QUICK NEWS, 1-20: THE U.S., CHINA & NEW ENERGY; BIRDS, TURTLES & SHEEP STOP SUN; SOCAL ED CLAIMS NEW ENERGY #1; ENTERPRISE TO RENT VOLTS, LEAFS

THE U.S., CHINA & NEW ENERGY
Clean energy seen as "bright spot" for US-China; Clean energy seen improving tense relations/GE, Alcoa sign deals with Chinese companies
Timothy Gardner and Ayesha Rascoe (w/Chris Buckley, Russell Blinch and Philip Barbara), January 18, 2011 (Reuters)

"Cooperation on clean energy could be a high point in U.S.-China relations leading to benefits for both countries, government and business officials said ahead of a summit between Chinese President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama.

"Disputes between the world's two largest economies and energy consumers over China's wind power subsidies and its slowdown in exports of rare earths minerals, used in everything from wind turbines to cell phones, have dominated headlines in recent months."

In collaboration with the U.S., China has turned itself into the best country in the world to build renewables because... (click to enlarge)

"The countries are also having wider arguments…But with rising concerns about oil prices, now above $90 a barrel, energy security, and global warming, officials said the world's biggest developed country and the biggest developing country have much to learn from each other. Progress can be made on sharing technologies on efficiency, cleaner coal, and development of renewables like wind and solar power…[P]ressure on both countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reel in fossil fuel demand may push them to overcome…differences…

"…[C]ommon interests between the two countries make clean energy an issue ripe for nurturing close ties…[B]oth governments unveiled plans to continue joint research and development in clean energy -- electric vehicles, clean coal and energy-efficient buildings -- through the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center. First announced in 2009, the centers will be supported by at least $150 million from private and public interests over five years…In addition, several deals were signed between U.S. and Chinese companies…"

...climate change knows no borders. (click to enlarge)

"But officials said several hurdles have to be cleared to prevent competition between the two powers from hurting clean energy efforts…Jon Huntsman, the U.S. ambassador to China, said both countries need to continue their cooperative effort to protect [high tech clean energy] intellectual property rights in China…

"Justin Yifu Lin, a chief economist at the World Bank, said more research and development needs to be done on alternative energies like wind and solar to get them off government subsidies. Until then bickering about subsidies strain relations, as the wind power case shows…[D]elicate balances will have to be struck between American companies that have new technologies they haven't fully developed and Chinese ones that want to bring them to their huge market…In many cases American companies have decided a certain amount of technology transfer is in their interest."


BIRDS, TURTLES & SHEEP STOP SUN
Conservation group sues to stop California solar plant
Nichola Groom (w/Robert Birsel), January 18, 2011 (Reuters)

"A U.S. conservation group has sued the federal government over its approval of a major solar power plant in the California desert, the latest in a string of challenges to the nation's renewable energy goals from the environmental community.

"…[T]he non-profit Western Watersheds Project alleged U.S. regulators approved Brightsource Energy's 370-megawatt Ivanpah solar energy plant without conducting adequate environmental reviews, and asked the court to order the defendants [the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the agencies' heads and other staffers] to withdraw their approvals…"

The stretch of desert where Brightsource wants to build is pretty barren. (click to enlarge)

"The complaint said the project's approval process failed to analyze and mitigate the Ivanpah plant's impact on migratory birds, the desert tortoise, which is a threatened species under federal law, desert bighorn sheep, groundwater resources and rare plants.

"…Brightsource has taken measures to assuage environmentalists' concerns about the project. In October, the privately held company reached a deal with litigious environmental group The Center for Biological Diversity to acquire thousands of acres of habitat for the desert tortoise and other rare species."

It might be useful to see the bigger picture because climate change will cause some pretty serious impacts, too. (click to enlarge

"Conflicts between solar proponents and foes are taking on growing importance as the renewable energy industry experiences a boom, particularly in California…The conflicts have the potential to set back the development of solar energy and derail state and federal commitments to lessening dependence on fossil fuels.

