QUICK NEWS, January 12: WIND FIGHTS FOR RIGHTS IN CHINA; ARMY AND AIR FORCE BUILDING SUN; ON THE WAY TO WAVE POWER

WIND FIGHTS FOR RIGHTS IN CHINA
Wind energy dispute may test U.S.-China IP resolve
Nicola Groom (w/Li Ran, Wang Feng, Gerald E. McCormick), January 9, 2012 (Reuters)

"…American Superconductor Corp, which makes wind turbine components and transmission grid systems, is seeking to recover $1.2 billion from Chinese wind turbine maker Sinovel Wind Group Co Ltd in four separate legal actions in China. The U.S. company has accused its former biggest customer of stealing the software AMSC makes to power wind turbines and illegally canceling contracts. [Both companies are suffering]…

"…Once it gets under way…[the case could prove to be a significant test of China's intellectual property laws, and determine the success of Western companies in pursuing claims in China.]…[T]he case could cause reverberations in the race to dominate the fast-growing market for clean energy technology…"

AMSC subsidiaries and undertakings (click to enlarge)

"Much of the underlying technology for solar, wind and other renewable energy technologies was developed in the West, though China is now a major player in the industry. For instance, the country is now the world's largest maker of solar panels, though solar energy technology was developed in the United States.

"Theft of intellectual property is among the thorniest issues in the U.S.-China relationship, alongside U.S. accusations that China is dragging its feet in allowing its currency to appreciate, and that the nation's subsidies unfairly favor domestic industries…But Western companies rarely sue Chinese companies over trade secret theft in China --in part because of perceptions they will not be viewed fairly, but also out of fear of retaliation in the marketplace…"


ARMY AND AIR FORCE BUILDING SUN
Skyline Solar breaks ground on solar power plants at two military bases
Dana Hull, January 10. 2012 (San Jose Mercury News)

"Skyline Solar…has broken ground on two 100-kilowatt solar power plants at domestic military bases -- Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California and Fort Bliss in Texas. Skyline's contract from the Department of Defense is worth a modest $1.85 million, but the company hopes it will…[prove the] product. Many Silicon Valley cleantech startups regard the military as an ideal early adopter, willing to take risks on new technologies that need to be tested…

"The Department of Defense has about 300,000 buildings on its installations and spends nearly $4 billion a year on the energy needed to operate them. It is searching for clean technologies that can be standardized and installed at military bases throughout the world…Skyline is one of several solar startups using CPV technology, or concentrated photovoltaics, to concentrate the sun's energy onto photovoltaic cells. It differs from standard rooftop solar panels in that is uses an optical system to focus sunlight onto each cell. Skyline's X14 System is named for its ability to concentrate sunlight 14 times using glass reflectors."

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"Skyline's systems work best where the sun shines brightly and humidity is low -- in the American Southwest, northern Mexico, the Middle East and Australia. The two small military installations, each of which will generate enough electricity to power about 20 homes, will provide data about how Skyline's technology performs in different climates…

"Both projects are expected to be completed by April. Skyline will not be required to submit its plans to a lengthy environmental review process because much of the land on military bases has already been disturbed by vehicle traffic or munitions explosions…"


ON THE WAY TO WAVE POWER
Eco Wave Power Company is Taking the Fast Track to Success
January 3, 2012 (PR Newswire via Sacramento Bee)

"Eco Wave Power has completed the construction and testing phase of its first sea wave energy generation models the "Wave Clapper", and the "Power Wing".

"The testing took place in the wave pool of the Hydro-Mechanical National Institute of Kiev… [which] provided Eco Wave Power with the perfect conditions for testing the unique wave energy generation technologies under controlled wave heights and wave periods."



"Among the different tests, Eco Wave Power has examined the characteristics of 8 different unique floaters shapes (all with the same volume)…All the experiments were monitored by officials from the Hydro-Mechanical Institute…[T]he tests results were determined to be successful…

"…[T]he company has already secured funding for three ocean energy generation models, the last of which will be a full-size commercial scale power plant, with the ability to supply electricity to at least 1000 households…The Eco Wave Power wave energy converter is a simple and inexpensive technology to harvest wave energy from high and low waves…"