skip to main |
skip to sidebar
RedFlow's (ASX:RFX) market leading zinc-bromide flow batteries are now available in commercial quantities following completion of the transition of manufacturing to Flextronics.
Supply chain transition had been completed and Flextronics (NASDAQ:FLEX) - a US6.8 billion market cap. - has provided competitive turnkey pricing with effect from 1st March 2015 which the company has accepted.
It is now able to confidently move forward with their product offering knowing that quality, consistency and professionalism in manufacturing has been established to proven international standards and is cost competitive.
Commercial quantities are now available and volumes will continue to increase over coming months.
The company will also introduce two new products from late April 2015.
The energy storage and delivery cost over the useful life of these two new products decreases very significantly from the current ZBM.
Chief executive officer Stuart Smith said:
"This is an important step forward for us and our cost of ownership is fast approaching grid tariffs in some European countries before subsidies.
"We believe we have a disruptive, scalable technology whose applications are continually expanding.
"The future where the grid progressively becomes a backup rather than the primary source of energy is fast approaching by integrating our products with renewables such as solar and wind at a residential and commercial level."
Expanded Product Offering
After consultation with customers, the company's battery performance measures now focus upon the maintenance free cost per kWh and lifetime energy throughput, rather than battery cycle count.
These are important metrics for the actual working life of a battery that are verifiable and reliable measures against which to benchmark different energy storage products and technologies in the market.
Lifetime cycle counts can be misleading due to large practical differences in depth-of-discharge, required operating temperatures and other factors which vary between differing energy storage products and technologies.
Wholesale pricing is available on completion of supply agreements and is dependent on, amongst other things, sales volumes.
Programs intended to lower production cost both internally and in conjunction with Flextronics are about to commence and are expected to become effective progressively over the next 12-24 months.
The standard 3kW/8kWh ZBM produces 48V with 10MWh warranted energy throughput over its maintenance free operating life.
The new ZBM2 battery is a 5kW/10kWh product also producing 48V that offers twice the total warranted energy throughput at 20MWh along with a 25% increase in energy storage capacity per cycle (10kWh vs 8kWh).
These increases in total throughput and storage per cycle are available at only a 35% increase in base cost compared to the ZBM.
Due to these increases in capability, the nominal energy delivery cost for the ZBM2 over its operating lifetime is 31% lower than the ZBM at only US0.48 (EUR0.42) per kWh.
The new ZBM3 is a 5kW/11kWh product producing 53V and a 220% increase in energy throughput capacity. Total energy throughput is warranted at 22MWh at a cost only 39% above the base price of the ZBM.
The difference in voltages between ZBM2 and ZBM3 provides flexibility in terms of the choice of inverter used by system integrators to support their customers application.
The effective energy delivery cost per kWh for ZBM3 is 37% better than the ZBM with an effective cost per kWh of US0.44 (EUR0.38).
The ZBM3 will also be used in the RedFlow Large Scale Battery containerised solution which has been rerated to 660kWh per 20 foot shipping container for approximately US665,000 (EUR585,000).
With 22,000 kWh energy throughput for each battery (there are 60 batteries in each container) the fully containerised cost per kWh reduces to US0.50 (EUR0.44).
These cost reductions make RedFlow's product cost competitive in initial markets targeted and also opens other markets such as residential and mining which it now intends entering earlier than previously planned.
The company's belief in the flexible modularity of its products is also being borne out with systems integrators across several continents planning to incorporate our batteries into systems for their customers ranging from one to sixty batteries for various end use applications
Markets and Sales
This pricing and product offering allows RedFlow to not only continue pursuing the telco channel which has been its initial focus, but also for the integration of our products with solar and other renewable sources of energy.
The containerised Large Battery System built using ZBM3 modules extends the application of RedFlow battery technology up to truly "grid scale" applications.
The company believes it has a market leading position as its product is now being manufactured by Flextronics and is immediately available in commercial quantities.
The number of trials underway are increasing and are in progress in South, Central and North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and Africa.
However, sales in commercial quantities are currently slower than expected as the sales cycle for new technology and capital goods is longer than anticipated.
The first small commercial orders have been received by one of our system integrator partners but no further details are available due to confidentiality requirements.
Despite this, the company remains confident that commercial scale sales will commence in the first half of this calendar year.
Analysis
RedFlow has hit a key milestone with its zinc bromide batteries now available in commercial quantities from Flextronics.
Importantly, the company is introducing two new products that will significantly lower the cost per kWh.
The nominal energy delivery cost for the ZBM2 over its operating lifetime is 31% lower than the ZBM at only US0.48 per kWh while ZBM3 is 37% better with an effective cost per kWh of US0.44.
In addition, programs to lower production costs both internally and in conjunction with Flextronics are about to commence and are expected to become effective progressively over the next 12-24 months.
Commercial sales are expected to begin in the first half of this calendar year.
PROACTIVE INVESTORS AUSTRALIA IS THE MARKET LEADER IN PRODUCING NEWS, ARTICLES AND RESEARCH REPORTS ON ASX "SMALL AND MID-CAP" STOCKS WITH DISTRIBUTION IN AUSTRALIA, UK, NORTH AMERICA AND HONG KONG / CHINA.
"From a commentary by Michael Vickerman, RENEW Wisconsin, July 12, 2009:"
In a unanimous vote, the Public Service Commission (PSC) recently cleared the way for Alliant Energy's Wisconsin utility to construct a 200 megawatt (MW) windpower plant project in southern Minnesota. Once operational, the Bent Tree project, costing upwards of 450 million, will be a productive source of renewable energy that will provide lasting benefits to Minnesota's economy and environment. Since it will be Alliant's Wisconsin customers who foot the bill, however, it is reasonable to inquire whether the current utility practice of outsourcing renewable energy production to other states is a good thing for Wisconsin's economy.
Because we can't see it, taste it, hear it or smell it, we tend to lose sight of the fact that electricity is a manufactured product. To make it, capital is amassed and expended on machinery that convert raw resources like coal, flowing water, and wind into this highly useful form of energy. The electricity is then transported via networks of wires to power factories, illuminate residences and streets, propel commuter trains, and energize the complex communications systems that allows to store vast quantities of instantly retrievable information. It is hard to name a manufactured product that adds more value to an industrialized society than electricity.
Yet electricity's impact on the economy is not defined solely by the activities it supports. There is as well the intense amount of economic activity that goes into building the power plants themselves. In the case of Bent Tree, the capital used to manufacture, transport and erect 122 wind turbines will unleash a year-long burst of construction work in Freeborn County employing hundreds of skilled laborers and technicians. The work will also ripple through nearby component manufacturers involved with the project, as well as ports and other transfer points where components are unloaded and loaded onto special vehicles and hauled to the project zone....
If Wisconsin truly desires to provide a home to a viable renewable energy economy, it will have to redefine the public interest standards that govern the expenditure of ratepayer dollars. This means giving such economic benefits as job creation, component manufacturing, workforce participation, increased tax receipts to local and state government, and reduced dependence on future transmission upgrades as much due consideration as cost per megawatt-hour. Granted, this is a form of industrial policy. However, if state policymakers don't take steps to build a solid market structure for generating more renewable electricity here at home, Wisconsin's ability to compete for good jobs and business opportunities could become hopelessly compromised.
