www.reuters.com
Aug 2, 2010
(Reuters) - Mingyang Electric, one of the five biggest wind power turbine suppliers in China, plans to raise $500 million in a share sale in the United States in September, in what could be the largest such listing by a Chinese company this year, IFR reported. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse Group AG and Morgan Stanley are working on the deal.
China is the world's largest market for wind turbines, and domestic wind equipment manufacturers such as Mingyang supply 80 percent of the market. China installed more than 13GWs of wind power generating capacity last year.
Mingyang's IPO plan follows the shelving in June of a $1.17 billion Hong Kong listing by Chinese wind equipment supplier Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co Ltd. The Shenzhen-listed company pulled the offering because of fragile investor sentiment in the wake of the European sovereign debt crisis and concern about overcapacity in the sector.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Keppel, SeaFox break new depths in the offshore wind energy sector
www.pennenergy.com
July 30, 2010
Keppel FELS Limited's (Keppel FELS) multi-purpose self-elevating platform (MPSEP) design has been chosen by the Seafox Group (Seafox) as the basis for a new-generation, wind turbine installation vessel that can withstand harsh offshore environmental conditions all year round in water depths of 65 meters in the North Sea.
Compared with existing wind turbine installation vessels, and the majority of those being constructed, this vessel can operate in some 45% deeper waters, while reducing downtime even in extreme storm conditions, thus providing a potentially longer operational window. With a large carrying capacity of up to 12 turbines at a time, it enhances the efficiency of constructing offshore wind farms. A 75/25 joint venture (JV) company has been formed between Keppel FELS and Seafox respectively, to build and own this US$220 million vessel. Seafox has the option of acquiring Keppel's stake in the JV company.
The KFELS MPSEP, designed by Keppel's R&D arm, Offshore Technology Development, has the distinctive ability over other existing vessels to install and maintain heavy wind turbine foundations, such as the jacket and tripod types, and especially in deeper waters. In addition to being well-suited for servicing offshore wind farms, it also meets all the stringent operating regulations of the offshore oil and gas industry and can support a wide range of related activities such as accommodation, well intervention, maintenance, construction and decommissioning.
Mr. Wong Kok Seng, Executive Director of Keppel FELS, said, "The offshore wind power market holds good potential for installation and maintenance vessels that can operate over long periods in deeper waters beyond 45 meters. The KFELS MPSEP will offer significant advantages in terms of safety, operations, time and cost to operators working in these harsh environments. By overcoming the typical limitations of the existing fleet in the market, this advanced vessel will redefine the way in which offshore wind farms are installed and maintained across the world."
The KFELS MPSEP vessel is scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2012, and will be managed and operated by Workfox BV, a member of the Seafox Group. Mr Keesjan Cordia, Managing Director of Seafox Contractors BV, added, "When completed, this ground-breaking vessel named SEAFOX 5, will address and overcome critical technical and safety challenges faced in the construction and maintenance of wind farms in deeper waters, and carve a critical niche for Seafox and Keppel.
"In developing and building this high value asset, it is an imperative for us to collaborate with the most reliable and experienced offshore partner for the job. Keppel FELS's proven design and construction expertise and commitment to on-time and within-budget delivery sealed our decision to partner them."
Combining Keppel's experience as the world's foremost rig designer and builder, and Seafox's deep insights as a leading provider of self-elevating accommodation and maintenance support units in the North Sea, the KFELS MPSEP is set to provide a highly versatile and cost-efficient solution for the offshore energy industry. "We have successfully developed and commercialised many proprietary concepts for the North Sea region and other challenging frontiers by partnering our trendsetting customers in the early stages of those projects.
"This new KFELS MPSEP is an example of how we have been able to leverage and apply our market knowledge and technology expertise innovatively for a variety of offshore applications. Moreover, in working with an experienced fleet owner and operating partner such as Seafox to launch our design, we will have a good head start in developing our track record as the choice solutions provider for the emerging offshore wind power sector," Mr Wong added.
The above project is not expected to have material impact on the net tangible assets or earnings per share of Keppel Corporation Limited for the current financial year.
Offshore wind energy industry potential
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has set a target to achieve 40GWs (GW) of offshore wind in the European Union by 2020, and 150GW by 2030.
Offshore winds tend to flow at greater speeds than onshore winds, thus allowing turbines to produce more electricity. Although a good majority of existing offshore wind farms are located in water depths less than 45 meters, those coming online are expected to move further offshore and into harsher environments such as the Central North Sea, where wind speeds are higher, constant and thereby requiring more robust solutions. There is also an increasing trend towards wind turbines with larger capacities which are heavier.
The UK expects to install some 8,000 offshore wind turbines in the next decade, to achieve the Round 3 offshore wind power goal of delivering 15% of the UK's electricity needs by 2020. Of these, it is estimated that some 2,700 turbines would be required at water depths greater than 45 meters. The KFELS MPSEP vessel is among the first on order worldwide that is capable of fulfilling this water-depth requirement.
July 30, 2010
Keppel FELS Limited's (Keppel FELS) multi-purpose self-elevating platform (MPSEP) design has been chosen by the Seafox Group (Seafox) as the basis for a new-generation, wind turbine installation vessel that can withstand harsh offshore environmental conditions all year round in water depths of 65 meters in the North Sea.
Compared with existing wind turbine installation vessels, and the majority of those being constructed, this vessel can operate in some 45% deeper waters, while reducing downtime even in extreme storm conditions, thus providing a potentially longer operational window. With a large carrying capacity of up to 12 turbines at a time, it enhances the efficiency of constructing offshore wind farms. A 75/25 joint venture (JV) company has been formed between Keppel FELS and Seafox respectively, to build and own this US$220 million vessel. Seafox has the option of acquiring Keppel's stake in the JV company.
The KFELS MPSEP, designed by Keppel's R&D arm, Offshore Technology Development, has the distinctive ability over other existing vessels to install and maintain heavy wind turbine foundations, such as the jacket and tripod types, and especially in deeper waters. In addition to being well-suited for servicing offshore wind farms, it also meets all the stringent operating regulations of the offshore oil and gas industry and can support a wide range of related activities such as accommodation, well intervention, maintenance, construction and decommissioning.
Mr. Wong Kok Seng, Executive Director of Keppel FELS, said, "The offshore wind power market holds good potential for installation and maintenance vessels that can operate over long periods in deeper waters beyond 45 meters. The KFELS MPSEP will offer significant advantages in terms of safety, operations, time and cost to operators working in these harsh environments. By overcoming the typical limitations of the existing fleet in the market, this advanced vessel will redefine the way in which offshore wind farms are installed and maintained across the world."
The KFELS MPSEP vessel is scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2012, and will be managed and operated by Workfox BV, a member of the Seafox Group. Mr Keesjan Cordia, Managing Director of Seafox Contractors BV, added, "When completed, this ground-breaking vessel named SEAFOX 5, will address and overcome critical technical and safety challenges faced in the construction and maintenance of wind farms in deeper waters, and carve a critical niche for Seafox and Keppel.
"In developing and building this high value asset, it is an imperative for us to collaborate with the most reliable and experienced offshore partner for the job. Keppel FELS's proven design and construction expertise and commitment to on-time and within-budget delivery sealed our decision to partner them."
Combining Keppel's experience as the world's foremost rig designer and builder, and Seafox's deep insights as a leading provider of self-elevating accommodation and maintenance support units in the North Sea, the KFELS MPSEP is set to provide a highly versatile and cost-efficient solution for the offshore energy industry. "We have successfully developed and commercialised many proprietary concepts for the North Sea region and other challenging frontiers by partnering our trendsetting customers in the early stages of those projects.
"This new KFELS MPSEP is an example of how we have been able to leverage and apply our market knowledge and technology expertise innovatively for a variety of offshore applications. Moreover, in working with an experienced fleet owner and operating partner such as Seafox to launch our design, we will have a good head start in developing our track record as the choice solutions provider for the emerging offshore wind power sector," Mr Wong added.
The above project is not expected to have material impact on the net tangible assets or earnings per share of Keppel Corporation Limited for the current financial year.
Offshore wind energy industry potential
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has set a target to achieve 40GWs (GW) of offshore wind in the European Union by 2020, and 150GW by 2030.
Offshore winds tend to flow at greater speeds than onshore winds, thus allowing turbines to produce more electricity. Although a good majority of existing offshore wind farms are located in water depths less than 45 meters, those coming online are expected to move further offshore and into harsher environments such as the Central North Sea, where wind speeds are higher, constant and thereby requiring more robust solutions. There is also an increasing trend towards wind turbines with larger capacities which are heavier.
The UK expects to install some 8,000 offshore wind turbines in the next decade, to achieve the Round 3 offshore wind power goal of delivering 15% of the UK's electricity needs by 2020. Of these, it is estimated that some 2,700 turbines would be required at water depths greater than 45 meters. The KFELS MPSEP vessel is among the first on order worldwide that is capable of fulfilling this water-depth requirement.
Spain nearing accord with solar producers on reducing subsidies
www.bloomberg.com
Jul 31, 2010
The Spanish government and solar power producers almost reached an agreement on reducing subsidies to the industry before officials suspended talks to assess savings from a clampdown on fraud, according to a memo from industry representatives at the meeting.
A draft agreement forming the basis of the talks said subsidies for plants already operating would be lowered by 5% to 15% over the next three years, compensated by extra years of payments, the memo distributed to members of the Photovoltaic Industry Association said. "This is better than the industry was fearing and probably does mean there will be continued investor confidence in Spain and most project developers will be all right", Jenny Chase, lead solar analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said today.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government wants to keep a lid on electric costs by paring back a 2007 law granting above-market prices for clean-energy producers. Solar price cuts would hurt plant developers including Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA and Solaria Energia y Medio Ambiente SA.
A spokesman for the Industry Ministry didn't immediately respond to calls to his cell phone for comment. Before last night's meeting concluded on the brink of an accord, he said the government would insist on deeper rate cuts. Solaria, the Madrid-based solar panel maker and plant developer, rose as much as 2.2% today in Madrid trading and was at 1.62 euros at 5:15 p.m, local time.
Leaked Document
Under the plan, operators of existing plants could opt to receive 85% of the subsidy they already get in 2011 and 2012 and 95% in 2013. The subsidies, now due to run 25 years from 2007, would be extended four years beyond the current expiration date. A second option would offer operators a smaller price cut in the first two years without the extension.
Industry representatives and officials failed to reach agreement over these terms, prompting officials to defer a final decision to give them time to quantify savings from new measures to tackle fraud in the industry approved by the government today, the memo said. "It's encouraging", association secretary Enrique Alcor said in the memo. Still, "We don't know which of the elements covered in recent days will remain in place come September".
The draft also speaks of an option where developers could escape the temporary subsidy cuts by taking a cap on the number of hours their plants can earn above-market prices. Ground-mounted systems would have a cap of 1,075 to 1,529kW hours and plants with trackers would earn 1,515 to 2,154kW hours. The Industry Ministry spokesman said yesterday the government is pressing to make that provision mandatory.
Project Incentives
Incentives for projects not yet built would be reduced 45% for those mounted to the ground and 25% for ones on roofs. Representatives of another industry group, the Photovoltaic Business Association, painted a different picture of negotiations today at a press briefing in Madrid. "We don't understand the negotiating position of the ministry. We don't know what objectives they are pursuing", association chairman Juan Laso said. "All the measures that we have proposed have been rejected".
