Category: North America


E.ON expands US wind portfolio with Stony Creek wind farm

November 23rd, 2009 | Posted in Wind | No Comments

vis_header_windE.ON has successfully completed and opened the Stony Creek wind farm, its latest wind energy project in the US, in Western Pennsylvania. This is the fifth project this year which brings the company's installed capacity in the US to 1700 MW.

Stony Creek wind farm has been constructed at the site of a former surface mine. The mine area has now been put to use by installing 35 GE wind turbines, with a total of about 53 MW of installed capacity. This is enough to supply some 16,000 average homes in the area with clean electricity.

[source: E.ON ; image: E.ON]


DOE and USDA select biomass R&D projects for more than $24 million grants

November 21st, 2009 | Posted in Biomass | No Comments

U.S. Department of Energy logo

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy announced projects selected for more than $24 million in grants to research and develop technologies to produce biofuels, bioenergy and high-value biobased products. Of the $24.4 million, DOE plans to invest up to $4.9 million with USDA contributing up to $19.5 million.

Keep reading to get the full list of projects selected for award. (after the jump)

more »

Suntech to open manufacturing plant in the Greater Phoenix Arizona

November 21st, 2009 | Posted in Solar | No Comments

Suntech logo

Suntech unveiled the location of its first U.S. manufacturing plant in the U.S. The company will establish a manufacturing facility in the Greater Phoenix Arizona area, and plans the initial capacity to be 30 MW, with production set to begin in 2010.

Suntech will be the first Chinese cleantech leader to bring jobs in manufacturing to America. The Greater Phoenix area was chosen for the location of the plant because of the advanced research in solar technology done by Arizona State University, along with the state's renewable energy policies, like the Renewable Energy Standard and distributed generation set-aside. The Greater Phoenix Economic Council has also shown a supportive local business climate. Over 75 full-time employees will be employed by the plant, and after the launch of the project, its staff may be doubled with the development of the North American market.

The construction of the plant in the vicinity of Suntech's U.S. customers will ensure that costs are lower and that emissions are reduced in terms of the shipping of Suntech panels.

[source: Suntech]

REpower gets supply contract with Heritage for more than 18 MW of wind power

November 21st, 2009 | Posted in Wind | No Comments
MM92 2.0 MW (Image: REpower)

MM92 2.0 MW (Image: REpower)

REpower and Heritage LLC signed a supply contract for more than 18 MW of wind energy to be supplied from a wind farm in Michigan. REpower is to supply nine of its 2 MW class MM92 wind turbines, totalling in 18.45 MW of power output. The turbines are to be installed at the Stoney Corners II wind farm, near McBain, Michigan. It is expected the nine units will be installed by Q3 2010. There is an option in the contract which allows for the supply of a further ten MM92 units by September 2010.

The turbines installed at Stoney Corners II wind farm will reach 100 meters in height. REpower's previour wind projects in the United States had turbines reaching only to about 80 meters in hub height.

Stoney Corners II is the second project resulting from cooperation between REpower and Heritage Sustainable Energy. Heritage is planning to invest in the development of a further 400-500 MW of wind capacity in the next few years.

[source: REpower]

EDP Renewables planning to invest USD 4 billion in wind energy in the United States

November 21st, 2009 | Posted in Wind | No Comments

billions-of-dollarsEDP Renewables, and it's company in the US – Horizon Wind, are planning to invest uSD 4 billion in wind farms in the United States over the next 3 years. An investment of this magnitude is expected to create thousands of new jobs in development, construction and operations. Equipment to be installed in the new wind farms is to be manufactured and assembled in the US as well, thus bringing even more business to the US wind energy sector.

The company has already installed about 800 MW during 2009, representing more than USD 1.5 billion in investments, and the plan is to build even further upon this achievement.

EDP Renewables has positively commented on the US Government's obvious commitment towards developing renewable energy in the country. Numerous grants and programs have been introduced, helping renewable energy developers execute projects that will bring benefits to the country. Horizon Wind has received funding for wind projects from the 1603 Plan, part of the US Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Horizon Wind is planning to dedicate the first phase of the Meadow Lake wind farm in Indiana – a 199.65 MW project, representing an investment of more than USD 400 million. The second phase of this project is already in construction since September this year, which was accelerated with funding received from 1603 for a previous project.

[source: Horizon Wind]

Cannon Power Group mandates Deutsche Bank for financing its Windy Point/Wind Flats project

November 21st, 2009 | Posted in Wind | No Comments

Cannon Power Group (San Diego, California) has mandated Deutsche Bank's Trust & Securities Services, which is part of the bank's Global Transaction Banking division, to act as the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent for the USD 652 million project financing for Cannon Group's Windy Point/Wind Flats project. The wind farm is currently under construction in Washington State, on the Columbia River. Construction of Windy Point started earlier this year.

