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jpak
jpak's Journal
jpak's Journal
April 16, 2012
Pending approval from the city and the state, Williston, Vt.-based solar manufacturer AllEarth Renewables will build a 150 kilowatt solar farm on city-owned land in Rutland, Vt.
The proposed farm, announced Monday by Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras, would save the city about 5 percent a year - about $2,000 a year - on electricity for Rutland City Hall, Jeffords Amtrak Station, and a portion of Giorgetti Arena. Louras told Mass High tech that while the monetary savings is important, the project is also intended to show the city’s commitment to alternative energy innovation in anticipation of Green Mountain Power Corp.’s proposed Energy Innovation Center, to be located in Rutland.
Green Mountain Power has committed to bringing its Solar City initiative to Rutland as part of its merger with Central Vermont Public Service Corp. The initiative and the planned Innovation Center are part of an agreement that will help preserve jobs in Rutland during the merger.
The project will be built on land known in town as the “old poor farm” - land designated during the Great Depression for migrant farmers to live and work. The land is now used as a municipal tree nursery and for community gardens, both of which will remain after the solar farm is built.
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AllEarth Renewables proposes new Vermont solar farm
http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2012/04/16/daily8-AllEarth-Renewables-proposes-new-Vermont-solar-farm.htmlPending approval from the city and the state, Williston, Vt.-based solar manufacturer AllEarth Renewables will build a 150 kilowatt solar farm on city-owned land in Rutland, Vt.
The proposed farm, announced Monday by Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras, would save the city about 5 percent a year - about $2,000 a year - on electricity for Rutland City Hall, Jeffords Amtrak Station, and a portion of Giorgetti Arena. Louras told Mass High tech that while the monetary savings is important, the project is also intended to show the city’s commitment to alternative energy innovation in anticipation of Green Mountain Power Corp.’s proposed Energy Innovation Center, to be located in Rutland.
Green Mountain Power has committed to bringing its Solar City initiative to Rutland as part of its merger with Central Vermont Public Service Corp. The initiative and the planned Innovation Center are part of an agreement that will help preserve jobs in Rutland during the merger.
The project will be built on land known in town as the “old poor farm” - land designated during the Great Depression for migrant farmers to live and work. The land is now used as a municipal tree nursery and for community gardens, both of which will remain after the solar farm is built.
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April 16, 2012
The success of an 80-acre, 10-megawatt solar project in Washington County may lead outside financier Smart Energy Capital to do more in Georgia, but only if there's support from business and civic officials.
The regulations have to be there to support it," said Michael Grenier, the managing partner at Smart Energy Capital, which gave details Monday about the large solar project in Middle Georgia that will sell electricity to Cobb EMC. "We're watching. We're interested. If things allow for us to come in and the economics support it, we'll be here like anywhere else."
Smart Energy and Jacoby Development have agreed to build what will be called the Azalea Solar Facility in Davisboro. The cost of the project -- which will produce enough power to serve 1,500 homes -- is estimated at $30 million to $35 million.
Construction is expected to start in September and create about 75 jobs. It will likely be completed sometime between the end of this year and mid-2013.
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(10 MW) Solar project could be a catalyst for more if policies allow it (Georgia)
http://www.ajc.com/business/solar-project-could-be-1418862.htmlThe success of an 80-acre, 10-megawatt solar project in Washington County may lead outside financier Smart Energy Capital to do more in Georgia, but only if there's support from business and civic officials.
The regulations have to be there to support it," said Michael Grenier, the managing partner at Smart Energy Capital, which gave details Monday about the large solar project in Middle Georgia that will sell electricity to Cobb EMC. "We're watching. We're interested. If things allow for us to come in and the economics support it, we'll be here like anywhere else."
Smart Energy and Jacoby Development have agreed to build what will be called the Azalea Solar Facility in Davisboro. The cost of the project -- which will produce enough power to serve 1,500 homes -- is estimated at $30 million to $35 million.
