Global renewable energy-grid project: integration of renewable energies over HVDC and centralized storage

The global challenges of energy and environment can be handled through a local, regional or even a national approach. You need a global perspective and a much broader vision, a global grid for renewable energy [GREG]. A transmission system for high voltage DC [HVDC] must be created, storage facilities serve as the majority of electrical power transport medium, GREG needed with centralized energy installed. And perhaps most importantly, a group of socio political supervision institutions of all nations of the world must network and also seamlessly manage physical grid.

The obstacles to such a global shift to technical, economic and socio-political, socio-political challenges that will be used to categorize hardest. As those demonstrated researchers at the Stanford University, that appropriate renewable energy resources are available, to the planet makes, but still need a detailed and comprehensive proposal for a global energy grid shape at: regional planners need to combine their efforts before this can be achieved. Likewise must the full and clear rules as pay I produced for a global energy grid. This would require, brings together top energy administrators at each participating nation under an umbrella organization at the United Nations.

After a brief overview of the energy sector along with political obstacles, we offer technical suggestions on how a global grid could be implemented. HVDC transmission is recommended as a clear choice for the efficient and reliable long-distance delivery of electrical energy 24.07.52. And centralized storage mega plants are proposed for the balance of supply and demand in a network mostly intermittent sources.

Economy

If we want to tackle the rapidly deteriorating climate by fossil fuel power plants, creation is critical enough grid one globally for renewable energy, in order to justify our highest priority. The United States, for example, in its highway system, sensible investing from the 1950s. The rapid growth of the US economy, centred on road transport can after the second world war directly attributable to this motorway infrastructure. Also, you can associate the "dot-com" boom of the nineteen nineties directly to the wired and wireless global electronic highway. We need not be surprised, whether our economies can afford that with GREG. We must recognize that the world economy would actually expand and are therefore stronger.

With today's sluggish economy and massive public debt it can trust for all Nations to GREG with urgency be questionable. Therefore a mixture of public and private investment would be needed to implement the project. All Nations must create an environment for renewable raw materials to develop and their respective components of the transmission network to carry responsibility and commitment. As well as motorway networks for the transportation of people and products in the creation of the national and global economies are and belong to the public, so must be the power supply for the transmission of electrical energy in the public domain. While the war machines destroy economies, GREG would create economies around the world, requires only a fraction of households now reserved for sophisticated, expensive weapons of war.

Construction requires comprehensive analysis of its socio economic benefits of global, high-voltage, high-power-grid [GREG]. Increased electrical reliability and efficiency should be included as quantifiable benefits. However, if we are to global warming and CO2 emissions, the design alternatives to thermal emission units not in monetary units, which are evaluated by a handful of bankers manipulated should the challenges then. Since GREG Eventuallfy would reduce the energy costs for all Nations, which projected cost of electricity for all consumers would decline significantly in the long run.

Public funds for GREG must be hashed in the halls of national Governments and in the boardrooms of banks of developing world out. Remember that the US interstate highway system built by a special gasoline tax was financed by a trust fund. A similar approach would be at the level of the United Nations with a global "GREG Trust Fund" built on taxes for carbon rendered content of all fossil fuels produced. Furthermore, could a small [1-2 per cent] global tax on all weapons produced is collected.

Management and regulation

The most formidable obstacles to the creation of GREG lie in the socio political sphere. But company deeply invested in the fossil energy will vote against the amendment. Top energy administrators must give priority, social responsibility, not to maximise ROI, if you plan the transition to renewable energy. Policy makers need rules based on long-term goals in the short term while acknowledging potential conflicts between the regional operators and between producers and consumers. Right-of-ways, electricity markets and prices are the varied interests of the producers, utilities, network operators and prosumer [customers with own wind and solar generators] recognition takes into account.

All countries need to establish after a domestic RE-grid, be a balance between national and global interests. Power-sharing agreements, placing the transmission interconnects, security issues and reliability issues all are important. The extent at which rich countries, developing countries will support, must also be set up. Here the basis for supervision and dispute not biased is resolution by an international panel to a particular nation as an organization of the United Nations renewable energy.

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It is cold and my car is buried in the snow; Is global warming really happening?

For years, climate contrarians have pointed to snowfall and cold weather to question the scientific reality of human-induced climate change.

Such misinformation obscures the work scientists are doing to figure out just how climate change is affecting weather patterns year-round.

Understanding what scientists know about these effects can help us adapt. And, if we reduce the emissions that are driving climate change, we can dramatically reduce the pace of change and better prepare for the consequences in the future.

What Is the Relationship Between Weather and Climate?

Weather is what’s happening outside the door right now; today a snowstorm or a thunderstorm is approaching. Climate, on the other hand, is the pattern of weather measured over decades.

NASA and NOAA plus research centers around the world track the global average temperature, and all conclude that Earth is warming. In fact, the past decade has been found to be the hottest since scientists started recording reliable data in the 1880s. These rising temperatures are caused primarily by anincrease of heat-trapping emissions in the atmosphere created when we burn coal, oil, and gas to generate electricity, drive our cars, and fuel our businesses.

Hotter air around the globe causes more moisture to be held in the air than in prior seasons. When storms occur, this added moisture can fuel heavier precipitation in the form of more intense rain or snow.

At the same time, because less of a region’s precipitation is falling in light storms and more of it in heavy storms, the risks of drought and wildfire are also greater. Ironically, higher air temperatures tend to produce intense drought periods punctuated by heavy floods, often in the same region.

These kinds of disasters may become a normal pattern in our everyday weather as levels of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere continue to rise.

The United States is already experiencing more intense rain and snowstorms. The amount of rain or snow falling in the heaviest one percent of storms has risen nearly 20 percent, averaged nationally — almost three times the rate of increase in total precipitation between 1958 and 2007.

Some regions of the country have seen as much as a 67 percent increase in the amount of rain or snow falling in the heaviest storms — and an updated version of this figure from the draft National Climate Assessment suggests this increase may have risen to 74 percent between 1958 and 2011.

