Renewable Power News » Green accomplishment 2009

Ozone Bubbles for a Cleanup of Chinese Site

Jimmy Eriksson — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:25:49 +0000

A contaminated Chinese lake will be served as a test bed for a novel environmental cleaning technology that will involve ozone bubbles.

The lake in question is known as the lake of Taihu. The lake is found next to the 4.5 million-powerful city of Wuxi. The lake has been contaminated by a number of pollutants since many years due to the industrial businesses in Wuxi. It will now make use of a system, known as heightened ozonation treatment. The treatment comprises of microbubbles of ozone that pass through the material in question in order to free the pollutants in it.

It was the University of Utah that developed this technology. The technology makes use of pressurized metal vessel that has been designed to produce ozone microbubbles by recurrent pressurization and depressurization with ozone gas. The microbubbles assist in breaking down hydrocarbons.

Thereafter, a chelating agent is passed through the material targeted in order to remove any metal contaminants. Lime is subsequently used. The lime is used to extract eh metal contaminants from the material in general.

This technology will clean up the soil at the Chinese site. The Chinese site will then be used to plant tree on public land. This project will take approximately three months for its completion. Even though the system is actually being used for the treatment of soil, it can be anticipated that it will expand to cover algae, water and sewage waste.

This work has been undertaken by Honde LLC, a Chinese environmental cleanup giant. If this project is successful, the work will be replicated at more sites around the lake, so as to test it on different types of pollutant.

Source: Business Green

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Reports Available Online Renewable Record for 2009

Jimmy Eriksson — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:59:12 +0000

Recently, reports have proven 2008 and 2009, to have been very shining years for renewable energy. It is for the first time ever, that alternative energy takes a twist towards a revolutionary progress despite low oil price and the financial crisis which have been luring in the corner.

The fact is that, as economies have been struggling to maintain growth, renewable energy is in the safety net and growing steadily year-on-year.

Renewable capacity has grown significantly since 2008, which was a record year. Some of the figures for 2009:
• Wind Energy capacity has grown with 32%
• Grid-connected solar PV with 53%
• Solar Water Heater by 21 %
• Hydropower by 3 %
• Geothermal Energy by 4%
• The production of bio-diesel has increased with 9 % and that of ethanol with 10%.

List of Critical Renewable Reports Available Online:
1. Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2010 -
2. Renewable Global Status Report 2010 (Pdf, 2.32 MB)
3. Executive Summary of the Report (PDF, 507 KB)
4. Press Release, Including report Highlights (Pdf, 645 KB)
5. Renewable Global Status Report MEDIA KIT (Pdf, 824 KB)

There have been several countries that have implemented policies to promote renewable energy, and the most popular policy has been the Feed-in tariff. There were over 50 countries as well as 25 states, which adopted feed-in tariffs in the early 2010.

In the modern world, renewable energy is playing an even more important role in supplying energy to millions of people. Renewable energy has the advantage that it can reach remote areas through the deployment of solar photovoltaic cells. It is estimated that around 3 million homes are powered through the use of solar systems. However, the traditional biomass stove is still used by some 40 percent of the world’s population. This proves that the developing world yet has a long way to go.

Sources: St Louis Renewable Energy

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The Truth About Solar Energy In 2010

Richard Nelson — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 09:45:50 +0000

With 2009 fading into the past, recorded data will explain how solar power stocks tolerated a difficult year. This is old news and not really earth rattling, since the high foreheads on Wall Street literally kicked the stuffing out of this segment for a good part of the year.

The pundits figured the bad news was going to simply carry forward into 2010, forecasting a pasting being taken by roughly half the solar energy businesses around the globe. The thinking [a term used loosely] on Wall Street appears to be somewhat like this:

Experts initially stated there was an enormous saturation of polysilicon – the raw product forming part of the silicon based Photovoltaic cell panel. This was just part of the story and solar panels sold at increasing rates quickly taking a bite out of the additional supply.

