Cashing in on the Green Leap Forward: Cleantech in China

clipped from blogs.wsj.com We wrote earlier about China’s unbridled enthusiasm for wind power and the risks that appetite poses for other wind developers around the world. But every coin has two sides. As General Electric boss Jeff Immelt said last week, American technology companies have plenty of potential customers around the world, even if U.S. energy policy lags. And as Washington senator Maria Cantwell said on her own China junket this week, American clean-technology companies should embrace China’s recent greening as an opportunity. One who’s trying is American Superconductor Corp China’s own domestic wind industry has burst on the scene in recent years, and two Chinese makers are now in the global top-ten wind turbines accounting for $36 billion in capital outlay last year, according to the global trade group American Superconductor, which will start local production this year, designs wind turbines “from soup to nuts,” “We give them the razor and then sell them the blades.”

Statement from U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy on the National Academy of Sciences Report: Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership

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clipped from www.energy.gov “With the President’s leadership, DOE’s FreedomCar and Fuel Partnership serves to provide consumers with smarter, more energy-efficient and appealing options in the interest of reducing emissions and our nation’s dependence on oil. “I am proud of the Department’s work with our industry partners and we look forward to expanding and diversifying the collaborative research, development, and deployment in an effort to bring online greater domestically produced energy sources that will help this nation achieve a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy future.”  Learn more about DOE’s FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership.

These greenhouses grow from friends of the earth

clipped from www.palmbeachpost.com John Eriksen admits it. He's obsessed with energy consumption. When he flips on the eight-bulb light fixture in the bathroom of his Okeechobee home, the hand-held tracking device in his grip shows his costs per kilowatt hour spike from 2 cents to 10 cents. On the metal roof of his house, ultra-thin laminated strips of photovoltaic cells collect power from the sun. Eriksen gets a kick out of watching the watts stream in. And he gets a credit on his monthly Florida Power & Light Co. bill for the 10 kilowatts or so he generates daily, a little less than what he uses. Eriksen expects rebates and incentives to cover $12,000 of the $17,000 to $18,000 costs of the solar system and other green elements he built into his 1,600-square-foot home. Since the solar power will shave roughly $30 to $35 a month from his power bill, he estimates the remainder will pay for itself in about a decade. John Eriksen, behind his solar-powered Okeechobee home

The Future of Energy

clipped from popularlogistics.com I attended a seminar on solar and wind power at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority, ACUA, clean energy plant On the way back I drove into the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Ocean County, NJ There are armed guards outside the nuclear plant There are watchtowers, presumably with armed sentries There are no armed guards at the clean energy facility There are wind turbines, photovoltaics, and operators. The operators are happy to talk, to show you how much power the plant is generating, and tell you how the plant works The various alternative technologies to generate that power offer choices about the society in which we live On the one hand: polluting fuel based technologies of the past - nuclear, coal, oil, natural gas. On the other: renewable and sustainable clean energy technologies of the future - solar, wind, geothermal, hydro

Newark rooftops could be used to yield a fifth of city's electricity needs

clipped from www.delawareonline.com Rooftop solar panels could provide Newark with more than a fifth of the city's total electricity, a University of Delaware researcher said Friday. Researchers from UD's Center for the Energy and the Environment used mapping software and a solar energy assessment program to determine how much rooftop space was actually usable for solar panels. They used aerial images to determine which houses would be best for panels, eliminating those with too much shading from trees, chimneys, nearby buildings or other obstructions. Flat-roofed buildings are ideal for solar, Zhou said, and Newark has plenty, with UD's many buildings and the city's industrial sector. South-facing roofs are also best, to catch the sun's rays most often. The team found that Newark has 5.8 million square feet of suitable, available rooftop real estate. Solar panels on that area could generate 77.9 gigawatts per hour of electricity, or 21 percent of the city's power usage in 2006, Zhou said.

Green energy is making big money

clipped from www.sfgate.com The alternative energy business is starting to make real money Worldwide sales for companies specializing in biofuels, wind farms, solar panels and fuel cells grew 40 percent in 2007 to reach $77.3 billion Revenue in the wind power industry alone jumped 68 percent individual oil companies report annual sales greater than $100 billion "Clean energy has moved from the margins to the mainstrea

Green energy is making big money

The alternative energy business is starting to make real money.

Worldwide sales for companies specializing in biofuels, wind farms, solar panels and fuel cells grew 40 percent in 2007 to reach $77.3 billion, according to an annual report issued Tuesday by Clean Edge, a research firm that studies the green technology industry.

