European offshore wind power market grew 54% in 2009
In 2009, a total of eight new wind farms consisting of 199 offshore wind turbines, with a combined power generating capacity of 577 MW, were connected to the grid in Europe.
This represents a growth rate of 54% compared to the 373 MW installed during 2008. For 2010, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) expects the completion of 10 additional European offshore wind farms, adding 1,000 MW and equivalent to market growth of 75% compared to 2009.
“This is an incredibly good result considering the continued difficulties of obtaining project finance for large projects,” said Christian Kjaer, EWEA Chief Executive. “Independent project developers, in particular, are still struggling. For the offshore wind power industry to continue its development, it is vital that governments and the European Commission provide policy frameworks that stimulate investor interest and allow project developers to move their plans forward,” said Kjaer.
Currently, 17 offshore wind farms are under construction in Europe, totaling more than 3,500 MW, with just under half being constructed in UK waters. In addition, a further 52 offshore wind farms have won full consent in European waters, totaling more than 16,000 MW, with just over half of this capacity planned in Germany.
In 2009, the turnover of the offshore wind industry was approximately EUR1.5 billion, and EWEA expects this to double in 2010 to approximately EUR3 billion.
“The push given by the decision to inject EUR255 million under the European Union’s European Economic Recovery Plan into the offshore wind sector showed that decision makers understand that offshore wind is key to Europe’s future energy supplies. The European Investment Bank’s (EIB) increased involvement will also be instrumental for the future success of offshore wind’s contribution to European recovery, job creation and technology leadership,” concluded EWEA’s CEO.
More than 100 GW of projects are at various stages of planning and could provide enough power to meet 10% of European electricity demand.
Europe is the world leader in offshore wind with 828 wind turbines and a cumulative capacity of 2,056 MW spread across 38 offshore wind farms in nine European countries. The UK and Denmark are the current leaders, with a 44% and 30% share respectively. In 2009, five countries built new offshore wind farms: UK (284 MW), Demark (230 MW), Sweden (30 MW), Germany (30 MW), Norway (2.3 MW).
Pdf with the full analysis of the data
Source: EWEA – European wind Energy Association
Consumers Energy: Clean coal plant project reaches major milestone with air permit
Consumers Energy’s clean coal power plant reached a major milestone today with the issuance of an air permit for the $2 billion-plus project.
The 830-megawatt plant is expected to create 1,800 construction jobs, about 2,500 indirect jobs, and then more than 100 permanent jobs after it is operating in 2017. Overall, the plant is projected to provide a $1.2 billion economic boost to Michigan.
“The issuance of the air permit for our new clean coal plant is good news for Michigan. This permit moves our project a step closer to creating badly needed jobs and boosting the state’s economy,” said John Russell, Consumers Energy’s president and chief operating officer.
“It also provides best-in-class protection for the environment with an offset for carbon dioxide emissions from the new plant and a substantial net reduction in overall emissions from our coal-fired generating fleet. It also will allow us to fully implement our balanced energy plan and provide customers with reliable, competitively priced electricity in the future.”
The new plant is part of Consumers Energy’s Balanced Energy Initiative. That comprehensive plan calls for a portfolio of diverse energy resources to meet the power needs of the utility’s 1.8 million electric customers over the next 20 years.
A recent analysis of the plan details how two-thirds of the projected new energy resources needed to serve customers through 2018 will be provided by renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and demand side management (reducing customer usage during peak periods).
The utility launched its energy efficiency initiative in July with programs to help business and residential customers save energy and save money. In its first six months of operation this initiative has benefited more than 170,000 Michigan homes with energy-saving measures.
Consumers Energy plans to invest more than $1.2 billion to build 450 megawatts of wind generating capacity and has secured wind development easements for more than 57,000 acres in Mason, Tuscola and Huron counties. The utility already is the largest supplier of renewable energy in Michigan, with more than 4 percent of the power that it supplies to customers coming from renewable sources.
The air permit for the new clean coal plant includes a commitment from Consumers Energy to retire up to seven of its older, less efficient coal units after the new unit begins operating at the company’s Karn/Weadock Generating Complex, near Bay City. Five of these older units will be retired following operation of the new unit, with retirement of the additional two older units dependent on customer need. The utility has the oldest fleet of coal plants in the nation with an average age of 50 years.
