QUICK NEWS, June 8: ESOLAR, GE IN SOLAR-NAT GAS ALLIANCE; CHINA WIND GIANT DEBUTS GIANT TURBINE; THE PRICE OF SUN RIGHT NOW; CONSUMERS WANT SMART

ESOLAR, GE IN SOLAR-NAT GAS ALLIANCE
GE Energy Invests in eSolar, a Key Step to Combining Natural Gas and Renewable Energy for Cleaner, More Reliable Power
June 6, 2011 (GE Energy)

"GE Energy…has entered into an investment and licensing agreement with California-based eSolar that enables GE…to deploy Integrated Solar Combined Cycle (ISCC) technology to customers worldwide. eSolar is a provider of next-generation, tower-based concentrating solar thermal technology. MetCap Energy Investments, a Turkish investor and developer of power projects, plans to collaborate…

"Under the agreement, GE will license and incorporate eSolar technology into its offers of cost-effective ISCC and standalone solar thermal power plants. The companies expect the transaction, which will establish GE as a minority shareholder, to close within a month. Financial terms are not being disclosed."

eSolar celebrated the deal with a display at its 5 MW solar power tower plant in Lancaster, CA (click to enlarge)

"An ISCC project combines a combined-cycle system including a gas turbine, steam turbine, generators and a heat recovery steam generator, with a field of mirrors that focus sunlight on a tower to produce high temperature steam. Steam generated in the solar field is fed into the water-steam cycle of the combined-cycle plant, increasing the power of the steam turbine and creating extra megawatts of electricity without using any additional natural gas…"

eSolar's power tower (click to enlarge)

"eSolar’s technology will be integrated with GE’s recently introduced FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle technology to create a highly efficient and reliable ISCC plant…FlexEfficiency 50 can reach more than 61 percent thermal efficiency. With the eSolar power tower…an ISCC plant…[could] achieve better than 70 percent fuel efficiency [and provide 24/7 power]…

"eSolar’s power plant technology uses small, flat, pre-fabricated mirrors called heliostats to track the sun and reflect its heat to a tower-mounted receiver. This generates steam used by the plant’s power block to create electricity. Thousands of heliostats are aligned and controlled using advanced software algorithms to precisely focus the sun’s energy. eSolar’s technology is architected to provide modular fields that maximize energy production, are scalable to meet a wide range of customers’ power generation needs, while also enabling rapid, lower cost deployment."


CHINA WIND GIANT DEBUTS GIANT TURBINE
China makes world's largest wind turbine, on par with Germany
Chen Zhi, 2011 May 30 (XinhuaNet English News)

"A Sinovel-made 6MW wind turbine prototype, fresh off the production line, can be used in onshore, offshore and inter-tidal wind farms, Tao Gang, vice-president of Sinovel Wind Group Co. Ltd. Said…It is the first of its kind produced in the country. Previously, Germany was the only country capable of independently developing the turbine -- the largest in terms of capacity in the world -- and is the only country to have tested the prototype in the natural environment.

"With 128-meter blades in diameter, the prototype has greater wind capturing capacity and is more efficient at utilizing wind resources than other turbines, said Tao...[I]ndigenous production of the huge turbine will accelerate development of [Chinese] offshore wind power…Given the growing scarcity of land resources and emission reduction targets, European countries and the United States are pushing development of offshore wind power."

The 6MW nacelle (click to enlarge)

"Over the next decade, Britain and France plan to install 7,600 offshore wind turbines -- each unit with a capacity of more than 5MW…China is also racing to tap offshore wind power. The first 100MW offshore wind farm went into operation in Shanghai in August 2010, with 34 Sinovel made 3MW turbines installed…In the same year, China completed public tender for offshore wind farms totaling 1GW in capacity in the eastern Jiangsu Province. Construction of the wind farms will start this year.

"Sinovel is looking to develop 10MW turbines, according to Tao…Other Chinese wind turbine makers are also developing large capacity turbines. Xiangtan Electrical Machinery Co. Ltd. (XEMC), based in central Hunan Province, produced a 5MW prototype last October."

