Renewable Energy Today articles from October 2006

Renewable Energy Today archives from October 2006

Santee Cooper plans to sell renewable energy on the open market.(Industry Report)
October 2, 2006... The Santee Cooper board recently approved the development of a new environmental program. The program will provide everyone in South Carolina with the ability to purchase local renewable energy. The Green Tag program complements Santee...

Enel to develop more than 1,000 MW in U.S. wind capacity.(Industry Report)
October 2, 2006... Italian firm Enel S.p.A., through its subsidiary Enel North America, recently announced equity purchase and strategic partnership agreements with U.S. wind power developer TradeWind Energy LLC. The two companies will jointly develop wind...

SEI to fund testing of new wind farm technology.(International Report)
October 2, 2006... Sustainable Energy Ireland recently announced that it will provide 50% funding to Irish company Tapbury Management for a study into a new electricity storage system. Tapbury oversees the management of Sorne Hill Windfarm in County Donegal,...

Keppel secures contract for first waste-to-energy plant in Changzhou, China.(International Report)
October 3, 2006... Keppel Seghers, the environmental technology division of Keppel Integrated Engineering of Singapore, recently secured a S$13.3 million ($8.4 million) contract for another waste-to-energy plant. This will be the first such facility built in the...

Wind-power leader vestas opens Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore.(International Report)
October 3, 2006... Vestas Wind Systems, headquartered in Denmark, recently announced the opening of its Asia-Pacific office in Singapore , aiming to strengthen its development in Asia. Vestas will invest up to S$500 million ($316.4 million) over the next...

Tooth material proposed for harvesting sunlight.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 3, 2006... Scientists in Germany recently reported the photonic crystal structure of dentin as their inspiration for a new method to harvest sunlight to produce electricity. Andrei P. Sommer and Michael Gente of the University of Ulm and Phillips...

UK Government boosts renewables partnership.(International Report)
October 4, 2006... UK Environment Secretary David Miliband recently announced that the Government will provide 10 million [pounds sterling] ($18.8 million) of investment to increase the use of renewable energy. Partnership for Renewables is a new venture in...

China exploiting water resources in Western Regions.(International Report)
October 4, 2006... The Longtan hydropower project, designed to tap western China's rich water resources, recently began storing water. The project is being built on Honghe River, a major tributary of the Pearl River. The water-storing process will not affect...

PPL signs agreement to purchase additional wind power.(Industry Report)
October 4, 2006... The energy marketing subsidiary of Allentown, Pa.-based PPL Corp. recently signed a power purchase agreement for wind power. Currently about 10% of the power PPL markets comes from renewable resources. PPL EnergyPlus signed the agreement...

Oregon Governor supports nation's first energy wave project.(Industry Report)
October 5, 2006... Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski recently announced support for an offshore wave energy project near Reedsport that will be the first in the US. "I want Oregon to launch a new wave of alternative energy development, and I mean that...

Texas and private partners invest $10 billion in wind energy.(Industry Report)
October 5, 2006... The state of Texas will partner with private-sector parties to invest more than $10 billion in new wind energy infrastructure. The wind energy initiative will diversify the state's energy production, clean up the air and help Texas surpass...

Wells Fargo commits to largest-ever corporate renewable power purchase.(Industry Report)
October 5, 2006... Wells Fargo & Co. recently announced it will buy renewable energy certificates to support generating 550 million kilowatt-hours of wind energy a year for three years. With this action, the San Francisco, Calif.-based financial services firm...

Ireland launches new renewable energy initiative.(International Report)
October 6, 2006... Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey recently launched an initiative aiming to triple the output of renewable electricity to 15% of total electricity consumed in Ireland by 2010. Dempsey claims this will...

Home improvement chain B&Q to sell renewable energy devices.(International Report)
October 6, 2006... The do-it-yourself chain B&Q in the U.K. will sell wind turbines and solar panels as home energy generation moves into the mass market. Beginning in October, B&Q's 320 U.K. stores will display the energy-saving turbines, which transmit...

