MORE SUNDAY WORLD, 5-17 (PAKISTAN PUTS ITS 1ST WIND ONLINE; NUCLEAR TESTS SOLAR IN TAIWAN; EU EMISSIONS TRADERS GETTING BUSY)

PAKISTAN PUTS ITS 1ST WIND ONLINE
Kalar Kahar wind energy project to be inaugurated today
April 23, 2009 (Daily Times)

"Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf…[inaugurated a] 40 KW demonstrative micro wind power project in Kalar Kahar…

"The project [is] the first wind project to be set up in Punjab. The inauguration of the demonstrative project follows the commissioning of the first commercial wind farm in Jhimpir Sindh…"

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"Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB), which acts as a one-window facility for the investors in renewable energy sector, has facilitated M/s SUNEC Wind Power Generation (Pvt.) – a Chinese firm – in the setting up of the project."

Great things can come from humble beginnings. (click to enlarge)

"SUNEC, on successful completion of the demonstration project, plans to install 160 turbines of 600 KW each, thereby setting up a farm for 100 MW. Chief Executive Officer AEDB, Arif Alaudin said the AEDB was vigorously working for promotion of various renewable technologies so as to help the country meet its growing energy needs…

"Wind energy, [Alaudin] pointed out, was one of the sectors receiving lots of attention and more wind corridors are being explored…"


NUCLEAR TESTS SOLAR IN TAIWAN
Solar energy test center inaugurated in Kaohsiung
May 15, 2009 (Taipei Times)

"The Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) inaugurated its high-tech testing center for photovoltaic energy at the Kaohsiung Science Park (高雄科學園區)…

"The center’s laboratory will provide testing services in 17 categories for Taiwan’s solar energy industry and help local photovoltaic companies obtain international certification and explore the overseas market…"

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"INER director-general Yeh Taun-ran (葉陶然) presided over the inauguration, which was attended by Kaohsiung County Commisioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興); Atomic Energy Council Chairman Tsai Chuen-horng (蔡春鴻); Chen Chun-wei (陳俊偉), director-general of the Southern Taiwan Science Park Administration; and industry leaders.

"They also attended the groundbreaking for a photovoltaic energy demonstration farm in Lujhu Township (路竹), near the science park…[T]he 3.4-hectare farm will have the largest high-concentration photovoltaic system in Asia. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of [2009]..."

With multiple junctions and bands, the iii-v structure absorbs the greatest spectrum of sunlight. (click to enlarge)

"…[T]he demonstration farm’s photovoltaic system [will] use high-efficiency III-V solar cells that can absorb direct solar irradiation and are better than silicon and thin-film solar cells…INER research has found that the new system not only offers higher efficiency in solar energy supply, but can also reduce manufacturing costs.

"The technology developed at the demonstration farm will be transferred to local companies."


EU EMISSIONS TRADERS GETTING BUSY
EU carbon investors cling to signs of economic recovery
Nina Chestney (w/Michael Szabo), May 13, 2009 (Reuters)

"The European carbon market, like its peers across energy and commodities, appears to be pinning its hopes on big-picture economic recovery and ignoring a weak demand outlook closer to home…Prices for permits under the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme have nearly doubled since hitting a low of 8 euros ($10.90) in February.

"The permits, called EU Allowances (EUAs), reached a new 4-month high of 16 euros this week, before easing to around 15 euros…"

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"European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said this week that European economic growth was at a turning point and some countries were seeing a rise in gross domestic product…[T]he carbon market has mirrored equity and oil gains over the past month in reaction to some signs of an improving global economy, but the underlying factors affecting carbon's supply and demand balance are still bearish.

"A reinvigorated world economy would imply more energy consumption and industrial output, and therefore higher greenhouse gas emissions and more demand for carbon permits such as EUAs…

"Many carbon analysts foresee a market surplus in EUAs in 2009 and 2010 as the global downturn has crippled European industrial production, prompting them to reassess EUA demand…A surplus in the scheme's first phase (2005-2007) caused EUA prices to crash to zero. Data from the EU executive Commission published in April showed that companies emitted more CO2 then their allocated EUA quota in 2008…"

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"…[U]tilities and speculators could start to buy EUAs before the middle of next year in anticipation of a tighter market in the third phase (2013-2020), when many installations will have to buy a majority of their permits at auction…

"EUA prices have also not reacted as expected to recent bearish news, and that could affect…a new international climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol after 2012, which faces a tight deadline for agreement in Copenhagen this December…In a recent report, Point Carbon analysts said prices are likely to fall again as utilities' hedging activity dies down. It forecasts an average EUA price of 12 euros for 2009."