in the UK for more than two decades. "As Australia moves towards a clean energy future, the Clean Energy Council-under David's leadership-will play a significant role in working with governments and industry to develop the policy and practice that enables Australia to emerge as a key player in this field", Mr Fraser said.

Mr Green said it was an honour to be invited to lead the Clean Energy Council and to work with its experienced and talented team to deliver a vision for a sustainable energy future for Australia. "I have long admired the innovative ideas that Australian policy-makers and industry-in particular the membership of the CEC-have developed on energy efficiency and renewable energy, a number of which have positioned Australia as a leader, an innovator and an inspiration to the rest of the world", Mr Green said.

"As Australia and its international partners seek solutions to the challenges of securing clean, affordable energy, I look forward to the CEC growing as an effective advocate of the policies and action needed to secure a cleaner energy future". David Green worked as the founding Chief Executive of the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy (UKBCSE) from 2001 to the start of this year, and is an Executive Director of the International Business Council for Sustainable Energy, whose members include the Clean Energy Council.

He has worked with the UK government on clean energy policy, energy efficiency and strategies for low-income households. As a regular visitor to Australia, he has advised various parts of the Victorian Government, as well as the US Department of Energy, the New Zealand Government and key institutions of the European Union. "I plan to develop a fresh vision for the organisation that builds on its work with the CEC's growing membership of more than 600 energy efficiency and clean energy businesses, ensuring clean energy is at the heart of policies for a secure, sustainable energy future for Australia", Mr Green said.

Feldheim: A hamlet swept by the winds of change

www.independent.co.uk
12 Apr 2012

Does the German village hold the key to a nuclear-free future? Tony Paterson reports from a backwater at the heart of a global debate

The burghers of Home Counties Britain would be horrified at the prospect of one of their villages being turned into a Feldheim. The tiny east German hamlet lies in the gently rolling countryside of Brandenburg, south-west of Berlin. It is a landscape of vast fields and thick pine forests, dotted with ancient 13th-century stone churches.

But Feldheim is out of step with its idyllic rural surroundings. Viewed from a distance the village of 37 houses resembles a set from the film version of the H G Wells sci-fi novel War of the Worlds. For around it are 43 giant wind turbines, many of them towering 300 feet above the ground.

The view down Feldheim's largely deserted main street is of whirling turbines. When the wind blows strongly from the east, the residents can hear the whooshing sound of 129 blades cutting through the air. Aesthetically displeasing it might be, but Feldheim, the first community in Germany to meet all its energy needs renewably, is the shape of things to come.

The village has been thrust into the limelight since Chancellor Angela Merkel's policy U-turn last year, when she ended Germany's reliance on atomic power. The move was a response to public anxiety about nuclear power that reached fever pitch during the crisis at Japan's Fukushima plant last year, when sales of personal Geiger counters rocketed in Germany.

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Watchdog on trail of power trio

www.theage.com.au
11 Apr 2012

The competition watchdog has agreed to look at complaints from the Greens that three big power companies, AGL Energy, Origin Energy and TRUEnergy, are using their market clout to frustrate the roll-out of competing wind and solar projects. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has written to Greens deputy leader Christine Milne confirming it will consider her claims that the three electricity retailers may be refusing to enter into ''power purchase agreements'' to sell the electricity generated from renewable energy competitors.

The claims came as the Business Council of Australia said the country's long-term energy strategy had become too heavily dictated by climate change policy and relied too much on the assumption that the rest of the world would take firm action on climate change. The council, which is the peak body for chief executive officers of leading companies, wrote in its submission to the government's draft energy white paper that there was now ''an opportunity for a rebalance''.

Senator Milne wrote to the ACCC last month stating that a number of renewable energy companies had privately expressed concern that AGL Energy, Origin Energy and TRUEnergy might be withholding power purchase agreements ''to frustrate the roll-out of competing renewable energy projects''-particularly wind farms. She asked the watchdog to investigate the concerns.

The companies are the only large ''gentailers''-meaning they generate electricity as well as selling it on the retail market. ''Just like the Coles and Woolworths duopoly, I am very concerned that big power companies can potentially abuse their power to not only block the roll-out of renewable energy and energy efficiency, but also drive up power prices to increase their own profit margins,'' Senator Milne said. Renewable energy industry sources say the last-minute collapse of discussions between Origin Energy and the Moree Solar Farm consortium on a power purchase agreement was to blame for the consortium being forced to reapply for government backing under the $1.5 billion Solar Flagships Program.