Overall, it’s warming, but we still have cold winter weather.

The seasons we experience are a result of the Earth’s tilted axis as it revolves around the Sun. During the North American winter, our hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun and its light hits us at a different angle, making temperatures lower.

While climate change won’t have any impact on Earth’s tilt, it is significantly shifting temperatures and causing spring weather to arrive earlier than it used to. Overall, spring weather arrives 10 days earlier than it used to, on average. “Spring creep" is something scientists projected would happen as the globe continues to warm.

The Arctic Connection: A Look at Recent North American Winters

Winters have generally been warming faster than other seasons in the United States and recent research indicates that climate change is disrupting the Arctic and ice around the North Pole.

The Arctic summer sea ice extent broke all records during the end of the 2012 sea ice melt season. Some researchers are pointing to a complex interplay between Arctic sea ice decline, ocean patterns, upper winds, and the shifting shape of the jet stream that could lead to extreme weather in various portions of northern mid-latitudes — such that some places get tons of snow repeatedly and others are unseasonably warm.

In the Arctic, frigid air is typically trapped in a tight loop known as the polar vortex. This super-chilled air is not only cold, it also tends to have low barometric pressure compared to the air outside the vortex. The surrounding high-pressure zones push in on the vortex from all sides so the cold air is essentially "fenced in" above the Arctic, where it belongs.

As the Arctic region warms faster than most other places, however, the Arctic sea ice melts more rapidly and for longer periods each year, and is unable to replenish itself in the briefer, warmer winter season. This can destabilize the polar vortex and raises the barometric pressure within it.

For two winter seasons (2009/2010 and 2010/2011), the polar vortex was notably unstable. In addition, another measurement of barometric pressure — the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) — was in negative mode, weakening part of the barometric pressure "fence" around the polar vortex. This instability allows the cold Artic air to break free and flow southward, where it collides with warmer, moisture-laden air. This collision can produce severe winter weather in some regions and leave milder conditions in other parts of the northern hemisphere.

The winter of 2009/2010 recorded the second lowest negative phase of the NAO since the 1970s, which helps to explain the record snowfalls across the northeastern United States. The 2010/2011 winter also trended toward a strong negative phase.

During the 2011/2012 winter, there was a shift in the position of the jet stream, which separates cold arctic air from warmer air. Typically New England, the Great Lakes, and parts of the Great Plains sit north of the jet stream and remain cold in the winter season. However, the 2011/2012 winter jet stream position meant these regions were south of it for most of the winter, which helped produce the fourth warmest U.S. winter on record.

The lack of snowfall and snowpack for the winter of 2011/2012 and the following spring was a precursor to the large drought episode that impacted two-thirds of the nation during the summer and autumn of 2012.

In the following winter of 2012/2013, the polar vortex was more stable, with the NAO in December and January around neutral, and moderately high in February. The weather systems were not dominated by the polar vortex but equally influenced by several other oceanic and atmospheric drivers, including the Pacific North American pattern and the Arctic Oscillation.

Even though hundreds of monthly precipitation records were broken across the United States in February 2013, the winter of 2012/2013 was characterized by a complex interplay of atmospheric drivers, with no single factor dominating the storm tracks and the broader scale circulation.

The North American winter of 2013/2014 is shaping up to be a complex interplay among the upper atmosphere circulation over North America and the ocean conditions in the East and North Pacific with other factors playing a minor role according to November patterns. December 2013 data are still being analyzed; preliminary indicators suggest that the early season snows that obscured football games played in the Eastern U.S. and caused transportation disruptions in early December were in part linked with a deep penetration of the jet stream over the center of North America.

Scientists are looking into how the jet stream pattern shifts in recent years have influenced where winter sets in hardest in the Northern Hemisphere, though it’s not clear how much impact this trend will have in the future, especially as the Arctic ice continues to lose mass.

It’s Not Too Late

The choices we make today can help determine what our climate will be like in the future. Putting a limit on heat-trapping emissions, encouraging the use of healthier, cleaner energy technologies, and increasing our energy efficiency are all ways to help us to avert the worst potential consequences of global warming, no matter what the season.

This article was originally published on the Union of Concerned Scientists and was republished with permission.

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Global Climate Talks Need Sense Of Urgency

Next week’s global climate talks in Warsaw, Poland, need to be guided by a new sense of urgency. After more than 20 years of talking about climate change, it’s time for the nations of the world to start putting a meaningful plan in place to fight it.

If all goes well, the U.N. sponsored talks – known as COP 19 (short for the 19th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change) – are expected to lay the groundwork for reaching a long-awaited and much-discussed global climate agreement by 2015, which would then take effect five years later.

But if the past is any indication, it’s hard to get your hopes up. What will be the process and timeline for cutting greenhouse gas emissions worldwide? How do you enforce any agreement? And who pays what to whom in the way of financial aid, recognizing the economic dilemmas faced today by most developing nations? These are extraordinarily difficult questions with no easy answers.

And to compound the problem, let’s not forget one other thing: the United States never ratified the 1997 Kyoto accord. So, yes, this is going to be a long, tough row to hoe.

But what choice do we have? Global warming shows no sign of abating. According to the U.S. Global Change Research Project, the temperature in the U.S. has increased by 2 degrees in the last 50 years. In the last century, sea levels have risen roughly 7 inches after not having changed noticeably in the previous 2,000 years. And scientists say there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today than at any point in the last 800,000 years.

This is not, as the Flat Earth Society would lead you to believe, a debate between clean energy and a robust economy. Today, we can have both – and solar, along with other renewable energy sources, are showing how to make this possible.

But you would never know it by listening to the rants of nay-sayers, who have called plans to fight climate change everything from “sheer fantasy” to “massive self-sacrifice.”

From an environmental perspective, few things threaten our nation’s future prosperity more than climate change. That’s why it was so encouraging to see President Obama launch his Global Climate Change Initiative earlier this year.