Solar plant operators have been pressing Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian to maintain the prices set out in the 2007 law since April, when officials said they may cut the rate paid to existing plants in addition to ones yet to be built. Funds including London-based HG Capital and Denmark's AP Pensions have argued that the government was reneging on its legal obligation to maintain the subsidies for 25 years.
10 Times
Spain's 52,000 photovoltaic-panel installations earn as much as 440 euros ($573) aMW-hour, or almost 10 times the futures price for 2011 power in the wholesale market.
The premium was set at that level to spur investment in renewable forms of energy. The Spanish Banking Association estimated domestic banks have loaned 40 billion euros to renewable-energy projects. Some 600 photovoltaic plant operators may face bankruptcy if the subsidies are slashed, the Photovoltaic Industry Association has said.
Solar plants claimed more than half the 5 billion euros in renewable-power subsidies paid by homes and businesses through their bills last year, while producing 11% of Spain's emission-free electricity. Sebastian told executives last month that he planned to cut 1 billion euros from the annual subsidies. Germany has also scrapped tax breaks for solar power, and Italy is working to eliminate a minimum price set for emission-free power.
Spain will pare some of the support its solar operators receive by clamping down on operators who cheated on paperwork to qualify for the highest rates, under a Royal Decree approved today by the government. Companies that cannot prove their generators were connected to Spain's power grid before September 2008 will be forced to switch to the lower subsidy rate and repay excess earnings. About a quarter of the industry may be affected, the government estimates.
Jul 31, 2010
The Spanish government and solar power producers almost reached an agreement on reducing subsidies to the industry before officials suspended talks to assess savings from a clampdown on fraud, according to a memo from industry representatives at the meeting.
A draft agreement forming the basis of the talks said subsidies for plants already operating would be lowered by 5% to 15% over the next three years, compensated by extra years of payments, the memo distributed to members of the Photovoltaic Industry Association said. "This is better than the industry was fearing and probably does mean there will be continued investor confidence in Spain and most project developers will be all right", Jenny Chase, lead solar analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said today.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government wants to keep a lid on electric costs by paring back a 2007 law granting above-market prices for clean-energy producers. Solar price cuts would hurt plant developers including Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA and Solaria Energia y Medio Ambiente SA.
A spokesman for the Industry Ministry didn't immediately respond to calls to his cell phone for comment. Before last night's meeting concluded on the brink of an accord, he said the government would insist on deeper rate cuts. Solaria, the Madrid-based solar panel maker and plant developer, rose as much as 2.2% today in Madrid trading and was at 1.62 euros at 5:15 p.m, local time.
Leaked Document
Under the plan, operators of existing plants could opt to receive 85% of the subsidy they already get in 2011 and 2012 and 95% in 2013. The subsidies, now due to run 25 years from 2007, would be extended four years beyond the current expiration date. A second option would offer operators a smaller price cut in the first two years without the extension.
Industry representatives and officials failed to reach agreement over these terms, prompting officials to defer a final decision to give them time to quantify savings from new measures to tackle fraud in the industry approved by the government today, the memo said. "It's encouraging", association secretary Enrique Alcor said in the memo. Still, "We don't know which of the elements covered in recent days will remain in place come September".
The draft also speaks of an option where developers could escape the temporary subsidy cuts by taking a cap on the number of hours their plants can earn above-market prices. Ground-mounted systems would have a cap of 1,075 to 1,529kW hours and plants with trackers would earn 1,515 to 2,154kW hours. The Industry Ministry spokesman said yesterday the government is pressing to make that provision mandatory.
Project Incentives
Incentives for projects not yet built would be reduced 45% for those mounted to the ground and 25% for ones on roofs. Representatives of another industry group, the Photovoltaic Business Association, painted a different picture of negotiations today at a press briefing in Madrid. "We don't understand the negotiating position of the ministry. We don't know what objectives they are pursuing", association chairman Juan Laso said. "All the measures that we have proposed have been rejected".
Solar plant operators have been pressing Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian to maintain the prices set out in the 2007 law since April, when officials said they may cut the rate paid to existing plants in addition to ones yet to be built. Funds including London-based HG Capital and Denmark's AP Pensions have argued that the government was reneging on its legal obligation to maintain the subsidies for 25 years.
10 Times
Spain's 52,000 photovoltaic-panel installations earn as much as 440 euros ($573) aMW-hour, or almost 10 times the futures price for 2011 power in the wholesale market.
The premium was set at that level to spur investment in renewable forms of energy. The Spanish Banking Association estimated domestic banks have loaned 40 billion euros to renewable-energy projects. Some 600 photovoltaic plant operators may face bankruptcy if the subsidies are slashed, the Photovoltaic Industry Association has said.
Solar plants claimed more than half the 5 billion euros in renewable-power subsidies paid by homes and businesses through their bills last year, while producing 11% of Spain's emission-free electricity. Sebastian told executives last month that he planned to cut 1 billion euros from the annual subsidies. Germany has also scrapped tax breaks for solar power, and Italy is working to eliminate a minimum price set for emission-free power.
Spain will pare some of the support its solar operators receive by clamping down on operators who cheated on paperwork to qualify for the highest rates, under a Royal Decree approved today by the government. Companies that cannot prove their generators were connected to Spain's power grid before September 2008 will be forced to switch to the lower subsidy rate and repay excess earnings. About a quarter of the industry may be affected, the government estimates.
Wind turbine design could potentially generate 20 megawatts
www.onlinetes.com
7/30/2010
A sycamore seed design may soon be revolutionising the wind power industry. British engineers are designing a giant wind turbine that would rotate on its axis and measure nearly 900ft from up to tip, generating up to 10MW of power.
Engineering firm Wind Power Limited is developing the Aerogenerator, along with architects at Grimshaw, academics at Cranfield University and Rolls Royce, Arup, BP, and Shell. According to those behind the design, the turbines could generate 20MW or more of power. Engineers are now looking at ways of adapting the design to make them more efficient because of the extreme weight gained after scaling up the diameter of the turbine.
The Aerogenerator has two arms coming out of its base to form a V-shape, with rigid "sails" mounted along their length. The arms act like aerofoils as the wind passes over, helping to generate lift. The first Aerogenerator could be up and running by 2013. Other firms are also trying to create a new type of wind turbine that generates up to 10MW of power. Clipper Windpower, another wind power firm, has already announced plans to build the giant Britannia wind turbines that could rise 600 feet above the North Sea.
Feargal Brennan, head of offshore engineering at Cranfield University, explains: "Upsising conventional onshore wind turbine technology to overcome cost barriers has significant challenges, not least the weight of the blades, which experience a fully reversed fatigue cycle on each rotation. As the blades turn, their weight always pulls downwards, putting a changing stress on the structure, in a cycle that repeats with every rotation - up to 20 times a minute. In order to reduce the fatigue stress, the blade sections and thicknesses are increased which further increases the blade self-weight. These issues continue throughout the device.
"Drive-train mountings must be stiff enough to support the heavier components inside the nacelle on top of the tower, otherwise the systems can become misaligned and the support structure is also exposed to extremely large dynamic thrust and bending stresses, which are amplified significantly with any increase in water depth".
Offshore power is seen as a more acceptable option for renewable energy than land-based turbines. Theo Bird of Wind Power Limited says: "Offshore is the ideal place for wind power but is also an extremely tough environment. The US wind researchers who worked on vertical axis projects have always regarded the technology as great to work with at sea because it can be big, tough and easily managed".
7/30/2010
A sycamore seed design may soon be revolutionising the wind power industry. British engineers are designing a giant wind turbine that would rotate on its axis and measure nearly 900ft from up to tip, generating up to 10MW of power.
Engineering firm Wind Power Limited is developing the Aerogenerator, along with architects at Grimshaw, academics at Cranfield University and Rolls Royce, Arup, BP, and Shell. According to those behind the design, the turbines could generate 20MW or more of power. Engineers are now looking at ways of adapting the design to make them more efficient because of the extreme weight gained after scaling up the diameter of the turbine.
The Aerogenerator has two arms coming out of its base to form a V-shape, with rigid "sails" mounted along their length. The arms act like aerofoils as the wind passes over, helping to generate lift. The first Aerogenerator could be up and running by 2013. Other firms are also trying to create a new type of wind turbine that generates up to 10MW of power. Clipper Windpower, another wind power firm, has already announced plans to build the giant Britannia wind turbines that could rise 600 feet above the North Sea.
Feargal Brennan, head of offshore engineering at Cranfield University, explains: "Upsising conventional onshore wind turbine technology to overcome cost barriers has significant challenges, not least the weight of the blades, which experience a fully reversed fatigue cycle on each rotation. As the blades turn, their weight always pulls downwards, putting a changing stress on the structure, in a cycle that repeats with every rotation - up to 20 times a minute. In order to reduce the fatigue stress, the blade sections and thicknesses are increased which further increases the blade self-weight. These issues continue throughout the device.
"Drive-train mountings must be stiff enough to support the heavier components inside the nacelle on top of the tower, otherwise the systems can become misaligned and the support structure is also exposed to extremely large dynamic thrust and bending stresses, which are amplified significantly with any increase in water depth".
Offshore power is seen as a more acceptable option for renewable energy than land-based turbines. Theo Bird of Wind Power Limited says: "Offshore is the ideal place for wind power but is also an extremely tough environment. The US wind researchers who worked on vertical axis projects have always regarded the technology as great to work with at sea because it can be big, tough and easily managed".
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Former Vestas staff open wind turbine manufacturer on Isle of Wight
www.guardian.co.uk
1/08/10
Sureblades will produce a new type of recyclable blade in a factory metres from the Vestas plant one year after its closureNearly one year after Danish wind giant Vestas closed the UK's only major turbine plant, a new British blade manufacturer is opening just metres from the old factory. Sureblades, run by a team including three former Vestas staff on the Isle of Wight, is pinning its hopes on a new type of blade that will be 100% recyclable.
Working with Southampton University for the certification of its blades, the new company already has an order placed with Irish renewable energy company C&F Green Energy for 1,000 of its blades. The 4.6m-long structures will be used in 15kW turbines, enough to power a community.
Sean McDonagh, who is heading up operations at Sureblades, said the project had been a "beacon of light" for those involved in the Vestas plant closure last August, which led to 425 employees being made redundant. "It's been tough as no money was coming in for our families, but we knew it would work in the end, because this is a product the country needs for where it's going", McDonagh said.
Based on the same industrial estate as the former Vestas factory, which workers occupied during a 11-day roof-top protest against its closure last year, the company forecasts it will take on 40 staff within the next two years. "There are two big industries down here and people [former Vestas workers] have been on one-month contracts and not able to live their lives. When people heard about us, it's like they could get on with their lives, so they've been getting in touch", said McDonagh.
Working alongside McDonagh are the former Vestas employees Keith Hunsell and Glynn Milton, and Penny Smout a former special adviser to Ed Miliband. Unlike conventional turbine blades which use an epoxy resin that cannot be broken down, the company's blades will use a material that can be melted down and made into new blades after old ones are worn out. Sureblades said it also has another two potential orders in addition to the C&F Green Energy deal, and it hopes to be fully operational by September.
Last year Vestas said the closure of the Isle of Wight plant was a result of a lack of demand and planning problems in the UK. Ditlev Engel, the CEO of Vestas, said at the time: "In the UK, there is a clear division between what the government would like to see happening and what certain local politicians want to see happening, or rather not want to see happening ... there is not necessarily the same ambition levels".
