One of the companies who have recently secured DoE backing with a loan guarantee is celebrating their ground-breaking ceremony today. With over $2.1bl in founding, this plant will be the largest in the world at 1GW once it is complete. However, this journey to CSP market proliferation and support has been a turbulent one!

The announcement coincides with the run-up to the biggest annual concentration of CSP professionals in Las Vegas (CSP TODAY USA 2011, June 29-30 www.csptoday.com/usa). Belén Gallego, Founder & Director of CSP Today, reports that over 600 professionals will come  together to discuss the future of the industry and the opportunities for progress. “It has taken a lot of time to build momentum in the US CSP industry, so it’s crucial that we capitalize on it”. Gallego adds that “dramatically reducing costs and becoming competitive are number one priority” 

As part of the conference proceedings, active developers will be updating their colleagues on the latest developments with projects worldwide, and more specifically in the US.

Following a 20 year hiatus, the first US CSP plant was constructed in Las Vegas in 2006 by Acciona Solar (Now Acciona Energy). The plant was named Nevada Solar I and it is a parabolic trough technology plant with an output of 64MW. Only one project in Florida came to fruition in the years after that, until 2010 when the Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Plant was developed by NextEra in Florida.

However, in the last quarter of 2010 two plants of never-seen-before dimensions obtained conditional loan guarantees and are now under construction: The Ivanpah and Solana projects.

The novelty of these plants is the size and innovation incorporated in their designs, with a 7 hours of molten salt storage for Solana (A 280 MW parabolic trough plant); and the tower design for Ivanpah (3 towers totalling up to 392MW). Both were the largest announced in the world at the time. Ivanpah also constituted a leapfrog advance in tower technology scaling up 6.5 times the size per tower that had been achieved previously by PS20, a 20MW tower plant in Sevilla (Spain).

2011 has so far followed a positively similar trend, with $3.35bn having been announced by the DoE in loan guarantees for 4 different projects: Blythe (Solar Trust of America, 2x 240MW part of 1GW plant), Crescent Dunes (SolarReserve, 110MW tower project, The Mojave Solar Project (Abengoa, 280MW) and Genesis Solar Project (NextEra, 250MW trough project). The industry are waiting with baited breath to see whether 2011 will be the turning point in the US industry on its journey to market dominance.

It hasn’t been an easy ride so far – “With 479MW of CSP connected to the grid, the early leadership of the USA in installed MW capacity was surpassed last year by Spain with over 1GW currently connected to the grid” continues Gallego

However, with 1,796MW now in construction with the support of the loan guarantees and more than 10GW in the pipeline, the industry is gaining real momentum in the USA. Reducing costs, securing transmission, environmental permits and financing are still enormous roadblocks for full development of the industry in the USA. But there has never been a better time to prove the viability, the potential for the creation of green jobs and energy independence that CSP brings to the table. With this in mind, CSP Today USA (June 29-30, Las Vegas), promises to cement the relationships and share the lessons learnt that are so vital for long-term CSP success.

About CSP Today
CSP Today is the leading business intelligence, news and events company focused exclusively on the concentrated solar thermal power industry. For more information please visit www.csptoday.com
For information about the CSP TODAY USA 2011 please visit www.csptoday.com/usa

Contact details:

Bea González
Marketing Manager
CSP Today
bea@csptoday.com
UK Phone +44 207 3757500

View the original article here

“Solectria Renewables is dedicated to long-term partnerships with our customers.  Winning this bid was a direct result of the dedication between Solectria and WESCO Distribution,” said Allison Duffy, Regional Business Development Manager, Solectria Renewables. “SVUSD is a great example of a school district not only implementing solar power, but also teaching their students about the benefits of renewable energy and conservation. They are a model for other school districts looking into solar for the cost savings and educational benefits,” added Ms. Duffy.

Solectria Renewables worked closely with WESCO Distribution, one of Solectria Renewables’ nationwide distributors, and Roebbelen Contracting, Inc., a general contractor with a 52 year history.  Solectria will supply inverters ranging from 13kW to 300kW.

Jeff Stroin, WESCO’s Regional Vice President commented, “The Sonoma Valley Unified School District needed a team that could meet an aggressive project timeline without sacrificing the quality expectations of the total system engineering design. This important project was enhanced by the combination of quality inverters from Solectria, the building expertise from Roebbelen Contracting and the sales, service and solar industry expertise from WESCO. WESCO is very proud to be a team member for this significant solar project.”

Andy Brophy, Senior Project Manager, Roebbelen Contracting, Inc., added, “The collaboration between Solectria Renewables and WESCO Distribution greatly contributed to the successful bid process for the SVUSD project.  This collaboration is a model distribution for large scale solar projects.”

