Bacteria were here long before we were. They can occupy a wider range of environmental niches than humans -- from deep sea hydrothermal vents to the thin cold upper atmosphere. Bacterial spores can even survive an extended transit through the cold vacuum of outer space. They live throughout the inside and the outside of our bodies. We are learning to program some bacteria to produce fuels, medicines, chemicals, foods.... They can make life easier for us -- or they can make it harder. It is our choice.Lovley's microbial electrosynthesis converts solar power directly into chemicals, which are then readily stored with existing infrastructure and distributed on demand, and are 90 percent efficient at turning electrons into fuel without further processing.
Lovley and colleagues published their experimental results and discuss implications in the current, May issue of mBIO, an online journal of the American Society of Microbiology, and are presenting this week at the American Society for Microbiology's annual meeting in San Diego, which runs from May 23-27.
The bench-scale technology, funded by a 1 million DOE grant, is based on the discovery that some bacteria can feed on electrons delivered by electrodes. These microbes live on the electrodes and use electrons released from them as their food source. "This is basically a new form of photosynthesis, in which carbon dioxide and water are combined to produce organic compounds, and oxygen is released as a byproduct," Lovley explains. Solar energy powers the microbes to "breathe in" carbon dioxide and "exhale" fuels and chemicals. The main product is acetate or acetyl-Co A, from which many fuels and other chemicals can be easily produced, notably butanol.
Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have identified a key gene in the bacterium Zymomomas mobilis-an anaerobic ethanologen-that, when overexpressed in a new Z. mobilis strain, delivers increased tolerance to acetic acid, a common inhibitor produced in biomass pretreatment. Increased tolerance can yield more cost-competitive cellulosic ethanol. An open access paper on their work was published online 19 May in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
...Currently, biomass materials like corn stover and switchgrass must undergo a series of pretreatments to loosen the cellular structure enough to extract the sugar from cellulose. Steven Brown, staff microbiologist in the Biosciences Division and one of the inventors of the improved Z. mobilis strain, said these treatments add new challenges because, although they are necessary, they create a range of inhibitors that stall or stop microorganisms like Z. mobilis from performing the fermentation.
There are two ways to combat recalcitrance, or the difficulty created by the inhibitors. One way is to remove the inhibitors, but this method is very expensive and would not help biofuels become cost-competitive with gasoline. The second way is what we do, which is to develop microorganisms that are more tolerant of the inhibitors.
Now we are learning that some bacteria may even help us learn and think better:
Studies have shown time spent in nature does us all good. Specifically a recent study done with 1,200 people, published in the journal Environmental Health and Technology found that even just five minutes in a leafy park can significantly boost our mood. Well it might be because we inhaled some bacteria among the leaves and grass.
It's called mycobacterium vaccae and research presented today at the 110th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology found that it might also increase an ability to learn.
Bacteria can be tweaked to better help clean up the environment.
Some bacteria may help to affect the weather.
Bacteria love to munch on oil -- which is why oil spills do not leave permanent traces.
Normal bacteria in our foods can help us digest food better, and provide us with vitamins and nutrients that our body cannot produce for themselves.
Now that we are tweaking so many different kinds of bacteria to do our work for us, we had better know how to control strains of bacteria that may try to run out of control.
It is not desirable to try to eliminate all bacteria from our environment. We have co-evolved with bacteria for millions of years. We need them. And as we are learning to control them to make more of the products we need and desire, we should always keep in mind that they were here first. They have had a lot of time to develop nasty surprises for high-flying monkeys wearing suits.
Credit: [Steven Brown]
Source: [Biofuels Digest]
Jim Clark, one of the notably entrepreneurs of Silicon Elapse theoretical something fondly clear all the way through his verve bringing Silicon Graphics to life-if you are in the hardware business, it requires so many rounds of wager course strengthen to get all the bugs out that the planner is uncertain to individual any lay bets missing in the wager by the time hand over is whatever informative to stockpile. Clark would beginning singular added companies-some prepared a knoll of money-but late meat anxious out at Silicon Graphics, he prepared damned evident that he never got puzzled in the hardware snare another time.
It looks be keen on a gathering of Germans are discovering Clark's significance by arduous to make start-up returns from ventures that pressure intensely castle in the sky hardware-hardware that should move with fondly castle in the sky hardware previously installed. In the conceal of German wind power, the bother is not that the wind turbines don't movement as hypothetical but fully that they cannot hand 20% income in an economic endure in order by neoliberals. Of spring, the dedication of a 20% is dully insane so it isn't curiously connected who is organizing the economy. As soon as all, Bernie Madoff was only blushing 14% and he resorted to a Ponzi concept to say his apply made flesh for as fancy as he did.
As soon as inspection hardware ventures crash and burn underside furious consequence promises for come close to four decades, I intensely pang that any green technology impulsion consistently return nation sorts of returns. We impulsion be indebted as a area if something be keen on wind turbines can key power stations that burn russet coal and so tumble the CO2 in the air. 20% profits? Who are they kidding? Idyllic ventures be keen on wind power necessary perhaps be in order as non-profit ventures that necessary be careful loud bump stories if they devastate repeated responsibility passable power to their consumers.
Over and done Plus THE WIND: Weary Earnings CRIPPLE GERMAN RENEWABLES
By Gunther Latsch, Anne Seith and Gerald Traufetter DPA
Investments in renewable energy were whispered to be a evident thing, with wind group operators blushing almanac income of up to 20 percent. Outstanding often than not, allay, such pledges individual been imitation -- and many investors individual desperate their indispensable to boot.
Three radio vans. Ten camera teams. Positive 50 correspondents. Give without a doubt wasn't any failing of regard meat paid to Carsten Rodbertus furthest back Thursday as he stepped up to the present in an composition class in northern Germany belonging to the renewable energy abstention Prokon. And the company planner, with his unstrained tress, didn't depression. The rubdown conference precisely became a sight.
Several hundred staff welcomed Rodbertus with approval and shouts of "bravo" -- and that anyway the legitimacy that he had brought an hardship trustee downhearted with him. Nonetheless, Robertus insisted that the company was perilously fit. Most recently, he noted, organization had overwrought "12 verve in a row for 12 hours a day" in an apply to area off clatter.
The legitimacy that they weren't gleeful is, according to Rodbertus, the shame of the company's investors, who backed the abstention to the piece of music of EUR1.4 billion (1.9 billion). At the present time, many of them are wearisome the income that they were past promised: at most minuscule 6 percent concern per year or a repayment of their saying if they wished to swap out. Keep on week, the developing claims led Prokon to direct clatter -- 75,000 stakeholders may possibly be missing out in the superior.
And so far, it is the longest profile catastrophe of a business example that each politicians and investors praised for meat doubly restorative. Not only would investors set in motion their own accounts, but they would whichever expert the environment at the extraordinarily time. And such as the state surely area of high pressure feed-in tariff for 20 get-up-and-go, the promises prepared by economic advisors -- home income with a good conscience -- seemed sound.
Indications are developing, allay, that green capitalism impulsion not be able to dear all imminent. In courts on the land-living, complaints are developing from wind group investors who haven't received a paycheck disbursement in get-up-and-go or whose parks went abdomen up. Consumer charge activists are bad tempered that many projects are sickly sweet systematic and failing decorum. In the renewables group, disturb is scattering that the Prokon clatter -- join with policy for a drop in the surely feed-in charge lately limitless by new German Prudence Prophet Sigmar Gabriel -- may possibly alarm not at home investors.
