Domestic Fuel

Port Corpus Christi is a leader in import facilities for major manufacturers including wind energy component cargo from global markets. But the wind is changing course. New wind energy market trends have created a reverse trade this year, and on May 18, 2013, wind components destined for export markets were loaded at Port Corpus Cristi for the first time.

Vessel carrier NYK-Hinode’s m/v Kuwana loaded 36 Mitsubishi wind blades destined for Japan at Port Corpus Christi’s cargo dock 9. The operation marks a first-time export opportunity for wind cargo components via the Port. The blades were staged at Mitsubishi’s laydown yard located in Santa Teresa, New Mexico and manufactured in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. In April, the blades were trucked from New Mexico to a Port Corpus Christi open storage area to await the export operation.

“The Port anticipates additional wind cargo export opportunities within the upcoming months. We continue our commitment to better serve the logistics of wind energy markets,” said John LaRue, Executive Director, Port Corpus Christi.

ReneSola and Positive Energy Solar are offering three 2.5 kilowatt solar grants for non-profit organizations in Las Cruces, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“Positive Energy Solar is committed to clean, affordable solar electricity in our communities,” said Regina Wheeler, chief executive officer of Positive Energy Solar. “Through these grants, non-profits that might not otherwise be able to, can reduce long-term energy costs and use clean, renewable energy that is aligned with their values.”

The first step in the process is for applicants to create a video about how having solar power would benefit their organization. The videos will be posted on the solar grants Facebook page and the organizations whose videos get the most likes will make it to the next stage of evaluation. Click here for complete grant criteria and step-by-step application instructions.

Brian Armentrout, director of marketing at ReneSola, added, “ReneSola is humbled to have been asked by Positive Energy Solar to support a program that is providing solar for not only the most creative and deserving non-profits, but also for the community as a whole. Both Positive Energy Solar and ReneSola understand the importance of providing such donations and capitalizing on this effort to educate the public about the tremendous financial and environmental benefits associated with solar electricity.”

General Motors has added four new solar photovoltaic solar projects to its Warren Technical Center campus located in Warren, Michigan. The installations, done by Empower Energies, included a ground-mounted solar array and three solar electric vehicle charging stations. The 49kW ground-mounted array is situated on the north side of the pond adjacent to the GM Vehicle Engineering Center, and according to GM, is outperforming energy production expectations.

“General Motors is committed to promoting the use of 125 megawatts of renewable energy by 2020, which includes solar installations,” said GM’s Manager – Renewable Energy, Rob Threlkeld. “As the leading automotive user of solar power, we understand the importance of solar projects like this, and we continue to work with companies such as Empower Energies to activate new projects at our facilities around the globe.”

The three EV charging stations are located in parking areas adjoining the Vehicle Engineering Center and the Advanced Engineering Center. The latest of these solar EV charging stations is situated in the parking lot across from GM’s new IT Center. These solar charging stations enable Chevy Volt-owning GM employees to power-up their vehicles while they spend their work-day engineering next-generation EV technologies or taking existing vehicles, such as the Chevy Volt, to market.

“These EV Charging Stations may be small in stature by today’s solar-industry standards,” said Len Jornlin, Empower Energies Chief Executive Officer, “but they represent a huge commitment to Clean Transport Infrastructure, and our ability to scale the technology domestically and abroad using our expertise and extensive relationships, including strategic partners such as China Triumph International Engineering Company (CTIEC).”

Installations such as the solar charging stations at the Warren Tech Center enable Empower Energies and market leaders such as GM to refine product design while honing commercial understanding of EV owner requirements.

The Boston/Dedham Commerce Park is the new home of the largest rooftop solar array in the City of Boston. The 974 kilowatt capacity solar project was completed by FireFlower Alternative Energy in partnership with First Highland Management & Development and spans 12,000 square feet. The solar system to produce enough electricity to “fuel” approximately 65 percent of the building’s energy needs.

“This is an important milestone for the City of Boston,” said FireFlower founder Kathleen C. Doyle. “Large scale solar installations such as this benefit the environment by providing clean, renewable power at no additional cost to the tenants while helping the property owner’s bottom line. It’s a win-win for the tenants and owners and our local economy.” Doyle also powers her own home with solar energy.

