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Category: Asia

Vestas announces V112-3.0 MW unit for Chinese offshore wind market

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Wind

Vestas is keen on playing a major role in the development of the Chinese offshore wind energy market. The company has introduced a new product aimed at the offshore wind sector in China. The V112-3.0 MW unit is optimized for sea conditions in China, and delivers optimal power output at wind speeds of up to 9.5 m/s.

Having abundant offshore experience, mostly in the European offshore wind energy market, Vestas is extending its reach with proven technology and reliable wind turbines to the Asian market. The Chinese offshore wind market is expected to grow significantly over the next years, as the country turns towards offshore wind as a viable solution for energy supply from renewable energy sources.

[source: Vestas]

Statkraft completes Cakit hydropower plant – its first in Turkey

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Hydro

Statkraft announced the completion of the Cakit hydropower plant in Turkey, the company's first such project in the country. The power plant is ready to delivery the first kWh's of energy to the power grid. Statkraft acquired this and other projects belonging to Yesil Enerji, when it acquired the company about a year ago.

Cakit hydropower plant has 20 MW of installed capacity, and will generate clean electricity for about 32,000 average Turkish homes.

Statkraft is currently involved in three other hydropower projects in Turkey, totalling in about 550 MW of capacity. The total investments for these projects amount to about EUR 600 million. The next hydropower project lined up is the 102 MW Kargi project, in the Black Sea region.

Turkey is a growing renewable energy market. The country's clean energy portfolio includes solar, wind and hydro energy. About 20% of Turkey's power generation capacity comes from hydropower at the moment.

[source: Statkraft]

Scatec Solar & Sanhe Group team up to build 2.5 GW in China

June 7th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

SanSca — a JV between the Norwegian Scatec Solar and Chinese Sanhe Group — signed what they call a historic agreement with Datang Renewable Energy Corporation to build a Green Energy Farm in Taonan, in the province of Jilin, consisting of 100 MW of Wind Power and 5 MW solar PV Power (the latter as a part of China's National Golden Sun Program). The agreement was signed at a ceremony at the EXPO 2010 in Shanghai with the Governor of Jilin and the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry present.

Further to the Jilin-project, the two companies signed an agreement covering the realization of 2500 MW of PV plants in the provinces of Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Ningxia and Sichuan in the period 2011-2016.

Under the agreement Sanhe Group and Scatec Solar will jointly develop the PV projects, while Scatec Solar will be the EPCI partner to design and build the PV plants. The purpose of the first 5 MW PV power generation plant in the Green Energy Farm (expected to be put in production this year) is to demonstrate cost-efficiency, high performance and optimal land use, and to serve as a benchmark for China's plan to build more than 25 GW solar power before 2020.

Also as part of the deal, SanSca entered into an agreement with Norwegian Eltek Valere where Eltek will be the preferred supplier of inverters to these and other PV projects realized by SanSca.

[source: Scatec Solar]

ITOCHU and GE in agreement over renewable energy investment and collaboration

June 4th, 2010 | Posted in General Wind

ITOCHU Corporation (Tokyo, Japan) and General Electric have entered into a collaboration and cooperation agreement to explore worldwide renewable energy investment opportunities. Under this agreement, GE Financial Services, ITOCHU International and Tyr Energy (hodling company of ITOCHU), are in discussions over co-investing in wind power, particularly the Keenan II wind power project (in Oklahoma, with 152 MW capacity), and another wind energy project, also in the US.

ITOCHU and GE have a history of collaboration, mostly through Tyr Energy.

[source: ITOCHU]

Apollo Solar Energy signs a deal to build solar power stations in China

May 31st, 2010 | Posted in Solar

Apollo Solar Energy has entered into a non-binding collaboration agreement with China Energy Conservation Solar Energy Technologies to build scaled thin-film solar energy power stations.

According to the deal, both parties anticipate working jointly in three ways:

First, Apollo Solar intends to provide CECS with thin film solar panels, upon request, on a long-term basis, which panels the parties intend to use in the construction of thin scaled film solar power stations and photovoltaic grid-connected systems;
Second, the parties intend to work jointly to construct thin scaled film solar energy power stations; and
Third, CECS intends to acquire the thin film solar energy power stations that may be built independently by Apollo Solar through its separate financing and technology.

