Renewable Energy Today articles from September 2006

Renewable Energy Today archives from September 2006

Applied Materials plans expansion into solar equipment market.
September 7, 2006... Applied Materials, a Santa Clara, Calif.-based leader in equipment and services for semiconductor and flat-panel display manufacturing, recently announced plans to enter the solar photovoltaic equipment market. "The solar industry has...

Georgia Public Service Commission reduces Green Power premium.
September 7, 2006... The Georgia PSC recently approved a reduction in the cost of the Green Power premium to $4.50 per block (100 kilowatt hours) for customers of Georgia Power and the former Savannah Electric territory. The Green Power premium is in addition to...

EPA becomes first federal agency to use 100% Green Power.
September 7, 2006... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently closed a deal with San Francisco, Calif.-based 3 Phases Energy Services to purchase more than 100 million kilowatt hours in renewable energy certificates, effective Sept. 1. The arrangement...

U.S. Geothermal acquires second hotspot.
September 8, 2006... U.S. Geothermal of Boise, Idaho, recently purchased property at Neal Hot Springs in eastern Oregon near the Idaho border. The company is already developing geothermal resources at Raft River in southeastern Idaho. U.S. Geothermal acquired...

SES Solar swaps shares with Solaire.
September 8, 2006... Solar Energy Sources recently announced a share exchange agreement with Societe d'Energie Solaire (known as Solaire), a private Swiss corporation, and its shareholders. When the agreement is finalized, Solaire will become a wholly owned...

GE gears up with NGC in China.(International Report)
September 8, 2006... GE Energy and Nanjing High Speed & Accurate Gear Company recently agreed to jointly develop gearboxes for GE's 1.5-megawatt wind turbines. The agreement makes NGC one of GE's leading component suppliers in the wind energy business. The...

Weekly update.(Conference Calendar)(Calendar)
September 8, 2006... GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES COUNCIL (GRC) 2006 ANNUAL MEETING, September 10-13, 2006, Town & Country Resort, San Diego, CA INVESTING IN SOLAR: EVALUATING A NEW GENERATION OF MARKET APPLICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES, September...

Beacon wins US Department Energy System contract.
September 11, 2006... The US Department of Energy recently awarded Beacon Power Corp. of Wilmington, Mass., a contract to design a 20-megawatt flywheel-based frequency regulation power plant. The $752,500 contract will provide funding for a portion of Beacon's...

Call for papers for the 3rd "Waste to Energy" Exhibition.(Reviews, Editorials & Asides)
September 11, 2006... Abstracts can now be submitted for the 3rd "Waste-to-Energy" Exhibition and Conference, to be held May 9 and 10, 2007 in Bremen, Germany. This is the only worldwide event dedicated to energy recovery from different waste streams and biomass....

Report sees sunny future for solar power.(Reviews, Editorials & Asides)
September 11, 2006... Solar power is ready to dominate the consumer energy market. Or so say Greenpeace and the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, two organizations that might be excused for their enthusiasm. In their recently released joint report...

Mass Megawatts starts production of Multiaxis Turbosystem.
September 12, 2006... Mass Megawatts Wind Power Inc. of Worcester, Mass., recently began production of its first product, the Multiaxis Turbosystem. MAT is a patented wind-energy conversion device capable of generating electricity at 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour...

DayStar expands purchase agreement with Blitzstrom.
September 12, 2006... DayStar Technologies, Halfmoon, N.Y.-based developer and manufacturer of Photovoltaic Foil[TM] products, recently announced an agreement to extend and expand its sales of TerraFoil[TM] solar cells to Blitzstrom GmbH. Blitzstrom is a...

Iberdrola purchases two U.K. wind farms.(International Report)
September 12, 2006... Iberdrola S.A. of Bilbao, Spain, recently acquired two U.K. wind power projects with a combined capacity of more than 20 megawatts. The projects represent the first step in Iberdrola's strategy to expand into the United Kingdom, where the...

Texas wind farm breezes to no. 1 spot worldwide.
September 13, 2006... FPL Energy LLC, the Juno Beach, Fla.-based wholesale generator, recently announced that its Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Texas is now the world's largest. At the end of August, the company had completed 662 megawatts at Horse Hollow,...

Sierra Pacific's Nevada utilities seek proposals for renewable energy resources.
September 13, 2006... Sierra Pacific Resources of Las Vegas, Nev., recently announced that its two Nevada based utility subsidiaries, Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Power Co., have issued a Request for Proposals for renewable energy resources. Proposals...

Geothermal industry applauds senators' missive to DOE.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
September 13, 2006... The geothermal industry applauded a recent bipartisan letter from 10 senators urging the Department of Energy to amend their loan guarantee solicitation to include geothermal energy. DOE had recently unveiled its program guidelines for a $2...

Paralana test well confirms geothermal resource.(International Report)
September 14, 2006... Petratherm Ltd. of Tusmore, South Australia, recently announced that temperatures recorded at its Paralana Geothermal Test Well indicate excellent potential for establishing an economic geothermal resource. Temperature measurements taken in...