First Highland’s Boston/Dedham Commerce Park is a 450,000 SF multi-use building currently home to a diverse group of tenants, including RR Donnelly, the Dancing Deer Baking Company and the nonprofit Hyde Park Open Studios. Broadway Electrical Company, Inc., one of the Northeast’s largest electrical contractors, completed the installation. Financing was provided by Commerce Bank.

The solar array is net metered and interconnected to the NSTAR grid, generating renewable power with an estimated annual market value of over $180,000. Additionally, the sale of Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) created by the state to help incentivize solar development in Massachusetts helped make the project possible.

What do Orca whales and solar energy have in common? Nothing until now. Canadian Solar Solutions has donated solar modules to power the OrcaLab Whale Research Centre, on a remote island off the British Columbia coast near Alert Bay. OrcaLab has been recording the Johnson Strait whales for more than four decades. Founder, Dr. Paul Spong and his wife Helena Symonds have spearheaded global research that confirms orca “clans” have distinct, highly sophisticated dialects. This scientific evidence in turn has led to bans against commercial orca hunting, and to the creation of nearby orca sanctuaries.

“The solar installation is performing beyond our expectations,” said Dr. Paul Spong a whale expert and advocate. “We are now running all of our power needs without a generator, and looking forward to a future here without oil. We are so grateful to Canadian Solar for everything they have done for us.”

According to Canadian Solar Solutions, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, the new donated solar system allows the off-grid OrcaLab to cut gas generator use and fuel costs dramatically, increase battery performance and life, expand the range of microphones and cameras, and improve amenities for summer volunteers. The system is designed to perform with minimal maintenance for several decades. In addition, the panels will power the main OrcaLab site, and a network of underwater microphones and cameras which will track migrating orca whale and other marine animals.

“We are honored to be involved in the ground breaking OrcaLab foundation’s noble orca whale research,” said Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar. “We are proud to be able to help advance the team’s ambitious work through this latest exciting application of solar energy. As an industry leader, Canadian Solar strives to also lead in our philanthropic efforts with organizations around the world.”

Northern Power Systems has launched two new wind turbine models specifically designed for low wind sites. The NPS 60-23 and the NPS 100-24 are based on the NPS 100-21 platform, but according to the company, leverage product features that produce higher energy capture in low winds while reducing the noise profile of the turbine. To date, more than 20 of these turbines are operating in the U.S., United Kingdom and Italy.

“NPS is committed to delivering enhanced offerings that lower costs and increase performance for turbine owners,” said Troy Patton, President and CEO of Northern Power Systems. “We are increasing the value proposition of our already highly-capable NPS turbines through an integrated road-map of expanded product and services offerings, of which our proven low wind enhancements are just one example.”

The NPS Low Wind turbine fleet has surpassed 50,000 operational hours with availability in excess of 97 percent, and has generated more than 1,500 MWh of energy, enough to power more than 150 U.S. (or 450 UK) homes for an entire year. The company says these improved models are optimized for low wind and yield comparatively more energy in low wind regimes.

The NPS 100-24 is based on the platform of the NPS 100-21, which was originally designed to service remote areas such as Alaska, where regular maintenance is not an option. The NPS 100 utilizes permanent magnet direct-drive technology and has fewer moving parts than a conventional gear-box based wind turbine. The larger rotor diameter, lower rpm and tip speed of the NPS 100-24 and 60-23 makes for quieter operation, while the longer blades capture more energy at lower wind speeds. The NPS 60 model generates 59.9kW rated power and is utilized in areas where grid connection capacity is a constraint.

Scottish farmer Mervyn Wallace recently installed an NPS 60 at his farm, his second Northern Power Systems wind turbine. “I’m excited that Northern Power came out with a new turbine that is designed specifically for lower wind speeds. I am very pleased with the revenue that both of my Northern Power turbines are now earning for me. NPS turbines are an excellent return on capital invested.”

The Clean Energy Collective (CEC) has cut the ribbon on the first community-owned solar array resulting from the Community Solar Garden Act. The 2010 Colorado legislation was sponsored by Representative Clair Levy as a means to encourage locally-produced clean energy.