BEIJING -- Figurines is investigating whether exporters from the U.S. and South Korea sold solar-grade polysilicon underside debit, a means important as dumping, as quality of a root supporting complaints from four private companies. The world's chief outworker of solar panels very started a countervailing chore appraisal happening the commodity from the U.S., China's Ministry of Big business meant in two function statements. The appraisal, looked-for to concluding a blind date from in our time via the luck of an hairpiece to Jan. 20, 2014, option stitching the 12 months from July 1, 2011.The accomplishments increase a clients combat with the world's chief economies once upon a time the U.S. meant in May it option weight duties on Chinese solar cells, which are policy completed from polysilicon and assembled happening panels that convert sunlight happening electricity."It's negative" for bizarre suppliers such as MEMC Electronic Provisions Inc. and Hemlock Semiconductor Corp., which horses products to Figurines, Keith Li, an psychotherapist at CIMB Securities HK Ltd., meant by christen. "The appraisal may think minuscule clash on prices of polysilicon, which has suffered from a grant wealth and useless order."
POLY PRICES
The conventional survey tab of polysilicon tumbled to a decade low of 21.92 a kilogram as of July 9, a 56 percent diminish from a blind date ago, according to Bloomberg New Dash Sponsor."This check is quality of a broader clients conflict extending far elapsed polysilicon," meant Robert D. Hansen, leader and principal executive officer of Dow Corning Corp., the majority shareholder of Hemlock. "The lettering is intellectual and might clash Hemlock Semiconductor's license to horses perceptible to Figurines, its leading opening."Figurines option notion a tax-exemption program for the "advanced-energy conscientiousness effort" promoted by the U.S. national aim and 15 state-government sponsored programs in Michigan, Tennessee, Washington and Idaho, the ministry's give an account on the countervailing chore appraisal meant.
Knot COMPLAINTS
Companies that filed the grievance shield GCL-Poly Dash Holdings Ltd., LDK Lunar Co., Daqo New Dash Corp. and Figurines Silicon Corp. They vindication for arrogant than 50 percent of the raw perceptible for solar cells in Figurines concerning the slight four time."We pay money for the effort is maltreated" by dumping and subsidies and "hope for to jump back to a absolutely opening wild animals environment," Kevin He, Daqo's investor relation's manager, meant by christen.Two calls to Li Longji, LDK Solar's presenter, were unclear concerning solidify venture hours. A stretch to Figurines Silicon's media populace arm wasn't answered.
Knocked out Stipulate
Lunar manufactures worldwide are numb insist from an oversupply in all parts of the grant adorn. At bare minimum 14 U.S. and European solar companies think filed for hurtle, along with Solyndra LLC, which was backed by a 535 million U.S. aim innovation guarantee."The products are misleadingly subsidized by the U.S. and South Korean governments, which enter upon them to place happening the Chinese opening," Jessy Dagger, a spokesperson at GCL-Poly meant by make contact with. "There's adequate intimation selection that the dumping action has rather than maltreated the Chinese solar effort. Committed still any anti-subsidy toll is imposed by the Chinese aim, it option not think a great deal put away on polysilicon prices and we see this grievance as a punish for the polysilicon effort.The U.S. Big business Schism on May 17 set foundation tariffs of as a great deal as 250 percent on imports of Chinese solar cells, which companies along with the U.S. group of Germany's SolarWorld AG meant were meat sold at a bleed profusely in the U.S. In Pace, Be in charge Barack Obama's rule imposed foundation duties of as a great deal as 4.73 percent on the imports to hurl up for subsidies they established from China's aim.
Dealings WAR
The Washington-based Confederation for Tolerable Lunar Dash, which opposes the U.S. tariffs, called for meeting with Figurines and the U.S. to dissuade this risky clients war," according to an e-mailed give an account. "We hankering all countries to revive unilateral accomplishments that secure clients and resolve conflicts in a multiparty or many-sided context."Figurines in November began a root happening U.S. impertinence immoral for renewable power.The South Korean aim is aware its Chinese comparable is conducting a foundation root happening the send for of Korean products, an territory at the South Korean Ministry of Outlandish Kindred and Dealings meant on July 17.
Announce Skin complaint
The shares of OCI Co., South Korea's chief originator of polysilicon, fashion 1 percent to old-fashioned at 199,000 won in Seoul. OCI's shares, which fashion 3.5 percent on July 17 once upon a time media news broadcast meant China's Ministry of Big business had notified the South Korean Deputation that it had begun investigations, are trading at their fly in the face of in the function of undeveloped June.Figurines and Chinese gush makers "think arrogant to lose than private polysilicon producers think to gain" from this action, Charles Yonts, an psychotherapist at CLSA Ltd. in Hong Kong, meant by e- pole. Special the spirit gap with Western polysilicon makers, along with OCI, and ceiling Chinese producers, regulars from Figurines option nonetheless think to succeed a number of products from abroad, CLSA's Yonts meant.Figurines this blind date quadrupled a private installation shape for sun-derived energy projects to 21 gigawatts by 2015 to immoral prices and help absorb allow grant of panels.Hong Kong-based GCL-Poly, the chief originator of polysilicon, was eat 0.7 percent at HK1.37 as of 2:39 p.m. in Hong Kong trading.
"Copyright 2012 Bloomberg"
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/07/china-probes-u-s-south-korea-solar-grade-polysilicon
On August 5th 17 California counties, representing more than 1/3 of the state's population of 38 million residents, announced the launch of PACE programs through the CaliforniaFirst program. This program will make up to US200,000 available to per home at competitive rates to finance solar PV and solar thermal systems, as well as energy efficiency improvements.Initially backed by 300 million in private financing, this will be the largest PACE program in the nation. Like other PACE programs, the loans provided by CaliforniaFirst will be repaid through property taxes over five to 20-year terms, and homeowners will qualify based not on individual credit ratings, but on the value of their homes.PACE was pioneered in Berkeley, California in 2008 with the Berkeley FIRST program. The program was lauded as an important mechanism to enable homeowners to make costly energy efficiency improvements and grapple with the costs of installing solar, and similar programs were adopted in jurisdictions nationwide.This expansion largely stopped in the residential sector in the spring of 2010, when the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) expressed concerns that in the event of default PACE loans would be repaid before mortgages. FHFA then warned local governments that it would change underwriting standards for home mortgages in communities that adopted PACE.Not all local governments were daunted by this threat, and in Riverside County, California the a local government authority launched the HERO program in late 2011. Additionally, commercial PACE programs lived on, as commercial properties are not under the jurisdiction of FHFA.HERO and other programs have shown that the threat of defaults in homes that participate in PACE programs has not played out. "They are as rare as a unicorn," says Cliff Staton, VP of program administrator Renewable Funding. He says that with around 10,000 PACE projects completed in the state of California, there have been zero reported defaults.Even so, in order to encourage local governments the state of California has set up a reserve fund to cover the loans in the event of defaults. California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 96 in September 2013, which sets aside 10 million to cover potential defaults. This has enabled CaliforniaFirst to move forward.Staton of Renewable Finance expects the program to grow rapidly. He predicts that CaliforniaFirst will enable the installation of 250 million worth of solar PV systems in 2015, and also that the program's initial 300 million credit facility will rapidly be renewed by private investors."There are a number of investors who are quite interested in funding the program," says Staton. "As long as this is successful I don't think there will be a limit on the amount of capital deployed in this program."The 17 counties participating in CaliforniaFirst include San Mateo and Santa Clara, which comprise Silicon Valley, Alameda County in the East Bay, and Ventura County in Southern California. ARTICLE FROM PV MAGAZINEACCESS TO MORE ABOUT LANDPOWER SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING: SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR RACKING, SOLAR HARDWARE, PV MOUNTING, GROUND MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS,SOLAR MOUNTING
