-By Jennifer Runyon, November12, 2010 (Renewable Energy World)
New Hampshire, United States – The reports are so grim, it is hard to believe at times. America is staring down a 10% unemployment figure and the number doesn't seem to budge as the months tick by.
Analysts report that if you take into account the number of Americans that have stopped looking for employment as well as the number who have found only part-time work but seek full-time employment, the figure is more like 18%. In California, it's 22%, an unemployment percentage that hasn't been seen since the depression. In total, as many as 30 million people are looking for work right now.For years, the clean energy industry has claimed that it is the one bright spot in the U.S. economy. While other industries shrink and lose jobs, clean energy grows.
In looking at the data, it is clear that in all renewable energy technologies but one, in 2011 there will be significantly more jobs than there are now. The simple fact is that clean energy is indeed growing and creating jobs, but with U.S. unemployment figures so large, it’s just been hard to notice.
Solar Power
The solar power industry doubled the number of people that worked in the industry from 2009 to 2010, from approximately 50,000 in 2009 to 100,000 in 2010, according to the latest reports. In 2011, it is expected to grow the number of jobs in the industry by 26%. “You’d be hard pressed to find another industry with a 26 percent job growth rate for 2011,” said Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
The Solar Foundation released its National Solar Jobs Census 2010 at Solar Power International in October, showing that the solar industry is creating jobs at a much faster rate than the overall U.S. economy, which is expected to grow at around 2%. The report documents, through 2500 interviews with employers throughout the country, that over the next 12 months, more than half of U.S. solar firms expect to add jobs, while only 2% expect to cut workers. Firms are adding employees in all 50 states and the fastest growing jobs are installers and electricians.
Jobs for installers are growing because installations are growing at very high rates as well. SEIA along with GTM Research recently released a report that shows solar installations in 2010 are up more than 100% over 2009. The U.S. Solar Market Insight report compiled data for the first half of 2010 and shows significant growth in the U.S. solar industry.
It appears very likely that when accounting for both solar electric and solar thermal installations, the industry will surpass the 1 GW mark for annual installations in 2010. While 1 GW is a big number, Resch announced at SPI that the industry’s goal is to be installing ten times that number annually in 5 years. Resch said that installing 10 GW annually by 2015 would create as many as 220,000 jobs.
Geothermal Market: Strong 2011 Growth
For geothermal energy, the industry is expected to experience a strong rebound in 2011 thanks to the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), said Karl Gawell, Executive Director/ President of the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA).
“We are now projecting that they’ll be between 500 and 700 MW of new geothermal power projects in the drilling construction phase in the coming year,” said Gawell. He said that this final phase of geothermal development is the most difficult, expensive “and job intensive stage of development.”
Those projects will result in 3000 or more jobs added in the coming year, mostly in California and Nevada.
In late October, the GEA released its Green Jobs for Geothermal Energy Report, which examines jobs in the industry from project start to finish. The findings show almost 1000 different people are involved in a geothermal project. According to report, the development of geothermal power projects provides long-term income for a variety of skill-leveled employees. “This includes welders; mechanics; pipe fitters; plumbers; machinists; electricians; carpenters; construction and drilling equipment operators; surveyors; architects and designers; geologists; hydrologists; electrical, mechanical, and structural engineers; HVAC technicians; food processing specialists; aquaculture and horticulture specialists; managers; attorneys; regulatory and environmental consultants; accountants; computer technicians; resort managers; spa developers; researchers; and government employees.”
Since geothermal projects have long lead times, much of the money allotted to the industry from the ARRA will result in projects getting off the ground in 2011. According to the GEA, about 95% of the projects that received stimulus funding are either less than 50% complete or have yet to break ground. Gawell said that stimulus funding will be peaking in 2011 for the geothermal industry.
Looking Further Ahead: Bioenergy, and Hydro Jobs On the Rise. Wind, not so much.
In terms of bioenergy and biobased products, the U.S. is expected to lead the world in global development according to a report form the World Economic Forum released earlier this year. In the report, data provided by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), shows that as of June 2010, the biorefinery industry accounted for more than 40,000 jobs in the U.S. The commercialization of second and third generation biofuels is expected to create 800,000 new jobs (190,000 direct new green jobs, and 610,000 indirect new jobs) in the U.S. by 2022. Achieving the biorefining industry’s full potential could create tens of thousands more new jobs within the next five years, said the report.
In another report, “The Economic Impact of Advanced Biofuels Production,” which was released in February 2009, it was estimated that under the renewable fuels standard scenario the total number of jobs created through the production of second and third generation biofuels will be 29,000 by 2012. “Taking into consideration indirect job creation as a result of the economic stimulus created by biofuels development brings total job creation to 123,000 by 2012,” said the report. These short-term job growth number could be lower than the 29,000 and 123,000 projected due to the fact that the RFS was scaled back in February 2010, after this report was issued. Under the original ruling, it was required that 100 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol be on the market by 2010 but once it became clear that that was unachievable the number was reduced to 5 million gallons. The 2022 job growth numbers are solid however, as the overall number of gallons of cellulosic ethanol that will need to be produced by 2022 remained unchanged.
