Sulfur compounds in petroleum fuels have met their nano-structured match. Researchers developed mats of metal oxide nanofibers that scrub sulfur from petroleum-based fuels much more effectively than traditional materials. Sulfur has to be removed because it emits toxic gasses and corrodes catalysts. Such efficiency could lower costs and improve performance for fuel-based catalysis, advanced energy applications and toxic gas removal.
ScienceDaily: Fuel Cell News
France has been held up, worldwide, as the forerunner in using nuclear fission to produce electricity. However, a third of the nation’s nuclear reactors will need replacing in the next decade, and public opinion has shifted toward reducing reliance on nuclear power.
ScienceDaily: Energy Technology News
Within a decade, more than 35 million buildings may be generating their own solar electricity (without subsidies) at prices lower than their utility offers, sufficient to power almost 10% of the country. That’s the powerful headline from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s latest report, Commercial Rooftop Revolution. Despite the opportunity
Long the redheaded stepchild of North American power generation, combined heat and power (CHP) may finally be poised for a big leap forward….
POWER Magazine :: Gas :: Gas Power Direct
Filed under: Regulation
James Hughes, CEO of First Solar, recently gave a hugely interesting interview to Australia’s Renew Economy in which he discussed his company’s future, the state of the global solar market.
Hughes’…
Solar Without Subsidies? Distribution Models Questioned originally appeared on AOL Energy on 2013-01-07T09:00:00Z.
Filed under: Dealmaking
Banks, trading houses and corporations trading energy and related commodities are bracing for one of the most visible financial reform efforts of the last century to finally take effect next month,…
Energy Traders Brace for February ‘Swaps’ Report Deadline originally appeared on AOL Energy on 2013-01-07T11:00:00Z.
Natural gas research in the eastern Mediterranean will result in Cyprus and Turkey engaging in activities to explore for new reserves.
Cypriot energy Minister, Neocles Sylikiotis, met recently with a high-level delegation from Total SA in order to push forward negotiations regarding the research of a sea block awarded to the company. Cyprus has concluded final details with Italian Eni and the Korean Kogas, who have pledged to invest into researching two other sea blocks. Sylikotis in the meantime relayed to local media that over the coming years when all sea blocks are awarded, a total amount of USD 10 billion in investments should be expected based on the estimations that considerable amounts of gas will be found, similar to Noble Energy’s Block 12.
According to estimations by the Cypriot Ministry, by early 2013 all negotiations should have reached an end and by mid 2014 the newly established Cypriot hydrocarbon state agency should have found a strategic investor. The schedule details that by 2018 production at Block 12 should have started and by 2020 other potential gas reserves should also be exploited. For the moment companies such as Gazprom, Shell, BP and E.ON seem unofficially interested in becoming strategic partners with the Cypriot agency, although negotiations for that sector will commence in the near future, once the remaining blocks are awarded to various competing companies.
Turkey is also speeding up its Mediterranean gas investment strategy. It has started negotiating with the Norwegian corporation Polarcus in order for the Turkish Petroleum Company (TPAO) to acquire the research vessel Polarcus Samur built in 2001. TPAO is in a final negotiation stage with the Norwegians for the acquisition that is said to cost USD 165 million, according to the Oslo based bank DNB. If the deal is concluded, the vessel could be in Turkish ports by March 2013. Polarcus Samur has eight streamer sensors and multitude of other high-tech equipment for far-ranging offshore research.
The CEO of Polarcus, Rolf Ronningen, stated recently that TPAO is interested in wide-range 3D seismic research in all corners of the Turkish continental self, including the Black Sea.
It is also interesting to note that TPAO in 2011 signed an agreement with Shell to jointly conduct natural gas research in the eastern Mediterranean through an energy exploration and production sharing agreement. This deal details that first a region offshore Antalya should be explored. Shell is estimated it will contribute USD 300 million along with technical expertise and according to the Hurriyet newspaper, reserves to be found will be equally divided between TPAO and Shell.
Related Reading: Balancing Energy and Politics in Turkey
If Obama buys short-term political dominance by embracing fossil fuels, the long-term consequences will be disastrous.
Energy Policy feed
Zambia’s state-owned utility Zesco has asked mining companies in Africa’s top copper producer to cut back on electricity use to help ease a power shortage, its MD said on Friday. Zambia generates 1 746 megawatts (MW) of electricity but demand exceeds capacity by about 70 MW during nighttime peaks caused by increased power usage from households, Cyprian Chitundu said.