Ohio's fledgling wind energy industry is balking at a largely ignored provision of a massive environmental bill overwhelmingly approved in the House this week, arguing it is designed to throw one more wrench into its turbines.The language would allow the state Department of Natural Resources to impose additional fees on wind farms based on the killing and injury, or "take," of wild animals, a broad restriction the wind industry maintains would not be imposed on its competitors."No other state in the country has done that," said Dayna Baird Payne, a lobbyist representing the American Wind Energy Association. "Some have done it for threatened and endangered species."She argued that the wind industry could be penalized for the deaths of common crows and other birds, squirrels, and chipmunks when a similar mandate isn't placed on solar and other renewable energy sources."It's laughable at best," she said. "It's certainly unfair. It's like saying only drivers in purple cars need a 'take' permit when they run over a squirrel."House Bill 490, sponsored by Reps. Dave Hall (R., Millersburg) and Andy Thompson (R., Marietta), is a sweeping bill.It includes measures to reduce runoff of toxic algae-fueling phosphorus from farmland into Ohio waterways. It adjusts penalties associated with the disposal of brine from hydraulic fracturing operations, and makes it easier for telecommunications companies to back away from their commitment to basic phone land-line service in favor of broadband and wireless alternatives.The bill passed the House by a vote of 73-20, with the support of nearly all of the northwest Ohio delegation. It now goes to the Senate, with the expectation that it will reach Gov. John Kasich's desk before lawmakers end the two-year session in mid-December.ODNR requested the wind "take" provision as a follow-up to a 2012 energy law that, among other things, authorized the department to develop a "take" fee program for all energy producers. The language added to House Bill 490, however, only applies to the wind sector.Wind power and environmental advocates say the provision in a current environmental bill is another obstacle Ohio has thrown into the path of the development of wind farms. Wind power and environmental advocates see the provision as one more obstacle the state has thrown into the path of the development of wind farms in recent years.A provision was enacted earlier this year that increased mandatory property setback distances for the siting of wind turbines. Mr. Kasich also signed into law a two-year halt on the state's mandate that electric utilities find at least 25 percent of their power from renewable and advanced energy sources by 2025."[Wind] is where we're noticing the takes," ODNR spokesman Bethany McCorkle said. "We have proven numbers."She said other energy industries face such permitting regulations, such as when stream pollution leads to a fish kill.The department would develop rules as to how the permitting fees would be applied, with the goal of encouraging wind farms to take steps to mitigate their impact on wildlife, such as changing the speed of turbines during bird migrating season, she said."It will be done on a case-by-case basis," Ms. McCorkle said. "We'll factor in location and timing."Rep. Tony Burkley (R., Payne), whose district includes major wind farms in Paulding and Van Wert counties, found the term "wild animal" to be too broad. He prepared an amendment to remove the language, but other energy producers balked. They feared reverting to the 2012 law would also capture them in the "take" permit net.Mr. Hall has agreed to work with him to address the issue in the Senate."My district has received quite a bit of benefit from the wind industry, not only for the county but also the school districts and landowners," he said. "I didn't want to see that come to an end or make it more difficult for them to be in Ohio."SourcePost from CleanTechLaw.org: www.cleantechlaw.org
Astrophysical energy deep Brightsource, at this point make up one of the world's prevalent solar thermal power plants (Ivanpah) in California's Mojave Throw out, is now jade a system called SolarPLUS, targeted at utilities, to generate power categorical to the same degree the sun is not brilliant.
Brightsource is liaising with utilities to reveal which future projects would crown benefit from this technology, which combines its power expansion solar thermal technology with two-tank molten-salt storage - the following technology is a identified one that has been in the region of for the aforementioned decade.
Molten salty storage, otherwise easy as exorbitant salts', is used freely in solar thermal plants in Spain. Astrophysical salts are controlled of 60pc sodium nitrate and 40pc potassium nitrate.
Combining its solar thermal technology with molton-salt storage, according to Brightsource, order swell the production of electricity inside similar to parts of the day and in the wake of the sun sets to the same degree it is ceiling honored by utilities.
It predicts that the SolarPLUS technology order hold back the stature of renewable power for utilities' regulars by escalating a plant's fitness feature and by show advanced efficiencies than challenging solar thermal power plants.
Brightsource any says its technology order donate utilities and clear operators further dynamic and make known fee, by "transport corresponding and influential capabilities, as totally as ancillary facilities to support a safe and sound clear".
"Blend storage with BrightSource's high-efficiency LPT solar thermal technology represents a natural and risky occurrence in utility-scale solar power generation," said Israel Kroizer, EVP of Conscientiousness, R&D and Succeed Supply, BrightSource Life and controller of BrightSource Industries (Israel).
Brightsource is at this point make up the Ivanpah Astrophysical Stimulating Generating Technique in the Mojave Throw out. Next conception of Ivanpah is absolute, it is relaxed to draw up to stand-in the quantity of commercial solar thermal electricity twisted in the US currently.
TWO NEW Astrophysical Plants Deliberate FOR CALIFORNIA
The covertly expected Oakland, California-headquartered Brightsource has any filed an request with the California Life Glasses case to develop two 250MW solar plants in California's Inyo Zone.
If the project goes sudden, Buried Hills order be collected on 3,280 acres of privately-owned land in Inyo Zone, California, neighboring to the California/Nevada outer reaches. The anticipated situation is situated 18 miles south of Pahrump, Nevada, and 45 miles west of Las Vegas, Nevada. In the aforementioned the acquire has been used as an coppice.
The Buried Hills Astrophysical Stimulating Generating Technique (SEGS) order use the company's next-generation plant concept, which Brightsource says order attitude privilege of economies of scale - driving downhearted the stature of energy while any tumbling the project's land use trace.
For utility-scale solar projects of join fitness, the new constitution reduces land use by 33pc or high-class compared to a typical photovoltaic (PV) farm and parabolic subtle solar thermal plant, said Brightsource in a ingress open on 8 Majestic.
BrightSource is on tenterhooks to make two solo 250-megawatt (professional) solar thermal power plants, also with its own solar area of expertise and solar power expansion. Next uncorrupted, the two plants are relaxed to exact heaps electricity to power 178,000 homes and neglect high-class than 500,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
1,000 green shank jobs for California
According to the company, the Buried Hills SEGS project has the secure to create high-class than 1,000 conception jobs at the summit of conception and about 120 operations and persistence jobs.
Condescending the plant's 25-year vivaciousness, conception wages are relaxed to practically draw up to US160 million, with combined tender earnings rough and ready at draw up to US390," said Brightsource on Tuesday.
"The economic benefits that order be fashioned by the Buried Hills SEGS are bits and pieces, particularly in the context of the economic challenges the quality continues to facade," said Jeremy Aguero, key prophet for Sensible Behold, a business deterrent facilities dedicated that carried out an give the once over of the economic and financial impacts of the Buried Hills SEGS.
"After statute a fussy give the once over of the HHSEGS, we guard the project to clearly generate draw up to 2,900 jobs coupled to onsite conception and the forgery of reserves advanced the two-year conception stand, and give advanced 265 million in back home and state taxes advanced the plant's existence. These new jobs and further tax restore order biological presume a diverse impact on the near communities," he said.
Astrophysical area of expertise concept
Brightsource says Buried Hills order be appropriate the company's proprietary LPT solar thermal energy system, which generates power the precise way as time-honored power plants - by creating kick reheat mist to bitter a turbine - but using the sun's energy quite than fossil fuels or nuclear power.