Experts made another bad call when analyzing the novel thin filmed solar panel technology everyone was raving about. They believed businesses that manufactured thin film solar were facing ruin due to the oversupply of polysilicon that would continue to allow for the under pricing of photovoltaic panels making it troublesome for thin filmed solar companies to thrive. This narrow minded forecast was one for the books. Many of these business authorities may well be choking on crow right about now.

With that said, here is a glimpse at the actual solar power division.
[It should be noted that some solar power companies will fail and others will lose money heading into the future but that is a truism of any competitive and active sector].

The markets for electricity producing solar photovoltaic cells are rising quickly. We will not see what happened twenty or thirty years ago in this sector when four hundred solar panel producers was reduced to just five as the marketplace for this technology just tanked.

The solar power industry only requires a slight adjustment in opinion.

Solar Industry Bosses Speak Out

During the Solar power International 2009 conference set in Anaheim, California last fall, the leadership of solar power companies added their voices regarding the condition of their field and their insight into the future.

Ron Kenedi, vice president of solar Energy Solutions Group at Sharp Corporation is high on the coming year 2010 stating that they are witnessing expansion in solar overall and it began in the previous few months. There has been development in the residential segment with new methods of financing projects. Grid utility scale operations are in startup phases and conventional solar is also taking off. Every sector in the solar power field is enjoying a surge in growth.

Zhengong Shi, Chairmen and CEO of Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. Is so high regarding the future of solar in the US market that his company will be constructing a new production facility in the US. In 2009, the Spanish market made up about one half of the world market for solar. Aside from the Spanish marketplace, every other industry tied market expanded at fifty to one hundred percent and this is seen as a very fruitful indicator. He says his company is thrilled with the US marketplace due in part to the Obama government’s openness and support for renewable energy growth and solar power and the added understanding the general population seems to have for alternate energy supply. They are confident their market share will carry on expanding throughout the US.

However, one industry exec, Jerry Wolfe, the CEO of private enterprise GroSolar, hit the nail on the head when discussing the real problem preventing solar power from opening up traditional markets. He says the technology is here and constantly getting better with residential and commercial / industrial building being less costly with solar power units than when they are powered by just the utility. People cannot figure this out so the industry’s biggest problem is the need for a societal shift in thinking and recognition of solar, this he believes is their biggest obstacle.

Turning on to Solar Power

Reminiscent of IBM’s Chairman discussing the novel computer idea in 1943 when he stated that there was a world market for maybe five computers. Evidently, we should not be discussing new tech promises with current technologists. Discuss solar power with a fossil fuel producer or the utility dependent upon fossil fuel for electricity and the opinions will be one sided. There will always be opposition to change.

Innovation is moving the solar industry forward, now and into the future and that is what North American industry as a whole has always taken pride in. In 2011 when the market experts are eating their yearly ration of crow, the solar power industry will still be churning out innovative new products, more solar businesses will be making money and the solar sector of the alternative power push will continue to mark its place within the new green economy.

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Renewable Energy Future Secured Thanks To Copenhagen Summit

Henry Andrew — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:06:08 +0000

A couple weeks ago as representatives from nations worldwide gathered in Copenhagen for the much ballyhooed climate summit, division was the foremost issue on the minds of organizers. Developing countries were seeking assistance financially so they too could regulate their countries emissions and industrialized nations balked at curbing CO² emissions in order to turn around global warming. Battle lines were drawn to determine whether developing nations needed to have the same accountability as their wealthier equivalents.

Nevertheless, a couple weeks of round the clock discussions and arguments effected what some considered to be a lost cause, an agreement in principle that would see the world’s major polluters decide to “ take a hard line” in eradicating carbon emissions. They also pledge one hundred billion dollars to developing countries so they can afford to institute new renewable energy policies to curb greenhouse gases. At the same time, China, America, Brazil and India would carry on the heavy investment in solar and wind technologies.

