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
Thursday, April 16, 2009
FTA And BTI Working With CTE To Make Better Buses
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fuel cell buses have operated successfully in public transit fleets around the world, according to a new report written for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) by the Breakthrough Technologies Institute (BTI) and the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE).
The report examined hydrogen bus demonstrations in 19 cities in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Among other things, the report found that the vast majority of buses performed better than expected and were very popular among passengers. The buses also were popular with drivers, many of whom reported being less tired at the end of their shifts, primarily because fuel cell buses make significantly less noise than their internal combustion counterparts.
“Fuel cell buses were more reliable, better performing, and easier to integrate into public transportation fleets than many had expected,” said William Vincent, a lead author of the report. “With additional research and development, they hold real promise to reduce pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and petroleum dependence in public transportation fleets.”
The fuel cell buses typically were operated daily in 16-hour duty cycles. Collectively, they covered more than 1.6 million miles and served more than seven million passengers. The fuel cells were much more reliable than many transit agencies had expected and the operating life was increased significantly over previous generations of fuel cell technology. For example, fuel cells in the European demonstrations averaged over 3,000 hours operating life, with a maximum of 5,000 hours. Moreover, the hydrogen fueling stations proved to be very safe. The buses were refueled more than 11,000 times without any major incident.
Based upon this success, most transit agencies that demonstrated fuel cell buses are eager to deploy larger fleets in the future. In fact, AC Transit in California recently purchased four additional fuel cell buses and BC Transit in British Columbia purchased a fleet of 20 fuel cell buses. Many transit agencies also called for enhanced government support for fuel cell buses, thus enabling more buses to be deployed in a shorter timeframe.
The report, “A Report on Worldwide Hydrogen Bus Demonstrations, 2002-2007,” can be downloaded free from the FTA’s website: http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/ReportOnWorldwideHydrogenBusDemonstrations_2002to2007.pdf.
Contacts
Breakthrough Technologies Institute (BTI)
Jennifer Gangi, 202-785-4222, Ext. 17
The report examined hydrogen bus demonstrations in 19 cities in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Among other things, the report found that the vast majority of buses performed better than expected and were very popular among passengers. The buses also were popular with drivers, many of whom reported being less tired at the end of their shifts, primarily because fuel cell buses make significantly less noise than their internal combustion counterparts.
“Fuel cell buses were more reliable, better performing, and easier to integrate into public transportation fleets than many had expected,” said William Vincent, a lead author of the report. “With additional research and development, they hold real promise to reduce pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and petroleum dependence in public transportation fleets.”
The fuel cell buses typically were operated daily in 16-hour duty cycles. Collectively, they covered more than 1.6 million miles and served more than seven million passengers. The fuel cells were much more reliable than many transit agencies had expected and the operating life was increased significantly over previous generations of fuel cell technology. For example, fuel cells in the European demonstrations averaged over 3,000 hours operating life, with a maximum of 5,000 hours. Moreover, the hydrogen fueling stations proved to be very safe. The buses were refueled more than 11,000 times without any major incident.
Based upon this success, most transit agencies that demonstrated fuel cell buses are eager to deploy larger fleets in the future. In fact, AC Transit in California recently purchased four additional fuel cell buses and BC Transit in British Columbia purchased a fleet of 20 fuel cell buses. Many transit agencies also called for enhanced government support for fuel cell buses, thus enabling more buses to be deployed in a shorter timeframe.
The report, “A Report on Worldwide Hydrogen Bus Demonstrations, 2002-2007,” can be downloaded free from the FTA’s website: http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/ReportOnWorldwideHydrogenBusDemonstrations_2002to2007.pdf.
