QUICK NEWS, 8-3: THE TEST OF A WIND TURBINE; THE FIGHT FOR THIN FILM; BIOMASS MARKETS BUDDING; OF THE EV AND BIOFUELS

THE TEST OF A WIND TURBINE
Turbine test facilities: The quest for reliability
Andrew Williams, 29 July 2010 (Wind Energy Update)

"…[C]oncerns have been raised that, in terms of measuring reliability, the current standards governing turbine technology testing are neither meaningful nor worthwhile…In response…the National Renewable Energy Centre (NAREC) in the UK plans to build a £15m marine test-rig in Blyth, Northumberland to enable it to perform certification activities, reliability and performance appraisal of new devices. The facility will become one of the world’s largest open-access indoor test facilities for offshore wind turbines.

"…Commercial wind turbines currently pass through a 3rd-party Type Certification process against international standards…Full certification includes fatigue testing of blades plus verification of loads, power performance, noise and grid characteristics on a full-sized pre-production prototype turbine…However, reliability and maintainability are not formally considered, leading to calls for standards and guidelines that cover all aspects of turbine performance and which constantly evolve to keep pace with changes in the industry…"

From nebusiness via YouTube

"The NAREC facility, due to be in action by late 2011, will test wind turbine nacelle up to 10MW in ‘real world’ wind conditions and enable Type Certification testing of new turbines, as well as model verification and proof testing of prototypes…[It will also do] ‘post-mortem’ testing of in-service turbines, to reproduce measured loads and help diagnose the root causes of failure, and the running-in of new turbines to screen out early-life failures before offshore installation…The test-rig will allow the whole turbine nacelle to be tested onshore and indoors before being taken offshore, thus reducing the technical and commercial risks of mass-production and deployment…

"In the US, Clemson University has announced plans for an open-access facility in the state of South Carolina to provide high quality testing services to the wind turbine industry for turbines, drivetrains or gear boxes…[It] will be housed in a former Navy warehouse adjacent to existing rail and ship handling infrastructure, and will be capable of full-scale testing of advanced drive-train systems for wind turbines in the 5-15 MW range."

From NRELPR via YouTube

"…[A] National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) project is underway to test small wind turbine systems to industry and international standards…[and] NREL is working with the US Department of the Environment in defining its Regional Test Centers project, and is also collaborating with AWEA's Standards Coordinating Committee (SCC) and wind industry experts to develop national guidelines…

"…As the wind industry expands, it is likely that large-scale test facilities such as those due to be established by NAREC, Clemson University and others will become increasingly important in improving reliability and helping companies to address the major challenges posed by working in very harsh environments…International collaboration will also be a vital element in standardising component capabilities, bringing down testing costs as well as building scale…"


THE FIGHT FOR THIN FILM
Sharp, Enel and ST Micro Swooping into Thin Film Solar Panels; Will thin film’s promise emerge from startups like Solyndra or industrial giants like Sharp, STMicro, and Enel?
Eric Wesoff, August 2, 2010 (Greentech Media)

"With thin film pioneers like Applied Materials and Signet expired on the battlefield -- or like Solyndra, licking their wounds -- Japanese solar giant Sharp, Enel, the largest power company in Italy and STMicroelectronics, the leading European semiconductor supplier have declared their entry into thin film.

"The three firms have formed a joint venture called 3Sun and look to start production in the second half of 2011 and to also act as an independent power producer to develop, build and operate PV power generation plants with help from an Italian subsidy for the solar cell plant."

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"3Sun will start the production of thin-film solar cells in the second half of 2011 by utilizing the existing facility of ST in Catania, Sicily Region, Italy. The thin-film solar cell plant will start operation with an initial annual production capacity of 160 megawatts, which is scheduled to be expanded to an annual production capacity of 480 megawatts…"

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"Sharp…[will develop] the world's first business model extending from thin-film solar cell production to [power production]…[I]t's safe to assume that this is amorphous silicon…Sharp appears to be doubling down on this thin-film silicon approach.

"Sharp is now the number-three solar cell supplier (behind First Solar and Suntech), with about 600 megawatts of cells shipping in 2010…Sharp has a one-gigawatt-capacity factory in Osaka building tandem junction a-Si panels with decent efficiencies for this technology, in the neighborhood of nine percent…[It] is also completing an 18-megawatt a-Si installation in Canada through Sun Edison, as well as large deployments in Mendota, CA and Dayton, Ohio…[The] leading crystalline silicon supplier…[expects] amorphous silicon (a-Si) will be as much as 50 percent of [its] solar business…"


BIOMASS MARKETS BUDDING
Biomass Markets and Technologies; Biomass Energy Generation, Biofuels, and Bioproducts: Market Analysis and Forecasts
Leslie Los and Clint Wheelock, 3Q 2010 (Pike Research)

"Biomass markets are dynamic and rapidly evolving. Pike Research’s analysis indicates that developers and investors are constantly monitoring and evaluating new feedstock opportunities, federal and state policy changes, environmental concerns, and developing technology improvements. At this time, investment in the biomass market is generally in the R&D sector as well as in unique smaller scale projects…the bioplastics market has significant growth potential and will see major investments…Large grid-tied biomass energy projects are emerging as possible new base-load power source opportunities…