The Boulder Cowdery Meadows Solar Array was built on 3.5 acres of land located in South Boulder County and the 500kWh array will produce an estimated 830,000 kWh of power each year. The energy produced is being delivered to participating commercial and residential customers in Xcel Energy’s territory. The Boulder Cowdery Meadows Solar Array is the first community-owned project in Xcel Energy’s Solar Rewards program, and the state’s first solar array through an Investor Owned Utility (IOU).

“We are particularly excited to be celebrating the grand opening of the Boulder facility,” said CEC founder and Paul Spencer. “This is a significant milestone for Colorado, for Representative Levy, and for the long-term viability of our clean energy future through community solar.”

CEC’s community-owned solar model allows 100 percent of a utility’s ratepayers, including businesses, renters, those with shaded properties, and people of all income levels, the opportunity to own clean, locally-produced energy. Members receive all of the same rebates and incentives of home-sited systems, and receive credit for the power produced directly on their monthly electric bills. Customers can purchase as little as one 1 kilowatt in the Boulder Cowdery Meadows Solar Array or enough fully offsetting their electricity usage.

CEC is also devoting 5 percent of the power produced by the more than 2,000 solar panels, or about 25 kW, to low-income residents through a unique partnership with Boulder Housing Partners, off-setting the electric bills for about 15 families living in BHP apartments.

Abengoa has been selected by Rentech Nitrogen Partners, L.P.to construct a cogeneration plant in Texas. The project will require an investment of approximately US$30 million and will create approximately 50 construction jobs. Abengoa will carry out the engineering, design and construction of the cogeneration plant under a lump sum turnkey contract (EPC) over 18 months.

The cogeneration plant is expected to generate 15 megawatts (MW) of electricity, a portion of which is intended to operate Rentech Nitrogen’s fertilizer plant in Pasadena, Texas. The cogeneration plant will use surplus steam from Rentech Nitrogen’s sulfuric acid plant to power the generator. The company plans to sell excess power produced by the cogeneration plant in the Texas electricity market.

The First Reserve Energy Infrastructure Fund (FREIF I) of First Reserve and Renovalia Energy have announced the expansion of their Renovalia Reserve joint venture with the addition of two wind power plants in Southern Mexico. The investments diversify the Renovalia Reserve portfolio beyond Europe into North America and nearly double the power capacity of the wind farm assets worldwide. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Adding wind power plants in Mexico to Renovalia Reserve’s portfolio is a natural extension of the company’s strategy,” said John Barry, Managing Director of First Reserve and member of the Board of Directors of Renovalia Reserve. “Growth in electricity demand is expected to continue to trend upward based on the pace of population and industrial and manufacturing growth, and the legal and regulatory framework signals stability and predictability of renewable energy policies for the region.”

Barry continued, “These conditions provide a fertile environment against which we can apply our growth equity capital and strong operational model to provide predictable EBITDA and cash flow over the long term, with the principal short term variability being wind resource.”

The first 90 Megawatt (MW) farm in Mexico has been operational since June 2012.  The second 137.5 MW farm is under construction and expected to be fully operational in early 2014.  The 228 MW of the combined farms is estimated to be enough to power between 287,000 – 359,000 Mexican households annually.

Jaime Galobart CEO of Renovalia Energy and Director of Renovalia Reserve noted that Renovalia has been present in Mexico since 2007 through its affiliate Demex. Galobart said the development of 228MWs of Mexican wind assets reflects the successful implementation of our international asset diversification strategy in countries with superior growth in GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and energy consumption, outstanding wind resource, and solid legal and political frameworks, such as Mexico.

“We are very impressed by the commitment shown by the Mexican Authorities in promoting the development of clean and competitive renewable energy,” he added. “We are delighted to continue sharing our expansion plans with such a solid partner as First Reserve.”

Mosaic, an online marketplace that connects investors to high-quality solar projects, has released its largest solar project to date with $700k in investment opportunities. This is the company’s second project in its Golden State Series, a $100 million series of solar investments available to residents of California. Mosaic’s first offering, a $153,000 project for a charity in San Diego, sold out in less than six hours.