The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union (RMT), which represented and supported the Vestas workers last year, welcomed the new company. The general secretary, Bob Crow, said: "The former Vestas workers behind this imaginative new project have completely destroyed the argument put forward by the company at the time of closure that there was no market for UK manufactured turbine blades. Through their efforts to create jobs they have blown apart the bogus grounds put forward at the time for closure and redundancy of the workforce".
He continued: "RMT is very proud of what our former Vestas members have achieved so far and we are right behind them. They have also shown that it is far too easy for companies in the UK to soak up government grants and then just cut and run when it suits them without any meaningful consultation, never mind a ballot of the workforce".
Qld laws blamed for hampering geothermal projects
www.abc.net.au
Jul 29, 2010
An energy company with plans for geothermal power stations throughout Queensland says the industry cannot move forward due to State Government legislation. Clean Energy Australasia (CEA) wants to build geothermal power stations in western Queensland and in South Australia. CEA spokesman Joe Reichman says it cannot start producing electricity from geothermal resources under state laws because they only allow for exploration.
"The Queensland Government has not passed production legislation so we can't produce electricity from geothermal because there's no production legislation for geothermal", he said. "Therefore the way things stand we're just absolutely strapped - we can't move forward until we start to get some positive support from both the Queensland and the federal governments". He says new laws are needed to boost confidence in the sector.
"[To] get that production legislation on the books so we can actually produce geothermal electricity, then the investment community which... don't like to invest in high-risk ventures where they can't see with clarity how they'll be able to make these things commercially viable", he said. "Then we believe the money will then start to come flooding from the investment communities".
But the Queensland Government says new laws are before the Parliament that will help the development of a large scale geothermal production industry in the state. A spokesman from the Department of Mines and Energy says the Geothermal Energy Bill was introduced into Parliament in May this year, which when passed, will provide the next important step for the sector's growth. The Government also says it is committed to geothermal power and operates Australia's only geothermal power station at Birdsville in the state's far-west and is investing $15 million over five years in the Queensland Geothermal Centre of Excellence.
Jul 29, 2010
An energy company with plans for geothermal power stations throughout Queensland says the industry cannot move forward due to State Government legislation. Clean Energy Australasia (CEA) wants to build geothermal power stations in western Queensland and in South Australia. CEA spokesman Joe Reichman says it cannot start producing electricity from geothermal resources under state laws because they only allow for exploration.
"The Queensland Government has not passed production legislation so we can't produce electricity from geothermal because there's no production legislation for geothermal", he said. "Therefore the way things stand we're just absolutely strapped - we can't move forward until we start to get some positive support from both the Queensland and the federal governments". He says new laws are needed to boost confidence in the sector.
"[To] get that production legislation on the books so we can actually produce geothermal electricity, then the investment community which... don't like to invest in high-risk ventures where they can't see with clarity how they'll be able to make these things commercially viable", he said. "Then we believe the money will then start to come flooding from the investment communities".
But the Queensland Government says new laws are before the Parliament that will help the development of a large scale geothermal production industry in the state. A spokesman from the Department of Mines and Energy says the Geothermal Energy Bill was introduced into Parliament in May this year, which when passed, will provide the next important step for the sector's growth. The Government also says it is committed to geothermal power and operates Australia's only geothermal power station at Birdsville in the state's far-west and is investing $15 million over five years in the Queensland Geothermal Centre of Excellence.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Batteries for wind farms
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday 29/7/2010 Page: 6
THE rapid growth of wind farms, whose output is hard to schedule reliably or even predict, has electricity providers in the US scrambling to develop energy storage to ensure stability and improve profits. As the wind installations multiply, companies have found themselves dumping energy late at night, adjusting the blades so they do not catch the wind, because there is no demand for the power. And grid operators, accustomed to meeting demand by adjusting supplies, are struggling to maintain stability as supplies fluctuate.
On the cutting edge of a potential solution is Hawaii, where state officials want 70% of energy needs to be met by renewable sources such as the wind, sun or biomass by 2030. A major problem is that it is impossible for generators on the Islands to export surpluses to neighbouring companies or to import power when the wind towers are becalmed.
On Maui, for example, wind generating capacity overall will soon be equal to one-fourth of the island's peak demand. But peak wind and peak demand times do not coincide, raising questions about how Hawaii can reach its 70% goal. For now, the best option seems to be storage batteries.
In New York and California, companies are exploring electrical storage that is big enough to allow for "arbitrage", or buying power at a low price, such as in the middle of the night, and selling it hours later at a higher price. Renewable goals can be met, many in the industry insist. But if the energy source is intermittent, "you can't do that without batteries of some sort", said Peter Rosegg, a spokesman for the Hawaiian Electric Company. His company has agreed to buy electricity from a wind farm on the northern shore of Oahu, where the power company First Wind, of Boston, has just broken ground.
The spot is one of Hawaii's best wind sites. Mr Rosegg said, but the supply is gusty and erratic. What is more, it is at the farthest point on the island from the company's main load centre. Honolulu, and does not even lie on its high-voltage transmission backbone. So the 30-MW wind farm, which will have enough power to run about 30 Super Walmarts, will have Xtreme Power of Austin. Texas, install a 15-MW battery. Neither First Wind nor Xtreme Power would say what the project cost, but publicly disclosed figures put the project about $US130 million ($145 million), with about $US10 million for the battery. The Energy Department has provided a $US117 million loan guarantee.
Thursday 29/7/2010 Page: 6
THE rapid growth of wind farms, whose output is hard to schedule reliably or even predict, has electricity providers in the US scrambling to develop energy storage to ensure stability and improve profits. As the wind installations multiply, companies have found themselves dumping energy late at night, adjusting the blades so they do not catch the wind, because there is no demand for the power. And grid operators, accustomed to meeting demand by adjusting supplies, are struggling to maintain stability as supplies fluctuate.On the cutting edge of a potential solution is Hawaii, where state officials want 70% of energy needs to be met by renewable sources such as the wind, sun or biomass by 2030. A major problem is that it is impossible for generators on the Islands to export surpluses to neighbouring companies or to import power when the wind towers are becalmed.
On Maui, for example, wind generating capacity overall will soon be equal to one-fourth of the island's peak demand. But peak wind and peak demand times do not coincide, raising questions about how Hawaii can reach its 70% goal. For now, the best option seems to be storage batteries.
In New York and California, companies are exploring electrical storage that is big enough to allow for "arbitrage", or buying power at a low price, such as in the middle of the night, and selling it hours later at a higher price. Renewable goals can be met, many in the industry insist. But if the energy source is intermittent, "you can't do that without batteries of some sort", said Peter Rosegg, a spokesman for the Hawaiian Electric Company. His company has agreed to buy electricity from a wind farm on the northern shore of Oahu, where the power company First Wind, of Boston, has just broken ground.
The spot is one of Hawaii's best wind sites. Mr Rosegg said, but the supply is gusty and erratic. What is more, it is at the farthest point on the island from the company's main load centre. Honolulu, and does not even lie on its high-voltage transmission backbone. So the 30-MW wind farm, which will have enough power to run about 30 Super Walmarts, will have Xtreme Power of Austin. Texas, install a 15-MW battery. Neither First Wind nor Xtreme Power would say what the project cost, but publicly disclosed figures put the project about $US130 million ($145 million), with about $US10 million for the battery. The Energy Department has provided a $US117 million loan guarantee.
Solar power firm offers to rent roofs
Herald Sun
Friday 30/7/2010 Page: 46
HOME owners are being offered the chance to rent their roofs to a solar power company in exchange for cheaper electricity bills. London-based company Isis Solar will pay all costs for solar panels to be installed on thousands of roofs in Britain and in return property owners will see their electricity bills fall by up to two thirds, with the average home saving about $530 a year.
It will benefit those who cannot afford the usual cost of installing panels. However, home owners must agree to keep the panels for at least 25 years and allow access for maintenance. The company took advantage of a government program that pays renewable energy firms, which generate their own electricity. Isis plans to install solar panels on 18,000 homes by 2015.
Friday 30/7/2010 Page: 46
HOME owners are being offered the chance to rent their roofs to a solar power company in exchange for cheaper electricity bills. London-based company Isis Solar will pay all costs for solar panels to be installed on thousands of roofs in Britain and in return property owners will see their electricity bills fall by up to two thirds, with the average home saving about $530 a year.
It will benefit those who cannot afford the usual cost of installing panels. However, home owners must agree to keep the panels for at least 25 years and allow access for maintenance. The company took advantage of a government program that pays renewable energy firms, which generate their own electricity. Isis plans to install solar panels on 18,000 homes by 2015.
First molten salt solar thermal plant debuts in Italy
www.businessgreen.com
26 Jul 2010
What is claimed to be the world's first solar thermal concentration plant to use molten salt as the heat transfer fluid has been opened by Italian energy company Enel in Sicily. The 5MW Archimede plant - named after the rows of huge parabolic mirrors used to capture the sun's rays - is also claimed to be the first to integrate a combined-cycle gas facility and a solar thermal power plant for electricity generation.
The solar thermal power plant comprises a field of about 30,000 m2 of mirrors that concentrate sunlight on to 5.4km of pipe carrying the molten salt fluid. The thermal energy harvested by the system produces high-pressure steam that is channelled into the turbines of the power plant to produce electricity, reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and, as a result, enhancing the environmental performance of the combined-cycle plant.
The solar collectors (the parabolic mirrors and pipes or receivers), together with a steam generator and two heat storage tanks - one cold and one hot - make up the solar portion of the system.
When the sun shines, the thermal fluid drawn from the cold tank is circulated through the network of parabolic collectors, where it is heated to a temperature of 550°C and injected into the hot tank, where the thermal energy is stored. The fluid is then drawn from the hot reservoir to produce steam at high pressure and temperature, which is sent to Enel's nearby combined-cycle plant, where it contributes to electricity generation.
The molten salts used in the system are a mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium, which can retain heat for prolonged periods. This enables the plant to generate electricity at any time of the day and in all weather conditions until the stored energy is depleted.
Genesis Energy Seeks Approval for Wairarapa Wind Farm
www.businessweek.com
July 27, 2010
July 27 (Bloomberg) -- Genesis Energy Ltd., a New Zealand goverment-owned electricity generator, is seeking approvals to build a wind farm in the Wairarapa at the southern end of the nation's North Island. The Castle Hill site has potential generating capacity of 600MWs, the Auckland-based company said in an e-mailed statement. The exact number of turbines, their size and location are yet to be determined, it said.
July 27, 2010
July 27 (Bloomberg) -- Genesis Energy Ltd., a New Zealand goverment-owned electricity generator, is seeking approvals to build a wind farm in the Wairarapa at the southern end of the nation's North Island. The Castle Hill site has potential generating capacity of 600MWs, the Auckland-based company said in an e-mailed statement. The exact number of turbines, their size and location are yet to be determined, it said.
Wind farm 'mega-project' underway in Mojave Desert
www.latimes.com
July 27, 2010
The Alta Wind Energy Center -- with plans for thousands of acres of turbines to generate electricity for 600,000 Southern California homes -- officially breaks ground Tuesday. It's being called the largest wind power project in the country, with plans for thousands of acres of towering turbines in the Mojave Desert foothills generating electricity for 600,000 homes in Southern California. And now it's finally kicking into gear.