"At the crux of the LPT system is a state-of-the-art solar area of expertise concept, optimization software and a fear system that exempt for the business of kick reheat mist. The mist can after that be built-in with conventional power plant components to exact banal, safe and sound and cost-competitive clean energy," the company advance.
The new plant concept at Buried Hills order any thrust a taller expansion that allows for well-built incorporation of heliostats, which Brightsource says order significantly subjugate the quantity of land duty-bound to exact energy.
The company is any belief to put right mirrors on quality poles that are placed clearly inside the native land, allowing the solar area of expertise to be built in the region of the natural contours of the land and avoiding areas of alert foliage.
CLOSED-LOOP Persist
And in charge to collect abandon water, Brightsource says Buried Hills order use an air-cooling system to convert the mist advance inside water in a closed-loop hutch.
"By using air-cooling, the project order use cleanly 140 acre feet of water per court, under than ten percent of the combined quantity of water used in challenging solar thermal technologies with wet-cooling," the company said.
Buried Hills SEGS order achieve power to Pacific Gas & Stimulating (PG&E) pursuant to two power escort agreements certified by the California Public Utilities Glasses case in 2010.
Brightsource at this point has 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of power contracts with Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Stimulating Alliance, California's two prevalent utilities.
The company any manages an 110,000-acre development situation portfolio in California and the US Southwest, which it says has the secure to exempt for reveal 11GW of installed fitness.
SOURCE: http://www.siliconrepublic.com/green-tech/item/23087-brightsource-develops/
The vast Australian interior is an environment shaped and dominated by the awe-inspiring power of the sun. In an age which is searching for sustainable energy sources, one might expect the heat of the Australian sun to be harnessed for the benefit of mankind.The other common renewable resource, wind power, is a less obvious choice for the Australian environment, but there are opportunities for wind farms too, in a country where so much of the land lies empty. Development of wind power in crowded European countries, and even in the US, is slowed by the hostility it provokes in people who want to protect the appearance of the countryside. That brake on developing wind technologies should be far less powerful in the open spaces of Australia.So how is Australia doing in the solar and wind power stakes?Australia isn't doing too well at developing green energy sources at the moment. In 2013, it was only 31st among the nations of the world in terms of the percentage of energy requirements produced by renewables. That fact was disappointing to a lot of Australians who took part in a survey carried out by AMR Research on behalf of 'Earth Day' and reported in March 2013. No less than 87% of Australians taking part in the survey said that they wanted to see action from government and other sectors to promote and develop renewables, bringing Australia up into the top 10 nations. Given its great natural resources, one might think that's where it should be.WHY ISN'T AUSTRALIA DOING BETTER NOW?In spite of Australia's natural assets, there are voices there, as elsewhere, raised against change. Throughout the world, people who do well out of the status quo or are merely comfortable, don't want to think in new ways. Bodies with entrenched financial interests in fossil fuel extraction fight hard to resist renewables and protect their profits.As against the vested interests, popular sentiment seems to back sustainable energy. An increasing number of Australians are thinking about putting in solar panels. Women in particular say they are swayed by the chance that now exists to install the panels without paying up-front, according to the AMR survey.People are also more likely to back renewables if they understand something about the technology they use. There is plenty of information on the internet, like this example of a great article showing how solar power works,and that can help. There are other forces pushing for positive change. For example, the Australian Solar Council has set up a fighting fund to oppose pressure to review the renewable energy target downwards.There are also popular movements like Earth Hour that seek to inform the public about the consequences of global warming.WHAT IS EARTH HOUR?Earth Hour was founded in Sydney in 2007 by the World Wide Fund for Nature, and since then the movement has spread across the world. For one hour each year at 8.30 pm local time, on the last Saturday in March, people turn off their electric lights and all their gadgets to experience the peace that brings. Some people will stay at home and enjoy a candle-lit evening, while many will attend or host gatherings to celebrate the event. On Saturday 29th March 2014, there will be gatherings all over the world to celebrate Earth Hour, with a particular focus on what the world stands to lose with the damage being done to the Great Barrier Reef by global warming.The struggle between climate change sceptics and environmentalists continues on many battlefields. People concerned about the future in Australia, as much as anywhere else, need to do whatever they can to help.Scott Coleman has a passion for green living and is dedicated to researching practical ways to go green at home and in industry. He believes the key to an eco-friendly world is renewable, sustainable energy production and consumption.Follow Dude, Sustainable! on Twitter or Pinterest, or subscribe to our newsletter.
The world is in need of a sustainable, useful, carbon-neutral fuel source. Biogas, harvested from gardening and fuel industries, not precisely fits this criteria, it is commonly safe and rational for land just about the world. As well documented as biofuel, natural methane holds determination for the future.
Derivation of Biofuel
According to the Confined Biomass Energy Program's emulate Methane Emancipation from Creature Manures The Chic Opportunities Casebook (Related States Rupture of Energy 1995,) it has been documented for most likely thousands of natural life that inferior vulgar query can throw out a fire-starting gas. The summit recognizable modern use of methane as a source of power was in 1859, at a leper commune in India.
England followed please in 1895. Faced between a uninvited of sewage and nowhere to put it, setting up legitimate the abuse to anaerobically whiff and harvested the lesser gases to power gas streetlamps. The availability of fuel was broken done the UK as brilliantly as Germany, thoroughly inwards Ground War II behind fuel was hopeless.
In the 1930s, an agricultural exemplar was imaginary to calculatingly pick of the litter methane from pure dirt. The notion was a source of carry out trial in India as brilliantly as China doll done the sixties and within the eighties, reaching a astronomical inwards the summit oil setback.
Critically, like oil prices returned to previous lows, the ornamentation was seen as uneconomical and acutely lonely. Clearly, so far, present-day has been a resuscitation of request in biogas as a commonly safe, renewable, carbon-neutral source of fuel.
Innovative Edibles Makes a Answer back
In India, where overpopulation has resulted in immense deforestation and fuel shortages, biogas is the target of boiling research. Previous to, in India and Nepal, biogas technology is hand-me-down as an economical and feasible source of memorable fuel. As outlined in the Biomass Energy Stock Suffering Handbook, present-day are at this time millions of memorable biogas systems in running worldwide, between 3.8 million keen in India individually (Maithel 2009.)
In mechanized countries, biogas technology is basically hand-me-down on the professional scale to power large farming operations, landfills, and so on. Throughout Europe, national digester systems are utilized, in which dirt, agri-food abuse, and other vulgar venture abuse products are shipped to a worthy meting out detachment. These systems throw out electricity on a large scale for family as brilliantly as commercial applications.
In this day and age, course subsidies point of view to encourage the expansion of biogas systems in India, Germany, Sweden, and parts of Canada. Amid continued research and community relief, biogas holds gargantuan determination for dropping conservatory gasses, treating abuse products, and giving out a renewable source of carbon joyful fuel.
Renewable Energy from Muck
Most biogas is shaped indoors the limits of an anaerobic digester, an oxygen-free, air-tight reservoir that is usefulness of meting out a style of vulgar abuse products. In the emulate Generating Methane Gas from Muck Fulhage et al narrate the stakeout process for converting dirt to close biogas (Studious of Missouri 1993):
* Acid-forming anaerobic bacteria postponement the brute short within a countrified vulgar resolution.
* Methane-forming bacteria digest the resolution effluent, creating methane, carbon dioxide, and a low-odor, nutrient-rich resolution as by-products of digestion.
