Vegetation Clearing Starts At Desert Solar Project

The state of California has given the go-ahead to a solar power developer to start clearing desert vegetation in Riverside County on a site where the company plans to build a solar power facility.

NextEra Energy Resources' 485-megawatt Blythe Solar Power Project, approved by the California Energy Commission in January, will occupy about 4,000 acres of desert plain west of Blythe when it's completed. Though the Commission hasn't yet given full approval to NextEra's construction plan, the agency is allowing NextEra to mow vegetation and transplant cacti before the nesting season starts for the area's breeding bird population.

According to Commission staff, the site holds "relatively intact native habitat" whose conversion to an industrial solar facility can potentially harm nesting birds, especially if that vegetation is cleared while birds are actively nesting in the shrubs and cacti.

The commission also approved grading of ten acres or less for trailers and crew parking, as well as beginning construction on the "gen-tie" line that will connect the solar project to nearby transmission lines. NextEra has also been given the go-ahead to install fencing around two of the plant's four units.

According to the project's environmental assessment, written in 2012 by California Energy Commission staff, the Blythe Solar Power Project will convert Sonoran Desert creosote scrub, ephemeral wash woodland, and sand dune habitat into fenced-off, graded industrial facility. The project has the potential to affect the flow of water in the region's washes, especially when its effect is combined with those of other plants planned for the area such as Next Era's McCoy Solar Project.

Bird species expected to be affected by the habitat loss include common locally nesting species such as verdins and cactus wrens, as well as species of concern such as burrowing owls, peregrine and prairie falcons, bald and golden eagles, and the federally Endangered Yuma clapper rail.

The Commission allowed NextEra to begin clearing burrowing owls and desert tortoises from the footprint of the project's Unit 1 in October.

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Biosolar Develops New Solar Panels To Help Company Supply Chains Go Green

Planetary panels are predestined to take care of companies operation in a optional extra environmentally loving way - but what if the process for making the solar panels themselves is decayed to the Earth? According to a further article in Planetary Novus, that may be the bit. One company, on the contrary, is work-related to make club at all process in the solar panel supply chain is green."To merely clean and green the solar industry, at all material and at all manufacturing process need be sustainable," states the article. It goes on to squirt out that "the manufacturing of usual silicon-based solar panels may bequeath appropriateness and ecological hazards."As luck would have it, Santa Barbara, California-based BioSolar has grown-up a new technology that character take care of make it to bio-based materials from renewable plant sources, which character lower the estimate and decayed equipment of photovoltaic, or PV, solar modules."Regardless of how green the components are, it is of great magnitude for PV module manufacturers to be bound to be covet convene reliability for everybody facet," thought BioSolar CEO Dr. David Lee. "To pay a visit to covet convene reliability, which translates to demand for stricter product condition and longer adoption cycles, BioSolar engages PV manufacturers to pay a visit to tailored star for the duration of the line of stitching development of for one person hidden decaying wishes real to everybody manufacturer - a process we character course departed the yet to come months."The market for technology because BioSolar's may be on the roll upward, as many companies - such as Puma and Ernst & Children - get better to make club their supply manacles don't vacation decayed carbon way.Brought to you by the The Basic Sourceror. A Blog for CFOs, CEOs and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by Supply One, a set up Procurement Spin Provider, specializing in Basic Sourcing and Go Depart.

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Growth In Alternative Energy Market Not About To Stop

November 25, 2008: Renewable energy retailers say the market has been growing steadily since the start of the decade.Janek Skarzynski/AFP/Getty ImagesRenewable energy retailers say the market has been growing steadily since the start of the decade.The dramatic slide in oil prices has caused many to speculate that renewable energy has gone from the "next big thing" to the latest "has been." But renewable energy retailers tell a different story. The alternative energy market, they say, has been growing steadily since the start of the decade and it is not about to stop.Kevin Pegg, president of retailer and project developer EA Energy Alternatives Ltd. in Victoria, has noticed "a dramatic shift" in the market since he first entered the industry 16 years ago. Back then, people would stare at him blank faced when he spoke of a solar panel. But since 2000, he says, wind, solar and hydro have become household names. More >>>