The multibillion-dollar Alta Wind Energy Center has had a tortured history, stretching across nearly a decade of ownership changes, opposition from local residents and transmission infrastructure delays. But on Tuesday, the project is officially breaking ground in the Tehachapi Pass, a burgeoning hot spot for wind power about 75 miles north of Los Angeles. When completed. Alta could produce three times as much energy as the country's largest existing wind farm, analysts said. It's slated to be done in the next decade.
The project will probably be a wind power bellwether, affecting the way renewable energy deals are financed, the development of new electricity storage systems and how governments regulate the industry, said Billy Gamboa, a renewable energy analyst with the California Center for Sustainable Energy. "It's a super-mega-project -- it'll definitely set a precedent for the rest of the state and have a pretty large impact on the wind industry in general", he said.
The project's developer, New York-based Terra-Gen Power, plans to coax threeGWs of power from the wind farm over the next eight years. It has led some industry experts to predict that California might have a shot at reclaiming the wind power crown from competitors such as Texas and Iowa. "Alta's an absolutely enormous project in probably the most promising wind resource area that remains in the state", said Ryan Wiser, a renewable energy analyst at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "It's the single biggest investment in California wind project assets in decades and is likely the largest the state is ever going to see".
Southern California Edison agreed in 2006 to buy 1,550MWs of electricity from Alta over 25 years, one of the heftiest power purchase agreements ever signed. That would be enough energy to serve 275,000 homes and is twice the capacity of the country's largest existing wind farm, a 735-MW project in Texas.
Terra-Gen Power is building Alta as a collection of wind farms; it has finished funding and started building the first group of five. The cluster's 290 turbines will be scattered across 9,000 acres, most of which are leased from private landowners. As early as next year, executives said, the turbines could start producing enough power to boost California's wind power output more than 25% while creating thousands of local jobs.
By 2015, another batch of farms, with roughly 300 turbines -- some with blades spanning nearly the length of a football field -- is expected to be producing an additional 830MWs. Beyond that, details are scarce. "The first Alta phases are very real, but future phases might be a little less tangible", said Matt Kaplan, a senior analyst with IHS Emerging Energy Research. "We've seen California utilities sign a lot of power purchase agreements for not necessarily the most realistic projects".
For years, Alta seemed to some like just another ambitious pipe dream tied up in red tape and stymied by a lack of transmission lines to carry the energy to customers. The project was originally conceived as the Alta-Oak Creek Mojave initiative in the early 2000s by Australian infrastructure fund Allco Finance Group. But when the firm went bankrupt in 2008. Terra-Gen Power bought control of Alta for $325 million. The permitting process took about three years, said Steve Doyon, vice president and head of development for Terra-Gen Power.
Along the way, Terra-Gen Power had to abandon several proposed sites because of landowners' concerns about noise and frosty turbine blades slinging chunks of ice. Some worried that the skyscraping structures could malfunction and collapse or impede firefighting efforts. Last year, a petition opposing part of the project collected more than 1,000 signatures. The Federal Aviation Administration also jumped in, saying that some of the proposed turbines would interfere with flights at the nearby Mountain Valley Airport. "We're not against green energy in any way, but there just comes a time when you say that this is my community and I don't want turbines encroaching in full view", said Merle Carnes, president of the Old West Ranch Property Owners Assn. "There's room somewhere else".
The Alta project had other big hurdles. California has been falling behind in the wind power race, increasing its capacity just 7% in 2008 while Texas and Iowa each doubled theirs. Pockets where high wind is common -- such as the Altamont Pass in Northern California and the San Gorgonio Pass near Palm Springs -- ran out of space early on, crammed with small turbines using inefficient old technology, analyst Wiser said. That has led to just "dribs and drabs" of installation over the last two decades. The Tehachapi area is one of the few windy regions left with room to grow, he said.
Edison has been making headway on its Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project, connecting alternative-energy projects such as Alta to electricity-hungry city centers. The utility is trying to meet a statewide goal for investor-owned utilities to use renewable energy for 33% of all power supplied to customers by 2020. Previously tight-fisted investors also are more confident about financing renewable energy projects. Terra-Gen Power recently secured $1.2 billion in funding for the Alta project.
Vestas-American Wind Technology said last week that it would deliver 190 turbines to Alta, the largest order ever for the turbine-making company. It was unable to land any contracts last year because of the credit crunch. The industry is not out of the woods yet: In the first half of 2010, newly added wind capacity in the U.S, tumbled 70% compared with the same period last year to just 1,200MWs, the American Wind Energy Association, said Monday. But for now, experts said, the Alta project seems to be on track. "I'm not seeing any great big red flags there", Wiser said.
July 27, 2010
The Alta Wind Energy Center -- with plans for thousands of acres of turbines to generate electricity for 600,000 Southern California homes -- officially breaks ground Tuesday. It's being called the largest wind power project in the country, with plans for thousands of acres of towering turbines in the Mojave Desert foothills generating electricity for 600,000 homes in Southern California. And now it's finally kicking into gear.
The multibillion-dollar Alta Wind Energy Center has had a tortured history, stretching across nearly a decade of ownership changes, opposition from local residents and transmission infrastructure delays. But on Tuesday, the project is officially breaking ground in the Tehachapi Pass, a burgeoning hot spot for wind power about 75 miles north of Los Angeles. When completed. Alta could produce three times as much energy as the country's largest existing wind farm, analysts said. It's slated to be done in the next decade.
The project will probably be a wind power bellwether, affecting the way renewable energy deals are financed, the development of new electricity storage systems and how governments regulate the industry, said Billy Gamboa, a renewable energy analyst with the California Center for Sustainable Energy. "It's a super-mega-project -- it'll definitely set a precedent for the rest of the state and have a pretty large impact on the wind industry in general", he said.
The project's developer, New York-based Terra-Gen Power, plans to coax threeGWs of power from the wind farm over the next eight years. It has led some industry experts to predict that California might have a shot at reclaiming the wind power crown from competitors such as Texas and Iowa. "Alta's an absolutely enormous project in probably the most promising wind resource area that remains in the state", said Ryan Wiser, a renewable energy analyst at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "It's the single biggest investment in California wind project assets in decades and is likely the largest the state is ever going to see".
Southern California Edison agreed in 2006 to buy 1,550MWs of electricity from Alta over 25 years, one of the heftiest power purchase agreements ever signed. That would be enough energy to serve 275,000 homes and is twice the capacity of the country's largest existing wind farm, a 735-MW project in Texas.
Terra-Gen Power is building Alta as a collection of wind farms; it has finished funding and started building the first group of five. The cluster's 290 turbines will be scattered across 9,000 acres, most of which are leased from private landowners. As early as next year, executives said, the turbines could start producing enough power to boost California's wind power output more than 25% while creating thousands of local jobs.
By 2015, another batch of farms, with roughly 300 turbines -- some with blades spanning nearly the length of a football field -- is expected to be producing an additional 830MWs. Beyond that, details are scarce. "The first Alta phases are very real, but future phases might be a little less tangible", said Matt Kaplan, a senior analyst with IHS Emerging Energy Research. "We've seen California utilities sign a lot of power purchase agreements for not necessarily the most realistic projects".
For years, Alta seemed to some like just another ambitious pipe dream tied up in red tape and stymied by a lack of transmission lines to carry the energy to customers. The project was originally conceived as the Alta-Oak Creek Mojave initiative in the early 2000s by Australian infrastructure fund Allco Finance Group. But when the firm went bankrupt in 2008. Terra-Gen Power bought control of Alta for $325 million. The permitting process took about three years, said Steve Doyon, vice president and head of development for Terra-Gen Power.
Along the way, Terra-Gen Power had to abandon several proposed sites because of landowners' concerns about noise and frosty turbine blades slinging chunks of ice. Some worried that the skyscraping structures could malfunction and collapse or impede firefighting efforts. Last year, a petition opposing part of the project collected more than 1,000 signatures. The Federal Aviation Administration also jumped in, saying that some of the proposed turbines would interfere with flights at the nearby Mountain Valley Airport. "We're not against green energy in any way, but there just comes a time when you say that this is my community and I don't want turbines encroaching in full view", said Merle Carnes, president of the Old West Ranch Property Owners Assn. "There's room somewhere else".
The Alta project had other big hurdles. California has been falling behind in the wind power race, increasing its capacity just 7% in 2008 while Texas and Iowa each doubled theirs. Pockets where high wind is common -- such as the Altamont Pass in Northern California and the San Gorgonio Pass near Palm Springs -- ran out of space early on, crammed with small turbines using inefficient old technology, analyst Wiser said. That has led to just "dribs and drabs" of installation over the last two decades. The Tehachapi area is one of the few windy regions left with room to grow, he said.
Edison has been making headway on its Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project, connecting alternative-energy projects such as Alta to electricity-hungry city centers. The utility is trying to meet a statewide goal for investor-owned utilities to use renewable energy for 33% of all power supplied to customers by 2020. Previously tight-fisted investors also are more confident about financing renewable energy projects. Terra-Gen Power recently secured $1.2 billion in funding for the Alta project.
Vestas-American Wind Technology said last week that it would deliver 190 turbines to Alta, the largest order ever for the turbine-making company. It was unable to land any contracts last year because of the credit crunch. The industry is not out of the woods yet: In the first half of 2010, newly added wind capacity in the U.S, tumbled 70% compared with the same period last year to just 1,200MWs, the American Wind Energy Association, said Monday. But for now, experts said, the Alta project seems to be on track. "I'm not seeing any great big red flags there", Wiser said.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Solar advocates slam Labor's car rebate plan
www.abc.net.au
Jul 25, 2010
Green groups have criticised the Federal Government's decision to pull funding from solar power schemes in order to pay for its plan to remove old cars from Australia's roads. If re-elected, the Government says it will offer owners of pre-1995 vehicles a $2,000 rebate for upgrading to more fuel efficient cars. But solar power advocates, the Greens and the Coalition have slammed the proposal, as more than half of the funding for it will be taken from the Government's solar infrastructure program.
Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society chief executive John Grimes says it makes no sense. "You're taking money away from a 100% emission free electricity generation program and putting it into reducing emissions from cars - but reducing them, not eliminating them", he said. "Infrastructure projects and clean-and-green collar jobs of the future have now been either scrapped or scaled back". The Greens say they support the idea but not the way it is funded. They say funding should instead come from fossil fuel subsidies given to big polluters.
The Opposition's Environment Spokesman, Greg Hunt, says the policy could have a damaging economic impact. He says the program will effectively take money away from Australian infrastructure and give it to foreign car manufacturers. "In Germany and in the United States, the cash for clunkers program has been a disaster", he said. "It created a boom and then a bust. This is exactly what happened with the pinkbatts program, a boom and then a bust. "The Prime Minister must explain today why she is taking $220 million from the solar flagships fund for Australian renewable energy and instead she's going to pay 90% of that money [to companies] such as Mercedes, such as BMW".
Wind turbines 'set for increase'
www.bbc.co.uk
25 July 2010
The number of UK wind turbines is set to rise to avert a power crisis. Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has indicated. In a Sunday Telegraph interview, the Lib Dem minister backed new onshore and offshore wind power over nuclear. Mr Huhne, whose department is facing cuts of between 25% and 40%, said turbines were "incredibly competitive" but not always popular among locals. Offshore sites had fewer planning issues and were "likely to be an important part" of energy independence.
