Energy Investments

by admin
January 4th, 2012

Renewable energy country attractiveness indices
As policy-makers scramble to stop recession tightening its grip on major economies, demographic changes and growth in emerging markets appear to be driving renewable energy investment. Developed countries are focused on slowing demand and cutting costs, while rapid growth markets have a huge appetite for energy. A revolution is underway, and the renewable energy industry is adapting to a changed world.

This is demonstrated by the arrival of five emerging markets in this issue of the CAI; Argentina, Hungary, Israel, Tunisia, and Ukraine, all of which share a huge need for more renewable power.
Eight other countries have entered the CAI this year, and the balance of power is shifting with Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, South-east Asia, and Latin America now representing renewable energy’s future. Some of these countries, such as China, South Korea and Taiwan are even taking over strategic manufacturing sectors and increasing exports, leading to friction with more established markets.
In this issue we focus on Brazil, a country entering the top 10 for the first time, and Romania, which has risen to 13th place after joining the CAI a year ago. Both have fast-growing wind markets and strong energy demands.
By contrast, Western Europe and US markets have been hit by reduced government incentives, restricted capital access, and increased overseas competition. Our lead article reflects on this challenging situation and the impact of low cost shale gas on the outlook for renewables.
Continued commitment to the development of renewable energy means China still tops the All Renewables Index, but market growth has slowed, leading to a fall of one point. A tightened approval process for new wind energy projects is producing turbine oversupply, and manufacturers are already seeking more export markets.

Categories Energy Investments
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Energy and Sustainability

by admin
January 3rd, 2012

Environment, Energy Security & Sustainability Symposium & Exhibition

E2S2 is focused on providing participants with critical information and interaction on the challenges of the National Security Departments and Agencies, as reflected in this year’s conference theme, “Government & Industry Partnerships: Addressing the Challenges of Our Resource-Constrained Times.” E2S2 provides an opportunity to share ideas and create partnerships to meet and achieve environmental, energy security, and sustainability objectives across government and industry.

We request your input on the challenges you face in the environment, energy security and sustainability areas in which you work daily. Your submissions will form the basis of the content of this year’s E2S2.

This year there is a significant change in how we are organizing E2S2. As in previous years, there will be 3 simultaneous tracks — Environment, Energy Security & Sustainability — and the Tuesday morning plenary that will include government and industry leaders. In response to participant feedback, we will host a series of interactive sessions that feature panel discussion and audience Q&A, followed by breakouts featuring approved presentations from submitted abstracts. Additionally, this year you may have the opportunity to present your abstract submission as a poster presentation in the exhibit hall.  More: Planning for May 21-24, 2012 has begun   http://e2s2.ndia.org/Pages/Default.aspx

Categories Future Energy
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Government and the Green Investment Strategy

by admin
January 3rd, 2012

Government, Industry Play Ping-Pong With Green Investment Strategy

A Defense Department official compared the process of finding federal funding for green energy projects to a night out on Bourbon Street.

“It’s colorful, mysterious, tempting and sinful all at the same time,” said James Galvin, program manager of the Defense Department’s Environmental Security Technology Certification Program, a relatively new initiative that provides a test bed for green products coming out of the private sector.

But some industry representatives might add “cheap” to that list of adjectives.

Government officials and contractors agree that military energy efforts need more funding. But while Pentagon officials call for greater private-sector investment, industry leaders say they are waiting for the government to also prove it will commit resources to such programs for the long run.

During a presentation at a conference in New Orleans titled, “Where to Find Federal Funding for Energy Projects,” Galvin spoke about a series of programs offering anywhere between a few hundred thousand dollars to $5 million for projects lasting as long as five years.

His program so far has funded a $1.2 million project to build an environmentally friendly fire, police and emergency response station at Fort Bragg, N.C.; a $2 million effort by General Dynamics to help install a microgrid at the Marine Corps’ 29 Palms base in California; and Virgina Tech’s $567,000 effort to install LED street lights at a naval station in Carderock, Md.
These are all commendable efforts, industry representatives said, but they don’t represent the big bucks needed to fund game-changing energy projects.

“This reticence by government to finance large-scale energy projects has created a funding vacuum that is dependent upon the private sector to make sizable investments in a market that has not enjoyed overwhelming support,” said Paul “Bo” Bollinger, general manager of government solutions at The Boeing Co.’s energy division.

Modernizing the electric grid is a case in point. Beyond policy impediments, there are the technological challenges associated with 160,000 miles of transmission lines covering the country’s antiquated electric grid, Bollinger said at the National Defense Industrial Association’s annual energy symposium, the same conference at which Galvin spoke.   more:–  http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/ARCHIVE/2011/JULY/Pages/Government,IndustryPlayPing-PongWithGreenInvestmentStrategy.aspx

Categories Energy Question
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Energy News

by admin
January 3rd, 2012

Sustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources include all renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal energy, bioenergy, and tidal power. It usually also includes technologies designed to improve energy efficiency.
Energy efficiency and renewable energy are said to be the twin pillars of sustainable energy. Some ways in which sustainable energy has been defined are:
“Effectively, the provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the future without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. …Sustainable Energy has two key components: renewable energy and energy efficiency.” – Renewable Energy and Efficiency Partnership (British)
“Dynamic harmony between equitable availability of energy-intensive goods and services to all people and the preservation of the earth for future generations.” And, “the solution will lie in finding sustainable energy sources and more efficient means of converting and utilizing energy.” – Sustainable energy by J. W. Tester, et al., from MIT Press.
“Any energy generation, efficiency & conservation source where: Resources are available to enable massive scaling to become a significant portion of energy generation, long term, preferably 100 years..” – Invest, a green technology non-profit organization.
“Energy which is replenishable within a human lifetime and causes no long-term damage to the environment.” – Jamaica Sustainable Development Network
This sets sustainable energy apart from other renewable energy terminology such as alternative energy and green energy, by focusing on the ability of an energy source to continue providing energy. Sustainable energy can produce some pollution of the environment, as long as it is not sufficient to prohibit heavy use of the source for an indefinite amount of time. Sustainable energy is also distinct from Low-carbon energy, which is sustainable only in the sense that it does not add to the CO2 in the atmosphere.
Green Energy is energy that can be extracted, generated, and/or consumed without any significant negative impact to the environment. The planet has a natural capability to recover which means pollution that does not go beyond that capability can still be termed green.
Green power is a subset of renewable energy and represents those renewable energy resources and technologies that provide the highest environmental benefit. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines green power as electricity produced from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact small hydroelectric sources. Customers often buy green power for avoided environmental impacts and its greenhouse gas reduction benefits.

 

Categories Energy New
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