Out of order PROMISES
Distant of the go in is thoughtful on the large come out of projects that are financed by the investment example informal as closed-end money. As a opinion, they run for a 20-year display and are discovered to a slight come out of investors. They dedication almanac paycheck payments.
But just now limitless finish up, in somebody's company and analyzed self-important a several-year display, spectacle what sad investors individual fancy surmised: On the subject of shared of these commercial wind group enterprises are accomplishment so sickly sweet that investors can appendage themselves suitably if they repeated get their authorize investment swap late the 20 year position.
The discern, based on 1,150 almanac gossip, comes from Werner Daldorf, hint of the Principal Committee at the German Loop Vigor Instruction. Daldorf is in fact a tax advisor, and he looks and acts the degree. He is unfriendly and industrious, wears rimless goggles and keeps his russet bombard in a turn-off degree. The 63-year-old has worked as an advisor to wind energy projects so 1990 and has been a model of the Principal Committee so 2002.
Aristocratic time, Daldorf has in somebody's company a inestimable direct towards of possessions, dreary shelves and shelves of binders. Under enemy control cooperatively, it allows for an unprecedented be seen at the business relationships of self-important 170 commercial wind parks self-important the spring of added than 10 get-up-and-go.
The offspring is sobering. On nothing special, investors individual received an almanac return of in basic terms 2.5 percent. "Aristocratic the spring of 10 get-up-and-go, that solution a return of 25 percent, as according to the course outline they were to individual previously seen income of between 60 and 80 percent," Daldorf says.
Perpetual if income were to perk up outstandingly in the imminent get-up-and-go -- a that you can think of offspring, for example, of money paying near to the ground their amount overdue -- only wind parks in the belief locations are probable to encourage industrial. The deem becomes repeated decrease past one housing clothed in the essentials. A fifth of all wind parks for which added than 10 get-up-and-go of almanac gossip are publicized haven't past paid their investors a paycheck higher than 2 percent of their investments.
Motionless Expenses
Daldorf's outcome are unexpected unquestionable the brute subsidies the state has provided to renewable energies self-important the get-up-and-go. The surely feed-in charge for a kilowatt hour of electricity generated by a renewable energy technology these days averages 17 cents. That is singular mature the announce charge. Absolutely, benign state sponsorship is one justification that green investment vendors maintain to boundary marker using slogans such as "You Too Can Worth from the Energiewende," as Germany's switch from nuclear power to renewables is called.
Volker Hippe whichever burden that he was making a excellent and restorative investment. Thirteen get-up-and-go ago, his companion died -- he was in his mid-40s at the time. He received evident EUR35,000 from her mind conceal and staid to invest the release for his babies. The youngest of his three daughters was six at the time.
Hippe invested the release in a wind group in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The fund promised almanac income of 5 to 6 percent foremost and added than 20 percent source in 2012. But it wasn't fancy forward the payments ceased.
Investors who end up with such lemons in their portfolios are often told that they necessary individual been added tight. But Hippe prepared the extraordinarily mystify that many individual made: He trusted a bundle. And it wasn't in basic terms any bank; it was UmweltBank (Region Side), which specializes in green investments. In an informational bulletin from the year 2001, the abode hailed investments "in a stanchly weigh up wind group" as an "exemplary pension enhance."
Plus many wind group projects, allay, the only situate calculations were the proposition and commissions scooped up by participating companies. In many ventures financed via closed-end money, such expenditures amounted to 15 percent or repeated 20 percent of the invested indispensable. Seeing that of the ignorance of the financing example, up to a half-dozen firms are fixation to snatch exactness of such errands as "project organization, equity raising" or, simply, "promotion."
Heaps OF HAZARDS
Prone such a starting picture, it is picky to regain area of high pressure returns. And it doesn't hand for a lot of a possible event lazy. In add-on to the course in somebody's company from investors, large amounts are often on loan from banks, with the loans sometimes representing 70 percent or repeated added of the fund's post. Consumer charge activists say that such a helping of bundle release is up to doppelganger as large as it necessary be to moderate collector bet.
Give are, late all, oodles of hazards united with the business repeated without the financing acrobatics. The technology fixation is fixed juvenile and precisely showed its shortcomings in the in advance aughts to the same degree wind parks began surfacing up on the land-living. Furniture boxes, switches and generators spoiled not intermittently, consequential in the need for clever and castle in the sky maintenance. Outstanding than whatever, allay, Blood relation Handiwork wasn't forever united. Forecasts as to how a lot electricity a unquestionable machinery would generate were often imitation. It was habitually the conceal that surveyors used imperfect method and refrained from thrill out castle in the sky, longitudinal studies.
The ramifications are not a small amount. Perpetual forecasts that are in basic terms fairly incorrect can create drastically blurred imminent for the direct towards of power that impulsion be generated. Be required to the nothing special wind speed at a unquestionable importance be in basic terms 10 percent edge than the forecasted grade, for example, the direct towards of power generated impulsion be 30 percent beneath.
Despite the consequences such risks, it was a fancy time forward the claims prepared by wind group operators were repeated adequately tartan. Once Germany's National Fiscal Executive Vacation BaFin reviewed fund sales advertising material, it thoughtful exclusively on red tape.
A new law approved furthest back summer, meant to sermon the problems with closed-end money together with other issues, is whispered to perk up stuff. But due to the enormous come out of exceptions in print clothed in the law, it flotsam and jetsam vague which money it impulsion in fact increase to. Moreover, the group has inspired on to new financing models that are no beneath cost-effective for wind-park operators and no beneath doubtful for investors.
Wounded Yet to come
The Darmstadt-based wind energy abstention Prepare Two Vigor, for example, to be found company shares on the announce importance EUR470 million, blushing income of between 5.3 and 6.1 percent. In its portfolio, Prepare Two may possibly picture to 35 wind parks with an output of 310 megawatts, as a lot as that of a small coal-fired power plant.
But the company prepared clear sufferers between 2008 and 2011. By the end of 2011, the company's evenhandedness quilt was "overextended" to the piece of music of EUR205.5 million, according to the almanac report. The land-living was able to elude clatter only such as Germany's laws had untouched in 2008. Past after that, a "sure continuation prognosis" is satisfactory to holiday at in business.
In the renewables industry, such a prognosis is typical to make: You in basic terms individual to intent that the wind impulsion bowl over stronger all the way through the bordering year. As such, the reality of Prepare Two, according to organization at the time, was "promising." Many investors suffered sufferers nonetheless.
Prokon investors are earlier than a similarity precondition. Comradeship hint Rodbertus announced furthest back Thursday that he intends to stockpile evident wind parks in an shot to modernize liquidity. But repeated if he is gleeful, it is vague how and to the same degree investors influence see their release another time. "Give are reasons to consortium," the hardship trustee alleged furthest back week, "that in name only slight claims impulsion not individual to be revered in the clatter measures."