This is a watershed moment in our nation’s history. Today, climate change is a real and growing threat to America and the rest of the world. It’s indisputable. Sea levels are rising. Artic ice is disappearing. We’re experiencing more intense and unpredictable storms. And droughts plague the world.

Clearly, climate change threatens our economy, our future progress, our health and safety, and even our way of life. Every day, the Earth suffers a little more from human neglect. We can’t wish this problem away, and pointing fingers won’t solve it, either.

America’s solar energy industry is uniquely poised to help. Today, solar is one of the fastest-growing sources of new energy in the United States. More than 30 utility-scale, clean energy solar projects are under construction, putting thousands of electricians, steelworkers and laborers to work and helping to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. These facilities, along with rooftop solar on homes, businesses and schools, will generate electricity for generations to come.

There is now more than 9,400 megawatts (MW) of cumulative solar electric capacity installed in the U.S. – enough to power more than 1.5 million American homes. In the first quarter of 2013, more than 48 percent of all new electricity added to the grid was solar, while through the first half of this year, solar ranked third among all fuel sources when it comes to new capacity.

In addition, SEIA recently released a comprehensive new report outlining ways to create 50,250 new American jobs and save more than $61 billion in future energy costs by expanding the use of innovative and cost-effective solar heating and cooling (SHC) systems across the nation.

Today, solar employs nearly 120,000 Americans at more than 6,100 companies, most of which are small businesses spread across the United States, making solar one of the fastest-growing industries in America. Part of this amazing growth is attributed to the fact that the cost of a solar system has dropped by nearly 40 percent over the past two years, making solar more affordable – and more popular – than ever. And as solar continues to scale up, costs will continue to come down.

Yet the debate about climate change isn’t simply about money. It’s also about our legacy, as a people. Abraham Lincoln said it best: “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

It’s time for the nations of the world to understand that.

The information and views expressed in this blog post are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of RenewableEnergyWorld.com or the companies that advertise on this Web site and other publications. This blog was posted directly by the author and was not reviewed for accuracy, spelling or grammar.

Rhone Resch is the President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade association for the solar energy industry representing over 1,000 companies that manufacture, develop and install solar systems of...

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Global tracking frame sheds light on the State of renewable energy

How many people around the world access to electricity and safe household fuels is missing? What is the share of renewable energies in the global mix? How do we improve energy efficiency?

The sustainable energy for all global tracking framework, published report on the Vienna Energy Forum on May 28 answers these questions. There are detailed country level and global data, the scale of the challenges ahead to outline, as countries try to the three objectives of the sustainable energy for all initiative: universal access to modern energy to double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix and doubling the rate of energy efficiency - all up to the year 2030.

Provision of electricity for 1.2 billion people have no access to reliable sources of energy, is an important component to end poverty around the world by 2030, according to a report of the World Bank Group. Vice President Rachel Kyte says that people who live without electricity less possibilities to improve their living conditions.

The report tells us that 1.2 billion do not have access to electricity people - almost as high as the population of India, and the 2.8 billion on wood or other biomass for household fuel left. These households produce solid fuel harmful indoor pollution, which contributes to about 4 million premature deaths per year, most of them women and children. The report also tells us that most people are still without access live in 20 countries in the development of Asia and Africa South of the Sahara, and about 80 percent of them living in rural areas.

How fast to build energy access?

Although 1.7 billion people connections to electricity between 1990 and 2010 retrieved, which was only slightly before the population growth of 1.6 billion euros in the same period. Current expansion growth must double to achieve the goal by the year 2030 100 percent access. Getting access need be invested an additional $45 billion, every year, five times the current annual level. The CO2 cost of this extension is small: to bring without electricity it would increase global CO2 emissions by less than 1 percent.
Sustainable energy for all, civil society and international organisations, aims a global coalition of Governments, the private sector, to achieve this goal, also the quantity of renewable energy in the global energy mix doubles from its current share of 18 per cent to 36 per cent by 2030. The initiative is intended to double the rate of improvement in the area of energy efficiency. SE4ALL launched in 2011 by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, now building with President of the World Bank Group Jim Yong Kim Advisory Board.

The global tracking framework is a milestone in this effort, said World Bank Vice President for sustainable development Rachel Kyte, Member of sustainable energy for all initiative Executive Committee. "It base provides information on, where we meet on the trip are global energy policy objectives," she said. "Everyone is to measure their progress toward the baseline. And we know that this is important because what is measured is what is being done."

Where can we make the biggest difference?

The report shows impressive countries to offer the most potential rapid progress:

Twenty high-impact countries in Asia and Africa accounts for about two-thirds of all people without electricity access and three quarters of those who Haushalte.Ein accounts for another 20 high-impact countries with solid fuels 80 percent of energy consumption and need to double a pioneering role on doubling the share of renewable energies to 36 percent of the global energy mix and improvement in the field of energy efficiency.China is an example of impressive progress: the most populous country in the world is the largest consumer of energy, but it is also the leader in development of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency.
The report states that decisive action is required to achieve these goals. He calls political measures, including the tax, financial and economic incentives, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and price carbon.

Investment in energy improvements have the global community. The report estimates that investments already made in energy in the amount of about $409 billion in the year to more than double need to achieve three objectives. An additional $600 billion needed, the report says, at least 45 billion $ for electricity expansion $4.4 billion for modern cooking fuels, $394 billion for energy efficiency and $174 billion for renewable energy.

This article originally appeared on the World Bank and was published with permission.

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Global solar industry poised for recovery

The $US77 billion solar energy industry is expected to to the most since 2011, expand, per China the largest market for the first time and runs the annual global installations to a record.

New generation capacity 14 percent this year 34.1 gigawatts, around eight atomic reactors, the same according to the average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Bloomberg rises. Would suggest that shrank as demand in the year 2012, the growth of 4.4 percent in Italy and France after subsidies were cut.