Vestas wins 140 MW order from PacifiCorp.(International Report)
October 6, 2006... Vestas recently received a U.S. order for 78 units of V80-1.8 MW wind turbines. The turbines are scheduled to be delivered in the first quarter of 2007 for the Marengo project in the state of Washington. PacifiCorp, one of the West's...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
October 6, 2006... 2ND ANNUAL FUEL CELLS DURABILITY & PERFORMANCE CONFERENCE, October 5-6, 2006, Washington, DC GLOBAL WIND ENERGY CONGRESS, October 9-10, 2006, Hotel President Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland BORDER ENERGY FORUM XIII, October 19-20, 2006,...

Iberdrola snaps up Gamesa's wind assets.(International Report)
October 9, 2006... Spanish wind power company Gamesa recently announced it has sold U.S. wind power assets to Spanish utility Iberdrola for a maximum of 3.3 billion euros ($4.19 billion). Gamesa said the deal includes 2,700 MW of wind power generators for...

Ascent Solar aims for 5 cent/kWhr electricity production from thin-film modules.(Industry Report)
October 9, 2006... An alliance led by Ascent Solar Technologies Inc. recently announced plans to produce an entirely new series of "plug and play" products for commercial and residential building markets. Ascent Solar is a developer of state-of-the-art, thin-film...

NW China expected to lead nation's wind power production by 2020.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 9, 2006... Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region will build nine new wind power plants with an investment of $2.2 billion by 2020, according to the local government. The region is expected to become the country's biggest wind power...

Vestas Wind Systems wins order for 35 wind turbines.(International Report)
October 10, 2006... Vestas Wind Systems AS of Copenhagen, Denmark, recently announced it has received an order for 35 units of its V90 1.8 and 2.0 MW wind turbines from wind park developer Neo Energia, part of Energias de Portugal. The order covers the supply...

Chinese solar power equipment maker plans Nasdaq IPO.(International Report)
October 10, 2006... LDK Solar Hi-Tech is planning to raise $300 million from an initial public offering on the Nasdaq exchange during the next year. The Mainland China manufacturer of solar power equipment began production last year. LDK is currently equipped...

NY Governor announces hydropower-to-hydrogen project.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 10, 2006... New York Governor George E. Pataki recently announced plans for one of the world's largest hydrogen demonstration projects. The $21 million initiative in western New York would harness hydropower to produce hydrogen gas. The...

MGE plans wind power station.(Industry Report)
October 11, 2006... Madison Gas and Electric Co., an electrical utility based in Wisconsin, recently reported it will purchase 18 wind turbines and other equipment for a new 30 MW wind farm near Mason City, Iowa. Power produced by the facility will increase MGE's...

Wisconsin Governor announces grant for land-based wind farm.(Industry Report)
October 11, 2006... Governor Rod Blagojevich recently announced a $2.2 million grant for a 198 MW wind-power project in eastern McClean County. The grant will go to Houston-based Horizon Wind Energy to help build the first phase of a planned 400 MW wind farm....

California regulators approve PG&E power contracts.(Industry Report)
October 11, 2006... The California Public Utilities Commission recently approved three contracts for utility Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to purchase electricity generated by renewable energy. The contracts for the PG&E Corp. subsidiary range between 10 and 15...

DEFG's distributed energy stock index moves down and up in Q3 2006.(Industry Report)
October 12, 2006... The Distributed Energy Financial Group LLC, a specialized consulting and financial services firm focused on the energy technology sector, released Q3 results today for the Distributed Energy Stock Index. DESI is an index of 42 publicly traded...

European Commission proposes 100 million [euro] fund to boost energy efficiency and renewables.(International Report)
October 12, 2006... The European Commission recently proposed creating a global risk capital fund to mobilize private investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in developing countries and economies in transition. The Global Energy...

International Power Group completes patent technology acquisition.(International Report)
October 12, 2006... International Power Group Ltd. of Celebration, Fla., recently completed the acquisition of proprietary patented technologies expected to benefit the company's business of developing waste-to-energy facilities and expanding into other...