Jobs in this industry range from laborers and freight, stock and material movers; mixing and blending machine setters, operator and tenders; shipping and receiving clerks; chemical equipment operators and tenders; electrical and electronics repairers; sales representative, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products and many more.
Wind Power: Still Waiting
The wind power industry experienced a slowdown in 2010 for the first time in many years. With less access to the large amount of capital needed to build projects, the industry installed just 539 MW of capacity in the first quarter of 2010, the lowest number since 2007.
“The industry is stalled,” said Peter Kelley, Vice President, Public Affairs with the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) who indicated that the wind power industry is waiting for policy that would help it grow. AWEA has been calling for a nation renewable energy standard for several years, believing that a strong signal from the U.S. government is what is needed to jump-start the industry.
In 2008, the industry employed 85,000 people, a number that has fallen in recent months as financing fell away.
Swift, short-term action to extend tax credits for renewable energy in 2009 helped boost the U.S. wind industry to historic job growth and a high of 10,010 MW in new capacity last year. With swift passage of a Renewable Electricity Standard, Denise Bode CEO of AWEA said the wind industry can get back on track and add new generation faster than any other source of electricity.
“This industry has proven a number of times that when you turn these policies on, we charge out of the gate,” said Steve Lockard, CEO of TPI Composites, a former boat-building company now manufacturing large wind turbine blades. “[The] U.S. wind energy has tens of thousands of workers and wind farm sites ready to go,” Lockard added. “It’s a good investment opportunity for Congress and the states, to create manufacturing jobs across the country.”
Hydro Power: Employing Millions in the Long Run
The renewable energy with the most capacity online in the U.S. is hydropower, which currently accounts for 7% of the electricity generated in the country. If you take into account an average of 2 to 3 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers per megawatt of installed capacity that are needed to operate, maintain and license compliance of the existing 100,000 MW of installed hydropower capacity, the U.S. hydropower industry currently accounts for approximately 200,000 – 300,000 of direct jobs.
A recent study conducted by Navigant Consulting and released earlier this year focused on just how many jobs could be created if hydropower was expanded under either a strong national RES (25% by 2025) or a weak RES (10% by 2025). The number of jobs that would be created is staggering. Under the strong RES scenario, it is estimated that 1,400,000 cumulative jobs across the country would be created by 2025, including 420,000 direct jobs, 280,000 indirect jobs and 700,000 induced jobs. Induced jobs account for the multiplier affect of direct and indirect jobs.
These numbers comes from taking advantage of the vast untapped potential of hydropower in the U.S., which has more than 400 GW of untapped hydropower resource potential inland and in its oceans.
Under a weak RES scenario, the number of cumulative jobs is expected to be 480,000 by 2025.
Jobs in hydropower come in all shapes and sizes. Project development activities result in jobs doing permitting, regulatory studies, licensing, design, and model testing. Hydropower also employs folks who perform component manufacturing, shoreline development, environmental instrumentation construction (such as fish bypass pieces), project construction, project commissioning, routine O&M, and minor and major equipment overhauls.
Clean Energy Creates Millions of Jobs
Admittedly, it’s difficult to tally these numbers in any comprehensive way to draw a clear picture of the total growth of the renewable energy job market for next year, in five years and in 15 years. Some industry estimates are projecting jobs in 2011, others look out as far as 2025. Just a rough summation of the above numbers shows that more than 2.5 million people, at least, will be either directly or indirectly employed in renewables by 2025. That would put about 8% of the 30,000,000 people looking for jobs right now back to work.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Jasper And New Hudson Join Forces
JASPER, Ind. & NEW HUDSON, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jasper Alternate Fuels, a division of Jasper Engines & Transmissions, has signed an agreement with Icom North America to install and service Icom’s patented JTG propane liquid-injection fuel system on commercial fleet vehicles in North America.
“Installation is non-invasive and the engine’s original computer serves as the main system controller, a feature fleet managers like to see with an aftermarket alternative fuel system.”
.Based in Jasper, Ind., Jasper Alternate Fuels expects to sell more than 5,000 Icom JTG systems during the first three years of the Icom National Master Distributor program.
“Jasper has more than 40 highly-skilled installation centers across the U.S. to perform either liquid propane gas or compressed natural gas conversions on commercial vehicles,” said Ed Zoglman, Jasper Alternate Fuels division manager.
He noted that Icom’s liquid-injection systems can be installed on virtually any gasoline vehicle with multi-point injection, providing lower emissions and significant improvements in fuel economy (because of the lower cost of propane), drivability and overall performance.
