Domestic Fuel

Today the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA) presented eight awards during its inaugural “Colorado Cleantech Awards Celebration.” The event was created to honor leaders who are working to advance cleantech developments. Christine Shapard, CCIA executive director said during the event, “Winners were selected by our Awards Committee from twenty finalists that emerged from a statewide call for nominations. The event, showcasing those companies and individuals who have made a significant impact on Colorado’s cleantech industry during the past year.”

Awards & Winners include:

• §      Political Advocate of the Year: Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.
• §      High Impact Cleantech Company of the Year: Abound Solar
• §      Runner-Up High Impact Cleantech Company of the Year: Tendril
• §      Breakout Cleantech Company of the Year: Ice Energy
• §      Emerging Cleantech Company of the Year: VanDyne SuperTurbo
• §      Colorado Cleantech Entrepreneur of the Year: Raymond R. Johnson
• §      National Cleantech Leader: Rocky Mountain Institute
• §      Governor’s Award for Excellence: Ron Bernal, NEA

Shapard concluded, “We want to extend our congratulations to this year’s winners and finalists, plus extend sincere appreciation from the Colorado Cleantech Industry to these outstanding companies and individuals who have truly made a difference as they’ve forged their paths in the cleantech sector. Further, we want to convey our appreciation to Ira Ehrenpreis, noted venture capitalist and cleantech industry expert, who served as the keynote speaker for our first awards event.”

The Golden Arches are going green. A McDonald’s restaurant, that was rebuilt in Riverside, California, became the fourth in the U.S. and the first west of the Mississippi to go green. The building, which is owned and operated by Tom and Candice Spiel, re-opened the new energy efficient, sustainable McDonald’s with a multitude of green features including ‘Green Arches’.

“We were inspired to build a McDonald’s restaurant that highlights the green focus of Riverside: California’s first Emerald City,” said Candace Spiel, McDonald’s owner/operator. “We are so proud of this restaurant and its possibilities to encourage and educate our customers and community on the importance of environmental sustainability.”

Some of the key features include 294 photovoltaic solar panels that will generate a portion of the restaurant’s power consumption.

Other green features include:
* Light colored hardscape to reduce heat emissions from site
* Native drought tolerant plants to reduce water consumption by landscape
* Low flow plumbing fixtures to reduce water usage
* Recycled denim insulation inside the building

The green McDonald’s also features an interactive touch screen display for visitors to learn about the building, environmental sustainability, and how individuals can reduce their carbon footprint. In addition to owning this McDonald’s, the couple also own and operate eight others in and around California’s Inland Empire.

Somerset County Improvement Authority (SCIA) has awarded Vanguard Energy Partners with the contract to install 7.6 megawatts (MW) of solar power at 31 local and Somerset County, N.J. government locations. Once the project is complete, it will be one of the largest public solar energy projects in the state.

“This project will save taxpayers more than $1 million per year in energy costs, significantly decrease carbon emissions and greatly contribute toward achieving our long-term sustainability goals,” said Freeholder Director Jack M. Ciattarelli. “Just as importantly, with this bold initiative, we continue to demonstrate environmental leadership and our commitment to keeping Somerset the ‘greenest’ county in New Jersey.”

According to a company news release, the photovoltaic systems will save taxpayers $18.35 million over the 15-year power purchase agreement and avoid the emissions of more than 15 million tons of C02 yearly. SCIA will not be providing any capital outlay for the project – Vanguard will build, own, operate and maintain the solar systems for 15 years. The energy will then be sold at pre-determined rates to the county.

“We are excited and pleased to support Somerset County’s outstanding leadership and commitment to its citizens and the environment,” said Vanguard CEO Jim LaFleur. “This private-public partnership in renewable energy is a win-win because it will save money for taxpayers, support the local economy, and benefit the environment.”

The first National Solar Jobs Census 2010 report was released this week and the report shows that top state for solar energy companies is California followed by Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, Michigan, and Arizona. The Solar Foundation, along with Green LMI Consulting undertook the project aimed at examining the size and scope of the solar industry.

The census found that in general, U.S. solar companies expect to add jobs at a pace greater than the general economy. They also anticipate their revenue will grow in the next few years. As of August 2010, the industry employs around 93,000 solar workers as defined as spending at least 50 percent of their time supporting solar-related activities. Job growth numbers are optimistic with more than 50 percent of solar firms expecting to add jobs in the next year, while only 2 percent expect to eliminate jobs.

In response to the report, Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords noted that while the state is leading the way in solar development with an estimated 230 solar companies located in the state, they still have a tremendous potential to expand.