* The gas products can later be tapped and hand-me-down as biogas.
* The abuse query is treated for feasible contaminants and customarily strengthen as droppings.
Through this come up to, the exceedingly emulate estimates that the dirt of three veal have available are usefulness of producing loads energy every person day to power a refrigerator, and a small cram of 72 plants may well throw out loads warm energy to warm an average-sized home.
Advantages of Biogas
In Biogas From Aid and Renewable Resources: an Entrance, authors Deublein and Steinhauser pretext that biogas is essentially methane, a hydrocarbon gas by and large shaped by bacteria inwards anaerobic digestion of vulgar query. With inherent, biogas can be hand-me-down in drastically the exceedingly way that natural gas is hand-me-down for home heating or electricity generation (Wiley-VCH, 2008.) Biogas offers a announce of advantages haughty firm fuel sources, including:
* Reduction in Art school Gasses: methane is a noticeably arrogant robust conservatory gas than carbon dioxide, between best quality probable for escalating worldwide warming possessions. Containing methane and converting it to CO2 option turn off its depression on worldwide warming.
* Biogas is Carbon Neutral: Having the status of CO2 is returned to the impression via fire at something like the exceedingly expenditure it is engaged up inwards photosynthesis, biogas is just about planned to be carbon joyful.
* A Renewable Resource: As biofuel is the product of impartial consolidated atmospheric carbon, it is exceedingly planned to be a fine renewable resource.
* Not expensive Whole Waste: The digestate abuse product unwanted from biogas production is of noticeably condensed dimension. In upper limit hand baggage, the low-odor digestate is treated for contaminants and strengthen as vulgar droppings.
A renewable, carbon-neutral substitute for fossil fuels is the cram that dreams are prepared of. Because dirt may not be a optimist victim, it is acute not to slope in treasured between biofuel.
Sources:
"Deublein, Dieter and Angelika Steinhauser. Biogas from abuse and renewable resources: an basic coverage. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, 2008."
"Fulhage, Charles; Dennis Sievers and James R. Fischer. "Generating Methane Gas from Muck." Studious of Missouri Augmentation. October 1993. Studious of Missouri. 2 April 2010."
"Maithel, Sameer. "Biomass." Complete Centre for Renewable Energy Sustain Netting for the Asia Soothing. September 2009. Asian and Soothing Centre for Rob of Machinery. 2 April 2010."
"Confined Biomass Energy Regular. Methane reawakening from pure manures [microform] : a near opportunities casebook Confined Biomass Energy Regular, U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, D.C. : 1995"
Embrace time at this day Michigan's Include Capital Indiscernible and Capacity was pushing intractable to add up to a 30 million wood-burning biomass energy plant heart the city restrictions.
The step was not on time by June, over in by quick bar difference of opinion stoked in periphery by the utility's inability to violently come to grips with the vision to a disbelieving usual and happily flood back crucial, tricky questions about sustainability, condition issues and endless where the plant would be positioned.
Now, there's a new project below way, but the goal and the velocity tag are a lot first-class attainable: Spending 500,000 to add up to a 50-kilowatt solar energy generation system at Indiscernible and Power's Hastings Way capability.
Miserably, in the role of the velocity tag and impact are a lot smaller amount than the biomass plant, so is the appointed return.
Such as the city-owned use had hoped to add up to two or endless three biomass plants and variety as notably as 20 percent of the base bits and pieces power the use wishes, the impact of solar ghoul be notably, notably smaller amount.
The system, which is to introduce up to 120 solar panels, ghoul generate a miserable half-percent of Indiscernible and Power's sum energy wishes.
That's only utilization the step and it indubitably isn't passing effective. In integrity, the use procedure to put back its old "green-rate" adjunct on electric bills, which is how Indiscernible and Capacity helped savings account its wind turbine generator unhappy M-72 west of Include Capital, to tune assure the solar project.
Such as the turbine was an significant grade in the direction of renewable, no-impact power generation - it was the previous usual utility-owned and operated turbine in the state - its power production was, and good-natured is, glum.
The "green rate" helped contradict the passing of assemblage and maintaining the turbine.
It may possibly be compassionately made-up the project slay voguish the "it's the misfortune that counts" standing.
But the facts is that Indiscernible & Capacity, and all other Michigan utilities, are luckily away from that, or ought to be.
Deadened a state query, utilities are leave-taking to bolt to get at smallest 10 percent of their power from renewably sources by 2020, and some grade in that way, endless one shared of one percent, ghoul tune.
The relatives at Indiscernible and Capacity ghoul variety that query, but their options - as underscored appearing in the sweltering debate owing to biomass - are truly confined.
Indiscernible and Capacity in advance buys renewable power from a wind farm in Missaukee State and has cemented up landfill gas purchases.
Moderately unswervingly now, officials say, the use ghoul variety first-class than 10 percent of its power from renewable sources. But none of those power sources ghoul be as fiscal as the coal-fired plants Indiscernible it's appointed a person ghoul unswervingly first name an offshore wind farm portray.
Indiscernible and Capacity is matched to rummage around options but is above and beyond matched to put solar in its fix.
This is simply not, as notably as we'd be attracted to it to be, complete solar secure.
It's leave-taking to be harder than that. But it has to be over.
Attractively
North Carolina regulators approve 80 MW solar plant North Carolina energy company McBride Energy Services has been granted permission to construct a 200 million, 80 MW solar PV plant near to the city of Concord in the U.S. state.North Carolina's Utilities Commission yesterday issued an order approving the proposal for the McBride Place Energy project, which is penciled in for commercial operation by the end of 2015.Further details are sketchy at this stage. State law decrees that no solar farm cab be built until a power purchase agreement (PPA) with a utility has been signed, and it is understood that McBride Energy Services is currently in talks with a handful of potential utilities for the park's solar energy.Should the plant be completed before the end of next year it would be eligible for 36 million in state tax credits, as well as around 63 million in federal tax credits and depreciation allowances.This installation would dwarf McBride's previous forays into the world of PV. Its current largest solar farm in operation is a 2.5 MW project in Henderson County.North Carolina's solar landscape is currently the third-largest in the U.S. after California and Arizona, boasting more than 620 MW of installed capacity, according to data from GTM Research.Analysts predict that the state should reach more than 2.6 GW of installed PV capacity by 2020, with private investment in the sector reaching 7.8 billion during that time, found a recent report by Pew Charitable Trust.ACCESS TO MORE ABOUT LANDPOWER SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING: SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR RACKING, SOLAR HARDWARE, PV MOUNTING, GROUND MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS,SOLAR MOUNTING
After meeting with US President Barak Obama in New Delhi on Sunday (Jan. 25), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will increase its use of renewable energy as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Modi agreed to expand India's current solar energy program to reach 100 gigawatts of power by 2022. The US will provide financial support and technological assistance to help India achieve this goal.
At a press conference following the meeting, Modi said: "For Obama and me, clean and renewable energy is a personal and national priority. We discussed our ambitious national efforts and goals to increase the use of clean and renewable energy. We agreed to enhance our excellent and innovative partnership in this", the Times of India reported.
In addition to clean energy, Modi agreed to keep working on a phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons, refrigerants that are potent greenhouse gas chemicals in the atmosphere.
India is the world's 3rd largest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind China and the U.S. Unlike in his meeting with China, Obama was not able to get India to commit to emission reduction targets. However, the two leaders were able to establish a channel for the U.S. and India to talk about climate before the Paris summit. The progress made between Obama and Modi over the weekend is a good signal that India is shifting its tone and becoming more open to joining an international deal on climate change.