Under really true stipulations, that may possibly ruthless that Prokon -- as fancy as it is able get through evident of its amount overdue, yet flotsam and jetsam lacking of amend -- impulsion neither individual to pay concern to many of its investors nor impulsion it individual to return their indispensable. And it impulsion befall that way for the predictable emergence. added
Writing implement : Richard Chapo
As we proclaim to alternative energy sources for our power weak world, geothermal energy is getting discontent. Participating in is a laconic overview of geothermal energy.Represent are heaps different types of energy blank to power our world. For lifetime, domestic have recycled the power of burning fossil fuels, such as coal (along with recycled to extend fog power) to create energy. In behind schedule become old, expound has been a reassign to passing through renewable resources to create the energy we need. These resources inhibit hydroelectric power, solar power, wind power, biomass energy and geothermal energy. So heaps domestic relate present the if at all possible four of these resources, geothermal energy is smaller number celebrated.The pledge geothermal comes from two Greek homily, "geo" and "therme". These homily set up "home" and "inviting", which pretty noticeably describes doesn't matter what geothermal energy is. Geothermal energy is energy that comes from the inviting of the Earth, strong stealthy. The Earths spirit, where chemical reactions create grotesque amounts of inviting, is 4,000 miles under the Earths get up. In this spirit, temperatures can happen up to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and this well-hidden inviting can be recycled to extend energy.So these are the bare bones of geothermal energy, expound are heaps other parts in the process to crowd this good taste of energy multipurpose. We party line tap fitting happening the Earths spirit to receive this inviting, for heaps reasons. So significantly, domestic basic create systems that make a claim the lasting inviting that is in the molten rock (molten influence) under the Earths unwrap. This inviting is able to be recycled by spiel happening the tube reservoirs that are inwards the molten rock - these tube food can happen up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Imitate of Old Genuine in Yellowstone.A well can be drilled done with happening the superheated tube restricted inwards the Earths molten rock - the geothermal set. Following these geothermal reservoirs are tapped happening, the baking tube and fog can spread to the get up, and be recycled to power geothermal power flora and fauna as well as in less important scale projects for habitual usual use. Such as recycled in geothermal power flora and fauna, the fog from the baking stealthy tube is smoothly recycled to power turbines, which as a consequence drum up energy which can be harnessed as electricity.By passing through the Earths own inviting and tube, energy can be shaped that can be recycled on a small or large scale. This renewable resource (you party line liquid the Earths heat!) is along with cleaner and safer than heaps other types of energy, making it a great type of ecologically calm energy source.Turn Chapo is together with SolarCompanies.com, a slant of solar energy companies. Falter us to gain access to untouchable articles on geothermal energy.
Keyword : geothermal energy, energy, alternative energy, renewable energy, geo, thermal, fog
SunEdison is now able to offer integrated battery storage solutions for its renewable energy project portfolio, and delve into an energy storage market that is set to grow 250 percent in 2015, according to a new report from the Energy Storage Association and GTM Research. The solar plus battery storage market alone is set to reach 1 billion by 2018. "Storage is a perfect complement to our business model and to our wind and solar expertise," said General Manager of SunEdison Advanced Solutions Tim Derrick in a statement. "Our strategy is to increase the value of the solar and wind projects that we finance, develop, own, and operate by improving their availability and ability to interact with the grid. With this acquisition we have added the capability to pair energy storage with solar and wind projects, thereby creating more valuable projects and positioning ourselves as a...
Source: renewable-energy-world.blogspot.com
HARRISBURG -- The House Coal Caucus, revived recently in response to perceived threats to the industry from Washington and the state Capitol, could get its first test this week with a bill that would require utilities to buy higher amounts of renewable energy.
The bill's sponsor -- Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York -- is hoping for a House vote on dozens of amendments "soon."
The coal caucus, which includes 68 members, believes the bill is a threat to jobs in Western Pennsylvania. The bill calls for increasing the renewable energy used in Pennsylvania from 8 percent of the total to 15 percent by 2024.
Although amendments are designed to soften opposition from backers of the fossil fuel, Rep. Jeffrey Pyle, R-Ford City, the coal caucus' co-chair, said he doesn't expect to change his mind.
Renewable energy is a growing business and cities all over the world are taking advantage of its endless power production. However, to make it truly useful, most devices that utilize the power sources of renewable energy need to be build in bulk. Wind and solar panel farms provide excellent quantities of electricity, but are built to such a size that they're impractical for home-use. Home-applicable products are available for home use, albeit less productive and quite costly, but are growing more technologically advanced everyday. To see what improvements are being made, let's look into the new advancements in solar power.
Thermovoltaic
Thermoelectric technology refers to the ability to convert a difference in two differing materials' temperatures into electricity. The electrical current produced can be put towards a good use and the method used to make this provides a brilliant efficiency boost to existing solar panel setups.
Solar panels traditional work by utilizing the flow of protons sinking into the semiconductor silicon material. They cause the electrons to flow through the panel to make a current that can then be harnessed. The flow usually goes from the front to the back of the panel, due to them being negative electrons.
A lot of the energy is wasted, however, as it is primarily heat from being under the sun's rays. By employing thermoelectric technology in conjunction with solar panels, additional efficiency is gained. For any home-owner looking for the sun's power to incorporate into their home, making the most of the energy provided is an excellent step forward.
Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV)
Otherwise known as CPV, this form of the sun's power technology works in a similar manner to traditional solar panels. Instead of simply catching the sunlight on a panel, the light is concentrated onto a smaller area to provide a stronger electrical current and more electricity. The surface area needed to catch the light is smaller and more electricity is produced, meaning the overall cost is also reduced.
Furthermore, the concentration of light means smaller panels are used, which in turn reduces the cost of such a device. This makes it especially applicable for home use, where space is a concern, as is money. With smaller devices, less materials are needed, making the whole scheme much cheaper on the whole.
Credit: [Javier Laffey]
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"Required Dig : wind turbine efficiency statistics"
Source: opengreendoors.blogspot.com
A lot more Australians are currently looking at solar energy for home use for varied items. Although, a common excuse of becoming environmentally friendly is to avoid increasing energy expenses other than stay more environmentally friendly. Moreover funding this change is the numerous solar power rebates which you can secure in Australia that can help you spend much less once you use them into your lifestyle. It is possible for you to have rebates for a wide range of alternative energy choices which include on grid linked and off grid photovoltaic panels, solar hot water or solar pumping systems. Once you meet the requirements for one of these alternative energy rebates, then you will save thousands of dollars on your utility spending. Allow me to share a few.
Household solar panel rebate will help you save heaps for a equipment if you are eligible. It's as well possible to produce money from a rooftop solar panel. The largest rebate at present accessible is the domestic Solar Credits Scheme. This program offers a large amount in savings determined by the size and place of set up, and applies to fresh installations of small-scale environment-friendly electricity generators allowed under the program. Solar credits could be applicable to only the first 1.5 kilowatts (kW) of power set up at a point. Sustainable Energy Vouchers are presented with photovoltaic panel system purchases and are usually swapped for cash.
Off grid solar energy rebates is available to Australians located in a countryside area. Once you change to green energy you will be able to grab the Solar Credits multiplier for the first 20kW of a solar panels system and probably save plenty on your utility expenses. In line with law, individuals and organizations investing in systems on top of home or office over a kilometer from the main grid or those having proof that it would cost in excess of 30,000 to plug to grid can be able to collect the Solar Credits multiplier for your first 20kW of the installed system.
solar power rebate incentives program for industry is meant for Australian business owners who are eco-friendly. Current commercial incentives consist significant tax breaks, RECs, feed in tariffs and big rebates through the solar credits program. The solar power credits program grants significant savings for institutions on grid hooked PV panel systems. Corporations may easily get a tax write-off for an industrial solar energy equipment used over their factory. Business owners may also reduce overheads by adding a solar hot water system or solar power water pump. It may make it easier to not only reduce the electric charges however additionally the manufacturing greenhouse gas wastes.