“Arizona is the sunniest state in the country,” said Giffords. “There is no reason that states more famous for cars, cheese and peaches should have more solar energy jobs than we do.”

Giffords continued, “The growth potential of the solar industry in Arizona is – like the sunshine that beats down on our state – virtually limitless. When we harness the power of the sun and put it to work for us, we not only tap into a clean, renewable source of energy, we also strengthen our economy and lay the foundation for future prosperity.”

Other key findings from the report include that solar jobs are available in all 50 states, and solar job growth over the next 12 months is anticipated to be 26 percent, representing nearly 24,000 net new jobs. This expected growth rate is significantly higher than the U.S. economy-wide expectation of 2 percent growth over the same period.

In a $25 million research opportunity, Shell has partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to support the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) that will focus on research and development of sustainable technologies designed to drive innovation in energy delivery. Beginning this year, MIT will receive $5 million per year for five years from Shell. The projects that the MITEI will engage in will focus on advanced modeling, earth science, biofuels, nanotechnology, and carbon management. MITEI was founded in 2006.

“Both Shell and MIT are globally recognized innovation leaders. This collaboration accents Shell’s commitment to develop new technologies and drive innovative solutions to address the global energy challenge,” said Gerald Schotman, chief technology officer, Royal Dutch Shell. “Our collaboration with MIT will form another important building block in strengthening Shell’s global technology leadership.”

One of the longer term goals of the collaboration is to develop future and emerging technologies that demonstrate game-changing potential for the energy industry. The collaboration will focus on a broad array of existing and new oil and gas technologies including but not limited to next-generation applications in nanotechnology, biochemistry, electronics, and computer modeling (Let’s also hope they develop technology to help prevent and/or clean up oil spills).

“The lack of access to affordable energy poses a significant barrier to economic advancement around the globe. Together with the rapidly accelerating demand for energy, the need to develop environmentally sensitive and sustainable energy resources becomes increasingly acute. Our collaboration with Shell will drive energy innovations with the potential for significant, real-world impact,” said Susan Hockfield, president, MIT.

Other ares of focus are research into water treatment improvements, greater fuel efficiency, new solar energy applications and enhanced catalytic technology for advanced fuel cells, and smart grids.

Professor Ernest J. Moniz, director of MIT Energy Initiative concluded, “Shell has earned a reputation for advancing a broad portfolio of important energy technologies and for a long-term view of how the global energy system will and should evolve. We are excited about this opportunity to significantly expand our research and education collaboration.”

A new solar power plant under construction in Ontario, Canada has selected Sharp thin film solar panels for its 18.5 MW plant currently under construction on two sites in Port Dover and Simcoe. The plant is a joint venture between SunEdison, a subsidiary of MEMC Electronic Materials, and SkyPower Limited and when completed will have two operational solar parks, SunE Sky Norfolk I and II.

SunEdison spokesperson Jason Grey noted that his company is thrilled to have worked with Sharp on the project and partner Kerry Adler, President and CEO of SkyPower Limited said of the project, “We welcomed the opportunity to deploy Sharp’s impressive technology in the SunE Sky Norfolk solar projects. As one of Canada’s leading owners and developers of solar parks, with over 1.4 GW in our solar pipeline we look forward to many more projects like these.”

Once the plant is operational, the power produced will be delivered by Ontario Power Authority to its customers. According to Sharp, the thin-film solar cells have a structure in which thin layers of silicon are deposited onto a glass substrate, enabling a dramatic reduction in the amount of silicon used. The production processes are simpler, thereby making these products ideal for large scale solar park projects.

“We’re proud to work with SunEdison and SkyPower to help bring more clean, renewable energy to the people of Canada through this landmark project,” said Eric Hafter, senior vice president, Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group. “We applaud the Ontario Power Authority for translating government’s clean energy policy into tangible results for the people of Ontario.”

The wind industry received a boost this week with the release of the “Global Wind Energy Outlook 2010,” in Beijing ahead of the China Wind Power 2010 conference slated to begin today. China is now the world’s largest wind power market and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) anticipates the country’s wind power will increase 10 fold by 2020. The report forecasts that wind power could provide a fifth, or up to 22 percent of the world’s electricity needs by 2030 while at the same time achieving major greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and details how global wind power capacity could reach 2,300 GW by 2030 and reduce CO2 emissions by 34 billion tons.

The GWEO 2010 presents three different scenarios for global wind power development through 2030, Reference, Moderate and Advanced. The Reference Scenario is based on the new 2010 IEA report, “Projected Costs of Generating Electricity” and although its wind numbers are cautiously optimistic, it believes wind power will replace oil’s role in electricity generation by 2030.