The company’s newest investment offering is a 487 kW solar project that will be located on the roof of the Wildwoods Convention Center. Wildwoods has hosted over a million visitors since it first opened in 2002 and is within a day’s drive of one-third of America’s population.Their project provides 24 percent of the convention center’s electricity and reduces the facility’s CO2 emissions by 179 tons annually, equating to 387,500 vehicle miles not traveled.

“We want to give people the opportunity to do good and do well at the same time,” said Mosaic CEO and Founder Dan Rosen. “Investing in real, tangible, solar projects, that generate electricity, is a great way to do that.”

In January, Mosaic launched its first return on investment solar projects to the public, selling out all three in less than 24 hours with over $300,000 invested. Since then, Mosaic has partnered with Standard & Poor’s, DuPont and Distributed Sun, among others, as part of the truSolar working group to standardize risk assessment and develop a score — similar to a credit rating — for each solar project.

According to a story from Radio Iowa, Jay Parikh, vice president of infrastructure engineering for Facebook, was in Altoona, Iowa earlier this week to officially announce they will be constructing a 476,000 square-foot data center. One of the reasons cited for the social media giant to choose Iowa: it’s commitment to renewable energy including wind energy. Parikh said the company is committed to achieving a 25 percent renewable energy mix by 2015 for its data center footprint.

“The site has ample access to power and water. It is also very close to great network connectivity, which will allow us to connect to all of the billions of people out there,” Parikh said. “Most importantly, we’re very excited about the talent pool in the surrounding area.”

The data center is expected to create approximately 31 full-time operations jobs and Parikh said Facebook plans to build up to two more data centers in Altoona over the next few years.

It’s spring and most people are tired of the snow, but not Berkshire East, who has completed a solar installation that enables the Massachusetts family ski run area to be powered entirely from onsite renewable energy. The year-round resort recently developed a 500kW solar tracker farm that will produce 700,000kWh annually. The solar farm will supplement a 900kW wind turbine the company installed in 2011. Together, the two systems will cover the area’s entire annual electric demand. The solar farm is expected to produce 700,000 kWh annually and the wind turbine produces 1.4 million kWh annually.

“We view on-site renewable as a hedge against the rising price of power,” said Jon Schaefer, Berkshire East, located in Charlemont, Massachusetts and hosts over 100,000 skiers annually, has six lifts and two lodges. “Energy is our largest non-labor expense and it’s the one thing we are most dependent on beyond the snow.”

The recently commissioned 500kW solar farm consists of 90 dual-axis AllSun Trackers, which are manufactured in Vermont and follow the sun throughout the day to boost energy production by up to 45 percent more than rooftop installations. Sustainable Energy Development Inc. (SED) of Ontario, NY developed the project. SED chose the solar trackers for the project and managed the design and installation. The solar trackers at the farm use GPS and wireless technology to position the more than 2,000 solar panels directly into the sun throughout the day, boosting production by up to 45 percent over rooftop installations.

“We built our product produce more energy from the sun each day and withstand the harshest of northeastern climates,” said David Blittersdorf, CEO of AllEarth Renewables. “We were particularly excited to be involved in this unique project and thrilled to have AllSun Trackers helping power Berkshire East’s operations.”

Kevin Schulte, CEO of SED, added, “Berkshire East Ski Area is a prime example of how distributed energy projects like wind and solar can help small, family-owned businesses thrive.”

Ormat Technologies, the U.S. Department of Energy and GeothermEx have successfully produced 1.7 additional megawatts from an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) project inside an existing wellfield in the U.S. –the first EGS project to be connected to the electricity grid. Using subsurface technologies, research and development teams stimulated an existing sub-commercial injection well resulting in a 38 percent increase in power output from brine at Ormat’s Desert Peak 2 geothermal power plant in the Brady complex, Churchill County, Nevada.

Support for the project included $5.4 million in direct DOE funding, $2.6 in million investment from Ormat, and more than four years of collaborative work with partners including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, Sandia National Laboratory, University of Utah EGI, Temple University and TerraTek.

Ormat explains that by expanding existing hydrothermal fractures deep within the Earth’s crust, EGS technology enhances the permeability of underperforming wells, making it possible to extract additional heat from a reservoir’s rocks and inject geothermal fluid at higher flow rates. Ormat’s air-cooled power plants don’t consume water in the conversion of energy into electricity; all the geothermal fluid is re-injected, to be produced again after heating in the reservoir.