Paysage from the Windy Point/Windy Flats wind farm site. (Image: Cannon Power Group)

Paysage from the Windy Point/Windy Flats wind farm site. (Image: Cannon Power Group)

Upon completion of construction work, Wind Point/Wind Flats wind farm will have 500 MW of installed capacity, making it one of the largest on-shore wind farms in North America. It will be able to generate clean electricity for about 250,000 average households in the region.

Deutsche Bank is prociding a comprehensive Administrative Agent service, a very much needed service in order to manage such a large and complex project. In order to help the smooth closing of the transaction, the Deutsche Bank established a USD 150 million escrow account for the project and provided two letters of credit.

[source: Duetsche Bank]

Iberdrola Renovables signs a 20-year power supply agreement with Modesto Irrigation District

November 19th, 2009 | Posted in Wind | No Comments

iberdrola-wind-turbineIberdrola Renovables and Modesto Irrigation District (MID) signed a power purchase agreement for a period od twenty years. Half the generated power from Iberdrola's Star Point wind farm is to be supplied to MID. Star Point is located in Sherman County in Oregon, and has 99 MW of installed capacity. The wind farm is expected to become commercially operational by the end of 2010.

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) offer companies that operate power generation facilities a long-term stable revenue source, and with this supply deal, Iberdrola has once again strengthened its position in North America. The company already has some 600 MW of installed power in Sherman County alone.

Iberdrola Renovables regards the US wind energy market as one of the most important for its growth. The company is already enjoying mroe than USD 500 million from stimulus grants set up to support development of renewable energies, offered by the US Treasury Department within the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

[source: Iberdrola Renovables]

Remote thermostat regulation using your iPhone or iPod Touch

November 19th, 2009 | Posted in General | Comments (1)

ecobeeSo, you've installed wind generators and solar cells at your place of residence, but you are not home all the time. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to remotely set and regulate the desired temperature for heating? Now we can using the iPhone or iPod Touch through a newly released app made by ecobee.

ecobee Smart Thermostat users can remotely adjust the thermostat's temperature, schedule or update vacation events, change the system and fan operating settings and receive any alerts about the status of the system. The app actually converts the iPhone or iPod screen into the ecobee Smart Thermostat interface.

ecobee emphasizes that app users can now easily conserve energy without sacrificing comfort. The application itself is a result of collaboration with Five Mobile app developers, a firm specialized in content development for smartphones. For all who are interested, the Smart Thermostat app for iPhone or iPod Touch is available on the iTunes Store.

[source: ecobee]

A-Power Energy and US Renewable Energy Group planning to build wind turbine manufacturing and assembly facility in the US

November 18th, 2009 | Posted in Wind | No Comments

US_REG-turbines

A-Power Energy Generation Systems and the US Renewable Energy Group have signed a cooperation agreement under which both parties will commit to the construction of a new manufacturing and assembly facility in the United States. Once completed, the new plant will supply highly advanced wind energy industry products to the North and South American wind energy markets. The location of the new plant has not been disclosed.

The new plant, touted to be a state-of-the-art facility, will have about 320,000 square feet in area, and will be able to produce 1.1 GW of wind turbines annually. This production output is equivalent to clean electricity for about 330,000 average homes. Once operational, the facility is going to be able to employ 1000 American workers, with additional temporary jobs during construction.

Key wind turbine components to be used and assembled into wind turbines at the new plant will be sourced from domestic (US) companies, which will further increase the number of jobs in the country. This is a result of an initiative started back in 2007 by A-Power, which has been chosen by Shenyang Power Group (SPG) recently to build a 600 MW wind farm in Texas. A-Power holds shares in SPG, so the new production plant is a significant step for both companies and their involvement in the US wind market.

[source: US Renewable Energy Group]

Fagen scores the EPC contract for the largest single boiler biomass project in the U.S.

November 17th, 2009 | Posted in Biomass | No Comments

FagenSouthern Power-owned Fagen has won a contract to engineer, procure and construct the Nacogdoches Generating Facility in Sacul, Texas, which is the largest single boiler biomass project in the United States.

The project was acquired from the American Renewables on October 9th by Southern Power, and construction is soon to go ahead, with expected completion date in 2012.

The design engineer for the project, Zachry Engineering Corporation, has been contracted by Fagen to do all site design, balance of plant engineering and design coordination. The prime office for design services will be located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Other partners in the project include Metso Power, Charlotte, N.C.; Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas of Lake Mary, Florida; and Wolf Material Handling Systems of Elk River, Minnesota.

[source: press release]

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