Russell said the plant retirements are consistent with the company’s Balanced Energy Initiative and will substantially reduce overall emissions from the company’s coal-fired fleet. The Balanced Energy Initiative approach – the new plant plus the eventual retirements of some existing plants and expanded renewable energy and energy efficiency – is expected to provide emissions reductions by 2018 from the current levels from the company’s existing coal fleet. Emissions are expected to be down as much as 91 percent for sulfur dioxide; 83 percent for nitrogen oxides; and 81 percent for mercury.
“The new coal plant will use state-of-the-art technology and be one of the cleanest coal power plants in the world. We’ve said all along that building the new unit would have an environmental benefit because it would allow us to retire some of our older units and result in emissions reduction,” Russell said.
The new plant will be designed to utilize carbon capture and storage technology once it becomes commercially and economically viable. Consumers Energy has been working with Western Michigan University scientists to evaluate the suitability of the geology surrounding the plant site to store carbon dioxide. Preliminary analysis indicates that the geology surrounding the plant site looks promising for carbon sequestration.
The next major step for the project is filing a certificate of necessity application with the Michigan Public Service Commission. The company expects to file that application in 2010.
“The certificate of necessity process is new for Michigan and was established in the state’s new energy law, put in place last year. With that process, the Michigan Public Service Commission conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the new power plant and evaluates alternatives. It also gives all stakeholders the opportunity to analyze and comment on the project,” he said. “This forward-looking regulatory process is one of many public policy improvements made in the state’s new energy law.”
The Balanced Energy Initiative is a key part of Consumers Energy’s Growing Forward strategy, which calls for investing more than $6 billion in the utility over the next five years. That includes significant investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmental and customer service enhancements, and new power generation.
The substantial investments make Consumers Energy one of the largest – if not the largest – investor in the state of Michigan. Those investments will help the utility maintain and improve service to customers, create jobs, boost the state’s economy, and expand the state’s tax base.
Source: Consumers Energy
10,000 companies prepare to start low carbon diet plans on Jan. 1
President Obama and the EPA are gearing up to put the nation on a low-carbon diet and their strategy would do Weight Watchers proud: Count first, cut later.
The counting begins on Jan. 1, 2010 when some 10,000 companies and other entities, including municipalities and even some universities, must start measuring their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
And while it’s uncertain when mandatory cuts will be announced – and whether Congress or the EPA will act first – the law firm of Plunkett Cooney said today that polluters might want to start dieting sooner rather than later because their GHG emissions, down to the plant level, will become part of the public record after March 31, 2011.
“New regulations to reduce carbon emissions are coming but public scrutiny will come first,” said Plunkett Cooney Senior Attorney. “Companies need to understand that from the standpoint of government regulation and public opinion, the debate about global warming is over. That means it’s time for them to develop sustainability plans and carbon reduction strategies before regulators, environmental advocates, shareholders and other groups force them to act.”
According to Mikalonis, entities that annually generate or emit at least 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, which includes gases such as methane, nitrous oxide or several fluorinated gases, must measure and report their emissions to the EPA or face fines of up to $37,500 per day for each violation. The reporting threshold is equivalent to the annual GHG emissions from approximately 4,600 passenger vehicles.
Entities covered under the new rules include fossil fuel-fired power plants, landfills, fuel production facilities, chemical plants, steel and aluminum works, cement factories and large livestock operations. Data collection for motor vehicle and engine manufacturers begins in 2011.
“The reporting rules will drive a lot of transparency and allow company-to-company and plant-to-plant comparisons,” Mikalonis pointed out. “They will create public relations issues and potential legal problems for some companies, especially if they have been marketing themselves as ‘green’ when the emissions report says otherwise. But they also may speed up the adoption of energy-saving technologies, which can flow straight to the bottom line.”
In Michigan, carbon dioxide accounts for the vast majority of GHG emissions, which are due in large part to burning fossil fuels for transportation and electricity. Methane is the next largest contributor, mostly from the anaerobic decay of solid waste in landfills. Nitrous oxide, the third largest contributor, comes chiefly from agricultural soil management and mobile source combustion.