Western GeoPower increases geothermal leasehold at the Geysers.(Industry Report)
October 13, 2006... Western GeoPower Corp., a renewable energy company focused on geothermal energy development, recently announced the acquisition of a geothermal lease covering 140 acres. The acreage is located contiguous to the recently acquired Unit 15...

Work on Europe's largest wind farm begins in Scotland.(International Report)
October 13, 2006... Construction began recently on what will be Europe's largest onshore wind farm. U.K. Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alistair Darling broke ground on Scottish Power's 300 million [pounds sterling] ($556 million) Whitelee Windfarm...

Iberdrola plans $19 billion wind power expenditure.(International Report)
October 13, 2006... Iberdrola SA plans to invest 15 billion euros ($19 billion) in power generation and networks by 2011 and increase profit 14% annually through 2009, reinforcing its position as the world's largest owner of wind parks. Spain's second-largest...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
October 13, 2006... 2ND ANNUAL FUEL CELLS DURABILITY & PERFORMANCE CONFERENCE, October 5-6, 2006, Washington, DC GLOBAL WIND ENERGY CONGRESS, October 9-10, 2006, Hotel President Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland BORDER ENERGY FORUM XIII, October 19-20, 2006,...

Geothermal development will benefit US economy, industry group reports.(Industry Report)
October 16, 2006... The Geothermal Energy Association recently released a new publication on the socioeconomics of geothermal energy. "A Handbook on the Externalities, Employment, and Economics of Geothermal Energy" provides information about the costs, benefits...

American superconductor receives follow-on order from Windtec for PowerModule Systems.(Industry Report)
October 16, 2006... American Superconductor Corp., an energy technologies company based in Westborough, Mass., recently announced it has received a follow-on order for 450 PowerModule PM1000 systems from Windtec Systemtechnik GmbH. Windtec, based in Austria,...

SolFocus signs clean technology manufacturing and distribution agreement with Moser Baer.(Industry Report)
October 16, 2006... SolFocus Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., an innovator of solar concentrator photovoltaic systems, recently announced the signing of a major manufacturing and distribution agreement with Moser Baer India Ltd. of New Delhi, India. Moser Baer will...

Companies compete to build new Mexican hydroelectric dam.(International Report)
October 17, 2006... Three consortiums have submitted bids to build the La Yesca hydroelectric dam in Mexico, one of the largest projects launched during outgoing President Vicente Fox's six-year term. The bidding consortiums are led by Mexico's ICA, Italy's...

Suzlon nets $283 million Brazilian wind farm deal.(International Report)
October 17, 2006... Suzlon Energy A/S of Denmark, the international business arm of Suzlon Energy Ltd. of Pune, India, recently received its first order in South America. The major order from Brazilian energy company SIIF Energies do Brasil Ltda marks...

Energy secretary announces $13 million to expand solar energy technologies.(Industry Report)
October 17, 2006... US Department of Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman recently announced more than $13 million to fund new research in solar technologies. This funding, part of President Bush's $148 million Solar America Initiative, will support the development...

University of Albany nanocollege nets nearly $2 million award.(Industry Report)
October 18, 2006... The New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research recently awarded a grant of nearly $2 million to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the University at Albany. The grant will help spur development of an...

Clipper Windpower finalizes $1 billion agreement with FPL Energy.(Industry Report)
October 18, 2006... Clipper Windpower Plc of Carpinteria, Calif., recently entered into a $1 billion agreement with FPL Energy, a subsidiary of FPL Group, for the purchase of Clipper's 100 MW Endeavor Wind Project. The agreement includes the supply of 40...

Vestas enters into long-term supply agreement with LM Glasfiber in India.(International Report)
October 18, 2006... Vestas recently signed a new long-term supply agreement with LM Glasfiber of India. The three-year supply agreement covers supply of 1,500 MW blades for Vestas' V82-1.65 MW turbine, which is produced in Chennai, India. The blades will be...

