QUICK NEWS, February 28: SAVING NEW ENERGY IN THE EU; SIEMENS WIND TO MID-AMERICA FOR MIDAMERICAN; A NEW GENERATION OF PV MANUFACTURING

SAVING NEW ENERGY IN THE EU
Carbon Trust and GE Partner to Pump Up Europe’s Clean Tech Sector
February 24, 2012 (GE Reports)

"In a step to reverse Europe’s falling share of clean energy investment, GE has partnered with British non-profit Carbon Trust to infuse the European clean tech sector with fresh capital. The initial phase of the alliance includes a business incubation fund of $5 million to support new low carbon technologies in infrastructure applications. The initiative is an extension of GE’s ecomagination Challenge – a $200 million global program to find and fund the best ideas in clean technology.

"Some of the impetus to forge the new relationship came from trends revealed in a Bloomberg New Energy Finance report that shows a discouraging 40% drop in Europe’s share of clean energy investment over the past five years, a period during which Asia Oceania almost doubled its share."

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"GE’s Innovation Barometer shows that roughly half of UK businesses see the UK as a challenging environment for innovation. 84% of them also believe that developing partnerships and collaborating with a combination of players – including government, big business, SMEs and individuals – is crucial for their success in innovation.

"In light of those facts, Carbon Trust will work with GE to sift out the most promising early stage companies focusing on clean tech infrastructure in areas such as smart grids, lighting systems, heating and ventilation and building controls. Those fortunate start-ups will receive funding and support from GE and Carbon Trust…"


SIEMENS WIND TO MID-AMERICA FOR MIDAMERICAN
Siemens wins 407MW MidAmerican deal
James Quilter 24 February 2012 (Windpower Monthly)

"Siemens will supply 176 SWT 2.3 108 turbines…[and] five-year maintenance…[to projects in Iowa’s] Vienna, Marshall and Tama counties (103.5MW)…Eclipse, Guthrie and Audubon counties (200MW)…[and] Morning Light, Adair County (101.2MW)…"

Iowa is number 2 with a bullet! (click to enlarge)

"…The turbines will be produced in Siemens’ factories at Fort Madison, Iowa, and Hutchinson, Kansas. The nacelle assembly facility in Hutchinson was opened in December, for Siemens’ 2.3MW and 3MW turbines."


A NEW GENERATION OF PV MANUFACTURING
20 GW of PV Manufacturing Equipment To Be Replaced By 2016
Tim Dawson, February 2012 (PV Group)

"Despite the outlook for the PV manufacturing equipment market remaining bleak in 2012, a new report from IMS Research forecasts that there could be a 20 GW opportunity for the upgrade or replacement of existing capacity over the next four years.

"…[R]evenue declines of over 65% are forecast for the PV manufacturing equipment market in 2012. However, a new opportunity has been identified as equipment vendors seek out new market bright spots in the industry."

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"Aging equipment requiring upgrade or complete replacement represents the biggest opportunity currently and this is where the majority of equipment revenues will come from in 2012…[T]his could provide a 20 GW opportunity for equipment suppliers, generating some $25 billion in revenues over the next four years.

"Ingot, wafer, cell and module makers are all placing less criticality on expanding production, and are instead focusing on increasing end-product quality and overall efficiencies. Utilization rates are at an all-time low and the current lull in new demand and capacity across the supply chain will provide a potential opportunity for PV-product makers to gain market share longer-term through upgrading equipment now…"