Icom’s unique JTG system is currently in service on more than 100,000 vehicles around the world in a bi-fuel (gasoline-propane) version. In the U.S., more than 5,000 vehicles now operate exclusively on propane using a “mono-fuel” version of Icom’s system.
Headquartered outside of Detroit in New Hudson, Mich., Icom North America is the U.S. affiliate of Italy’s Icom S.p.A., a pioneer in the development and manufacture of liquid-propane gas-conversion systems and tanks for commercial and consumer vehicle applications.
Zoglman, of Jasper Alternate Fuels, noted that Icom also is working to obtain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and eventually California Air Resources Board (CARB) certification to convert engines popular with fleets to bi-fuel use (propane and gasoline).
“Jasper Alternate Fuels is well-respected throughout the propane industry as a leading conversion source for propane and CNG powered engines,” said Ralph Perpetuini, CEO of Icom North America. “As interest in propane as an alternative fuel continues to grow, it will lead to increased business for both of our companies and enable the further expansion of the propane vehicle industry in the USA.”
Albert Venezio, Chairman of Icom North America, added "Jasper’s contract with Icom is ideal for the energetic expansion of clean burning propane vehicles as Jasper has a very strong national distribution and a well-trained professional installation network. Jasper is a true ‘green’ company that will enable fleets across the USA to seamlessly move to a domestic and clean alternative fuel source which will increase national security,” he noted.
Jasper Alternate Fuels’ division manager Zoglman said Icom’s bi-fuel system is ideally suited for fleet vehicles, especially high-mileage commercial vehicles.
“Icom’s bi-fuel system allows owners to operate their vehicles in either a gasoline-only or a propane-only mode without affecting normal driving,” Zoglman pointed out. “Installation is non-invasive and the engine’s original computer serves as the main system controller, a feature fleet managers like to see with an aftermarket alternative fuel system.”
About Jasper
Based in Jasper, Ind., Jasper Alternate Fuels division was created in the early 1990s to help commercial customers combine power and energy needs with cleaner burning fuels. It offers alternative fuel systems for vehicle fleets of any size. Parent company Jasper Engines & Transmissions is the nation's largest mass remanufacturing company of drivetrain products with three facilities along with 40 branch locations and over 1,600 associates. Since its founding in 1942, Jasper's product line has expanded to include domestic and import gasoline engines, transmissions, diesel engines, differentials and marine products as well as performance engines and transmissions.
Further information is available at: http://www.jasperengines.com/alternate-fuel.php.
About Icom North America, LLC
Icom North America, LLC, founded in 2004, is a U.S.-based company which assembles the patented Icom Liquid Injection Propane system and additional Icom products. They include the proprietary Icom toroidal and cylindrical propane tank for commercial and passenger OEM as well as aftermarket vehicles in North America and selected other markets. All products utilize a high U.S. content. North American headquarters are in New Hudson, Michigan.
Further information is available at: www.icomnorthamerica.com.
“Installation is non-invasive and the engine’s original computer serves as the main system controller, a feature fleet managers like to see with an aftermarket alternative fuel system.”
.Based in Jasper, Ind., Jasper Alternate Fuels expects to sell more than 5,000 Icom JTG systems during the first three years of the Icom National Master Distributor program.
“Jasper has more than 40 highly-skilled installation centers across the U.S. to perform either liquid propane gas or compressed natural gas conversions on commercial vehicles,” said Ed Zoglman, Jasper Alternate Fuels division manager.
He noted that Icom’s liquid-injection systems can be installed on virtually any gasoline vehicle with multi-point injection, providing lower emissions and significant improvements in fuel economy (because of the lower cost of propane), drivability and overall performance.
Icom’s unique JTG system is currently in service on more than 100,000 vehicles around the world in a bi-fuel (gasoline-propane) version. In the U.S., more than 5,000 vehicles now operate exclusively on propane using a “mono-fuel” version of Icom’s system.
Headquartered outside of Detroit in New Hudson, Mich., Icom North America is the U.S. affiliate of Italy’s Icom S.p.A., a pioneer in the development and manufacture of liquid-propane gas-conversion systems and tanks for commercial and consumer vehicle applications.
Zoglman, of Jasper Alternate Fuels, noted that Icom also is working to obtain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and eventually California Air Resources Board (CARB) certification to convert engines popular with fleets to bi-fuel use (propane and gasoline).
“Jasper Alternate Fuels is well-respected throughout the propane industry as a leading conversion source for propane and CNG powered engines,” said Ralph Perpetuini, CEO of Icom North America. “As interest in propane as an alternative fuel continues to grow, it will lead to increased business for both of our companies and enable the further expansion of the propane vehicle industry in the USA.”
Albert Venezio, Chairman of Icom North America, added "Jasper’s contract with Icom is ideal for the energetic expansion of clean burning propane vehicles as Jasper has a very strong national distribution and a well-trained professional installation network. Jasper is a true ‘green’ company that will enable fleets across the USA to seamlessly move to a domestic and clean alternative fuel source which will increase national security,” he noted.