SunPower announces high-power, higher efficiency solar panel.(Industry Report)
October 19, 2006... SunPower Corp., a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, recently announced its newest solar panel. The panel offers significantly higher power output and conversion efficiency...

Evergreen Solar announces $100 million sales agreement with mainstream energy.(Industry Report)
October 19, 2006... Evergreen Solar Inc. of Marlboro, Mass., recently announced it has entered into a four-year supply contract with Mainstream Energy LLC. Evergreen is a manufacturer of solar power products with its proprietary, low-cost String Ribbon wafer...

Practical Instruments nets $8 million in funding.(Industry Report)
October 19, 2006... Practical Instruments, which makes a device that lets solar panels follow the sun, recently announced it has raised $8 million in a series A round of funding. RockPort Capital Partner, Nth Power and Trinity Ventures all invested in the company....

WRI introduces five easy steps to acquire renewable energy.(Industry Report)
October 20, 2006... The World Resources Institute recently made implementing renewable energy easier for offices and stores with essential information wrapped up in just 26 pages. The "Switching to Green" guide provides a five-step outline for acquiring...

Google plans largest U.S. solar-powered corporate headquarters.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 20, 2006... Google Inc. plans a solar-powered electricity system at its Silicon Valley headquarters that will rank as the largest U.S. solar-powered corporate office complex, the company recently announced. The firm is set to begin building a rooftop...

Siemens wind power secures $441 million order for Europe's largest Wind Farm.(International Report)
October 20, 2006... Siemens Power Generation, based in Erlangen, Germany, recently won a contract to deliver 140 wind turbines for the Whitelee Wind Farm south of Glasgow in Scotland. With an installed capacity of 322 MW, Whitelee will be Europe's largest...

Canadian Hydropower Association's (CHA) forum on hydropower 2006: partnering for a renewable energy future.(Weekly Update)(Calendar)
October 20, 2006... October 26-27, 2006, Gatineau, Quebec ANNUAL EUROPEAN NGV CONFERENCE, June 19-21, 2007, Strasbourg, France (EIN STAFF: 10/19)

MHI receives first order for Japan's largest 2.4 MW wind turbines.(International Report)
October 23, 2006... Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, recently received a bulk order for 42 units of the MWT92/2.4 from PPM Energy Inc., an American electricity provider based in Portland, Ore. The order was received through Mitsubishi Power...

Renewable energy secures a NOK 2.7 billion wafer contract with BP Solar.(International Report)
October 23, 2006... Renewable Energy Corp. of Hovik, Norway, recently entered into its third long-term sales agreement on multicrystalline silicon wafers since summer 2006. Under the new agreement with BP Solar, one of the world largest solar companies, REC...

BioEnergy Inc. seeks to remove trash from Monrovia (Liberia) and produce electricity.(International Report)
October 23, 2006... BioEnergy Inc., a Cherry Hill, N.J.-based environmental and electricity firm, recently proposed to build, own and operate several waste-to-energy plants in Liberia. BioEnergy proposed to use Monrovia City's garbage as a fuel source for the...

US Geothermal drilling shows extensive resource at Raft River.(International Report)
October 24, 2006... US Geothermal Inc. of Boise, Idaho, a renewable energy development company focused on the production of electricity from geothermal energy, announced recently that drilling had shown an extensive geothermal resource at Raft River, Idaho. ...

AES expands wind generation business into France and Bulgaria.(International Report)
October 24, 2006... The AES Corp. of Arlington, Va., recently announced it has expanded its wind generation business into France and Bulgaria, increasing the company's wind development pipeline in Europe to more than 1,300 MW. AES purchased a minority...

Altira focuses on wind power.(International Report)
October 24, 2006... Denver, Colo.-based venture capitalists Altira Group recently invested nearly $6 million in an Arizona company that assembles and installs micro wind turbines for the nation's fledgling wind power industry. Altira concentrates mainly on...