In a letter to Senator Milne, obtained by Fairfax Media, the office of ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the issue was ''currently being assessed''. Power retailers must get a proportion of their electricity from renewable sources under the nation's renewable energy target of 20% by 2020. Spokespeople for the three big ''gentailers'' said yesterday they were meeting this obligation by investing in renewable energy projects themselves, striking power purchase agreements and buying Renewable Energy Certificates-a form of subsidy for investors in renewable schemes.

The Business Council, meanwhile, stated in its energy submission that ''a key deficiency'' in the draft paper was that it lacked any alternative climate change policy scenarios to that of Treasury's modelling of the Gillard government's carbon price.

Troubled Michigan nuclear plant shut down for maintenance

edition.cnn.com
9 Apr 2012

Washington (CNN)--A troubled Michigan nuclear power plant cited for safety violations has been taken off line for maintenance and refueling, the plant's owner said Monday.

Palisades Power Plant, a 39 year-old facility located near Kalamazoo, has been under increased scrutiny from inspectors after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission cited the plant for three safety violations. The plant is currently owned and operated by Entergy Corporation.

Officials are bringing in 1,165 additional workers to complete the scheduled maintenance, according to Mark Savage, a spokesman for the plant. Repairs include replacing 64 fuel assemblies, inspecting the reactor vessel head, replacing five control rod drive seals and inspecting steam generators, moister separators and heat exchangers. Entergy also said it plans to rebuild the main feed pump seals.

Violations at the plant included a September 25, 2011, incident in which half of the control room indicators were lost because of an electrical fault "caused by personnel at the site", according to the NRC. A special inspection "determined the plant failed to have adequate work procedures for the electrical panel maintenance work to ensure the job was done successfully", the NRC report said.

Additionally, the NRC cited Palisades and Entergy for an October 2010 incident in which an operator left his post unattended in the nuclear reactor's control room without permission. The Palisades spokesman declined to provide a timetable for when the work will be completed. "Due to competitive reasons, we do not discuss outage duration or planned time to return to service", Savage said.

Entergy operates nine other nuclear power plants in the United States. The news of a shutdown at Palisades came just days after Friday's report that California's San Onofre nuclear plant would remain shut down indefinitely until the source of problems with two of its generators can be determined.

California nuclear plant shut indefinitely amid hunt to find cause of problems

edition.cnn.com
7 Apr 2012

(CNN), A large Southern California nuclear plant is out of commission indefinitely, and will remain so until there is an understanding of what caused problems at two of its generators and an effective plan to address the issues, the nation's top nuclear regulator said Friday. Gregory Jaczko, chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, refused to give a timetable as to when the San Onofre nuclear plant could resume operation. He said only that his agency had "set some firm conditions" as to when that could happen.

"We won't make a decision (to approve the facility's restart) unless we're satisfied that public health and safety will be protected", Jaczko told reporters. "They have to demonstrate to us that they understand the causes, and,.. that they have a plan to address them". The power plant has been shut down since this winter, when a small amount of radioactive gas escaped from a steam generator during a water leak. At the time, federal regulators said there was no threat to public health, though they could not identify how much gas leaked or exactly why it had happened.

The water leak occurred in thousands of tubes that carry heated water from the reactor core through the plant's steam generators. Leaks occur periodically in older units, but plant owner Southern California Edison replaced the four steam generators at San Onofre in 2010 and 2011 as part of a $680 million project. They are in units 2 and 3 of the nuclear facility; unit 1 went out of service in 1992. Each of the 65 foot-tall, 640 ton generators, built by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, are packed with thousands of narrow tubes that carry hot, pressurized water from the reactors. The heat produces steam in a separate loop that drives the plant's turbines and generators.

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Wind power seen surging as custom barges cut set-up costs

www.bloomberg.com
11 Apr 2012

Offshore wind-power producers from DONG Energy A/S to RWE AG (RWE) are building custom ships at record rates to reduce the cost of the technology that's three times as pricey as electricity from coal plants.

As many as 20 vessels, some with movable legs that reach the seafloor, will come onto the market in the next few years, reducing chartering costs of as much as 200,000 euros ($261,000) a day, said Marc Seidel, an offshore engineer at Suzlon Energy Ltd. (SUEL), which supplies turbines to Germany's RWE.

A lack of specialized installation ships has forced companies to hire barges designed for oil exploration, holding up work at projects such as E.ON AG's Robin Rigg wind farm off Scotland's western coast. The British government estimates that offshore wind may contribute more than 35 billion pounds ($55 billion) to the economy by 2050 if costs are cut quickly enough.

"Having these vessels is the difference between being able to build the projects that we're all looking at today and not", Paul Coffey, chief operating officer of RWE's Innogy unit, said from Swindon, England. "They allow you to operate in higher water depths, in more inclement water conditions. They allow you to get the job done faster and more safely".