Jasper Alternate Fuels’ division manager Zoglman said Icom’s bi-fuel system is ideally suited for fleet vehicles, especially high-mileage commercial vehicles.
“Icom’s bi-fuel system allows owners to operate their vehicles in either a gasoline-only or a propane-only mode without affecting normal driving,” Zoglman pointed out. “Installation is non-invasive and the engine’s original computer serves as the main system controller, a feature fleet managers like to see with an aftermarket alternative fuel system.”
About Jasper
Based in Jasper, Ind., Jasper Alternate Fuels division was created in the early 1990s to help commercial customers combine power and energy needs with cleaner burning fuels. It offers alternative fuel systems for vehicle fleets of any size. Parent company Jasper Engines & Transmissions is the nation's largest mass remanufacturing company of drivetrain products with three facilities along with 40 branch locations and over 1,600 associates. Since its founding in 1942, Jasper's product line has expanded to include domestic and import gasoline engines, transmissions, diesel engines, differentials and marine products as well as performance engines and transmissions.
Further information is available at: http://www.jasperengines.com/alternate-fuel.php.
About Icom North America, LLC
Icom North America, LLC, founded in 2004, is a U.S.-based company which assembles the patented Icom Liquid Injection Propane system and additional Icom products. They include the proprietary Icom toroidal and cylindrical propane tank for commercial and passenger OEM as well as aftermarket vehicles in North America and selected other markets. All products utilize a high U.S. content. North American headquarters are in New Hudson, Michigan.
Further information is available at: www.icomnorthamerica.com.
Fuel Cells Using Nanotechnology
ScienceDaily (Nov. 10, 2010) — Stop-and-go driving can wear on your nerves, but it really does a number on the precious platinum that drives reactions in automotive fuel cells. Before large fleets of fuel-cell-powered vehicles can hit the road, scientists will have to find a way to protect the platinum, the most expensive component of fuel-cell technology, and to reduce the amount needed to make catalytically active electrodes.
Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new electrocatalyst that uses a single layer of platinum and minimizes its wear and tear while maintaining high levels of reactivity during tests that mimic stop-and-go driving. The research -- described online in Angewandte Chemie, International Edition -- may greatly enhance the practicality of fuel-cell vehicles and may also be applicable for improving the performance of other metallic catalysts.
The newly designed catalysts are composed of a single layer of platinum over a palladium (or palladium-gold alloy) nanoparticle core. Their structural characterization was performed at Brookhaven's Center for Functional Nanomaterials and the National Synchrotron Light Source.
"Our studies of the structure and activity of this catalyst -- and comparisons with platinum-carbon catalysts currently in use -- illustrate that the palladium core 'protects' the fine layer of platinum surrounding the particles, enabling it to maintain reactivity for a much longer period of time," explained Brookhaven Lab chemist Radoslav Adzic, who leads the research team.
In conventional fuel-cell catalysts, the oxidation and reduction cycling -- triggered by changes in voltage that occur during stop-and-go driving -- damages the platinum. Over time, the platinum dissolves, causing irreversible damage to the fuel cell.
In the new catalyst, palladium from the core is more reactive than platinum in these oxidation and reduction reactions. Stability tests simulating fuel cell voltage cycling revealed that, after 100,000 potential cycles, a significant amount of palladium had been oxidized, dissolved, and migrated away from the cathode. In the membrane between the cathode and anode, the dissolved palladium ions were reduced by hydrogen diffusing from the anode to form a "band," or dots.
In contrast, platinum was almost unaffected, except for a small contraction of the platinum monolayer. "This contraction of the platinum lattice makes the catalyst more active and the stability of the particles increases," Adzic said.
Reactivity of the platinum monolayer/palladium core catalyst also remained extremely high. It was reduced by merely 37 percent after 100,000 cycles.
Building on earlier work that illustrated how small amounts of gold can enhance catalytic activity, the scientists also developed a form of the platinum monolayer catalyst with a palladium-gold alloy core. The addition of gold further increased the stability of the electrocatalyst, which retained nearly 70 percent of reactivity after 200,000 cycles of testing.
"This indicates the excellent durability of this electrocatalyst, especially when compared with simpler platinum-carbon catalysts, which lose nearly 70 percent of their reactivity after much shorter cycling times. This level of activity and stability indicates that this is a practical catalyst. It exceeds the goal set by DOE for 2010-2015 and it can be used for automotive applications," Adzic said.
He noted that fuel cells made using the new catalyst would require only about 10 grams of platinum per car -- and less than 20 grams of palladium. Currently, in catalytic convertors used to treat exhaust gases, 5 to 10 grams of platinum is used. Since fuel-cell-powered cars would emit no exhaust gases, there would be no need for such catalytic converters, and therefore no net increase in the amount of platinum used.
"In addition to developing electrocatalysts for automotive fuel cell applications, these findings indicate the broad applicability of platinum monolayer catalysts and the possibility of extending this concept to catalysts based on other noble metals," Adzic said.
