The Energy Blog

PG&E Signs Agreement With Solel for 553 Megawatts of Solar Power

This thermal solar project when completed in 2011 it will be the largest solar project in the world, generating 553 megawatts of power for Pacific Gas & Electric in the Mojave Desert in California. The plant is being built by Israeli company, Solel Solar Systems of Beit Shemes, Israel, a successor company to the people that built the nine thermal solar plants in the Mojave Desert, that have operated over the past 20 years and are currently generating 354 MW of electricity. 

Thermal solar is currently the lowest cost technology for producing solar power and it is good to see a large project like this get the go ahead.

According to their website Solel is building an $800 million 150 MW project in Spain and has recently upgraded a 100 MW project in California for FPL Energy. They have been active in supplying smaller solar power plants and components for them, but this is the first megaproject that they have landed.

Their current technology is more than 20% more efficient than the original design due to improvements in the design of the solar trough and the receiver tube.

Neither Solel or P G & E have revealed any costs for the project but an AP article on PR Inside estimated that The Mojave Solar Park to cost $2 billion. A NYT article said that people close to both companies put the cost of electricity from the plant at slightly more than 10 cents a kilowatt-hour (The Solel website says "the cost of solar thermal produced energy can be close to 12 cents (US) per k/Wh. However, many economists and investors predict that this price will continuously drop over the next ten years with increased installed capacity, to 6 cents per kW/h, as a result of technological improvements, economies of scale and volume production.")

A few paragraphs from the P G & E press release further describe the project:

IBM Entering Solar Cell Business

Neal Dikerman has a comprehensive post in the Cleantech Blog about IBM becoming a player in the solar cell business within the next 18-24 months.  The company has made overtures about solar since 1978, but recently has become more active, obtaining about a dozen patents in the area recently.

According to Neal they are developing both both advanced crystalline technologies and CIGS processes with the potential for very high efficiency multi-junction cells in the foreseeable future.

The advent of Applied Materials and now IBM into this field is a sign that they believe the market for solar cells is becoming quite large and that they believe they can drive the production costs down with their technology improvements and manufacturing expertise. It is probably bad news for many of the small players in this field, who just can't keep up with these industry giants.  It is another sign that consolidation of many of the small companies will be accelerated.

Japan certifies Toyota Plug-in for Use on Public Roads, Toyota Releases Specifications

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced on Wednesday that it has developed a plug-in hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Plug-in HV, and is the first manufacturer to have such a vehicle certified for use on public roads in Japan.

The PHEV is a 5 passenger vehicle with a cruising range of 8 miles (13 km) in the all electric mode with a top speed of 60 mph (100 km/hr).  It is equipped with 2 - 6.5Ah nickel-metal hydride batteries powering a 67hp (50kW)/1,200-1,540 rpm synchronous electric motor with a maximum torque of 400N-m(40.8kg-m) @ 0-1,200rpm.  The 1,496cc gasoline engine has a maximum output of 75 hp (56kW) @ 5,000 rpm and a maximum torque: 110N-m (11.2kg-m) @ 4,000rpm. Maximum output using both the engine and the battery is 134 hp (100 kW).  Charging time for the battery is 1-1.5hrs @ 200V and 3-4hrs @ 100V.

Increased battery capacity gives it a longer electric-motor-only cruising range and a battery-charging device, distinguishes it from previous hybrids and allows users to replenish the batteries using household electricity. These features enable the vehicle to run more often in gasoline-free, electric-only mode, such as on short trips in city driving. The resulting fuel efficiency improvements mean lower CO2 emissions and less fossil fuel consumption and, therefore, less pollution. Also, charging the battery with less-expensive nighttime electricity lowers total running costs, providing an economic benefit to owners.

Hydrogen Powered Hywet Set for Production

According to the Copenhagen Post the first prototype of the Hywet car will roll out of the garage in August, powered by fuel cells running on hydrogen.

The two-passenger Hywet, equiped with a 13 kW electric motor, a stack of high temperature PEM fuelcells and a Lithium Ion-battery; can accelerate surprisingly briskly to a speed of 80 km.

At current prices for hydrogen the Hywet can be fuelled up for US$19.00 (€13.50), making it competitive with conventional gasoline and diesel-powered cars.