China, after the construction of scores of factories, which helped, Panel prices is 20 percent cut in the past year to be ready, the largest consumer of the devices are to double target after 2013 for new projects in January. Tumbling prices benefit installers including solar city Corp. and SunPower Corp. of California, manufacturers such as LDK violate solar from China and Norway's renewable energy Corp.

"Solar demand proves to be very resistant and grows this year even as European markets collapse, hold," said Jenny Chase, head of the solar analysis at Bloomberg of new energy finance in Zurich. "A further increase in the installations driven record-low prices, however good manufacturers help not margins."

The advantages are mainly to customers and the installation companies who hire them. SolarCity and SunPower 38 percent and 109 percent, respectively, this year, the producers won dominated Bloomberg global large solar index in the period increased only 23 percent.

Cut edges

A jump in factory capacity expanded a global glut of panels 2012, slashing drives producers profit margins, depressing stock prices and companies such as Q-cells SE in the bankruptcy. Chase said only "mass additional capacity shutdown" will stabilize prices of photovoltaic products.

Prices for Silicon-based solar cells fell about 20 percent to 79 cents per watt in the last 12 months, after dropping in the previous half year.

China, the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, is expected to 2013, Germany as the largest solar market to fall according to analysts BNEF. Projects have allowed are multiplied, the nation financial support of his solar companies in a bid to diversify the coal-dependent energy sector.

The Chinese Government expects 10 gigawatts new solar projects in 2013, more than double the previous objective and three times last year's expansion. The country plans to 2015 when compared with a previous target of 21 gigawatts, Councillor Shi Dinghuan said 30 to install 35 gigawatts Jan..

Capacity expansion

The solar industry expansion will be this year by the United States and Japan, dangers BNEF show data. Growth in those Nations, along with China exceeded the most European markets in 2012, to send the world's capacity to more than 100 gigawatts, according to the European Photovoltaic Industry Association or EPIA.

New installations in Europe fell for the first time fall to less than 60 percent of all new capacity by about three-quarters a year earlier. Nations outside the region will be further expanding their share this year, according to IHS Inc.

While Chinese Panel and JinkoSolar expect manufacturers such as Yingli Green Energy to increase shipments, which does not translate necessarily in higher profit margins, if prices don't recover after Aaron Chew, analyst at Maxim Group in New York.

"Higher shipments no scope can be even no room for maneuver," chew said, according to the view of Englewood, Colorado-based IHS, which predicts that stagnant prices be cut this year from $US77 billion annual turnover in the industry by about $US75 billion.

Volatile industry

Most of the factories producing below capacity to ride out the crisis. The global solar market is usually volatile, recording a 17 percent expansion from 2008 to 2009 before the 135 percent jump a year later and grow more slowly over the next two years.

Those manufacturers who survive can begin to see signs of a recovery this year, Deutsche Bank AG said last month, citing China's decision, double installations, as well as investments by us Billionaire Warren Buffett in large solar projects and stable prices for polysilicon.

News contributed to the Bloomberg Deutsche Bank solar survey which estimates of Citigroup Inc., HSBC Holdings plc, Macquarie Group, Maxim Group, IHS and BNEF are also included.

Recent polls have shown that analysts underestimated installations. A Bloomberg survey a year ago predicts a 10 percent drop from 2011 to 2012, when new projects were in fact increasing.

China: A global new energy scavenger hunt

Newly reported that large automaker Dongfeng motor (HKEx: 489) a struggling U.S. hybrid automaker is bidding to buy are casting a spotlight on China in its new role as scavengers for global new energy companies are struggling to stay in business. A number of factors driving this budding trend, led by the fact that many of these Chinese suitors enough cash fairly and in a good position to provide much-needed funds for Western companies for new energy-starved.

What more love Chinese companies generally a bargain, if they global resources shop. Then there is also the factor of technology, how many hope this Chinese buyers of technology get some of their purchases for the operation to bring them home. Finally, there is also the factor of Beijing, because many such purchases make those buyers to its commitment to the development of new energy technologies to show top priority for the Central Government. The only problem with this is of course, that most of these factors have little or no backing in the leadership of an economically viable business model, which means that many of these purchases ultimately for their buyer headaches and wrecking might lead.

But now that I said that, we take a look at the latest headlines that say that the Dongfeng is one of several potential bidders ForFisker automotive, a US manufacturer of high-end hybrid cars. The Dongfeng bid would see approximately 350 million $ to pay to sell their luxury hybrid cars for more than $100,000 for 85 per cent of Fisker. Fisker had stopped production of his karma model car last year after a who said bankruptcy, but recently its key suppliers, it plans to restart production soon.

According to the reports, Fisker will face their own cash crunch around the middle of this year, if it is not found until a new major investor. When Dongfeng manages to buy the stake, it could be some of Fisker's production finally after China-a common strategy by Chinese buyers who often move, that she can fix troubled Western companies think by simply moving their production facilities in China.

This latest deal follows a series of similar Western companies, the new energy in the past year fighting the recent purchase of China. At least these offers China's Wanxiang saw group before recent approval for the appointment of the majority of the assets of the bankrupt high-tech battery maker of A123 systems to win. Which are faced before some uncertainty due to national security concerns, but the U.S. Government ultimately approved the transaction last month.

Last year saw a number of Chinese companies make global acquisitions in the solar panel, which has struggled for the past 2 years due to a massive flood of supply. Chinese companies of reached Hanergy holding group a deal last fall to ailing Silicon Valley companies MiaSole for bargain buy. Hanergy made also an acquisition in Germany, to buy a unit of QCells, for about $500 million. Other deals saw LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK) 33 percent of Sunways AG last year and the TFG radiant Groupbuy Germany a 41 percent in the U.S. company ascent solar technologies in the year 2011 to buy.

This latest Dongfeng's bid for Fisker shows the Chinese appetite for Western companies, the new energy is still going strong and Acceleration even in 2013 for the reasons which I described above. Such deals are important in some respects, because they will help to consolidate in crowded sectors such as solar panels, are suffering from overcapacity.