Construction for this district solar project is underway and is expected to be commissioned in August 2011.  The solar project at SVUSD is expected to offset 96% of the school district’s collective energy usage.  This amounts to $750,000 in California Solar Initiative rebates during the first five years.  In addition, the district is also expected to save an additional $500,000 in energy costs.  The total savings are estimated at $26 million over the lifetime of the system.  The complete project will offset 54 million pounds of CO2 emissions.

About WESCO Distribution, Inc.

WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE: WCC), a publicly traded Fortune 500 company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading provider of electrical, industrial, and communications maintenance, repair and operating (“MRO”) and original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”) products, construction materials, and advanced supply chain management and logistics services. WESCO operates seven fully automated distribution centers and over 400 full-service branches in North America and international markets.

About Roebbelen Contracting, Inc.

Since 1959, Roebbelen Contracting, Inc. has provided quality construction services to clients throughout California. Specializing in commercial, institutional and industrial projects, Roebbelen provides general contracting, construction management, design-build, lease-leaseback, and value analysis services to clients. Roebbelen Contracting is dedicated to delivering the very best value for construction services on every project we build. Many of our projects have received prestigious awards and are landmarks within their communities. 

About Solectria Renewables, LLC

Solectria Renewables, LLC is the leading U.S. based grid-tied photovoltaic inverter manufacturer for residential, commercial and utility-scale solar installations. Our versatile line of high efficiency products provide power solutions ranging from 1 kW residential systems to multi-megawatt solar farms. Solectria Renewables products are backed by more than 20 years of experience in the power electronic and inverter industries and supported by world class warranties. All of our commercial and utility-scale PV inverters are manufactured in the USA, ARRA compliant, Ontario FIT Content Compliant, and listed to UL 1741/IEEE 1547.

To learn more about Solectria Renewables, please visit http://www.solren.com.

CONTACT

Solectria Renewables
Natalie Wiener, 978-683-9700
Marketing Manager
natalie@solren.com
or
Scott Bowden, 978-683-9700
Business Development Mgr
scott@solren.com
or
Allison Duffy, 562-608-8913
Regional Business Dev. Mgr
allison@solren.com
or
WESCO International, Inc.
Daniel A. Brailer, 412-454-4220
VP – Treasurer, Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs
Dbrailer@wesco.com
or
Roebbelen Contracting, Inc.
Andy Brophy, 916-939-4000
Senior Project Manager
AndyB@roebbelen.com

###

View the original article here

Discover how they intend to maintain the momentum of the Italian market by delivering a packed agenda that will ensure your project remains profitable and arm you with the information and contacts you need.

The agenda will feature 25+ senior speakers from utilities, developers, government, EU Commission, law firms, financiers and technical experts, including:
Roberto Deambrogio, Head of Italy and Europe Area, Enel Green Power
Roberta Benedetti, Managing Director, E.ON Climate and Renewables
Paolo Grossi, Chief Operating Officer, Italy, RWE Innogy
Corrado Bacco, Director, Wind Power Technologies and Investments, Edison Energie Speciali
Carlo Di Primio, General Manager, International Power Italia
Paolo Paoletti, General Manager Renewable Energy, Sorgenia
Iris Flacco, Director, Energy Sector, Abruzzo Region
Claudio Zanini, Chief Executive Officer, REnInvest
Pio Forte, Energy Product Specialist, UniCredit Leasing
Giulio Volpi, Principal Administrator, Desk for Italy, Spain and Portugal, Renewable Energy Policy, Directorate General for Energy, EU Commission
Alessandro Casale, Director, Asja
Carlo Durante, Chief Executive Officer, Maestrale
Asela Jayampathy, Vice President, Foreign Investment, TRE – Tozzi Renewable Energy
Luciano Barra, Director, Energy, Department of Ministry of Economic Development
Cesare Fera, President, Fabbrica Energie Rinnovabili Alternative

View our updated agenda now or visit our website at www.greenpowerconferences.com/winditalia

Alternatively email katie.dunn@greenpowerconferences.com for further details.