In 2002, a study conducted for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality estimated per capita GHG emissions in Michigan were 6.2 million metric tons of carbon equivalents (MMTCE), which is slightly below the national average.
In terms of mandatory GHG cuts, Mikalonis said new rules are a fait accompli now that the EPA has said that rising levels are a danger to present and future populations. Companies must therefore decide how they want to influence the regulatory process.
“The EPA is obligated to enact rules to drive down greenhouse gas emissions if Congress does not act,” Mikalonis said. “Congress must decide if it is willing to compromise on issues like carbon cap and trade and energy taxes, or accept the risk that EPA may implement ‘command and control’ solutions. Businesses may prefer a mix of voluntary and legislative solutions and that approach should inform their overall sustainability strategy.”
Source: Plunkett Cooney
Denmark, Climate Summit host, tops table of fighting climate change with wind power
In the run-up to the crucial climate change talks in Copenhagen, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has published a league table showing which EU countries are best at exploiting CO2-cutting wind energy.
Top of the table is Denmark, with the highest amount of wind energy capacity per square kilometre of national territory. Germany comes a close second and the Netherlands third. Spain, in fourth place, has half the wind power density of Germany. Portugal and Ireland are above the EU average wind power density.
Italy is not far below average, while France and the UK each have less than half of the EU’s average density of wind power capacity. Romania, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus are floundering at the bottom of the league with next to zero wind power generation per km2.
The density of wind power per km is the best means of measuring and comparing the extent to which different countries exploit their wind power potential. The future of wind power in Denmark looks bright as, according to an August 2009 survey carried out by an independent market research institute, 91% of Danes support the further development of wind power in their country.
If the eight geographically largest Member States had the same density of wind power capacity per km2 as Denmark, they would produce enough wind power to meet 19% of total EU-27 electricity demand and avoid 362 million tonnes of CO2 emissions – equivalent to meeting more than 30% of the EU’s 2020 climate target.
“Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands are European leaders in fighting climate change with wind-powered electricity” said Christian Kjaer, Chief Executive of EWEA. ”The figures released today also reveal the huge potential for wind power growth in most countries. Laggards in wind energy – including France, the UK, Sweden, Finland and Eastern European countries – can easily play catch-up,” Kjaer added.
“The future of wind power in Europe lies in offshore as well as onshore wind power, and some of the pioneer countries will add wind power capacity just by repowering existing plants – replacing old smaller turbines with bigger, more powerful ones which are now available on the market” Kjaer said.
The report containing the just-published league table – entitled “Pure Power” and published today – also outlines EWEA’s predictions for growth in wind power by 2020. The industry calculates that it can meet up to 16.6% of EU electricity demand by 2020, or 14.1% in a lower, business-as-usual scenario.
The eight geographically largest countries in the EU include Sweden and Finland as well as France, Germany, Spain, Italy, UK and Poland.
League table extracted from the Pure Power report: MW of wind energy capacity per 1,000 km2 (End 2008)
Denmark: 73.8
Germany: 67
Netherlands: 53.6
Spain: 33.2
Portugal: 31
Ireland: 14.3
EU-27: 14
Luxembourg: 13.5
Belgium: 12.6
Italy: 12.4
Austria: 11.9
Greece: 7.5
France: 6.2
UK: 5.9
Sweden: 2.3
Czech Republic: 1.9
Estonia: 1.7
Poland: 1.5
Bulgaria: 1.4
Hungary: 1.4
Lithuania: 0.8
Finland: 0.4
Latvia: 0.4
Slovakia: 0.1
Romania: 0
Slovenia: 0
Malta: 0
Cyprus: 0
To download the full report visit http://www.ewea.org/index.php?id=178
Source: European Wind Energy Association (EWEA)
Moving to clean energy would drive job growth and economic recovery in Arkansas
State stands to gain 18,000 jobs through policies to promote renewable energy
Shifting to renewable energy sources, such as wind and bio-energy, would bring significant job growth, economic investment and revenues to Arkansas’ struggling rural communities, according to a new report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). These benefits would be enhanced through clean energy and climate legislation that is currently moving through the U.S. Senate.