Construction is expected to start in September and create about 75 jobs. It will likely be completed sometime between the end of this year and mid-2013.
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April 16, 2012
MADRID, April 16 (Reuters) - Spain's wind parks provided a record 60.46 percent of demand for electricity early on Monday, national grid manager REE said, after a windy weekend that reduced wholesale power prices to their lowest levels in more than two years.
The new record percentage set at 3:48 a.m. local time (0148 GMT) compared with a previous maximum of 59.63 percent at 2 a.m. on Nov. 11.
The Iberian Electricity Market's (Mibel) spot exchange OMIE set the benchmark "pool" price in Spain for Sunday at 10.99 euros ($14.38) per megawatt-hour, its lowest since fixing a level of 6.32 euros for Jan. 1, 2010.
Wind power sways the spot market, because producers can sell it at a considerable discount to electricity generated by burning coal and gas.
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Spain wind power reaches 60.5% demand, prices fall
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/16/markets-iberia-power-idUSL6E8FG8NH20120416MADRID, April 16 (Reuters) - Spain's wind parks provided a record 60.46 percent of demand for electricity early on Monday, national grid manager REE said, after a windy weekend that reduced wholesale power prices to their lowest levels in more than two years.
The new record percentage set at 3:48 a.m. local time (0148 GMT) compared with a previous maximum of 59.63 percent at 2 a.m. on Nov. 11.
The Iberian Electricity Market's (Mibel) spot exchange OMIE set the benchmark "pool" price in Spain for Sunday at 10.99 euros ($14.38) per megawatt-hour, its lowest since fixing a level of 6.32 euros for Jan. 1, 2010.
Wind power sways the spot market, because producers can sell it at a considerable discount to electricity generated by burning coal and gas.
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April 16, 2012
The European Union’s “recession- busting” wind power industry is forecast to triple in value as its labor force doubles in the 10 years through 2020, the European Wind Energy Association said.
The contribution of the wind industry to the economy of the 27-nation EU will rise to 94.5 billion euros ($123 billion) in 2020 from 32.4 billion euros in 2010, the lobby group, known as EWEA, said today in a report published in Copenhagen at the start of its annual conference. Jobs supported by the industry will jump to 520,000 from 238,154, it said.
“Wind energy is a recession-busting industry,” EWEA President Arthouros Zervos said in a statement. It is “providing increasing economic activity, more jobs and exports every year to an EU struggling with an economic crisis intensified by ever-increasing amounts of fuel being imported at rising costs.”
The EU is chasing a target of getting 20 percent of all energy for power, heating and transport from renewables by 2020. The contribution of the wind industry to EU economic output increased by a third in 2010 from 2007, according to today’s report. EWEA said Feb. 6 that wind power capacity expanded more than 10 percent last year with 21 percent of the bloc’s new power capacity coming from wind.
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EU’s ‘Recession-Busting’ Wind Industry Set to Triple in Value
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-04-16/eu-s-recession-busting-wind-industry-set-to-triple-in-valueThe European Union’s “recession- busting” wind power industry is forecast to triple in value as its labor force doubles in the 10 years through 2020, the European Wind Energy Association said.
The contribution of the wind industry to the economy of the 27-nation EU will rise to 94.5 billion euros ($123 billion) in 2020 from 32.4 billion euros in 2010, the lobby group, known as EWEA, said today in a report published in Copenhagen at the start of its annual conference. Jobs supported by the industry will jump to 520,000 from 238,154, it said.
“Wind energy is a recession-busting industry,” EWEA President Arthouros Zervos said in a statement. It is “providing increasing economic activity, more jobs and exports every year to an EU struggling with an economic crisis intensified by ever-increasing amounts of fuel being imported at rising costs.”
The EU is chasing a target of getting 20 percent of all energy for power, heating and transport from renewables by 2020. The contribution of the wind industry to EU economic output increased by a third in 2010 from 2007, according to today’s report. EWEA said Feb. 6 that wind power capacity expanded more than 10 percent last year with 21 percent of the bloc’s new power capacity coming from wind.