The fundamental science leading to the development of the new electrocatalyst and early scale-up work was funded by the DOE Office of Science. Additional funding came from the Toyota Motor Corporation.
Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new electrocatalyst that uses a single layer of platinum and minimizes its wear and tear while maintaining high levels of reactivity during tests that mimic stop-and-go driving. The research -- described online in Angewandte Chemie, International Edition -- may greatly enhance the practicality of fuel-cell vehicles and may also be applicable for improving the performance of other metallic catalysts.
The newly designed catalysts are composed of a single layer of platinum over a palladium (or palladium-gold alloy) nanoparticle core. Their structural characterization was performed at Brookhaven's Center for Functional Nanomaterials and the National Synchrotron Light Source.
"Our studies of the structure and activity of this catalyst -- and comparisons with platinum-carbon catalysts currently in use -- illustrate that the palladium core 'protects' the fine layer of platinum surrounding the particles, enabling it to maintain reactivity for a much longer period of time," explained Brookhaven Lab chemist Radoslav Adzic, who leads the research team.
In conventional fuel-cell catalysts, the oxidation and reduction cycling -- triggered by changes in voltage that occur during stop-and-go driving -- damages the platinum. Over time, the platinum dissolves, causing irreversible damage to the fuel cell.
In the new catalyst, palladium from the core is more reactive than platinum in these oxidation and reduction reactions. Stability tests simulating fuel cell voltage cycling revealed that, after 100,000 potential cycles, a significant amount of palladium had been oxidized, dissolved, and migrated away from the cathode. In the membrane between the cathode and anode, the dissolved palladium ions were reduced by hydrogen diffusing from the anode to form a "band," or dots.
In contrast, platinum was almost unaffected, except for a small contraction of the platinum monolayer. "This contraction of the platinum lattice makes the catalyst more active and the stability of the particles increases," Adzic said.
Reactivity of the platinum monolayer/palladium core catalyst also remained extremely high. It was reduced by merely 37 percent after 100,000 cycles.
Building on earlier work that illustrated how small amounts of gold can enhance catalytic activity, the scientists also developed a form of the platinum monolayer catalyst with a palladium-gold alloy core. The addition of gold further increased the stability of the electrocatalyst, which retained nearly 70 percent of reactivity after 200,000 cycles of testing.
"This indicates the excellent durability of this electrocatalyst, especially when compared with simpler platinum-carbon catalysts, which lose nearly 70 percent of their reactivity after much shorter cycling times. This level of activity and stability indicates that this is a practical catalyst. It exceeds the goal set by DOE for 2010-2015 and it can be used for automotive applications," Adzic said.
He noted that fuel cells made using the new catalyst would require only about 10 grams of platinum per car -- and less than 20 grams of palladium. Currently, in catalytic convertors used to treat exhaust gases, 5 to 10 grams of platinum is used. Since fuel-cell-powered cars would emit no exhaust gases, there would be no need for such catalytic converters, and therefore no net increase in the amount of platinum used.
"In addition to developing electrocatalysts for automotive fuel cell applications, these findings indicate the broad applicability of platinum monolayer catalysts and the possibility of extending this concept to catalysts based on other noble metals," Adzic said.
The fundamental science leading to the development of the new electrocatalyst and early scale-up work was funded by the DOE Office of Science. Additional funding came from the Toyota Motor Corporation.
Marine Technology Used To Create Renewable Energy?
NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:
The Future of Marine Technologies: Technology developments, key costs and the future outlook
http://www.reportlinker.com/p0185312/The-Future-of-Marine-Technologies-Technology-developments-key-costs-and-the-future-outlook.html
Many of the world's potential renewable energy resources are being exploited today to generate electricity. The main exception is marine energy, the energy contained in various forms in the world's seas and oceans. This situation looks set to change as the challenge of combating global warming inspires a renewed search for methods to extract marine energy from our seas. Wave power and systems that can exploit the movement of water generated by the tides are attracting the most attention but methods for using the warm seas in the tropics to produce electricity and even the attempts to extract energy released when salt and fresh water mix are now coming under the gaze of scientists and technicians too. Some of the resulting technologies remain far from commercial implementation but several are now close to commercialization.
With all but tidal barrage power plants still in an early stage of development and no commercial plants of any other type in operation, assessing the economics of marine power generation technologies today depends on projections based on early prototypes of early demonstration units. Today these are generally more costly than alternative forms of power generation, both conventional and renewable. However the example of the wind power market shows that costs can fall dramatically as both technology improves and economies of scale are realized. Some early predictions suggest that some marine technologies might be cheaper than wind power but the level of uncertainty in such predictions is high.
Key features of this report
• Analysis of marine technologies concepts and components.
• Assessment of marine technologies power plant market.
• Insight relating to the most innovative technologies and potential areas of opportunity for manufacturers.