“After suffering significant job losses, Arkansas is well-positioned to become a leader in producing the clean energy that America needs,” said Martin R. Cohen, author of the report and an independent energy policy. “The state’s dependable workforce and strong business community provide the tools for leadership in manufacturing equipment for clean energy industries.”
The new report, called “A Clean Energy Economy for Arkansas: Analysis of the Rural Economic Development Potential of Renewable Resources,” examines the potential for renewable energy resource development, specifically looking at how the state’s rural communities stand to benefit. According to the report, investment in renewable energy would create as many as 18,000 new Arkansas jobs and provide a boost to rural communities across the state.
Chris Callahan, CEO, NextGen Ilumination, in Fayetteville, Ark., said: “Energy efficiency is one of the most powerful ways of reducing emissions. In addition, it can significantly lower energy costs for Arkansas citizens. NexGen Illumination has helped Arkansas to reduce energy consumption, minimizing waste and saving them money in energy and labor costs as well as creating new jobs within the state. Arkansas benefits not only environmentally, but economically, by adopting new energy efficiency technology.”
Nathan Wilson, manager, Winds of Change Leaseholding, LLC in Rogers, Ark., said: “Harnessing wind energy not only reduces Arkansas’ carbon footprint, it does so while economically benefiting rural areas of the state. Winds of Change has worked to develop community wind farms where both investors and landowners work towards an uncommon benefit. Wind farms can create Arkansas jobs and harness Arkansas energy while giving a much-needed boost to economically struggling areas of the state.”
The new report finds renewable energy in Arkansas provides significant opportunity for economic growth that is environmentally sustainable in rural communities. The report also finds the potential of new income sources for farmers from emerging clean energy technologies, particularly wind, biofuels, biopower, and biogas.
Wind Power. A federal government study projects that 1,000 megawatts of Arkansas wind power — about eight or ten utility-scale wind farms
– would create $830 million in economic benefits over 20 years, 3,496 construction and locally stimulated indirect jobs, and 504 permanent operations jobs.
Biofuels. Cellulosic ethanol – made from organic waste materials, crop residue, and non-food plants, instead of edible sugars and starches, and biodiesel — made from algae instead of soybeans, are the next generation of smart biofuels. Arkansas is perfectly situated to become a center of the next generation biofuels production. Existing usable Arkansas crop and timber residues are sufficient to produce 770 million gallons of transportation fuels each year, equivalent to 50 percent of all the gasoline used in Arkansas. An average rice farm could see potential gross revenue of $38,000 from harvesting biomass residue. Ten cellulosic plants, each with a 50 million gallon capacity, would create 2,090 long-term jobs, and $216 million in annual economic activity;Biopower. Electricity generation that combines solid biomass with coal at existing power plants would be a relatively low-cost way to ramp up renewable resource development in Arkansas and cut back on coal consumption. Many sources of biomass are renewable fuels that can be stored to make biopower whenever they are needed, making them a perfect complement to the variable output of wind and solar power. If 10 percent of Arkansas’ coal-fired power capacity were replaced with biopower plants, more than 700 new long-term jobs would be created, not including new agricultural jobs to produce and harvest the biomass fuel.
“A Clean Energy Economy for Arkansas: Analysis of the Rural Economic Development Potential of Renewable Resources” is available online at http://www.nrdc.org/energy/cleanAR/.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world’s natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org.
Source: Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC
A world of carbon capture and storage projects but more rapidly needed
The Global Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Institute released a report which shows that there is growing action being taken to achieve the G8 objective of deploying at least 20 commercial scale CCS projects globally by 2020. Despite this progress the report also showed that due commercial, technical and regulatory hurdles there is the urgent need to rapidly identify and advance a larger and more diverse portfolio of projects to ensure success.
The report titled ‘Strategic Analysis of the Global Status of Carbon Capture and Storage’ shows that the majority of advanced projects are focussed on coal-fired power generation, recognising the need to implement solutions that address the world’s current and future use of coal in a carbon constrained environment.
The study reveals that in order to accelerate the deployment of CCS projects the world must exploit cost advantages that exist in advancing projects in developing countries such as China and India, and industries such as natural gas processing and fertiliser production in which CO2 capture is inherent in their design. The study also confirms that greater efforts towards CCS need to be made within the cement, aluminium, iron and steel industries, given their significant contribution towards CO2 emissions.
