An Ignoble Experiment

2. Research: Asia up, EU down in solar market shift

Governor Chris Christie has signed legislation authorizing $31.5 million in state financing through the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund to raise New Jersey American Water's largest water treatment plant's existing floodwall to withstand even a 500-year flood.

The plant serves more than a million people in seven counties; provides water to five large public water systems; and serves as an emergency source of water for the cities of Newark and Trenton. Irene's flood waters came within an inch of breaching the plant's flood wall, which could have resulted in an estimated regional economic loss of more than $1.8 billion.

"Hurricanes Irene and Sandy both challenged the resiliency of regional water systems," said William M. Varley, President of New Jersey American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water and the largest investor-owned water utility in the state. "Raising the floodwall at our Raritan Millstone Water Treatment Plant by four feet is a multi-million dollar undertaking, and we are grateful for the assistance of both the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection."

The funding is part of the $1.28 billion bill that is aimed at financing much-needed improvements to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the state.

The legislation provides low-cost loans from the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (NJEIT), an independent state financing agency, in partnership with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

For more:
- see this report

Read more about: New Jersey American Water
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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3. Wind Energy Areas identified offshore NC

China became the world's biggest solar power market in 2013, with the country's newly-installed photovoltaic generating capacity jumping 232 percent year-on-year to 12 GW. This is according to a newly released report from Hanergy Holding Group and China New Energy Chamber of Commerce (CNECC), based on data derived from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, GlobalData, the International Energy Bureau, China Electricity Council, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Global Wind Energy Council, the Global Hydropower Association and the International Geothermal Association, as well as Hanergy and CNECC's own research teams.

Credit: doggage -- Flickr/Wikimedia Commons

The report found that the global solar market is shifting from Europe to Asia, citing China's 232 percent increase, while Germany's newly-installed capacity fell 56.5 percent year-on-year to 3.3 GW and Italy's dropped 55 percent year-on-year to 1.6 GW. Financing activity reflects this shift, according to the report, as China accounted for the largest proportion of global solar industry financing at $23.56 billion -- equal to the entire amount raised in Europe.

The report found that, globally, newly-installed solar capacity reached 38.7 GW, bringing the global total of installed capacity to 140.6 GW in 2013, compared to 101.9 GW in 2012.

It is clear from the research that the shift from fossil fuel to renewable energy continues. Total global power generation grew 4.3 percent from the previous year, to 22513.8 terawatt-hours (TWh), while renewable energy power generation grew at 13 percent per year, accounting for 5.2 percent of the world's total output.

"Our research shows that China has already become the world's biggest solar market. Now the country is moving to a more green and sustainable model of development which will drive future global growth in renewable energy," Chairman and CEO of Hanergy and President of the China New Energy Chamber of Commerce Li Hejun said. "Governments are turning to greater use of renewable energy to tackle pollution and deliver energy security, underpinning growth momentum in the global renewable energy industry."

For more:
- see the report

Related Article:
China increasing its share of renewable energy

By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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4. Some retired power plants may not need replacing

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has identified three Wind Energy Areas -- totaling approximately 307,590 acres -- offshore North Carolina for potential commercial wind energy development. This is an important step for North Carolina in harnessing the wind energy potential that lies along the Atlantic Coast.

North Carolina Wind Energy Areas. Credit: U.S. Department of the Interior

This announcement builds on BOEM's recent activities to grow offshore renewable energy through the leasing of Wind Energy Areas, having already awarded five commercial wind energy leases off the Atlantic coast: two non-competitive leases for the proposed Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound and an area off Delaware, and three competitive leases -- including two offshore Massachusetts-Rhode Island and another offshore Virginia.

The Wind Energy Areas in the North Carolina announcement include the Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Areas (about 122,405 acres), the Wilmington West Wind Energy Areas (about 51,595 acres) and the Wilmington East Wind Energy Areas (about 133,590 acres).

The three Wind Energy Areas have been designed to make available areas that are attractive for commercial offshore wind development while protecting important viewsheds, sensitive habitats and resources, and minimizing space use conflicts with activities such as military operations, shipping and fishing.

For example, BOEM worked closely with the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure that development in the identified areas would not pose significant risks to navigational safety. BOEM also worked with the National Park Service to address concerns regarding potential visual impacts to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Bodie Island Lighthouse. As a result, BOEM refined the areas originally considered for commercial wind energy development during the process of defining the Wind Energy Areas.

Before any leases are offered for competitive auction, BOEM will complete an Environmental Assessment to determine potential impacts associated with issuing leases and approving site assessment activities in the Wind Energy Areas, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. If leases are issued, any proposal for a commercial wind energy facility will require a construction and operations plan and a site-specific environmental analysis.

BOEM expects to hold additional competitive auctions for wind energy areas offshore Massachusetts and New Jersey in the coming year.

For more:
- see the announcement

Read more about: offshore wind
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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5. Largest biomass project of its kind underway in MO

Many retiring nuclear and coal power plants may not need to be replaced on a megawatt-to-megawatt basis -- as technologies and distributed generation (DG), coupled with soft energy demand growth, enable utilities to replace retiring plants with ones that produce less energy, according to Black & Veatch.

This is creating a crossroads for many utilities as an influx of new technologies, new energy sources and new generation approaches, create immense challenges and opportunities.

DG, in particular, creates unique challenges for utilities, according to Black & Veatch. DG requires rapid changes to the power grid in order to integrate new assets and resources. Utilities must also be able to ramp up capacity to account for varying renewable energy output. Where DG reduces demand, utilities will have to revisit their current revenue structure in order to ensure continued reliable service.

"Every kilowatt that is now being produced by a third party or a consumer is a kilowatt not being sold by the utility," said John Chevrette, president of Black & Veatch's management consulting business. "At the same time, utilities still carry the burden of building, maintaining and operating the bulk of the power delivery system. Given the high cost of maintaining these assets, we expect to see more utilities making the case with regulators to adjust their business models."

In its research, Black & Veatch found that more than 60 percent of utility leaders believe that by 2020, DG will grow beyond its current 5 percent share of the U.S. power generation market. Further, half of respondents say their company is planning to replace retiring coal and nuclear power plants with gas generation, which will also be used as backup power for renewable generation.

For more:
- download the report

Read more about: distributed generation
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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