The project is the result of a co-operative effort between private companies Heat and Serenergy and Aalborg University, Mariagerfjord Municipality and the Centre for Material and Energy Technology (Cemtec), based in northern Jutland.

The first prototype cost about DKK 1 million, but Mikael Kau of Cemtec predicted production models will go for about US$37,000 (€27,000), about the price of a traditional mid-sized car in Denmark.

Telsa Receives 560 Orders

Tesla Motors has received over 560 reservations out of a planned goal of 800 for the 2008 model.

The Tesla Roadster is a stylish, high-performance, 100% electric sports car, that can accelerate to 60 mph in about 4 seconds and has a range of more than 200 miles on a single charge. They expect to start shipping Roadsters to customers this Fall.

Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine Improves Fuel Economy

MIT researchers have demonstrated how ordinary spark-ignition automobile engines can, under certain driving conditions, move into a spark-free operating mode that is more fuel-efficient and just as clean.

In a "homogeneous charge compression ignition" (HCCI) engine, fuel and air are mixed together and injected into the cylinder. The piston compresses the mixture until spontaneous combustion occurs. The engine thus combines fuel-and-air premixing (as in an SI engine) with spontaneous ignition (as in a diesel engine). The result is the HCCI's distinctive feature: combustion occurs simultaneously at many locations throughout the combustion chamber.

In a gasoline spark-ignition engine (left), combustion begins when a mixture of fuel and air is ignited by the spark plug. In a diesel engine (center), combustion begins when fuel is injected into hot, highly compressed air.  In a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine (right), well-mixed fuel and air are compressed until combustion occurs at multiple points throughout the combustion chamber. Diagram courtesy / MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment

That behavior has advantages. In both SI and diesel engines, the fuel must burn hot to ensure that the flame spreads rapidly through the combustion chamber before a new "charge" enters. In an HCCI engine, there is no need for a quickly spreading flame because combustion occurs throughout the combustion chamber. As a result, combustion temperatures can be lower, so emissions of nitrogen pollutants are negligible. The fuel is spread in low concentrations throughout the cylinder, so the soot emissions from fuel-rich regions in diesels are not present.

Updated World Oil Forecasts

ace has posted a comprehensive article on The Oil Drum that details his  highly documented views on the supply, demand and prices, for total liquids, crude oil and oil discovery rates which paints a rather bleak picture for our liquid supply. 

This figure (click to enlarge) summarizes it all for me.

I know some of you will disagree with this analysis, but I challenge you to document a more optimistic scenario. Please read the whole post if you are interested.

First Ever Citrus Peel to Ethanol Plant

FPL Energy, LLC, a subsidiary of FPL Group (NYSE: FPL), announced on Thursday that it has signed a letter of intent with Citrus Energy, LLC, of Boca Raton, FL, to develop the first ever commercial scale citrus peel to ethanol plant. 

The cellulosic ethanol plant will be owned and operated by FPL Energy and is expected to produce four million gallons of ethanol per year.  It will be located on the grounds of a local Florida citrus processor.

"Citrus Energy's mission is to develop fuel ethanol that minimizes environmental impact and cost by using citrus waste and other biomass.  FPL Energy, as the largest renewable energy generator in the U.S., is the ideal partner," said David Stewart, president of Citrus Energy.

FPL Energy said that ethanol from citrus peel could result in a new Florida industry producing over 60 million gallons of fuel per year, which could replace about one percent of Florida's annual gasoline

Report: Environmental Benefits of Deploying PHEVs

PHEVs Curb Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Potential for Improved Air Quality

Plug-in hybrid cars (PHEVs) could cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 500 million tons a year by 2050 without taxing the electric grid, according to a report issued Thursday by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Among study's key findings were:

• Widespread adoption of PHEVs can reduce GHG emissions from vehicles by more than 450 million metric tons annually in 2050 -- equivalent to removing 82.5 million passenger cars from the road
• There is an abundant supply of electricity for transportation; a 60 percent U.S. market share for PHEVs would use 7 percent to 8 percent of grid-supplied electricity in 2050
• PHEVs can improve nationwide air quality and reduce petroleum consumption by 3 million to 4 million barrels per day in 2050

According to the press release the analysis is the first to combine detailed models of the U.S. electric system and transportation sector with sophisticated atmospheric air quality models -- accounting for the future evolution of both sectors in technological advances, electricity load growth and capacity expansion.