Global CCS Institute CEO Nick Otter said “We know that many of the CCS technologies are available today to be applied across a range of industries to help reduce emissions. This report demonstrates the need to not only deploy more projects, more quickly, but to deploy more types of projects, and in more places, so that we can learn how to design the best possible facilities, bring down costs and create a valid business case for CCS.”
The Global CCS Institute – an initiative to accelerate the worldwide commercial deployment of at-scale CCS – commissioned a Worley Parson led consortium to undertake what is the most comprehensive review and analysis of the world’s current CCS projects.
The research was undertaken to advance the understanding of the status of CCS projects, the costs involved, the status of supporting policy initiatives, the research and developments efforts being pursued, and the gaps and barriers to deployment at scale.
Key findings of the report which demonstrate the depth of the action currently being taken include:
– There are 213 active or planned projects with 101 of commercial scale – demonstrating the existence of a significant pipeline of potential projects being investigated around the world.
– There are 62 fully integrated, commercial scale projects each of which demonstrates every stage of the CCS process chain of CO2 capture, transport and storage. Seven of these projects are already operating and 55 are at various stages of progress making them potential candidates for contributing to the G8 objective.
– The leading developers of fully integrated, commercial scale projects include participants in the Europe (37%), USA (24%), Australia (11%) and Canada (10%), with distribution throughout Asia, South America and Africa relatively low.
The report highlights that widespread take-up of CCS is faced with the stark risk of high project failure rates typical with the adoption of new technologies, but that this can be overcome by targeted project support, and appropriate incentives for development.
Recommendations put forward by the report call for governments to partner with industry to address the challenges facing project success. The recommendations suggest urgent action on three major fronts:
– Actively working with the 55 active or planned fully integrated projects to improve their likelihood of success.
– Developing national strategies where absent to provide incentives to innovate or invest in CCS technology.
– Establishing a regulatory framework that assigns a value to carbon, resolves long-term storage liabilities and underwrites critical infrastructure.
“The challenge is great but governments have a unique capacity to take the leadership required to secure the energy that is needed in a carbon constrained world,” said Nick Otter.
“The Global CCS Institute is taking on this challenge every day. We now have in place the most comprehensive database of CCS projects ever created, and with our partners we will use this knowledge to fast track key projects and provide support to allow all project proponents address the barriers facing development,” he said.
The complete report ‘Strategic Analysis of the Global Status of Carbon Capture and Storage’ can be found at www.globalccsinstitute.com.
2009 Solar Decathlon winners announced
U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Daniel Poneman announced the winners of the 2009 Department of Energy Solar Competition on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Team Germany, the student team from Darmstadt, Germany won top honors by designing, building, and operating the most attractive and efficient solar-powered home. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign took second place followed by Team California in third place.
The active competition lasted for a week, with the prototype home designs open to the public through Sunday. Team Germany’s winning “Cube House” design produced a surplus of power even during three days of rain. This is the team’s second-straight Solar Decathlon victory, after winning the previous competition in 2007.
“This competition to build zero carbon homes has been a tremendous undertaking and we have seen terrific efforts by all the teams,” Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman said. “The ingenuity that comes from individual effort is the promise of our future.”
Over the past two weeks, the 2009 Solar Decathlon challenged 20 university-led teams from the United States and as far away as Spain, Germany, and Canada to compete in 10 contests, ranging from subjective elements such as architecture, market viability, communications, lighting design, and engineering, to technical measurements of how well the homes provided energy for space heating and cooling, hot water, home entertainment, appliances, and net metering.
New to this year’s competition, the Net Metering Contest was worth 150 points towards the final results and was the most heavily weighted contest. It challenged teams to generate surplus energy, above and beyond the power needed to run a house, which they fed into a power grid.
Team Germany earned 908.29 points out of a possible 1,000 to win the competition, followed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with 897.30 points, and Team California with 863.08 points.
Solar Decathlon Individual Contest Winners:
Appliances
In the Appliances Contest, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign earned the most points based on keeping a refrigerators and freezer cold, washing and drying 10 loads of laundry during the contest week, and washing dishes in a dishwasher five times during the competition – all on electricity generated only from sunlight. The team scored 93.53 out of 100 possible points.