“This research and development project was conducted under a stringent induced seismicity protocol developed by LBNL and the Department of Energy. We achieved an increased injection rate up to 1,600 gallons per minute without consuming or discharging water at the surface and using only existing geothermal brine returned to the original aquifer,” said Lucien Bronicki, founder and chief technology officer for Ormat. “Our objective in the Desert Peak EGS project was to demonstrate that this technology can have a significant impact on sub-commercial wells. This could enable us to use unproductive wells to generate more power and new revenue.”

“DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office is changing geothermal development in the U.S.,” Bronicki added.

Although this story doesn’t fit the traditional mold of renewable energy, it does honor Earth Day. Power Practical, a student startup that sprang from research at the University of Utah (the U), is selling a portable cook pot, coined the PowerPot, that transforms heat and water into a power source. The technology uses thermoelectricity to generate power by capturing the electrons moving from the heated pot to the cooler water inside. The greater the temperature difference, the more electricity is generated.

The students behind the company have been surprised by its rapid growth and are struggling to keep up with growing interest and demand. David Toledo, co-inventor and founder said, “We knew we were on to something when we got requests from around the world and more than doubled our goal during our Kickstarter campaign. We just shipped all of those orders, and we are quickly getting our product into more stores.”

Paul Slusser is the other co-inventor and founder. Other members of the Power Practical team include Matt Ford, the CEO who graduated with a degree in finance from the U in 1990; Wafiq Ali, who is graduating this May with a business degree from the U; Caleb Light, a business graduate from University Valley University; and Kenyon Ellis, an international studies student at the U.

The company has already shipped more than 1,000 units after attracting $126,000 in funding from its debut on Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform, and they recently raised an additional $750,000 in seed funding.

“David and Paul are examples of what makes engineering so exciting ­ by mixing creativity, science, math and design education, they came up with a product that improves the quality of life for people around the world,” said Richard Brown, dean of the College of Engineering at the U. “Being entrepreneurial comes naturally to many engineers. In fact, 41 percent of the spinoff companies from the U are from engineering.”

The PowerPot is geared toward camping enthusiasts but also for those in developing countries who need electricity, such as to charge a cell phone. The company has a growing variety of PowerPots that serve different needs. The basic model, the PowerPot V, weighs less than a pound and produces 5 volts, enough to charge a cellphone in 60 to 90 minutes. Larger models, like the PowerPot X, produce 10 volts and can charge larger devices, like a tablet computer.

According to the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) U.S. Wind Industry Annual Market Report for 2012, wind energy grew 28 percent in America last year, setting a new installation record. Wind energy topped all energy sources with a 42 percent of all new electric generating capacity. Over 6,700 new wind turbines were erected that produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 3.5 million homes. Overall, the U.S. finished the year with 45,100 wind turbines that can power 15.2 million homes.

AWEA says all 50 states benefited from the growth in wind energy through $25 billion in private investment in new U.S. wind farms, tens of millions of dollars paid to landowners and local communities in lease payments and property taxes, and billions in projected savings for electricity consumers. The impact of wind power development was so strong that an industry analyst said it caused a noticeable uptick in the entire U.S. economy in the fourth quarter.

Xcel Energy remains the number one utility provider of wind energy in the U.S. for the ninth consecutive year. At the end of 2012, Xcel Energy had nearly 4,900 megawatts of wind electricity generating capacity on its system, enough to power 1.5 million homes and at least 600 megawatts more than the next leading utility. Wind power currently represents about 12 percent of the energy the company supplies to its customers.

“I am proud that Xcel Energy is once again the nation’s leading clean energy utility,” said Ben Fowke, president, CEO and chairman of Xcel Energy. “Our customers and communities are strong supporters of renewable energy, and wind energy plays a vital role in our strategy to meet customers’ energy needs with clean, reliable, and affordable energy.”

AWEA says wind power also helped address the disaster-level drought affecting half of U.S. counties by saving over 35 billion gallons of fresh water (120 gallons for every American), versus other water-intensive energy sources. Wind energy also avoids over 4 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the power sector annually.
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