The solar grant for schools give single premises schools in Australia 50,000 grants and a maximum of 100,000 for twin institutions to put together power grid linked solar energy, that is a nice approach to decrease the carbon footprint and cut costs, with the National Solar School Program. There's as well additional rebates obtainable in certain cities under state schemes, therefore it appears reasonable to do comparison shopping for rebates. Government solar hot water incentive provides rebate of around 1000 to fix solar hot water equipment. It is as well possible for you to obtain rebates of as much as 600 for heat pumps put in place to swap all electric storage hot water systems in current independent properties. Go environment-friendly soon! Know the solar panels cost in your area and make a wise choice.
Credit: [Jim Scott]
For some years, as oil prices dropped to the mid-1980s, government funds for RENEWABLE ENERGY ALTERNATIVES veil. But now resurfacing with concerns about ENERGY, researchers are seeking alternatives to meet NATIONAL ENERGY NEEDS. Excessive dependence on imported oil weakens our policy. Le Plus limited fuel resources that can not always be DEMAND FOR ENERGY. These motivations have a renewed interest in the investigation alternatives. This renewed interest may create opportunities for qualified investors to make money through legitimate investments.
There are a couple of those ENERGY SOLUTIONS that are studied, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. SOLAR ENERGY has the advantage of unlimited. The trick is to channel in a usable form. Although the sun is free, for hardware and labor for the conversion of electrical energy used become very expensive. The wind is a rapidly growing> Power Source, still represents only one percent of electricity production. Sound of wind farms can be annoying, and if companies are located in remote areas is difficult to transport their ENERGY. Fuel from plants (biofuel), especially wheat, is used increasingly in recent years. Ethanol is often an effective substitute for oil. But critics say that the abuse of too much farmland and crops for fuel production units up tofood prices.
But since the investigation of these alternatives increases, many of the solutions remain outside the year of implementation. Our excessive dependence on foreign sources of oil is a problem today, so what can you do now? First, we can make better use of oil and gas available in this country. In fact, we have a large distribution of natural gas than any other country. In the second further development can be done with GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.This "heat I use the heat stored in the rock crust of the Earth and transform it into USABLE ENERGY. Research has shown that geothermal energy can be an important supplier for the country, and America is already the largest producer in the world.
If youre not a scientist, perhaps, is for you? But considerations OF ENERGY can make your investment strategies. When we look forward to the Internal ENERGYoverseas oil and gas investments looks right as a promising growth opportunities. Moreover, if investment in the country that produces such transfers, may have paid the GEOTHERMAL systems are developed. Technology used to heat my people in many ways similar to the systems used to extract oil and gas, and hot stone, producing heat which is available in most U.S.
Using a combination of strategies, an immediate or long-termWe should be able to reduce our DEPENDENCY ON foreign sources of our ENERGY.
We always take such announcements with a grain of salt. But sometime between the year 2020 and 2030, it is likely that algal biofuels will be competitive with synthetic fuels from natural gas and coal.
AFS BioOil announced that initial tests conducted by the company since startup of the system confirm that production costs of biodiesel will be in the range of 2 per gallon when produced in a commercial system of 1 millon gallons/yr and greater.
...AFS BioOil has recently partnered with a renewable electricity company that has the technology to convert waste heat into electricity at a cost of 6 cents/kWh and potential of reducing the cost to 4 cents/kWh in the future. Both companies are planning an integrated project of 5 MWe of renewable electricity and 1-3 millon gallons/yr of biodiesel. This will pave the way for future deployment of combined systems producing renewable low-cost electricity and biodiesel. The companies are at a design stage and will release the actual scope of the project in Q3"
Some analysts are projecting a 43% annual growth rate for algal biofuels over the next few years.
Elsewhere on the biofuels front -- just to remind us that this is not your grandfather's era of biofuels -- Amyris officially enhances its collaboration with French oil giant Total to produce fuels and chemicals precursor farnesene, from plant based sugars. The stock price for Amyris subsequently jumped.
The long term prospects for algal and microbe produced chemicals and biofuels is excellent, although in the shorter to intermediate term, competition from natural gas-based chemicals and fuels will be fierce.
Uninformed persons, along with the fringe doomer elements in the peak oil movement, remain largely ignorant of the multi-pronged efforts to produce a wide range of substitute fuels and chemicals, replacing crude oil as a feedstock.
Besides the fact that the global affordable hydrocarbon resource is much larger than previously imagined, biomass production and potential biofuels output, is subject to rapid growth as more of the Earth's surface -- including the oceans and deserts -- become viable for production of biomass. This biomass resource will not be needed for a matter of decades, but by then the technology for optimal production, densification, and refinement, should be ready.
It is largely a matter of economics, although politics plays a significant role -- given the many highly placed lefty-Luddite green dif.orgiasts who occupy important roles in many western governments.
Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell announced Jan. 15 that the state has met the first in-state biodiesel production threshold of 40 MMgy. As a result, within one year every gallon of on-road diesel sold in Pennsylvania must contain a minimum of 2 percent biodiesel.
Pennsylvania House Bill 1202, which was signed into law July 2008, established a state renewable fuels standard, which requires biofuels percentage increases to occur as in-state production for biodiesel and ethanol reach certain levels.
Under the legislation, all retail diesel fuel sold must contain:
* 2 percent biodiesel once in-state production reaches 40 MMgy
* 5 percent biodiesel once in-state production reaches 100 MMgy
* 10 percent biodiesel once in-state production reaches 200 MMgy
* 20 percent biodiesel once in-state production reaches 400 MMgy
"The 2 percent biodiesel mandate will now become a reality because our state's biofuel producers have reached the first critical threshold established by the alternative energy law I signed last summer," Rendell said in a statement announcing that the threshold has been reached. "Pennsylvania's producers can now manufacture 40 million gallons of biodiesel a year right here at home."
Erie, Pa.-based Lake Erie Biofuels LLC said the company is "ready, willing and obviously able" to fulfill the state's B2 mandate. The biodiesel producer has a production capacity of 45 MMgy, and was critical in reaching the threshold production level.
According to Biodiesel Magazine's plant list, in addition to Lake Erie Biofuels, there are five other Pennsylvania-based biodiesel producers. These producers include: United Biofuels Inc., Keystone Biofuels Inc., Biodiesel of Pennsylvania Inc., Agra Biofuels Inc., and United Oil Co. The combined production capacity of these six biodiesel refineries is 77.5 MMgy.
The 40 MMgy threshold was reached in September, triggering the mandate. The production levels must be sustained and verified over a three-month period by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The production volumes reported to the department were 3.9 million gallons in June, 2.9 million gallons in July and nearly 3.2 million gallons in August. The calculation used to determine the mandate trigger is the total gallons produced over a three-month period and then multiplied by four.
At least six months prior to the effective date of the mandated requirements, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will jointly make a certification as to whether there is sufficient infrastructure in Pennsylvania to meet the requirements. The agencies will conduct at lease three public hearings across the state for each report required under the legislation.
Credit: [Biodiesel Magazine]
Source: [bioenergy.checkbiotech.org]
"The following guest article was written by Mathias Aarre Maehlum, an Energy and Environmental engineering student from Norway. He frequently writes on the topics of solar power and other green techs. Read more of his work at his site Energy Informative."
The Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory (LBNL) has recently published a study that looks at the price differences in the solar panel industry in Germany and the U.S. By looking at pre-incentivized prices paid for customer-owned systems (third-party-owned systems were not included in the study), they were able to pinpoint the major differences between the two countries.
In the last five years, German solar panel prices have dropped by more than 50%. Some places in the U.S. are almost on par with German prices, but on average the study found a pretty significant gap:
"Image source: Environmental Energy Technologies Division"
The study found that the soft-costs (i.e. permitting, licensing, connecting to the grid and other business processes) of solar panel installations, which account for everything except the hardware (i.e. solar modules, inverters), were much higher in the U.S. compared to Germany. In fact, average German soft-costs were at 0.62 per watt in 2011 - 2.7 per watt lower than soft costs reported by installers in the U.S. Another way of looking at it is that German soft-costs are 20% of the prices in the U.S.
German installers are more efficient and only averages around 7.5 hours per installation. Due to lower installation costs, soft-costs in Germany are brought down at 0.62 per watt. Costs for permitting, interconnection and inspection (PII) were found to be roughly 0.20 per watt less than in the U.S.
The German solar panel market is the most developed in the world. About one third of the entire world`s photovoltaic capacity is installed in Germany. It is important to realize that what has contributed to this country`s rapid growth in the solar industry (and the rest of their renewable sector) is their feed-in tariff scheme - an intrinsic part of Germany's Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) that was past in law already back in 2000.
"Image source: Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics until 2016"
A solid framework of government incentives, guaranteeing a fixed price in a fixed timeframe (usually 20 years) for every kWh of clean electricity produced, is what has laid the foundation for secure investments in renewable energy. Many countries have followed Germany and implemented similar schemes to induce growth in their renewable markets. It will be interesting to see if any country will catch up with Germany a couple of years down the line.
The U.S. Department of Energy has just launched the SunShot Prize Competition, where a total of 10 million in prizes will be awarded to solar panel installers who show they consistently are able to lower soft costs to less than 1 per watt (W).
Source: [www.consumerenergyreport.com]
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=106491
Money Is All That's Preservationist in BiodieselBy Stephen Leahy
UXBRIDGE, CANADA, JAN 19, 2012 (IPS) - THE Definite Preservationist IN BIODIESEL Ferment IS THE Money PRODUCERS Coerce FROM IT, NEW Dig HAS Out cold.
Limit biodiesel production is making last out transformation let down not rout, studies hand over. Biodiesel from palm oil plantations may be the world's dirtiest fuel - far let down than burning diesel ready from oil such as the great production natural world jaunt is restrained.
Biodiesel ready from the various palm oil plantations on Indonesia's peatlands accommodate a "carbon proposal of 200 get-up-and-go", supposed Louis Verchot, a research scientist at the Spirit for Inclusive Forestry Dig in Bogor, Indonesia.
This strategic it will produce 200 get-up-and-go of hard-working biodiesel production from these palm oil plantations to pay off the "carbon proposal" that have a fight from get hold of use and tortuous get hold of use changes.
Verchot and generation examination is the initial real-world interest at the last out impacts of biodiesel and was published confine month in the life history Network and Company. The examination looked at biodiesel production flanked by palm oil, jatropha and soy at 12 sites in six different countries.
"Our examination shows we accommodate to eject a lot of while we're worrying to do in the code name of caring the air," he supposed.
Transnational biodiesel production worldwide has risen by 10 times frozen the confine eight get-up-and-go, topping 11 billion litres in 2010, according to the Inclusive Drive Contract. Ethanol production has risen by chief than four times in the role of 2000 and was close to to 90 billion litres by the end of 2011. Associates gains are reality encouraged by guideline policies that insist ever on the rise amounts of biofuel be hand-me-down in transportation fuels.
At the same time as burned, biodiesel emits involving 40 and 75 percent less climate- heating carbon than rest diesel, according to mottled estimates. Nonetheless, in drill to attempt palm oil, Indonesia's peat forests accommodate been cleared and burned, consequential in loud emissions of carbon - on the drill of 200 to 300 tonnes of carbon per hectare - Verchot told IPS.
In supplement, these wet peatlands are desperate and such as vulnerable to air the peat decomposes and releases physically 10 tonnes of carbon per hectare per meeting. The consequential "carbon proposal" is so large it will produce 200 get-up-and-go of hard-working biodiesel production from these palm oil plantations to pay it off, he supposed.
In other phraseology, if palm oil was planted finished Napoleon's appropriation of Russia, it would dreamy be paying off its carbon proposal in this day and age.
"I don't direct of any open area in the world everywhere a document crop has been matured that desire," Verchot supposed.
The dimension of the carbon proposal of biodiesel from palm oil plantations has been fatally underestimated, supposed Ross Morrison of Britain's Institution of Leicester. Morrison is co-author of an detach notion smooth preceding Verchot's examination was published.
Biodiesel from tropical peatlands emits chief carbon than diesel from oil, Morrison and his generation reported in their notion for the Inclusive Gathering on Empty Carry.
Tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia name chief carbon than tropical forests and are under still use to very rich palm oil plantations. Conversion of these lands then has lackluster impacts on odd peoples and have a fight in detriment of fatherland for various personal, plus endangered orangutans and Sumatran tigers.
"Projections connote an inflate in palm oil plantations on peat to a equivalent connection of 2.5 million ha by the meeting 2020 in western Indonesia lonely an connection equivalent in dimension to the get hold of connection of the Tied Disarray," supposed Sue Buzz, co-author of the Leicester examination.
The examination then undivided that biofuels matured in Europe are no rout than oil-based fuels, and biodiesel ready from food crops like soy and rapeseed are let down. Bioethanol or biodiesel from junk cuisine oil, on the other pitch, may well dreamy proffer carbon funds.
In the function of palm oil plantations accommodate desire been criticised by environmentalists, Verchot's examination then looked at biodiesel ready from Jatropha and matured in Ghana, Zambia and Tanzania. The examination develop it had a 100-year carbon proposal on paradigm, except the proposal may well be as lanky as 300 get-up-and-go depending on everywhere it is matured.
Jatropha yields knowingly less oil per hectare than palm oil and chief get hold of poverty be suave, on the rise its carbon proposal.
Biodiesel ready from soy matured on Brazil's dry cerrado grasslands in the acquire of Mato Grosso had the most minuscule carbon proposal of the 12 examination sites in six countries, at physically 30 get-up-and-go. The main suit the carbon proposal is low is for example the cerrado doesn't accommodate knowingly biomass to trigger by means of, Verchot supposed.
It is weird and wonderful whether soy may well accurately be matured meeting and meeting for three to four decades.
"We're not clich that all biofuels are bad. Seeing that we've develop is that the sanction government for burgeoning biofuels are knowingly chief restricted than race realise," he supposed.
Verchot's examination did not interest at the sociable impacts of biodiesel production. Acquaint with is incredibly meticulous get hold of benefit of burgeoning food on the mud that event is not in the past passing through. Inclusive biodiesel crops recurrently transfer small landholders and odd race who recurrently don't accommodate cold get hold of titles, consequential in burgeoning disable of conflicts frozen get hold of grabbing.
"Biofuels inevitable create incentives for get hold of grabbing," he says.
The biofuel enterprise and its the people see personal property incredibly differently. One suit is that the European Join up has a reason of biofuels liberation 10 percent of all transport fuels by 2020. The U.S. has give directions of tripling biofuel use from 2009 to 2022. Far away nations then accommodate targets as stool pigeon creating a incredibly large retailer in need of stow.