View the original article here

“Wind energy is experiencing strong growth globally and the natural variability of wind has led to conservative financing and a relatively high cost of capital,” said Martin Malinow, Galileo CEO. “Working together with 3TIER, Galileo can now offer developers and financiers an important tool to manage the uncertainty of wind-driven earnings which will create greater capital market access and potentially a lower cost of capital for new projects or refinancings.”
Galileo uses 3TIER’s wind resource time series to price and structure WindLockTM products based on expected variability with settlements based on wind speeds provided by 3TIER. Using 3TIER’s weather modeling expertise in generating historical time series helps avoid errors in on-site measurements and isolates wind speed from other factors that can impact power production.
WindLockTM products are indexed to wind-driven megawatt-hours allowing for the utilization of a power curve to provide accurate mapping of wind speed to generation. Galileo offers WindLockTM globally and products can be tailored to match project financing structures with protection commencing across a wide range of estimated production.
“3TIER’s long-term investment in global capabilities and datasets, combined with our reputation for providing accurate and objective resource intelligence, ideally positions us to provide the global benchmarks upon which wind resource variability risk can be assessed and mitigated,” said Michael Grundmeyer, 3TIER vice president of business development. “Teaming up with a weather risk management leader like Galileo to use these benchmarks as the basis for hedging transactions represents a natural and significant step forward in the financial maturity of the global wind industry.”
–
To learn more about this offering, please visit 3TIER’s booth (#2140) at Windpower 2011, May 22-25 in Anaheim, CA.
###
ABOUT 3TIER
3TIER helps the global energy market manage renewable energy risk. A pioneer in wind, solar, and hydro generation risk analysis, 3TIER uses weather science to frame the risk of weather-driven variability – anywhere on earth, across all time horizons. With offices serving North America, Europe, India, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim, 3TIER has global reach with products and services spanning renewable energy project feasibility, energy marketing, and asset management. For more information, visit www.3tier.com.
ABOUT GALILEO WEATHER RISK MANAGEMENT
Galileo is a pioneer in the weather risk management industry, writing customized weather-driven financial protection globally to corporations and government entities seeking to mitigate their financial exposure to variations in weather conditions and related commodity prices. Galileo’s WeatherLock™ products can be indexed to weather variables including temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and solar irradiance as well as commodities such as natural gas and power, and can be delivered on a global basis as either derivatives or (re)insurance. Galileo has offices in New York, London, and Bermuda. For more information, visit www.galileoweather.com.

View the original article here

The Baltic 1 wind park, officially inaugurated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on May 2, is about 16 kilometers (10 miles) offshore from the Fischland-Darss-Zingst peninsula.

The park consists of 21 wind turbines and has a total installed capacity of 50 MW. The park is operated by Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg (EnBW), a German utility based Karlsruhe that aims to generate 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

 As Germany’s first commercial offshore wind power farm, Baltic 1 follows the country’s other big offshore wind park, the smaller “Alpha Ventus” consisting of 12 wind power generators in the North Sea. The park was launched as a test pilot supported by the German government.

EnBW has begun plans to build a second Baltic Sea wind park, a much larger facility with 80 turbines located offshore from the island of Ruegen. It is slated to go online in 2013. The estimated cost of the new facility is €1.2 billion.

The new EnBW wind farm is only the beginning of more onshore and offshore wind parks as well as solar parks in Germany. The government has so far granted permission for 23 offshore parks in the North Sea with a capacity of 5,650 MW and three in the Baltic Sea with a capacity of 1,040 MW. But demand is much larger: The government has received applications from potential operators to build an additional 56 wind parks in the North Sea and 15 in the Baltic Sea.

Germany’s energy policy has changed dramatically following the catastrophe in Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant. It now calls for far greater support for and use of renewable energies, particularly wind power.

According to German media, Chancellor Merkel plans to phase out nuclear power in Germany completely before 2022. Under the current system, power plants must be shut down after they produced a certain amount of electricity, allowing operators to delay closure until as long as 2022 or 2023.

Germany became the first European country to shut nuclear plants after the crisis in Japan. The government’s move to temporarily close seven older plants came just one day after Chancellor Merkel had imposed a three-month moratorium on the extension of the country’s 17 nuclear power stations.

View the original article here

The flexibility of Parker’s technology and its use in racks, cabinets, and containers has been implemented in many other industrial markets where it has been easily configured to cool a variety of applications such as power electronics, motors, transformers, and batteries. The dual-phase liquid cooling process continuously cycles a refrigerant within a sealed, closed-loop system to cool a wide range of systems. The system uses a small pump to deliver just enough coolant to the evaporator – usually a series of one or more cold plates optimized to acquire the heat from the device(s). In so doing, the coolant begins to vaporize maintaining a cool uniform temperature on the surface of the device. The resulting two-phase coolant is then pumped to a heat exchanger where it rejects the heat to the ambient and condenses back into a liquid, completing the cycle.

