QUICK NEWS, December 14: WORLD’S BIGGEST SUN BUILDER; NORWAY FLOATS MAINE WIND; WAVE HARVESTER SEEKS BUILDER

WORLD’S BIGGEST SUN BUILDER
BELECTRIC once again leading the global EPC market for solar PV systems
2011 December 8, (SolarServer)

"In 2011, BELECTRIC (Kolitzheim, Germany) is once again the global market leader in development and construction (EPC) of ground-mounted solar power plants and roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems.

"For the second year in a row, BELECTRIC has installed more photovoltaic power around the world than any other company in the industry…391 MW installed…[a]cross all continents…62 solar power plants were constructed in addition to a multiplicity of large-scale roof-mounted photovoltaic systems, photovoltaic greenhouse systems and photovoltaic car park systems…"

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"With 2,000 employees in 15 countries, BELECTRIC's leading position on the market is primarily due to full integration and in-house project planning. Nearly all system components (BOS), such as substructures and cable systems, are manufactured in house, enabling perfect adaptation of the system design and construction processes, which in turn results in reduced costs per generated kWh (LCOE) in the long run and high-quality results…within the specified time frame.

"…With an equity ratio of 60% and a high credit limit, BELECTRIC is viewed as one of the most reliable partners by investors and banks responsible for project financing. At an index of 122, the independent rating from Creditreform is further proof of BELECTRIC's market leadership… When it comes to modules, BELECTRIC relies on the expertise and years of experience of First Solar and Solar Frontier…"


NORWAY FLOATS MAINE WIND
Floating Maine wind farm under consideration
Tux Turkel, December 10, 2011 (Portland Press Herald)

"The Maine coast could become home to a pilot project [from the Norwegian energy giant Statoil North America Inc.] to create the country’s first deepwater, floating wind farm…

"If the four-turbine [test] project wins [a commercial lease on the outer continental shelf 12 miles from the nearest land and] approvals and the developer goes forward, it could be operating in 2016 and generate as much as 12 megawatts, equivalent to the power needs of about 18,000 homes…Statoil’s application is a major step for Maine’s ambition to create an offshore energy industry…[where] wind resources are better…and the sites are far enough from land to minimize the visual impact for coastal residents…"

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"To go forward, Statoil will need timely permit approvals from various government agencies, and decide in pending studies that the project makes business sense…It also will have to conclude that Maine is the best place for a commercial test of the technology, which Statoil and other companies are exploring in other countries…

"Ultimately, the state is trying to encourage development of a commercial-scale wind farm with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts by 2020. Additional wind farms are contemplated by 2030, leading to…billions of dollars in investment for the state and supporting industries…Statoil’s test project alone is valued at about $20 million…A UMaine study last year…concluded that in 2020 it will be possible to generate power in the 10-cent-per-kilowatt range, on par with conventional sources. The cost of producing power from Statoil’s four test turbines would be more than twice as much because it’s a small project…"


WAVE HARVESTER SEEKS BUILDER
EON Supplier Pelamis Looks for Industrial Player for Wave Farms
Louise Downing, November 25, 2011 (Bloomberg News)

"Pelamis Wave Power Ltd., a U.K. maker of ocean energy technology, is looking to partner with a ‘strong’ industrial company in the next year to help bring its technology to market and deliver on its projects…The company, venture capital-funded for about nine years…has hired Ernst & Young to facilitate…looking at industrial players across the globe…

"Energy from the waves and tides has the potential to meet as much as 20 percent of current U.K. electricity demand, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The government last month proposed boosting the number of [Renewable Obligation Certificates, or ROCs] on offer to marine energy developers from two to five…[making them] eligible to receive about 230 pounds ($387) a megawatt- hour…[which will help Pelamis find a partner by adding certainty and transparency]…"



"The most likely strategic investors in Pelamis would be large power engineering companies that have not already chosen a wave technology to back…[such as] Siemens AG (SIE), which is backing Marine Current Turbines Ltd. in tidal power; Areva SA, which has invested in solar and wind technology companies; and General Electric Co. (GE), which is a big player in wind turbines…

"Pelamis is currently testing two machines at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, northern Scotland, for its utility customers ScottishPower Renewables Ltd., part of Iberdrola SA, and EON AG. It’s also established a joint venture with Vattenfall AB to build a 10-megawatt project off the Shetland Islands…It has the technology, the sites and the customers though it doesn’t yet have the capability and capacity to deliver…"