Top Stories
"Technology Companies Are Lining Up for Smart
Grid Business"—reliability high.
About the efforts of software and hardware companies to create
businesses providing the "smart" in the smart grid. Examples and quotes
from participants in the GridWeek conference in Washington. See New
York Times from ClimateWire. [See SAP/Siemens
item below.]
"GE confirms £100m UK turbine plant
investment"—reliability high.
General Electric joins Siemens in plans for new UK wind turbine
production capacity. The UK government has spared its £60m program to
invest in British ports to support the wind energy industry. Both GE
and Siemens have confirmed they are on track to build plants in the UK.
Prime minister David Cameron said, "I want us to be a world leader in
offshore wind energy. We are making these investments so that major
manufacturers will decide that this is the place they want to come and
build their offshore wind turbines." From BusinessGreen.
In related news, "Spain's Gamesa to
build offshore wind factory in UK"--reliability high. "Spain's Gamesa
will open an offshore wind turbine factory and research center in
Britain, creating more than 1,000 direct jobs, the company said on
Monday. It will invest 150 million euros ($210.6 million) until 2014
and base the global headquarters of its offshore division in London,
Gamesa said, confirming a report from Reuters earlier this month." From
Reuters.
Companies,
Industries, Markets and Supply Chains
"World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Begun by
China"—reliability medium.
The China National Offshore Oil Company has begun construction of what
will be the world's largest (1 GW) offshore wind farm in in Bohai Bay
the arm of the Yellow Sea closest to Beijing. From CleanTechnica.
"SAP and Siemens Target Technologies Needed
to Accelerate EVs"—reliability high.
SAP AG will work with Siemens IT Solutions and Services to develop
technology to support widespread electric vehicle use, "including the
infrastructure needed between charging stations and the back-end
systems that will process various utility transactions. Siemens Energy
will contribute an electric vehicle charging station, while SAP will
supply software for the back-end system. More participants will soon be
added, and demonstration and results will be shared with utilities in
early 2011." From GreenBiz.
"Analysis: Investors look beyond solar
modules"—reliability high.
About consolidation, integration and technology investment in the
solar power industry. Participants are seeking technology partners and
investments to drive down costs and lock in distribution. Quotes and
strategies of various participants. See Reuters.
"Ford sets 2011 electric Focus 2011
production target at 10,000-20,000 units"—reliability
medium.
While the Nissan Leaf and GM Chevy Volt are getting headlines, Ford is
planning on similar production volumes in 2011 for its battery-electric
Focus. From Autoblog
Green.
"BMW Rolls Toward Zipcar’s Turf With Hourly
Rentals"—reliability medium.
Josie Garthwaite posts about BMW's pilot car sharing program in
Germany. Discusses broader participation by carmakers in car sharing.
"Automakers have compelling reasons to consider shifting at least part
of their business to provide mobility as more of a service, including
rising vehicle ownership costs, a global population that’s increasingly
urban, and declining vehicle ownership among younger drivers." See GigaOM.
"UC San Diego Survey Reveals Green Jobs Offer
Great Salaries and Promotion Potential"—reliability high.
Another green jobs survey. Facts and figures on sustainability hiring
and employment. Highlights of report. See CSRwire.
Access the report here.
Government and
Regulation
"Effort to Shift Biofuel Industry Incentives
Gains Foothold in Washington"—reliability high.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack admits that the ethanol subsidy
and support system will gradually have to be changed. He said the
tariff on imported ethanol would "over time be phased out." He supports
extending the ethanol tax subsidies, but says "We need to begin to
think about reforms to the ethanol credit program to make it more
efficient and effective at addressing the full range of challenges we
face in meeting our goals for traditional and next-generation
biofuels." More about potential programs to promote ethanol motor
fuels, and the changes anticipated in federal policies. See New
York Times from Greenwire. [See item on USDA
economic analysis below.]
Science and
Economics
"Vilsack points to report that shows ending
corn ethanol tax credit will raise GDP"—reliability medium.
Sasha Lyutse posts about U.S. Agriculture Secretary's reference to
recent USDA report that says that with the renewable fuels standard in
place the ethanol tax credit could cut GDP by $8-12 billion over coming
years. See NRDC
blogs. PDF of USDA report "Effects of Increased Biofuels on the U.S.
Economy in 2022" here.
[Tide is turning
against the $6 billion per year ethanol tax credit subsidy.]