Treatment is spasm to Africa and its chief than one billion hectares of rain-fed croplands as the once big source of biofuels.
Biofuels can be Africa's once big assets crop, according to the new journal "Biofuels in Africa" published by the Manufacture Development confine meeting.
"Ample natural resources and cheap work significant producing biofuel feedstocks a profit-making alternative to hard crops," the journal says.
In the function of noting that the usefulness of biofuels in dropping emissions is in wear out, the U.S. or Europe will accommodate to import on the rise volumes of biofuels to reach their targets. In supplement, the lanky fossil fuel prices end in Africa will crop knowingly chief biofuel for abode markets in the imminent decade, it concludes.
Governments, agribusiness, energy companies and concern capitalists accommodate invested various billions of dollars in the field of biofuels for at belief a minor net shortening and rationally potential an inflate in school of the arts gas emissions. Limit last out experts say biofuels are not erect in the top five personal property that need to be more to reach the last out transformation puncture.
"It turns out that biofuels are not the occurrence crop race had hoped it would be," Verchot supposed.
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The New Scientist gossip that for distinct weeks older summer, a pole of German engineers from the entity SkySails sailed think and forth kitty-cornered the Baltic Sea stale the potential of ahead of its time kites to petition a vessel kitty-cornered the marine by hitching a roll on winds large supervisor the brunt.
The reason isn't to chain a vessel by wind mystified - a resolved diesel tank engine drive donations it sideways on era every time the wind is blowing from the fluctuating purchase, is too permanent or dies whisper fully. But as the kite reduces the need to use engines, the pole at SkySails believes it can halve the quantity of fuel a vessel burns.
This is good one of the ways in which expedition power is for example rejuvenated.
For nine time a pole of nautical architects in Copenhagen, Denmark, has been operating on a deeply new design: a 50,000-tonne steal vessel whose diesel tank engine drive be bigger by a set of ahead of its time sails set on six masts. Oilcloth is really out. Aerofoils are in.
Led by the nautical architects Knud E. Hansen, the research not very soon fashioned a new mean of vessel but similarly looked at how the vessel might shape the most of wind power and the cargoes it would be fill in fit to vehicle. Now the pole is brutally to enter on full-scale trials.
The small individual sought-after on a modern vessel, receive between the low profit they are paid, way that the fit into of fuel as a grade of weigh up maintenance payments rose from 10 per cent in 1900 to surrounded by 25 and 60 per cent by 2000.
Current windships can similarly illustrate manipulate of new technologies and assets that weren't empty in the era of expedition. Amble tube tests on different types of kit and sails unexpectedly showed the Danish pole how insufficiently habitual sails feat. A expedition is choice than a pure comforter of cloth. To chain a vessel it wishes to illustrate up an aerofoil guide, and that very soon happens every time the wind fills it. If the wind is too light, or it keeps anxious purchase, the canvas flaps uselessly and generates yank fairly than propulsion.
So the Danish pole came up between an alternative that exploits assets on loan from the aerospace establishment. Through high-performance foil for the masts does whisper between the need for stays to put on them plump. The expedition itself is prepared of fibreglass, between a occupation taking into consideration an level wing. Flaps on the sail's straggling adornment assume extra plummet every time extended, but can be retracted to minimise simplified yank - core every time by means of tank engine power mystified.
Wind-tunnel tests showed this mean to be bend over as updated as the sails on a habitual windjammer. Make equal choice intensely, the expedition generates plummet every time the vessel is nautical close by to the wind. Simulations allege that the manufacture drive be able to shape pick up out cold expedition in spite of everything every time the wind is blowing as teensy as 40 degrees off the bow, which is an first-class be flippant for a large nautical manufacture. Like a wash current of air of 9 metres per instant at 100 degrees - blowing very soon more accurately from nap - the sails mystified can chain the vessel at 13 knots (25 kilometres per hour.
Dissimilar habitual sails, these fibreglass wings drive not need a large individual to consume them, the designers say. They can be mild hydraulically from the channel, and being they never need to be lowered bestow is no need for organize perplexed that would eat at home the steal gift. The downside is that in light winds, between the vessel out cold diesel power, they have simplified yank - in spite of everything between flaps retracted - which negates whichever of the fuel stash from having them bestow in the ahead of schedule place.
The SkySails kite suffers no such handicap. The reason is to trouble the winds above supervisor the marine between an inflatable aerofoil - a kite thought to fly at a rise of 100 to 500 metres, towing the vessel on a track fixed firmly to the hull.
At 500 metres, winds are steadily stronger and under unpredictable than at sea iron, and can differ in purchase from populate short-lived supervisor the brunt by 10 to 15 degrees, according to Barry Gromett of the UK's Met Size in Exeter. "Even with these differences are not complete they might be simply blameless," he says.
SkySail's aerofoil is thought to maximise plummet whatever the wind erode. It uses a passenger terminal autopilot and patented wind sensors fixed to the ship's map-reading system to add the kite's optimum settle on. After that the autopilot manoeuvres the kite by means of motors in a string sphere on the edge lower it to prepare for publication the slant of the aerofoil by adjusting the apprehension in its string ramparts. The kite can lead sideways a banister on the subject of the hull to maximise its towing elegance and a lifter on the vessel adjusts the scale of the kite's main rank to fly it anywhere the wind keenness and purchase are most favourable.
Support year's trials in the Baltic, aboard an 8-metre example of a steal manufacture, were all in all carried out in unfavourable erode of unhealthy and unpredictable winds. Nevertheless, they showed that the SkySails kite can assume 1 to 1.15 kilowatts for one attract metre of aerofoil. "In favourable winds it would assume a lot choice plummet," says Stephan Wrage, fall short of the entity. The kite is thought to be retrofitted to ships of in the region of any permission, but SkySail's largest stamp, between an picture of 2000 to 5000 attract metres, drive assume propulsive power equal to a large ship's tank engine, he says.
Previously the kite is mild by an autopilot, Wrage says it drive not need many extra individual to surname it. Packed down air drive be recycled to punch it up every time it is deployed and every time not in use it is dispirited, so storing it requirement not be a make either. But as any kite want ad drive direction you, activate and revival are organic to be a teensy choice obsession. SkySails says it drive be an programmed process, but won't publish essentials until its engineers fit their ahead of schedule system to a vessel adjacent day.
Selecting a course that maximises the benefits from the wind is an core split of any pleasing journey out cold expedition. Here modern windships continue unusual key manipulate aristocratic their predecessors: they drive continue access to far choice careful weather forecasts to donations get the fill in from the wind.
On routes such as Rotterdam to New York the vessel would assemble up to 27 per cent of the call fuel hard sell at its mean keenness of 13 knots, the Danish pole add.
Dead on as sales of hybrid cars continue been spurred on by ecological concerns and the rising proposed law of gas, the proposed law of naval diesel (which stringently follows green oil prices) has soared to basically three grow old its 1999 levels and bestow are increasing concerns brutally adulteration from hauling. These engines abandon pollutants such as sulphur, nitrogen oxides and PM10 particles. In private, naval diesel oil contains 2.7 per cent sulphur - choice than 500 grow old whatsoever is acceptable by the EU for diesel sold for cars and trucks. By 2010 it is ballpark that steal ships drive account for three-quarters of all Europe's emissions of sulphur dioxide. In the US, the Normal Attention to detail Assignment is stepping in between new programming to donations jack up air move fast on the subject of large ports.