Architecture
Team California took first place in the Architecture contest and earned 98 points out of a possible 100. A jury of architects judged homes on the aesthetic and functional elements of the home’s design; ease of circulation among the public and private areas; integration of various spaces into a holistic design; generosity and sufficiency of space in the house; and the house’s design surprises meant to inspire visitors.
Comfort Zone
Team Germany topped the contestants in the Comfort Zone contest, with 92 out of 100 points for maintaining indoor temperatures between 72 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity between 40 percent and 55 percent.
Communications
Team California’s communications efforts, including communications plans, student-led tours, and team Web site, were judged best by the jury of Web site and public relations experts with a score of 69.75 points out of a possible 75 points.
Engineering
The University of Minnesota won the Engineering contest, which was evaluated by a group of prominent engineers, who determined which solar home best exemplified excellence in energy systems design, energy-efficiency savings, creative innovations in design, and reliability of energy systems. The University of Minnesota scored 96 out of a possible 100 points.
Home Entertainment
The Home Entertainment contest required students to use electricity generated by their solar houses to run interior and exterior lights, a TV, a computer, and a kitchen appliance to boil water. Teams were also required to hold two dinner parties and a movie night for neighbors. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign earned 92.62 out of a possible 100 points.
Hot Water
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign earned the maximum 100 points in the Hot Water contest’s “shower tests,” which aimed to deliver 15 gallons of hot water in ten minutes or less. Of course, the water was heated by the sun.
Lighting Design
The University of Minnesota was named the winner of the Lighting contest where teams earned points based on an evaluation by a jury of lighting design experts. Jurors toured each house to evaluate the aesthetics, innovations, energy efficiency, user-friendliness, flexibility, and performance of the teams’ lighting designs. The University of Minnesota earned 72 points out of a possible 75 points.
Market Viability
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette won the Market Viability contest, which evaluated whether the cost-effective construction and solar technology in a team’s design would create a viable product on the open market. Judges gauged market appeal based on three criteria: livability, feasibility of construction, and marketability. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette earned 97 points out of a possible 100 as judged by the professional jury.
Net Metering
Team Germany took the top spot in the crucial, 150-point Net Metering contest. Teams were awarded 100 points if the energy supplied to their home’s two-way electrical meter registered zero or less after all of the energy demands of the contest week. Each house in the 2009 Solar Decathlon was connected to a power grid and equipped with a meter that measured both its consumption and production of energy. When a team’s meter showed a negative number, the home had generated surplus energy – worth up to 50 additional points. Team Germany scored a perfect 150 points in this contest.
The application process for the next Solar Decathlon, to be held in fall 2011, has already begun.
www.solardecathlon.org
Source: U.S. Department of Energy
Nissan LEAF Electric Car reservations to begin in the U.S. in Spring 2010
Nissan North America Targets 20,000 Reservations by Launch Near End of 2010; Will Expand Production to U.S. in 2012
In response to strong initial demand for the Nissan LEAF zero-emission electric car, Nissan North America, Inc. announced it will begin taking reservations for LEAF in spring 2010. Nearly 22,000 people in North America have contacted Nissan since the company unveiled the car in August.
“The groundswell of interest, especially from people in our initial launch markets, demonstrates to us the importance of a reservation system,” said Carlos Tavares, head of Nissan’s operations in North, Central and South America. “Our goal is to confirm at least 20,000 reservations for Nissan LEAF by the time we deliver the world’s first mass-market zero-emission car in late 2010.”
Nissan will invite people to “opt-in” and receive updates and information about LEAF through a reservation system that will tell them when the electric car is available – either for test drives or to take home. Participants will receive the latest news about the company’s zero-emission activities as well as information about Nissan LEAF and how to become “plug-in ready.”
“We’ll continue to reach out to this enthusiastic and rapidly growing group as we approach launch,” said Tavares.
About 70 percent of the people in North America who have contacted Nissan about LEAF reside in markets where the all-electric zero-emission car first will be brought to market.
Of those who have contacted Nissan, about half report that they want to obtain LEAF as soon as it’s available, and another 45 percent indicate interest in owning an electric vehicle within the next two to three years. Metro areas with the strongest consumer responses are San Diego, Calif.; Tucson, Ariz.; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; and Los Angeles – all of which are among the first markets where LEAF will be available globally.
