MORE NEWS 2-17 (TEXAS SUN BOOM?; HERE COME THE PLUG-INS; SO CAROLINA SEES JOBS IN WIND; WINNING WAVE ENERGY DESIGN)

TEXAS SUN BOOM?
Solar energy could be Texas’ next boom
Carrie Cullen Hitt, February 16, 2009 (Houston Chronicle)

"Optimism about Texas’ solar energy potential is aglow in the Capitol…The solar industry has come of age in regions across the United States, Europe and Asia, delivering high-value jobs and high return on investment. New manufacturing facilities are cropping up around the world, while new markets are developing rapidly in response to customer demand. In Texas, this realization is hitting home — solar can create thousands of jobs and spur the Texas economy.

"The knock on solar has been predictable…it’s too expensive. Today, the price of solar is falling as reliably as the cost of fossil fuels is increasing. The up-front cost of solar may be more than fossil fuel-based energy. But the fuel — the most volatile part of today’s energy costs — is free. Solar is fast becoming a legitimate cost competitor to coal and natural-gas-fired electricity, and it is only going to get cheaper.

"Even more powerful…[is] the impact solar power would have on employing Texans. Every gigawatt of solar in Texas will spur a supply chain 25,000 jobs long…that could mean nearly 125,000 new jobs by 2020. And…More than 75 percent of the solar supply chain is local — installation and maintenance jobs…No other industry or technology offers this kind of job creation potential in every county, city, district and neighborhood."

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"The Texas solar market could be huge. Our nearly 30 million citizens use more power per capita than any other state. And that’s just the Texas market. Becoming a leader today in the solar industry could establish Texas as a solar exporter tomorrow…[to] most of the U.S. Texas’ excellent international shipping capabilities would open Mexican and Central American markets, as well.

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"In other words, the market is here for the taking, and Texas can get ahead of other states…But…As with other emerging technologies, many regions in other states want to get into the solar race and win recognition as the “Silicon Valley of Solar.” Other states recognized the potential earlier than Texas…"

"Not surprisingly, California is leading the way…Each dollar that California has provided in solar incentives has spurred $6 in private investment…When the private sector believes that a state will support its effort, the money flows…

"The choice before state lawmakers this session is whether they will seize the national momentum and spur the market here first — before it lands elsewhere — and bring with it the jobs that will power the rest of the country…It will spur Texas’ next generation of job growth and prosperity…"


HERE COME THE PLUG-INS
Ready for the Electric Car Era; With new technologies and Uncle Sam’s incentives, battery-powered autos are getting cheaper and easier to find in U.S. market
Jim Ostoff, February 13, 2009 (Kiplinger Forecasts)

"Automakers are racing to go electric. Within five years, they'll sell about 200,000 cars powered mainly by rechargeable batteries. By 2015, they’ll triple that number. The car won't be cheap, with sticker prices of about $5000 more than comparable gasoline models. But their ability to get 100 miles per gallon will be a head-turning sales attraction, along with the likelihood of tax breaks the Obama administration should advance either this year or next…

"Toyota will be first off the starting block…It's angling to leapfrog General Motors, which is touting the launch of its Chevy Volt by the end of 2010 and a plug-in Saturn Vue version soon after. Ford isn't idling, either…Look for sales of plug-in vehicles to hit 4 million in 2020, accounting for more than 20% of new cars sold that year. By then, the sticker price premium likely will be less than $1,000."

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"…Laws that are almost sure to be enacted limiting carbon dioxide emissions will give automakers little choice but to make ultrahigh mileage vehicles that will spew out less of the pollutants…A confluence of technologies is giving plug-ins a big boost. Advanced batteries and new electronics are ready for prime time after years of research…

"GM is partnering with 30 electric utilities to develop auto recharging stations for offices, parking lots and communities. Likewise, Coulomb Technologies…

"Keep an eye on China’s BYD, an advanced battery-maker…BYD will make its U.S. entrance by building plug-ins for European or Asian carmakers with established U.S. dealer networks and sell them under well-known brand names."


SO CAROLINA SEES JOBS IN WIND
Wind Could Bring Energy & Jobs To South Carolina
February 13, 2009 (Cattle Network)

"Energy from winds that blow within miles of South Carolina's coast have the potential to power more than a million homes across the state and create thousands of jobs, a panel of experts said…In the Charleston area alone, an additional 1.5 gigawatts of electricity will be needed to power a population boom that is expected to see 1 million people move to the region by 2025…

"Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, director of business development for the Clemson University Restoration Institute…told the ninth annual ThinkTEC Innovation Summit…that South Carolina stands to benefit from wind power as a natural energy resource."

South Carolina has exploitable offshore wind. (click to enlarge)

"A growing coastal population will strain existing electricity resources, pushing demand for new sources…relatively shallow offshore waters are ideal for wind-farm construction and Charleston's state-of-the-art cargo port will help the flow of construction supplies."

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"…South Carolina utility Santee Cooper has committed to generating 40 percent of its power from non-greenhouse gas and biomass sources by 2020…In hard numbers, the economic impact of wind power represents 22 jobs per megawatt, she said. One gigawatt equals 1,000 megawatts.

"Gene Eidson, restoration ecology director at the Restoration Institute, told the summit that these population shifts and corresponding energy demands will require careful management of our natural resources… "


WINNING WAVE ENERGY DESIGN
Wave energy design wins composites innovations award
Adminstrator, 16 February 2009 (Wave & Tidal Energy News)

"A Belgian company, 3B Fibreglass has taken one of the awards in this year's JEC Innovation Awards Programme for its work on the design of a wave energy converter…3B Fibreglass has won in the Environment & Energy category…with partners Fred Olsen Ltd (Norway), Gent University (Belgium), Spiromatic (Belgium)…the device consists of a floating platform with oscillating buoys on the water surface. Fred Olsen Ltd. decided to work as much as possible with composite materials for the structural parts and for the energy-extracting and power take-off system’s moving parts."

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"The main challenges for the lifetime and cost/performance properties of this applications are the corrosion resistance (marine environment), the cyclic load fatigue/ageing (blades, moving parts, turbines, etc.), the robustness, impact and resistance to survival load conditions (storms and possible climate changes), the maintenance, and the cost effectiveness of final components, modules and systems. The natural properties of Advantex™ and HiPer-tex™ fibreglass enable and enhance the level of required performance.

"3B is reinforcement supplier and advisor within the development team. The next step is to finish defining the materials for the structural parts. The device is a component of the Wave Hub project, which aims to create the UK's first offshore facility to demonstrate and validate the operation of arrays of wave-energy generation devices. The launch is planned for 2010."