QUICK NEWS, 5-9: BIG WIND MOVE; INDIA, CHINA PARTNER ON SUN; EARTH HEAT BEATS NUKE HEAT IN INDONESIA; STANDARDS FOR OCEAN WIND

BIG WIND MOVE
NextEra Planning to Expand Wind Capacity by 24 Percent by End of 2012
Ehren Gossens, April 29, 2011 (Bloomberg News)

"NextEra Energy Resources LLC, the largest U.S. wind-energy producer, said it will expand its generating capacity by as much as 24 percent by the end of 2012…[It] plans to add up to 2 gigawatts of new wind power to the 8.3 gigawatts it now has, according to a presentation…[from parent company] NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE)

"Most of the added capacity will go online in 2012 rather than this year…[NextEra also] extended the estimated useful life of its newer wind turbines to 30 years from 25 years…[which] will add about 10.5 cents per share to its full-year 2011 earnings."

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"Nextera Energy Resources, which also owns solar-energy facilities, said it [has also] secured lines of credit for two solar thermal projects it’s building in Extremadura, Spain…The two projects, each with a capacity of 49.9 megawatts, will help increase earnings starting in 2013…"

[Lewis Hay, CEO, NextEra Energy Inc:] “Solar has the potential to be the next wind industry for Nextera…We are as interested in purchasing clean generation assets as we are in developing them ourselves…[but] are not interested in purchasing or developing additional assets outside of North America in the foreseeable future.”


INDIA, CHINA PARTNER ON SUN
SunBorne and Suntech to Partner on 100MW of Solar Projects in India
May 3, 2011 (PR Newswire via Suntech)

"SunBorne Energy, a leading specialist in utility scale solar solutions, and Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd…, the world's largest producer of solar panels, have entered into a framework agreement for the supply of 100MW of solar panels over the next two years for projects in India.

"Suntech will supply 280Wp polycrystalline silicon modules for projects that will be designed, installed and commissioned by [India’s] SunBorne Energy. The agreement includes an initial order for 10MW of solar panels for a project in Gujarat, India. Through this partnership, SunBorne will deploy proven, world-class solar technology and build local solar expertise to deliver affordable solar power throughout the country…"

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"The solar industry in India has been growing rapidly, backed by government support at both the federal and state level. India has a target to reach a cumulative installation of 2GW of off-grid and 20GW of on-grid PV installations by 2022…

"Solar technology is particularly well suited to address booming energy consumption across India, as total primary energy demand is expected to increase by 3.1% annually from 2008 to 2035…The country's average annual solar insolation is one of the best in the world reaching 2000 sun hours per year in some locations. Solar technology also helps to address peak power shortages, which can be particularly severe during summer months…[when solar panel output] coincides with peak demand hours…"


EARTH HEAT BEATS NUKE HEAT IN INDONESIA
Indonesia Prefers Geothermal, Hydropower Over Nuclear –President
Andreas Ismar, (May 6, 2011) (Dow Jones visa Nasdaq)

"Indonesia prefers other renewable energy sources such as geothermal and hydropower over nuclear in its effort to lower dependency on fossil fuels, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said…"

"Indonesia is keen to balance its energy mix, especially as oil prices have been…[rising] and leading to extra budget burdens for a country that still subsidizes certain types of fuels. Southeast Asia's biggest economy has also pledged to cut its greenhouse emissions by 26% in 2020…"

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[Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President, Indonesia:] "…[We] need to lower our dependency for fossil fuels and heading towards renewable and environmentally friendly energy…Learning from what happened in Fukushima…we all need to fully realize the positive and the negative of the use of nuclear energy… For Indonesia, we still choose for energy sources other than nuclear… But I don't (encourage) bioenergy as it could disrupt food security…"

"The nuclear troubles in Japan have raised questions regarding the safety of using nuclear as an energy source, especially in earthquake-prone Southeast Asian countries."


STANDARDS FOR OCEAN WIND
Delaware energy: US is urged to adopt wind-turbine standards
Aaron Nathans, April 29, 2011 (News Journal)

"The United States needs to adopt quality standards for offshore wind turbines, the National Academies argue in a new report.

"The academies -- made up of the National Academy of Sciences and three other groups -- suggested that the U.S. Department of the Interior create…[clear requirements for future development] including benchmarks for structural integrity, environmental performance and energy generation from offshore wind turbines."

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"There are not yet any offshore wind farms in the United States, but companies like NRG Bluewater Wind are actively planning them, and the government has begun permitting the first wave of offshore wind farms, including Bluewater's planned wind farm off Delaware's coast...European governments have regulatory requirements, and share standards and guidelines, including rules for the ships that are used to build offshore wind turbines, the academies noted…

"The report was commissioned by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, which oversees offshore wind development."