MORE NEWS, 5-11 (DOI WILL DRIVE BOOM ON FED LANDS; GOLDEN SUN TO POWER S.F.; A NEW ENERGY CHEAPER THAN WIND?)

DOI WILL DRIVE BOOM ON FED LANDS
Gov't eyes public land for green energy in 2010
6 May 2009 (International Business Times)

"Wind and solar energy projects currently proposed for lands owned by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management will be ready for construction by the end of 2010, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said.

"Of the wind projects currently proposed for public land almost 1,400 megawatts of new capacity, - enough to power more than 400,000 homes - are estimated to be ready for construction in the set time frame. More than 6,000 MW of new capacity from solar projects, mostly in California, Arizona and New Mexico are also expected to go by the same time…"

Federal lands. (click to enlarge)

"Salazar said that Bureau of Land Management has a backlog of some 200 solar energy candidates and more than 25 wind project applications in western states. He said there are also 200 locations where aspirants would like to begin site testing for future wind projects.

"The Department of the Interior is investing $41 million from stimulus package money to facilitate…large-scale production of clean energy in public lands."


GOLDEN SUN TO POWER S.F.
San Francisco Approves Major Solar Project
Nick Chambers, May 8, 2009 (NY Times)

"San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has approved a plan to build what would be one of the largest solar photovoltaic arrays in California. With five megawatts of capability spread over 25,000 panels, it will, if completed, also be among the largest municipal solar projects in the United States…(Larger nonmunicipal arrays exist, including a 14-megawatt, 70,000-panel array at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.)

"San Francisco’s proposed system — which would produce roughly the amount of energy used by 1,000 households, the developers said — would bring the city’s total solar capacity to seven megawatts. It will be used to power municipal properties like schools and government offices…"

Wait for that last line: “When I come home to you San Francisco, your golden sun will shine for me.” From mnkerr via YouTube.

"Under the [Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)], Recurrent Energy, a local solar company, will assume the initial financial responsibility for the panels, as well as pay for continuing operating and maintenance costs. In return, the city incurs no upfront expenses, but is obliged to purchase energy directly from Recurrent Energy at a cost of 23.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, plus 3 percent per year…

"In years 7, 15 or 25 of operation, the city has the option to purchase the array outright at fair market value or $33 million — whichever is higher. [Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by 2010.]"

Right city, wrong song title. From zzselegna via YouTube.

"…Four of the 11 San Francisco supervisors voted against the project, most of them citing concerns that the deal did not allow the board to review the contract terms each year. Other opponents thought the city would end up wasting money over the 25-year life of the agreement, should solar panel prices drop significantly in the short term.

"Proponents of the deal, however, argued that the project would not be possible without the public-private partnership. By farming out construction to a private company, the project becomes eligible for major federal tax incentives worth 30 percent of total project costs [estimated at $40 million in initial construction costs alone]…[Without the tax credits, the cost would be] over $85 million…"


A NEW ENERGY CHEAPER THAN WIND?
Inventors: Shockingly Simple Wave Device Will Beat Wind Energy in Price
May 6, 2009 (Discover Magazine)

"A new prototype of a wave power generator has been unveiled in England…The new wave power device, known as Anaconda, is a basic tube made from rubber and fabric and filled with water. It is still in trial phase, but its creators, optimistic about its potential as a source of mass power, are confident it will be cheaper than a wind farm generating the equivalent amount of power and less controversial in terms of public protest since the devices will be below the sea…"

Anaconda in the water. (click to enlarge)

"The Anaconda rides waves in the ocean, which create bulges along the tubing that travel along its length gathering energy. At the end of the tube, the surge of energy drives a turbine and generates electricity... While similar technology has already been deployed in the coastal waters near Portugal, the inventors of the Anaconda say its mostly rubber composition and its few moving parts combine to give it a sturdy and resilient edge in the [harsh] tumultuous ocean…"

Artist's concept of an Anaconda installation. (click to enlarge)

"The company behind the Anaconda, Checkmate Sea Energy, has been testing a small-scale 25-foot-long prototype in a wave tank, but if the project goes to full implementation—which could happen in five years’ time—each tube would be about 650 feet long. Each device is anchored to the ocean floor but moves with the waves, generating enough energy to power 1,000 homes. The plan is to have “shoals” or “schools” of the devices around the coast, where they would be harnessed to “swim” just below the surface…in groups of 50 or more.

"The long-term plan is to have hundreds of these devices offshore where waves are big, in northern Scotland for example. Other potential locations would be on western seaboards - off the coast of America, Australia, Ireland and Japan …"