At the forefront of this investing, China’s four hundred fifty four billion dollar commitment to renewables in the coming half decade was featured. The outlook for renewable power was enhanced greatly due to Copenhagen. Suzlon from India forecasts a shortfall in 2010 for wind turbines and into the years to come. The current fifty three billion dollar wind turbine market means that current International capacities simply cannot cope with the high demand.

China is beginning to gear up as a hotbed for wind power too. At the beginning of 2009, General Electric [GE] partnered with A-Power Energy Generation [APWR] on a yearly production of two gigawatts of capacity in 2010. According to head office, GE envisions China at the forefront of green energy right now, with this continuing until America develops its own green energy solution. A-Power Energy Generation announced recently that they had a finalized accord between US-REG and Cielo Wind for a six hundred Megawatt wind farm installation in Texas.

Prior to broadcasting this news, investors were cynical. The exciting part of this deal is that A-Power has settled on delivery of wind turbines, starting in march, 2010. This means dollars for begin to come in during the first quarter of 2010. In addition to this, the company previously earned dollars from Chinese renewables [wind farms] in the fourth quarter, 2009. Nonetheless, this is the first money to be earned by a large wind farm complex that A-power has contracted for. A-Power has quite a number of renewable energy projects from various nations and so they are developing their wind projects rapidly in concert with GE.

It is believed that because of the expected surge in renewable technology and energy production, Companies like General Electric – Suzlon – A-Power Energy Generation – American Superconductor [AMSC] – Siemens – Suntech Power [STP] – First Solar [FSLR] and Solarfun Power [SOLF] will become major players in the new Green Economy.

The time would now seem right for any country of reasonable means to step up and support the renewable energy manufacturers and anyone else who is involved in the construction, operation and consumption of renewable energy technology and its power generation.

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$ 3 Million Investment in New York Clean Energy Business Expansion

Jimmy Eriksson — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:17:19 +0000

$3 Million has been bestowed to assist companies in business growth, creation of latest technologies and new economy employment in New York.

According to Governor, David A. Paterson, this sum will energize the extension of New York’s green energy economy as 18 Empire state companies will be able to sell clean energy technologies. Eventually, this prerogative of clean energy will strengthen New York’s status as leading in the new economy. Moreover, Governor Paterson strongly believes that “public partnerships with private industry are absolutely critical to foster our economic growth”.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has given this 3 million to facilitate New York businesses contact with markets and other stakeholders so as to supply customers with clean energy. Each company will receive an award of $200,000 as part of a formal agreement.

This project is also hailed by NYSERDA President and Chief executive officer Francis J. Murray as it will decrease energy consumption and enhance environment.

Projects Receiving Funding in include:
Capital Region
1. $ 200,000 – Ener-G-Rotors, Inc., Schenectady, manufacturing generating systems which change low- temperature heat into electricity

2. $200,000 – Taconic Energy, Inc., Saratoga Springs which produced chemical addition for petroleum fuels, thus creating consideration energy and diminishing environmental pollution.

3. $200,000 AWS Truewind, LLC- Albany, one of North American’s foremost renewable energy firms. The money will be used to improve consulting services and develop new methods of sustainable businesses.

Central New York
4. $175,000 – Fulton Companies in Pulaski, an international manufacturer of heat transfer products. The award will be used to produce biomass boilers with European design since they have superior capacity and release reduced emissions.

5. $200,000 – iCone Products, LLC, Liverpool which produces portable traffic controlling equipment without the need for a technician or IT specialist. Traffic is supervised from remote area. This will decrease traffic congestion and also carbon dioxide.

Hudson Valley
6. $200,000 – Spectra Watt, Inc., East FishKill- producing solar photovoltaic cells. The fund will be used to strengthen sales increase into wider solar-electric generating systems.

7. $200,000 – Apex Wind Energy – Patterson- developing large – scale wind projects. The sum will be injected into the expansion of renewable wind energy after examining appropriate landfills.