The report also calls for a global agreement to be reached regarding greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and encouraged more governments to achieve their goals through the development of green energy.

“Wind power can make a massive contribution to global electricity production and to decarbonising the power sector, but we need political commitment to make this happen.” said Steve Sawyer, GWEC’s Secretary General. “Wind power technology provides governments with a viable option for truly tackling the challenges of our time and for being part of the energy revolution our planet needs.”

In addition to environmental benefits, the report also demonstrates that wind energy is becoming a substantial factor in economic development, providing more than 600,000 ‘green collar’ jobs today both in direct and indirect employment. By 2030, the number of jobs is projected to increase to over 3 million. In 2010 a new wind turbine was in stalled every 30 minutes and GWEC’s goal is that by 2030, a wind turbine is installed every seven minutes.

Today, more than 75 countries have at least one operational wind farm and by 2030, GWEC predicts that half of the new installed wind capacity will be in developing countries.

Lamb Energy is practicing what they preach. The solar company has just completed a solar roof array utilizing Sharp solar panels on its headquarters in Riverside California. To date, the company has worked on solar projects with the likes of the Naval Post Graduate School, Marine Corps Air Station and Naval Air Weapons Station.

“Sharp panels offer the reliability and superior engineering we trust in our customer installations, so it was the obvious choice to use their solar panels on our own project,” said Matt Shea, Vice President of Business Development at Lamb Energy. “Sharp powers more homes and businesses than any other solar panel manufacturer worldwide and we’re happy that our headquarters is now a part of the clean energy revolution.”

The 17.5 kilowatt system will power approximately 60 percent of the building’s annual energy consumption. Each year, the solar array, comprised of 81 Sharp ND-216UC1 216 watt polycrystalline modules in a roof mounted system, will eliminate approximately 9.5 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. When compared to oil, the solar energy will offset the consumption of more than 45 barrels of oil per year. To help cover the costs of the project, Lamb Energy tapped into Riverside Public Utilities’ $3 Watt solar rebate, saving the company more than $44,000 on the project.

“It’s the ultimate vote of confidence when a company that specializes in solar installations selects our panels for their own building,” said Eric Hafter, senior vice president, Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group. “We value our relationship with Lamb and we’re delighted that they chose Sharp panels to power the solar array at their headquarters.”

According to the Associated Press, General Electric has announced that it has received a contract from Brazil state-owned energy company Petrobras to convert a second gas turbine to burn sugarcane-based ethanol. The turbine is at a power plant serving the city of Juiz de Fora, northwest of Rio de Janeiro.

Back in January, Petrobras’ plant became the first in the world to generate electricity from ethanol, but possibly more unique, it became a “flex-fuel” turbine in that it can run using either ethanol or natural gas. With a successful testing period, the second turbine at the facility is now being flex-fuel converted as well.

According to a Petrobras press release from this past January, the thermoelectric plant, which is one of 14 operational thermoelectric plants running on natural gas in the park, is comprised of two 6,000 GE LM aero-derived turbines. One turbine provides half of the electric plant’s 87 megawatt capacity. In addition to the thermoelectric plants, the park also has 15 small hydroelectric plants and 12 that run on oil for a total of 7,028 megawatt capacity for the entire park.

The conversion of the turbine involved the replacement of the combustion chamber, of one of the injector nozzles, and the installation of peripheral equipment (receipt system, tanks, pumps and filters) which allow the receipt, storage and flow of ethanol to the turbine, according to the release.

Petrobras is Brazil’s largest energy company.

The NGN Forum has launched a new Smart Energy Forum to focus on IP services to power the smart grid, home grids and alternative energy sources such as wind and solar. The Smart Energy Forum will focus on two main areas, next generation communications and NGN energy applications, and will develop guideline documents to help guide the industry in its adoption of this technology as well as enhancing NGN/IMS Interoperability and its Plugfests to include Smart Energy apps requirements.

One of the biggest challenges facing the utility industry as the country ramps up its alternative energy mandates is adding solar and wind power to an overstressed, and often outdated grid. Another problem is overcoming storage issues, and yet another issue facing consumers who have installed solar panels to their homes is how to develop metering systems that will enable consumers to better capitalize on their energy savings.

“Utility companies have traditionally developed their own networks and communications systems,” said Michael Khalilian, Chairman & President, NGN Forum. “However, they are now looking toward the telecommunications industry for apps, technology development, and OSS/BSS/Security to help them manage consumer demand. A number of major telecom operators and vendors are driving the initiative to expand into the highly lucrative energy management and applications field.”

