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Infrastructure Planning Commission will improve renewable energy development in the UK

March 4th, 2010 | Posted in General | Comments (1)

Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) has officially started receiving applications for energy projects having potential to provide about GBP 50 billion worth of international investment in the UK energy sector, resulting in electricity supplies for 22 million UK homes.

The new body has been set up to consider and possibly approve major energy and transport projects in a more efficient manner. Included in the project pipeline are 17 energy schemes that combined could quite easily produce about three quarters of the total energy needs of homes in the UK, as well create a large number of jobs.

The total amount of capacity waiting for consideration by the IPC is about 22 GW, a large portion of which is to come from renewable energy sources.

The IPC is a new development consent process for large scale projects like wind farms, power stations and major roads. Eight former planning systems have been combined into one process, reducing the time needed to reach a decision about a project from seven years, to only one year. This represents about GBP 300 millio annually in savings for the country.

With no more "red tape" obstacles, the UK is poised to progress along its path to achieving reductions in carbon emissions, and reach the renewable goal by 2020.

Some of the renewable energy projects to be considered by the IPC in the first wave of projects are two wind farms and a biomass power plant – Atlantic Array wind farm project (RWE npower, in the Bristol channel), Irish Sea offshore wind farm (Airtricity, in Ceredigion, Wales) and Blyth biomass power plant (RES New Ventures, in Northumberland).

The IPC is currently appointing more staff to ensure it has all the resources necessary to start work.

[source: UK Infrastructure Planning Commission]

Australian RET revised, wind energy market expected to grow

March 1st, 2010 | Posted in General Wind | No Comments

The Australian government has recently introduced reforms into the country's legislation to support the newly set renewable energy target (RET) of 20% renewable energy by 2020.

The new reforms make a distinction between small scale solar PV and solar water heating technologies and large scale renewable energy projects. It is these large scale RE projects that are expected to allow the country to reach the set renewable energy goal set for 2020.

One of the major global renewable energy companies, Vestas, expressed great content over the Australian government's announcement about the reforms, stating the changes will give investors confidence to invest into the Australian renewable energy sector, emphasizing large wind energy projects, being first and foremost a wind energy development company.

The revised legislation is not yer in effect, as it needs to appear before the Australian parliament in winter (June/July). Vestas is working with the Australian government on the details of the revised legislation, hoping to achieve a start of major wind energy developments in Australia during 2010.

Other renewable energy developments in Australia include geothermal and solar energy. The country also has significant marine energy resources as well, and with the development of this renewable energy sector, we may be seeing marine energy harvesting technology installed in Australia soon.

[image: Cristina Archer (Stanford University)]

Iberdrola planning to invest EUR 9 billion into renewables from 2010-2012

February 25th, 2010 | Posted in General Hydro Wind | Comments (3)

Iberdrola has announced a strategic investment plan involving some EUR 18 billion in total to be invested over the period of two years, from 2010 to 2012. Of the total amount, EUR 9 billion is planned for renewable energy, while the the other half of the investment funding is to be used for networks (EUR 6.3 billion) and generation and supply (EUR 2.7 billion).

Broken down according to markets, the US market will receive about EUR 7 billion (39%), the UK market about EUR 4.5 billion (25%), Spain EUR 4.3 billion (24%), while Latin America and other markets will get about EUR 2.2 billion (12%).

Along with investment plans, the company plans to diversify further internationally. Iberdrola sees the investment plan as means to face the future with optimism, while at the same time offering a "valid option for driving economic growth and recovery".

The company's current strategic areas of focus are strengthening its position in the Atlantic Area (US, UK, Brazil), creating foundations for future growth in these areas. For example, Iberdrola has been awarded a development zone as part of Round 3 offshore development in the UK, one of the biggest ones, which will bring about 7.2 GW of new capacity to the company's portfolio. In the US, the company is taking advantage of the formidable development climate created by the US government, with more than 23.5 GW of capacity lined up for development. Along with wind energy projects, Iberdrola is also involved in major hydropower development around the world. In Spain alone, about 1 GW of hydropower capacity will come online by 2012, and in Brazil the company is also developing 1 GW of hydropower capacity through a dozen power station projects.

[source: Iberdrola]

Gamesa and FEDIT launched new initiative for assessing most innovative sustainable projects

February 17th, 2010 | Posted in General | No Comments

Gamesa and the Spanish Federation of Technology Centers (FEDIT) have jointly launched an initiative that will allow Gamesa to assess the most innovative sustainable technology projects in the energy market. The initiative is hoped to return results between February and March this year.

The acitivities will be done as collaborative efforts between companies and researchers. Almost seventy Technology Centers, part of FEDIT, were called upon to participate and submit projects related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, mobility and waste to energy technology.

Gamesa will analyze the submitted projects later on, and assess which of the projects show the most promise. Selected projects will be developed further by their technology centers, with the help of Gamesa.

The company says this is the first time bets have been placed on the Spanish innovation capabilities, to produce innovative technologies for future development of the industry.

Participating technology centers will send FEDIT as many initiatives as they deem suitable, with emphasis on those aimed at for further development. The centers will also send market size estimates, the competitive edge the technologies would bring to companies, as well as business models to be developed for the solutions or products reach the market.

[source: Gamesa]

Gazprom director criticizes UK wind farm plans, recommends more gas-fired power plants

February 11th, 2010 | Posted in General | No Comments

Alexander Medvedev

According to Gazprom's director general of export, Alexander Medvedev, UK's wind farm plans are "irrational", adding the country would be better off developing more gas-fired power plants, which are environmentally acceptable, and are a more feasible and economically viable solution for cleaner energy.