In the early 2000s, developers had to "beg, steal and borrow" vessels from other industries to get projects completed, Coffey said. Essen-based RWE won rights with SSE Plc (SSE), Norway's Statoil ASA (STL) and Statkraft AS to develop the Dogger Bank wind park 100 km (62 miles) off eastern England in the UK's third licensing round. DONG Energy had a similar struggle.

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Sun shines on solar sales

au.news.yahoo.com
9 Apr 2012

More than one in 10 WA households have a rooftop solar installation, according to figures that show the State is second only to South Australia in the take-up of photovoltaic systems. The Clean Energy Council, the renewable energy industry body, has released data showing demand for solar panels soared last year, despite Federal and State governments cutting incentives on offer. The council said almost 83,000 or 11% of WA households had solar installations, equal to Queensland but above the national average of 9%.

South Australia had the highest concentration rate of 14%, while NSW (8.8%), Victoria (5.7%) and Tasmania (3%) were all lower. Ranked by postcodes, the Pinjarra area led the charge, with almost a quarter of houses with a solar power system. The Ellenbrook area was a close second, while the postcode that covers Canning Vale and Willetton had a take-up rate close to 20%. The figures show demand almost doubled in 2011 compared with the previous year, when there were 47,000 solar panels. In 2009, the number was just 13,000.

The figures defy predictions of a meltdown in the industry following moves by governments to wind back subsidies to householders for solar panels. Last July, the Barnett Government halved the rate that it paid homes with solar systems to "export" energy into the grid from 40¢ per unit to 20¢, before scrapping it altogether in August. The decision came after the Federal Government announced it would cut more deeply than expected the rebate offered to householders for the up-front cost of putting solar panels on their roof.

State-owned electricity retailer Synergy Energy still offers small-scale customers 7¢ for every unit of excess renewable energy they produce. CEC acting chief executive Kane Thornton said the popularity of solar panels was driven by falling costs, independent of subsidies. Mr Thornton said many people were also turning to solar systems as a way of avoiding rocketing power bills. "We now have more than half a million solar power systems in Australia but really we are just in the early stages of tapping in to the power of this technology", he said.

Love of a sunburnt country a boon for solar set

www.theage.com.au
7 Apr 2012

THE humble city of Dubbo has emerged as the solar power capital of Australia, with more than a quarter of the houses in one postcode generating their own electricity from rooftop panels. Even as subsidies are slashed, data shows the boom in photovoltaic solar panel continues.

The breakdown of solar use by postcode shows a clear bias towards regional Australia and city suburbs with lower-than-average incomes, industry body the Clean Energy Council says. ''solar panels are fast becoming the Hills Hoist of the 21st century,'' the council's acting chief executive, Kane Thornton, said. In one Dubbo postcode area, 2830, 28% of households have installed solar power. This is slightly ahead of Caloundra in Queensland, with 27.3%.

The second best-performing solar postcode in NSW is number 2477, which covers Alstonville, Rous and Meerschaum Vale on the north coast, where 21.2% of households have installed panels. Most of the other major solar-generating areas are in Queensland, which retains the most generous subsidies, and in South Australia. In NSW, about 8.5% of homes have rooftop solar panels, compared with a national average of 9%.

The figures are skewed towards regional areas that get plenty of sun, those with a high proportion of retirees and some coastal communities. In cities, suburbs with lower incomes, situated near the edges of metropolitan areas, tend to have installed more panels per capita than richer areas. In Sydney, the Blacktown district has the highest concentration of panels. The city's top solar postcode is 2147, covering Seven Hills, Seven Hills West, Lalor Park and Kings Langley.

About 18% of people in the area have rooftop panels, placing it seventh on the NSW list of solar-powered communities. "With the price of panels now about a third of what it was just three years ago, many people see solar power as a way to save on their energy bills as well as do something for the environment", Mr Thornton said.

The data comes from the former Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator, which was amalgamated this week into the federal government's Clean Energy Regulator as part of the carbon price plan. Postcodes with fewer than 3500 people were removed from the list, to avoid skewing the data. Australia has a renewable energy target of 20%, to be achieved over the next eight years. Most of the growth is expected to be made by wind turbines, which are cheaper than rooftop solar panels and large-scale, baseload solar power stations.

£20m wave energy competition unveiled

www.guardian.co.uk
5 Apr 2012

Companies making devices that generate renewable energy from the ebb and flow of tides and waves around the UK could win a share of a new £20m government prize announced on Thursday. It is hoped the scheme, the Marine Energy Array Demonstrator (Mead), will encourage growth in the industry, which has been struggling to create a commercially viable projects. Ministers believe wave and tidal power could in the future generate up to 20% of Britain's energy needs and create 10,000 jobs in the sector.