[source: Apollo Solar Energy]

Boeing and PetroChina to collaborate on establishing sustainable aviation biofuel industry in China

May 28th, 2010 | Posted in Biomass

Boeing and PetroChina signed an agreement to develop a sustainable aviation biofuel industry in China. This will be the first such industry initiative in the country, and will provide a comprehensive insight into the environmental and socio-economic benefits of developing a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel based aviation fuel.

The development project will include various fields of research such as agronomy, energy inputs and outputs, emission lifecycle analyses, infrastructure and government support. This project is part of a larget agreement between Chinese and US governments on collaboration in promotion of commercialization of aviation biofuels in China through the US-China Energy Cooperation Program, which is a public-private partnership. Several research institutions and aviation supply chain entities will be included in research on algae-based aviation fuel production. Various forms of joint-venture activities will be exercised covering a wide range of activities, from algae based fuel production to commercial applications of developed technologies. Biomass production resources from China will be used for this purpose.

Boeing is involved in aviation biofuel research around the world, in an effort to reduce aviation's dependence on fossil fuels, but also for the purpose of reducing this industry's carbon footprint.

[source: Boeing]

Tibetan river holds 38 GW of hydropower potential, but dams probably won't be built

May 28th, 2010 | Posted in Hydro

Scenery from the Great Bend on the Tsangpo River, where it turns towards India to become Brahmaputra.

The Guardian caused quite a stir with its report on China's plans to construct the biggest hydropower project in the world in the Tibetan region on the Tsangpo River (known as Brahmaputra later on on its flow path through India and further). Chinese scientists and engineers have made assessments and estimations which resulted in the possibility of some 38 Gw of hydropower potential that could be harnessed for electricity production. This would require building a huge dam in the Tibetan part of the river flow. sounds pretty straight forward, except for the issue with significant disruption of downward river flow in India and Bangladesh which both use the river for water supply and power generation. Chinese academicians have however stated that the project would cause very little if any river flow problems for the two countries.

Construction begins on 200 MW Kawai wind farm in Inner Mongolia, China

May 24th, 2010 | Posted in Wind

China Huadian New Energy Development Company (CHNED) announced the start of construction activities at the 200 MW Huadian Kawai wind farm in Inner Mongolia, China. The foundation for the first wind turbines has been constructed, marking an important milestone for the project.

The Huadian Kawai wind farm is part of the government's plan to install 1 GW of wind power generating capacity in the region during 2010. The construction of the wind farm will require additional civil works such and will engage the Chinese wind turbine industry sector.

The company has organized a preliminary design review prior to construction start to ensure standards in project design and management, as well as safety, have been met. During this activity, several improvements were made, which resulted in overall project cost reduction and optimization.

[source: CHNED (in Chinese)]

India considering mandatory solar power back-up for cellular base stations

May 23rd, 2010 | Posted in General Solar

The Indian government is considering introducing a mandatory regulation that would require mobile network operators to use solar power as a back-up power supply system. Most remote base stations in areas away from the power grid use diesel generators, but there is an overwhelming initiative to replace these generators with more environment friendly solar solutions.

The proposal is being finalized by the renewable energy ministry, and will sent to the cabinet soon. The strategy to switch to renewable energy as a power source for base stations has its risks – mostly due to the fact that upfront costs of this kind of power supply technology put more financial pressure on mobile network operators. This could negativelly impact the expansion of networks in rural areas, where back-up power supply is more important for network operations reliability.

The government is not thinking about offering subsidies, but will most probably offer some kind of soft loan program to come from the Indian Renewable Energy Developmet Agency.

Some Indian developers, such as Vihaan Networks, have come up with ready-to-use solutions for powering remote base stations with solar power.

[via: Cellular News, image: VNL]

First Solar is part of the U.S. Clean Energy Trade Mission in China

May 22nd, 2010 | Posted in Solar

First Solar is participating as one of 24 businesses on a cabinet-level Clean Energy Trade Mission led by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke that has arrived in Beijing.

The delegation is travelling throughout China through May 21 to explore opportunities to meet China's growing demand for clean energy through leading energy technologies and solutions. First Solar President Bruce Sohn is participating in the trade mission along with 45 other business executives.

And for the record, First Solar has already signed an agreement with the Ordos City Government to develop the world's largest solar power plant in Inner Mongolia.

[source: First Solar]