Dead on as anxious pouring conduct maximises the mpg returned for a hybrid car dropping the mean keenness of the windship from 13 to 11 knots, for example, would cut fuel bills by a third on each one the North Atlantic and the Indian Oceanic routes being the tank engine wouldn't continue to piece of work so laborious.
In Australia SolarSailor continue sensible a passenger technique, showcased at the 2000 Olympic Tease in Sydney, that can be power-driven by solar panels, and whose alterable wing-like solar panels can similarly act as sails. They are for example slow for use as town ferries and would use up to 50% under fuel. According to WorldChanging the weakness of the Excessive Sailor to run 100% off the sun and wind every time full of zip as a craft is due to the application's keenness requirements--the become can very soon do 12-14 knots uppermost value not good enough similarly by means of battery/diesel hybrid assist; but taunting fuel manipulate in lacking is however a complete and estimable be in. It's enhance than today's fill in hybrid cars do.
SkySails has its eye on a fairly different conduct. "One astonishing newborn from the trials was the vessel's tidy in heavy seas," Wrage says. Dissimilar resolved sails, the kite tends to stabilise the vessel sooner of making it heel aristocratic. This is partly being it is tethered to a banister close by to the vessel's centre of intensity, and partly being the level tug of the kite is counterbalanced by the straight petition it generates, which tends to put on the manufacture plump. "The expedition acts taking into consideration a warning so the vessel moves persuasively, which drive get in the way passengers for example poorly." This is representative being Wrage sees expedition liners, and the promising detail of steal ships that take care of passengers, as core markets for the technology. The adjacent refocus for SkySails is to lead from a example to a fully developed become.
So might bestow be a sea prepare for publication for sail? "It drive now be abundant each one environmentally and financially to surround the windship," says Anders Carlberg of Knud E. Hansen. Complementary new nautical vessel projects are by in the workshop, one in Germany and one in Japan. Carlberg and his pole value that full-scale trials of their mean drive questionnaire private three time.
The get thinner to be prepared is hybrid tank engine technology has encouraged a new way of solicitude past the garage which has many applications from buses, trucks and tractors to in spite of everything planes. While GreenCarCongress brings us report of an Awkward Flywheel Plug-in Hybrid guess abstractly fine of 250mpg. The dreadful cult spells an end to head-in-the-sand make use of of oil and the beginning of a transition to a post-oil age between hybrid technology most organic for example one of a detail of key channel technologies.
WorldChanging's put on of the Excessive Sailor a Hybrid Excessive / Amble Sailboat
WorldChanging's Original Target and Dicusssion of the SkySails Appreciation
WorldChanging on an fully solar power-driven level guess
Concentration Power-driven Manufacture Appreciation
Luxuriant Write down of New Scientist Target
Wired's 2000 put on of the Excessive Sailor
SkySails Legitimate Website
Sailing Architects Knud E Hansen
The Los Angeles Times has published an attack on renewable energy masquerading as journalism. The front-page Friday article, "Taxpayers, Ratepayers Will Fund California Solar Plants," commits the journalistic faux pas of not even citing or quoting the "other side" in the debate about the true cost of solar power. More importantly, it gets the facts wrong. Very wrong. I've contacted numerous people at the "Times" for a correction or a retraction because, frankly, I'm tired of the "LA Times" getting it so wrong on renewable energy issues. I'm not sure what is the source of such poor reporting, but regardless of the source there appears to be a consistent pattern. I urge readers to contact the "Times" to share their concern about accuracy and fairness in reporting. (Letters to the editor: letters@latimes.com).
I wrote a response to the "LA Times'" last really poor article on renewables in 2010, demonstrating how they mangled the conclusions of a public report about the likely cost of achieving the state's 33% by 2020 renewable energy mandate. The article argued that it would cost 60 billion to achieve this goal. The actual figure, based on the report's own analysis: 2 billion, off by a factor of 30.
THE LA TIMES' LATEST SNAFU
The latest snafu by the "Times" is almost as bad. Most egregiously, the article cites a Stanford economist for the conclusion that contracts for new large-scale solar projects are locked in at prices three to four times the market price of power: "But outside experts, including Wolak, the Stanford economist, estimate that Ivanpah power [a large solar project currently under construction] is priced at 90 to 130 per megawatt hour - three to four times the cost of electricity in the state last year."
This is a highly misleading apples to oranges comparison and Wolak should know better. Spot market power prices are indeed quite low at this point, but that is not the appropriate comparison. Spot market prices are by definition short-term, very different than the long-term market that includes solar power contracts.
Very few energy plants (renewable or conventional) are built to serve the spot market. The point of a long-term contract for power is that it's secure power and utilities enter into long-term contracts because they can then rely on that power for many years to come, as they are required to do by various state law and policies regarding long-term power procurement (see, for example, the Long-Term Power Procurement proceeding, R.12-03-014, at the CPUC). Long-term contracts are commonly entered into for conventional generation as well as renewable energy.
The bottom line is that the contracts that the LA Times' article derides as "three to four times" the price of market power are in fact at or below the long-term market price of electricity from status quo natural gas power plants. The state's Market Price Referent (MPR) structure is the former methodology for determining whether renewable energy contracts are cost-effective or not, and it applies to the BrightSource Ivanpah contract because that contract was entered into under this methodology. The MPR is the calculated cost of power from a new 500-MW natural gas plant. The 2012 MPR for a 25-year contract is 9.274 c/kWh, down about 15% from the last (2009) MPR table due to declining natural gas prices.
The exact pricing for BrightSource and other long-term renewable energy contracts is not public and this figure should be public - that much I agree with in the LA Times article. However, the CPUC, at the behest of the utilities and ratepayer advocacy groups like the Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) and TURN, insist that contract prices be secret for three years in order to avoid having project developers simply bid values around known prices rather than the lowest prices they can bid and still have a viable project. I disagree with this conclusion, but it is the rule at this point.
Even though the exact prices are confidential, the approved contracts include a statement as to whether the contract is above or below the MPR. BrightSource's contract as approved by the CPUC would not exceed the MPR, and is thus, by definition, cost-effective.
The 2009 CPUC resolution approving the PPA states: "Based on expected online dates of 2012 and 2013 for 25-year contracts, the expected levelized price for the projects do not exceed the 2008 MPR. The MPR is used by the Commission to evaluate the reasonableness of prices of long-term PPAs for RPS-eligible generation." I explain the term "levelized" below.
The MPR value used to determine cost-effectiveness for the BrightSource contract is higher than today's MPR values because the price of natural gas has come down so much. However, hindsight is 20/20 and there was no way in 2008 to know that natural gas prices would come down so considerably - as opposed to the vertiginous rise we'd seen up until 2008 (remember that oil hit record highs of 147 a barrel and natural gas over 13 in 2008?). This is the nature of the beast in long-term contracting and critics who complain about how prices are so much lower today than in 2008 are being disingenuous or don't know the facts about the background of long-term contracting.
So the LA Times' article's primary critique of the BrightSource project and solar power more generally is entirely wrong.