8. $11,500 – Windsor Machinery Company, Inc., in Hope well Junction. This company will create a website to enable future clients and developers appraise electricity production and ensuing costs for any specific location for the amount of potential hydro-power to be set up on private land.

Long Island/ New York City
9. $188,000 – Geo Energy Enterprises, LLC, Bohemia to develop geothermal heat exchanger system. This geothermal system is less costly and more practical. The money will help the company to shift from research to actually realize their work.

10. $200,000 – Solar Metrology, Inc., Holbrook – Designing and producing photovoltaic cells. Money will be used to finalize 3 versions of an x-ray fluorescent device which will examine the solidity of residential and commercial solar photovoltaic systems.

11. $181,000 – Lucos Energy, LLC – Manhattan – providing administration platform for residential and small commercial renewable energy systems. Money will be used to amplify sales.

12. $25,000 – Rentricity, Inc., Manhattan developing renewable energy by employing hydrokinetic technology.

North Country

13. $76,500 – Adirondack Woodsman’s Pellet Company (AWP), LLC, Long Lake. By collaborating with timber harvesters, sustainable development will be achieved to prevent exhaustion of wood through new methods.

Southern Tier

14. $200,000 – Ioxus, Inc., Oneonta- Producing ultracapcitors which can decrease peak-power requirement and prolong the life of fuel cells or batteries. The sum will be used to start the high voltage device (HVD).

Western New York
15. $114,000 – Electrical power worX CorpEPX- Alfred- Actually finishing a model for an ultracapcitor- based energy storage system.

16. $200,000 – Ashland Advanced Materials (AAM), LLC, Niagara Falls – manufacturing advanced carbon and graphite products to be used in energy industry. The sum will be needed in executing a thorough marketing and sales plan for global markets. There will be employment too at AAM.

17. $200,000 – Alternative Fuel Boilers, LLC, Dunkirk- created EconoBurn wood gasification boiler, a substitute fuel source for commercial heating.

18. $157,500 – Double A Willow – Fredonia – The sole licensed nursery for rapid growing hybrid varieties of shrub willow which provides willows to growers to encourage biofuel. This decreases greenhouse gas emissions by 6-8 percent.

All the following prominent people have praised Governor Paterson’s step.

Senate Majority Conference Leader John L. Sampson, stated that Senate Democrats have permanently promoted measures towards sustainable development.

Furthermore, Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver also adds that the $3 million will enable New York to project a positive message about protecting our environment with clean energy.

The benefits are reinforced by Senator Darrel J. Aubertine, Chair Telecommunications Committee- He said that this expanding industry for clean energy will also lead to job creation and thus boost the economy.

The eulogy for Governor Paterson has been reiterated by Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, Chair of the Assembly energy Committee. In his perspective, innovation is central in building a new energy economy in New York State.

Source: The Gov Monitor

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Nevada Making Success in Times of Failure; Renewable Energy

Jimmy Eriksson — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:46:33 +0000

The economic downfall in 2009, didn’t tarnish sustainable development in green technology for Nevada. Apparently, Nevada has improved tremendously in the use of alternative sources of energy.

With flying colours, Nevada is ranking best in the provision of geothermal energy, based on the measure of watts provided per customer. The perceptive strategy of establishing a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) was launched in 1997. Today, its intense support to its commitment is providing a steady source of energy. According to plans, as much as 20% of Nevada’s energy demand will come from renewable sources of energy by 2015. This includes wind, solar and geothermal energy.

Investment in the field is not showing signs of slow down. In year 2012, an increase in supply by 1,000 MW will be generated from geothermal, biomass, hydro generation and 500 MW will be sole provided through wind energy. The geothermal potential capacity in Nevada is between 1,488 to 2,895 MW according to Geothermal Task Force.

Nevada has established a long-term focus on energy plans. An example is, Nevada Solar One, 64-MW plant developed by Acciona Solar Power. Nevada Solar One is actually graced with being the worlds’ biggest solar plant built in the past 15 years. Moreover, the biggest solar photovoltaic installation built in North America is situated in the southern part of Nevada. The Nellis Air Force Base Solar Power system produces 30 million kilowatt-hours (KWh) through a year.

