QUICK NEWS, August 25: HOW U.S. WIND WILL GROW; UTILITY-SCALE CPV GOES LIVE; FOR NEW ENERGY EVERYWHERE; SMART METERS EMERGING

HOW U.S. WIND WILL GROW
World's Wind Turbine Markets Keep Trucking, Mostly
William Pentland, August 18, 2011 (Forbes)

Global wind turbine markets have weathered recent economic storms with remarkable aplomb, according to new study by IHS’s Emerging Energy Research division…

"Although investment levels this year will not reach the record high $34 billion in 2008, the IHS study, Global Wind Turbine Markets and Strategies: 2011-2025, estimated that investment levels in wind turbines would likely return to previous highs by 2012 and more than double by 2025."

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"The international trend towards greater renewable-energy deployment points to a sustained period of wind turbine investment, with equipment purchases expected to more than double by 2025…In particular, IHS projected that investment would increase from $30 billion in 2010 to more than $68 billion in 2025 as international installed wind capacity expands from 188 GW to over 940 GW during the same time period.

"The study identified the following key market growth drivers: ambitious long-term renewable electricity demand in the global market, combined with intensifying competition between Asian and European suppliers, technology shifts toward larger turbine procurement, and buy-side consolidation…"


BIGGEST CPV GOES LIVE
Biggest CPV Project in US Up and Running in NM; 5 MW of Amonix CPV now online in Hatch, NM, the chile capital of the world
Eric Wesoff, August 22, 2011 (Greentech Media)

"The [5 megawatt] Hatch, New Mexico CPV project [is now online and] would seem to hold title as the largest CPV system in North America. Amonix is the supplier of the CPV equipment…The project had initial interconnection on June 27 and as of a week ago was generating 4.8 megawatts. Construction for the project started in mid-January and was completed on schedule.

"The Hatch CPV project employs Amonix CPV systems…and sits on 39 acres in the Hatch Industrial Park, seven miles west of the Village of Hatch…[The] system uses 84 Amonix trackers and is being built and operated by NextEra Energy Resources, a unit of NextEra Energy…Each of the Amonix modules puts out about 60 kilowatts."

An Amonix utility-scale CPV megamodule (from Amonix - click to enlarge)

"Blattner Energy of Albuquerque, NM is the EPC and construction contractor for the solar project. The project employed approximately 60 people during the construction phase…

"Electricity generated from the projects will be sold to El Paso Electric under a Purchase Power Agreement (PPA) to help meet New Mexico's Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard…The project was funded by Industrial Revenue Bonds…"


FOR NEW ENERGY EVERYWHERE
Mass. calls for improved clean energy connections
August 18, 2011 (Boston Globe)

"Massachusetts officials are recommending ways to improve how utilities connect smaller renewable energy projects to the grid, saying the demand for such connections is surging…[A new report shows] a seven-fold increase in demand for such interconnection service…[for] smaller-scale wind turbines, hydro systems and solar panel installations."

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"In a filing with the Department of Public Utilities, the state recommended changes including shorter timelines for interconnection applications and a more efficient application process."


SMART METERS EMERGING
Smart Meter Uprising: An industry brief spotlighting the burgeoning U.S. smart meter market from 2009 – 2011
August 2011 (Zpryme)

"…Largely due to the aggressive U.S. effort to modernize its electric grid, pros and cons…for smart meters are still aggressively being debated; nonetheless the number of smart meters installed in the U.S. has ballooned over the past several years – with just over fifty utilities deploying the bulk of the investment.

"The Institute for Electric Efficiency (IEE)… states that investments in smart meter systems make economic sense, and that the consumer-driven savings could be much greater..."

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"From 2009 to March of 2011, the number of smart meters installed among the group of 51 utilities grew by 81%...In 2009, 18% of customers served by the 51 utilities had a smart meter. As of March 2011, this figure has increased to 34%...

"Despite poor economic conditions in the U.S., utilities will continue to deploy smart meters at a rapid pace…The U.S. is on pace to meet the Obama Administration’s goal of 40 million smart meters by 2015…The market for consumer facing energy management applications, software, and devices will enter a high-growth phase in 2012…[and] utilities that have deployed smart meters to more than 50% of their customer base [will lead in] products and technologies beyond AMI and smart meters."