There are currently around 250 wind farms operating in the UK, with a further 12 offshore, with 2,909 turbines in operation in total. A further 27 onshore and five offshore wind farms are currently under construction while plans for another 468 wind farms have been announced.
'Beautifully windy'
Speaking ahead of a key policy statement to the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Huhne identified Dogger Bank in the North Sea as a prime area for further offshore development. "It's relatively cheap to put wind turbines in that shallow area", he said. "It's beautifully windy so it does actually produce a lot of electricity - that is a really important natural resource for us". Mr Huhne said the UK needed to become more independent in energy production to allow it to withstand "shocks from the outside world". "The lights will not go out on my watch", he said.
The Energy Secretary said it was feasible for Britain to be totally self-sufficient thanks to renewable sources, which also includes wave energy and harnessing tidal streams. "It implies quite a stretch as it implies we would be building an awful lot of turbines around our coasts. But the technology is changing. It is becoming substantially cheaper to generate from these renewable sources", he said.
Plans for new nuclear plants won support from both the Tories and Labour in the previous parliament but Mr Huhne said the new coalition had "no money" to subsidise such a move. Under the coalition agreement, Lib Dem MPs can register their long standing opposition to the issue by abstaining from any parliamentary vote. Mr Huhne, however, told the Telegraph he expected new power stations would be built through private investment "given the framework we can put in place".
25 July 2010
The number of UK wind turbines is set to rise to avert a power crisis. Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has indicated. In a Sunday Telegraph interview, the Lib Dem minister backed new onshore and offshore wind power over nuclear. Mr Huhne, whose department is facing cuts of between 25% and 40%, said turbines were "incredibly competitive" but not always popular among locals. Offshore sites had fewer planning issues and were "likely to be an important part" of energy independence.
There are currently around 250 wind farms operating in the UK, with a further 12 offshore, with 2,909 turbines in operation in total. A further 27 onshore and five offshore wind farms are currently under construction while plans for another 468 wind farms have been announced.
'Beautifully windy'
Speaking ahead of a key policy statement to the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Huhne identified Dogger Bank in the North Sea as a prime area for further offshore development. "It's relatively cheap to put wind turbines in that shallow area", he said. "It's beautifully windy so it does actually produce a lot of electricity - that is a really important natural resource for us". Mr Huhne said the UK needed to become more independent in energy production to allow it to withstand "shocks from the outside world". "The lights will not go out on my watch", he said.
The Energy Secretary said it was feasible for Britain to be totally self-sufficient thanks to renewable sources, which also includes wave energy and harnessing tidal streams. "It implies quite a stretch as it implies we would be building an awful lot of turbines around our coasts. But the technology is changing. It is becoming substantially cheaper to generate from these renewable sources", he said.
Plans for new nuclear plants won support from both the Tories and Labour in the previous parliament but Mr Huhne said the new coalition had "no money" to subsidise such a move. Under the coalition agreement, Lib Dem MPs can register their long standing opposition to the issue by abstaining from any parliamentary vote. Mr Huhne, however, told the Telegraph he expected new power stations would be built through private investment "given the framework we can put in place".
'Key' Aussie invention ignored locally
news.smh.com.au
July 23, 2010
In the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, an Australian company was recently awarded a prestigious government award for the most innovative company to invest in the state this year. At its new production facility in Heinsberg, Germany, Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd was producing "a key technology of the future", said Petra Wassner, managing director of NRW.INVEST, the state's economic development agency. The Victorian-based company was praised for investing 9.5 million euros ($A14.16 million) in the facility, creating 80 new jobs and contributing "to a more efficient and cleaner energy supply in North Rhine-Westphalia", Wassner told the award ceremony in Dusseldorf.
But Ceramic Fuel hasn't attracted nearly as much excitement in Australia, forcing the company to go global to survive. "We are really big news here", Ceramic chief executive Brendan Dow Chemical told AAP from Germany. "(In Australia) we are treated like a science project. "It's really quite frustrating". The big news is Ceramic Fuels' BlueGen fuel-cell device. Roughly the size of a dishwasher, the device uses solid oxide fuel-cell technology to convert natural gas into electricity and heat. It generally produces more than enough electricity to power the average household - unless it is summer and you're constantly running the air-conditioner - and enough heat to produce a tank of hot water daily.
In Germany, utility companies supply the device free of charge to households, who then pay for the natural gas they use. Mr Dow Chemical likens the arrangement to a mobile phone contract, where the consumer receives a free hand set and pays for their calls. "BlueGen is an enabler of the utilities to be able to bill you for heat and power", he said. The household can then make back some money by selling any excess power to the grid. If widely implemented, the system could save governments cash as well, reducing the need for billions of dollars in infrastructure. "About two-thirds of your electricity bill is actually due to transmission and distribution costs", said Mr Dow Chemical. "(The) cost to the government of actually putting in poles and wires and enough infrastructure to deliver the power from the central power station".
That in turn would mean cheaper electricity for consumers. Mr Dow Chemical said. The other benefit of generating power from your own home is efficiency. When electricity is generated in central power stations, the power and heat are lost on the way to your home. Generating electricity at home, means the power and heat are delivered directly, rather than travelling through wires. And then there's the environmental benefit. All this cheap and efficient electricity is being produced with less carbon emissions.
If all of Australia's electricity was produced via BlueGen. Australia would have the world's lowest carbon emissions, rather than being the world's worst emitter per unit of electricity. Mr Dow Chemical said. "The current emissions from the Australian grid is a little under one tonne of CO2 for everyMW hour that's produced", he said. "Our unit produces about 340kg or about one third of the emissions of the current grid". Mr Dow Chemical says the other strength of BlueGen is reliability, unlike solar or wind power which are subject to uncontrollable factors. "BlueGen operates all the time, day and night, regardless of wind or wave or sun conditions", he said. "Renewables are useful, but they can't be the only solution".
A report released last month by the CSIRO, commissioned by Ceramic Fuel Cells, found BlueGen produces "fewer greenhouse emissions than the use of current grid electricity in Victoria and NSW". Unlike solar and wind power. BlueGen runs on natural gas, which isn't renewable, and that's why the federal government hasn't snapped it up as an answer to climate change. The answer, according to John Bell from the Queensland University of Technology's Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, is both renewables and fuel-cell technology. "fuel-cells are a terrific source of energy which is much more efficient in terms of electricity production for the amount of CO2 produced", Professor Bell said.
The technology is great, but there are two main problems, he said. "It still does produce CO2 emissions, so it's not going to get us all the way toward our emissions reduction target, and the second issue is it still uses natural gas. "There is a finite supply of natural gas and it is much less than coal. "(fuel-cell technology) doesn't necessarily address the overall long-term energy supply issue". But according to Mr Dow Chemical, it's still early days for BlueGen technology, and in the future it will be run on renewable fuels. "The technology will run on ethanol, it will run on biodiesel", he said.
In Australia, utility companies are slowly testing the water when it comes to BlueGen. EnergyAustralia has had the device installed in its showcase sustainability home in Newington. Sydney, while the Victorian government and Origin Energy have installed the devices in showcase homes in Melbourne. These are baby steps compared to the leaps being made in Europe, which is why Ceramic Fuels is operating in Germany. "Energy prices here (in Germany) reflect the real cost of generating electricity... and the government is supportive so they've put in place a feed-in tariff", Mr Dow Chemical said.
The units are available in Australia but will be expensive to purchase. Utility companies are also not obliged to purchase excess electricity, although the Victorian government is looking into including the device in its feed-in tariff scheme. "I'm frustrated as an Aussie that we don't have more success in Australia", Mr Dow Chemical said. "Our smallest utility partner here in Germany is bigger than AGL Energy, bigger than Origin Energy. "The big guys are spending money".
July 23, 2010
In the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, an Australian company was recently awarded a prestigious government award for the most innovative company to invest in the state this year. At its new production facility in Heinsberg, Germany, Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd was producing "a key technology of the future", said Petra Wassner, managing director of NRW.INVEST, the state's economic development agency. The Victorian-based company was praised for investing 9.5 million euros ($A14.16 million) in the facility, creating 80 new jobs and contributing "to a more efficient and cleaner energy supply in North Rhine-Westphalia", Wassner told the award ceremony in Dusseldorf.
But Ceramic Fuel hasn't attracted nearly as much excitement in Australia, forcing the company to go global to survive. "We are really big news here", Ceramic chief executive Brendan Dow Chemical told AAP from Germany. "(In Australia) we are treated like a science project. "It's really quite frustrating". The big news is Ceramic Fuels' BlueGen fuel-cell device. Roughly the size of a dishwasher, the device uses solid oxide fuel-cell technology to convert natural gas into electricity and heat. It generally produces more than enough electricity to power the average household - unless it is summer and you're constantly running the air-conditioner - and enough heat to produce a tank of hot water daily.
In Germany, utility companies supply the device free of charge to households, who then pay for the natural gas they use. Mr Dow Chemical likens the arrangement to a mobile phone contract, where the consumer receives a free hand set and pays for their calls. "BlueGen is an enabler of the utilities to be able to bill you for heat and power", he said. The household can then make back some money by selling any excess power to the grid. If widely implemented, the system could save governments cash as well, reducing the need for billions of dollars in infrastructure. "About two-thirds of your electricity bill is actually due to transmission and distribution costs", said Mr Dow Chemical. "(The) cost to the government of actually putting in poles and wires and enough infrastructure to deliver the power from the central power station".
That in turn would mean cheaper electricity for consumers. Mr Dow Chemical said. The other benefit of generating power from your own home is efficiency. When electricity is generated in central power stations, the power and heat are lost on the way to your home. Generating electricity at home, means the power and heat are delivered directly, rather than travelling through wires. And then there's the environmental benefit. All this cheap and efficient electricity is being produced with less carbon emissions.
If all of Australia's electricity was produced via BlueGen. Australia would have the world's lowest carbon emissions, rather than being the world's worst emitter per unit of electricity. Mr Dow Chemical said. "The current emissions from the Australian grid is a little under one tonne of CO2 for everyMW hour that's produced", he said. "Our unit produces about 340kg or about one third of the emissions of the current grid". Mr Dow Chemical says the other strength of BlueGen is reliability, unlike solar or wind power which are subject to uncontrollable factors. "BlueGen operates all the time, day and night, regardless of wind or wave or sun conditions", he said. "Renewables are useful, but they can't be the only solution".
A report released last month by the CSIRO, commissioned by Ceramic Fuel Cells, found BlueGen produces "fewer greenhouse emissions than the use of current grid electricity in Victoria and NSW". Unlike solar and wind power. BlueGen runs on natural gas, which isn't renewable, and that's why the federal government hasn't snapped it up as an answer to climate change. The answer, according to John Bell from the Queensland University of Technology's Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, is both renewables and fuel-cell technology. "fuel-cells are a terrific source of energy which is much more efficient in terms of electricity production for the amount of CO2 produced", Professor Bell said.
The technology is great, but there are two main problems, he said. "It still does produce CO2 emissions, so it's not going to get us all the way toward our emissions reduction target, and the second issue is it still uses natural gas. "There is a finite supply of natural gas and it is much less than coal. "(fuel-cell technology) doesn't necessarily address the overall long-term energy supply issue". But according to Mr Dow Chemical, it's still early days for BlueGen technology, and in the future it will be run on renewable fuels. "The technology will run on ethanol, it will run on biodiesel", he said.