• Examination of the key technology introductions and innovations.
Scope of this report
• Realize up to date competitive intelligence through a comprehensive review of marine technologies concepts in electricity power generation markets.
• Assess the emerging trends in marine technologies – including ocean thermal energy conversion, wave power generation and tidal stream technologies, tidal barrage power plants, salinity gradient power generation.
• Identify which key trends will offer the greatest growth potential and learn which technology trends are likely to allow greater market impact.
• Compare how manufacturers are developing new marine technologies
Key Market Issues
• Environmental requirements:- The volume of fossil fuels burnt for power and heat generation have continually grown in line with economic, infrastructure and population growth. The resulting growth of carbon dioxide emissions globally has been linked to global warming and thereon climate change. Political, environmentalist and consumer pressures to lower carbon emissions is creating a path for lower carbon emitting power generation technologies.
• Ocean energy resources:- The energy that can be derived from the world's oceans and converted into electrical power comes from a number of different sources. These include daily tidal motions, the energy contained in waves, a variety of ocean and sea currents and by exploitation of both thermal and salinity gradients where these exist. Estimates for the amount of power that can be extracted from the oceans depend on assumptions about the energy content of the particular source being exploited as well as the efficiency of extraction of energy that can be achieved by an energy converter.
• Economics of clean thermal technologies:- With all but tidal barrage power plants still in an early stage of development and no commercial plants of any other type in operation, assessing the economics of marine power generation technologies today depends on projections based on early prototypes of early demonstration units.
Key findings from this report
• New types of marine power generation technologies are evolving that are designed to use freely available resources and collect energy outputting low level pollutant emissions.
• Wave power is again potentially the largest resource, with the potential to provide between 1,000GW and 10,000GW of generating capacity.
• The strongest winds and the largest waves are generally found between 30º and 60º of latitude.
• Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion technologies have among the lowest of all life cycle carbon emissions.
• Certain forms of marine technology generation are already cost competitive with alternative forms of energy generation.
Key questions answered
• What are the drivers shaping and influencing marine technology development in the electricity industry?
• What are the life cycle carbon emissions of the various marine technologies?
• What is marine technology power generation going to cost?
• Which marine technology types will be the winners and which the losers in terms power generated, cost and viability?
The Future of Marine Technologies: Technology developments, key costs and the future outlook
http://www.reportlinker.com/p0185312/The-Future-of-Marine-Technologies-Technology-developments-key-costs-and-the-future-outlook.html
Many of the world's potential renewable energy resources are being exploited today to generate electricity. The main exception is marine energy, the energy contained in various forms in the world's seas and oceans. This situation looks set to change as the challenge of combating global warming inspires a renewed search for methods to extract marine energy from our seas. Wave power and systems that can exploit the movement of water generated by the tides are attracting the most attention but methods for using the warm seas in the tropics to produce electricity and even the attempts to extract energy released when salt and fresh water mix are now coming under the gaze of scientists and technicians too. Some of the resulting technologies remain far from commercial implementation but several are now close to commercialization.
With all but tidal barrage power plants still in an early stage of development and no commercial plants of any other type in operation, assessing the economics of marine power generation technologies today depends on projections based on early prototypes of early demonstration units. Today these are generally more costly than alternative forms of power generation, both conventional and renewable. However the example of the wind power market shows that costs can fall dramatically as both technology improves and economies of scale are realized. Some early predictions suggest that some marine technologies might be cheaper than wind power but the level of uncertainty in such predictions is high.
Key features of this report
• Analysis of marine technologies concepts and components.
• Assessment of marine technologies power plant market.
• Insight relating to the most innovative technologies and potential areas of opportunity for manufacturers.
• Examination of the key technology introductions and innovations.
Scope of this report
• Realize up to date competitive intelligence through a comprehensive review of marine technologies concepts in electricity power generation markets.
• Assess the emerging trends in marine technologies – including ocean thermal energy conversion, wave power generation and tidal stream technologies, tidal barrage power plants, salinity gradient power generation.
• Identify which key trends will offer the greatest growth potential and learn which technology trends are likely to allow greater market impact.
• Compare how manufacturers are developing new marine technologies
Key Market Issues
• Environmental requirements:- The volume of fossil fuels burnt for power and heat generation have continually grown in line with economic, infrastructure and population growth. The resulting growth of carbon dioxide emissions globally has been linked to global warming and thereon climate change. Political, environmentalist and consumer pressures to lower carbon emissions is creating a path for lower carbon emitting power generation technologies.
• Ocean energy resources:- The energy that can be derived from the world's oceans and converted into electrical power comes from a number of different sources. These include daily tidal motions, the energy contained in waves, a variety of ocean and sea currents and by exploitation of both thermal and salinity gradients where these exist. Estimates for the amount of power that can be extracted from the oceans depend on assumptions about the energy content of the particular source being exploited as well as the efficiency of extraction of energy that can be achieved by an energy converter.