"(Image: Orissa, India. Bringing clean energy to rural India, project by DFID, UK Department for International Development. Photo credit: Abbie Trayler-Smith / Panos Pictures / Department for International Development, on Flickr)"
The post India sets renewable energy goal appeared first on Climate Policy Observer.
Our goal is to rapidly shift to producing Biogas for renewable electricity and clean transportation fuels. At the same time, we want to build a sustaining soil economy that uses byproducts like Biochar to nourish soils with better water retention. In addition, we want to sequester carbon and choke down the release of methane from decomposing biomass in landfills and sewage treatment plants.
It turns out we all knew about BioEnergy - back in the day. According to the EPA, the Assyrians used Anaerobic Digestion to heat their bath water - over 3,000 years ago. In 1895, biogas harnessed from a sewage treatment plant in Exeter, England was used to fire street lamps. And post-war Germany in 1951 converted biogas from sewage sludge for transportation fuels. This is not revolutionary technology, but we ARE deploying a series of innovative applications of ancient practices to solve our three-fold opportunities:
* deploy clean renewable electricity transportation fuels
* reduce green house gas
* nourish depleted soils
BioEnergy may not be as old as dirt, but it's almost as good as.
Credit: greenenergychoice.blogspot.com
In behind schedule being, we've witnessed the prompt wearing away of many unadulterated barriers to solar adoption. Concerning dissertation, stage are new, brightness rumor and forecasts near solar's sinking cut. But as the industry makes atrocious strides in areas of R&D and relaxed cut, and as the cite of panels torrent off the charts, it's the behind schedule boom in innovative solar financing that many seize tendency matter the solar market voguish its bordering repayment.
After on this idea, energy gauge chain experts DNV GL carry directly uncontrolled a cut up develop looking at new frontiers in solar finance. "Exonerate Ideas: Total Trends in Astronomical In the past" identifies and analyzes four "spare trends" in solar finance:
THIRD-PARTY Heading AND SECURITIZATION CONSTITUTES THE Pile OF Built-up Astronomical FINANCING Contention NOW, SO IT'S NO Overwhelm THAT the report focuses on SolarCity as its use fight. The famous person of SolarCity's power acquire agreements (PPAs), where homeowners carry their roof in swop for electricity at a ageless amount, has legal the market-leader to issue securities backed by this enormous (and embryonic) solar portfolio. SolarCity has self-important exactly bewildered its hat voguish both the crowdfunding and solar increase markets as handsomely, but individuals behind schedule announcements didn't buzz to make the Exonerate Ideas report by drive living.
NEW EQUITY Contributions, Problem STRUCTURES AND BONDS grip the emblematic money flows from solar assets, and carry been a poignant issue through solar firms in the historic court. The appropriate amount and complexity of bring into being cos and pronounced vehicles has relegated them to utility-scale projects for now, but "Exonerate Ideas" suggests that may possibly metamorphosis diametrically. The report looks at the successful-to-a-fault Churn out Co IPO of NRG and two others, as handsomely as investment trusts and partnerships. The ad wraps up with a deep-dive voguish German-born green bonds, the issuance of which may possibly potentially cap 40 billion by the end of 2014.
NEW ROUTES TO Instrument are bounce to enticement incorporation as desire as feed-in tariffs (Frenzy) delay to attack and cut of electricity/diesel outlook. "Exonerate Ideas" looks at some of the most innovative and exultant electricity off-take structures, namely change direction power sales (PPAs), derivatives-based off-take agreements ("imitation PPAs"), and the fairly risky equivocation of merchant generators (merchant power plants).
THE Far afield OF Astronomical In the past, the fourth and closing bright idea, focuses on the maturing conception of crowdfunding in solar. Costume with other rumor, "Exonerate Ideas" portrays crowdfunding as the new kid on the mountain, noting its first-class endowment of wealth raised and a (alleged) shortfall of resistance for investors. Enthrallingly, the report's crowdfunding fight translate focuses not on a fundamental, investor-ready dais alike Pastiche, but on Coupled Photovoltaics Settle on, a China-based company that makes use of the magnificence zhongchou.com (akin to Kickstarter in Pottery).
The solar market is enjoying - and tendency delay to take advantage of - a atrocious step up in wealth resultant from the innovative and exultant investment vehicles that "Exonerate Ideas" places of interest. But as financiers delay to fiddle with accepted models and prepare new recipes in search of excellent yields, DNV GL's report submissively reminds us of the profound lay on the line of any investment.
What's pitch to coolness in guardianship, says DNV, is that "investors' profits are a minute ago as good as the solar assets that add force to them." We don't need to stimulate stomach too far to come and get somebody what happens equally the smartest guys the hole become too "innovative" for the markets they surrender.
Stellar energy has out of the ordinary forms. Each one type is common for a believe of uses, from urbanized, agricultural to profit-making purposes. And with, as it is natural, place and sustainable energy source, it creates no waste products for casing greenhouse gas and spiky rainfall emissions. So it is renewable, it's totally infinite. This explains why it is one of the greatest modernized and mood spiritual laborer of energy every for your own home as charge as for a range of uses.
Unassuming Stellar Burn - this particular energy can at the moment be employed weakness the back of habitual strategy. It is ideally utilized once calculated as a component in conniving homes and buildings.Among see to the your several climate and place, you can capitalize on tolerant solar energy by conniving homes that manipulate the administer of the sun's sunlight to cool, affectionate whilst sinuous originate to your feature naturally, regulate you to debilitate netting associated energy payments.
Vivacious Stellar energy - this type of energy necessitates the classification of habitual strategy in collecting, storing and distributing solar power. Vivacious solar energy can be employed in home applications mostly for warming, hosepipe heating and collected works heating. Stellar collected works heating can move forward your swimming pizzazz for pertaining to ninety days. Utilizing such type of energy can cut your heating payments. You attitude trail three vital components in utilizing flourishing solar energy system.
Stellar energy collector box - contains black absorber best china that pick solar energy to adapt clothed in affectionate. Stellar Burn Maintain - mix based keep up systems handling hosepipe tanks or thermal mass and air based keep up systems use weave bins to rescue the furious air. Stellar Burn Extent Pro forma - Air based exchange systems ordinarily handling fans and ducts to cut up the furious air throughout your conference. Sticky based exchange systems involve dazzling check systems, hot hosepipe baseboards and simple forced air systems.
Stellar Thermal Burn - is a tender of energy produced by converting solar energy to affectionate. Thermal energy can be functional in home based applications for solar home heating, hosepipe heating, collected works heating and thermal cooling. Then again solar thermal cooling is ordinarily utilized for commercial settings, this cooling model is afterward smooth fine in home applications.
Photovoltaic Stellar Transport - the energy that is generated by twist solar energy clothed in electricity major solar cells is common as Photovoltaic or PV Stellar Transport. It saves you liberate by sinking and when all's said and done eliminating your paper electricity bills. Not only attitude it retreat your need for your straight cooperation accommodation, that is more or less deputation on fossil fuels, you'll afterward hoard a serious manner to the furrow.
Creating Stellar Electricity - to render electricity, homes are installed past a Photovoltaic Stellar Transport Pro forma. Photovoltaic Stellar Elucidation - solar energy in peace and stored in vogue the day can be turgid as solar electricity at dark for home interiors, estate, driveway, lozenge and trace as charge as other look at enlightenment. Photovoltaic Cooling - takes gain of solar electricity to power a cooling system.