Apart from Federal initiative, private companies are also entering the game. A burnishing icon is Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno, which is extensively investing in renewable energy. It injected a total of $8.1 million in geothermal projects.

Other companies involved in green technology are Electra Therm, Inc and Mariah Power. Mariah Power is more extensively in the field of generating energy from natural wind. The latter’s Windspire wind turbine generates an approximate of 2000 Kilowatts-hours (KWh) per year. Moreover, Reno’s Ormat Technologies, Inc provides around 1200 MW of energy from geothermal power.

In Nevada, there are packages of benefits offered to companies that engage in green investment. This includes tax credits and other sort of financial savings. Nevada is likely to become significant leader in green technology in the future.

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Canadian Physicist’s Invention Uses Stored Summer Air As Heating System

Richard Nelson — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:08:40 +0000

Ron Tolmie is a physicist who lives in Ontario and he has a unique way of heating and cooling his home. Tolmie uses a system that utilizes stored summer air. He has named it the Atmospheric Energy Street System, and it captures the heated air from the summertime and directs it below ground via pipes used for heat injection. The hot air is collected was gradually below ground. And this will eat it once more, it is then drawn upon when it is required by using boreholes free exchange that have been pierced through the ground. This below ground unit is linked with a heat pump, which not only serves to heat his home, but in the summer months it acts like an air conditioning unit.

Tolmie says it is less expensive and much simpler than a regular system is. There is no generation of greenhouse gas of any kind since the energy comes from the heat in the surrounding air. Prior to launching his own business, Tolmie worked as a physicist for Atomic Energy, Ltd.

Tolmie’s heating unit operates in a similar manner as geothermal energy heating systems work or like a commercial ground source heat pump. Geothermal systems use the heating procedure that will draw heat energy from below ground and circulate it to the home. The ground, geothermal unit consisting of all the ethylene pipes, which loop through the ground, draws heat from within the soil that lies below the frost line, where the temperature is always maintained at an average temperature. [It acts as an air conditioner by returning heated air through the pipes back into the earth]. Heat is now transported through the ground piping unit and into the furnace of the home. The heat makes it to the furnace unit, and then by using a grouping of blower fans and duct work, it enters and heats your home.

Tolmie’s AE Street unit is only a one up a few exciting new energy technologies that offer amazing possibilities that save homeowners some extra money, while at the same time, decreasing the carbon discharge from residential living units. Another technology is the smart grid home energy metering, which allows buyers of power to decrease their energy rates.

Experts in renewable energy resources can see the potential in Tolmie’s heating unit. President of St. Lawrence College and a member of the world wind energy Institute, Volker Thomsen sample the model of Tolmie’s heating unit. In his own home, Thompson’s end game is to eradicate all greenhouse gas discharges from his residence.

Thomsen has decreased the cost of heating and cooling his home since using Tolmie’s unique system, his energy bills for his 373 m² residence had been reduced from $6,000 down to below $1000 annually.

Ron Tolmie’s forecasts actually worked out, stated Thompson, and he says he has no qualms stating that Tolmie’s heating device will be the system of choice and used throughout the province of Ontario.

Tolmie’s heating system comes with some conditions such as it is best used in homes and buildings constructed over bedrock with little underground water. Tolmie says the ground needs to be adequate so that it can warehouse the heat. He says that his heating unit will operate at optimal efficiency when it is connected amid homes and multiuse outbuildings.

A huge office complex that houses various types of electronics and equipment will be able to generate its own heat to supplement what comes from the building were as a residential family unit will always require more heat in the winter months.

Tolmie, as his fingers crossed that the government will show some attention to his innovative heating system, but he is pragmatic, and even though the government provincially has committed to reducing carbon emissions dramatically, he understands their interest may not be as keen as he hopes.