Researchers used detailed models of the U.S. electric and transportation sectors and created a series of scenarios to examine assumed changes in both sectors over the 2010 to 2050 timeframe of the study.

Mascoma to Build Commercial Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Michigan

Massachusetts-based company Mascoma will build a cellulosic ethanol plant in Michigan in its race to be the first in the nation to produce ethanol from wood on a commercial scale. The cellulosic plant will make ethanol mainly from wood chips and other non-food agricultural crops. Because cellulosic ethanol production uses non-food agricultural feedstock, it is critical to producing ethanol on a scale that could substitute for imported oil.

Mascoma Corporation is a low-carbon cellulosic biomass-to-ethanol company with corporate offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a R & D facilities in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Mascoma has developed an enzymatic process. It is continuing to develop advanced technologies in its own laboratory with Professor Lee Lynd at Dartmouth College’s Thayer School of Engineering by licensing “best in class” microorganisms and enzymes, and with other sponsored research around the world. It is also developing demonstration and commercial scale production facilities in several locations.

Mascoma’s R&D is focused on reducing the biologically mediated steps in ethanol production to a single step. Mascoma is developing organisms that will:

• Rapid break down the components of biomass
• Convert a range of sugars and polymers of sugars to ethanol
• Thrive in a manufacturing environment
• Produce ethanol with minimal by-products

NJIT Researchers Develop Inexpensive, Easy Process To Produce Solar Panels

Researchers at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have developed an inexpensive solar cell that can be painted or printed on flexible plastic sheets.

“The process is simple,” said lead researcher and author Somenath Mitra, PhD, professor and acting chair of NJIT’s Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science. “Someday homeowners will even be able to print sheets of these solar cells with inexpensive home-based inkjet printers.”

“We foresee a great deal of interest in our work because solar cells can be inexpensively printed or simply painted on exterior building walls and/or roof tops. Imagine some day driving in your hybrid car with a solar panel painted on the roof, which is producing electricity to drive the engine.  The opportunities are endless,” said Mitra.

The science goes something like this. When sunlight falls on an organic solar cell,  the energy generates positive and negative charges. If the charges can be separated and sent to different electrodes, then a current flows. If not, the energy is wasted. Link cells electronically and the cells form what is called a panel, like the ones currently seen on most rooftops.  The size of both the cell and panels vary.  Cells can range from 1 millimeter to several feet; panels have no size limits.

"Facing the Hard Truths about Energy"

“Accumulating risks to the supply of reliable, affordable energy” require an integrated national strategy, according to a major new report by the National Petroleum Council (NPC).

The 18-month study of global energy to 2030 involved more than 350 experts from diverse backgrounds and organizations—the majority of them from outside the oil and gas industry.

A list of five core strategies and the hard truths about the global energy future give an indication of the point of view of the report.

The report identifies five core strategies for meeting future energy challenges:

• Moderate the growing demand for energy by increasing efficiency of transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial uses.
• Expand and diversify production from clean coal, nuclear, biomass, other renewables, and unconventional oil and natural gas; moderate the decline of conventional domestic oil and gas production; and increase access for development of new resources.
• Integrate energy policy into trade, economic, environmental, security, and foreign policies; strengthen global energy trade and investment; and broaden dialogue with both producing and consuming nations to improve global energy security.
• Enhance science and engineering capabilities and create long-term opportunities for research and development in all phases of the energy supply and demand system.
• Develop the legal and regulatory framework to enable carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). In addition, as policymakers consider options to reduce CO2 emissions, provide an effective, global framework for carbon management, including establishment of a transparent, predictable, economy-wide cost for CO2 emissions.

Oil to hit $100 in 2008, Predicts Bank

A "steady ascent" of crude oil prices toward $100 (U.S.) a barrel continues, but the predicted date when that level will be hit remains a moving target, according to a CIBC World Markets report Wednesday.

The investment banking division of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSX: CM) predicts "new record highs of $80 a barrel this year and reaching as high as $100 a barrel by the end of 2008 as soaring oil demand outpaces growth in global supply." . . . more

U.S. crude price could top $90 a barrel this autumn and hit $95 by the end of the year if OPEC keeps oil production capped at current levels, Goldman Sachs said in a report issued on Monday.

