QUICK NEWS, 2-24: NEW ENERGY STILL BEST BET; NEWEST NEW ENERGY STORAGE; BLOOM FOR NEW ENERGY?; AZ RISKS LOSING SUN

NEW ENERGY STILL BEST BET
Clean Energy Shows Spark
Keith Johnson, February 22, 2010 (Wall Street Journal)

"The clean-energy industry is poised for record growth in the U.S., with big companies expecting to invest billions of dollars, despite Washington's failure to enact limits on greenhouse-gas emissions.

"Areva SA, a world leader in nuclear power…[is] buying California solar-equipment maker Ausra Inc. The French energy company said demand for solar plants is likely to jump by 20% a year over the next decade and that it plans to be a leader…Many politicians and environmentalists had argued that a clean-energy revolution requires passage of a cap-and-trade program that limits greenhouse-gas emissions…But that doesn't seem to be the case. Existing programs to support clean energy, combined with the prospect that Congress will pass an energy and jobs bill, have many analysts projecting a banner 2010."

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"Natural gas could sap near-term enthusiasm for renewable energy and there's concern that government incentives could have only short-term effects…But the biggest names in renewable energy…say they are confident…NextEra, a unit of FPL Group Inc. and the largest wind-farm operator in the U.S…recently purchased a trio of wind farms…[and] plans to add one gigawatt of wind power this year…Spain's Iberdrola, the world's largest renewable-energy company…was the biggest recipient of U.S. government grants for clean-energy projects last year, receiving $570 million, and expects to receive $400 million more this year to spur wind-farm development…Clean-energy companies say it would have taken years before the penalties in cap-and-trade legislation would have sparked development…

"The clean-energy sector last year braced itself for trouble after the credit crunch and the recession…But the U.S. government's stimulus package, which included cash grants for clean-energy projects, turned the year into a record breaker. The American wind-power industry, for example, installed nearly 10 gigawatts of new turbines, keeping the U.S. the world leader by capacity…"

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"Bloomberg New Energy Finance, a clean-energy consulting firm based in London, figures world-wide investment in clean energy could reach $200 billion this year, easily topping the record of $155 billion set in 2008…The [U.S.] Department of Energy still has almost $30 billion in stimulus grants left to spend this year…[and] the Obama administration's budget calls for a jump in federal loan guarantees for new energy projects…Energias de Portugal SA's Horizon plans to invest $4 billion in the U.S. through 2012. GE, which dominates the U.S. market for wind turbines, expects revenue in its clean-energy division to rise to $25 billion this year…

"The companies do have concerns, however. Natural-gas prices are relatively low, which makes wind farms less economically competitive. And many companies worry that the short-term incentives for clean energy, especially the cash grants, could simply drive firms to accelerate already planned investment in clean energy rather than create new investment…That's why a lot of firms are still pushing for more long-term support, such as the federal renewable-energy targets…"


NEWEST NEW ENERGY STORAGE
Breakthrough in Energy Storage: Isentropic Energy; Isentropic Energy’s pumped-heat electrical energy storage could disrupt the large-scale electrical energy storage market.
Eric Wesoff, February 23, 2010 (Greentech Media)

"…Today, the only economical method of storing energy at a large scale is pumped hydro…[which is] almost all large-scale electricity storage…or Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES). Unfortunately, both…[are unweildy and costly]…

"…[T]he technologies that are most likely to reach commercialization in the near term are [CAES and] Lithium-ion batteries …[T]he cost of large-format Lithium-ion (for electric vehicles and utility-scale storage) [coulc] drop to $250 per kilowatt-hour…[But] Jonathan Howes, the Chief Technical Officer of U.K. start-up Isentropic Energy…is claiming large-scale storage costs that are an order of magnitude lower than Lithium-ion batteries or other stored energy technologies -- $55 per kilowatt-hour currently, with a path to get down to $8 per kilowatt-hour."

From Greentech Media (click to enlarge)

"Isentropic's technology is compact, has no geographical constraints and claims a round-trip efficiency of 72 to 80 percent…Isentropic's Pumped Heat Electricity Storage (PHES) system is based on the First Ericcson cycle and uses a heat pump to store electricity in thermal form. The storage system uses two large containers of gravel, one hot (500C) and one cold (-150C). Electrical power is input to the machine which compresses/expands air to 500C on the hot side and -150C on the cold side. The air is passed through the two piles of gravel, where it gives up its heat/cold to the gravel. In order to regenerate the electricity, the cycle is reversed. The temperature difference is used to run the system as a heat engine.

"…[Isentropic] claims that its reversible engine/heat-pump boasts three critical features…[1] Very high round-trip efficiency -- 72 to 80 percent…[2] High reversibility -- the machine works as both an engine and heat pump…[I]f it first turns electricity into a temperature difference, it can then regenerate most of the electricity from the temperature difference…[3] Gas cycle machine -- no use of damaging refrigerants, chemicals, or water…"

From Greentech Media (click to enlarge)

"Isentropic's innovations include using aircraft engineering techniques to reduce piston weight and cost, designing new valving to eliminate pressure losses, and using a new sealing technology.

