QUICK NEWS, July 2: NEW U.S. RECORDS FOR WIND IN TX, FOR SOLAR IN CA; THE GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP OPPORTUNITY; SMART WASTE MARKET TO TRIPLE

NEW U.S. RECORDS FOR WIND IN TX, FOR SOLAR IN CA Market Snapshot: Texas, California continue to set records for wind, solar generation

Emily Reynolds, June 27, 2014 (SNL)

“Solar and wind-powered electricity is growing rapidly in the U.S., with Texas and California positioned to remain the frontrunners…Across the U.S., wind generation reached close to 17 million MWh in March, 1.3 times the amount generated in early 2009, while solar production is up nearly 7.5 times the amount generated in April 2009, reaching close to 850,000 MWh in March…Wind generation in Texas set three records in March [including the current all-time instantaneous hourly peak wind generation of 10,296 MW], and [according to grid operator ERCOT]…will continue to set records as wind capacity grows across the state…[California is] setting daily records…for utility scale solar energy across the state…[A] midday hourly peak of 4,767 MW was delivered into the California grid on June 1. During the month of May [according to grid operator CAISO], total solar electricity output provided 6% of total electric load…compared to only 2% generated in May 2013…” click here for more

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THE GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP OPPORTUNITY Why Geothermal Systems Are Heating Up

Loretta Waldman, June 27, 2014 (Hartford Courant)

“…In a storage room in the finished basement [of a Hartford, CT, home] sits a WaterFurnace Envision dual-capacity geothermal heat pump, the heart of the system that heats and cools the 3,200-square-foot house. Tentacle-like hoses extend up from the box-shaped pump, wind around the upper edge of two walls, to a cluster of pipes leading out of the foundation…Beyond that, hidden from view, are loops of polyethylene pipe stretching 300 feet into the ground in two vertical wells. The pipes are filled with water that, because the temperature range of the ground at that depth is 48 to 52 degrees, stays warm year-round. Depending on the season, the heat pump transfers the heat energy into or out of the house to keep it warm or cool…[T]he system is delivering lower-than-predicted energy costs…[The electric bill for the 2012 months of May, June and August was $16 per month, the basic monthly distribution charge…[Upfront costs are] recouped within three to seven years…Geothermal is a niche market compared to oil and gas — less than 2 percent of residential and commercial buildings in the United States — but heat-pump sales have been rising since the 1980s…” click here for more

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SMART WASTE MARKET TO TRIPLE Smart Waste; Advanced Collection, Processing, Energy Recovery, and Disposal Technologies for the Municipal Solid Waste Value Chain: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts

2Q 2014 (Navigant Research)

“…In developed economies, tightening regulations around the disposal of waste and the increasing cost of landfilling are driving demand for innovative solutions across the municipal solid waste (MSW) value chain. In developing economies, the focus is on building out basic infrastructure in the face of rapid urbanization and rising levels of affluence…[E]merging smart technologies offer the opportunity to enhance MSW collection, generate renewable energy, and optimize the environmental performance of landfills…The emerging smart waste market is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade…Europe and North America are the most mature markets…Asia Pacific is expected to see its share…more than double between 2014 and 2023. Smart energy recovery, which includes facilities like incineration plants, landfill gas capture projects, and advanced biorefineries, is the most mature smart waste segment. Yet, high capital costs and the localized focus of waste management services remain key impediments…Navigant Research forecasts that annual smart MSW technology revenue will grow from $2.3 billion in 2014 to $6.5 billion in 2023…” click here for more

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