Contacts
Breakthrough Technologies Institute (BTI)
Jennifer Gangi, 202-785-4222, Ext. 17
Monday, April 13, 2009
New Solar Power Network Acquired By ITOCHU
NEW YORK, April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- ITOCHU Corporation, jointly with ITOCHU International Inc. (collectively, ITOCHU), has agreed to acquire the business of SolarNet LLC, a solar energy solutions provider that includes DC Power Systems, the largest privately-held wholesale distributor of solar energy systems in the US, and Stellar Energy Solutions. ITOCHU has been actively implementing a global solar energy strategy since 2006 and has made a number of strategic investments, including the acquisition of California-based wholesale distributor and systems integrator Solar Depot in 2007. With the acquisition of SolarNet, the combined market share of Solar Depot and DC Power will give ITOCHU collectively the largest solar distribution network in the US. SolarNet will be operated as a majority-owned subsidiary of ITOCHU, beginning immediately. While the current management and employees will be retained, ITOCHU personnel will be added to strengthen the capability of SolarNet.
ITOCHU also supplies manufacturing equipment to solar module manufacturers globally and is involved in the systems integration, financing and development of solar energy projects in various countries. Observing the rapid growth in the solar industry, ITOCHU recently centralized all its solar energy related business into a new business department in order to provide a stronger and more streamlined approach to executing its solar energy business.
"ITOCHU is pleased to add the substantial business experience and capabilities of DC Power and Stellar Energy Solutions to our rapidly growing solar energy business activities in the US market and around the world," said Harutoshi Okita, Senior Vice President, ITOCHU International Inc. "This acquisition expands our presence in the US distribution market and extends our capabilities with regard to the development of large-scale solar systems."
ITOCHU expects this development to result in an improved product offering and level of service for solar dealers and customers across the country, making world-class solar solutions available at the most competitive prices. The acquisition also positions ITOCHU as a leading integrator of commercial-scale solar power systems, with a project pipeline of over 80MW across the US.
"SolarNet's partnership with ITOCHU will give our companies the resources to execute our aggressive business plan and continue to provide outstanding customer service in a rapidly growing business. We are excited to have a partner with such a long-term vision and global reach," said Joseph Marino, President of SolarNet. Mr. Marino will continue with SolarNet after the acquisition as a member of the Board and as Founder.
ITOCHU will actively expand SolarNet's business throughout the US market by building on its existing solar energy business activity and utilizing its global business network to add value to SolarNet. Through these efforts, ITOCHU expects its growing solar operations to accelerate the adoption of solar power in the US.
Minority owners of SolarNet and Board Members include Chris Tyson and Mark Sampson, who will focus on providing financing services to the company and solar industry (www.energyfinancecompany.com and www.newedgesolar.com).
ITOCHU also supplies manufacturing equipment to solar module manufacturers globally and is involved in the systems integration, financing and development of solar energy projects in various countries. Observing the rapid growth in the solar industry, ITOCHU recently centralized all its solar energy related business into a new business department in order to provide a stronger and more streamlined approach to executing its solar energy business.
"ITOCHU is pleased to add the substantial business experience and capabilities of DC Power and Stellar Energy Solutions to our rapidly growing solar energy business activities in the US market and around the world," said Harutoshi Okita, Senior Vice President, ITOCHU International Inc. "This acquisition expands our presence in the US distribution market and extends our capabilities with regard to the development of large-scale solar systems."
ITOCHU expects this development to result in an improved product offering and level of service for solar dealers and customers across the country, making world-class solar solutions available at the most competitive prices. The acquisition also positions ITOCHU as a leading integrator of commercial-scale solar power systems, with a project pipeline of over 80MW across the US.
"SolarNet's partnership with ITOCHU will give our companies the resources to execute our aggressive business plan and continue to provide outstanding customer service in a rapidly growing business. We are excited to have a partner with such a long-term vision and global reach," said Joseph Marino, President of SolarNet. Mr. Marino will continue with SolarNet after the acquisition as a member of the Board and as Founder.
ITOCHU will actively expand SolarNet's business throughout the US market by building on its existing solar energy business activity and utilizing its global business network to add value to SolarNet. Through these efforts, ITOCHU expects its growing solar operations to accelerate the adoption of solar power in the US.
