February 8th, 2010 | Posted in
Biomass | No Comments
Signing the contracts, Dave Raybould (Aker Solutions), Peter Sharman (RWE), Dave Ley (Aker Solutions), Lennart Ohlsson (Metso), Martin Lenkens (RWE) and Kari Remes (Metso)
Last week RWE signed what a "milestone" contract with Finnish Metso and Norwegian Aker Solutions who have been selected to be the main contractors for moving on the project for a state-of-the-art biomass plant in the UK, which we covered back in September last year. Metso is going to provide the facility's main biomass boiler, while Aker Solutions will provide construction project management, support services and procurement of some of the plant equipment.
The power plant, to be built at Markinch in Fife (Scotland), is a GBP 200 million project and will be a biomass combined heat and power plant. RWE npower renewables, RWE's renewable energy arm, is working with paper producer Tullis Russell for supplying the manufacturer with steam and electricity from the biomass plant. This will be the biggest biomass facility of its kind in Scotland, with 50 MW of installed capacity, and will replace the existing coal-fired power plant used at Tullis Russell.
This is so far the largest investment in a biomass project for RWE, but there are plans for another biomass power plant with 65 MW of capacity in Lincolnshire. The company has plans for further biomass facility development across Europe, about 390 MW of biomass capacity, by 2013.
All three companies have expressed satisfaction with the signing of this contract. The Markinch biomass facility is now on its way towards a planned completion sometime in 2012.
[source: RWE]
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February 7th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
The London Array development consortium, made up of companies E.ON, DONG Energy and Masdar, has signed the final major installation contract with MPI and A2SEA, who have been chosen to supply marine crewe and vessels for the installation of foundations and wind turbines for the first phase of the London Array project, which is to total 630 MW of installed capacity.
MPI will provide the consortium with its vessel – the MPI Adventure – which is currently being built at a shipyard in China. The special purpose vessel is going to have the capability to transport, lift and install more wind turbines, along with their foundations than vessels currently in operation. The vessel is expected to be completed and delivered in April 2011. Additionally, MPI will also provide the Sea Worker, a jack-up barge which is expected to be available on the construction site from March 2011.
The London Array project phase one can now move forward. Once complete the London Array wind farm will be one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world with about 1 GW of installed power generating capacity. The first phase alone will have about 630 MW of installed capacity, featuring 175 wind turbines.
[source: London Array]
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February 7th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
Manulife Financial last week announced it has completed USD 179 million financing with Invenergy Wind North America for the development of a 78 MW wind farm in Ontario, Canada.
In order to provide the fincning, Manulife formed a syndicate providing USD 175 million for construction and term loans, and another USD 4 million as support for the project. Manulife is the lead agent and lender with an investment amount of USD 88 million.
The Raleigh Wind Project is located about 13 km south of Chatham. It will feature 53 GE 1.5xl units with rotors having 82.5 meters in diameter. All clean electricity generated by the wind farm will be sold into the Ontario IESO competitive wholesale market for a period of twenty years.
Manulife Financial has already worked with Invenergy on other projects in the past, in Montana, Colorado and Idaho.
[source: Manulife Financing, image: Invenergy]
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February 6th, 2010 | Posted in
Solar | No Comments
Trina Solar has entered into an agreement with Germany's AE Photonics for 40 MW of PV modules to be delivered during this year. Under the terms of the agreement a total of 20 MW will be shipped during the first half of 2010 with agreed prices for the first quarter. Initial shipments commenced in January 2010.
Commenting on the deal, Trina Solar's Ben Hill said: "We are excited to announce this sales agreement with AE Photonics, a partner that shares our commitment to superior value, and customer satisfaction. This reflects the continued strong demand and representation for our best-in-class solar products in major solar markets worldwide."
[source: Trina Solar]
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February 6th, 2010 | Posted in
Solar | No Comments
CNPV Solar Power has entered into a long-term strategic partnership sales agreement with French project development and distribution company – Delta Sud.
Under the terms the agreement, CNPV will supply Delta Sud with a total of 20M Wp of PV Modules from 2010 to 2012, which includes 2.50 MWp of scheduled delivery during this year. The remaining 7.50 MWp and 10 MWp are scheduled for delivery in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
Commenting on the announcement, CNPV's Mr. Zhang Shunfu and B. Veerraju Chaudary said: "We are very pleased to announce this new strategic partnership with Delta Sud, to further strengthen the existing well established partnership with Delta Sud. Our strategic partnership with Delta Sud is a significant success for us in aligning ourselves with a proven multiregional energy developer with growing opportunities in established and emerging photovoltaic markets. This new contract will significantly help to grow new projects in markets such as the France and Luxembourg solar markets."