By taking advantage of this two-phase evaporation process, system level cost savings are realized due to the use of smaller, lighter overall systems that are easier to maintain and run at lower, more reliable temperatures. Parker’s Precision-Cooled Rack Solution is an ideal product for wind turbines where the size and weight in the nacelle continues to grow with total capacity. In addition, the Parker precision-cooled rack is the only product available today that offers the potential to double the power density of key major subsystems such as the generator and power conversion system, and whose modular thermal management elements greatly simplify onsite maintenance when required, while reducing overall maintenance costs.

The compact and light rack solution leverage Parker’s long established and proprietary two-phase liquid cooling technology and rack systems, and offers a cost-effective alternative solution for applications in renewable energy markets, such as wind and solar. For more information, please contact Parker’s Precision Cooling Systems group at www.parkerprecisioncooling.com. The Precision Cooling Systems group is part of Parker Hannifin’s long established portfolio of thermal management technologies and systems for key industrial applications, and is based in New Haven, Indiana.

 About Parker-Hannifin

With annual sales of $10 billion in fiscal year 2010, Parker Hannifin is the world’s leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of mobile, industrial and aerospace markets. The company employs approximately 55,000 people in 46 countries around the world. Parker has increased its annual dividends paid to shareholders for 54 consecutive years, among the top five longest-running dividend-increase records in the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit the company’s web site at http://www.parker.com, or its investor information site at http://www.phstock.com.

View the original article here

Google and its partners cleared the first major hurdle with U.S. regulators today to build a $5 billion transmission line that would transport electricity from wind farms off the Atlantic coast.

The companies backing the project can earn a 12.59 percent return on their equity investment in the proposed power line, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruled.

The project, which consists of two parallel transmission lines stretching from northern New Jersey to southern Virginia, could transport up to 6,000 megawatts of electricity that would provide power to 1.9 million households.

The transmission lines would each extend 250 miles along the mid-Atlantic coast. The electricity carried by the lines would connect with the main electric grid at onshore sites in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.

The project still needs approval from the Interior Department, several state agencies, and the regional power grid operator, PJM. The project’s backers are Google, Good Energies, a private firm, and Japan’s Marubeni Corp.

The companies hope to have the first phase of the transmission line operating in 2016.

The transmission line project will help the mid-Atlantic states meet their goals to generate more of their electricity from renewable-energy sources, such as wind power.

“Without a strong transmission backbone, offshore wind developers would need to build one or more individual radial transmission lines from each offshore wind project to the shore,” the project’s sponsors said in a filing with FERC.

The mid-Atlantic regions holds 20 percent of the U.S. population, but the region has limited access to land-based renewable-energy resources.

There are no major offshore wind farms operating in the United States at the moment, though more than a dozen have been proposed. One of the earliest projects expected to come online is Cape Wind off Massachusetts that will consist of 130 wind towers providing electricity to about 400,000 homes by 2013.

Story Copyright (c) 2011 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

View the original article here

There’s a growing conflict stemming from the push for more renewable energy and the environmental impact of large-scale wind and solar plants. But an analysis from the Nature Conservancy finds that a big boost in wind doesn’t have to negatively impact wildlife.

The conservation group today released a study that argues for a policy to prioritize wind power development on “disturbed land” to avoid threatening wildlife and still ramp up wind generation significantly.

Looking at land-use data across the lower 48 states shows that there is sufficient land in locations to meet the Department of Energy’s goal of getting 20 percent of the country’s electricity from wind, said Joe Kiesecker, the lead scientist at the Nature Conservancy. Disturbed land could be agricultural land, paved surfaces, or land used for industrial purposes such as oil and gas drilling or mining.

“What this emphasizes is that in the big picture, in a lot of ways we can develop renewable energy, particularly with wind, and there doesn’t have to be conflict,” Kiesecker said. “We were surprised with the sheer magnitude of the flexibility.”

Getting to the goal of 20 percent wind-generated electricity would require ramping up to 241 gigawatts of capacity while the estimated amount of land-based wind on distributed lands is about 3,500 gigawatts, he said.

Habitat fragmentation is the biggest conservation issue in the U.S. and around the world and the overwhelming number of threatened species live on unfragmented land, Kiesecker said.

In some states, the best wind resources are on undisturbed land. But, wind project developers may ultimately save money if states and the federal government set policy based on a broader view of land availability and usage, Kiesecker said. Some projects have been drawn out or cancelled over environmental reasons, he noted.

“Using this kind of forethought and identifying places that are not likely to run into this kind of conflict could ultimately save (wind project developers) money even though they are not exploiting the highest wind power class,” he said.

The subject of land use is poised to become prominent as countries develop more renewable energy. Wind is cheaper than solar or geothermal for electricity generation but it has a relatively large footprint per megawatt compared other renewables and fossil fuel generation.