Minority owners of SolarNet and Board Members include Chris Tyson and Mark Sampson, who will focus on providing financing services to the company and solar industry (www.energyfinancecompany.com and www.newedgesolar.com).
Surprising Results For BioEthanol In U.S. Mid Region
ScienceDaily (Apr. 13, 2009) — At a time when water supplies are scarce in many areas of the United States, scientists in Minnesota are reporting that production of bioethanol — often regarded as the clean-burning energy source of the future — may consume up to three times more water than previously thought.
Sangwon Suh and colleagues point out in the new study that annual bioethanol production in the U.S. is currently about 9 billion gallons and note that experts expect it to increase in the near future. The growing demand for bioethanol, particularly corn-based ethanol, has sparked significant concerns among researchers about its impact on water availability. Previous studies estimated that a gallon of corn-based bioethanol requires the use of 263 to 784 gallons of water from the farm to the fuel pump. But these estimates failed to account for widely varied regional irrigation practices, the scientists say.
The scientists made a new estimate of bioethanol's impact on the water supply using detailed irrigation data from 41 states. They found that bioethanol's water requirements can be as high as 861 billion gallons of water from the corn field to the fuel pump in 2007. And a gallon of ethanol may require up to over 2,100 gallons of water from farm to fuel pump, depending on the regional irrigation practice in growing corn.
However, a dozen states in the Corn Belt consume less than 100 gallons of water per gallon of ethanol, making them better suited for ethanol production.
"The results highlight the need to take regional specifics into account when implementing biofuel mandates," the article notes.
Sangwon Suh and colleagues point out in the new study that annual bioethanol production in the U.S. is currently about 9 billion gallons and note that experts expect it to increase in the near future. The growing demand for bioethanol, particularly corn-based ethanol, has sparked significant concerns among researchers about its impact on water availability. Previous studies estimated that a gallon of corn-based bioethanol requires the use of 263 to 784 gallons of water from the farm to the fuel pump. But these estimates failed to account for widely varied regional irrigation practices, the scientists say.
The scientists made a new estimate of bioethanol's impact on the water supply using detailed irrigation data from 41 states. They found that bioethanol's water requirements can be as high as 861 billion gallons of water from the corn field to the fuel pump in 2007. And a gallon of ethanol may require up to over 2,100 gallons of water from farm to fuel pump, depending on the regional irrigation practice in growing corn.
However, a dozen states in the Corn Belt consume less than 100 gallons of water per gallon of ethanol, making them better suited for ethanol production.
"The results highlight the need to take regional specifics into account when implementing biofuel mandates," the article notes.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Solar Power On A Large Scale
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's largest manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) modules, in partnership with the City of Santa Barbara and Tioga Energy, a leading solar financing firm, today announced the activation of the City's first large-scale solar power system. The 384 kW DC system is the first large-scale solar deployment for the City of Santa Barbara as well as the largest solar power system in the City.
The ceremony and educational tour are to be held from 2:00 - 3:00 PM beginning in the David Gebhard Meeting Room, located at 630 Garden Street in Santa Barbara. The speaker program includes local Nobel Prize Laureate and sustainability advocate Walter Kohn and Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum, who will dedicate the City's Corporate Yard solar system.
"We are excited to produce clean, renewable power here in Santa Barbara while simultaneously reducing our energy costs," said Marty Blum, Mayor of the City of Santa Barbara. "Our climate is perfect for solar, we can apply the savings to other city programs, and we are helping the environment. This is a tremendous win for everyone."
The system, which is spread among the Corporate Yard's roofs, features Suntech modules designed to minimize aesthetic impact while providing maximum energy output. Suntech solar panels were chosen for their consistent high quality, reliable performance, and efficiency. Suntech Energy Solutions installed the system in Fall 2008 in less than three months.