That's significant revenue for an industry crowded with startups, many of which don't yet have finished products to sell. But other companies - including major corporations such as General Electric - have waded into the field, selling their wind turbines and solar panels around the globe.

Revenue in the wind power industry alone jumped 68 percent in 2007 to reach $30.1 billion as new wind farms sprouted across the United States and China. Sales of ethanol and biodiesel, together, grew about 24 percent to hit $25.4 billion. Solar photovoltaic sales grew 30 percent, totaling $20.3 billion.

As imposing as those figures might seem, they're small by the standards of the traditional energy business, especially when individual oil companies report annual sales greater than $100 billion. But for green tech, the increasing revenues suggest that the young industry is gaining traction.

"Clean energy has moved from the margins to the mainstream, and the proof is in these numbers," said Ron Pernick, co-founder of Clean Edge. The firm, based in San Francisco and Portland, Ore., provides research to businesses and investors looking to profit from the green tech industry.

Alternative energy companies are riding a wave of interest started by the rise in the price of oil, which has more than tripled in five years. Their fortunes also have been buoyed by concern about global warming, which most scientists blame on the carbon dioxide that comes from burning fossil fuels. Investors have been pumping money into alternative energy companies, many of them based in the Bay Area.

With oil setting yet another all-time price record Tuesday - topping $108 per barrel - the report's authors expect alternative energy's rapid growth to continue. Clean Edge projects that the industry's annual, global revenues will hit $254.5 billion by 2017, while the industry will continue to soak up venture capital investments.

"As the price of oil goes up, up and up, that obviously makes investments in clean energy alternatives more attractive to investors of all shapes and sizes," said Clint Wilder, one of the report's authors.

And yet, alternative energy revenue remains a small piece of the world's overall energy market.

For a sense of scale, look no further than the oil industry, which many alternative energy enthusiasts would love to replace. Exxon Mobil, the world's largest international oil company, reported $404.5 billion in sales last year - more than five times the entire alternative energy industry combined. And that's just one company.

Alternative energy revenue "is a tiny fraction of what we spend on oil," said James Sweeney, an energy economist with Stanford University. "And that's not counting what we spend on natural gas and coal."

But that disparity is one of the reasons entrepreneurs and investors are delving into alternative energy. They see room to grow.

"People see these market niches available, and they're still niches, but niches have this wonderful way of growing over time," Sweeney said.

Just how much they'll grow is difficult to predict.

A lot will depend on federal policies concerning energy and climate change. The Clean Edge report's authors warned that if Congress doesn't renew tax credits used by renewable energy developers, companies that specialize in solar and wind power will be hard hit. The House has approved an extension, but the Senate so far has not.

"If these credits are not extended by the time they expire at the end of this year, we could see the growth of solar and wind come to a standstill in the U.S.," Pernick said.

All three leading presidential contenders have called for limiting carbon dioxide emissions and letting companies buy and sell credits to emit the gas. That kind of cap-and-trade system would increase the cost of energy derived from fossil fuels and make alternative energy sources more attractive.

"What that will do to the economics of all these companies is it will make them all much more competitive," said Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund advocacy group and author of a new book on the alternative energy business, "Earth: The Sequel." Krupp was not involved in the Clean Edge study.

"I would predict that the revenue growth is going to continue to explode," he said.

The report also included a list of alternative energy trends to watch in 2008:

-- Interest in the next generation of electric vehicles will continue to grow, driven in large part by innovations from small companies, not the major automakers.

-- Geothermal power, which uses the Earth's heat to generate electricity, will continue its recent renaissance, particularly in the western United States.

-- And foreign companies will become an increasing presence in the American wind power industry, building wind farms and manufacturing plants in the United States.

E-mail David R. Baker at dbaker@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/12/MNVBVHVSN.DTL

This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

DOE To Fund New University Research Efforts

clipped from www.aer-online.com The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced plans to invest up to $13.7 million over three years (fiscal years 2008 - 2010) in 11 university-led projects that will focus on developing advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) technology manufacturing processes and products. "These projects will not only bolster innovation in photovoltaic technology, but they will help meet the president's goal of making clean and renewable solar power commercially viable by 2015." The schools chosen for DOE funds are Arizona State University, California Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, North Carolina State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Delaware Institute of Energy Conversion, University of Florida and University of Toledo. (The University of Delaware and University of Toledo each have two separate projects to be backed by DOE funding.)

