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Africa, Asia and the Middle East
News/Headlines
Marine Current Turbines has successfully completed the first installation phase of the 1.2 MW SeaGen Tidal System in Strangford Narrows, Northern Ireland (see ‘SeaGen installation moves forward’, page 26). SeaGen had its final assembly at the Harland & Wolff dockyard in Belfast. The crane barge, Rambiz, owned by Scaldis, positioned the 1,000 tonne structure onto the seabed on 2 April 2008.
and the data also excludes satellite and military applications. ■ And in further US Government data, solar PVderived energy from homes in the US will show one of the largest increases in energy consumption to 2030. Consumption from grid-connected PV systems will grow by 19.6% per year over the 25-year period from 2005, according to the revised early release of the Annual Energy Outlook 2008 with Projections to 2030 – also produced by the DoE. The report was revised to reflect the impact of the federal Energy Independence & Security Act of 2007 – enacted in late December. ■ Wind turbines now generate enough electricity to serve 4.5 million homes in the US, according to the latest ranking from the American Wind Energy Association. Texas was rated top for both total wind capacity and new wind additions, by the end of 2007. It had a total of 4,446 MW installed, ahead of California with 2,439 MW, Minnesota with 1,299 MW, Iowa 1,271 MW and Washington with 1,163 MW. Texas added 1,618 MW last year, ahead of 776 MW in Colorado, 592 MW in Illinois, 447 MW in Oregon and 405 MW added in Minnesota. ■ General Motors Corp. and Mascoma Corp. are to form a strategic relationship to develop cellulosic ethanol, based on Mascoma’s
8
renewable energy focus
May/June 2008
single-step biochemical conversion of nongrain biomass. ■ A utility in California has signed a series of contracts for 900 MW of solar thermal power. Pacific Gas & Electric has entered into three contracts with BrightSource Energy, to supply 500 MW from three solar thermal (electric) generating projects. And it signed two other contracts for options on an additional 400 MW of solar power. ■ OptiSolar of California is developing an eco550 MW PV solar farm in San Luis Obispo County, California.
Africa, Asia and the Middle East ■ The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to lend
US$113 million to a Hong Kong company, to help it develop two windfarms in India. ADB will extend the rupee-denominated loan to an Indian subsidiary of CLP Holdings, to fund wind facilities in the states of Gujarat and Karnataka. The windfarms will cost US$250m (Rs9.9bn) and private sponsors will use internal funds and long-term debt from other sources to cover the balance. ■ And the ADB will also establish five funds for clean energy projects, with a total target investment of US$1.2bn. The funds will each
receive US$20m in capital from ADB. The MAP Clean Energy Fund has the largest target size out of the five funds, and is striving to invest US$400 million in geothermal projects in Indonesia, as well as windfarms in India and Pakistan, and various bioethanol projects. The China Environment Fund III has a target of US$250m, and will invest in solar PV modules, large-capacity batteries for windfarms, and electronic control systems for windpower. GEF South Asia Clean Energy Fund has a target size of US$200m, and the Asia Clean Energy Fund has a target size of US$200m. The China Clean Energy Capital Fund has a target size of US$150m and will invest in windfarms, solar thermal and biomass projects. ■ A joint venture (JV) of EPURON GmbH and the Turkish building company ATASEVEN is planning the construction of large wind parks in Turkey. The two companies have submitted plans for 10 wind projects – with a total power capacity of 3,000 MW – to the national energy authority Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) for approval. ■ The Kyoto Protocol’s clean development mechanism (CDM) has registered its 1000th project – an energy efficiency project in Andhra Pradesh, India, expected to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 34,000 tonnes annually. CDM projects have so far generated more than 135 million certified emission reductions (CERs). The mechanism is anticipated to generate more than 2.7 billion CERs in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. ■ Spanish engineering group Sener Grupo de Ingenieria and Masdar of Abu Dhabi have created a JV to design, build and operate concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in Spain. Torresol Energy will work on three plants with a combined value of 800m. One of these would be a CSP central tower receiver system, which will prepare for 500 MW of CSP projects by 2012. Masdar is also developing CSP plants in Abu Dhabi and its Shams 1 facility will be finished in 2010.
ROW ■ BP is to take a 50% stake in Tropical
BioEnergia SA, a JV established by Brazilian companies Santelisa Vale and Maeda Group. The JV is constructing a 435 million litre-peryear ethanol refinery in Edéia, Goias State, Brazil. ■ The Philippines will spend US$142 million on alternative energy and nature conservation in 2008, says President Arroyo.