More than 90 percent of the people who have contacted Nissan indicate that they drive less than 100 miles daily, which is the range of LEAF when fully charged. Meanwhile, 75 percent indicate that they are members of two-car households – prime candidates for an efficient commuter car like the all-electric, zero-emission LEAF.
People interested in zero-emission mobility will have the opportunity to see Nissan LEAF starting in November, on the heels of its appearance at the Tokyo Motor Show, when it will be on tour throughout the major launch markets in the United States. The tour will kick off in Los Angeles at a dedicated event.
Nissan is the only automaker committed to making all-electric vehicles available to the mass market on a global scale. Beginning in late 2012, Nissan will manufacture LEAF and its advanced lithium-ion battery pack for the U.S. market at the company’s plant in Smyrna, Tenn. Initially, LEAF will be manufactured in Japan.
Nissan LEAF will be available for private and fleet customers. People who wish to participate in the reservation program can visit www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car. Details about the program and pricing are being finalized.
In the United States, Nissan – in conjunction with the Renault-Nissan Alliance – is exploring ways to promote zero-emission mobility and the development of an electric-vehicle infrastructure through partnerships in the State of Tennessee, the State of Oregon, Sonoma County and San Diego in California, Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., Washington D.C., Seattle, and Raleigh, N.C. Additional partnerships will be announced in the near future.
Source: Nissan North America
Geothermal power could top 10 Gigawatts, new industry report shows
A new report by the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) shows strong growth in new geothermal power projects continuing through 2009. U.S. Geothermal Power Production and Development Update, September 2009 identifies 144 new geothermal projects under development in fourteen states that could represent as much as 7,100 MW of new baseload power capacity. When added to the 3,100 MW of existing capacity, 10 Gigawatts of geothermal power appears to be feasible.
“It is great to see that between March 2009 and September 2009 there was a continued increase in new geothermal projects,” remarked Dan Jennejohn, the report’s author. “Interest in geothermal development continues to grow, with the number of projects up 50% and megawatts under development nearly doubling over the past two years.” He added, “In 2009, we are seeing new power projects being initiated as well as new applications, such as geothermal-hydrocarbon coproduction, being pursued.”
The report found a total of 144 projects under development that could add between 4,699.9 and 7,109.9 MW of power to the U.S. geothermal energy output. At the high end, that would be enough baseload power to supply about 20% of California’s total electric power in 2008 — or enough generating capacity to supply the power needs of about 7.2 million people.
On a state-by-state basis the GEA report found: (state, number of projects/potential MW) — Alaska, 6/70-115 MW; Arizona 1/2-20 MW; California, 37/1841.8-2435.8 MW; Colorado, 1/10 MW, Florida 1/0.2-1 MW; Hawaii, 2/8 MW; Idaho 5/238-326 MW; Louisiana 1/.05 MW; Mississippi 1/.05 MW; Nevada, 64/1876.4-3473.4 MW; New Mexico, 1/20 MW, Oregon, 13/317.2-368.2 MW, Utah, 10/272.4-332.4 MW; Washington 1/Unspecified.
The number of states with geothermal projects under development also increased, from 12 to 14 over the past six months, with the addition of two oil-field co-production projects in Louisiana and Mississippi. “Despite the recession, geothermal power projects continue to move forward,” observed Karl Gawell, Executive Director of GEA.
While the report shows generally good news, it also shows a decline in projects currently listed in “phase 4,” or under construction. According to GEA this was due to 4 new geothermal power projects moving to completion, but also reflects difficulty obtaining final permits and difficulty obtaining financing.
The recession, as the report confirms, is having an impact on the industry, according to GEA. “Financing is expensive and scarce, and available lenders are requiring much more work be done before they will finance projects,” noted Gawell. “We hope the tax, loan guarantee, and DOE spending provisions of the stimulus bill will help turn this around, but there have been delays implementing these initiatives by the federal agencies.”