Secon Develops New Production Technology For Photovoltaic Cells

clipped from www.solarindustrymag.com Austria-based Secon says it is now offering dry chemical plasma-etch equipment for photovoltaic cell production that helps yield more power per cell, boost production volumes and minimize silicon usage Textured multicrystalline material, either cut from ingots or in the form of thin substrates pulled out of silicon melt, yields better absorption of light due to reduced reflectivity caused by uniform texturing (surface roughness) the lack of mechanical stress in production steps yields better use of material due to a drastic reduction of wafer breakage, and the processing of very thin products preserves silicon The equipment is also designed to operate in an environmentally friendly manner There is no need for acids and hydroxides, which eliminates difficult and expensive disposal methods and does not result in negative greenhouse effects, as in wet chemical production

Mass transit use hits 50-year high on pump prices

clipped from www.reuters.com The number of Americans hopping buses and grabbing subway straps has climbed to the highest level in half a century as soaring gasoline costs push more commuters to take mass transit. Mass transit use increased by more than 2 percent in 2007 to the highest level in 50 years, with Americans taking more than 10 billion trips on public transport while the number of vehicle miles traveled was flat in the first 10 months of the year.

Where is Iraq's oil money going?

clipped from www.cnn.com Two senators are asking congressional investigators to look at Iraq's oil revenues and see if the war-ravaged nation can pay for its own reconstruction, an effort that has been bankrolled to this point mostly by U.S. taxpayers. Government Accountability Office that Iraq has "tremendous resources" in banks worldwide but is doing little to improve security and reconstruction efforts. We believe that it has been overwhelmingly U.S. taxpayer money that has funded Iraq reconstruction over the last five years, despite Iraq earning billions of dollars in oil revenue Using numbers from the U.S. State Department and Iraqi Oil Ministry, the senators said Iraq hopes to produce 2.2 million barrels of oil a day this year. Weekly averages suggest that the number has climbed as high as 2.51 million barrels a day. That kind of oil production could earn Iraq a projected $56.4 billion this year we believe that Iraq will accrue at least $100.0 billion in oil revenues in 2007 and 2008

Spray-on solar cells being developed

clipped from icwales.icnetwork.co.uk PAINT that could generate as much electricity as 50 wind farms is being developed by Welsh scientists. Materials experts at Swansea University are working alongside steel giant Corus on developing a method of spraying solar cells onto steel used for cladding buildings. If the work is a success it could lead to houses and offices becoming giant solar energy converters powering their own lighting, heating, televisions and computers. And if the material was sprayed onto car and lorry roofs they could eventually use solar power to split hydrogen from water. That would allow vehicles to be powered by hydrogen fuel cells at no cost to the environment. Unlike conventional solar cells, the materials being developed at Swansea University are more efficient at capturing low light radiation, meaning they are better suited to the British climate.

Global Solar brings cheaper solar a step closer

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clipped from www.azbiz.com After 11 years of testing and trying - and not making money - startup Global Solar Energy says it has refined its thin-film flexible photovoltaic cell to the point it says it can produce solar panels at one-third to one-half the cost of the current industry standard. "We’re sold out for the next year at a price that ensures we’re profitable," said Mike Gering, president and CEO of Global Solar. "There’s a big difference between production and the laboratory. We’re in production. We can replicate this time after time." Global Solar is already known for its thin, flexible photovoltaic cells, used by the U.S. Army in its portable solar field battery chargers. The older portable product worked just fine, but it didn’t have the durability or efficiency needed for rooftop applications.

Solar Heating

clipped from www1.eere.energy.gov Solar heating harnesses the power of the sun to provide solar thermal energy for solar hot water, solar space heating, and solar pool heaters. A solar heating system saves energy, reduces utility costs, and produces clean energy. To help more Americans benefit from these systems, the U.S. Energy Policy Act implemented a 30% tax credit for consumers who install solar water heating systems. In this Web site you can learn more about the following topics: The different solar heating systems Solar heating in use How DOE is supporting solar heating research How consumers can use solar heating technologies such as solar water heaters and solar pool heaters How industry can apply solar heating technologies To be eligible for this tax credit, the systems must be certified by the Department of Energy's non-profit partner, the Solar Rating & Certification Corporation (SRCC). Alternatively, residents of Florida and Hawaii can use their state certification programs.