U.S. oil prices have risen to near $74 per barrel, driven this month by higher demand and lower supplies, the report said, pointed out that such fundamentals could tighten further unless key OPEC members hike output. . . . more

We are in an era where the general trend in crude prices is upward.  It is not that we have a lack of energy supplies, but we lack the infrastructure for harvesting and processing our energy supplies.  I am increasingly convinced that the integrated oil companies will not build more refining capacity refineries in the U.S. until we have a shortage or severe crunch in refined products due to their perceived view that they 1) cannot take the risk that crude prices will go down and 2) that they are making record profits now and do not have much incentive to expand right now. While I agree that crude will reach $100 in the not too far distant future, 2008 seems too soon to me.

DeWind Offers Simplified Drive Train, No Power Conversion Electronics

Wind turbine manufacturer, Dewind Inc.,Irvine, CA, (formerly EU Energy (EU)), a subsidiary of Composite Technology Corporation (CTC) (OTC BB: CPTC) has taken a different approach to its drive train technology than other manufacturers. From the start, the heart of the drive has been a trend-setting combination of a double-fed asynchronous generator and a pulse-width modulated IGBT type inverter. In October 2005, EU and Voith Turbo of Germany announced a joint co-operation agreement for the development of the WinDrive for use in a 60 Hz DeWind D8.2 wind turbine aimed at the US market. The WinDrive hydro-dynamic torque converter functionally decouple the mechanical gearbox output shaft from the generator input shaft causing drive train vibrations to be dampened and shocks and peak loads to be substantially reduced, and the power conversion electronics to be eliminated.

The first 2 megawatt DeWind D8.2 wind turbine incorporating the WinDrive technology is now fully operational and has been producing electricity since the 6th of January, 2007 at the DEWI-Offshore and Certification Centre GmbH (DEWI-OCC) test site in Cuxhaven, Germany.

CTC announced on July 16, 2007 that DeWind received certification of the 50 Hz version of their 2 Megawatt D8.2 wind turbine from DEWI-OCC according to the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt) standards

In June 2006 US-based Composite Technology Corporation (CTC) announced the completion of the acquisition of EU Energy Ltd., the owner of the EU Energy and DeWind group of companies.

Greek Navy Launches Fuel Cell Powered Submarine

Air Products, in partnership with Hellas Air Pro Ltd., recently supplied a new state of the art submarine of the Hellenic Navy with hydrogen.

The HDW Class 214 submarine has a fuel cell-generated power supply, allowing it to operate entirely on hydrogen. The fuel cell, which produces electrical energy from oxygen and hydrogen, allows the new submarine to cruise under water for up to three weeks without resurfacing. Conventional diesel-electric submarines typically deplete their battery power after a few days cruising under water. In addition, the fuel cell makes no noise and produces no detectable exhaust heat, in turn making the submarine virtually undetectable.

This is the most advanced conventional submarine in the world and the Greek State was the first in the world to order it. The contract award provided for the building of the first submarine at HDW’s Kiel yard and for the building of the other three (3) submarines in Greece at HSY premises

80 MW Solar Farm for California

Photovoltaic Solar Farm for Fresno Area would be the Largest in the World

FRESNO - Kings River Conservation District (KRCD) and San Francisco, CA-based Cleantech America, LLC, today announced that they have entered into a multi-year agreement for Cleantech America to provide up to 80 megawatts of utility scale, emission-free, peak solar power to the recently formed San Joaquin Valley Power Authority (SJVPA). Upon full build-out, KRCD's Community Choice Solar Farm would be the nation's largest utility scale photovoltaic facility by far.

The memorandum of understanding calls for the facility to be developed in phases of 10 megawatts in 2009, 30 megawatts in 2010 and 40 megawatts in 2011, for a total of 80 MW. Currently the largest announced facility in the U.S. is a 15 MW solar plant at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. . . . More

Alstom Enters Wind Power Market, Aquires Ecotecnia

Per Alstom press release:

Alstom is taking a significant step into wind power generation with the signature on 25 June 2007 of an agreement to buy Spanish wind turbine company, Ecotècnia, for 350 million euros (debt free/cash basis).