But as I said before, I think, that many of these purchases for difficulties and failures to determine the resources and the experience are, because Chinese companies are missing to make the problem, what they are buying. Search from a broader perspective more these purchases in the next two years by bargain hunting Chinese companies, followed by the first signs of trouble for many of those acquisitions off end of this year or even earlier.

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Clean tech Accelerator means new ideas for global renewable energy applications

San Jose--scores of clean-tech company of CEOs, built their leading ideas of seed capital angels and venture capitalists this year's clean tech open 2012 global forum in San Jose, California. On the occasion of the Hayes mansion on November 8 and 9, the meeting is the culmination of numerous regional competitions of the organization that has helped more than 600 companies that raise more than $660 million financing since 2006. After 10 minutes business plan pitch over a thousand participants belongs were finalists by a jury for hundreds of thousands of competing demand, if not millions of dollars in capital to start.

The business fields of the competing companies include renewable energy, the environment and the economy in General. Among renewable energy, finalists were companies to improve the efficiency of solar cells this year, offer residential wind and solar plants to marry, and provides overpressure in the water tap for energy distribution systems. 2012 Clean tech global forum winner was HVET from Chicago, won $250,000 in financing and services. Motor/generators with increased reliability and disruptive cost his patented switched reluctance motors offer high-performance alternatives to the induction and permanent magnet, so the company. The product is an electric assist, bicycles provide rolled out but other versions interfere with current engine technology by about 150 watts to one megawatt and also from applications such as air conditioning, oil and gas pumps, they add.

Runner up to 2012 title was Rentricity of New York, a system of excess water pressure water distribution systems in electricity to convert that, offered by bypassing existing pressure relief valves with new back-pumping generators. CEO of the Frank Zammataro said that the micro-hydro system already has been detected in the tube, within what estimates in four commercial projects $2.4 billion U.S. market has 23,000 potential locations for the implantation of the technology. The company has partnered with xylem, to produce the reverse pump, and seeks first the 5 to 30 kW segment of the market. Rentricity claims that he can install his system at a price of US $0.04 per kWh. The company is looking for funds to expand their sales activities and partners with leading industry - water companies, the latest generation to develop water system upgrading.

Finalist Malachite Technologies Inc., San Francisco, suggested the idea of using sputtering deposition technology a 1 µm to thick layer of gallium arsenide on a conventional silicon chip, the efficiency of the resulting array together increase by 33 percent. CEO Robert Weiss added that once the chip its current consolidation wave undergoes processing industry, survival rivals an edge of efficiency, should that his company could offer within two or three years. The company is looking for funding for the proof of concept data.

Another finalist, Pika energy, Gorham, Maine, unveiled a new design wind turbine applications at a price of $8,000, about one-third of the cost which beat current leader, Ben Polito, CEO of the start-up. Reduce the cost by making an injection Pika composite design can be dipped fan, motor cooling, the mass in contrast to the layered, which is standard in the industry today. The company developed also a mechanical safety brake for its turbine and a makes-inverter system, which a Pika-wind turbine can be combined with a generic solar photovoltaic system. The company is looking for funds to the sound to start mass business.

Apart from the finalists in their technology under a large tent showed pitched dozens of other clean-tech start-ups companies, the financing by the judging Committee in the courtyard of the Villa. Target markets ranged movement space heating from solar systems on tidal power on motorway.

Sun edge LLC, of Wilmington, a water-filled solar concentrator system presented the four is located in a closed polycarbonate tubes, time can result in normal solar energy with the addition of only 25 percent more PV materials. David President of the company Argentar said that the cost of the patent pending system is one-third of the yield comparable technologies. With a 10-MW demonstration plant scheduled for completion this year in Dover, Delaware SunEdge is looking for financing of commercial production.

Elemental, tidal-energy unit, which captures the flow of water through a turbine to generate electricity energy technologies, from Sydney, touted their sea urchin. While initial installations, barge and catamaran aimed applications, so nearby Darwin until end of 2013 a pilot 1-MW array installed Finance Director Douglas will hunt. When arrays are attached with shared cable, the turbines can power AU costs $0.10 to 0.12 per kWh (US $0, 10-0, 12), produce, he said.

Finally, captures the energy intelligence LLC, of WABAN, Massachusetts, presented its substructure Highway motion generation system which generate weight a moving tire through a plate activation energy. The location of the system would be likely, where vehicles are already forced to slow down and power sockets are available, such as the approach for a toll station. Awarded a patent and two outstanding will the system provide projected levelized cost energy between US $.055 and $0.07 / kWh, according to Daniel Shani, CEO of the company. Clean tech open the firm received $20,000 in New England regional competition in October.

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Global Clean Energy Investment Rebounded in Q2 2012: Report

Global clean energy investments increased 24% in Q2 2012 compared to Q1, with new investment totaling $59.6 billion, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The amount was still 18% below the near-record quarterly figure of $72.5 billion in Q2 last year.

The United States enjoyed solid gains in investment in Q2 of 18% over Q1, reaching $10.2 billion, the report said. China surged 92% in investment to $18.3 billion in the April-to-June period. Overall, solar accounted for $33.6 billion of investment in Q2, up 19% over Q1, and wind had $21.6 billion, up 47% quarter to quarter. The largest venture capital and private equity deals of the quarter saw U.S. automaker Fisker clinch $148 million for its plug-in hybrid vehicle development. The figures draw on a comprehensive database of transactions in clean energy worldwide. See the Bloomberg New Energy Finance press release.

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Global automakers demo quickly recharge EV technology

A technology of fast-charging station for electric vehicles (EV), which can recharge compatible systems in only 15-20 minutes showed eight car manufacturers. Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche, and Volkswagen have agreed to quickly recharge a harmonised single-port approach support - DC quickly recharge with a combined charging system called - for use on EVs in the United States and Europe.

