QUICK NEWS, 2-23: 2010 U.S. SPEW UP; PENNYWISE AND NEW ENERGY FOOLISH; SPAIN-CHINA WIND PACTS; PRE-PACKAGED BIG SUN

2010 U.S. SPEW UP
As Congress Debates EPA Regulation, New Report Shows Biggest One-Year Increase in C02 Pollution from U.S. Power Plants in 2010; 10 Worst States for CO2 Pollution Are TX, FL, OH, IN, PA, IL, KY, GA, AL and MO [and] Half of New Coal-Fired Power Generation in the U.S. in 2010 Came Online in Texas.
February 18, 2011 (Environmental Intergrity Project)

"…[Getting Warmer: US CO2 Emissions from Power Plants…] from the Environmental Integrity Project shows that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants in the U.S. rose 5.56 percent in 2010 over the year before, the biggest annual increase since the EPA began tracking emissions in 1995. The report is based on data from the EPA’s Clean Air Markets website, which tallies emission reports from electric generators.

"Texas power plants led the pack in 2010, with nearly 257 million ton of CO2 emissions, as much as the next two states combined (Florida and Ohio), and more than seven times the total CO2 emissions from power plants in California. Despite a favorable climate for wind energy and falling natural gas prices, Texas opened three new coal plants toward the end of 2010, with a combined capacity of 2,156 megawatts. The 10 worst states for CO2 pollution identified in the report are Texas, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, and Missouri…"

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"Electricity generators released 2.423 billion tons of carbon dioxide in 2010, compared to 2.295 billion tons in 2009…Power plant emissions are still below the high water mark of 2.565 million tons set in 2007. Last year’s rise was driven in part by a 4 percent net increase in overall generation for the 12 months ending in November of 2010, due to the economic recovery and unusually warm weather in some parts of the country.

"Average global temperatures last year reached the 2005 level, the warmest year on record. CO2 is the most prevalent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming; the combustion of fossil fuels for electricity generation in the U.S. accounts for more than one third of our nation’s total U.S. releases of CO2, and about five percent of CO2 emissions worldwide. Coal-fired boilers provided 45 percent of U.S. electricity in 2010, but were responsible for 81 percent of total CO2 emissions from electricity generation last year…"

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"50 coal-fired power plants accounted for 750 million tons of CO2 emissions in 2010, or about a third of the total. The two largest carbon polluters, the Scherer and Bowen power plants in Georgia, together released more than 48 million tons of CO2 in 2010. By comparison, emissions from all power plants in California were 37.1 million tons; in New York, 40 million tons; and in the six states of New England, 40.5 million tons.

"Coal-fired generation rose 5.2 percent in the 12 months ending November 30, 2010, growing at a faster pace than the overall 3 percent increase in net generation over the same period. But net generation of wind powered electricity, although a much smaller fraction of total output, rose from 73.6 to 92.7 million megawatts, for a 26 percent increase through the end of November last year. Net generation from natural gas fired plants, which release less than half as much carbon dioxide as coal plants on a per megawatt basis, rose 6.8 percent over the same period…"


PENNYWISE AND NEW ENERGY FOOLISH
Tea Party Gets US House To Throw Clean Energy Overboard
Jim Presswood, February 19, 2011 (Natural Resources Defense Council Staff Blog)

"The U.S. House passed a spending bill (H.R. 1)…that rolls back environmental protections and guts investments in clean energy…[T]he Tea Party Republicans are behind this effort that would increase pollution, harming human health and the environment…[and] stifle innovation in clean energy technologies…H.R. 1 slashes key Department of Energy (DOE) programs that promote clean energy by about $1.7 billion – approximately a 23 percent decrease from current levels…[though] 83 percent of Americans favor…[incentives for] ‘solar and other alternative energy sources’…

"…[In H.R. 1, the] Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program (EERE) [is] cut by $775 million – a 35 percent decrease. EERE is pursuing groundbreaking research in clean energy technologies…[The] DOE Office of Science [is] cut by $886 million – an 18 percent decrease. The Office of Science plays an essential role in driving U.S. innovation providing nearly 40 percent of funding for basic research in physical sciences…"

With the U.S. falling farther and farther behind in the international race to lead the New Energy economy, it appears the nation is getting what it is paying for. (click to enlarge)

"…[The 30-year-old] State Energy Program (SEP) zeroed out…[E]ach dollar of SEP funds generates $7.22 in cost savings and leverages $10.71 of state and private funds…[The] DOE Loan Guarantee Program [is] cut by $25 billion for all technologies except for [nuclear]…[and] rescinds all funds provided to the program by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009…[potentially delaying or ending] every renewable loan application currently under review, including five projects where the conditional loans have already been issued…

"…[The] National Science Foundation (NSF) [is] cut by $359.5 million…[meaning] 500 fewer NSF research awards…5,500 fewer researchers, students, and technical support personnel…[and curtailment of] NSF support for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs…{And the] National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)…[is cut] $159.5 million, or 19 percent…"

Without spending on innovation, the energy policy wheel cannot turn. (click to enlarge)