Ecotècnia, headquartered in Barcelona, designs, assembles and installs a wide range of onshore wind turbines spanning 640 kW to 2 MW. It is currently developing new wind turbines with a capacity of up to 3 MW. The company has taken a significant part of the development of the Spanish wind energy market, which is ranked second in Europe, and currently generates about 50% of its sales from other European countries.

To date, Ecotècnia has installed or is installing more than 1500 wind turbines in 72 wind farms, corresponding to a total capacity of 1,433 MW (about 2 % of the worldwide installed base). Ecotècnia has also recently become active in the field of solar panels, playing an important role in the Spanish market.

Ecotècnia employs 765 people in its five factories in Spain. In 2007, Ecotècnia should achieve sales between 300 and 350 million euros, with an estimated Ebitda margin of 7%.

This acquisition, when completed, will consolidate Alstom’s position as the company with the broadest and most complete range of products and systems in power generation, including gas, coal, hydro, wind, solar and conventional islands for nuclear power plants. This acquisition will strengthen Alstom’s offer in renewable energies, including hydro power where Alstom is the worldwide leader.

Las Vegas Company Acquires Chinese Windmill Company

Dakshidin Corporation, Las Vegas, NV (OTC: DKSC.PK) announced that it has finalized the purchase agreement with Kensam Echo-Tech Services Co. Ltd. (Kensam) in the province of Yunnan, China and acquired the controlling interest of this firm.

Kensam in the first stage of developing and manufacturing two electric windmill types -- one being a 30kw low wind speed model and the other a 250kw modified Darius style. This Darius style windmill is anticipated to be as much as 25% more efficient than the current wind turbines in use today.

Restec (a subsidiary of Dakshidin)/Kensam has committed a significant percentage of production to an undisclosed company to develop a new 40-megawatt wind farm in China. The initial number of windmills that will be required is anticipated to be in excess of one thousand units. The wind farm electricity purchase rate has already been negotiated with the Chinese Government.

Improved High-Energy Density Capacitors

Science Daily reports that North Carolina State University physicists have recently deduced a way to improve high-energy-density capacitors so that they can store up to seven times as much energy per unit volume than the common capacitor. Unlike a battery, capacitors are designed to release their energy very quickly.

High performance capacitors would enable hybrid and electric cars with much greater acceleration, better and faster steering of rockets and spacecraft, better regeneration of electricity when using brakes in electric cars, and improved lasers, among many other electrical applications.

In a capacitor electrical energy is stored by a difference in charge between two metal surfaces. The amount of energy that a capacitor can store depends on the insulating material in between the metal surfaces, called a dielectric.

A polymer called PVDF has interested physicists as a possible high-performance dielectric. Mixing a second polymer called CTFE with PVDF results in a material with regions that can change their structure, enabling it to store and release unprecedented amounts of energy.

The team, led by Vivek Ranjan, concluded that a more ordered arrangement of the material inside the capacitor could further increase the energy storage of new high-performance capacitors, which already store energy four times more densely than capacitors used in industry. Their predictions of higher energy density capacitors are encouraging, but have yet to be experimentally tested.

Smart Electic Fortwo to be Tested in London

• Smart is testing electric Fortwo in London
• Businesses and councils can trial car
• Car has 70-mile range and 70mph top speed

London was chosen because it is regarded as one of the least car-friendly cities in the world.

Businesses in the central area not only have to cope with the £8(US$16) - a-day congestion fee, but also face high parking charges and heavy traffic density.

The electric version is powered by a 40bhp motor, can go up to 70 miles before the battery goes flat and has a top speed of 70mph.

Recharging is done through a standard electrical power point and costs about £1.20, producing the equivalent of 60g/km of carbon dioxide emissions at the power station, Smart says. That's a far lower figure than any petrol or diesel car in the world.

Source: WHAT CAR?

D1 Oils, BP Form Joint Venture to Grow Jatropha for Biodiesel

D1 Oils plc, a UK-based producer of biodiesel, plans to establish a Joint Venture with BP to create a business in Jatropha curcas: D1-BP Fuel Crops Limited.

Jatropha is a drought resistant, inedible oilseed bearing tree which does not compete with food crops for good agricultural land or adversely impact the rainforest. It grows in tropical and sub-tropical regions and produces high yields of inedible vegetable oil that can be used to produce high-quality biodiesel. Jatropha can grow on a wide range of land types, including non-arable, marginal and waste land.