Car manufacturers were charging demonstrations during the EVS26 electric vehicle Symposium, held in Los Angeles, may 6-9. The combined charging system into single phase AC charger three phases AC charger, DC recharge at home and ultra-fast DC load at public stations, quickly a vehicle inlet. Thus customers can free of charge at the most existing charging stations independently from the power source, and it can speed adoption of a standardized infrastructure more affordable. The international society of automotive of engineers that has combined charging system than the fast - charging methodology for a standard decided, the incremental the existing AC type 1-based collection expands. The standard is officially this summer will be published. And ACEA, the European Association of car manufacturers, the system as AC/DC has upload interface for all new types of vehicles in Europe from 2017 selected. Commercial combined charge, that units are expected to be in this year. All dedicated manufacturers have vehicles in development, that the combined charging system is used. The first vehicles, to use this system will reach the market in 2013. See the press release from General Motors.

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Limited Global Progress on Renewable Energy: IEA Report

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on April 25 released an annual progress report highlighting the rapid progress made in some renewable energy technologies. The report, Tracking Clean Energy Progress, noted the gains are due to solar photovoltaic (PV) panels being easily installed by households and businesses as well as gains in onshore wind technologies. IEA said that onshore wind has seen 27% average annual growth over the past decade, and solar PV has grown at 42%, albeit from a small base. Even more impressive is the 75% reduction in system costs for solar PV in as little as three years in some countries.

Photovoltaic and onshore wind were leaders among global renewable energy technologies, according to a new IEA report.
Credit: LBNL

According to the IEA, estimated energy use and carbon dioxide emissions would increase by a third by 2020 and almost double by 2050. The report notes that many technologies with great potential for energy and emissions savings are making halting progress at best. Vehicle fuel-efficiency improvement is slow, and significant untapped energy-efficiency potential remains in the building and industry sectors. The IEA is an autonomous organization that works to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy for its 28 member countries and beyond. See the IEA press release and the complete report.

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Grid-scale Energy Storage: Lux Predicts $113.5 Billion in Global Demand by 2017

In the grid-scale sector alone, Lux predicts an average year-on-year demand growth of 231 percent from 2012 through 2015 when the growth rate moderates to 43 percent per year for 2016 and 2017. The forecast is tempered, however, by a cautionary note that demand of that magnitude can't be satisfied because "Believe it or not, the grid storage market will be supply-constrained in 2017."

Technologies and players 

The eight energy storage technologies Lux evaluated for their new report are summarized in the following table, along with the price and performance metrics highlighted in beige. Comparable price and performance metrics from a recent Sandia National Laboratories "Energy Storage Systems Cost Update" are also presented and highlighted in green. While there's room to quibble over the details and users of Lux's Smart Grid Storage Tracker and Demand Forecaster can fine tune the price and performance variables to suit their analytical needs, the parallels between the two sets of system cost estimates are close enough to lend substantial credence to Lux's basic assumptions. 

Based on a comprehensive evaluation of various local factors including "utility market structure, generation technology compositions, peak power demand, demand growth rate, infrastructure growth rate, penetration and growth rate of intermittent renewable energy sources, grid reliability, [time of use] electricity rates, commercial demand charges, and outage costs," Lux concluded that Japan, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the State of Arizona will be the top five regions for grid storage and collectively account for about 58 percent of global demand in 2017. Japan and China will each account for about 18 percent; United Kingdom and Germany, will each account for about 9 percent; and the US will account for about 23 percent, with Arizona alone accounting for 4 percent of global demand.

Some of the more surprising conclusions in the Lux report related to the relative importance of the various grid-scale applications by 2017. For me the biggest surprise was the conclusion that the current killer apps, ancillary services and renewable energy integration, will only account for 1.4 percent of global demand in 2017 while renewable energy time shifting will account for an impressive 54 percent of demand, or $61 billion in annual revenue potential. I was also surprised by the conclusion that high spreads between peak and off-peak electricity prices would create a major market opportunity in the residential and commercial sectors, which account for 28 percent and 17 percent, respectively, of the 2017 demand forecast. 

Based on their in depth evaluation of application requirements and the price and performance of the eight energy storage technologies they evaluated, Lux reported that: 

Li-ion takes the early lead, but fades to cheaper alternatives. Li-ion batteries for [power] applications capture nearly 80% of the market in 2012, but quickly fade as cheaper molten-salt and flow batteries become available in the ensuing years. By 2017, Li-ion batteries capture only 13% of the market, yielding 33% to vanadium redox batteries and a nearly even split of the rest of the market between sodium sulfur, sodium nickel chloride, and zinc bromine flow batteries at 19%, 15%, and 19%, respectively. This indicates the short timeframe Li-ion battery developers have to reduce their costs. In the long run, systems with discharge durations between two hours and four hours are the “sweet spot” size for most grid applications. Currently, Li-ion batteries are sought-after due to their availability and proven performance. Flow batteries and molten salt batteries, both of which perform well for longer discharge applications, have shown comparable performance to Li-ion batteries at a fraction of the cost and are currently limited by their availability and proven reliability. Flywheels retain 2% of the market in 2017 and find their niche in relatively small frequency regulation market and other niche applications that require rapid discharge capabilities, short durations, and an extremely long cycle life.

Many participants in the lithium-ion battery sector are developing and demonstrating grid-scale energy storage products. To date, the highest profile player has been A123 Systems (AONE), which has shipped over 90 MW of storage systems for ancillary services and renewables integration. While Johnson Controls (JCI) has been quiet about its plans to package and sell lithium-ion batteries for stationary applications, I have to believe the global footprint and sterling reputation of its building efficiency unit will make it a formidable competitor in the commercial markets. 

Sodium Nickel Chloride, or Zebra, batteries have been a relatively low profile chemistry for years. They were originally developed by Daimler for use in electric vehicles but failed to gain much traction in that market despite a decade of solid performance in a 3,000 vehicle fleet that's logged over 150 million kilometers. In 2009 General Electric (GE) announced plans to build a NaNiCl factory in New York. In 2010, Italy's Fiamm bought a controlling interest in Swizerland's MES-DEA, the sole European manufacturer of NaNiCl batteries, and is now doing business as FZ Sonick. Both firms are rapidly ramping their marketing efforts on grid-scale systems.