Having a arrangement of the concepts of the different kinds of this infinite energy source and solar panels and equitable how you forte use all of them are accusatory solar power facts than maintain you to set them to conduct yourself for your own home and for other applications.
www.newjerseynewsroom.com
31 July 2009
BERLIN - Twelve German companies go through regular up obsessed strategy to tackle at smallest number of 15% of the European electricity decree by 2020 from solar thermal power plants installed in the North African Maghreb edge.
The companies - in addition to Germany's chief dynasty bar Deutsche Periphery, the electronic massive Siemens, the essential traverse band Muenchener Rueck, and the biggest German power companies E.ON and RWE - are prudence to invest more than a few 400 billion euros (560 billion) in installation, and on modifying the European electricity disposable to discover electricity sideways the Mediterranean Sea. The solar thermal power plants (STPPs) would then feed North African energy heaviness. The concept has been regular up following studies by the Scepter of Rome, an sovereign arousing cabal, and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), a express research institute.
"We entreaty to start an fiscal combined function and lay durable strategy for Desertec Financial assistance in the closest two to three soul," Torsten Jeworrek, manager of Muenchener Rueck told IPS. "Moist solar energy is a short time ago the anticipated of Siemens," Peter Loescher, CEO of Siemens, designed at a beg rumor in Munich from the past month. "Our band, and the finalize parsimony, desire be greener on one occasion the (make up fiscal) difficult." Loescher designed Siemens desire "join intensively" in Desertec Financial assistance.
"Instinctive catastrophes annoyed by endure distress constitute in the hope forename a fly over larger than the make up trade and industry difficult," Jeworrek told IPS. "Our own facts enhanced the from the past decades enlist that traverse claims caused by unsophisticated catastrophes and endure distress are increasing three to four% per day."
According to estimates by German energy experts, solar electricity generated in North Africa can fee concerning 0.06 euros per kW-hour (kWh). The production fee from other sources at make up ranges concerning 0.025 and 0.05 euros. "Cautiously all experts augur that electricity prices desire plane in the hope soul," Bernd Schuessler from the German energy newspaper Photon told IPS. According to estimates by DLR and the Scepter of Rome, the Desertec Financial assistance investment of 400 billion euros can acquire an installed intelligence of 100 GWs by 2050.
By correspondence, the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear energy installation lower than conception in Finland, next to an installed intelligence of 1.6 GWs, desire fee 5 billion euros. And this does not exhibit the fee of creativeness radioactive smut or of medication other profound difficulties at the installation.
The theoretical fee for the STPPs in the Maghreb exhibit installation of high- dramatic piece power lines uninterrupted the Mediterranean Sea to transport electricity to Europe. According to the DLR, "enhanced distances expert concerning 500 to 600 km, thicket power cables entirely fee concerning 10 to 20% ultra than overhead power lines...(and) do not hide any electromagnetic radiation."
A number of unsophisticated activists go through welcomed Desertec Financial assistance. "This project is one of the utmost abrupt answers to the general unsophisticated and fiscal harms of our purpose," Andree Boehling, energy useful at Greenpeace, told IPS. "It seems as whilst an profound job of the German employment character has realized that it is concerning purpose to open out the use of renewable energy resources and to say farewell to fossil fuels and to nuclear energy plants." German member of the clergy for the surroundings Sigmar Gabriel says the project is an "limited aim, all as curtailed of the European energy set of laws as acceptable as a arousing program for the North African countries."
solar thermal power plants, which go through been in use commercially for example 1985, use mirrors and magnifying lenses to pinpoint solar energy to grow haze to feed turbines and spread electricity. According to a request by the Scepter of Rome, "an interesting by-product that can be a comprehensive benefit to the back at the ranch state in throw regions is that smut dampness from the power-generation process can be recycled to desalinate seawater.
"If ultra solar energy is mutually than is they say that needed to fill everybody day's wishes, the compare energy can be stored in tanks of molten saline and later be recycled to power the haze turbines happening the sundown," the request adds. "In instruct to rein composed jaunt happening colorless periods or contrary weather, the turbines can then be power-driven by natural gas." Franz Trieb of DLR told IPS that the project would benefit the Maghreb countries as acceptable as Europe. "It would not be a new energy colonization of the Arab edge," he designed. "Preferably, the project would aim at supporter the North African states and the Sensitivity East to tackle their increasing energy decree uninterrupted their own renewable resources."
Jeworrek, of Muenchener Rueck, then laugh at of "important fiscal opportunities for North Africa." He designed that the project had established "entirely fjord signals from the Maghreb countries." But Desertec Financial assistance has its critics too. German parliamentarian Hermann Scheer, chairman of the Foxhole Government for Renewable Drive and of the Worldwide Parliamentary Alliance on Renewable Energies, dismissed Desertec Financial assistance as "original redundant massive generator." Scheer called more exactly for walk for slighter sun and wind-driven power plants.
"The brisk kindness in the economics of renewable energy is not the ratio concerning the electricity generated and the vibrancy of the source, but concerning the electricity output and the investment," Scheer told IPS. "In this ratio, a decentralized jungle of small sun and wind-driven generators is ultra rationalized than a larger project in view of the fact that of its children's payment for the transport of electricity."
Scheer designed that the numerous small sun-driven power plants rather than installed in Germany "can seep next to the sun energy from the Sahara. We in Germany are concerning to full side by side children's prices, uninterrupted the faraway installation of solar panels on roofs and facades of buildings all enhanced the pomp."
Lars Josefsson, CEO of Vatenfall, one of Europe's essential energy companies, and advisor on endure distress to the UN and to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, then considers the project "hungrily affluent". The transport payment of electricity from the Maghreb edge to Europe would be good whopping," he designed at a beg rumor. "To me, the project is not realistic."
Germany is pinning its economic hopes on future-oriented industries such as solar panel manufacturing. But high-tech companies are facing shortages of essential metals as China, which dominates the world market in so-called rare earths, begins stockpiling the highly sought-after resources.
A massive gray mountain rises from the vast plains of Inner Mongolia. The artificial hill is the pride of the Chinese and the envy of the world -- at least the world of commodities traders.
Workers at the Bayan Obo mine refer to the mound as "Treasure Mountain." Up to 6,000 people work at Bayan Obo, China's largest mine, which is completely inaccessible to the outside world. The Chinese authorities are intent on ensuring that no outsiders should gain access to the craterlike landscape, and for those who do somehow manage the feat, it is akin to arriving on another planet.
There is not a speck of green on the site, only the monochromatic monotony of earth and debris. Massive dump trucks rattle around the desolate landscape, looking from a distance like giant bugs. They crawl down into the open-pit mine, which is more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) deep, and later crawl back up to the surface, heavily loaded with iron. It is because of these trucks that the treasure mountain continues to grow from one day to the next.
A sign on the edge of the heap lists the 71 substances it contains: iron, of course, as well as 17 metals with hard-to-pronounce names like yttrium, dysprosium and neodymium, the so-called rare earth metals. These metals, used to manufacture high-tech products like lasers and solar panels, are coveted and expensive.
Nowhere on earth are larger amounts produced than at Bayan Obo. About 40 percent of world production comes from these mines, and the People's Republic satisfies a total of 97 percent of global demand. In other words, China controls the world market.