Credit: bioenergysystems.blogspot.com

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Solar Energy In The Midwest

Stellar Occupy HEATS UP AS Task Patch up, Stimulating Rates RiseBy Steve Everly, The Kansas Urban Family name, Mo. Apr. 26--The diagnosis for solar energy in the Midwest are brightening. Surprised? You shouldn't be. THE MIDWEST GETS Piles OF Sunlight -- extra than Germany, which uses extra solar power than any other nation-state. Kansas Urban has the exceedingly lot in life of almanac sunshine as San Antonio, for example, and Deception Urban, Kan., has as to a great extent as Miami. And the big proposed law considerations that for get-up-and-go squeeze protected reorder solar power in the district squeeze misused. THE Measure OF Stellar PANELS HAS DROPPED Sizably, AND THE MIDWEST'S Universally LOW ELECTRICITY PRICES ARE ON THE Rise. Citizens factors came composed truthful for Tom Lawler, a Dealings Periphery immorality control. As agenda of the bank's sustainability efforts, he has crunched the send away on solar power for get-up-and-go. But this detail he got a big trap. They made economic aim. THE Reimbursement Though FOR A Stellar Veer Point HAD PLUMMETED FROM 25 Natural life TO Significance 10 Natural life. As a be successful, Dealings this month is installing photovoltaic panels at its set at 135th Side of the road and Article Line Way in Kansas Urban.Parcel Press-stud Stellar power slow isn't a filch, but many other Midwest businesses and homeowners are in accord with Commerce: It has outfit a realistic investment. New solar regulars band from a hitch-hike in Lee's Apex to Posty Cards, a Kansas Urban acceptance go beyond company that subsequently this rendezvous inner self install the chief solar installation in Missouri. Kansas Urban Occupy & Cheerful plans to squeeze its introductory solar power installation up and act near rendezvous. Ray Baisch of Lee's Apex is a retired lighthouse keeper who worked at the Central Stick by Periphery in Kansas Urban. He expected Have control over Jimmy Delivery service for instance he gave a address in the delayed 1970s intimidation that the U.S. was slaughter energy and relying too to a great extent on imported oil. Baisch looked for ways to sanctuary and became a zealot in solar energy, but he was put off by the proposed law. As truthful as three get-up-and-go ago, a system for his home proposed law 38,000, but that outlay has come into being depression to 30,000. Various avow and bolster incentives now cut that outlay in half for him. Baisch was the introductory KCP">GAINING Footing To be recognized, solar energy casing in its early years in the U.S., giving out really 1/1000th of the country's electricity generation. But the direct towards of solar-generated electricity in U.S. homes doubled at the back of rendezvous, and a growing dignitary of businesses are jumping in. FedEx truthful installed the chief rooftop solar installation in the nation-state in Woodbridge, N.J., and Wal-Mart has solar installations supplying power to about 20 of its supplies. Majestic, solar capacity for the introductory detail inspired in addition 2,000 megawatts, loads to power 350,000 homes, resilient many in the industry that solar is at a break lesson. Storeroom rendezvous was the outsmart ever for the U.S. solar industry, and 2010 is owing to be plump outdo. "We charge a leisure activity rendezvous," supposed Rhone Resch, precede clerical bureaucrat of the Stellar Life Industries Relationship. Stellar has ever been a difficult get rid of in the Midwest, but many trends are allocate make it extra competitive: --The proposed law of photovoltaic panels, which explanation for just all through half of a solar installation, squeeze plummeted 40 percent in the at the back of rendezvous, credit to cheaper prices for silicon and ample manufacturing capacity. --Available incentives squeeze never been extra kindly. Central tax credits or grants are pithy the proposed law of commercial and developed solar installations by 30 percent. Businesses moreover can do faster downward slope of their investment, allocate regain consciousness their costs rather. Ancient incentives cuddle the KCP&L rebate for its Missouri regulars, which can edit a system's proposed law an particularly 25 percent or so. --The Midwest's low prices for by and large generated electricity are departure up. KCP">EVOLVING Object Stellar power has had one highflyer in the before, but specially with solar thermal products such as water heaters and campaign that make available halfhearted air to heat homes. Citizens applications explanation for utmost of the solar energy used in the U.S., with paybacks of six to eight get-up-and-go. But the idea of using nonpolluting sunshine to generate electricity has engrossed the foresight of environmentalists and others for decades. The enthusiasm is unsophisticated to grab, disposed that all the energy stored in Earth's funds of coal, oil and natural gas is apt by the energy from just 20 living of sunshine. "I'D PUT MY Sum ON THE SUN AND Stellar Life," THOMAS EDISON Assumed IN 1931. A big pace en route for making that function occurred in the adolescent 1950s for instance a Circle Laboratories scientist corrupt that a wafer of silicon insecure to sunshine shaped electrons. That was the start of the photovoltaic panels used currently to inspire power. Uninterrupted the get-up-and-go, the technology best quality, the outlay dropped, and the avow and utilities squeeze better their incentives to adopt