QUICK NEWS, 9-8: WIND FIGHTS BACK; BIG SOLAR LOOKS AHEAD; NEW ENERGY IN YUMA; CALIF’S ZERO NET ENERGY PLAN

WIND FIGHTS BACK
Wind industry fights to defend its position as clean energy alternative; Study, column downplaying wind energy's environmental benefits angers Denise Bode
Chris Casteel, September 5, 2010 (The Oklahoman)

"The Obama administration's emphasis on clean energy and the fight in Congress over energy legislation is creating some tension…[Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association [AWEA], said the] Western Energy Alliance, formerly the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States, released a report earlier this year that concluded renewable electricity mandates had actually caused pollution increases in Texas and Colorado because coal and natural gas plants operated less efficiently to accommodate the variability in wind sources."

"The study was cited in The Wall Street Journal column, written by Robert Bryce, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and that column was then cited by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington…The wind energy association countered last week with Department of Energy figures showing carbon emissions had dropped steadily in Texas and Colorado as wind power was added to the mix. And it has cited studies projecting that emissions would drop by as much as 25 percent if wind generated 20 percent of [U.S.] electric power…"

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"…[T]here are [also high stakes] lobbying battles between coal and natural gas and nuclear versus renewable sources…Though pre-election fighting could further stall passage of energy legislation [with a national renewable energy standard (RES)requiring utilities to use a certain amount of renewable energy] in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said last week that he still hopes to pass a bill before lawmakers adjourn for the year…"

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"…[AWEA] has been pushing hard for a renewable standard, arguing that it would spur manufacturing jobs while reducing emissions…But lawmakers from states in the [southeast], where wind isn't as plentiful or as easy to harness, have been strongly opposed to mandates…Trade groups for oil and gas companies…have not taken a public position on a renewable energy standard…[but] has been pushing hard since President Barack Obama took office against his proposals to change tax rules the industry considers vital…Democratic members of Congress also have proposed higher fees and penalties for offshore drilling.

"Some lawmakers have promoted a broader mandate, called the clean energy standard, which would allow for more than just renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy. And groups representing natural gas companies have argued that natural gas should be included in such a standard…Bode recently suggested that the industry's future is dependent on a renewable energy standard, and she said she was in the fight 'to the bitter end.'"


BIG SOLAR LOOKS AHEAD
AREVA Solar puts its money on the solar booster market
Rikki Stancich, 3 September 2010 (CSP Today)

"…French nuclear energy company, Areva [recently acquired]…Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) technology developer, Ausra, in a move it described as ‘its first step to becoming a global solar energy business’…Prior to the acquisition, Ausra had dramatically changed its tactics – and its name - from technology provider and developer, to pure play OEM – a move lauded by investors and analysts alike…Following the successful launch of a 1MW pilot [in Australia] in 2004…Ausra received a cash injection from Silicon Valley venture capitalists of around $US40 million…Since then, Ausra’s 5MW Kimberlina demonstration plant in [California] and its 9 MWt, Liddell coal-fired/solar power augmentation facility [in Australia] have come online…Areva Solar is now on track to break ground on its 23MW Kogan creek solar booster project [in Australia later this year, and has plans for several other major projects…"

[Dr. Robert (Bob) Fishman, CEO, Areva Solar:] "We see a lot of attractive near-term opportunities in the power augmentation or “booster” market. Areva can install a solar field at existing natural gas-fired or coal-fired power plants to increase peak plant output without added emissions—or we can reduce emissions while maintaining the same output of the plant…In comparing all CSP and PV solar technology options, Areva Solar’s booster facilities are by far the most cost-effective solar offering in the market…[W]e are [also] pursuing several utility-scale projects…Another attractive near-term market is for industrial process steam. Industries that require large amounts of steam (such as enhanced oil recovery, food processing or petrochemical refining) can utilize direct solar steam or hot water…Whereas feed-in tariffs and renewable portfolio standards drive the power market for CSP, the driver for industrial steam applications will either be a carbon market or high fuel prices…"

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[Dr. Robert (Bob) Fishman, CEO, Areva Solar:] "We believe these [CSP retrofit] projects by far are the best point of entry for our technology. Financially, solar steam augmentation is not only viable, but financially and environmentally attractive…Boosters should result in a Levelized Cost of Electricity that is 30 percent lower than standalone solar power plants, and [30-50 megawatt projects] can be built in a year or less. They are also appealing because they can be built on land already owned and controlled by the customer…Utilities reduce fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions by adding solar steam generation…Additionally, using water as our working fluid for a direct steam offering with a closed loop system and dry cooling makes our technology more appealing for the arid locations that tend to be best suited for CSP technology. We also offer the highest land density design…"

[Dr. Robert (Bob) Fishman, CEO, Areva Solar:] "In the past 18 months we have improved our solar steam offering from medium pressure, saturated steam to high-pressure, superheated steam. This is a major technological advancement, and Areva is the only CLFR technology able to generate sustained, superheated steam…[W]e’ve lengthened our solar steam generators to more maximize our land efficiency and lower costs…We are currently short-listed for Australia’s $1.5 billion Solar Flagships Program. We are part of an energy consortium…seeking to develop, build and operate a standalone, 250MWe solar thermal power plant [in Australia]…[and we] have a strong pipeline of both standalone power and booster opportunities in Morocco, India, South Africa and the Middle East."