"Working with the City of Santa Barbara and Tioga Energy has been a pleasure for Suntech," said Marco Garcia, Vice President of Project Development for Suntech Energy Solutions. "We look forward to helping cities and local governments follow Santa Barbara's lead in converting unused land and roof space into power generating assets."
The solar energy system was built without any large capital outlay on behalf of the City of Santa Barbara. Instead, the system is financed and operated by Tioga Energy, through its SurePath(TM) Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Through the SurePath PPA agreement, Tioga Energy sells the energy generated by the system to the city at a fixed, predictable price over the 20-year contract term. As a result, the city receives immediate energy savings and a hedge against future utility rate increases, without the hassle of owning the system outright.
"With its commitment to clean energy, the City is demonstrating that solar power is an affordable option for public agencies concerned with reducing carbon emissions," said Paul Detering, CEO of Tioga Energy. "Our collaborative effort with the City of Santa Barbara and Suntech provides the City with predictably-priced power and demonstrates how successful public-private partnerships can help municipalities meet their financial and sustainability objectives."
The system will produce 550,000 kWh of energy per year, effectively offsetting 421,466 lbs, or 191 metric tons, of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to removing 35 cars from the road, saving 21,328 gallons of gasoline, or powering over 100 Santa Barbara-area homes a year (based on a single family occupancy energy use of 5,000 kWh per year).
"This first system is a first step in reducing our energy costs and producing clean, renewable energy. We look forward to 'throwing the switch' on more projects in the years to come," said Mayor Marty Blum.
The ceremony and educational tour are to be held from 2:00 - 3:00 PM beginning in the David Gebhard Meeting Room, located at 630 Garden Street in Santa Barbara. The speaker program includes local Nobel Prize Laureate and sustainability advocate Walter Kohn and Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum, who will dedicate the City's Corporate Yard solar system.
"We are excited to produce clean, renewable power here in Santa Barbara while simultaneously reducing our energy costs," said Marty Blum, Mayor of the City of Santa Barbara. "Our climate is perfect for solar, we can apply the savings to other city programs, and we are helping the environment. This is a tremendous win for everyone."
The system, which is spread among the Corporate Yard's roofs, features Suntech modules designed to minimize aesthetic impact while providing maximum energy output. Suntech solar panels were chosen for their consistent high quality, reliable performance, and efficiency. Suntech Energy Solutions installed the system in Fall 2008 in less than three months.
"Working with the City of Santa Barbara and Tioga Energy has been a pleasure for Suntech," said Marco Garcia, Vice President of Project Development for Suntech Energy Solutions. "We look forward to helping cities and local governments follow Santa Barbara's lead in converting unused land and roof space into power generating assets."
The solar energy system was built without any large capital outlay on behalf of the City of Santa Barbara. Instead, the system is financed and operated by Tioga Energy, through its SurePath(TM) Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Through the SurePath PPA agreement, Tioga Energy sells the energy generated by the system to the city at a fixed, predictable price over the 20-year contract term. As a result, the city receives immediate energy savings and a hedge against future utility rate increases, without the hassle of owning the system outright.
"With its commitment to clean energy, the City is demonstrating that solar power is an affordable option for public agencies concerned with reducing carbon emissions," said Paul Detering, CEO of Tioga Energy. "Our collaborative effort with the City of Santa Barbara and Suntech provides the City with predictably-priced power and demonstrates how successful public-private partnerships can help municipalities meet their financial and sustainability objectives."
The system will produce 550,000 kWh of energy per year, effectively offsetting 421,466 lbs, or 191 metric tons, of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to removing 35 cars from the road, saving 21,328 gallons of gasoline, or powering over 100 Santa Barbara-area homes a year (based on a single family occupancy energy use of 5,000 kWh per year).
"This first system is a first step in reducing our energy costs and producing clean, renewable energy. We look forward to 'throwing the switch' on more projects in the years to come," said Mayor Marty Blum.