In Australia, utility companies are slowly testing the water when it comes to BlueGen. EnergyAustralia has had the device installed in its showcase sustainability home in Newington. Sydney, while the Victorian government and Origin Energy have installed the devices in showcase homes in Melbourne. These are baby steps compared to the leaps being made in Europe, which is why Ceramic Fuels is operating in Germany. "Energy prices here (in Germany) reflect the real cost of generating electricity... and the government is supportive so they've put in place a feed-in tariff", Mr Dow Chemical said.
The units are available in Australia but will be expensive to purchase. Utility companies are also not obliged to purchase excess electricity, although the Victorian government is looking into including the device in its feed-in tariff scheme. "I'm frustrated as an Aussie that we don't have more success in Australia", Mr Dow Chemical said. "Our smallest utility partner here in Germany is bigger than AGL Energy, bigger than Origin Energy. "The big guys are spending money".
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Qld to get first solar farm
news.smh.com.au
July 23, 2010
Queensland's first community solar farm will power a hospital and water treatment plant. Premier Anna Bligh travelled to Hervey Bay on Friday to announce two solar power projects, which will cost a total of $4 million. Half of the funding will go towards developing the state's first community solar farm at the 120ha Fraser Coast Water Recycling Innovation Centre and Arboretum.
The solar park, which is to go to tender, will consist of about 1500 solar panels each measuring 1.5 metres by 1 metre, taking up about two hectares. The total area will be 10ha, giving the local council room to expand the project. Ms Bligh said the solar farm would feed energy into the electricity grid, offsetting the power involved in water and wastewater treatment in Hervey Bay and the arboretum project.
The project, which is subject to development approvals, is expected to begin later this year and be operating in early 2011. Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said if successful, the community solar farm could be replicated throughout the state. "Energy savings provided by a 400kW solar installation have the potential to save around 600 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, or the equivalent energy use of about 70 households", he said. Ms Bligh said the region's other $2 million project involved installing solar power panels on the roofs of the region's health service facilities.
July 23, 2010
Queensland's first community solar farm will power a hospital and water treatment plant. Premier Anna Bligh travelled to Hervey Bay on Friday to announce two solar power projects, which will cost a total of $4 million. Half of the funding will go towards developing the state's first community solar farm at the 120ha Fraser Coast Water Recycling Innovation Centre and Arboretum.
The solar park, which is to go to tender, will consist of about 1500 solar panels each measuring 1.5 metres by 1 metre, taking up about two hectares. The total area will be 10ha, giving the local council room to expand the project. Ms Bligh said the solar farm would feed energy into the electricity grid, offsetting the power involved in water and wastewater treatment in Hervey Bay and the arboretum project.
The project, which is subject to development approvals, is expected to begin later this year and be operating in early 2011. Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said if successful, the community solar farm could be replicated throughout the state. "Energy savings provided by a 400kW solar installation have the potential to save around 600 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, or the equivalent energy use of about 70 households", he said. Ms Bligh said the region's other $2 million project involved installing solar power panels on the roofs of the region's health service facilities.
Bright ideas bring rewards
West Australian
Saturday 24/07/2010 Page: 71
A Perth solar-technology company says it has developed a combined solar electricity and hot water system that is a world-first and will transform the Australian renewable-energy market. Bright Generation has won a three year contract with retailer NuEnergy for Eastern States distribution of the Solar Combi system and is in the final stages of securing a Perth retail chain to supply the WA market.
Chief executive and co-founder Andrew Hall said the system, to be officially launched in mid-September, would result in a saving on hot water costs of up to 90% and pay for itself within five years. In addition, households with the system would get income for selling electricity back into the grid, instead of energy bills. In WA, customers get 47¢ for every unit sold back into the grid. Mr Hall, a venture capital manager behind green companies like Smart Storage, together with his two cofounders owns a majority shareholding in Bright Generation. The minority investors include Stoneridge Ventures, the manager of Westscheme.
The company's technology grew out of Murdoch University but Mr Hall said his idea for Solar Combi came in part from the untapped opportunity to "double-dip" into the Government's renewable energy rebates. "The combination approach attracts a current renewable energy certificate value of between $6680 and $7680 dependent on location, as well as various State and Federal government solar hot water rebates of $500 to $1000, dependent on eligibility. "
The systems use panels made by German company Solon AG and cost $8000 for a classic and $12,000 for a premium, which factors in Government rebates. Mr Hall said the Solon AG technology was sleek, an important attribute given research had shown Australians they did not want to install equipment that might detract from the appearance of their homes. Bright Generation was also developing a solar air conditioning unit, which was expected to hit the market within two years".
Saturday 24/07/2010 Page: 71
A Perth solar-technology company says it has developed a combined solar electricity and hot water system that is a world-first and will transform the Australian renewable-energy market. Bright Generation has won a three year contract with retailer NuEnergy for Eastern States distribution of the Solar Combi system and is in the final stages of securing a Perth retail chain to supply the WA market.
Chief executive and co-founder Andrew Hall said the system, to be officially launched in mid-September, would result in a saving on hot water costs of up to 90% and pay for itself within five years. In addition, households with the system would get income for selling electricity back into the grid, instead of energy bills. In WA, customers get 47¢ for every unit sold back into the grid. Mr Hall, a venture capital manager behind green companies like Smart Storage, together with his two cofounders owns a majority shareholding in Bright Generation. The minority investors include Stoneridge Ventures, the manager of Westscheme.
The company's technology grew out of Murdoch University but Mr Hall said his idea for Solar Combi came in part from the untapped opportunity to "double-dip" into the Government's renewable energy rebates. "The combination approach attracts a current renewable energy certificate value of between $6680 and $7680 dependent on location, as well as various State and Federal government solar hot water rebates of $500 to $1000, dependent on eligibility. "
The systems use panels made by German company Solon AG and cost $8000 for a classic and $12,000 for a premium, which factors in Government rebates. Mr Hall said the Solon AG technology was sleek, an important attribute given research had shown Australians they did not want to install equipment that might detract from the appearance of their homes. Bright Generation was also developing a solar air conditioning unit, which was expected to hit the market within two years".
New energy in old station
Hobart Mercury
Saturday 24/7/2010 Page: 17
Hydro power on the West Coast has come full circle with the official opening yesterday of the Lower Lake Margaret power station near Queenstown. The station was originally commissioned in 1914 to deliver electricity to the Mt Lyell Copper Mine but was decommissioned in 1995 because of extensive corrosion of the 1.9km wooden pipeline.
Yesterday a $13.2 million project to install a 3.2MW mini hydro plant in the station was officially opened by Energy and Resources Minister Bryan Green. The station will generate 21GW hours of energy, enough to power about 2200 homes, with zero carbon emissions. Hydro Tasmania chairman Dr David Crean said the energy would all be sold to Copper Mines of Tasmania under a commercial agreement. The power generated at Lake Margaret will be enough to provide 60% of the mine's annual power needs. Dr Crean said the project was part of Hydro Tasmania's effort to develop an additional 1000GW hours of energy from the existing power system.
It follows the opening of a $14.7 million redevelopment of the Upper Lake Margaret power station last year. Dr Crean said the skills and innovations involved in the Lake Margaret project were now being exported around the world. He said projects included a model for remote area power supply based around Tasmania's Bass Strait Islands. "Hydro Tasmania is developing renewable energy solutions for these Islands which will see 90% of their energy become renewable", he said.
Dr Crean said Hydro Tasmania was also helping India and Sarawak with hydro projects. West Coast mayor Daryl Gerrity, who lobbied Hydro Tasmania to retain the Lake Margaret complex, said the State Government had made $250,000 available to explore tourism opportunities relating to the redevelopments. "One of the ideas we are considering is the construction of an iconic walking track between Lake Margaret and Cradle Mountain", he said. Cr Gerrity said other projects being considered included a wilderness retreat or school and corporate and training facilities.
Saturday 24/7/2010 Page: 17
Hydro power on the West Coast has come full circle with the official opening yesterday of the Lower Lake Margaret power station near Queenstown. The station was originally commissioned in 1914 to deliver electricity to the Mt Lyell Copper Mine but was decommissioned in 1995 because of extensive corrosion of the 1.9km wooden pipeline.Yesterday a $13.2 million project to install a 3.2MW mini hydro plant in the station was officially opened by Energy and Resources Minister Bryan Green. The station will generate 21GW hours of energy, enough to power about 2200 homes, with zero carbon emissions. Hydro Tasmania chairman Dr David Crean said the energy would all be sold to Copper Mines of Tasmania under a commercial agreement. The power generated at Lake Margaret will be enough to provide 60% of the mine's annual power needs. Dr Crean said the project was part of Hydro Tasmania's effort to develop an additional 1000GW hours of energy from the existing power system.
It follows the opening of a $14.7 million redevelopment of the Upper Lake Margaret power station last year. Dr Crean said the skills and innovations involved in the Lake Margaret project were now being exported around the world. He said projects included a model for remote area power supply based around Tasmania's Bass Strait Islands. "Hydro Tasmania is developing renewable energy solutions for these Islands which will see 90% of their energy become renewable", he said.
Dr Crean said Hydro Tasmania was also helping India and Sarawak with hydro projects. West Coast mayor Daryl Gerrity, who lobbied Hydro Tasmania to retain the Lake Margaret complex, said the State Government had made $250,000 available to explore tourism opportunities relating to the redevelopments. "One of the ideas we are considering is the construction of an iconic walking track between Lake Margaret and Cradle Mountain", he said. Cr Gerrity said other projects being considered included a wilderness retreat or school and corporate and training facilities.
Carnegie rides CETO wave
West Australian
Saturday 24/07/2010 Page: 66
Renewable energy hopeful Carnegie Corporation Wave Energy has secured Government cash to fund a pilot project to test the success of its CETO technology in powering desalination plants. Carnegie Corporation, founded by one-time Fremantle inventor Alan Burns, has been testing its underwater wave energy technology for use as a zero emissions energy source at its Fremantle facility and this year began building a 5MW pilot plant at Garden Island with $12.5 million from the State Government.
It has also flagged the potential for the technology to be used in desalination projects. Now it has been formally given the go-ahead to prove that potential through the Rockingham based National Centre for Excellence in desalination, a joint State-Federal Government research institute launched by the Minister for Climate Change Penny Wong last night.
Speaking after the ribbon-cutting, Carnegie Corporation managing director Mike Ottaviano said the $500,000 project - jointly funded by Carnegie Corporation and the NCED - was an important first step in shoring up the CETO technology. "Having our initial project located in WA means we're well-placed to capitalise on desalination opportunities locally and then export this expertise globally", Dr Ottaviano said.
The CETO technology generates power through buoys anchored on the ocean floor that use the motion of passing waves to drive pumps to deliver pressurised water to shore. Under the desalination project, the water would be pushed into the incoming seawater being pumped into a traditionally designed desalination plant.
"There are a lot of desal plants already in operation today that are powered by fossil fuels... and about 40% of the bottom line of a desalination plant is energy (cost)!' he said. "So if you can remove that... you've got massive cost savings and greenhouse gas savings as well". Carnegie Corporation is among tenderers on the short list for the proposed Binningup desalination plant.
Saturday 24/07/2010 Page: 66
Renewable energy hopeful Carnegie Corporation Wave Energy has secured Government cash to fund a pilot project to test the success of its CETO technology in powering desalination plants. Carnegie Corporation, founded by one-time Fremantle inventor Alan Burns, has been testing its underwater wave energy technology for use as a zero emissions energy source at its Fremantle facility and this year began building a 5MW pilot plant at Garden Island with $12.5 million from the State Government.