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April 10, 2012
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has confirmed the state's first case of partially Africanized honeybees in a bee colony in Monroe County.
The discovery was confirmed last week after the bee keeper notified a state inspector that his bees were acting aggressively. Samples from the hive were sent to a state laboratory in Florida for genetic testing, and those results showed the bees to be 17 percent Africanized.
The colony has been destroyed and state agricultural officials now are working with area bee- keepers to monitor their hives for aggressive behavior.
In addition, officials also will be on the lookout for aggressive behavior among wild bee colonies.
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Partially Africanized bees found in East Tennessee
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/partially-africanized-bees-found-in-east/The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has confirmed the state's first case of partially Africanized honeybees in a bee colony in Monroe County.
The discovery was confirmed last week after the bee keeper notified a state inspector that his bees were acting aggressively. Samples from the hive were sent to a state laboratory in Florida for genetic testing, and those results showed the bees to be 17 percent Africanized.
The colony has been destroyed and state agricultural officials now are working with area bee- keepers to monitor their hives for aggressive behavior.
In addition, officials also will be on the lookout for aggressive behavior among wild bee colonies.
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March 23, 2012
MILWAUKEE – Temperatures in Wisconsin had already hit the high 60s when Gretchen Grape and her family began tapping their 850 maple trees. They had waited for the state's ceremonial tapping to kick off the maple sugaring season. It was moved up five days, but that didn't make much difference.
Maple sap drips from a tap in Calais, Vt., on Wednesday. Many maple-syrup producers in the Midwest and Northeast have had their harvests cut short by warm weather, a setback that could be hard for smaller producers to overcome.
For Grape, the typically monthlong season ended nine days later. The sap had stopped flowing in a record-setting heat wave, and the 5-quart collection bags that in a good year fill in a day were still half-empty. Instead of their usual 300 gallons of syrup, her family had about 40.
Maple syrup producers across the North have had their season cut short by unusually warm weather. While those with expensive, modern vacuum systems say they've been able to suck a decent amount of sap from their trees, producers like Grape, who still rely on traditional taps and buckets, have seen their year ruined.
"It's frustrating," said the 69-year-old retiree from Holcombe, Wis. "You put in the same amount of work, equipment, investment, and then all of a sudden, boom, you have no sap."
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Here in Maine, the sap started running in mid-February - if you didn't catch that run you were SOL.
The 80 degree weather this week caused the trees to flower.
It's over - even though Maple Syrup Sunday is next week.
Warm weather cuts short US maple sugaring season
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/story/2012-03-23/maple-syrup-sugaring-season-warm-weather/53739528/1MILWAUKEE – Temperatures in Wisconsin had already hit the high 60s when Gretchen Grape and her family began tapping their 850 maple trees. They had waited for the state's ceremonial tapping to kick off the maple sugaring season. It was moved up five days, but that didn't make much difference.
Maple sap drips from a tap in Calais, Vt., on Wednesday. Many maple-syrup producers in the Midwest and Northeast have had their harvests cut short by warm weather, a setback that could be hard for smaller producers to overcome.
For Grape, the typically monthlong season ended nine days later. The sap had stopped flowing in a record-setting heat wave, and the 5-quart collection bags that in a good year fill in a day were still half-empty. Instead of their usual 300 gallons of syrup, her family had about 40.
Maple syrup producers across the North have had their season cut short by unusually warm weather. While those with expensive, modern vacuum systems say they've been able to suck a decent amount of sap from their trees, producers like Grape, who still rely on traditional taps and buckets, have seen their year ruined.
"It's frustrating," said the 69-year-old retiree from Holcombe, Wis. "You put in the same amount of work, equipment, investment, and then all of a sudden, boom, you have no sap."
<more>
Here in Maine, the sap started running in mid-February - if you didn't catch that run you were SOL.