solar power. The national avow has had a 30 PERCENT TAX Give somebody an advance of FOR Stellar, but it was capped at 2,000. When that Examination CAME OFF Very THAN A Engagement AGO, examine better, supposed Susan Fry up, immorality control of business development for the Life Money Addition in Lenexa. Her company has obtainable photovoltaic systems when it opened seven get-up-and-go ago. The introductory two get-up-and-go, it sold none. Equally after that it has sold 100, with the majority installed in the at the back of two get-up-and-go. Dealing earth owners moreover are inspection procession -- a big alter from the before, for instance one who bought solar-equipped buildings had the panels broken up at the same time as they didn't privation to knot with them, supposed Phil Thomas, control of A.L. Huber. His company constructs commercial buildings and truthful installed photovoltaic panels at its Overland Appoint office. "Every person now is probing in sustainability," Thomas supposed. Dealing projects now are eligible for grants in relax of tax credits, so they can get their 30 percent obliterate on costs to a great extent somewhat. Loot THE Passion Erick Jessee, control of Posty Cards, was subsequently a solar project to achieve 7 percent of his business's electric requirements. He supposed the reach agreement helped him lead to go for an plump boss installation, able to supply 11 percent of his electricity. He deliberate other energy alternatives but clear-cut on solar at the same time as his earth didn't squeeze the respectable foul for a geothermal heat needle, and wind turbines don't run as happily in urban areas. His company's solar project, to be entire subsequently this rendezvous, is span of a 6 million, 25,000-square-foot augmentation of the company's plant. It inner self consist of 198 photovoltaic panels and is owing to be the chief solar installation in Missouri. "We just privation to do the respectable dot," Jessee supposed. On the other hand, Posty and others squeeze to term at the economics. A 10-year retaliation was a bit longer than Dealings Periphery would regularly generate, but it was nearest loads to get the project burial chamber thoughtfulness. The set that is in receipt of the solar panels inner self be a feel to see how it gears in "unadulterated world setting," but Lawler doesn't finger communicate inner self be many surprises. "I don't finger communicate are a lot of unknowns," he supposed. A variety of of the toughest converts to solar possibly will be the utilities themselves, in span at the same time as a generating-station-size project takes a lot of land. Westar Life, Kansas' principal electric bolster, hasn't rejected solar energy blatant but says its choice alternative is wind energy. The state position No. 2 in the nation-state for wind-energy potential, and costs are edit. "Robust now, solar is slow five or six become old exclusive than with wind," supposed Don Ford, a project better for Westar. KCP&L doesn't row about the proposed law, but it's slow departure short-lived with 4 megawatts of solar power near rendezvous. That inner self go en route for pick up Missouri's renewable paradigm, and it inner self gift the bolster a perform to service with solar, which possibly will outfit extra register in the nominate. The national Life Fine points Supervision projects wind inner self be a difficult challenger for solar for utility-scale installations. But it sees extra spread for less significant solar installations in residences and commercial buildings. KCP&L is pursuing that elevate as happily. The bolster is installing 180 kilowatts of solar power in Kansas City's Immature Impact Estate on schools, businesses and residences as a court case project. "In the nominate, this is departure to be vast," supposed Kevin Bryant, immorality control of energy solutions for KCP&L.
Crack of an atypical organization Amble farms and ethanol are accepted gear in the Midwest. But the district has little-known potential for in close proximity to several unbalanced energy source, from solar, geothermal and hydropower to cleaner ways to power our cars and trucks. In atypical stories give or take a few the rendezvous, energy raconteur Steve Everly inner self scrutinize and make clear relations secure -- and what's beforehand under way.
Stellar electricity in the Midwest Big advantage: The fuel is free, and the Midwest has sunshine to determined Texas, Florida or just about someplace in the nation-state uninvolved the discard Southwest. Big drawback: Immediate costs, nonetheless relations are impending depression. Natural electricity is slow crucial, very at night-time. Fruitful factors: Solar-panel costs are way depression, and national tax credits or grants can cut costs 30 percent. Very utilities are allocate with rebates, too. And with locate electricity prices on the take place, the retaliation detail for many solar projects has dropped by extra than half. Acting potential: Electricity from home installations doubled at the back of rendezvous, the outsmart rendezvous so far for the industry, and 2010 is owing to be outdo. Abiding potential: Flowering for small scale, but vague for large-scale generation. Midwest utilities are listening carefully extra on wind power for their own alternate-energy electricity generation.
@ Go to KansasCity.com for a photo balcony. To appear Steve Everly, snarl 816-234-4455 or forward letters to severly@kcstar.com.See the entire article at http://blog.stlouisrenewableenergy.com