It has also flagged the potential for the technology to be used in desalination projects. Now it has been formally given the go-ahead to prove that potential through the Rockingham based National Centre for Excellence in desalination, a joint State-Federal Government research institute launched by the Minister for Climate Change Penny Wong last night.
Speaking after the ribbon-cutting, Carnegie Corporation managing director Mike Ottaviano said the $500,000 project - jointly funded by Carnegie Corporation and the NCED - was an important first step in shoring up the CETO technology. "Having our initial project located in WA means we're well-placed to capitalise on desalination opportunities locally and then export this expertise globally", Dr Ottaviano said.
The CETO technology generates power through buoys anchored on the ocean floor that use the motion of passing waves to drive pumps to deliver pressurised water to shore. Under the desalination project, the water would be pushed into the incoming seawater being pumped into a traditionally designed desalination plant.
"There are a lot of desal plants already in operation today that are powered by fossil fuels... and about 40% of the bottom line of a desalination plant is energy (cost)!' he said. "So if you can remove that... you've got massive cost savings and greenhouse gas savings as well". Carnegie Corporation is among tenderers on the short list for the proposed Binningup desalination plant.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Energy funds pledge to cool power prices
Adelaide Advertiser
Saturday 24/7/2010 Page: 75
INJECTING $1 billion into connecting renewable energy into the national grid will cut electricity prices, geothermal explorer Petratherm says. Welcoming the election pledge yesterday by the Federal Government as part of its climate change policy. Petratherm managing director Terry Kallis said the company was very excited by the announcement. "It's very positive particularly for emerging renewables like geothermal, solar and wave because there's recognition that many of the best resources are a little distant from the grid", he said. "Geothermal can offer baseload, low-cost supply and if you can get as much of that as possible to market then what that does is put downward pressure on prices".
Petratherm's Paralana project is in SA's Far North and Mr Kallis said as well as price and climate change benefits, an early go-ahead would help development. "It will help electrify and provide good infrastructure for the mining projects", he said. SA's electricity transmission company ElectraNet also welcomed the pledge. "It's the first time it's been recognised in a political sense that to get renewables to market you need two elements - the technology and the connection to the grid", chief executive officer Ian Stirling said.
He cautioned that details were yet to be explained and that "the $1 billion spread over 10 years and then spread across all the states won't amount to a whole lot for every single project". "But it's a great first start", he said. Investec Bank, which invests in renewable energy projects - mainly wind farms - called for a carbon price to encourage renewables. "Where you need the carbon price is to move from having a wind project here and a solar project there to - reducing our carbon intensity overall", said Investec Bank Australia head of renewable energy development Mark Schneider.
Citigroup analyst Elaine Prior said the planned constraints on new coal-fired power stations were likely to encourage the building of new gas-fired plants. Petratherm shares closed 9.4% higher at 17.5c on volumes three or four times above average. However on July 5, it hit a record low of 12.5c. ElectraNet is not publicly listed. Its shareholders include Westpac-owned Hastings Funds Management. Queensland Government-owned Powerlink and Malaysian-linked YTL Power.
Saturday 24/7/2010 Page: 75
INJECTING $1 billion into connecting renewable energy into the national grid will cut electricity prices, geothermal explorer Petratherm says. Welcoming the election pledge yesterday by the Federal Government as part of its climate change policy. Petratherm managing director Terry Kallis said the company was very excited by the announcement. "It's very positive particularly for emerging renewables like geothermal, solar and wave because there's recognition that many of the best resources are a little distant from the grid", he said. "Geothermal can offer baseload, low-cost supply and if you can get as much of that as possible to market then what that does is put downward pressure on prices".
Petratherm's Paralana project is in SA's Far North and Mr Kallis said as well as price and climate change benefits, an early go-ahead would help development. "It will help electrify and provide good infrastructure for the mining projects", he said. SA's electricity transmission company ElectraNet also welcomed the pledge. "It's the first time it's been recognised in a political sense that to get renewables to market you need two elements - the technology and the connection to the grid", chief executive officer Ian Stirling said.
He cautioned that details were yet to be explained and that "the $1 billion spread over 10 years and then spread across all the states won't amount to a whole lot for every single project". "But it's a great first start", he said. Investec Bank, which invests in renewable energy projects - mainly wind farms - called for a carbon price to encourage renewables. "Where you need the carbon price is to move from having a wind project here and a solar project there to - reducing our carbon intensity overall", said Investec Bank Australia head of renewable energy development Mark Schneider.
Citigroup analyst Elaine Prior said the planned constraints on new coal-fired power stations were likely to encourage the building of new gas-fired plants. Petratherm shares closed 9.4% higher at 17.5c on volumes three or four times above average. However on July 5, it hit a record low of 12.5c. ElectraNet is not publicly listed. Its shareholders include Westpac-owned Hastings Funds Management. Queensland Government-owned Powerlink and Malaysian-linked YTL Power.
Climate cash goes offshore
Courier Mail
Friday 23/7/2010 Page: 44
ONE of Australia's biggest fund managers yesterday said huge amounts of money available for investment in technology to fight climate change was exiting Australia because of inadequate government policy support. Colonial First State Global Asset Management head of responsible investment Amanda McCluskey said major institutional investors were eager to protect their assets from the physical or regulatory risks from climate change. As a result they were investing in clean technologies.
But the funds were flowing offshore to China and Europe where policies, such as carbon pricing, national clean-energy feed-in tariffs or state loan guarantees, gave investors confidence to invest in newer technologies over incumbent coal and gas power plants. At a Committee for Economic Development of Australia forum in Brisbane yesterday, Ms McCluskey said more supportive policies were needed to marshall private investment. "When I look across our portfolio, the place where we've got the most renewables investment is in China", she said. "There's real investment certainty there. Australia needs a carbon price, an emissions trading scheme".
Professor John Cole, director of the Australian Centre for Sustainable Business and Development, said China had invested a third of its economic stimulus in renewable energy But Australia, which used renewables for only 7% of its power, spent much of its (economic stimulus) at Harvey Norman, he said. The International Energy Agency has said recent studies suggested climate change was occurring faster than expected and even if global carbon emissions could be halved by 2050, it might not limit temperature rise to 2-2.4C a level that could render some countries uninhabitable.
Australia's renewable energy investment is languishing behind levels seen in other developed and even developing economies. The United Nations Environment Program this week said Europe and the US in 2009, as in 2008, added more renewable energy capacity than coal, gas or nuclear generation combined. China added 37GWs of renewable power capacity more than any other country. "We can take some lessons from the Chinese", Prof Cole said. "Increasingly, the power stations China builds will be renewable and nuclear.
Queensland Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said the Government wanted Queensland to be the "solar state" but he suggested there wasn't public acceptance of the higher electricity costs he claimed would come from a shift to clean power. Ms McCluskey said consumer trends showed people increasingly were trying to buy more environmentally friendly goods and services. Mr Robertson was asked if Queensland's state-owned electricity utilities should be more proactive in helping bring renewables on line.
"For governments, any decisions to reach new levels of investment in this area ultimately comes down to the price", he said. "You need to ensure there is public acceptance of an investment such as that... that results in a price increase". "The blowback we've seen from electricity price hikes this year... hurts our interests. Yes, people want to see investment in renewable energy but... are people prepared to pay for it?" Ms McCluskey asked him if the Government saw itself working with investors, perhaps by helping secure more affordable loan terms or loan guarantees, as is occurring in the US, or taking on some of the development risk.
Mr Robertson said the Government had a "range of tools it could bring to the table". A high school student later asked Mr Robertson what the economic impact could be for his generation from climate change. Mr Robertson said it could be huge and governments had a responsibility to take action. Prime Minister Julia Gillard will today unveil her plan to establish a Citizens Assembly to help formulate Australia's official response to climate change.
Friday 23/7/2010 Page: 44
ONE of Australia's biggest fund managers yesterday said huge amounts of money available for investment in technology to fight climate change was exiting Australia because of inadequate government policy support. Colonial First State Global Asset Management head of responsible investment Amanda McCluskey said major institutional investors were eager to protect their assets from the physical or regulatory risks from climate change. As a result they were investing in clean technologies.
But the funds were flowing offshore to China and Europe where policies, such as carbon pricing, national clean-energy feed-in tariffs or state loan guarantees, gave investors confidence to invest in newer technologies over incumbent coal and gas power plants. At a Committee for Economic Development of Australia forum in Brisbane yesterday, Ms McCluskey said more supportive policies were needed to marshall private investment. "When I look across our portfolio, the place where we've got the most renewables investment is in China", she said. "There's real investment certainty there. Australia needs a carbon price, an emissions trading scheme".
Professor John Cole, director of the Australian Centre for Sustainable Business and Development, said China had invested a third of its economic stimulus in renewable energy But Australia, which used renewables for only 7% of its power, spent much of its (economic stimulus) at Harvey Norman, he said. The International Energy Agency has said recent studies suggested climate change was occurring faster than expected and even if global carbon emissions could be halved by 2050, it might not limit temperature rise to 2-2.4C a level that could render some countries uninhabitable.
Australia's renewable energy investment is languishing behind levels seen in other developed and even developing economies. The United Nations Environment Program this week said Europe and the US in 2009, as in 2008, added more renewable energy capacity than coal, gas or nuclear generation combined. China added 37GWs of renewable power capacity more than any other country. "We can take some lessons from the Chinese", Prof Cole said. "Increasingly, the power stations China builds will be renewable and nuclear.
Queensland Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said the Government wanted Queensland to be the "solar state" but he suggested there wasn't public acceptance of the higher electricity costs he claimed would come from a shift to clean power. Ms McCluskey said consumer trends showed people increasingly were trying to buy more environmentally friendly goods and services. Mr Robertson was asked if Queensland's state-owned electricity utilities should be more proactive in helping bring renewables on line.
"For governments, any decisions to reach new levels of investment in this area ultimately comes down to the price", he said. "You need to ensure there is public acceptance of an investment such as that... that results in a price increase". "The blowback we've seen from electricity price hikes this year... hurts our interests. Yes, people want to see investment in renewable energy but... are people prepared to pay for it?" Ms McCluskey asked him if the Government saw itself working with investors, perhaps by helping secure more affordable loan terms or loan guarantees, as is occurring in the US, or taking on some of the development risk.
Mr Robertson said the Government had a "range of tools it could bring to the table". A high school student later asked Mr Robertson what the economic impact could be for his generation from climate change. Mr Robertson said it could be huge and governments had a responsibility to take action. Prime Minister Julia Gillard will today unveil her plan to establish a Citizens Assembly to help formulate Australia's official response to climate change.
New wind farm plan for Pyrenees Shire
www.thecourier.com.au
22 Jul, 2010
PLANNING is under way for another large-scale wind farm in the Pyrenees Shire. A proposed development of up to 60 wind turbines has been put forward, with industry service provider Transfield Services the main party behind the project. It is believed the turbines could generate 120MWs of power. The proposed turbines would be located on the ridges between Lexton and Amphitheatre, north-west of Ballarat. In a preliminary estimate by the Pyrenees Shire, it is thought the project could cost up to $240 million.
Transfield Services is yet to lodge the planning permit with the state government. Pyrenees Shire mayor David Clark, said only eight or nine landowners would be affected but they would be duly compensated. He said public knowledge of the plan remained limited for now, but that there would be public consultation in the coming weeks. Transfield Services project manager Nick Valentine said the planning process was still in its infancy and no official decisions had been made in regard to the project's cost or time frame.