Under the terms of the agreement, BP and D1 Oils intend to invest around US$160 million (£80) million over the next five years. D1 Oils will contribute their 172,000 hectares of existing plantations in India, Southern Africa and South East Asia to the joint venture and the joint venture will have exclusive access to the elite jatropha seedlings produced through D1 Oils’ plant science program.

Highlights of the Agreement

Establishment of a 50:50 Joint Venture to undertake global planting of jatropha:

• Target to plant one million hectares over four years
• D1 contributes plantings to date and planting business
• BP contributes working capital of US$65 million (£32 million) through equity in the Joint Venture
• Total Joint Venture funding requirement of approximately US$160 million (£80 million) over five years
• Plant science remains 100% owned by D1
• D1 to grant BP an option to subscribe for new shares representing 16% of its enlarged share capital at an average price of 251 pence

Major global business to plant jatropha as sustainable biodiesel feedstock:

• Endorsement by BP of D1's sustainable feedstock strategy
• Potential to produce low-cost, volume supplies of inedible oil for biodiesel - Use of marginal and waste land and land unsuitable for arable crops
• No competition with high biodiversity value rainforest
• Significant job creation and value to local communities

Miscanthus -- A Solution to U.S. Dependence on Foreign Oil?

Stephen Long and his graduate student Emily Heaton, left, have been conducting side-by-side comparisons of switchgrass to the European miscanthus (previous post) since 2002 at the University of Illinois.

In the 2004 trials, miscanthus out-performed switchgrass by more than double and in the 2005 trials more than triple. Long says:

"Our results show that with miscanthus the President's goal of replacing 30 percent of foreign oil with ethanol, derived from agricultural wastes and switchgrass by 2030, could be achieved sooner and with less land."

Heaton said that because of the high yields with minimal inputs farmers would make a profit if they received about $20 per ton to make a profit.

Dry, leafless Miscanthus, the cool-weather-friendly perennial grass, sometimes referred to as elephant grass or E-grass, grows from an underground stem-like organ called a rhizome. Miscanthus, a crop native to Asia and a relative of sugarcane, drops its slender leaves in the winter, leaving behind tall bamboo-like stems that can be harvested in early spring and burned for fuel.

First Solar Announces Five New Agreements for 685 MW and Production Expansion

• 685 Megawatts of Additional Long Term Module Supply Agreements
       Totaling $1.28 Billion
• 120 Megawatt Annual Nameplate Production Capacity Expansion

In one of the largest solar cell supply agreements, First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq:FSLR) announced that it has entered into five agreements for the manufacture and sale of solar modules totaling 685 Megawatts. These new agreements are expected to allow for sales of approximately $1.28 billion at an assumed exchange rate of $1.30/EUR1.00, over the period of 2007 to 2012.

Included in the new agreements are long term agreements with EDF Energies Nouvelles, Sechilienne-Sidec, RIO Energie GmbH & Co, and KG, a joint venture of the Stadtwerke Mainz AG utility company and the Juwi Group. First Solar and the Juwi Group have also agreed to increase volumes under an existing agreement.

First Solar also announced that its board of directors has approved the construction of an additional manufacturing plant in Malaysia with an annual production nameplate rating of 120 Megawatts, representing an investment of approximately $150 million. The additional production capacity of the new plant is scheduled to come on line in the first half of 2009.

Hydromax Receives DOE Funding

HydroMax(R), an advanced gasification technology being developed by Diversified Energy Corporation (DEC) and licensed from Alchemix Corporation, was selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) from a pool of 1,318 applicants for research and technology transfer funding.

DEC has teamed with CertainTeed Gypsum, one of North America's leading gypsum wallboard manufacturers for the project with the goal of reducing and stabilizing natural gas costs. DEC will conduct tests, design activities, and commercialization planning focused on utilizing HydroMax(R) to gasify coal for the production of synthetic gas for industrial applications.

The HydroMax(R) technology is based on a molten-metals reactor approach. It offers several critical advantages for industrial customers such as CertainTeed Gypsum, including scaling to the 5-100 MWe output range, a compact size for simple integration, hydrocarbon input flexibility, high reliability, substantive reductions in capital and O&M costs compared to traditional gasifiers, and high efficiencies. Previous technology development includes multiple bench-scale tests along with extensive analyses and modeling.

