QUICK NEWS, January 24: DOW OPENS SOLAR SHINGLES BIZ; U.S. HYDROKINETIC POWER CALCULATED; CONVERTING WIND AND WAVE POWER TO HYDROGEN

DOW OPENS SOLAR SHINGLES BIZ
Dow Solar Names Three Colo. Solar Shingle Dealers
17 January 2012 (Solar Industry)

"Dow Solar has named the first members of an authorized dealer network for its Powerhouse solar shingles…Three Colorado-based roofing contractors - Academy Roofing, B&M Roofing of Colorado Inc. and D&D Roofing - will now offer the product to the Colorado residential market… Expanded availability of both the product and the dealer network is expected… in the coming months…"

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[Jane Palmieri, Vice President, Dow Solar:] "We designed our solar product around the principle that the only people homeowners want and need on their roof are professional roofing contractors...[Naming these authorized dealers] ensures we will be in a great position to meet the needs of homeowners in Colorado by working with, equipping and training professionals who know the market."


U.S. HYDROKINETIC POWER CALCULATED
DOE Reports Show Major Potential for Wave and Tidal Energy Production Near U.S. Coasts
January 18, 2012 (U.S. Department of Energy)

"The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)…released two nationwide resource assessments showing that waves and tidal currents off the nation's coasts could contribute significantly to the United States' total annual electricity production, further diversify the nation's energy portfolio, and provide clean, renewable energy to coastal cities and communities…

"…These new wave and tidal resource assessments, combined with ongoing analyses of the technologies and other resource assessments, show that water power, including conventional hydropower and wave, tidal, and other water power resources, can potentially provide 15% of our nation's electricity by 2030…[The] reports represent the most rigorous analysis undertaken to date to accurately define the magnitude and location of America's ocean energy resources. The information in these resource assessments can help to further develop the country's significant ocean energy resources, create new industries and new jobs in America, and secure U.S. leadership in an emerging global market."

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"The United States uses about 4,000 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year. DOE estimates that the maximum theoretical electric generation that could be produced from waves and tidal currents is approximately 1,420 TWh per year, approximately one-third of the nation's total annual electricity usage. Although not all of the resource potential identified in these assessments can realistically be developed, the results still represent major opportunities for new water power development in the United States, highlighting specific opportunities to expand on the 6% of the nation's electricity already generated from renewable hydropower resources…

"…The West Coast, including Alaska and Hawaii, has especially high potential for wave energy development, while significant opportunities for wave energy also exist along the East Coast. Additionally, parts of both the West and East Coasts have strong tides that could be tapped to produce energy."


CONVERTING WIND AND WAVE POWER TO HYDROGEN
New Project Will Study How To Avoid Offshore Wind Energy's Grid-Imbalance Issues
20 January 2012 (North American Windpower)

"AWS Truepower, a provider of renewable energy consulting and information services, has announced the official start of the H2OCEAN project at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB)…[F]unded by the European Commission 7th Framework Programme…[the] H2OCEAN platform will harvest wind and wave power, using part of the energy on-site for multiple applications - including a multi-trophic aquaculture farm - and convert the excess energy into hydrogen.

"A unique feature of the H2OCEAN concept…[is] transporting excess renewable energy generated offshore through hydrogen. This conceptual model avoids the grid-imbalance problem inherent to current offshore renewable energy systems and eliminates the need for cost-prohibitive cable transmission systems…"

Parc Cientific Barcelona (click to enlarge)

"According to AWS Truepower, H2OCEAN’s design plan will take advantage of the synergies among various activities carried out within the platform, minimize environmental impacts, and increase the social and economic potential of new maritime activities.

"The consortium includes 17 companies and public institutions from five European countries from sectors including renewable energy, aquaculture, hydrogen generation and shipping."