"We've conducted a lot of technical studies and the like but haven't made any formal decisions as yet", he said. "It's absolutely critical we consult the community and give them as much information as we can". The news comes in light of a report completed on behalf of the Brumby government that found Victoria has the potential to rely solely on renewable energy. The Renewable Resources Victoria report found that Victoria had the potential to be powered by resources such as wind farms, solar and wave energy. A community meeting will be held on August 12 at the Amphitheatre Hall. Cr Clark encouraged all interested parties to attend.
22 Jul, 2010
PLANNING is under way for another large-scale wind farm in the Pyrenees Shire. A proposed development of up to 60 wind turbines has been put forward, with industry service provider Transfield Services the main party behind the project. It is believed the turbines could generate 120MWs of power. The proposed turbines would be located on the ridges between Lexton and Amphitheatre, north-west of Ballarat. In a preliminary estimate by the Pyrenees Shire, it is thought the project could cost up to $240 million.
Transfield Services is yet to lodge the planning permit with the state government. Pyrenees Shire mayor David Clark, said only eight or nine landowners would be affected but they would be duly compensated. He said public knowledge of the plan remained limited for now, but that there would be public consultation in the coming weeks. Transfield Services project manager Nick Valentine said the planning process was still in its infancy and no official decisions had been made in regard to the project's cost or time frame.
"We've conducted a lot of technical studies and the like but haven't made any formal decisions as yet", he said. "It's absolutely critical we consult the community and give them as much information as we can". The news comes in light of a report completed on behalf of the Brumby government that found Victoria has the potential to rely solely on renewable energy. The Renewable Resources Victoria report found that Victoria had the potential to be powered by resources such as wind farms, solar and wave energy. A community meeting will be held on August 12 at the Amphitheatre Hall. Cr Clark encouraged all interested parties to attend.
Monday, 26 July 2010
CSIRO powers ahead with water-free solar plant
Australian
Thursday 22/7/2010 Page: 28
TOWNS in Australia's vast tracts of dry and sunny terrain could benefit from a new joint venture from Japanese industrial powerhouse Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the CSIRO. The organisations are working on developing a solar thermal power plant that uses compressed hot air instead of steam to drive a turbine and generate power. The main advantage of the technology is, unlike current solar thermal plants, it can be used in areas with no water, which are often the sunniest places on the planet.
The CSIRO believes the plant, which will be capable of generating up to 10MWs of power, could be deployed in areas such as the Pilbara in Western Australia where mining operations demand lots of power and water is scarce. One of the CSIRO scientists involved in the project. Jim Smitham, said Mitsubishi Heavy Industries saw the technology as a good fit for its current range of high temperature gas turbines and believed it had export potential for north Africa, the US and southern Europe.
Dr Smitham, deputy director of the CSIRO's Energy Transformed Flagship research program, said the plants could be grouped together to form a large solar station or used individually in remote areas. "The scale of the plant in the 2MW to 10MW range means it is modular and can start to be used in small population centres or at the ends of the electricity grid", he said. "The opportunities are there for remote communities and in reinforcing the power grid". He said CSIRO had struck a deal with MHI to provide research assistance and facilities to the company in return for a share of royalties and licensing fees when the technology was commercialised.
The plant works by heating air in a vessel to about 1000C and allowing it to expand through a turbine. The operating temperature is about 600C higher than current "trough"- style steam solar plants. Dr Smitham said CSIRO's intellectual property lay in the technology used to handle the higher temperatures at the point where the energy was concentrated on the tower. It has also developed methods to precisely align the field of curved mirrors below the tower to regulate the temperature.The heat required is generated by focusing the light beams from as many as required of the curved reflectors directly on to the receiver.
Dr Smitham said the higher temperatures used in the waterless plant gave it potential to operate at increased efficiency compared to solar thermal plants using steam, and photovoltaic solar plants, which create electricity directly from cells without turbines. The CSIRO is building a test field of 450 reflectors at its Newcastle, NSW, operation and it will be tested with one of MHI's turbines connected to the 30m-tall tower. By 2013, the two organisations hope to have a demonstration plant of between 1MW and 2.5MW constructed. By 2014 they hope to have a full-scale 10MW plant operating and to have begun commercialising the idea. The plant has no storage capacity, unlike some solar thermal plants, and will generate only while the sun is shining.
But Dr Smitham said the Brayton Cycle turbines used with the plant could easily be powered with natural gas, where it was available, giving 24-hour generating capacity if required. MHI, whose office was closed yesterday, has previously predicted costs for the waterless plant would be about 20% to 30% less than for current technology, which requires pumps and piping for the water. Water consumption for solar thermal plants can be high and the company hopes a waterless plant can find a market niche in the renewable energy field. MHI is believed to have held talks with several state governments and power companies about the technology.
The Japanese government is keen to assist its industrial heavyweights to move into renewable energy and it recently brokered a deal to build a demonstration plant in Tunisia. The plant is expected to use current steam technology. Japan hopes it will give it a foothold in solar power, where it has fallen behind European and US companies, and lead to projects in other areas, including the US and Australia. CSIRO declined to reveal details of its contract with MHI, but Japanese industry magazines have reported the initial development cost to be about $26 million, of which CSIRO will contribute one third. CSIRO received $5m from the federal government's Australian Solar Institute to build the test field and conduct research over two years.
Thursday 22/7/2010 Page: 28
TOWNS in Australia's vast tracts of dry and sunny terrain could benefit from a new joint venture from Japanese industrial powerhouse Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the CSIRO. The organisations are working on developing a solar thermal power plant that uses compressed hot air instead of steam to drive a turbine and generate power. The main advantage of the technology is, unlike current solar thermal plants, it can be used in areas with no water, which are often the sunniest places on the planet.
The CSIRO believes the plant, which will be capable of generating up to 10MWs of power, could be deployed in areas such as the Pilbara in Western Australia where mining operations demand lots of power and water is scarce. One of the CSIRO scientists involved in the project. Jim Smitham, said Mitsubishi Heavy Industries saw the technology as a good fit for its current range of high temperature gas turbines and believed it had export potential for north Africa, the US and southern Europe.
Dr Smitham, deputy director of the CSIRO's Energy Transformed Flagship research program, said the plants could be grouped together to form a large solar station or used individually in remote areas. "The scale of the plant in the 2MW to 10MW range means it is modular and can start to be used in small population centres or at the ends of the electricity grid", he said. "The opportunities are there for remote communities and in reinforcing the power grid". He said CSIRO had struck a deal with MHI to provide research assistance and facilities to the company in return for a share of royalties and licensing fees when the technology was commercialised.
The plant works by heating air in a vessel to about 1000C and allowing it to expand through a turbine. The operating temperature is about 600C higher than current "trough"- style steam solar plants. Dr Smitham said CSIRO's intellectual property lay in the technology used to handle the higher temperatures at the point where the energy was concentrated on the tower. It has also developed methods to precisely align the field of curved mirrors below the tower to regulate the temperature.The heat required is generated by focusing the light beams from as many as required of the curved reflectors directly on to the receiver.
Dr Smitham said the higher temperatures used in the waterless plant gave it potential to operate at increased efficiency compared to solar thermal plants using steam, and photovoltaic solar plants, which create electricity directly from cells without turbines. The CSIRO is building a test field of 450 reflectors at its Newcastle, NSW, operation and it will be tested with one of MHI's turbines connected to the 30m-tall tower. By 2013, the two organisations hope to have a demonstration plant of between 1MW and 2.5MW constructed. By 2014 they hope to have a full-scale 10MW plant operating and to have begun commercialising the idea. The plant has no storage capacity, unlike some solar thermal plants, and will generate only while the sun is shining.
But Dr Smitham said the Brayton Cycle turbines used with the plant could easily be powered with natural gas, where it was available, giving 24-hour generating capacity if required. MHI, whose office was closed yesterday, has previously predicted costs for the waterless plant would be about 20% to 30% less than for current technology, which requires pumps and piping for the water. Water consumption for solar thermal plants can be high and the company hopes a waterless plant can find a market niche in the renewable energy field. MHI is believed to have held talks with several state governments and power companies about the technology.
The Japanese government is keen to assist its industrial heavyweights to move into renewable energy and it recently brokered a deal to build a demonstration plant in Tunisia. The plant is expected to use current steam technology. Japan hopes it will give it a foothold in solar power, where it has fallen behind European and US companies, and lead to projects in other areas, including the US and Australia. CSIRO declined to reveal details of its contract with MHI, but Japanese industry magazines have reported the initial development cost to be about $26 million, of which CSIRO will contribute one third. CSIRO received $5m from the federal government's Australian Solar Institute to build the test field and conduct research over two years.
Toxic test for farm land
Australian
Thursday 22/7/2010 Page: 4It
FARMERS' concerns about the growing coal seam gas industry on the fertile Darling Downs have pushed the Queensland government to appoint extra monitors to check mining activity. While the state government has approved two major coal seam gas projects on the Darling Downs, federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett last week delayed final federal approval for three months to seek further information from Santos and the British-based BG Group. Conservation groups and the National Party have been running a strong campaign against the industry, largely because they feel it has the potential to destroy valuable farming land.
The Bligh government has been a major supporter of the industry but the monitoring decision changed the tone. In a new announcement, it said: "This tougher stance... will significantly ramp up the monitoring, inspection and enforcement of the industry". Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said the new positions would "ensure that environmental obligations are strictly delivered on, and approved gas extraction processes are followed by the book". Acting Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said: "If the industry cannot operate within the limits and conditions of their government approvals, they have no place in Queensland".
In a related development, the state has put a temporary ban on the slaughter of cattle from near a pilot underground coal gasification plant near Kingaroy, after small quantities of the poisons benzene and toluene leaked last week. While gasification is a different means of extracting power from coal from that used in the coal seam gas industry, the government faces the same political problem, with farmers concerned about the integrity of their land. The government's Biosecurity Division aims to be able to tell cattle farmers today whether they can continue normal operations. In the meantime, it has advised them not to let animals drink bore water.
Thursday 22/7/2010 Page: 4It
FARMERS' concerns about the growing coal seam gas industry on the fertile Darling Downs have pushed the Queensland government to appoint extra monitors to check mining activity. While the state government has approved two major coal seam gas projects on the Darling Downs, federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett last week delayed final federal approval for three months to seek further information from Santos and the British-based BG Group. Conservation groups and the National Party have been running a strong campaign against the industry, largely because they feel it has the potential to destroy valuable farming land.
The Bligh government has been a major supporter of the industry but the monitoring decision changed the tone. In a new announcement, it said: "This tougher stance... will significantly ramp up the monitoring, inspection and enforcement of the industry". Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said the new positions would "ensure that environmental obligations are strictly delivered on, and approved gas extraction processes are followed by the book". Acting Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said: "If the industry cannot operate within the limits and conditions of their government approvals, they have no place in Queensland".
In a related development, the state has put a temporary ban on the slaughter of cattle from near a pilot underground coal gasification plant near Kingaroy, after small quantities of the poisons benzene and toluene leaked last week. While gasification is a different means of extracting power from coal from that used in the coal seam gas industry, the government faces the same political problem, with farmers concerned about the integrity of their land. The government's Biosecurity Division aims to be able to tell cattle farmers today whether they can continue normal operations. In the meantime, it has advised them not to let animals drink bore water.
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