IEA Predicts Oil Supply Crunch

Tom Konrad of Alt Energy Stocks posted this information which I wish to pass on.

The International Energy Agency (IEA), issued a new report July 9, which, while it still does not acknowledge peak oil, predicts a supply crunch in the 2010-12 time range.

Despite four years of high oil prices, this report sees increasing market tightness beyond 2010, with OPEC spare capacity declining to minimal levels by 2012,'' the IEA said in its Medium-Term Oil Market Report, which is published every six months. ``Low OPEC spare capacity and slow non-OPEC production growth are of significant concern.

Links: Bloomberg, Reuters

GreenFuels Stumbles, CEO Replaced

The Boston Globe reported last week that, Robert Metcaff, a principal at Polaris Ventures, has replaced GreenFuels, (previous post) CEO Carry Bulluck as interim CEO. Polaris has invested $6.8 million in the algae to oil company.

Isaac Berzin, founder of Greenfuels, a chemical engineering researcher at MIT, developed a system that captures carbon dioxide from conventional electric power plants into a "bioreactor" that contains water and algae. The CO2 causes the algae to grow, and when harvested can be converted into biofuels. After successful testing in the laboratory, a pilot plant was built in Arizona. The pilot plant has been shut down because an unexpectedly high density limited light and nutrient supply, which caused the algae to start dying and was more costly than expected. Greenfuels has a test facility, shown above, at the APS’ Redhawk Power Plant, located about 50 miles west of Phoenix.

Metcalfe plans to institute an improved technology that costs less and allows for easier harvesting.

To conserve capital Metcaff has cut employment from 43 to 28.

Thanks to Rob Day for the tip

Suzlon Adds 300 MW to Contract with PPM, Now Totals 700 MW

Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation just extended its contract with PPM Energy to add 300 MW of wind turbine capacity making it one of the largest single contracts in the history of the company and the U.S. wind energy industry. The original agreement called for delivery of 300 MW of turbine capacity in 2008 and 100 MW of capacity in 2009, but this addition of 300 MW in 2009 brings the total to 700 MW over two years.

The turbine agreement includes the total supply of 143 units of the S88-2.1 MW in 2008 and 191 units in 2009. Suzlon is also contracted for operations, maintenance and service of the wind turbines for two years and an option for five, and will do so by expanding its service territory with new facilities to meet the demand.

Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation, is the US-based subsidiary of Suzlon Energy A/S of Denmark. Suzlon is the world's 5th leading wind turbine producer with 2,700 MW of wind turbine capacity supplied across the world. Suzlon has manufacturing facilities in Belgium, China, India and the United States – covering the entire value chain from wind turbine components to complete wind turbine systems. Suzlon is undertaking an aggressive expansion program to expand its base to 4,200 MW of capacity by January 2008.

PPM Energy is part of the IBERDROLA group of companies, the world leader in wind power, with more than 6,500 MW of combined wind power capacity.

Catlin Receives Funding for Nanotech Biodiesel Pilot Plant

Catlin Inc. raised $3 million in Series A funding to develop Dr Victor Lin's nanotechnology biodiesel process. The funds will be used to build out a pilot production facility, continue groundbreaking research, and build the Catilin team. Catilin has developed a process for biofuels production that promises to greatly reduce the cost of biodiesel, and to make biodiesel cost competitive with diesel without government subsidies. The financing was led by MDV-Mohr Davidow Ventures, an early-stage Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm.

Dr. Victor S.-Y. Lin, Chief Technologist & Founder, Professor of Chemistry-Iowa State University is the inventor of the process.

The catalyst is claimed to be more economical, be recyclable, reacts at mild temperatures and ambient pressures, allow processing of both low FFA (free fatty acid) and high FFA feedstock, produces cleaner biodiesel and cleaner glycerol, greatly reduces water consumption, reduces environmental contaminants and can be easily used in existing facilities.

The ionosphere-based catalyst  reacts vegetable oils and animal fats with methanol to produce biodiesel. The technology allows efficient conversion of FFA's into fuel by loading the ionospheres with acidic catalysts to react with the free fatty acids and basic catalysts to react with the oils.

The technology replaces sodium Methodist methoxide -- a toxic, corrosive and flammable catalyst -- in biodiesel production. And that eliminates several production steps including acid neutralization, water washes and separations. All those steps dissolve the toxic catalyst so it can't be used again.