According to Smart Grid News, the U.S. smart grid industry is valued at about $21.4 billion. By 2014, it is projected to exceed $42.8 billion. The world market is expected to grow at a faster rate, surging from $69.3 billion to $171.4 billion by 2014. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocates billions of dollars for energy projects including $4.5 billion to modernize the electric grid. Other major government initiatives that will increase telecom-related funding include $7.2 billion in broadband deployment grants administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Rural Utility Service (RUS).

“By ensuring that the Smart Grid is effectively managed, protected and secured, we will help speed its overall adoption by increasing confidence in the reality of these visionary solutions,” concluded Doug Havas, vice president of communication industries at Symantec, a company focused on smart grid technologies.

The space center is going solar. This week, NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), located on the East coast of Florida, has begun the installation of a 79 kilowatt solar array on their new Propellants North Facility. The solar panels selected were developed and manufactured by Sharp. Once completed, the solar array will generate enough energy to power the entire building with no net energy consumption and no carbon emissions. In addition, the building will become of only 150 projects to qualify for the LEED Platinum certification, a program under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

“NASA always has been about high efficiency and sustainability. Over the past 50 years NASA has been in the forefront of cutting edge solar technology for use in space.” said Frank Kline, project manager for the Propellants North Facility. “While part of NASA’s mission is to discover and explore other planets, the Propellants North Facility reflects our commitment to taking care of planet Earth too.”

The solar array includes 336 Sharp solar panels manufactured in Sharp’s Memphis TN plant. Each panel will produce 235 watts of clean energy. The majority of the array will be roof mounted on the curved aluminum roofing system utilizing next generation standing seam aluminum clamps eliminating the need for any other structural connections and roof penetrations. The remainder of the Sharp array is utilized as the power source for Kennedy’s first solar powered electric vehicle charging station. The new facility’s parking lot will house a solar panel covered canopy with six 240v electric vehicle charging stations for use by NASA’s fleet of electric vehicles.

“We are pleased to be a part of such a forward-thinking project as the Propellants North Facility at KSC. LEED Platinum certification highlights NASA’s commitment to green building and clean energy. Sharp is delighted to be a part of the team that assists NASA and helps pass the energy savings on to the taxpayer,” said Eric Hafter, senior vice president, Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group.

This is not the first solar project on site. Last year, the Kennedy Solar Energy Center went online. SunPower Corp. designed and built the facility by mounting 3,344 panels atop 1,183 piers, and the structures are designed to withstand 130 mph winds.

“Where is the debate about the smart grid? Are we just going to believe what GE and EEI tell us? Who can actually prove that the smart grid is going to be all that smart, or that it is even going to work?”And who has thought through all the implications?” These are a few of the questions that author Nick Rosen asks in “Off The Grid: Inside the Movement for More Space, Less Government, and True Independence in Modern America.”

This is definitely a set of questions that aren’t often asked in context with the smart grid. More often, there is a disagreement of who is going to pay for the smart grid or whether the smart grid will save consumers money or cost consumers money. However, Rosen has a definite opinion of the smart grid. He writes that privacy will be at risk (utilities will literally be able to ‘see’ into your house with the new technologies) but he also writes that utilities will make billions more in profits with this move.

Rosen explains that based on the track record of utilities, “…the smart grid is not in the country’s best interest nor are they concerned with Secretary Chu’s carbon-reduction targest when they enthuse about rolling out the smart grid. They are concerned with market dominance and profits.”

He continues by anticipating that smart technologies will eliminate the need for meter readers and many call centers, thus reducing the number of jobs in the space while making even more profits (most people estimate that utilities will pass along the costs of developing the smart grid to consumers in the form of higher energy costs).

I must say that while I do not disagree with Rosen as a whole, he does fall into a growing number of Americans who want less government and more individual control. Many of these people who are “anti-government” already live off the grid; however, it is unfair to say that all people who live off the grid are those who are hiding for some reason or other. Many people are looking for ways to become “energy independent” to save money, to have a back-up in case of a major electricity shortage or outage, or to just get-away from technology in general for a while.

For those people who are curious about what living off the grid would be like, or learning how to go “Off The Grid,” this is a very interesting book to read. It is also educational for those who are not convinced that the smart grid is all that smart.

Sharp Electronic Corporation is growing it’s presence in the U.S. solar market. Last week, the company announced that it has acquired San Francisco-based Recurrent Energy. Recurrent Energy develops and markets solar-based power generation projects and has a multitude of projects underway with utilities in both the U.S. and around the world. The acquisition was a strategic move by the company to expand its solar business from just production of solar panels to that of a power company’s partner in renewable energy projects.

In a company statement, Sharp said of the deal, “It is essential for Sharp to function as a developer in the photovoltaic field, in order to further expand its business in this area.”