The largest manufacturer of sodium sulfur batteries is Japan's NGK Insulators (NGKIF.PK), which was the global leader in grid-scale storage for the over a decade with an installed base of over 300 MW. NGK had a spotless safety record until late last year when they suspended NaS battery sales and asked customers to refrain from using installed systems pending completion of an investigation into the cause of a battery fire in Japan. Last year, NGK accounted for roughly 54 percent of the grid-scale energy storage market. While NGK's market share will fall as other technologies gain traction in the grid-scale markets, its revenues should continue to ramp because of rapid overall growth rates in the sector. 

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Global Wind Energy Grew 21%in 2011: Report

The global wind industry installed just over 41,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power capacity in 2011, a 21% increase in global installed capacity, according to a report released on February 7 by the Global Wind Energy Council. This brings the total installed capacity globally to more than 238,000 MW. About 75 countries worldwide have commercial wind power installations, with 22 of them already passing the 1 gigawatt (GW) level. New markets in Latin America, Africa, and Asia are driving the market, the report said.

China has solidified its position as global market leader, with a cumulative capacity of more than 62,000 MW, despite having faced a challenging year. The U.S. wind sector rebounded from a tough 2010 with installations of more than 6,800 MW in 2011. Canada reported a record year in 2011, surpassing the 5,000 MW mark. See the Global Wind Energy Council press release.

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World Petroleum Congress Welcomes 5,000 Delegates With Support Of 50 Global Petroleum Companies

AppId is over the quota AppId is over the quota Browse related articles   The World Petroleum Congress, held at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), will welcome more than 5,000 delegates, including 500 speakers and panel constituents, more than 50 ministers of various member countries, around 500 top executives representing energy companies and allied businesses and hundreds of international journalists.

Additionally, the World Petroleum Congress 2011 has confirmed the support of over 50 companies, including some of the world's biggest brands such as partners and sponsors of the event. This includes international oil companies (IOCs) and the national oil companies of several countries, as well as multinational leaders in analytics, law, marketing and communication.

Mr. Issa Bin Shahin Al-Ghanim, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 20th WPC stated "The World Petroleum Congress being hosted in Doha is a great achievement for the State of Qatar and underscores the region's growing role in global energy. So, I would like to say that we represent the people of the region with great honour."

"These partners and sponsors are working closely with the Organizing Committee to take the message of the congress to the world. We are fortunate to have established long term relationships with many of our sponsors and plan to continue that trend as we get closer to the 20th WPC," added Mr. Al Ghanim.

This is the first time since its establishment in 1933 that the World Petroleum Congress will be hosted in the Middle East. This is the forum for the region's top energy stakeholders to showcase advancements across the range of their operations, as well as for representatives of the Middle East to prove their growing credentials in a highly competitive market.

The World Petroleum Council is the only international organization representing all aspects of the petroleum sector and was established in 1933, with the intent to promote the management of the world's petroleum resources for the benefit of mankind. The World petroleum Council's prime function is to catalyze and facilitate dialogue among leaders in the petroleum industry whether from within the region or outside the region concerning key technical, social and environmental management issues in order to seek solutions for those issues.

Headquartered in London, the World petroleum Concoil includes 66 member countries from around the world representing over 95% of global oil and gas production and consumption. Membership in the council is unique as it includes both OPEC and non-OPEC countries with representation of National Oil Companies (NOC's) as well as Independent Oil Companies (IOC's). Each country has a national committee made up from representatives of the oil and gas industry, academia and research institutions and government departments. Governing body is the Council consisting of representation from each of the national committees.

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Tel: +202 330 48 560/ 1/2/ 3-
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Global wind power capacity to triple by 2017, forecasts Pike research

BOULDER, Colo.-(BUSINESS_WIRE)-experienced after years of strong growth the wind energy industry a significant slowdown in the year 2010 as one of the global recession. Given the 18-month project cycle for wind farms with a feasibility study for power generation, the global slowdown had delayed impact on the pace of the new wind makes installations. Wind power experienced strong cumulative growth 2008 (29%) and 2009 (32%), because a large number of projects, the end of 2006 to 2008 launched been was. 2010 results (22% growth) reflect however the effects of the recession on what is still one of the most important is renewable energy markets in the world.

According to a new report from scratch research continue to growth rates of the new wind installations shortly by the industry fall boom years. But turbine deployment activity remains high, and total capacity will continue to grow at a healthy pace. The Cleantech intelligence company market forecasts, which as a whole, will increase wind generation capacity including on- and offshore projects of 194.3 gigawatts (GW) in 2010 to 562.9 GW until 2017. This year, Pike Research forecasts that the wind-makes installations are represented a global 153 billion dollar industry, up by 56 billion dollars in the year 2010.

"Despite the difficult market conditions for the wind energy industry, this is a dynamic time for innovation on the market", says senior analyst Peter Asmus. "Manufacturer turbines to sizes never mind practical or economic push." Factories, which more than football fields held in some of the best technical challenges in the world of the 21st century. But there is a lot at stake as the companies technological limitations push and large market risks in an increasingly competitive sector to respond. "

Asmus adds that China's leaders in wind energy deployment, is an opportunity and a challenge for European and American companies to compete in this market than internationally. Europe remains the technology leader and checks the next stage of wind energy with offshore deployments. The United States is lagging in many ways, but the most industry players are optimistic in the future as costs fall dramatically further. In some markets wind energy grid parity has already achieved, a trend that says the Asmus become still more common around the world.

Pike research report, "global wind energy Outlook", contains a thorough analysis of the global opportunities in the onshore-and offshore wind energy markets, as well as an examination of the main challenges for the industry. Explores technological innovations affecting the future direction of the market and also features detailed profiles of key players, including a regional competitive analysis of the three major energy markets today about their respective technology, politics, and capital environments. Market forecasts extend through 2017 and projections for the installed capacity, installation costs and offshore revenues, segmented contains all production by onshore, offshore, region and country. A summary of the report is available for free download on the company's Web site.