"The design is intended for "small utility scale." Howes is targeting 2-megawatt 8-hour systems (16MW-hrs), although he claims that the systems can scale up and down. The firm is in the early stage and has built a "proof of ignorance prototype," followed by a technology demonstrator. Design of prototype three is now completed and has been built to demonstrate reliability…"


BLOOM FOR NEW ENERGY?
Bloom Energy Claims a New Fuel Cell Technology
Todd Woody, February 23, 2010 (NY Times)

"A Silicon Valley company is claiming a breakthrough in a decades-old quest to develop fuel cells that can supply affordable and relatively clean electricity. Google, Bank of America, Wal-Mart and other large corporations have been testing the devices…

"…Bloom Energy…has raised about $400 million from investors and spent nearly a decade developing a new variety of solid oxide fuel cell, considered the most efficient but most technologically challenging fuel-cell technology…K. R. Sridhar, Bloom’s co-founder and chief executive, said devices made by his company were generating electricity at a cost of 8 to 10 cents a kilowatt hour, using natural gas. That is lower than commercial electricity prices in some parts of the country…"

From CBS via YouTube

"…The company has been working on the technology for eight years while saying little. The secrecy, and the prominence of the venture capitalists backing Bloom, have fueled both hype and skepticism about its efforts..While Bloom may well have created one of the most efficient fuel cells, it is unclear how widely the company’s technology will be adopted. Cost and durability have limited the use of other types of fuel cells, and it could be years before the potential of the company’s approach is clear…

"Fuel cells, which convert hydrogen, natural gas or another fuel into electricity through an electrochemical process, have long held out the promise of cheap and plentiful energy while emitting fewer pollutants than conventional power plants. But the need to use expensive precious metals like platinum and rare earth elements in some fuel cells, and corrosive materials in others, has kept costs high and shortened their longevity."

From 16Dec71 via YouTube

"Bloom claims it has learned to make the devices from common materials that will last for years. The Bloom fuel cell’s heart is a thin white ceramic [floppy disk-like] wafer made from sand…One side of each [is] painted with a lime-green ink that acts as the anode while a black ink on the back [serves] as the cathode. Bloom executives would not disclose the composition of the ink.

"Small cells are stacked to make a larger device. As natural gas or another fuel passes over the cell and mixes with oxygen from the air, a chemical reaction generates electricity...Bloom executives contend that their device could cut the greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation by at least 50 percent, depending on the type of fuel used — a claim that is likely to receive close scrutiny…[The capacity of] the stack to withstand extreme temperatures without cracking or leaking [remains to be proven]…Mr. Sridhar contends the Bloom boxes, with reasonable maintenance, will have a 10-year life span…"


AZ RISKS LOSING SUN
Proposed law could chase Suntech, other solar firms from Arizona
Patrick O’Grady, February 23, 2010 (Phoenix Business Journal)

"Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. may reconsider locating to Goodyear and other solar power companies could follow suit if a law to classify nuclear power as renewable passes.

"The companies warn that passage of House Bill 2701…could cripple the state’s nascent solar industry and send players to other states…Suntech, the largest Chinese manufacturer of solar modules [recently] announced…plans to put its first U.S. facility in Goodyear after more than two years of looking for a location. Officials said the state’s renewable energy standards developed by the Arizona Corporation Commission were key to the choice of Arizona for the manufacturing base…Barry Broom, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council which has worked to woo solar companies, said other companies have sent a similar message…"

A small contingent of pro-nukers is about to drive this booming company out of Az. (click to enlarge)

"HB 2701 was introduced…as a legislative attempt to bypass the Corporation Commission standards, requiring utilities to get 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2025. The bill would add nuclear and hydroelectric sources as a means to meet that goal. It also would do away with the commission’s distributed energy standard, which requires 30 percent of total renewable power produced by utilities [to come] from rooftop systems.

"That segment is seen as a driver to demand, allowing Arizona Public Service Co. and other utilities to charge a tariff to fund incentive programs…Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity, one of the large California installers which came to the state two years ago because of the incentives, said the bill would create a situation of double regulation and likely put many solar companies in the state out of business."

Do the pro-nukers really think there isn't enough sun to power Az? (click to enlarge)

"Kyocera Solar, which has its U.S. headquarters in Scottsdale, also finds the bill a possible impediment to solar in Arizona…

"Representatives of the solar industry met with Gov. Jan Brewer…prior to the hearing on HB 2701. Suntech announced it was rethinking the Arizona location just prior to that…Broom said Suntech’s exit would devastate GPEC efforts to lure its suppliers to the state as well as any other solar company that was close to making a decision."