ECD Ovonics adds second 60 MW Greenville solar-cell plant.(Industry Report)
September 14, 2006... ECD Ovonics Inc. of Rochester Hills, Mich., recently announced plans to expand its thin-film solar module manufacturing capacity by another 60 megawatts per year. The company's second facility at its Greenville, Mich., site is expected to come...

Rhode Island Governor Ups Renewable Energy Goal to 20% by 2011.(Editorials, Reviews & Asides)
September 14, 2006... Governor Donald L. Carcieri recently laid out a plan to use hydro and wind power to bolster Rhode Island's renewable energy supply. Governor Carcieri announced that a modern, energy-efficient turbine and power plant, partially financed by...

Next phase of Manitoba wind strategy to power 100,000 homes.(International Report)
September 15, 2006... Manitoba is taking a major stride forward in its wind power strategy with the development of another 300 MW of wind, Energy, Science and Technology Minister Dave Chomiak recently announced. "This is the next significant step toward our...

Development Bank launches $20 million fund to support infrastructure project preparation.(International Report)
September 15, 2006... The Inter-American Development Bank recently launched a new project preparation fund that will catalyze development of critical infrastructure projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The fund supports an effort to lend $12 billion for such...

Vestas gears up to supply 18 turbines for the Apulia Region.(International Report)
September 15, 2006... Vestas Italia has received an order for 18 V90 2.0 MW turbines with a total installed capacity of 36 MW. The turbines will be located in the Apulia Region close to Surbo, a town near the city of Lecce. Inergia SPA, a new renewable industry...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
September 15, 2006... GLOBAL WIND ENERGY CONGRESS, October 9-10, 2006, Hotel President Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland SOLAR POWER 2006 CONFERENCE AND EXPO, October 15-20, 2006, San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, CA BORDER ENERGY FORUM XIII, October 19-20,...

Nordex to supply multi-MW wind turbines to Ireland.(International Report)
September 18, 2006... Nordex AG of Hamburg Germany recently received its largest order to date from Ireland. In a contract worth around EUR 20 million ($25.4 million), the firm will be supplying a total of nine N90/2500 turbines to County Limerick in July 2007. ...

GS Energy announces bioenergy program.(Industry Report)
September 18, 2006... GS Energy Corp. of New York, N.Y., recently announced plans to build, own and operate biomass-derived energy facilities co-located at renewable-fuel production facilities. In particular, the firm will be targeting facilities with biomass...

Amtech Systems garners $2 million solar order.(Industry Report)(Company overview)
September 18, 2006... Amtech Systems Inc., a global supplier of production and automation systems and related supplies for the semiconductor and solar cell industries, recently announced a new order totaling approximately $2 million. The Tempe, Ariz., company...

U.K. and China sign MOU on energy.(International Report)
September 19, 2006... The United Kingdom and China recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on energy. The MOU builds on the success of the China-Britain Natural Gas Working Group. The China-U.K. Energy Group will provide a framework to broaden cooperation...

Taiwan launches plans to enter photovoltaic market.(International Market)
September 19, 2006... The Taiwanese government recently elected to join the global effort to develop photovoltaic products and markets. The Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs is targeting an expansion of the industry's annual output value to...

Wind power flowing for Kansas City Power & Light.(Industry Report)
September 19, 2006... Kansas City Power & Light, a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy, announced its Spearville Wind Energy Facility is fully operational. Total cost of the facility is approximately $166 million. Construction of the 67 wind turbines began last...

United States and China discuss energy cooperation.(International Report)
September 20, 2006... Two US Department of Energy officials were recently in China to discuss energy cooperation between the United States and China. In Hangzhou, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs Karen A. Harbert participated in the...

SunTechnics enters the Indian renewable energy market.(Industry Report)
September 20, 2006... SunTechnics of Hamburg, Germany, one of the world's largest system integrators for renewable energies, recently announced its entry into India's renewable energy market. SunTechnics Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd., the Indian wholly owned...

Octillion pursues nanosilicon solar power window.(Industry Report)
September 20, 2006... Octillion Corp. of Vancouver, BC, recently announced a Sponsored Research Agreement with scientists at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The agreement is for the development of new patent-pending technology using nanosilicon...

Renewables can compete with fossil fuels in the United States.(Industry Report)
September 21, 2006... Renewable resources currently provide just over 6% of total U.S. energy, but that figure could increase rapidly in the years ahead. So states a joint report recently released by the Worldwatch Institute and the Center for American Progress...

Wind turbines floating on the horizon.(Industry Report)
September 21, 2006... US scientists may have uncovered a solution to the NIMBY (not in my backyard) problem that plagues offshore wind farm installations. Their solution: Build huge wind turbines that float on platforms 100 miles out to sea. The turbines...

Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and exhibition.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
September 21, 2006... The 21st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference in Dresden welcomed a record-breaking 6,300 visitors this year. More than 900 speeches and presentations explored the entire spectrum of solar energy generation, from the basics in the...

Wisconsin power and light plans Fond du Lac County wind farm.(Industry Report)
September 22, 2006... Wisconsin Power and Light Co. recently filed an application with state regulators to develop the Cedar Ridge Wind Farm in Fond du Lac County. The project cost is estimated at $140 million to $175 million. The project consists of about 40...