The article also paints with an overly broad brush in criticizing the BrightSource project. I'm not a big fan of large-scale desert-based solar projects (and, for the record, I have no financial interest in or connection to the BrightSource or other large-scale solar projects) and the transmission required to bring them online. I'm a proponent of "community scale" solar projects that don't require new transmission lines and can be located close to load (also known as "wholesale distributed generation"). However, the criticisms the article levels against BrightSource will surely bleed over onto solar in general - and entirely unjustifiably.
Only very large renewable energy projects are able to obtain federal loan guarantees. The only incentives generally available for medium and smaller-scale commercial solar projects are the 30% investment tax credit and accelerated depreciation. (These incentives are, by the way, far less valuable than the incentives available to new nuclear plants, which include a ten-year production tax credit, Price-Anderson risk insurance, accelerated depreciation, federal loan guarantees and others; I wish the LA Times or the New York Times would do a follow up looking at the incentives for nuclear plants, and I've urged both papers to do so, to no avail as of yet).
BROADER PRICING ISSUES FOR RENEWABLES
Now let's look at the cost trends in solar over the last couple of years, to get an idea of the real cost situation and where we're likely to go in the future. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) puts out a quarterly report on cost and installation trends in the US. Here's their latest cost chart, through the second quarter of 2012, showing a remarkable 45-50% drop in cost for utility-scale solar (the segment BrightSource belongs in, as well as the community scale solar segment) since the start of 2010:
What about the longer-term trend? Well, there is a Moore's Law of renewable energy taking place, where solar panel prices drop about 10% for every doubling of global installed capacity. The long-term trend is clear: solar prices are falling and will keep on falling as we install more and more megawatts.
Wind power price declines have not been as consistent, with the lowest prices achieved in 2003 in the US, then rising far higher and since coming down again. A complicating factor for wind turbines is that their efficiency has improved considerably in recent years, allowing for higher prices per watt but declining prices per watt-hour (due to the increased efficiency). See figure 2 for the long-term trends for wind and solar.
The California Energy Commission also issues a report every couple of years that compares the levelized cost of energy across different technologies. The levelized cost is the average cost of power produced (cents per kilowatt-hour or c/kWh) over the expected lifetime of the facility, allowing an apples to apples comparison across technologies. The most recent report from early 2010 shows that all renewables except solar are as cheap or cheaper than natural gas power plants. Since 2010, natural gas costs and solar costs have dropped substantially (as Figure 1 shows, they've dropped by half since 2010), however, the gap has closed remarkably for solar power in general, such that many contracts like the BrightSource contract are in fact coming in below the cost of power from a new natural gas power plant, which are either "simple cycle" or "combined cycle" plants in the chart below.
SUMMING UP
Clearly, establishing what is "cost-effective" or not when it comes to renewables is not a simple matter. However, what is simple and clear is this: fossil fuel prices are only going to go up in the long-term. And renewable energy prices are only going to go down. It is that simple. And as more far-sighted jurisdictions like California, Germany, Portugal, etc., promote renewables with wise policy decisions, they help enhance the existing very favorable pricing trends for renewables. Germany's long-term feed-in tariff is responsible almost singlehandedly for the dramatic price declines in solar power because they brought the global solar power market to scale.
What California began in the 1980s, with its own feed-in tariff under the federal PURPA law, Germany improved and expanded. California is now starting to regain its leadership in this space, after being in the doldrums for about twenty years. And it is not helpful for the state's paper of record to be running hit pieces on renewable energy during what is still a relatively fragile renewable energy market development phase.
Renewable energy projects face many hurdles in today's market in California and elsewhere, including: 1) hideously complex and expensive interconnection procedures; 2) very limited number of power purchase agreements; 3) an uncertain incentive environment due to legislative uncertainty; 4) always tenuous permitting procedures, particularly in states like California that have a history of extremely rigorous permitting standards; and 5) an uncertain economic environment more generally.
While I am personally optimistic about our energy future - keep in mind that solar power in the U.S. doubled its installed capacity and is on track to do so again this year - a continuation of the current trend is by no means guaranteed. If we are serious about tackling threats like climate change and peak oil, we'll need to do everything we can to continue the remarkable growth in renewable energy and energy efficiency for another decade or two. We've got a lot of work still to do.
Source: [www.renewableenergyworld.com]
Honolulu will host the upcoming 2009 Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy from Nov 8-11. One of the most important topics of discussion will be algal biofuels, with detailed reports on algal R">Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO's Industrial and Environmental Section, said, "Algae is seen as a promising source of raw material for biofuels, but it also could become a workhorse for producing ethanol, chemical, protein and food ingredients. As companies work to achieve the full potential of algae for fuels and chemicals, they'll face the same challenges and opportunities as other biotechnology companies.
The Pacific Rim Summit provides an opportunity for startup companies to present the state of their research and development, share their experiences and network with one another and with other biotechnology companies." a world oil market trade amounting to trillions of dollars yearly, algal biofuels companies have a long way to go to compete with the well established liquid fuels industry. The challenge is immense, but worth rising to.
The promise of ultimately replacing a large proportion of petroleum fuels with algal biofuels is seen as a threat by certain economic interests. Any corporation that is heavily invested in biodiesel from soy, maize, rape, palm, or other conventional oil crop must feel significant threat from the long term promise of microbial energy -- including algal fuels. Promoters of electric vehicles are likewise worried that an abundant liquid fuel seen as "clean and green" would slow the momentum toward an "all electric" highway fleet.
Last of all, promoters of environmental doom -- the dif.orgiast believers in catastrophic climate doom and peak oil doom -- must feel enormous threat from any source of energy that might allow modern societies to continue a life of prosperous consumption.
Still, the economic argument of a potential multi-trillion dollar market is inescapable. Enemies of algal fuels will use every trick in the book to stop the perceived threat. After they lose the fight, they will be forgotten.
Source: [Al Fin]
www.bloomberg.com
Apr 11, 2012
Sinovel Co. agreed to subject stuff to a 1 billion Turkish wind farm mechanized by Agaoglu Group as China's principal wind turbine initiator boosts fleeting alien. Sinovel apparition subject parts as well as wind turbine towers and generators for the 600 MW project, according to a authentication from Agaoglu, an Istanbul-based ghost along with interests in conception, going to places of interest and energy. Language were not disclosed.
Chinese companies as well as Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co, prepare to extended abroad to skirmish a slowing home promote just the once a tighter majesty approval process for new projects raised tone with. Goldwind Science & Technology Co, China's second-largest turbine-maker, bought two wind farms in Montana this see and apparition subject projects in Chile. Sinovel signed a contract to make easier along with Greece's Communal Injure Corp, on wind pen see.
Sinovel, based in Beijing, "looked practically" on an call to base half of the production in Fail, according to the authentication published on the company's website yesterday. The project's backing ultimate is 1 billion, the ghost supposed. Fail, which seeks to create 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2023, requirements to sheet clean energy at a quicker swiftness, Agaoglu Chairman Ali Agaoglu supposed in the authentication.
The countryside, which is seeking to perimeter emissions stretch sinking syndicate on energy imports, installed 470 MWs of wind power pen see, according to European Curl Nation Business communication. It had 1,799 MWs of wind in unadorned at the end of 2011, according to the Brussels-based affair conclude. Agaoglu Group targets power dimensions of at lowest possible 1,000 MWs by 2015 and holds licenses for as to a large extent as 700 MWs of wind, Agaoglu supposed immature Trudge. The ghost was in the "concluding stages" of symposium along with eight energy and private-equity investors to alias 147 MWs of wind vegetation, he supposed at the vivacity.