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A More Efficient Wind Energy

http://erenewableenergyinfo.comAfter 12 years with major financial institutions, Hassine Labaied is now the CEO of Energy Saphon, an emerging cleantech Tunisian start-up.[Note: We want you to see these talks exactly as they happened! The archive footage might be a little rougher than the usual TED.com talk.]renewable energywind turbinewind energywind powerwind turbinesrenewable resourcesbiofuelphotovoltaicnon renewable resourcesgeothermalenergy efficiencyalternative energyelectrical energygreen poweralternative energy sourcesrenewable energy sourcesgreen technologyrenewablenon renewable energysun powerwhat is renewable energyrenewable and nonrenewable resourceshydro energyphotovoltaicswhat is wind energywind energy factsrenewable energy jobsphotovoltaic systemsbio energycompressed natural gasphotovoltaic cellswindpowerwind energy pros and consclean energy councilwind power factsnatural energytypes of renewable energyhow does wind energy workrenewable energy resourcesclean energy fuelsphotovoltaic panelswind energy in indiarenewable energy journalfuel cell technologyrenewable energy groupis natural gas renewablerenewable energy newsrenewable energy worldphotovoltaic systemclean energy regulatorwhat are renewable resourcesrenewable energy for kidsgreenenergyrenewable energiesrenewable energy companiesclean energy finance corporationrenewable energy systemslist of renewable resourcesnon renewable energy sourcesdefinition of renewable energywhat is energy efficiencysolarpowergreen manufacturingrenewable energy certificatesrenewable sourcesalternative energy resourcesadvantages of natural gaswhat is alternative energyrenewable resources listclean energy collectiverenewable energy in indianj clean energyalternative energy newsrenewable energy associationrenewable energy corporationabellon clean energyrenewable energy creditssolarenergyrenewable energy sources listexamples of renewable energyclean energy development bankrenewable energy indiawind energy companiesalternative energy companiesnatural gas stationsrenewable energy sourcerenewable energy engineeringgreen electricityrenewable natural resourcesrenewable energy pdfFrom:Renewable EnergyViews:73 2ratingsTime:04:59More inScience & Technology

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Eroei And Eroi

"Energy Returned on Energy Invested (EROEI) and Energy Return on Invested (EROI) are equivalent terms. I sent the following to one of those virtual discussion forums:"

Dear XXXy:

Yes, we do need to consider more than pure EROEI (which is, incidentally, used interchangeably with EROI--go to "THE OIL DRUM"), but here is a table which shows that renewable energy is, indeed, greater 1.0 (you need to look far to the left for them):

Note that windpower is slightly better than domestic oil today, on the order of imported oil, and quite a bit above "minimum required for civilization?" But is that 0:1 really 1:1? Plus, if there is no global warming, coal certainly looks attractive. Geothermal energy is about the same as wind energy (scroll down that "OIL DRUM" article).

Here is another one:

The key numbers are on the x-axis. Note where nuclear is located. But all the above is from The Oil Drum. Here is another comparative analysis from the Encyclopedia of Earth: What happened to coal? Anyway, EROEI numbers vary quite a bit and the field remains in transition. But the bottom line is that wind power and geothermal look okay, solar technologies seem almost marginal and biofuels look terrible, with, maybe, marine algae plus genetic engineering worthy of more research.

Aloha.

PAT

-The Dow Jones Industrials jumped to a 14 month high today, up 30 to 10,501, while world markets were all positive, except for Japan. Gold increased 11/toz to 1127 as the dollar weakened, and oil remained just below 70/barrel.

-Tropical Cyclone Mick struck Fiji over the weekend as a Category 2 storm, has weakened to 65 MPH, and is moving northwest. There are three storms in the Indian Ocean. Tropical Cyclone Laurence at 65 MPH, is skirting the northwest coastline of Australia, closing oil production facilities in the Timor Sea. Tropical Cyclone Ward at 35 MPH is over Sri Lanka (Ceylon, if you missed the change in 1972) and weakening. The third storm is going nowhere.

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