"As bad as the bill is for clean energy, it could have been even worse. Some of the more egregious amendments [are] not included in the bill…These attacks on clean energy go against what strong majorities of our citizens want – more clean energy that strengthens our economy and national security, creates much-needed jobs, and improves our health and environment. There were, however, a couple of votes that give us some hope that bipartisan resistance to this onslaught will emerge…

"The Senate, rightly, seems to intend to ignore the House bill and return to sensible budgeting. And maybe once Congress finally funds the government – now that we’re five months into the fiscal year – they can turn to shaping energy policy. There are some signs that there could be bipartisan progress in the Senate. One recent example is Senator Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK, Ranking Member, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee) co-sponsorship of an energy efficiency standards bill supported by environmental groups and industry. Clean energy, after all, is not a partisan issue – it’s just the right thing to do…"


SPAIN-CHINA WIND PACTS
Gamesa and Chinese partners will jointly develop new 600 MW of wind projects
16 February 2011 (Gamesa)

"…[Spanish wind developer and turbine manufacturer Gamesa] has signed two new agreements with Guangdong Nuclear Wind Power and China Huadian New Energy Development to develop a total of 600 MW wind projects in Jilin province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region….[Gamesa will] deliver several batches of G9X-2.0 MW wind turbines during the next five years.

"…[Gamesa and China Guangdong Nuclear] have jointly developed wind projects in Shandong, Liaoning and Heilongjiang provinces [sine 2009]. The new agreement is a unique milestone because it uses wind turbines produced in Gamesa's Jilin factory, for wind projects in Jilin."

The eastward march of the wind industry continues (click to enlarge)

"…[Gamesa and Huadian New Energy first partnered] in Inner Mongolia in 2009….[T]he new 300 MW…project will use wind turbines produced in…[Gamesa’s planned] Inner Mongolia factory…"

China almost matched the rest of the world's wind-building last year. (click to enlarge)

"Gamesa operates as a wind farm developer in China…in conjunction with the country's leading (global and provincial) power companies…[It now] has cooperation agreements of 2,726 MW in [China]…[It] has four manufacturing plants (for blades, generators, and nacelle and gearbox assembly) in the province of Tianjin…[as well as the two] under construction, in Jilin and Inner Mongolia.

"Gamesa broke ground on the Jilin [turbine] plant in May 2010…[which] is scheduled to open in March 2011…with an anticipated annual output of approximately 250…cutting edge 2.0 MW wind turbines for its partners in that province…"


PRE-PACKAGED BIG SUN
Modular, scaleable CSP technology poised to grab marketshare? Modular CSP technology can achieve high operating temperatures and efficiency, while, scaleablity makes them easier – and quicker – to get into the ground than large-scale CSP plants.
Andrew Williams, 17 February 2011 (CSP Today)

"…[M]odular, scalable CSP technology has become an increasingly viable option for CSP plant developers – but how does the technology compare to large-scale approaches, particularly in terms of efficiency, optimal temperature range, ease of installation, and economies of scale?

"California-based CSP company eSolar has employed modular technology at its Sierra Generating Station in Lancaster, California – with a similar plant also under construction in India with partner ACME. Its modular power tower technology uses factory-built heliostats, receivers and towers that are shipped to site and easily deployed, enabling rapid plant commissioning. Plants can also be designed to meet customer requirements without the risk, and significant re-occurring engineering, associated with non-modular designs…"

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"Ease of scale-up is also a key advantage for Arizona-based Stirling Energy Systems (SES), which can deploy its SunCatcher Stirling Dish technology in small-scale 50MW power plants as well as in large-scale plants up to 1000MW…60 SunCatcher units are already used at the Maricopa Solarsite in Peoria, Arizona, a 1.5 MW Dish Stirling plant delivering power under a 10-year agreement with Salt River Project (SRP)…

"The overall efficiency of modular technology used by eSolar is equivalent to large-scale power towers of the same type (i.e. thermodynamic steam cycle) – but…are less susceptible to single points of failure…Dish Stirling modular technology offers the highest solar-to-electric conversion performance of any CSP system, with an average ‘sun-to-grid’ efficiency range of 24-28% (31.25% peak)…The 440°C operating temperature range of eSolar’s solar steam receivers was chosen to match…common boiler tube materials and…commercial steam turbines…[T]he modular dish Stirling technology employed by SES has achieved even higher operating temperatures…"

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"A big advantage of eSolar’s modular heliostat design is that the heliostat field can be constructed very simply. Once the ground is prepared and the materials on site, each one can be built in a few weeks. The towers, shop-built monopoles similar to those used in wind turbines, are shipped to site, lifted in sections with a crane and bolted together. The receiver is also factory-built and shipped to site…Dish Stirling technology is also easy to assemble and erect on site…[and usually] doesn’t need a foundation…

"At this stage, projected market share depends on a range of variable factors, such as further CSP technology developments (including storage, hybridization and cost reduction), as well as changes in government incentives, investment market trends, fossil fuel prices and CO2 emission policies. However, since projects that utilise modular technologies are generally easier to execute, project developers are likely to look increasingly favourably on modularity in the future."