“It also appears that some projects seeking final construction permits are having difficulty acquiring them because of the tremendous demands being placed on federal, state, and local agencies by a wave of renewable energy project applications,” Gawell noted. “These geothermal projects would otherwise be ‘ready to go’ bringing new jobs and spurring economic growth,” he stressed. “So it’s important that federal and state agencies don’t neglect the needs of geothermal projects.”
Copies of the report will be available at the GEA booth at the Geothermal Energy Expo in Reno, Nevada, which takes place from October 4-7, 2009. (For information on the Expo go to: http://www.geothermalenergy2009.com/.) There will be a presentation on the report at the Expo on Tuesday, October 6 at 10 a.m. which will be webcast. Also, copies of U.S. Geothermal Power Production and Development Update, September 2009 are available to download free of charge from the GEA Web site at: http://www.geo-energy.org/.
Source: Geothermal Energy Association
White House Forum explores the role of green energy in revitalizing the U.S. economy
Emerging clean energy technologies are creating millions of new jobs that will cut pollution while producing alternative sources of energy, Governor Edward G. Rendell told top Obama administration officials at Clean Energy Economy Forum.
Governor Rendell welcomed U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu, White House Senior Counselor for Manufacturing Policy Ron Bloom, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy Amanda Dory, and Delaware Governor Jack Markell to the third in this series of forums. The first two forums were held in Colorado and Michigan.
“This event is an opportunity to showcase how Pennsylvania and the nation can help promote manufacturing, build a green economy with green-collar jobs, and encourage energy conservation,” said Governor Rendell. “Pennsylvania has led the nation in energy and fuel production from the very earliest days of our nation’s history. The coal, oil and natural gas produced in our state has heated homes, fired furnaces and generated electricity, providing good jobs and building an industrial economy that made America a global leader.
“Now, through a combination of federal, state and private investment dollars, Pennsylvania again leads the way in alternative forms of energy such as solar and wind, which are cutting our reliance on imported fuels, increasing our energy security and generating tremendous new economic opportunities,” he said.
The forum was held at Accu-Weld, a manufacturer of high-efficiency, vinyl replacement windows for the residential home market. The 28-year-old company has experienced an increase in demand because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, because the company’s products meet the energy efficiency standards in the legislation. Under ARRA, homeowners who make energy efficiency improvements to their homes within the next two years–such as installing these windows and doors–are eligible for a 30 percent tax credit capped at $1,500. Homeowners who purchase these products would also be eligible for a loan or rebate under Pennsylvania’s new Keystone HELP Residential Energy Efficiency Loan and Rebate Program.
ARRA has sparked additional investment in Pennsylvania’s green energy economy. Overall, Pennsylvania anticipated $455 million in Recovery Act funding for energy efficiency and conservation projects for homes and small businesses and to leverage millions of dollars in private investments.
Pennsylvania has already invested more than $19 million of its Recovery funding in 29 projects that hold the promise to create nearly 1,000 (352 permanent/602 temporary) new jobs and retain more than 200 jobs in communities throughout the commonwealth.
Governor Rendell said the combination of federal energy programs and Pennsylvania’s major energy policy and legislation will attract billions in private investments that will produce real results during turbulent economic times. Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004, its $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Fund passed in 2008 and Act 129 have already helped Pennsylvania attract major new energy and technology companies to the commonwealth that are employing thousands of Pennsylvanians in high-growth industries that will dominate energy in the 21st Century.
“Advanced energy companies like Gamesa, Conergy, Iberdrola, Solar Power Industries and General Electric have all established operations in the commonwealth and growing advanced energy firms like Axion Power International, Plextronics and AE Polysilicon are building upon their respective innovations and creating thousands of new jobs,” said Governor Rendell. “Companies are investing millions of their own dollars in natural gas, solar, carbon capture and storage technology, as well as wind, geothermal, hydro, biodiesel, and cellulosic ethanol technology. They realize that investing in alternative fuels is essential if we are going to become energy independent.
“While we are making great progress, we must continue to press forward. Green energy technology is good for business, good for our hard-working citizens and good for the environment. As we develop new and more efficient ways of producing cleaner energy, we must not lose sight of the fact that we must also continue to conserve energy and not be wasteful of the energy we do generate.”
The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell’s initiatives and to sign up for his newsletter, visit www.governor.state.pa.us.
Source: Pennsylvania Office of the Governor