MORE SUNDAY WORLD, 8-16 (CHINA MAKING GREEN JOBS; IRISH MAKE MAXIMUM WIND; GERMAN WIND MOVES OFFSHORE)

CHINA MAKING GREEN JOBS
China leads in global green jobs race
Gerard Wynn, 6 August 2009 (Reuters)

"China is winning a global race to create "green collar" jobs, six months after countries worldwide launched $500 billion spending plans to drive a low-carbon economy.

"Following the economic downturn, both the United States and Europe aim to spur jobs in a green push to fight climate change and boost energy security, but China may leapfrog both this year in new wind power -- a key measure…China passed the United States in numbers of new wind turbines built in the first half of 2009…and is also increasing its share of the main solar demand market, Europe…"

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"…Chinese development was helped by swifter centralised decision-making compared with its rivals…In wind power, local demand often means local jobs -- that's especially true in China where an unofficial rule says all installed turbines must include 70 percent local content…International companies' market share there is falling…

"Tough financing markets plus falling oil prices have dented clean energy prospects worldwide and created a glut of turbines and solar panels, with recovery expected from next year, aided by new stimulus programmes…

"In solar power, Germany will dominate demand this year…overtaking Spain following a cap on state support there…But Chinese manufacturers will continue to grab an increasing share of production despite a fall in prices…China accounted for about a third of the market for global solar cell production in 2008 while Europe's share declined to about a quarter…"

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"Last year Europe collectively installed 4.3 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) power and 8.5 GW of wind, tipping the United States into second place in both…In new installed solar power, both Spain and Germany dwarfed the United States. New U.S. wind demand surpassed any individual European country…But the wind ranking may change -- China added about 4.5 GW in the first half of 2009…putting the country on track to pass the United States which installed 4 GW…

"HSBC forecast a drop in U.S and European demand this year…The Global Wind Energy Council expects China to take top spot in 2009…Two weeks ago China fixed the price for wind power using a so-called a feed-in tariff and a state-backed economic stimulus and credit loosening have boosted projects…The United States is likely to be China's chief rival in new wind power…overtaking Europe where some countries are hamstrung by planning delays…U.S. energy secretary Steven Chu said last week $3 billion in new renewables grants would boost green jobs…"


IRISH MAKE MAXIMUM WIND
A Record for Wind in Ireland
James Kanter, August 11, 2009 (NY Times)

"Wind industry proponents have been celebrating a record set in Ireland on Friday, July 31, when output from the country’s turbines peaked at 999 megawatts, which is enough to supply over 650,000 homes."

[Christine Real de Azua, spokeswoman, American Wind Energy Association:] “Much attention has focused on high wind penetrations in Denmark and Spain, but Ireland is emerging as another real world example showing that very high wind penetrations are achievable…”

July 31, an historic day for Aeolus: Y axis is megawatts, X axis is time of the day. (From the NY Times - click to enlarge)

"The record-breaking power reached customers across Ireland, ranging from large industries to households…[No wind installation had its output reduced]…Some places with a lot of wind power, like Texas, must shut down some turbines at times of strong winds due to a lack of transmission capacity, among other problems…

"Up to 39 percent of Ireland’s demand for electricity was met from wind at certain times on July 31… Ireland has a target of getting 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. In 2008, the amount of power generated from renewable sources in Ireland was about 11 percent."

August 15, another day for Aeolus: Y axis is megawatts, X axis is time of the day. (From EirGrid - click to enlarge)

"…[E]nergy experts say that countries like Ireland face a challenge when it comes to integrating wind into their small and often isolated power systems. Balancing the intermittent — and sometimes very powerful — contribution from wind is much more difficult than on a large regional or national area…

"John Fitzgerald, a research professor with the Economic and Social Research Institute, an Irish think-tank, has stressed the need for more interconnection with Britain to offload excess power…[D]evelopment of a 500-megawatt interconnector between Ireland and Wales [is] at an advanced stage, and [will] enable power from Ireland to be exported at times...[The new interconnector is] due for completion at the end of 2012 [at a] cost about 600 million euros ($850 million)…There is currently an interconnector between Northern Ireland and Scotland, but none between the Republic of Ireland and Britain."


GERMAN WIND MOVES OFFSHORE
Germany's first offshore wind farm starts working
Vera Eckert (w/James Jukwey), August 12, 2009 (Reuters)

"Germany's first offshore wind power park, Alpha Venture in the North Sea, has begun the gradual commissioning of the first three of its total 12 turbines…[to be built by] DOTI -- a joint venture owned by utilities E.ON, Vattenfall Europe and EWE…

"The 250 million euro ($353.2 million) wind farm is also known as Borkum West as it lies 45 km north of the island of Borkum near the Dutch border…It is partly sponsored by the government and is the first of 30 projects planned for the seas around northern Germany."

Off the drawing board...(click to enlarge)

"Countries like Denmark and Britain already have advanced offshore wind industries but their turbines are not situated as far out at sea as Germany's planned projects.

"These hope to benefit from stronger winds further out while sparing wildlife near the coast, which involves building especially strong, 30-meter-deep, steel foundations…Six of the turbines are made by Areva and six by rival REpower…"

...and into the water and wind. (click to enlarge)

"Alpha Ventus…will be able to supply the equivalent of 50,000 households with power.

"Offshore wind power is one of the core elements of the German government's push to double its renewable power by 2020."