Top Stories
A Nuclear Giant Moves Into Wind.—reliability
high.
"Exelon, a nuclear giant that recently backed away from building new
nuclear plants, is moving into wind. The company announced today that
it was buying John Deere Renewables, which has 735 megawatts in
operation and 230 megawatts in 'advanced stages of development' in
Michigan. ... The purchase will instantly make Exelon one of the
nation’s largest wind operators." From New
York Times Green blog.
Expanding the Market for Clean Energy in
Rural India.—reliability high.
"As India struggles to provide cleaner and more reliable sources of
energy to its rural poor, a growing number of innovative small
companies, like SBA Hydro, are selling clean energy products and
services directly to India’s rural ‘Base of the Pyramid’ (BoP)
population. These new technologies include solar-based home electricity
systems and lanterns, energy efficient cookstoves and decentralized
electricity services generated from micro hydro and biomass gasifiers.
However, most of these companies remain small and face considerable
challenges penetrating the market because of poor rural distribution
and retail networks." Article gives examples of some projects. See WRI
site.
Companies,
Industries, Markets and Supply Chains
Rechargeable Car Battery Glut to Worsen
Price War at Samsung, Panasonic.—reliability high.
"Lithium-ion battery prices may tumble 19 percent in 2010, the biggest
drop in five years, said Hideo Takeshita, an analyst at the Institute
of Information Technology Ltd. in Tokyo. Shiro Mikoshiba, an analyst at
Nomura Holdings Inc., said the worsening oversupply may push prices
down as much as 25 percent. The price drops highlight how battery
makers in Japan and South Korea, accounting for 75 percent of global
production, may be sacrificing profit for market share as automobiles
with no gas tanks are projected to help triple sales of lithium-ion
cells in six years." More about li-ion battery markets. From Bloomberg.
Windfarms bring renewable energy and good
fortune to Romania.—reliability high.
"Since November 2008, the Czech utility company CEZ Group has
been installing one of Europe's largest windfarms in Fantanele,
transforming the wind into a blessing: Fantanele farmers who have made
their land available to CEZ can receive up to $3,800 a year. "It's a
godsend," said Constantin's wife, Filofteia. 'We now get €1,800
($2,280) a year and soon it will be €3,000 ($3,800).' That's a fortune
in Fantanele. 'Here in the country, you couldn't save as much in a
lifetime as you get for the wind turbines in one year,' she said." At The
Guardian from Le Monde.
New Warnings About Costs of Nuclear Power.—reliability
high.
Article highlights stunning cost overruns of several nuclear plants
under construction. "But many experts warn that new nuclear projects
are simply too large without resorting to subsidies from governments."
See New
York Times Green blog.
Supermarket Installs 400-kW Fuel Cell.—reliability
high.
"A new Albertsons supermarket will be one of the first in California
to generate nearly 90 percent of its electricity requirements with an
on-site 400-kilowatt fuel cell. The project is estimated to cut carbon
dioxide emissions by 478 metric tons each year compared to California’s
non-baseload power plants." More in the installation. From Environmental
Leader. [How
cheap is the hydrogen?]
Government and
Regulation
UK biofuels 'falling short' on environmental
standards.—reliability high.
"a RFA spokesman said that, despite the volume target being achieved,
the agency was 'disappointed that more companies did not source more
fuel that was produced according to a recognised environmental
standard'. 'We believe that sustainable biofuel is available, in
sufficient volume, should these companies wish to procure it,' he told
BBC News. Figures released by the RFA show that just 33% of biofuels
met an environmental standard, well short of the 50% goal for 2009/10.
About 80% of the feedstock to produce the biofuels was imported, most
of which was not subject to meeting an environmental standard. ...
Currently under the RTFO, only the volume target is mandatory; the
carbon savings and environmental standards goals were voluntary." From BBC News.
Access the report here.
[This must mean
that sustainable biofuel is more expensive than non-sustainable
biofuel.]
How to Stop Idling Trucks from Wasting 1.2
Billion Gallons of Fuel.—reliability high.
"At current fuel prices, the average long-haul truck uses
$3,000-$4,000 worth of diesel every year just idling. ... But the
bigger issue for state and municipal governments is not fuel cost, it
is air pollution (the federal government has yet to enact any
anti-idling laws but they have set forth guidelines for states to
follow if they wish). Idling anywhere between 500 and 3,500 hours a
year and burning an average of .80 gallons of diesel fuel per hour,
long-haul trucks emit 11 million tons of CO2, 200,000 tons of NOx, and
5,000 tons of particulate matter into the air annually." Gives examples
of anti-idling laws coming into force around the country. See Reuters
from Matter Network.