In addition, it was just announced that Sharp has won a contract to provide 45 MW for the largest solar photovoltaic project ever to be built in not only California, but the world – known as Avenal. The project consists of three sub-projects, Avenal Park, Sun City and Sand Drag, that will all be built in Kings County, Cali.

“This project is one of the largest solar power installations in the world, and one of the largest Sharp has supplied to date. It also marks a significant step forward for California’s renewable energy efforts and we are proud that our cutting edge thin-film modules will help deliver clean power to the residents of California,” said Eric Hafter, senior vice president for the Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group. “Together with Eurus Energy America and NRG Solar, we are turning land that once used photosynthesis to convert the sun’s rays to produce food for our communities into a farm that uses photovoltaics to convert the sun’s rays into clean energy for the same communities.”

According to a company press release, the Sharp thin-film solar panels utilized for the project feature Sharp’s tandem-junction design that captures a wider part of the solar spectrum and will be manufactured in the Sharp plant in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Thin-film solar cells used in the panels have a structure in which thin layers of silicon are deposited onto a glass substrate, enabling a dramatic reduction in the amount of silicon used. The production processes are simpler, thereby lowering production costs.

The Avenal solar project will begin construction immediately and should be in full operation sometime in 2011.

In it’s 15 year, the Renewable Energy Market Conference is set to kick off in Portland, Oregon on October 19, 2010. But it’s not too late to register and join hundreds of marketers, policymakers, purchasers, utility representatives, and more in learning about where the renewable energy market is heading. Speakers will also discuss ideas and strategies to improve your business, obtain new customers and help promote clean energy.

Here are some highlights of the conference:

1. Take a Seat at the Power Table. The opening session includes a roundtable discussion with industry leaders: Portland General Electric President/CEO Jim Piro; Pacific Power President Pat Reiten; Commissioner John Savage of the Oregon Public Utilities Commission; Whole Foods Market’s Global Leader for Energy Kathy Loftus; and NextEra Energy Senior Director Rick Anderson. PLUS: Keynote Speaker Steve Chalk, Chief Operating Officer for U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).

2. Learn the Basics of Buying Green Power. Best practices for buying green power for your home or business.

3. Master the Fundamentals of Markets and Trading. An overview of REC markets, players and their motivations, trading, contracts, and back office support systems that make these markets work.

4. Measure Your GHG Footprint and Find Profitable Solutions. Learn the latest on federal policies for carbon disclosure, accounting practices and the added value of renewable energy.

Don’t miss out on the chance to see over 80 speakers in 30+ sessions over the course of three days while learning everything you need to know about the future of renewable energy and the drive to clean energy will help your business thrive. Click here to register.

The largest solar photovoltaic (PV) generating facility in California is underway with the solidification of a partnership between Eurus Energy America and NRG Solar, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG). When completed, Avenal Park, Sun City and Sand Drag, three Avenal zero-emission solar projects located in Kings County, CA, will generate a total of 45 megawatts (MW). This is enough energy to supply the needs of 36,000 homes. The projects were developed by Eurus and are jointly owned by Eruis and NRG and will be built with thin film solar panels manufactured by Sharp Electronics.

Maybe most significant about the project is that Sun City (20 MW) and Sand Drag (19 MW) have received full notice to proceed, permitting has been an area of great frustration among solar companies planning projects in California. Ryan Company Inc. is the engineering, contracting and procurement firm for the project and will begin construction immediately. The two projects are estimated to be in full operation in 2011. In addition, the California Public Utilities Commission has approved the 20-year Avenal power purchase agreements with Pacific Gas & Electric.

“The Avenal projects are just the first of many utility-scale PV solar projects that we expect to be developing, building and owning in the State of California. We are very pleased to be adding these solar power projects to our portfolio of wind projects helping California reach its nation-leading goals to increase the utilization of emission-free power generation,” said Mark E. Anderson, President and CEO of Eurus Energy America.

Recently, Californians shot down a proposal to expand their renewable portfolio standards from 20 percent to 33 percent by 2020 but in one if his last major moves as Governor, Schwarzenegger overruled the state’s decision and signed the legislation into law. NRG Solar and Eurus note that this project will help the state meet its aggressive renewable energy goals.

“We believe Avenal represents not only a bold new chapter in developing clean, zero-emission solar power in California, but also is a key piece in helping the state meet its ambitious renewable portfolio standard by the end of the decade,” said Tom Doyle, President of NRG Solar. “California continues to lead our nation in mandating the increasing use of renewable power, and, as the owners of the largest PV site there today, we look forward to continuing our partnership with California and our leadership as a developer of this bountiful, sustainable power source.”