Ormat Signs 50 MW PPA with Southern Ca Edison

Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ORA) announced that it has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Southern California Edison (SCE) to purchase 50 megawatts (MW) of clean energy output from the Brawley I Project, which is currently under construction in Imperial County, California, by Ormat. The PPA includes an option to increase capacity to 100 MWs at Ormat's discretion, and is subject to the approval of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). When completed, the Brawley I Project will increase the total output supplied from Ormat to SCE to approximately 190 MWs.

This is evidence that geothermal can supply a significant amount of power and is deserving of backing as a major source of power.  See previous posts, here and here, for an assessments of geothermals potential.

Range Fuels Gets Costruction Permit for First Large Scale Cellulosic Ethanol Plant.

This week Range Fuels  was awarded a construction permit from the state of Georgia to build the first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in the United States. Ground breaking will take place this summer in Treutlen County, Georgia for a 100-million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant that will use wood waste from Georgia's forests as its feedstock. Phase 1 of the plant is scheduled to complete construction in 2008 with a production capacity of 20 million gallons a year. The company estimates that this plant – combined with others to follow – will have the capacity to produce over 1 billion gallons of ethanol per year.

The company's technology completely eliminates enzymes which have been an expensive component of cellulosic ethanol production. The process is self-sustaining, produces virtually no waste products, emits very low levels of greenhouse gases, and produces high yields of ethanol. The thermo-chemical conversion process, the K2 system, uses a two step process to convert the biomass to synthesis gas, and then the syngas is passed over a catalyst and transformed into alcohols. The process accommodates a wide range of organic feedstocks of various types, sizes, and moisture contents. See previous post for details on the company.

E3 Biofuels' Efficient Closed-Loop Ethanol Plant in Operation

E³ BioFuels inaugurated the world's first closed-loop ethanol plant fueled largely by biogas from animal waste instead of coal or natural gas on June 28. The energy-efficient, low-cost Genesis Plant, located in Mead, Neb., began commercial operation in April 2007, doesn't contribute to global warming and actually reduces air and water pollution.

E³ BioFuels' patented technology brings together three proven components into a single, closed-loop system:

1. A large cattle feedlot or dairy that produces large quantities of cow manure needing treatment.
2. An anaerobic digester that transforms the cow manure into biogas.
3. An ethanol plant that runs on the biogas instead of natural gas or coal, and whose leftover wet grain is fed back to the cattle.

At the Genesis plant the patented closed-loop ethanol system produces energy by combining manure, collected from an adjacent 28,000-head cattle feedlot, with thin stillage, a cellulosic byproduct of ethanol refining. The hot liquid mixture is decomposed inside an anaerobic digester, where bacteria extract methane-rich biogas that is used to fire the plant's ethanol boilers. Traditional ethanol refineries are fueled by coal or natural gas.

Microwave Process Converts Waste Materials into Oil and Gas

Global Resource Corporation (GRC) (OTC: GBRC.PK) claims that its HAWK 10 high-frequency microwave recycling process can recover oil and gases from oil shale, residual oil, drill cuttings, tar sands oil, contaminated dredge/sediments, tires and  plastics with significantly greater yields and lower costs than are available utilizing existing known technologies. The patent pending process process is claimed to be "the world's first self- sufficient, environmentally friendly, fuel-generating recycler to reduce waste, cut emissions, and save energy by going green."

In a July 2  press release GRC reported that the results of first round of tests on gasifying bituminous coal indicated that methane, other hydrocarbon gases, liquids in the diesel-heating range, and hydrogen could be extracted from the coal. After processing, what was left behind were activated carbon and coke as a residue, all the products having real market value. A second round of testing has commenced to substantiate original results. If further testing confirms the results, GRC could very well be the first company to gasify coal without contributing a major greenhouse negative effect by not using oxygen in the gasification process.

According to the company:

"The microwaves gasify the materials - a process also known as "cracking the hydrocarbon chain"- and then, typically, convert them into 80 percent light combustible gases, and 20 percent oil. The gas is then recycled in a closed-loop system to fuel the next round of material breakdown, without emitting any harmful waste. There is no CO2 or CO produced in the process because there is no oxidation other than possibly a minuscule amount that may be pre-existing in the material or minerals processed."