This is what it took to erect a 3MW Sinovel turbine. Imagine what it will take to handle one twice as powerful. (click to enlarge)

"Before 2000, the domestic wind turbine market almost exclusively relied on equipment imported from Europe…Shi Pengfei, vice president of China Wind Energy Commission (CWEA), says the introduction of wind power concession projects and preferential feed-in tariff policy for wind power has [since then] boosted localized production…

"Chinese wind turbine makers have expanded output through licensed production or joint design with foreign partners. China has over 80 wind turbine makers…The top three wind turbine markers in the country, Sinovel, Goldwind and Dongfang Electric, are among the top 10 makers in the world…By the end of 2010, domestic cumulative wind installed capacity amounted to 44.7GW, the largest in the world, and accounted for 23 percent of the world total…"


THE PRICE OF SUN RIGHT NOW
Solar Industry Update: Pricing Pressures Rising (sign-up required)
May 25, 2011 (Mercom Capital)

"The solar industry’s supply chain is in a state of flux with prices deteriorating in all segments at a pace faster than [expected]...[due to weakened] demand and excess capacity expansion…[I]t is not known where prices will stabilize. Wafers and cells prices have fallen 30% in less than three months. Modules price have declined steadily since March, and accelerated the decline over the past two weeks…[M]odules from top tier China-based vendors appear headed toward the $1.40-1.45/w range.

"Polysilicon price [is] still a wild card…but appear[s] to be on the decline, ending a long period of stability. While polysilicon prices were stable in 1Q11 at a level above…expectation, spot prices declined to $65/kg in the past week, the lowest level in roughly one year…[T]here is [likely] downside to the $40-50/kg range in the months ahead. If that decline occurs, wafer, cell and module prices will likely tick down $0.05-0.15/w as this silicon savings is passed through."

click to enlarge

"Much of the recent price [decline has] been brought on by the weak [CY11] demand conditions…Three key factors have led to this weak demand: 1) a policy change that froze the Italian market in March and April, 2) poor weather into March in Germany, and 3) surprisingly, prices that stayed high and limited demand in Germany when the weather improved. None of these factors is expected to re-occur in 2H11."

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"Italy has set its policy for CY11 and CY12 and module price declines have improved system economics in Germany…As prices fall and demand improves…a new equilibrium will be [likely] found, perhaps in the July timeframe once excess inventory has cleared and buyers become comfortable that prices have stabilized.

"Many players in the supply chain have idled production, which will foster the expected inventory reduction. Our forecast calls for significantly greater demand in 2H11 than 1H11, and we believe 4Q11 demand should be sufficient for low cost brand leaders of China to remain nicely profitable…[although] 3Q11 appears to be at risk…Risks have clearly risen in the solar industry, and while inventory can clear, policy changes and excess capacity will have lasting impact…"


CONSUMERS WANT SMART
CEA Survey Finds Consumers Want Smart, Energy-Efficient Technologies But Lack Knowledge of Current Electricity Management Systems
June 2, 2011 (Consumer Electronics Association)

"A new survey from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® found consumers are concerned about the cost of their energy use, yet lack awareness of emerging energy management systems.

"While many consumers turn lights off, shop for energy efficient devices and practice other eco-friendly practices, just 10.2 million of 119 million U.S. households are estimated to have enrolled in electricity management programs. Utility companies, the study found, are in the best position to raise awareness of these programs to boost consumers’ understanding of energy consumption."

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"Currently, energy management systems allow consumers to control their home air conditioning and heating units through a programmable display. In the future, a smart grid would enable consumers to adjust home cooling and heating systems with a smartphone, run their dishwashers at times of low energy costs, or control home appliances remotely, among other applications…

"The survey of 1,250 adults, conducted in April, sought to better understand consumer awareness and attitudes regarding energy management and how energy efficiency gains in consumer electronics products have changed purchasing habits. More than half (55%) of consumers expressed interest in an electricity management program sponsored by a utility or electric company. Consumers also indicated they would prefer to use a device in the home (41%), an online portal (41%) or a mobile device (32%) to monitor energy use."

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"Looking forward, 46% of respondents aware of electricity management programs available in their area expressed an interest in enrolling in the coming years. Many more expressed interest in buying efficient consumer electronics devices. The research also showed those with energy management systems had slightly lower electricity costs, although much greater energy savings is possible when a truly interactive smart grid comes online.

"There are no silver bullets to advancing energy management solutions and eventually creating a smart grid that will allow consumers to remotely monitor and control products and appliances in their home,” said Ben Arnold, senior research analyst for CEA…"