Marine Current Turbines has successfully completed the first installation phase of the 1.2 MW SeaGen Tidal System in Strangford Narrows, Northern Ireland (see ‘SeaGen installation moves forward’, page 26). SeaGen had its final assembly at the Harland & Wolff dockyard in Belfast. The crane barge, Rambiz, owned by Scaldis, positioned the 1,000 tonne structure onto the seabed on 2 April 2008.
and the data also excludes satellite and military applications. ■ And in further US Government data, solar PVderived energy from homes in the US will show one of the largest increases in energy consumption to 2030. Consumption from grid-connected PV systems will grow by 19.6% per year over the 25-year period from 2005, according to the revised early release of the Annual Energy Outlook 2008 with Projections to 2030 – also produced by the DoE. The report was revised to reflect the impact of the federal Energy Independence & Security Act of 2007 – enacted in late December. ■ Wind turbines now generate enough electricity to serve 4.5 million homes in the US, according to the latest ranking from the American Wind Energy Association. Texas was rated top for both total wind capacity and new wind additions, by the end of 2007. It had a total of 4,446 MW installed, ahead of California with 2,439 MW, Minnesota with 1,299 MW, Iowa 1,271 MW and Washington with 1,163 MW. Texas added 1,618 MW last year, ahead of 776 MW in Colorado, 592 MW in Illinois, 447 MW in Oregon and 405 MW added in Minnesota. ■ General Motors Corp. and Mascoma Corp. are to form a strategic relationship to develop cellulosic ethanol, based on Mascoma’s
8
renewable energy focus
May/June 2008
single-step biochemical conversion of nongrain biomass. ■ A utility in California has signed a series of contracts for 900 MW of solar thermal power. Pacific Gas & Electric has entered into three contracts with BrightSource Energy, to supply 500 MW from three solar thermal (electric) generating projects. And it signed two other contracts for options on an additional 400 MW of solar power. ■ OptiSolar of California is developing an eco550 MW PV solar farm in San Luis Obispo County, California.
Africa, Asia and the Middle East ■ The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to lend
US$113 million to a Hong Kong company, to help it develop two windfarms in India. ADB will extend the rupee-denominated loan to an Indian subsidiary of CLP Holdings, to fund wind facilities in the states of Gujarat and Karnataka. The windfarms will cost US$250m (Rs9.9bn) and private sponsors will use internal funds and long-term debt from other sources to cover the balance. ■ And the ADB will also establish five funds for clean energy projects, with a total target investment of US$1.2bn. The funds will each
receive US$20m in capital from ADB. The MAP Clean Energy Fund has the largest target size out of the five funds, and is striving to invest US$400 million in geothermal projects in Indonesia, as well as windfarms in India and Pakistan, and various bioethanol projects. The China Environment Fund III has a target of US$250m, and will invest in solar PV modules, large-capacity batteries for windfarms, and electronic control systems for windpower. GEF South Asia Clean Energy Fund has a target size of US$200m, and the Asia Clean Energy Fund has a target size of US$200m. The China Clean Energy Capital Fund has a target size of US$150m and will invest in windfarms, solar thermal and biomass projects. ■ A joint venture (JV) of EPURON GmbH and the Turkish building company ATASEVEN is planning the construction of large wind parks in Turkey. The two companies have submitted plans for 10 wind projects – with a total power capacity of 3,000 MW – to the national energy authority Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) for approval. ■ The Kyoto Protocol’s clean development mechanism (CDM) has registered its 1000th project – an energy efficiency project in Andhra Pradesh, India, expected to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 34,000 tonnes annually. CDM projects have so far generated more than 135 million certified emission reductions (CERs). The mechanism is anticipated to generate more than 2.7 billion CERs in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. ■ Spanish engineering group Sener Grupo de Ingenieria and Masdar of Abu Dhabi have created a JV to design, build and operate concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in Spain. Torresol Energy will work on three plants with a combined value of 800m. One of these would be a CSP central tower receiver system, which will prepare for 500 MW of CSP projects by 2012. Masdar is also developing CSP plants in Abu Dhabi and its Shams 1 facility will be finished in 2010.
ROW ■ BP is to take a 50% stake in Tropical
BioEnergia SA, a JV established by Brazilian companies Santelisa Vale and Maeda Group. The JV is constructing a 435 million litre-peryear ethanol refinery in Edéia, Goias State, Brazil. ■ The Philippines will spend US$142 million on alternative energy and nature conservation in 2008, says President Arroyo.