Irish raise renewable energy target to 15% by 2010.(International Report)
September 22, 2006... The Irish government recently set a target to triple the amount of electricity it produces from renewable sources by 2010. At the same time, European wind power associations are calling on the European Commission to clarify its position with...

California survey shows strong support for wind power.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
September 22, 2006... Californians overwhelmingly favor (83%) the expansion of wind energy production in the state, according to a recent statewide survey. More than 96% of respondents believe wind power should be a part of the state's future mix of renewable energy...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
September 22, 2006... GLOBAL WIND ENERGY CONGRESS, October 9-10, 2006, Hotel President Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland SOLAR POWER 2006 CONFERENCE AND EXPO, October 15-20, 2006, San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, CA BORDER ENERGY FORUM XIII, October 19-20,...

Essar forays into wind power.(International Report)
September 25, 2006... Indian conglomerate Essar Group recently announced that its Global Power business signed a licensing agreement with REpower Systems AG of Hamburg, Germany. The agreement is for the design and manufacture of 1.5 MW and 2 MW wind turbines in...

Pacific Hydro sees growth in Wind.(International Report)
September 25, 2006... Pacific Hydro, the Melbourne, Australia-based renewable energy producer, plans to double in size within five years. The firm is owned by super funds manager Industry Funds Management. The company will invest as much as $250 million each...

Solaria raises $22 million in second round financing.(Industry Report)
September 25, 2006... Solaria Corp. of Fremont, Calif. recently raised an additional $22 million in financing. The firm's technology platform enables production of two to three times the number of photovoltaic modules from the same amount of silicon material used in...

Clinton global initiative launches $1 billion renewable energy investment fund.(Industry Report)
September 26, 2006... At a three-day conference held in New York, the Clinton Global Initiative recently announced a $1 billion investment fund for renewable energy. The new Green Fund will focus on reducing pollution and dependence on fossil fuels and creating...

Wind power blowing strong.(Industry Report)
September 26, 2006... Wind is the world's fastest-growing energy source, according to a recent report by the Earth Policy Institute, a nonprofit organization promoting an environmentally sustainable economy. Wind power growth rate has averaged 29% over the last...

SolarWorld group to supply solar wafers to China.(International Report)
September 26, 2006... SolarWorld-Konzern, a subsidiary of the German firm Deutsche Solar AG, recently netted an order for 350 million EUR ($447 million) worth of solar silicon wafers from a Chinese manufacturer of solar cells and modules. The contract will come...

Power from lukewarm geothermal.(Industry Report)
September 27, 2006... Engineers at the United Technologies Research Center, a unit of East Hartford, Conn.-based United Technologies, announced development of a low-cost system that can use low-temperature geothermal resources to produce electricity. The UTRC...

PPM breaks ground on MinnDakota wind farm for Xcel Energy.(Industry Report)
September 27, 2006... PPM Energy, ScottishPower's U.S. energy business, and Minneapolis, Minn.-based Xcel Energy recently announced the start of construction of the 150 MW MinnDakota Wind Power Project. The wind farm is located in Brookings County in South Dakota...

Green power could replace nuclear, says Scotland's first minister.(International Report)
September 27, 2006... Scotland could likely meet future energy needs without building nuclear power stations, according to Jack McConnell, Scotland's First Minister. "I suspect we have the capacity in Scotland to deliver the energy needs that we have from a...

New wind power project officially opens in Alberta.(International Report)
September 28, 2006... Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc., Enbridge Inc. and Suncor Energy Products Inc. recently announced the opening of their newest joint venture wind power project. The $60 million, 30-MW Chin Chute Wind Farm is located in southern Alberta, Canada....

SunEdison to build large solar plant in Colorado.(Industry Report)
September 28, 2006... Xcel Energy of Minneapolis, Minn., recently selected Baltimore's SunEdison to build, own and operate an 8-MW central solar power plant in south central Colorado. The plant is expected to come online by the end of 2007. The power plant will...

Arizona Seeing Resurgence of Geothermal Interest.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
September 28, 2006... Arizona is seeing a resurgence of interest in its geothermal resources, according to a report released by the Geothermal Energy Association. The report, entitled "Geothermal Development Needs in Arizona," indicates the state has numerous...

Wisconsin governor unveils investment strategy to develop renewable energy.(International Report)
September 29, 2006... Governor Jim Doyle recently announced plans to grow bioindustry and renewable energy in Wisconsin through a $450 million public and private investment strategy. On Monday, the governor proposed nearly $80 million be included in next year's...

Biomass energy power station proposed for Scotland.(International Report)
September 29, 2006... A 30M [pounds sterling] ($56.2 million) biomass energy scheme with the potential to heat 40,000 homes was recently proposed for Lochaber, Scotland. Tanaris Ltd has signed a deal with aluminium manufacturer Alcan Aluminium UK Ltd. to build...

China and India share renewable energy goals.(International Report)
September 29, 2006... China and India, the world's 2nd and 4th biggest greenhouse gas emitters, both hope renewable power technologies can help reduce their emissions while sustaining their rapid economic growth. The two rapidly developing countries have set...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
September 29, 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,...