QUICK NEWS, 11-9: INDIA & U.S. GO FOR SPACE SOLAR; THE WHITE HOUSE NEW ENERGY MEMO; BIG COAL EXERTS INFLUENCE

THE WHITE HOUSE NEW ENERGY MEMO
Solar, Wind Companies Predict Projects Will Slow If U.S. Eliminates Grants
Jim Snyder and Jim Efstathiou, Jr., November 4, 2010 (Bloomberg News)

"Solar, wind, geothermal and biomass power companies predict a slowdown in renewable-energy projects if Congress fails to extend a [Treasury Department grant program that has awarded more than $5.4 billion to 1,387 renewable-energy projects by letting solar, wind and renewable projects that would be eligible for production and investment tax credits instead seek a one-time grant covering 30 percent of costs] during its post-election session.

"The American Wind Energy Association, the Solar Energy Industries Association, the Biomass Power Association and the Geothermal Energy Association sent letters on Nov. 2 to lawmakers, pressing to extend the program that expires next month. The groups are acting before Republicans take control of the House next year after campaigning on a pledge to lower the federal deficit."

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"The industry organizations said the credits, which are part of the stimulus package, saved or created tens of thousands of U.S. jobs…[A White House memo, written by National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers, special adviser on energy and environment Carol Browner, and Vice President Joe Biden’s chief of staff, Ron Klain, recommended that President Barack Obama ask Congress to redirect $2.5 billion in loan guarantee funds to extend the grants because they have been more effective] in promoting renewable energy…

"Letting the grants expire will lead to a “significant slowdown in the renewable-energy industries, resulting in the loss of jobs and further transfer of clean-energy leadership to other countries,” the groups wrote to congressional leaders…Legislation to extend the grants has been introduced in Congress and may be tied to the debate over extending tax breaks enacted during the Bush administration, which are to end this year…"

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"The renewable-energy groups cited a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study from 2009 that found the grant program saved more than 55,000 jobs in the wind-energy industry…The Solar Foundation…reported 93,000 employees in the industry, double the number estimated for 2009. The groups credited the grants for the increase…The Treasury grants were added to the stimulus program at the behest of renewable-energy companies that said investment tax credits were failing to entice investors during the recession.

"The White House memo said 2009 was the best year for the wind industry. Developers installed 10,000 megawatts of power that year. The Lawrence Berkley report said one-third of that capacity wouldn’t have been built without the grants…U.S. wind-energy growth…[is now at] the slowest pace of growth since 2007…Renewable-energy companies also may have a more difficult time next year seeking support for the program when Republicans control the House…[S]ubsidies for renewable projects will face greater scrutiny…"


INDIA & U.S. GO FOR SPACE SOLAR
India, America join hands to harness solar power
Srinivas Laxman, November 8, 2010 (Times of India)

"…India and USA teamed up on a space-based energy initiative aimed at turning both countries into net energy exporters, 48 hours before US President Barack in India."

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"The project is led by former president of India A P J Abdul Kalam, who was once a staunch critic of the US, and National Space Society (NSS), a non-profit US-based space organization with chapters all over the world including India…Known as the Kalam-National Space Society initiative, the mission envisages harvesting solar power in space for use on earth.

"…[ Isro Satellite Centre director T K Alex] is the project's principal investigator from India. Kalam told the US media that a team from Isro has been formed to carry out a feasibility study for this project. He said Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan asked him to take the idea forward…"

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"…Kalam said…it was a 15-year-project. The main challenge is to evolve methods to transmit solar power from space to earth and its distribution. To make it economical, the cost of launching a spacecraft, currently $20,000 a kg, has to be slashed to $2,000 a kg."


SO KOREA BUYS INTO OCEAN WIND
South Korea plans offshore wind project
November 3, 2010 (UPI)

"South Korea plans to build an $8.2 billion offshore wind farm in the Yellow Sea…The three-phase plan calls for the construction of a "proving area" by 2013 to test 20 5-megawatt turbines. An additional 180 5-megawatt turbines will be installed by 2016 for the second phase, followed by 300 5-megawatt turbines by 2019 at the proposed facility, to generate a total of 2,500 megawatts of electricity.

"While the project's turbines are to come from various South Korean manufacturers, 2009 data from the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning show that in term of technology, the level of South Korea's offshore wind farm technology is 68 percent compared to that of industry leaders."

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"…[T]he project has been scaled down from a plan announced in September to build up to 1,000 wind turbines by 2019.

"South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest energy consumer and polluter, pledged last year to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent from a 2020 forecast, a 4 percent reduction from 2005 levels…South Korea [recently] said it would invest $36 billion over the next five years in developing renewable energy sources, as the country aims to reduce its heavy dependence on oil and gas imports while tackling greenhouse gas emissions."

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"South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's administration expects the country to become one of the world's top five clean energy powers in 2015 and forecasts its exports of clean energy to reach $36.2 billion in 2015…

"In September, Seoul announced measures to promote the use of renewable energy among government agencies and private firms…Under those regulations, electric power companies generating more than 500 megawatts of electricity per hour must diversify their portfolio of energy sources beginning in 2012 and by 2022 increase the supply of electricity generated from renewable energy sources to 10 percent."


BIG COAL EXERTS INFLUENCE
Firing improves chances for Sunflower coal plant
Karen Dillon and David Klepper, November 4, 2010 (Kansas City Star)

"…[T]he un-built Sunflower coal plant may have been a winner [in the Kansas election]…In a surprise move on Election Day, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson ousted the official who had blocked construction of the plant in western Kansas…The removal of Roderick Bremby, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, increases Sunflower’s chances of being built, environmentalists and others said…

"Parkinson has denied that Bremby’s removal was linked in any way to the coal plant project. Instead, Parkinson said he wanted Bremby to take a transition Cabinet director position…Bruce Nilles, deputy conservation director for the national Sierra Club, said [the] firing was a shrewd move on Parkinson’s part…"

This is how it was. From SierraClubKansas via YouTube

"A January deadline is looming for Sunflower. It needs a construction permit approved this year before new environmental laws kick in, making the plant more costly to build…Concerns about Parkinson possibly pressuring Bremby to expedite the permit process were raised two months ago by environmental groups, which reported concerns to the Environmental Protection Agency…Bremby was not available for comment…

"The four-year battle over the plant has been hard-fought on both sides and millions of dollars have been spent…Originally, Sunflower planned to build three plants with 2,100 megawatts of electricity…Most of the electricity was never meant for Kansas, whose customers do not need it…In 2007, Bremby rejected Sunflower’s permit application because it did not address carbon dioxide emissions, which Bremby considered a public health risk."

click thru to the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Kansas and get involved

"Then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius twice vetoed legislation that would have allowed Sunflower to move ahead…But in 2009, Sebelius…[became] head [of] the U.S. Health and Human Services agency, and [Lt. Governort] Parkinson became governor…[He] held secret meetings with Sunflower officials and then shocked many when he announced…Sunflower would build only one 850-megawatt plant. Still, much of that electricity would go to out of state…The agreement…was approved by the Legislature…[and Bremby was stripped] of his discretion on health concerns that he used in 2007 to reject the plants…

"The EPA remains a player in the permit…Sunflower had planned to move ahead and build the plant, but EPA weighed in and ordered the corporation to apply for a new air-quality permit. Sunflower did that in January…Tri State Generation, the Colorado utility that had been pushing hard for the new plant, is keeping its options open…[but] has spent $51 million developing the plant…"