• Economics of clean thermal technologies:- With all but tidal barrage power plants still in an early stage of development and no commercial plants of any other type in operation, assessing the economics of marine power generation technologies today depends on projections based on early prototypes of early demonstration units.
Key findings from this report
• New types of marine power generation technologies are evolving that are designed to use freely available resources and collect energy outputting low level pollutant emissions.
• Wave power is again potentially the largest resource, with the potential to provide between 1,000GW and 10,000GW of generating capacity.
• The strongest winds and the largest waves are generally found between 30º and 60º of latitude.
• Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion technologies have among the lowest of all life cycle carbon emissions.
• Certain forms of marine technology generation are already cost competitive with alternative forms of energy generation.
Key questions answered
• What are the drivers shaping and influencing marine technology development in the electricity industry?
• What are the life cycle carbon emissions of the various marine technologies?
• What is marine technology power generation going to cost?
• Which marine technology types will be the winners and which the losers in terms power generated, cost and viability?
Monday, May 3, 2010
Southern Company's 2010 Conference Will Meet in D.C.
ATLANTA, April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Paul Bowers, chief financial officer of Southern Company, will present to investors and industry analysts at the 2010 Alternative Energy, Utilities & Power Conference at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, May 12, 2010.
Bowers is scheduled to present a Southern Company overview from 1:20 to 1:50 p.m. EDT, May 12. Bowers' presentation will be webcast and available for replay at http://investor.southerncompany.com. A copy of his presentation materials will also be available at this site.
With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our Web site at www.southerncompany.com.
SOURCE Southern Company
Bowers is scheduled to present a Southern Company overview from 1:20 to 1:50 p.m. EDT, May 12. Bowers' presentation will be webcast and available for replay at http://investor.southerncompany.com. A copy of his presentation materials will also be available at this site.
With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our Web site at www.southerncompany.com.
SOURCE Southern Company
Concentric Energy Sells Arizona Mine For Clean Energy Use
PHOENIX, May 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Energy Fields, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AEFI; the "Company") has submitted an offer to Concentric Energy to purchase the Anderson Mine in Yavapai County, Arizona.
American Energy Fields is strategically positioned in the Southwest U.S. to finance and develop emerging clean energy resource operations with a focus on U.S. energy independence. It offers Concentric Energy a great opportunity to be involved as a significant shareholder in the future development of a Company that will make a difference as a U.S. based alternative energy Company.
American Energy Fields has established the platform to develop significant alternative energy resources with its portfolio of potentially low cost uranium properties, qualified management team, and significant mining database. It is committed to American's quest for energy independence.
American Energy Fields believes this is a win/win scenario for both the shareholders of Concentric Energy and American Energy Fields to develop alternative energy solutions and become one of the main contributors for the U.S. to obtain energy independence.
The offered purchase price for the Anderson Mine, as described in the Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed August 8, 2009, is $500,000 in cash on closing, assumption of all of Concentric's indebtedness as appears on the S1/A balance sheet and through the date of closing, plus 12,000,000 shares of common stock from the Treasury of American Energy Fields, Inc.
If agreed upon, the purchased assets shall include all of the uranium and related assets necessary for the continued operation of Anderson as a going concern (studies, reports, claims, licenses, rights, etc.) substantially in accordance with its historical activities as reflected in the S1/A. The excluded assets and assumed liabilities, if any, will be more fully described in the definitive Asset Purchase Agreement.
About American Energy Fields, Inc.
American Energy Fields (AEFI) is a resource company focused on exploring and developing the natural energy resources of the United States. American Energy Fields' corporate strength lies in its management's experience in the finance and natural resource sectors. AEFI has one of the most prolific mining databases for energy related projects within the United States. With this database, AEF will continue to target and acquire projects with previous production and/or exploration and work towards fully developing those projects to drive revenues and build core reserves.
Safe Harbor Statement
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of exploration activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation or realization of mineral resources, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry including, without limitation, those associated with the environment, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release.
SOURCE American Energy Fields, Inc.
American Energy Fields is strategically positioned in the Southwest U.S. to finance and develop emerging clean energy resource operations with a focus on U.S. energy independence. It offers Concentric Energy a great opportunity to be involved as a significant shareholder in the future development of a Company that will make a difference as a U.S. based alternative energy Company.
American Energy Fields has established the platform to develop significant alternative energy resources with its portfolio of potentially low cost uranium properties, qualified management team, and significant mining database. It is committed to American's quest for energy independence.
American Energy Fields believes this is a win/win scenario for both the shareholders of Concentric Energy and American Energy Fields to develop alternative energy solutions and become one of the main contributors for the U.S. to obtain energy independence.
The offered purchase price for the Anderson Mine, as described in the Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed August 8, 2009, is $500,000 in cash on closing, assumption of all of Concentric's indebtedness as appears on the S1/A balance sheet and through the date of closing, plus 12,000,000 shares of common stock from the Treasury of American Energy Fields, Inc.