The 80 degree weather this week caused the trees to flower.
It's over - even though Maple Syrup Sunday is next week.
March 7, 2012
Rising tensions between Iran and the West are overwhelming a bedrock principle that has dominated the oil market for nearly a decade: Oil prices move in the opposite direction of the dollar.
U.S. oil prices have climbed 12% since early November, with most of those gains coming after U.N. inspectors issued a report saying they suspected Iran was renewing efforts to produce nuclear weapons. The dollar also has strengthened over that period, gaining 4.8% as measured by the ICE U.S. Dollar Index, which weighs the dollar against a basket of other currencies.
The shift has occurred amid a collision between the two investments: The surge in oil prices, caused by fears Iran could block oil shipments or halt production in the event of military conflict, coincided with a deepening of Europe's debt crisis, which bolstered the dollar as the euro flagged. It is unusual because a higher dollar makes dollar-denominated oil more expensive for those buying in other currencies, reducing demand.
It has thrown some trading strategies into disarray. John Kilduff, founding partner of hedge fund Again Capital, says he has at times adjusted his firm's position in oil futures daily based on movements in the dollar, but began disregarding it in December as Iran tensions drove oil prices up and the pairing no longer held. Without the indicator to guide investment direction, his fund has trimmed oil holdings 20%.
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Ties That Bind Oil and Dollar Snap
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204276304577265730090903516.htmlRising tensions between Iran and the West are overwhelming a bedrock principle that has dominated the oil market for nearly a decade: Oil prices move in the opposite direction of the dollar.
U.S. oil prices have climbed 12% since early November, with most of those gains coming after U.N. inspectors issued a report saying they suspected Iran was renewing efforts to produce nuclear weapons. The dollar also has strengthened over that period, gaining 4.8% as measured by the ICE U.S. Dollar Index, which weighs the dollar against a basket of other currencies.
The shift has occurred amid a collision between the two investments: The surge in oil prices, caused by fears Iran could block oil shipments or halt production in the event of military conflict, coincided with a deepening of Europe's debt crisis, which bolstered the dollar as the euro flagged. It is unusual because a higher dollar makes dollar-denominated oil more expensive for those buying in other currencies, reducing demand.
It has thrown some trading strategies into disarray. John Kilduff, founding partner of hedge fund Again Capital, says he has at times adjusted his firm's position in oil futures daily based on movements in the dollar, but began disregarding it in December as Iran tensions drove oil prices up and the pairing no longer held. Without the indicator to guide investment direction, his fund has trimmed oil holdings 20%.
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March 5, 2012
PORTLAND, Maine — With its federal license in hand, a Maine-based tidal energy company is ready to install its underwater power system for the first time on the floor of the ocean.
Ocean Renewable Power Co. aims to begin installation of its first grid-connected power unit in mid-March at a 60-acre site in Cobscook Bay at the nation’s easternmost tip.
<snip>
Eventually, Ocean Renewable hopes to install more units to bring its electrical output to 4 megawatts at sites off both Lubec and Eastport. Ocean Renewable holds permits for three sites in the area, one of the world’s best tidal sites, where twice a day the tide rises and falls 20 feet.
All told, the company sees up to 50 megawatts of tidal power potential in the Eastport and Lubec areas, enough to power thousands of homes, Sauer said.
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Maine company ready to install tidal power unit
http://bangordailynews.com/2012/03/04/news/down-east/maine-company-ready-to-install-tidal-power-unit/PORTLAND, Maine — With its federal license in hand, a Maine-based tidal energy company is ready to install its underwater power system for the first time on the floor of the ocean.
Ocean Renewable Power Co. aims to begin installation of its first grid-connected power unit in mid-March at a 60-acre site in Cobscook Bay at the nation’s easternmost tip.