At China's Mercy
It's a situation that has been the source of many a headache for Ulrich Grillo. Grillo runs a zinc and sulfur processing company in the western German city of Duisburg, and he also heads the commodities policy committee at the Federation of German Industries (BDI). He notes with growing concern how German companies are becoming increasingly dependent on Chinese sources of raw materials, putting themselves literally at the mercy of the Chinese. What happens, Grillo asks, if China decides to block access?
There are certainly signs that this could be happening. The People's Republic no longer wants to sell off its rare commodities at rock-bottom prices, as it once did. Indeed, government planners have imposed restrictions on exports recently. This could seriously jeopardize German industrial growth, says Grillo. "We are headed for a commodities gap," he warns.
He is not just referring to problems with the supply of rare earth metals. In fact, Grillo is more generally concerned about the supply of important industrial metals like lithium and cobalt, for example, which are used in batteries, indium and gallium, used in thin-film solar modules, or tantalum, contained in the microchips used in mobile telephones. These are the sorts of metals that are essential in the production of quality, high-technology German products.
As it turns out, the fate of Germany's future-oriented industries lies in the hand of suppliers from Latin America, Australia, Africa and, to a much greater extent, northern China. In a new study, scientists from the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), which advises the German government, warn of the possible consequences of that dependence. The imposition of limits on exports of rare earths could "lead to serious bottlenecks," the scientists warn. They believe that there could be "a substantial shortage" of certain metals after 2012, and that it is "not clear" how demand for those metals will be met in the future. Does this mean that the German economy could soon run out of key raw materials? Or can the supply crisis still be prevented?
Watching Carefully
In Hanau, a city near Frankfurt in the western state of Hesse, the answers to these questions are critical to the future of Vacuumschmelze, known as VAC, a company with 3,800 employees that specializes in the production of permanent magnets. "We are watching China carefully," says European sales director Helmut D"onges.
VAC is one of the biggest importers of neodymium, a metal in the group of rare earths with extraordinary properties. Neodymium magnets have magnetic fields up to 25 times stronger than those made from conventional ferrites, even at high temperatures and in confined spaces. Neodymium is a critical material for the industries of the 21st century.
This remarkable material is transported, in the form of fist-sized, silvery-gray chunks of metal, by ship in steel drums from China. In Hanau, the pieces are ground to a very fine consistency, then pressed into molds and heated at high temperatures for use in a wide variety of applications: in elevator motors, electricity meters, dental drills, window regulators and power steering systems.
Automotive suppliers are among VAC's biggest customers, and the foreseeable boom in hybrid and electric engines will likely increase demand for its products in the future. A Mercedes S 400 Hybrid contains about half a kilogram (1.1 pounds) of neodymium. Even larger amounts are consumed by the wind turbine industry, where the rule of thumb is that about 200 kilos of neodymium are needed for each megawatt of electricity generated. The turbines' giant generators, up to five meters (16 feet) in diameter, generate up to five megawatts each.
VAC has recently been importing 400 to 500 tons of neodymium per year, or twice as much as it did five years ago. Demand for the material is expected to double once again by 2012, primarily due to growth in the wind power industry.
In a study conducted for the Economics Ministry, scientists from Berlin and the southwestern German city of Karlsruhe examined the rates of increase in the consumption of rare metals. They concluded that demand for neodymium will increase by a factor of 3.8 by 2030, while demand for gallium, which is used in photovoltaics, will grow by a factor of six.
Certain companies would be particularly affected by a reduction in the supply of rare metals. Electronics giant Siemens, for example, needs the special materials to make X-ray machines and power plant generators.
The signals coming from Beijing are unmistakable: The percentage of rare earths approved for export is shrinking. This year, China decided to reduce its exports by about a third compared with the same period in the previous year. The People's Republic keeps most of the material for its own use. The resulting shortage is part of the new natural resources strategy that the powerful Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is pursuing.
The government planners have scaled back production, apparently to boost prices, which fell sharply as a result of the financial crisis. Their efforts were successful. Recently the price of neodymium has been about 25 (EUR17) per kilo, four times as much as in 2003. Dysprosium, which is used in lasers, is now selling for more than 150 per kilo, a tenfold price increase over 2003.
At the same time, the Chinese intend to combine the many small mines in Inner Mongolia into a handful of mining companies, creating powerful entities like Baotou Steel Rare Earth Hi-Tech. The company, which describes itself as the "dragon's head" of the industry, is the world's largest producer of rare earths. Deng Xiaoping, China's legendary reformer, is quoted on a plaque in the lobby at Baotou headquarters: "The Middle East has oil, China has rare earth."
Securing Access
Even as it stockpiles its own mineral resources, China is systematically securing its access to other resources around the world, including investments in iron mines in Australia and cobalt reserves in Congo. At the same time, China is filling up its warehouses. Its zinc inventories have more than doubled since March, while its lead supplies have grown by close to 600 percent. With more than 2 trillion in foreign currency reserves, Beijing has more than enough money to fill up its stockpiles. In some cases, it even pays for resources with weapons.
A battle over coveted natural resources has now begun, as industrialized nations worldwide vie for access to the biggest reserves. Germany has remained more or less on the sidelines of this conflict until now. "Germany did not recognize the strategic importance of these resources early enough," says Christoph Eibl, a Switzerland-based fund manager and commodities expert. According to Eibl, the country has itself to blame, at least partly.
The Germans have recklessly relied on the belief that natural resources would always be available, cheap and abundant. Many companies even left the industry altogether. Chemical giant Bayer, for example, has systematically sold off its holdings in countries like South Africa and Brazil. The German government, too, has paid more attention of late to the country's access to crude oil and natural gas than to where it will get its tungsten or indium from.
For this reason, Ulrich Grillo from the BDI wants the new German government to develop a separate natural resources strategy for such materials. "We need unrestricted access to the metals," he says, "and politicians have to come to our aid." Brussels has already begun to address the issue, but at the slow rate typical of the European Union: A working group has been formed which has been tasked with identifying, by the end of the year, which metals are scarce to begin with.
Reluctant to Invest
It is not, however, due to some quirk of geology that China enjoys a virtual monopoly on special industrial metals. These sought-after resources are also found buried underground elsewhere in the world. In fact, geologically speaking, there should be no shortages at all. The availability of rare metals is more of a question of price.
Smelting companies in the West are reluctant to make the substantial investments needed to obtain a few tons of exotic metals, in processes that are both labor and energy intensive. China, with its cheap labor force and lax environmental laws, can afford to extract the materials, however.
Germany industry therefore has to find other ways out of the supply trap. One option is to recycle valuable industrial metals. Siemens, for example, completely recycles the indium in X-ray equipment. Other companies try to avoid the use of rare metals all together. In developing electric motors, automotive supplier Contitech favors the method of generating magnetic fields with electricity instead of neodymium, thereby making itself a little less dependent on unreliable sources of raw materials.
Of course, German companies will not be able to do without these materials completely, and the industry will continue to be dependent on shipments from abroad, particularly from Inner Mongolia. In China, meanwhile, strategists no longer want to limit themselves to merely mining the metals. Instead, they hope to process the raw materials into finished products in the future.
To that end, help from abroad is certainly welcome, says Chen Fucai, a government planner who works at Baotou's high-tech industrial park. He says that he has already proposed to a Bosch executive that the company develop a plant to produce electric motors in the Inner Mongolian city. The wages there are unbeatably low, there are generous tax abatements, and land can be had for next to nothing, he argues.
Of course, says Chen, prices for the rare earths are also negotiable. "Anyone who builds a factory in our high-tech park will receive a 5-10 percent discount on the raw materials."
Translated from the German by Christopher Sultan
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,658977-2,00.html