Friday, March 6, 2009
New Legislature For Renewable Energy Industry
DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/983f7e/legislative_and_re) has announced the addition of the "Legislative and Regulatory Review: Renewable Energy Industry Recruitment and Support" report to their offering. Legislative and Regulatory Review: Renewable Energy Industry Recruitment and Support is an overview of state efforts to support the development and expansion of renewable energy manufacturing companies.
Over the last few years, numerous states have launched incentive programs to attract and retain companies that manufacture products for generating renewable energy. Competition for the recruitment of these companies has been fierce as these incentives not only give the renewable energy industry a boost, but also create jobs within states, leading to stronger economies.
The Review provides readers with a summary of the legislative and regulatory rules that have been or are being implemented by the 16 states that have implemented tax credits, loans, grants, and other forms of financial assistance. It serves as a valuable resource for those wishing to track economic development incentives for renewable energy manufacturing or compare rules across states.
For more information visit:
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/983f7e/legislative_and_re
Over the last few years, numerous states have launched incentive programs to attract and retain companies that manufacture products for generating renewable energy. Competition for the recruitment of these companies has been fierce as these incentives not only give the renewable energy industry a boost, but also create jobs within states, leading to stronger economies.
The Review provides readers with a summary of the legislative and regulatory rules that have been or are being implemented by the 16 states that have implemented tax credits, loans, grants, and other forms of financial assistance. It serves as a valuable resource for those wishing to track economic development incentives for renewable energy manufacturing or compare rules across states.
For more information visit:
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/983f7e/legislative_and_re
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Biodiesel From Algae?
SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwire - March 5, 2009) - PetroSun, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: PSUD) announced today it has agreed to provide five drums of B100 biodiesel derived from algae for three independent emissions studies being conducted by Carnegie Mellon, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and NextEnergy. The information produced from these studies will be of benefit to the algae-to-biofuel industry and assist in the Company's efforts to establish a carbon credit program for commercial algae operations.
The emissions studies conducted by Carnegie Mellon will include the investigation for scientific evidence that the emissions from the combustion of algae derived biofuels are characterized and provide a comparison of emissions to that of fossil fuel combustion. The program calls for emissions testing from several different sources.
The UCLA program, funded by a multi-year grant from the US Department of Energy, will conduct research to advance scientific knowledge of particulate emission rates and the chemical and physical properties of those particles relevant to climate. Other properties of the fuel such as nitrogen oxide emissions and organic compound speciation may also be completed.
The NextEnergy research will be conducted as part of the National Biofuel Energy Laboratory program based in Detroit, Michigan. The goal of the project will be directed at comparing the effect of biofuels on a lab scale basis, engine dynamometers and the operation of vehicles during cold weather.
PetroSun BioFuels, a wholly owned subsidiary, will provide the algal oil feedstock for conversion into B100 by a third party biodiesel refiner. The five drums (275 gallons) of B100 for the emissions studies will be allocated from an initial run of approximately 80,000 gallons of algal oil for conversion into ASTM spec biodiesel.
The emissions studies conducted by Carnegie Mellon will include the investigation for scientific evidence that the emissions from the combustion of algae derived biofuels are characterized and provide a comparison of emissions to that of fossil fuel combustion. The program calls for emissions testing from several different sources.
The UCLA program, funded by a multi-year grant from the US Department of Energy, will conduct research to advance scientific knowledge of particulate emission rates and the chemical and physical properties of those particles relevant to climate. Other properties of the fuel such as nitrogen oxide emissions and organic compound speciation may also be completed.
The NextEnergy research will be conducted as part of the National Biofuel Energy Laboratory program based in Detroit, Michigan. The goal of the project will be directed at comparing the effect of biofuels on a lab scale basis, engine dynamometers and the operation of vehicles during cold weather.
PetroSun BioFuels, a wholly owned subsidiary, will provide the algal oil feedstock for conversion into B100 by a third party biodiesel refiner. The five drums (275 gallons) of B100 for the emissions studies will be allocated from an initial run of approximately 80,000 gallons of algal oil for conversion into ASTM spec biodiesel.
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