MORE NEWS, 11-16: MORE WIND IS EASY; GAS VS. NEW ENERGY IN CA; AIR FORCE TO BUILD NEW ENERGY LAB; TAKE WIND TO WORK AND HOME

MORE WIND IS EASY
How Countries Can Integrate Wind Power Smoothly Into Power Systems
November 12, 2009 (Technical Research Centre of Finland via Science Daily)

"Some countries already get a substantial share of their electricity consumption from wind power: Denmark 20%, Spain and Portugal 11%, Ireland 9%, and Germany 7%. [All power plants] have to cope with variable electricity consumption. Variable wind power will increase variations that the power system has to manage. According to a recent IEA WIND report, wind energy is rather smoothly integrated as system operators get on-line production levels and forecasted production estimates in their control rooms.

"High penetration of wind power is foreseen in many countries and regions globally…[and] the impacts of wind power on power system reliability…have been studied] in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK and USA."

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"Adding large amounts of wind power requires reinforcing the existing transmission grid, including the interconnectors between countries and regions. New transmission lines may be needed where the wind resource is situated far from the existing network. Wind power will also increase the use of operational balancing power…[E]stimates for added balancing costs [range from]…1-4 €/MWh…10% or less of the wholesale value of the wind energy…

"It is easier to balance load and wind production from larger areas…because both wind variability and uncertainty will be reduced when geographically diverse power plants are aggregated…[and big] open electricity markets combined with intra-day and real-time trading lead to lower electricity costs…[and fewer] forecast errors…"

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"…Building the transmission for final amount of wind power will be more cost effective than reinforcing the grid piece by piece. Ambitious wind power targets in Ireland, Denmark, Germany, UK and US already foresee major upgrades in the transmission network. This is challenging, as building permits for new lines are difficult to obtain…[but the] so called capacity value of wind power is lower than for conventional power, and will decrease…

"New electricity storage…for wind penetration levels of 10-20%…will be beneficial for the power system operation. However, other forms of [integration] flexibility…can offer cheaper solutions…In any case, it is not cost effective to provide dedicated back-up for wind power in large power systems, just as it is not done for individual electricity consumption."


GAS VS. NEW ENERGY IN CA
Adding New Power Plants Is Not the Panacea for Economic Woes
Rory Cox, (Pacific Environment)

"…[CBS 5 KPIX’s account of] PG&E’s plans to build two new high capacity natural gas power plants in Eastern Contra Costa County…is [according to Pacific Environment] overly simplistic and implies that a power plant is the panacea to economic woes faced by residents in the far eastern corner of Contra Costa.

"…[Pacific Environment says] KPIX inaccurately led viewers to assume…[1] That a power plant creates long term economic development and jobs when in actuality the construction of a power plant requires a few hundred temporary employees for a few years…[but] only a few dozen highly specialized employees are needed for its on-going operation [and]…[2] this is the only option for Antioch’s development…[whereas it would be better for Antioch to develop] new industries that actually will employ people for the long term…"

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"…[Pacific Environment says KPIX did not report that the natural gas] power plants will add tons of pollutants into Contra Costa County, which is already home to more than half of the Bay Area’s fossil fuel power plants, numerous refineries and chemical plants…[and therefore has a] rate of childhood asthma…nearly twice the national average…

"California already has plenty of natural gas and other sources of energy to back up renewable power…[according to Pacific Environment]…so many sources that it can comfortably decommission a number of power plants and still be secure in energy reliability. California does not lack possible sources of electricity. Even the brownouts of 2000 – 2001 were caused by energy manipulation, not by any lack of resources."

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"And finally, PG&E is required by state law to procure 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, beginning in 2010…As of 2008, they were at about 13 percent renewable…[down] from where they were in 2003. As of next year, they will be breaking the law. Only by stopping the rush to build more fossil fuel plants will California be able to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while creating plenty of green collar jobs in communities like Antioch.

"Bay area environmental groups recently submitted a formal letter of protest to the California Public Utilities Commission regarding PG&E’s proposal…"


AIR FORCE TO BUILD NEW ENERGY LAB
USAF to Build Facility for Alternative Fuel Research; The United States Air Force is the latest military branch to research alternative fuels
Michael Barkoviak, November 11, 2009 (Daily Tech)

"The United States Air Force hopes to conduct research related to alternative fuels that could one day help the military transition away from gasoline."

"The $2.5 million Assured Aerospace Fuels Research Facility, located at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is expected to be constructed by the end of summer 2010. It is expected to develop around 15 to 25 gallons of research jet fuel…and other gas alternatives every day, with the help of private companies and university researchers."

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"There is an increased interest in reducing the nation's dependence on petroleum-based foreign fuel, and creating domestic biofuel resources is seen as an important step towards that goal…"

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"All branches of the U.S. military continue research into alternative fuels, as the government spends millions to fuel aircraft, ships, Humvees, and other necessary military vehicles. The U.S. Army is currently working on a hybrid Humvee – it recently selected a contractor to help develop its battery -- and further work is expected to take place in the future. The U.S. Navy also is interested in powering ships using algae or other biofuels, with research currently underway.

"Any fuel breakthroughs made through the USAF facility could be shared with the private sector, helping airlines and other industries save money."


TAKE WIND TO WORK AND HOME
Going with the wind: Little goes long way…
November 15, 2009 (San Diego Union-Tribune)

"Wind power isn't just about towering turbines in the desert producing electricity for thousands of homes at a time…It can be done on a much smaller scale…

"Helix Wind…has developed an innovative turbine design, which spins on a vertical, rather than horizontal axis…[It] produce power in remote areas far from the electric grid — and in big cities like Chicago…[Helix Wind] is buying up a couple of other small turbine makers, which it says will enable it to offer a variety of products depending on what its customers need…[and expand] “small wind” development into new areas such as urban cell towers, [ski resorts, oil derricks,] homes, cruise ships and billboards…The small wind industry focuses on turbines that produce enough power for a few light bulbs or a few houses, not neighborhoods…"

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"…[ American Wind Energy Association small wind expert] Ron Stimmel…[said small turbines used to be just farm equipment but] they've gotten more popular as a source of renewable energy because they are less expensive than comparably sized solar arrays…Sales of the units grew 78 percent last year to more than 10,000 nationwide, Stimmel said, but he doesn't know what effect the recession, tight credit or federal incentives such as a 30 percent tax credit have had this year…

"Helix's goal is to re-engineer small wind and sell it as a commodity…Helix is pushing, for instance, to sell turbines to companies that need a steady supply of power in remote areas…[They] mean diesel use may be radically reduced…"

Helix Wind's vertical axis concept. (click to enlarge)

"Helix [will build] two cell tower-mounted turbines…to find out is whether the turbines will make more power than the towers need, making it possible to sell it back onto the grid…A new wave of towers is required for the coming fourth-generation, or 4G, wireless networks, and companies are looking for a way to put them in while lightening the impact on the environment…The company also is looking to sell its turbines to residents and commercial buildings — and it is pushing them as a complement to solar panels...

"Helix, which was started in 2006…has produced about 150 of its signature turbines in a Thailand factory and sold them around the world…[T]hey are [reportedly] able to produce power in lighter, gustier and more erratic winds…Finding out how Helix's turbines compare with others is the goal of testing being done at the company's test facility…"