In his statement, he pointed out that the UK should be more "pragmatic" in its approach to achieving greenhouse emission targets set for 2020. If the UK doesn't include sources like gas, it will be very hard for the country to achieve 30% renewable energy generation by 2020. He believes gas should be treated equally to renewable energy source such as wind, solar, marine or biomass energy.

Gas-fired power plants are known to have a reduced carbon emissions profile by as much as 50% compared to conventional fossil fuel power plants. Many oil companies have turned towards developing gas-fired power plants using biofuel derived from biomass resources. There is an overall shift towards gas in the formerly oil-oriented energy industry, as an alternative that is environmentally more acceptable, and possibly more viable given the newly set energy development trends.

Medvedev further revealed Gazprom has entered into long term supply contracts with energy companies from Germany and Italy, according to the Guardian. With the reduced gas prices, the companies are now purchasing fixed amounts of gas over a period of several years.

On the other hand, relying too much on gas as a source of energy, means relying on supplies from Russia, the world's largest gas producer, and the main supplier of gas to Western Europe. When politics enter the arena, it becomes more clear that renewable energy will definitely be pursued further, mainly to provide a more independent position for Western European countries, at least until the Nabucco gas supply pipeline gets built, or rather if it gets built.

[image: Gazprom]

China plans to open a national renewable energy center

February 11th, 2010 | Posted in General | No Comments

According to the China Daily, the world's fastest growing economy plans to set up a national renewable energy center to enhance the country's clean energy development.

The center, still at a preliminary planning stage, would be responsible for policymaking, key projects, program management, market operations and international coordination. China wants renewable energy sources to make up 15% of total power generation by 2020. As a reference, it's worth pointing that renewable energy consumption accounted for 8.3% of the China's total in 2009.

[Via: Reuters]

Renewable energy getting USD 2.36 billion support in fiscal 2011

February 4th, 2010 | Posted in General | No Comments

obama-2011budgetaddress The US president announced USD 28.4 billion as the budget for the DoE in fiscal year 2011. Of that total amount, USD 2.36 billion has been allocated for DoE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Some of the goals of the proposed budget are to reduce energy use, boost renewable energy sources and further strengthen clean energy research as part of the overall effort to move the US economy to a clean energy economy. The given amounts represent a 5% increase over financing for renewable energy allocated for 2010. This excludes the funds coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The new budget brings increases for numerous EERE programs – 53% increase for wind, 25% increase for geothermal and 22% increase for solar energy. DoE's NREL is also supposed to receive USD 50 million under the new budget proposal.

An additional result of the newly proposed budget for 2011 is the sum of USD 500 million for supporting an estimated USD 3-5 billion in loan guarantees for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Some funding has also been allocate for improvements on the energy transmission system in the country. Another USD 107 million is planned for supporting three energy innovation hubs – fuels produced from sunlight directly, energy efficient building systems and creating a virtual model of an operating nuclear reactor.

The new budget proposal has been "shipped" to Congress, awaiting scrutiny and discussions.

[source: US DoE, image: Pete Souza, White House]

EDP Renováveis will sell green certificates in Poland through a long-term agreement

January 28th, 2010 | Posted in General | No Comments

green-tree EDP Renováveis has signed a long-term sale agreement for green certificates in Poland. For the next fifteen years, the company is to sell certificates to ENERGA – OBROT SA, which derive from the EDP's 120 MW Margonin wind farm, located in Poland. This agreement creates an opportunity for EDPR to tap another income resource from its operations in this country.

Energa, on the other hand has plans to develop its own ecological energy sources, but it is interested in pursuing other means of collaboratioin with companies such as EDP Renováveis, in order to bring more clean energy into its portfolio.

[source: EDP Renováveis]

Turbine City – a vision for the future of energy tourism

January 28th, 2010 | Posted in General Wind | No Comments

Energy tourism? Yes, I made that up, but considering that some companies have taken their endeavors involving large wind energy project development further by making them tourist attractions, it is only a matter of time until this happens on a larger scale. Scotland already has the Whitelee wind farm which provides organized tours for visitors, showing the facility, the technology, the process of making electricity from wind. I can see why this may be interesting from a tourist's perspective – it's not every day you can see a 120 meter tall turbine spinning right in front of you!

turbine-city-1

A new idea has emerged from one of the world's most windy places – Norway. on office has put forth an idea of making an offshore wind farm / hotel resort which would basically be a floating city with wind turbines installed all around. The wind turbines would generate electricity to power the entire needs of the facility, while housing accommodation for tourists. Since Norway's coastline near Stavanger is the windiest place in Norway, with very large wind energy potential. This form of energy has not been exploited in Norway very much, as opposed to fossil fuels and hydropower (another abundant energy resource in the country). Making wind turbines a tourist attraction is what is behind the Turbine City concept. Stavanger is known as the oil capital of the country, so bringing in this kind of attention would help the area build a more "sustainable" image.

UK and UAE invest 1 million GBP in renewable energy policy research

January 21st, 2010 | Posted in General | No Comments

UK - Department of Energy and Climate Change

UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the United Arab Emirates announced 1 million GBP of joint funding for renewable energy policy research.

The research will support the work of the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA) to advise nations on putting renewable energy legislation in place.

Additionally, DECC and UAE-based Masdar Institute are also launching a partnership made up of government bodies and private sector companies to be directed and hosted by the Masdar Institute. This partnership will develop, support and guide small businesses as they look to deploy low carbon energy sources on a massive scale. London-based sustainable financiers Earth Capital Partners have estimated a potential investment opportunity for the private sector of up to 2 billion GBP.

The Provost of the Masdar Institute, Dr John Perkins, said, "…A key part of our mission is to help translate ideas to the market and working with SMEs from the UK and the UAE to grow and be successful is essential in establishing a thriving renewable energy sector in both our countries. I look forward to seeing the fruits of the partnership at the European Future Energy Forum in London in October."

[source: DECC]