The energy and climate change minister, Greg Barker, claimed Mead would help move the industry into the next stage of development. "This will take us one vital step closer to realising our ambitions of generating electricity from the waves and tides, powering homes and businesses across the whole of the UK with clean, green electricity", he said. The prize money will be shared between two winners, who will develop the first wave and tidal devices to sit in array formation-much like clusters of wind turbines create a wind farm.

Pelamis Wave Power, a leading wave technology company based in Scotland, said it intended to enter the competition. A spokesperson for the Scottish-based company said: "The prize will provide much needed capital support to the industry. The increasing activity and utility support demonstrates a real excitement within the sector as the technology matures towards commercial deployments".

As an island situated in choppy waters, Britain is well placed to become a world leader in wave and tidal technology. Of the eight full scale prototype devices installed around the world, seven are in UK waters, and about half of the world's leading marine technology companies are based here. But there is a growing fear that Britain will lose its early lead in the race to harness the power of the sea. In February MPs called on the government to increase their support of wind and wave technology, claiming the UK could be overtaken by competing countries if it did not continue to provide subsidies and support to the industry.

The funding was welcomed by the UK's professional body for the renewable wind and marine industry, RenewableUK. David Krohn, the organisation's wave and tidal development manager, said: "The marine energy industry has the potential to allow us to generate clean electricity using the inexhaustible power of the sea. The Mead scheme will help kickstart the industry".

Yet Krohn claimed more money would still be needed if marine technology was to reach its full potential. "Our research shows that £120m of capital support is required to overcome barriers to commercial development and unlock our share of this global industry", he said. "It is important to recognise that this is only the beginning of the road to building marine energy into a fully commercial industry".

Pelamis Wave Power agreed further support was needed. "To truly support marine renewables through to commercialisation will require project investors to be able to access substantially larger amounts of Government support over the coming years". Companies can enter the competition online via the Decc website. The closing date for applications is 1 June 2012.

Japan must reduce reliance on nuclear power - minister

www.reuters.com
5 Apr 2012

(Reuters)-Japan should reduce its reliance on nuclear power from pre-Fukushima crisis levels as soon as possible, Trade minister Yukio Edano said on Friday, as the government debates whether to restart reactors taken offline since the accident. The government is in the process of crafting a new energy mix in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, the worst nuclear crisis in 25 years, with options for atomic energy ranging from zero to 35% of the nation's electricity supply. nuclear power accounted for about 30% of Japan's electricity supply before the Fukushima plant was wrecked in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, triggering radiation leaks that caused mass evacuations and widespread contamination.

Pickens reviving plans for Texas wind power at smaller scale

www.bloomberg.com
5 Apr 2012

Billionaire T. Boone Pickens is building a 377- MW wind farm in Texas, three years after shelving plans for a project about ten times as big that would've been the world's largest. Mesa Power Group LLC, the Dallas-based renewable energy company Pickens created in 2007, is co-developing the Stephens Bor-Lynn wind farm with Wind Tex Energy LP, according to a statement today.

Pickens will connect the farm to a transmission line that's due to be completed in early 2013. Mesa announced plans for the 4 GW Pampa wind farm in the Texas panhandle in 2007. Two years later, it put the project on hold citing a lack of adequate power lines. The company will provide 233 1.6 MW General Electric Co. (GE) wind turbines purchased through a contract linked to the earlier plan.

"This is all part of the same deal", Lindsay Theile, a GE spokeswoman, said today in an e-mail. Mesa in 2008 agreed to buy 667 1.5- MW GE turbines for the Pampa project and halved the order in 2010. Mesa said later that year it would use some of the 333 turbines at projects in Minnesota and Canada. The contract was revised again for the Stephens Bor-Lynn project, Theile said. She wouldn't give a price for the turbines.

Equity Stake
Mesa purchased a majority equity interest in Stephens Bor-Lynn, Jay Rosser, a spokesman for Pickens's BP Capital LLC, said by e-mail. The project will deliver power on a transmission line being built by Wind Energy Transmission Texas LLC, a joint venture between Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM/A) and Isolux Corsan Servicios SA, according to the statement. Wind Energy Texas is one of several developers planning to add $5 billion of transmission lines in the state by 2015 to carry wind power, according to its website.

Mesa and Wind Tex expect to receive financing in the second half of the year for Stephens Bor-Lynn, about 50 miles (80 km) south of Lubbock, Texas. It will begin producing power next year. Mesa is seeking a buyer for the project's power. Stephens Bor-Lynn is the company's only Texas project, Rosser said. Wind Tex has developed four wind farms in Texas that generate 6% of the state's wind power. Texas has more than 10,330 MWs of installed wind capacity, according to the American Wind Energy Association, the most in the US