[source: CNPV]
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February 6th, 2010 | Posted in
Biomass | No Comments
President Barack Obama announced a series of steps his Administration is taking as part of a strategy to enhance American energy independence while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy.
During a meeting with a bipartisan group of governors from around the country, the President laid out measures that will work in concert to boost biofuels production and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule to implement the long-term renewable fuels standard of 36 billion gallons by 2022 established by Congress. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a rule on the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) that would provide financing to increase the conversion of biomass to bioenergy. The President's Biofuels Interagency Working Group released its first report – Growing America's Fuel.
In addition, President Obama announced a Presidential Memorandum creating an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage to develop a comprehensive and coordinated federal strategy to speed the development and deployment of clean coal technologies. The President calls for five to ten commercial demonstration projects to be up and running by 2016.
President Obama said, "Now, I happen to believe that we should pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill. It will make clean energy the profitable kind of energy, and the decision by other nations to do this is already giving their businesses a leg up on developing clean energy jobs and technologies. But even if you disagree on the threat posed by climate change, investing in clean energy jobs and businesses is still the right thing to do for our economy. Reducing our dependence on foreign oil is still the right thing to do for our security. We can't afford to spin our wheels while the rest of the world speeds ahead."
You can read the full press release, including a background on the announcements from DoE's website. The mentioned Presidential Memorandum is available from here.
[Via: DoE]
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February 6th, 2010 | Posted in
Solar | No Comments
Solar EnerTech has entered into a 15 MW contract with Aussie Solar Installations, a division of Carbon Management Solutions, to distribute the company's solar panel modules in Australia.
Aussie Solar is a prime PV system integrator and over the years, has grown into one of the largest solar power installers in New South Wales, Australia. Since 2009, Aussie Solar has had the exclusive right to distribute Solar EnerTech's solar panels in Australia. Under the contract, Solar EnerTech's total shipment to Aussie Solar amounts to approximately US$26 million, which the company plans to deliver in separate shipments before the end of 2010…
[source: Solar EnerTech]
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February 6th, 2010 | Posted in
Solar | No Comments
The Teanaway Solar Reserve has selected Washington-based, Quanta Services-owned Potelco as an equity partner and contractor for the design and construction of a proposed PV solar project to be located 90 miles east of Seattle. The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which the parties have agreed to negotiate a contract for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the 75 MW solar facility that is expected to be the largest PV solar project in the Pacific Northwest to date. Potelco also intends to provide construction financing for the project. The contract and equity arrangements are subject to final terms and conditions to be negotiated.
In total, project will cost between $300 and $350 million. The construction will take two years, employing 225 people from the local communities during the period…
[source: Teanaway Solar Reserve]
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February 6th, 2010 | Posted in
Solar | No Comments
Recurrent Energy has signed agreements with Southern California Edison, which will buy 100% of power from three of Recurrent Energy's California upcoming solar projects. Under the deal, Recurrent Energy will build and operate two solar power systems located in Kern County (6 MWDC and 22 MWDC) and one in San Bernardino County (22 MWDC). The three plants are sited on private land leased by Recurrent Energy, construction is expected to begin in 2012 and completed in early 2013.
Commenting on the announcement, Recurrent Energy's CEO Arno Harris said: "These projects are a great example of the potential for distributed-scale solar to deliver significant quantities of power on relatively short timeframes. Distributed-scale solar has an important role to play in helping to meet near-term renewable energy goals. This is a clear validation of our approach to developing and marketing solar power in California."
[source: Recurrent Energy]
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February 5th, 2010 | Posted in
Biomass | No Comments
Mitsubishi Corporation and Weyerhaeuser signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the possibilities of collaborating in the biomass-to-energy business.
The two companies are specifically interested in assessing the feasibility of jointly investing in and operating a commercial-scale bio-pellet production facility in the United States by 2011. Depending on the success of the joint feasibility study, more facilities could follow in addition to the initial bio-pellet production facility.
The MoU brings together two industry leaders and leverages the strengths of both companies: Weyerhaeuser's capacity to produce renewable biomass at scale from its sustainably managed forests and Mitsubishi Corporation's worldwide network and experience in the energy sector and bio-pellet manufacturing business.
And for the record, the bio-pellets would be produced using wood based biomass from U.S.-sourced sustainably managed forest resources or by-products and sold to utilities and industrial users for energy production.
[source: Mitsubishi Corporation]
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