If agreed upon, the purchased assets shall include all of the uranium and related assets necessary for the continued operation of Anderson as a going concern (studies, reports, claims, licenses, rights, etc.) substantially in accordance with its historical activities as reflected in the S1/A. The excluded assets and assumed liabilities, if any, will be more fully described in the definitive Asset Purchase Agreement.
About American Energy Fields, Inc.
American Energy Fields (AEFI) is a resource company focused on exploring and developing the natural energy resources of the United States. American Energy Fields' corporate strength lies in its management's experience in the finance and natural resource sectors. AEFI has one of the most prolific mining databases for energy related projects within the United States. With this database, AEF will continue to target and acquire projects with previous production and/or exploration and work towards fully developing those projects to drive revenues and build core reserves.
Safe Harbor Statement
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of exploration activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation or realization of mineral resources, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry including, without limitation, those associated with the environment, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release.
SOURCE American Energy Fields, Inc.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Biomass Conference Scheduled In New Hamsphire
NASHUA, NH--(Marketwire - April 16, 2009) - New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, and former Pennsylvania Congressman John E. Peterson are among those scheduled to speak at the upcoming "Heating the Northeast" conference on April 29-30 in Nashua, NH at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center.
The conference, which addresses an often-overlooked source of renewable thermal energy, will explore the advantages, challenges and necessity of using wood pellets, grasses, and other biomass fuels for heating homes and businesses.
"We're thrilled to have such distinguished speakers who are paying attention to the regional alternative energy options in our own backyards," said Charlie Niebling, General Manager of New England Wood Pellet in Jaffrey, NH, and a member of the conference's steering committee.
The scope of the conference ranges from international biomass fuel suppliers and manufacturers to local businesses, including Pelletsales.com, a Goffstown-based company that sells and distributes wood pellets throughout the country and Canada, as well as BioHEAT USA, a North American distributor for innovative high-efficiency wood and wood pellet boilers. Participants will explore how the Northeast could move to a significant adoption -- or even a complete transfer -- to biomass heating, bringing with it jobs, a reduced carbon footprint, and a decreased dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil.
"This event appeals to the technology sector, home heating industry, environmental activists, legislators focused on creating jobs and tax revenue, and the average consumer concerned with saving money on monthly heating bills," said Jon Strimling, President and CEO of PelletSales.com and a member of the conference's steering committee.
Other scheduled speakers include: Charlie Niebling; Charlie Levesque, President, Innovative Resource Solutions; Lennart Ljungblom, Publisher and Editor of The Bioenergy International in Stockholm Sweden.
For more information or to register to attend, visit www.heatne.com
Conference sponsors include: Propell Energy, New England Wood Pellet, PelletSales.com, BioHEAT USA, Primary Packaging, Inc., Biomass Energy Resource Center, Biomass Commodities Corp., ACT BioENergy, Wellons FEI Corporation, Ernst Conservation Seeds, Inc., Viability Incentives, LLC, Schuld/Bushnell, International Wood Fuels, LLC, Biomass Combustion Systems
The conference, which addresses an often-overlooked source of renewable thermal energy, will explore the advantages, challenges and necessity of using wood pellets, grasses, and other biomass fuels for heating homes and businesses.
"We're thrilled to have such distinguished speakers who are paying attention to the regional alternative energy options in our own backyards," said Charlie Niebling, General Manager of New England Wood Pellet in Jaffrey, NH, and a member of the conference's steering committee.
The scope of the conference ranges from international biomass fuel suppliers and manufacturers to local businesses, including Pelletsales.com, a Goffstown-based company that sells and distributes wood pellets throughout the country and Canada, as well as BioHEAT USA, a North American distributor for innovative high-efficiency wood and wood pellet boilers. Participants will explore how the Northeast could move to a significant adoption -- or even a complete transfer -- to biomass heating, bringing with it jobs, a reduced carbon footprint, and a decreased dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil.
"This event appeals to the technology sector, home heating industry, environmental activists, legislators focused on creating jobs and tax revenue, and the average consumer concerned with saving money on monthly heating bills," said Jon Strimling, President and CEO of PelletSales.com and a member of the conference's steering committee.
Other scheduled speakers include: Charlie Niebling; Charlie Levesque, President, Innovative Resource Solutions; Lennart Ljungblom, Publisher and Editor of The Bioenergy International in Stockholm Sweden.
For more information or to register to attend, visit www.heatne.com
Conference sponsors include: Propell Energy, New England Wood Pellet, PelletSales.com, BioHEAT USA, Primary Packaging, Inc., Biomass Energy Resource Center, Biomass Commodities Corp., ACT BioENergy, Wellons FEI Corporation, Ernst Conservation Seeds, Inc., Viability Incentives, LLC, Schuld/Bushnell, International Wood Fuels, LLC, Biomass Combustion Systems
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