Photovoltaics

clipped from www1.eere.energy.gov The U.S. Department of Energy works to provide clean, reliable, affordable solar electricity for the nation through its research programs in photovoltaic (PV) energy systems. The following pages explain the "how's" and "why's" of PV. Whether you are a student, builder, consumer, engineer, or researcher, there is something here for you. Our goal is to ensure that photovoltaic energy systems make an important contribution to the energy needs of our nation and the world. In these pages, you will learn about DOE's R&D in photovoltaic energy systems, and much more. You will also find out— How PV works Why PV is important How and why PV is used How DOE is supporting research of solar energy How you, the consumer, can use PV and other solar energy technologies How builders can incorporate solar into their building plans How students, educators, and trainers can learn more about PV

OPEC: It's Not Our Fault!

clipped from www.forbes.com The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Counties decided to keep production on hold Wednesday, a widely-expected move that did little to dispel worries over the current record price of crude oil. OPEC repeated its mantra that the market was "well-supplied" on Wednesday, arguing that an economic slowdown in the United States and the wider financial crisis would scale back demand in 2008. The cartel's next scheduled meeting is in September, which suggests that it does not see any urgent need to change the supply-demand balance--despite the fact that oil is currently trading at $100 a barrel. "If the prices are high, they are definitely not due to a lack of crude," said Dr. Chekib Khelil, Algerian oil minister and president of OPEC The cartel accounts for some 40% of global oil production, and although its announcements do give some direction for the market, the current uncertainty has left the 15 members rather reluctant to act. (See "OPEC Could Be Powerless To Cool Crude")

Dethroning King Coal

clipped from blogs.wsj.com Another one bites the coal dust. As we noted last week, it isn’t just climate-change worries or regulatory uncertainty that is sinking Big Coal: It’s current costs. The latest project to fall by the wayside? Missouri’s Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. pulled the plug yesterday on a 660-megawatt coal-fired plant. When the project was started in early 2005, its total price tag was estimated at around $1 billion. But skyrocketing construction and engineering costs, as well as rail transport and new transmission capacity, pushed the total price to around $2 billion, AECI says. The cancellation won plaudits from environmental groups like the Sierra Club, which had been campaigning against new coal-fired capacity. But it’s economics, as much as—if not more than–environmentalism, that’s helping to shift investment away from coal. Big banks are getting colder feet when it comes to coal financing Missouri’s first three wind farms defective Suzlon turbines

Gored: Why Skeptics Need Al

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clipped from blogs.wsj.com The striking thing about the “Manhattan Declaration” that ended the Heartland Institute’s global-warming skeptics’ conference this week wasn’t its rejection of man-made global warming or the host of alternative scientific theories. No — the first recommendation the group made after days filled with scores of presentations and films was to take a shot at the Nobel prize winners: Now, therefore, we recommend: That world leaders reject the views expressed by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as well as popular, but misguided works such as “An Inconvenient Truth.” The Heartland Institute invited several prominent members of the opposite camp, including Mr. Gore and James Hansen, the NASA climate expert. But they threw down a global-warming debate challenge only to Mr. Gore; a similar challenge was issued by Lord Monckton, a former Thatcher adviser. Even Mr. Gore’s old professors come under scrutiny like Dan Quayle’s never have.

Steel forges foundation for cheaper solar power

clipped from www.physorg.com These so-called “nanostructured dye solar cells (DSCs)” are a relatively new family of photovoltaic devices. Their simple manufacturing methods are hoped to lead to lower production costs compared to conventional solar cells. Traditionally, DSCs are deposited on conductively coated glass sheets which accounts for more than 30 percent of the material costs. Preparing DSCs on flexible stainless steel sheets is one way to reduce the costs and also to enhance mass production, according to Kati Miettunen and colleagues at the Helsinki University of Technology. Uncertainties existed, however, over the performance and stability of stainless steel photovoltaics. In the new study, researchers describe construction of DSCs with stainless steel components and tests of the devices’ performance. “It was shown that relatively high efficiencies can be obtained with DSC deposited on stainless steel substrate,” Subsequent work will investigate the durability of the stainless steel components

U.S. Department of Energy Selects Venture Capital Firms to Accelerate Adoption of Advanced Energy Technologies

clipped from www.energy.gov “The Entrepreneur in Residence pilot program provides venture capital-sponsored entrepreneurs with access into three Energy Department’s world-class national labs to accelerate adoption of advanced renewable energy and energy efficient technologies to fundamentally transform how we power this nation,” Assistant Secretary Karsner said.  “In an effort to further the President’s comprehensive strategy to diversify our nation’s energy sources, and reduce emissions, the Department is leveraging private-sector expertise in new ways to capitalize on cutting-edge technologies that are ripe for commercialization.” DOE has selected Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers ARCH Venture Partners Foundation Capital Using their vast business expertise, the selected firms will be permitted to give proven start-up entrepreneurs the opportunity to work directly with laboratory staff for a hands-on look at various, commercially viable technologies.