<snip>
Eventually, Ocean Renewable hopes to install more units to bring its electrical output to 4 megawatts at sites off both Lubec and Eastport. Ocean Renewable holds permits for three sites in the area, one of the world’s best tidal sites, where twice a day the tide rises and falls 20 feet.
All told, the company sees up to 50 megawatts of tidal power potential in the Eastport and Lubec areas, enough to power thousands of homes, Sauer said.
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March 1, 2012
The U.K. could save as much as 3.5 billion pounds ($5.6 billion) by connecting offshore wind farms to each other, cutting down on construction and operating costs.
As much as 15 percent could be knocked off the estimated 24 billion-pound bill for building wind infrastructure, according to a joint statement today from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and energy regulator Ofgem.
The U.K. is seeking to have about 18 gigawatts of turbines at sea installed from 2 gigawatts at present to meet climate change goals. A European “supergrid” linking Britain’s electricity network to the continent could reduce the cost of connecting offshore wind farms by a quarter, according to the U.K. parliamentary Energy and Climate Change Committee.
“Linking up power cables between offshore wind farms could make some serious savings, so we would be crazy not to encourage it,” Energy Minister Charles Hendry said in the statement. The government is seeking to lower the cost of offshore wind to 100 pounds a megawatt-hour by 2020 from about 150 pounds.
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U.K. Could Save $5.6 Billion by Linking Offshore Wind Farms
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-01/u-k-could-save-5-6-billion-by-linking-offshore-wind-farms.htmlThe U.K. could save as much as 3.5 billion pounds ($5.6 billion) by connecting offshore wind farms to each other, cutting down on construction and operating costs.
As much as 15 percent could be knocked off the estimated 24 billion-pound bill for building wind infrastructure, according to a joint statement today from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and energy regulator Ofgem.
The U.K. is seeking to have about 18 gigawatts of turbines at sea installed from 2 gigawatts at present to meet climate change goals. A European “supergrid” linking Britain’s electricity network to the continent could reduce the cost of connecting offshore wind farms by a quarter, according to the U.K. parliamentary Energy and Climate Change Committee.
“Linking up power cables between offshore wind farms could make some serious savings, so we would be crazy not to encourage it,” Energy Minister Charles Hendry said in the statement. The government is seeking to lower the cost of offshore wind to 100 pounds a megawatt-hour by 2020 from about 150 pounds.
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March 1, 2012
Annual statistics recently released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) once again show the massive growth in cumulative wind farm capacity in Asia, to 82,398 MW last year from 61,106 MW at the end of 2010.
Wind energy growth in Asia is part of the region’s future. Annual statistics recently released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) once again show the massive growth in cumulative wind farm capacity in Asia, to 82,398 MW last year from 61,106 MW at the end of 2010.
When matched with Asia’s continuing population increases, the GWEC statistics seem to indicate that the region as a whole is well placed to incorporate even greater amounts of wind power into its grids in coming decades as the world replaces dirty carbon energy sources with green sustainable electricity.
Trailing behind only the EU, which had a total of 93,957 MW of installed wind turbines capacity by the end of 2011, Asia was the second place regional leader with a total of 82,398 MW of installed wind farm capacity.
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Wind power growth in Asia is part of the region’s future
http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=16948Annual statistics recently released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) once again show the massive growth in cumulative wind farm capacity in Asia, to 82,398 MW last year from 61,106 MW at the end of 2010.
Wind energy growth in Asia is part of the region’s future. Annual statistics recently released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) once again show the massive growth in cumulative wind farm capacity in Asia, to 82,398 MW last year from 61,106 MW at the end of 2010.
When matched with Asia’s continuing population increases, the GWEC statistics seem to indicate that the region as a whole is well placed to incorporate even greater amounts of wind power into its grids in coming decades as the world replaces dirty carbon energy sources with green sustainable electricity.
Trailing behind only the EU, which had a total of 93,957 MW of installed wind turbines capacity by the end of 2011, Asia was the second place regional leader with a total of 82,398 MW of installed wind farm capacity.
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