Ausra's system (click to enlarge)

[Dr. Robert (Bob) Fishman, CEO, Areva Solar:] "For large-scale generation, there is really no economically viable option for firming PV power and thermal hybrids cost one-third the price of a standalone backup peaker plant…[W]e’ve looked extensively at storage and believe that hybridization currently offers far more flexibility and cost-effectiveness…Molten salt and oil storage are…cost-prohibitive…Solar/natural-gas hybrid power plants offer a more affordable and reliable solution…even when compared to pumped storage hydro…"

[Dr. Robert (Bob) Fishman, CEO, Areva Solar:] "We are always looking into technologies that will assist us in being more cost-effective…Globally, one major obstacle to CSP development is that the project finance market has not fully rebounded…[In] the U.S., we’re still lacking comprehensive federal energy and carbon policies…[M]any other countries have demonstrated more environmental leadership by implementing or are in the process of implementing favorable feed-in tariffs and government policies…"


NEW ENERGY IN YUMA
Local company turns focus to Yuma's natural resources
Mara Knaub, September 6, 2010 (Yuma Sun)

"SouthWestern Technologies (SWT) of Yuma made a million dollars a year. Then the economy went sour, and revenues dropped to $40,000 a month…Then revenues dipped even more…"

"But instead of calling it quits, …[SWT] decided to change their focus and give back to the community. The company has turned its attention to alternative/renewable energy and education…Company officials say that exploiting the area's natural resources can provide…job opportunities and stable economic growth…With such a high rate of unemployment in Yuma County, they believe that developing alternative/renewable energy will serve as a stimulus for the local economy.

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"…[SWT has] invested $1.5 million of their own money into researching and developing the plan…The company is proposing that Yuma County and the Imperial Valley form a coalition, combining solar, biomass and geothermal natural resources. The coalition would then have leverage to obtain funding to create an alternative and renewable energy research and development center in Yuma…"

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"…SWT [was founded] in 1994…[It] concentrated its business on reducing the startup and costs for companies intending to test at military installations…[As the company expanded, it] contracted with major U.S. and international corporations…[I]ts current thrust is now the planning and positioning for the creation of the “right synergies” to establish a “center of excellence in Yuma that will [among other things]…evolve alternative/renewable energy research, development and production and attract [renewable energy businesses]…

"The college of engineering and advanced technology would work with the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University and Arizona Western College to meet current and future technical education needs of Yuma and the surrounding area…[and] alternative/renewable energy can provide jobs for many more than just those with a graduate and undergraduate education…With 360 days of sunshine a year [and various biofuels options], Yuma can be an ‘energy dynamo’…"


CALIF’S ZERO NET ENERGY PLAN
CPUC and business leaders launch Zero Net Energy Action Plan; Goal of efficient, clean energy powered buildings by 2030
September 1, 2010 (California Public Utilities Commission)

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) joined California business leaders to launch a 2010-2012 Zero Net Energy Action Plan designed to help California commercial building owners take advantage of the latest technologies and financial incentives to help reduce building energy use to `net-zero' through greater efficiency and on-site clean energy production...

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Zero net energy (ZNE) buildings have a net energy consumption of zero over a typical year. On-site solar, wind, and other renewable energy resources generate the amount of energy used by the building. To date, California has more ZNE buildings than any other state in the nation. Technologies needed to achieve ZNE - including high performance lighting and distributed generation such as rooftop solar - are widely available and incentivized.

Energy is one of the biggest expenses of building ownership, yet it is the one cost that owners have the most control over. Moving toward ZNE will help building owners better manage energy costs and become more energy independent, and at the same time help the state take a big bite out of overall energy consumption. Buildings consume more electricity than any other sector in California. About five billion square feet of commercial building space accounts for 38 percent of the state's power use and more than 25 percent of the state's natural gas consumption.

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"The Zero Net Energy Action Plan was developed...[over 11 months with] more than 150 stakeholders in commercial building, architecture, finance, clean energy, technology, and various state agencies. The action plan lays out a path to implement California's Long-Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan for the commercial sector, published in 2008, which identified ZNE as one of the Big Bold Energy Efficiency Strategies (BBEES). Altogether, the Strategic Plan's BBEES will save an estimated 2,056 MW, avoiding the need for four new 500 MW power plants...