Tolmie says that with this type of technology, it becomes far more effectual when it is administered at the city level. And therein lies the problems for Tolmie, cities by their nature are reluctant to lead the way in innovation.

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Chinese Office Tower Creates and Conserves Energy

Richard Nelson — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:45:31 +0000

There is an office tower being built in China that is becoming known as the Green Tower of Guangzhou City due to its unique design and ability to produce its own power because of that design.

The office building itself towers above the polluted air in South China’s Guangzhou City and the American architects who designed the tower claim it will be the most energy conscious building in the entire world upon completion.

There are a myriad of energy efficient elements attributed to the building and probably the most stunning feature is the method in which the building was shaped. The way the building is shaped is extremely eye catching and unique but it is much more than just an aesthetically distinctive structure.

The building has been engineered so it curves and faces directly toward the prevailing current of air. The Guangzhou tower has been intentionally formed so it will be able to amplify the velocity of the wind, powering it directly through slotted gaps in the structure that will have wind turbines integrated into them.

This technique to produce energy from a building using wind turbines is not unique. In the past it has been thought to be a waste of technical spirit to even attempt such a plan. There is often too much turbulent instability within a city core to enable consistent, if any sustained turbine action at all. In fact, one story of lore spoke of a Japanese company that built a wind turbine for their structure that was useless. In order to avoid embarrassment they used further electrical power to maintain the operation of the hopeless apparatus so the wannabe green ownership saved face.

The American designers of this amazing office tower [SOM], are convinced and insistent that experimental testing in wind tunnels displayed the effective capabilities of their project and it will in fact produce inexpensive and practical wind energy.

The government of China has mandated that mechanical floors be installed as emergency mustering levels and this is where the turbines will be situated, there will be no loss of space intended for offices.

The design team of SOM architects are confident that by thoughtfully utilizing available space amalgamated with energy efficient and power producing technologies, unparalleled achievements were realized by their team and the Guangzhou office tower will in all likelihood generate just as much power as it requires.

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Green Prediction for 2009; a Soaring Certainty

Jimmy Eriksson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:27:44 +0000

Green prediction about industrial development is a year in and year out tradition. Moreover, some prognoses that were set 2008 for 2009 have already been realized.

1. Energy efficiency

A challenge of creating and introducing new technology that is more efficient was a set goal. These improvements have seen, through smart grids, an increase in the jobs available for efficiency research, maintenance and operational management of electricity.

The potential of reducing carbon emission is a long-term goal. The expected reduction might not have been a conquest this year, with different set targets across the globe. Australia is heading for a 20% reduction in carbon emission by year 2020, which is likely to be considered an inadequate figure.

Moreover, the key target for 2009 of creating work in the energy sector has certainly been an accomplishment goal, despite the economic conditions. This can be fortified by Apollo Alliance effort to create jobs in the U.S

2. Global initiative to tackle climate change

The world of politics has already experienced a positive global dialogue to consider climate challenges as a must. The emergence of India and China relationship has been among the doors to a new approach. Their project on renewable energy is astronomical and worth billions of dollars. Moreover, American support from the actual Administration is also projecting similar initiative in California and other green states.

The predicted negotiation and initiative for 2009 that has been raised for the environment challenges have productively struggled its way into the arena.

3. Nexus of food, energy and Water

The nexus of food, energy and water was a heightening issue in the early days of 2009. The corn conversion into ethanol was rendered a dilemma as price of food increased from the exorbitant oil price. The rising price of crude oil, basic foods and energy was a threat to sustainability. However, during the year, the fall in crude oil price, rectified the nexus and rendered ethanol production less attractive.

The introduction of new hybrid or even electric cars to the market is likely to have anticipated future crisis that can be derived from the three variables: food, energy and water, to a certain extent.

This is an outlook of what has been achieved during 2009. Furthermore, regulations and policy making have also been at the core of long-term achievement in striving towards more sustainable sources of energy. There are still a lot that are to be done in the coming year, with massive project already on its way in India and MENA.

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