Nevada Geothermal Well 26A-14 proves major reservoir discovery.(Industry Report)
October 25, 2006... Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. recently completed production testing of its first full-diameter production well in the Blue Mountain geothermal field, Humboldt County, Nevada. According to the Company's reservoir engineering consultant,...

Australia-China energy business mission a success.(International Report)
October 25, 2006... An Australian Government-led renewable energy and energy efficiency business mission to China last week was a success, according to Australia's Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell. Senator Campbell said the...

New Suntech subsidiary to boost solar power grid projects in South China.(International Report)
October 25, 2006... Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd., one of the world's leading manufacturers of photovoltaic cells and modules, recently announced that it has formed a new subsidiary. Shenzhen Suntech Power Co. Ltd. will promote and develop solar power grid...

Turlock Irrigation District issues renewable energy RFP.(Industry Report)
October 26, 2006... Turlock Irrigation District recently issued a Request for Proposals to secure an increased portion of its electric energy requirements from facilities that qualify as eligible renewable energy resources under California law and TID policy. ...

WOW energies signs contract with Siemens Building Technologies.(Industry Report)
October 26, 2006... WOW Energy Inc. of Houston, Texas, recently announced an agreement with Siemens Building Technologies Inc. to supply a WOWGenTM waste-to-energy power plant. The plant will produce 6 MW of electrical power for the Dyess Air Force Base in...

Global Climate and Energy Project announces $1 million-plus in research awards.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 26, 2006... The Stanford University-based Global Climate and Energy Project recently announced awards totaling $1.15 million for two novel research programs and two exploratory research efforts, according to Director Franklin Orr Jr. The new research...

Open Energy signs national distribution agreement with DC power systems.(Industry Report)
October 27, 2006... Solana Beach, Calif.-based Open Energy Corp., a renewable energy company focused on the development and distribution of solar energy technologies, recently announced a national distribution agreement with DC Power Systems, one of the largest...

World-leading mega-scale solar power station for Victoria.(International Report)
October 27, 2006... A $420 million large-scale solar power plant is slated to be built in northwest Victoria. The plant will be the largest and most efficient solar photovoltaic power station in the world. Australian company Solar Systems will build the 154 MW...

More wind power viable, Ontario study concludes.(International Report)
October 27, 2006... A study recently released by Ontario's electricity authorities says wind power could represent nearly 20% of the province's power-generation capacity with little compromise to system reliability. Critics say the numbers are suspiciously high,...

Taiwan looks to solar energy.(International Report)
October 30, 2006... Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian said he looks forward to the day that Taiwan becomes a powerhouse of the solar energy industry. Chen made the remark during a recent Asian leadership forum. The forum focused on energy, environmental...

China lowers renewable energy goals.(International Report)
October 30, 2006... China has lowered its goal for renewable energy production but its targeted investment of 1.5 trillion yuan ($187 billion) in the sector remains the same. The target of 20% renewable energy sources by 2020 has been cut to 16%, the National...

Honeywell completes solar installation.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
October 30, 2006... Honeywell last week announced the completion of a photovoltaic solar installation at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Ariz. The solar technology is part of a new, 144,000-square-foot roof on the Base Exchange building and will produce 375...

Report: Chinese wind pricing policy needs improvement.(International Report)
October 31, 2006... The Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association, Greenpeace and the Global Wind Energy Council launched "A Study on the Pricing Policy of Wind Power in China" at the Great Wall Renewable Energy Forum last Friday. The report said that...

India unveils renewable energy policy.(International Report)
October 31, 2006... The Indian government recently framed a policy on renewable energy sources. The policy aims to replenish energy sources and provide electricity to remote villages that have not been electrified yet. India's Science and Technology Department...

New Zealand Prime Minister talks renewable energy.(International Report)
October 31, 2006... At the New Zealand labor party conference held Oct. 28, Prime Minister Helen Clark spoke about climate change in her keynote address, and said the country should aim to be the first "truly sustainable" one. Clark said New Zealand can now...