"Private equity investment in renewable energy projects experienced a surge in February 2010, up 133% from January ($547 million from $235 million) and a three- year-over-year increase ($149 million recorded in February 2009). The United States accounted for 43% of the investment volume…Spain reported the highest value in deals at $216 million. This is a sign that the recession could be waning…[B]iomass is conducive to producing different types of energy…such as transportation fuels, bio-derived products…and electricity generation…[R]esources are evenly distributed…Many different feedstocks can be classified as "biomass" …In the United States, the biomass opportunities are coast-to-coast, with a higher concentration in the fertile lands of the Midwest….[T]he International Energy Agency (IEA) venture estimates, the capital investment into the biomass market will be in the range of $41 billion to $83billion per year over the next 20 years…"

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"…The emerging energy plans, which Pike Research believes will be supported by the U.S. government’s investment in national security, influences of carbon tax and/or carbon cap and trade economics, and profitable prospects over the next 5 to 10 years, will drive a paradigm shift to renewable, sustainable energy. Government policies and public opinion will progressively enable increasing amounts of biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower to be deployed across the world from a widening array of feedstock, resulting in a significant displacement of oil use and a massive change to the world’s energy supply.

"Pike Research has concluded that the biomass industry, driven by strong R&D investment and some niche project opportunities, is just starting to emerge from its investment hiatus. The biofuels sector will continue to lag behind bioenergy and bioproducts until second- and third-generation cellulosic technologies are available on a commercial scale, which is estimated to be 2 to 3 years away. The waning economic atmosphere and the shift to nonfood feedstocks are major drivers that will negatively influence the biofuels market growth rate over the next 2 years."

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"The biochemical and the bioenergy sectors will progress much faster than biofuels and see immediate investment in 2010 and a 1% growth rate through 2035. The industry is increasingly moving to explore economical opportunities to use fast growing crops (referred to as energy crops) and biomass waste streams (e.g., wood chips from forest thinning activities, crop residues, municipal waste streams, etc.) as renewable energy feedstocks for…[1] Power generation (electricity, steam, combined heat and power [CHP])…[2] Biogas for manufacturing use (heat for product drying)…[3] Oil (pyrolysis liquids from biogasification waste stream)…[4] Hydrogen production (e.g., transportation fuel sector)…[5] Biorefineries (steam, power, value added bioproducts)

"The challenge at hand is to identify which solutions will be right, and how to address the massive economic, technological, and social changes to come. Solutions need to be economical, environmentally acceptable, and sustainable. Pike Research believes that governments must be cautious not to support any one solution or technology too early, and that the industry needs to pick the winners based on market needs and definitive financial rewards. The influence of government policies and incentives in supporting any one technology or solution could cause unwanted results that are not sustainable."


OF THE EV AND BIOFUELS
Biofuels left out as automakers go electric
David R. Baker, August 2, 2010 (SF Chronicle)

"In the race to replace oil, electric cars seem to be leaving biofuels in the dust…Five years ago, biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel looked like the best bet for breaking the world's addiction to oil…[and] automakers considered electric cars a lost cause…Now the situation has been reversed….

"By the end of 2010, two global automakers will start selling plug-in cars priced for the mass market. Nissan will introduce the all-electric Leaf, while General Motors offers the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid that runs solely on batteries for the first 40 miles of every trip. Automakers as different as Ford, Toyota and Porsche all have plans to go electric…The biofuel industry, however, took a hard blow when the recession hit in 2008…Biorefineries closed…As the recession deepened, venture capital funding for biofuels dwindled, dropping from $1.08 billion in 2007 to $524 million in 2009…And companies that make ethanol from corn came under fire for contributing to a worldwide increase in food prices…"

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"Many energy analysts, however, caution against counting biofuels out…Cellulosic ethanol - made from crop stubble, wood chips or grass - could prove to be economical in the next few years…[M]ost energy analysts believe both electricity and biofuels have a place in transportation's future…[E]lectricity may be a fine option for powering cars, but not planes…

"Pacific Ethanol, had to close plants in Stockton and Madera early last year…, laying off about 80 people…[P]roduction facilities filed for bankruptcy in May 2009, emerging one month ago. But…[t]he company plans to reopen them as the market improves…[T]he market for biofuels remains, supported in large part by government mandate…Federal law requires the nation's motor fuel suppliers to blend an increasing amount of biofuels into their products each year. The federal "renewable fuel standard" gives biofuel companies, mostly corn ethanol producers, a base level of demand they can rely on…"

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"Last year, the nation's biorefineries pumped out 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol, the overwhelming majority of it made from corn. The renewable fuel standard also includes specific mandates for the production of cellulosic biofuels, but so far, the industry hasn't been able to make as much as the government wants. The standard originally called for 100 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels to hit the market in 2010, but the Environmental Protection Agency had to scale back the requirement to 6.5 million gallons to match production…

"The recession may have delayed the commercialization of cellulosic biofuels. But many companies are still pursuing that dream. And they're starting to find funding again, sometimes from the federal government…[Many see] a place for both electric cars and biofuels. Plug-ins work well in urban environments, for commuting or errands. But with battery range still limited, liquid fuel remains a better choice for long-distance travel…"