"Last month, a group called La Cuna de Aztlan, which represents Native American groups such as the Chemehuevi and the Apache, filed a challenge in federal court to the federal government's approval of six big solar plants -- including Ivanpah…"


SOCAL ED CLAIMS NEW ENERGY #1
SoCal Ed says it has 110 renewables contracts
Christina Lee/Jeffrey Riser, 14 January 2011 (Platts Energy Week)

"Claiming to be the single largest buyer of renewable energy in the US, Southern California Edison has amassed 110 active contracts under which it is or has been purchasing renewable energy since 2005, covering an estimated 8,000 MW of generation…[In 2010] SoCal Ed saw its retail renewables reach just more than 19% of its total retail power distributed…That compares with…[2009’s] 17%…[O]ver the past year the company has been seeing the price of renewable power it is buying, particularly from solar, decrease.

"SoCal Ed was in compliance last year with California's 20% by 2010 renewables portfolio standard, or RPS program…[due] "flexible compliance" rules [that] allow for banking of renewable credits and earmarking for future years deliveries of power that are in excess of goals from prior years. To be counted under the flexible compliance rules, some of the contracted power does not need to actually be delivered until the end of 2013."

SCE was #2 in solar nationally (click to enlarge)

"…San Diego Gas & Electric said…that by the middle of 2010 [New Eneregy] had reached a level of 14% of its total retail power delivered…Pacific Gas and Electric had actual deliveries of renewable power totaling 14.5% of the company's total in 2009…[but PG&E] expects the [final 2010] percentage to be close to 20%, particularly given the flexible compliance rules…SoCal Ed is [now] focusing on signing additional contracts, mainly in the latter part of this decade, as it moves toward compliance with the recently passed 33% by 2020 California Air Resources Board, or CARB, renewables program…

"…[A]t approximately 57%, power drawn from geothermal facilities in Northern and Southern California owned by Calpine, Ormat Technologies and Cal Energy makes up the largest percentage of SoCal Ed's renewable portfolio…The single largest contract for renewable power that SoCal Ed has…is with Terra-Gen Power…Terra-Gen is building the 1,550-MW Alta Wind project north of Los Angeles near the town of Mojave…GE Energy Financial Services and Bankers Commercial have bought the first phase, the 150-MW Alta Wind I farm, and will be leasing it back to Terra-Gen to manage and operate."

SCE was #3 in wind nationally (click to enlarge)

"…[S]olar is becoming "more competitive" and, in some cases, "a better value" than power from wind farms…[led by] projects built by… vertically integrated solar companies that also manufacture their own panels. Two such companies are First Solar and SunPower…

"…[W]hat is driving SoCal Ed is not only the growth of the percentage of retail renewables that the state is demanding, but also load growth, and the fact that contracts with a number of geothermal, wind and solar facilities first drawn up nearly 20 years ago are now rolling off."


ENTERPRISE TO RENT VOLTS, LEAFS
Enterprise Rent-A-Car To Offer Electric Cars; The car rental giant goes green offering the new Chevrolet Volt extended-range and Nissan LEAF electric vehicles
John Shimkus, January 19, 2011 (Energy Digital)

"…[C]onsider taking advantage of Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s new line of electric vehicles…The car rental giant…will be introducing the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, Motor Trend’s 2011 “Car of the Year,” to their collection of rentable vehicles, with the first fleet and electric charging station being made available at the Mark Christopher Auto Center in Ontario, California. As the cars become more available there will be additional locations offering electric vehicles and charging stations. The company is also introducing 500 Nissan LEAFs to their line-up.

"Typically, electric vehicles have posed practicality problems, since they can travel on average only about 100 miles on a single charge, which can be difficult in this transition period where there are not a lot of charging stations yet available. Extended-range electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt are capable of traveling much further than their all-electric counterparts thanks to an on-board gas-powered generator."

Car-of-the-Year Volt soon to be for rent at Enterprise (click to enlarge)

[Lee Broughton, director of sustainability, Enterprise Holdings:] "By embracing new, clean fuel and engine technologies like electric vehicles, Enterprise can help the passenger vehicle remain relevant by giving alternatives a chance to become commercially successful…"

Soon to be for rent at Enterprise (click to enlarge)

[Jeff Morrell, vice president, Enterprise Rent-A-Car:] "Purchase demand for electric vehicles has been impressive, and we anticipate similar demand from rental customers…We're committed to using our fleet and industry-leading network as a sort of 'petri dish' to promote new alternatives and prove their feasibility in the marketplace."

"Enterprise Rent-A-Car employs over 68,000 people, has a fleet of more than 1 million cars and trucks, and annual revenues average $12.6 billion, making it the largest car rental company in the world…It is ranked No. 17 on Forbes’ 'Top 500 Private Companies in America.'"