QUICK NEWS, 5-12: GEORGIA GETS WIND JOBS, MONEY; A BIG YEAR FOR UK WAVES; CAL UTILITIES BUY GEOTHERMAL; TH!NK EV MONEY MAKES INDIANA JOBS

GEORGIA GETS WIND JOBS, MONEY
Wind Factory Watch: ZF Industries, Georgia
Tom Gray, 12 de Mayo de 2010 (Regulacion Eolica con Vehiculos Electricos)

"Germany's ZF Group, a major manufacturer of drive train equipment, broke ground recently on a $90-million wind turbines gearbox factory in Gainesville, GA...[It] will employ 215 workers when it is fully operational in 2012.

"...[It] offers yet another concrete answer (along with other wind equipment factories going up in Arkansas, South Carolina and elsewhere) to Congressional opponents of a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)."

Georgia and several other Southeastern states are missing out on wind manufacturing opportunities. (click to enlarge)

"Those opponents have argued strenuously that an RES (a national requirement that utilities obtain a minimum percentage of their electricity from renewable energy sources) will discriminate against the Southeastern U.S. because it has little in the way of commercial wind resources."

An RES would also drive the development of Georgia's considerable biomass assets. (click to enlarge)

"What this argument fails to take into account is, first, that the Southeast has enormous biomass energy resources (indeed, enough that it currently exports some) and second, that it stands to reap new manufacturing jobs from a strong American wind energy industry, in part because jobs in the region's existing auto industry require similar skills. The new ZF Industries wind plant will be located just minutes away from an existing company plant that makes automotive equipment..."

[Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue (R):] “Now [ZF Industries is] getting into the renewable energy sector. That’s a good field; it allows Georgia to participate in the renewable energy sector. While we may not be able harvest all the wind, it’s still an opportunity to make the products that will harvest the wind energy worldwide.”


A BIG YEAR FOR UK WAVES
Significant Wave Energy Developments Expected in 2010
May 10, 2010 (PR Web via EarthTimes)

"Even though wave device technologies are still at the proof-of concept phase, 2010 has witnessed a flurry of UK government support for wave energy with the first recipients from the Marine Renewables Proving Fund being rewarded over £10mn…

"In addition to this Carbon Trust funding, the Technology Strategy Board, the Scottish Saltire Prize and also EC funding all hold promise…The recent announcements from the Crown Estate on the Scottish waters leasing agreements marks a new dawn for the wave energy industry as commercial scale projects are moving into action for serious development. With 700MW of installed capacity on the table by 2020, the industry has a great deal to accomplish in the next decade if wave energy is going to be a viable resource."

If the UK failed to develop these assets, it would be as foolish as if the U.S. not develop its Mid-Atlantic offshore winds. (click to enlarge)

"With utilities stepping up to take real notice, progress in the Marine Bill and major developments in streamlining the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), there has never been a more exciting time for the wave energy sector.

"But there are substantial challenges to overcome – and only a handful of wave energy technologies have been publicly funded so far leaving dozens of companies desperate to raise capital to progress with technical and commercial development…"


CAL UTILITIES BUY GEOTHERMAL
California regulators approve two geothermal power deals
James Cartledge, May 10, 2010 (BrighterEnergy)

"California regulators have approved geothermal energy power deals involving utilities Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

"Edison was cleared by the California Public Utilities’ Commission for a 20-year power purchase agreement with Nevada company Ram Power, Inc., to buy energy from the Orita geothermal power plant, a new facility in the Imperial Valley."

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"The Orita 1 facility is expected to produce 50 megawatts of power initially, but may be expanded to 100MW and more. Drilling got underway in March…The facility could produce around 400 gigawatt-hours of energy a year from 2013…[T]he Commission also allowed Edison to go ahead with two further agreements with similar terms and conditions with Ram Power…

"…[T]he Commission also approved a PPA between PG&E and the Geysers Power Company, part of Calpine Corporation, which will add 50MW of geothermal power from the Sonoma and Lake Counties area of California to PG&E’s renewables portfolio."

The Geysers - one of California's richest New Energy regions. (click to enlarge)

"The agreement extends the existing 375 MW contract between the two companies. With the new PPA, PG&E will receive between 2,000 and 3,500 GWh of renewable energy through 2022.

"Californian utilities are stretching to provide 20% of their electricity from renewable sources by the end of this year, rising to 33% by 2020."


TH!NK EV MONEY MAKES INDIANA JOBS
Norwegian electric-car maker Think revs up funding
Todd Woody, May 10, 2010 (LA Times)

"Think, the Norwegian electric carmaker, …[has] raised an additional $40 million in funding to finance its expansion in Europe and the United States.

"Venture capital firm Rockport Capital Partners and Ener1, a lithium-ion battery manufacturer, led the funding…Ener1 remains Think’s largest shareholder, with a 31% stake in the company, while Rockport Capital is now the second-largest owner. Each company put up $12.5 million in the latest round. Past investors have included Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and General Electric.

click to enlarge

"Earlier this year, Think announced that it would build its first U.S. factory in Elkhart, Ind., with its City urban runabout expected to start rolling off the assembly line in early 2011.

"…Richard Canny, Think’s chief executive, said the company planned to ship an initial 500 cars to the U.S. market from a Finland assembly plant in this year's fourth quarter…"

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"The City, a snub-nosed coupe with a floor-to-ceiling glass hatch, can travel about 112 miles on a charge…The U.S. version of the car will have a top speed of 70 to 75 miles per hour…

"Canny said most of the first shipments of cars would be sold to corporate fleets and car-sharing services…[T]he new funding [will] allow the company, which expects to become profitable next year, to introduce a right-hand-drive version of the City to the British market in early 2011 and to expand its electric drive train manufacturing business. Think has raised $87 million since August."