Pike research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment and deep examination of technology trends energy offer a comprehensive overview of the smart, smart grid, smart transport, smart industry and smart-building sectors. Please visit for more information www.pikeresearch.com or call + 1 303. 997. 7609.

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Russia can lead global debate - Rosatom nuclear safety.

Russia can the global leader in discussions on protection of the nuclear energy industry, the head of the Russian State of nuclear Corporation Rosatom said.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev initiative for the development of an international system secure maintenance of nuclear power plants said Rosatom Sergei Kiriyenko chief "Nuclear energy has no national borders."

"Problems [of nuclear energy industry] in fact, an international security are task," Kiriyenko said. "And with international mechanisms to promote the nuclear energy industry security... is a complex approach to this task, the approach that has already been Russia proven."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday he would try, the proposals for increased protection for nuclear power next month discuss generation at the G8 Summit of Heads of State and Government in France. The proposals would include the responsibility of the countries with nuclear power, such as such as the timeliness of the measures for emergency.

Called the Russian President also for additional safety requirements for the construction and operation of nuclear facilities and greater transparency during the nuclear emergencies.

He said he had already sent the proposals of IAEA and heads of State, members of the G8, BRICS, and CIS.

The future of the nuclear energy industry came up in spotlight after a series of accidents Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was damaged earthquake and tsunami in explosions and fires in the days after the March 11.

Fukushima operator has since then fought to stop radioactive leaks reactors crippled from the plant. Around 80,000 people in the evacuation zone were forced to flee their homes.

Moscow, April 27 (RIA Novosti)

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Western refining in 2011 RBS to participate in global high yield Conference

EL PASO, Texas, 12 April 2011 GLOBE NEWSWIRE)-Western refining, Inc. (NYSE: WNR) today announced that company management at the 2011 RBS global high yield will present Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The presentation is currently for Thursday, April 14, 2011, at 2 am PDT planned and will be webcast live. The presentation and a link to the live webcast 14 are from Thursday, April, 2011, the area of investor relations Western refining website at www.wnr.com or 800-680-2452 and reference Conference ID 59686385. The presentation and Webcast archived and remain available until April 22, 2011 at www.wnr.com.

About the Western optimization

Western refining, Inc. is an independent refining and marketing company headquartered in El Paso, Texas. Western operates refineries in El Paso and Gallup, New Mexico. Western asset portfolio includes terminals in Albuquerque and Bloomfield, New Mexico and Yorktown, Virginia, asphalt also refined products terminals in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, Albuquerque and El Paso, retail service stations and convenience stores in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, a fleet of crude oil and finished product truck transports, and large petroleum products operations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah. More information about the company is available at www.wnr.com.

The Western refining, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7615

Forward-looking statement

The presentation is in this release contains forward-looking statements that are protected as forward-looking statements under the private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained herein include statements about future crude oil Slate at our refineries including our ability, result in increased amounts of sour crude at our El Paso refinery, refined products supply and demand, future refinery margins and benchmark crack spreads, our ability, Yorktown to a Terminal and storage operating system model, further development and maximizing the Yorktown's memory and terminal facility, our ability, third-party Terminalling and memory successfully negotiate successfully to convert services agreements and/or the sale of the terminal facilities in Yorktown, our capability, consistent EBITDA in Yorktown, to get still continued wholesale customer relationships provide access to sections, sales and future organic growth of the retail group continued growth in our retail group operating income, commodity, future operational improvements at our Gallup refinery, the more other refineries in the area are missing four corners, Acquisition of additional refinery assets, strategic alternatives for logistics assets, future reduction in working capital, our ability to obtain future operating expenses / SG & A initiatives, our ability to meet our ability to maximize the liquidity target credit ratings and/or alternative inventory financing, future population growth in the South West, local and national crude oil production, our ability, revised inventory meet aimed at future discounts of WTI Brent, new pipeline infrastructure, our new or continuous link with specific pipelines, the continuation of the patchwork fuel pump specifications, optimizing the regulatory investment and reliable, secure, optimized and predictable plant operations resumed. These statements are subject to the General risks of our business. Our expectations can or can not be realized. Some of our expectations can be based on assumptions or decisions that prove to be incorrect. In addition, Western's business and operations involve numerous risks and uncertainties, many beyond the Western control that could significantly impact profitability Western of which are assets and cash flows. Additional information about the uncertainties affect Western's business is included in your submissions with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which you are addressed. Future-oriented statements are made only as of the date, and Western assume no obligation to (and disclaims any obligation to) update forward-looking statements based on events or circumstances after the such statements have been made, or to reflect the occurrence of unforeseen events.

Contact: Investor and analyst contact: Jeffrey S. Beyersdorfer (915) 534-1400 media contact: Gary Hanson (915) 534-1400

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Shale gas seen as global warming factor

(ITHACA, n.y., April 12, UPI)-natural gas from shale formations a larger greenhouse gas footprint than conventional gas, oil and coal over a period of 20 years has, say US researchers.

This Footprint--in the form of methane emissions-the question is the use of gas extracted from shale, often as a climate-friendly alternative to fossil fuels promoted.

Researchers at Cornell University, gas footprint evaluated the greenhouse gas by high-volume hydraulic splitters slate Formationen--often referred to as "Fracking"- and estimated methane emissions created by the process won.

You calculated the lifetime of the average of a shale gas well, 4 to 8% of the total production of the fountain into the atmosphere than methane in routine ventilation and equipment leaks, as also with flow-back return occurs liquids during drilling after the fragmentation of the shale formations, an article in the journal climate change letters said.

"The large greenhouse-gas footprint of shale gas undercuts the logic of the use as a fuel bridging decades if the goal is to reduce global warming," said Cornell researcher Robert Howarth. "The complete footprint should be used, plan for alternative energy of futures, which are to take due account of global climate change."

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