View the original article here

Installed by Standard Solar, Inc. and owned and operated by Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc. (WGES), the system will provide electricity for both the lower school building (319 panels) and the upper school building (407 panels). Upper School students will be able to monitor the real-time output from the solar PV panels through a display to be installed in the school, and data from and about the system will be incorporated into the science curriculum.

The 200 kW solar PV system will produce approximately 246,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, the equivalent of eliminating 170 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year – the same as burning 19,000 fewer gallons of gasoline or planting more than 4,000 tree seedlings that grow for 10 years. Installed at no up-front cost to the school, Wilmington Friends will purchase the electricity generated by the system from WGES under a long term power purchase agreement.

“This project reflects mutually reinforcing aspects of our mission—the centuries-old Quaker commitment to stewardship and the commitment to 21st century excellence in global education,” said Bryan Garman, Head of School at Wilmington Friends. “The solar PV system will help us to teach and inspire students as they grow as leaders committed to a more sustainable future.”

The Quaker testimony of “stewardship” is a consistent theme at Friends School, and received particular attention this year beginning with a visit from Nobel Laureate Eric Chivian, Founder and Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. The many classroom activities focused on sustainability included:  research in lower school science about the effects of contaminated water and soil on a park; a middle school project to design and build indoor composting systems; and a green roof design project as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) interdisciplinary science unit in upper school.

“WGES’ efforts to help customers find environmentally attractive solutions for their energy needs are bolstered by state programs and policies that encourage, and in fact rely on, the competitive market to invest in these clean energy technologies,” said Harry Warren, president, WGES. “The Wilmington Friends School project will bring our rapidly growing portfolio of owned, operated and committed solar power projects here in Delaware to 1.8 megawatts.”

“The popularity of solar installations at educational institutions is growing rapidly due to the tremendous economic, environmental and educational opportunities,” said Scott Wiater, president, Standard Solar. “We are excited to be a part of this project and doing our part to help Wilmington Friends and its students take another step forward in their environmental stewardship.”

###

About Wilmington Friends

Founded in 1748, Wilmington Friends is a Quaker, co-ed school, serving students in the Early Learning Center (ages two and three) through grade 12. Signature international programs include the International Baccalaureate (first authorized IB school in Delaware) and School Year Abroad (first member school in Delaware); and starting in 2011-12, a Mandarin Language Program in middle and upper school. Friends offers a “global” approach to education at all grade levels, in content and in teaching students to engage complex issues intellectually and in action, in and outside of the classroom, with a sense of confidence and responsibility. For more information, visit www.wilmingtonfriends.org.

About Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc.

Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc. is one of the largest competitive providers of electricity and natural gas in the mid-Atlantic region, and supplies over 335,000 customers in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Herndon, VA, Washington Gas Energy Services is an affiliate of Washington Gas and a subsidiary of WGL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:WGL). For more information, please visit www.wges.com, or contact Leah Gibbons at 703-793-7565, or lgibbons@wges.com.

About Standard Solar

Standard Solar, Inc. is a leader in the full-service development, construction, integration, financing and installation of solar electric systems. Since 2004, Standard Solar has been the partner of choice to make solar energy financially accessible, helping customers through financing options, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and navigating expanded federal and state and local tax credits. Ranked the 73rd Fastest Growing Private Company in America in 2010 by Inc. magazine, and the highest-ranking renewable energy company on the list, Standard Solar is headquartered in Rockville, Md. For more information, please visit www.standardsolar.com, or contact Keira Shein at WilkinsonShein Communications at 410-363-9494, or keira@wilkinsonshein.com.

View the original article here

Green Technology Achieve a Sustainable Future with Green Technology. Create Innovation for New Energy. « Macy’s to Offer EV Charging Stations in California | Main | Corridor of the Future – Solar Highway in Oregon »

University of Nebraska – Roadway Wind/Solar Hybrid Power Generation and Distribution System

Street sgns and utility power poles are almost everywhere.  A project at The University of Nebraska is looking into ways to use wind power and solar panels on signs to power roadway lights and traffic signals.  Any excess power will go into the local energy grid.

The units combine solar and wind generators and feature batteries for storage.  ” … Each unit consists of a wind turbine generator and one or more PV panels mounted on the top of the pole for electric power generation.”

” … overall system involves power generation, storage, distribution, grid operation, and demand-side management.

Via:  University of Nebraska – Lincoln  LINK

Post Details
Posted by Green Dude on May 1, 2011 02:40 PM | Permalink|

Category: Solar

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.greentechnolog.com/blog-mt/mt-tb.fcgi/2901

Post a comment (If you haven’t left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won’t appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)

View the original article here