Engineering News | Electricity
The U.S. government announced this week it was issuing a request to see whether or not there was any competitive interest in leasing more than 100 square miles of an area off the coast of Long Beach, N.Y., for wind development. Plans spelled out by the New York Power Authority could open the door for 350 megawatts of renewable energy for area consumers. The federal government said the measure was part of the Obama administration's "all-of-the-above" energy strategy that envisions a diverse resource base. Political intransigence over a federal budget…
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy says while 2012 was a good year, energy-efficiency wise 2013 looks to be even better. In a blog, ACEEE Executive Director Steven Nadel points to 2012 highlights, including weatherizing more than 1 million low-incomes homes and apartments with federal stimulus dollars, and establishing energy-efficiency loan programs in more …Continue Reading
Energy Manager Today
Wind in the Americas has tremendous opportunity for growth, particularly in Latin America. By 2025, the region is expected to reach 46 GW of total installed wind capacity, according to the IHS Emerging Energy Research study, “Latin American Wind Power Markets and Strategies: 2010 – 2025.” Brazil is expected to lead the Latin American region with 31.6 GW of installed capacity by 2025, followed by Mexico with about 6.6 GW. Brazil is predicted to house 69 percent of the total Latin American installed wind capacity in 2025, positioning the country as a leader for development, turbine manufacturing and wind turbine component supply chain assembly.
* Global macro trends seen lending more volatility in 2013
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Offshore Energy Today
Solar IPP Sonnedix has acquired two solar PV projects totaling 23.5 MW in Istres and Saint Martin de Crau in southeastern France from EDF Energies Nouvelles.
pv-magazine.com
Japan lost a quarter of its electric capacity when it shuttered its nuclear reactors in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Predicted blackouts have not materialized, though, thanks to a national conservation effort that reduced demand by as much as 15 percent.
Forbes – Energy
Apple Inc, the well-known manufacturer of phones, desktop, laptop, and tablet computers, has reportedly designed a unique energy storage system for wind energy.
Apple energy storage concept. (Credit: U.S Patent and Trademark Office)
It has been looking for ways to power its data center, and it realizes the benefits of wind power, such as zero fuel requirements, the opportunity to support the US economy more by buying US-built turbines, zero pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, and a cost of 9.7 cents per kWh without government subsidies.
9.7 cents is a low cost; however, the implementation of energy storage increases it, and Apple will need energy storage or backup generators to compensate for power fluctuations, if they are to directly power their data center with it.
Apple’s Concept
Apple’s wind energy storage concept involves using a wind turbine to rotate a shaft that turns a device that has one or more paddles, a propeller, or a drum attached to it and immersed in a volatile fluid.
This would agitate, circulate, and/or heat low-capacity fluid. The heat generated in the fluid would cause it to boil because of its low boiling point.
Here is the patent application’s description of the process:
“Once sufficient heat is transferred to working fluid, the heat may be used to generate electricity. In particular, the heat may boil working fluid (e.g., due to the low boiling point of working fluid), generating vapor that is used to rotate a turbine. Turbine may then be used to drive an electric generator that supplies electricity to a load, such as a motor vehicle, home, business, building, and/or electrical grid. Transfer of heat from low-heat-capacity fluid to working fluid, as well as the resulting generation of electricity from the transferred heat, may be ceased once the energy stored in low-heat-capacity fluid is no longer needed to meet electrical demand.”
This may not be viable at the moment, but working on energy storage concepts for off-grid renewable power is a step in the right direction, especially for the long run.
This patent application was submitted back in June 2011. Who knows if Apple is still hopeful about the technology today? We’ll see.
Apple’s Green Gene
Apple hasn’t been the most open about its environmental effects, but it has actively promoted strong climate change policies on the government level, and it has produced some of the world’s most efficient computers, tablets, and phones. It has also used solar power for some of its needs, including America’s largest end-user-owned, onsite solar array for a LEED Platinum data center in North Carolina.
Apple Designs A Wind Energy Storage Concept was originally published on: CleanTechnica. To read more from CleanTechnica, join over 30,000 others and subscribe to our free RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or just visit our homepage.
Renewable energy could fully power a large electric grid 99.9 percent of the time by 2030 at costs comparable to today’s electricity expenses, according to new research. A well-designed combination of wind power, solar power and storage in batteries and fuel cells would nearly always exceed electricity demands while keeping costs low, scientists found.
ScienceDaily: Solar Energy News
The Obama administration is gauging interest in wind power development off the coast of New York, after a state agency proposed an offshore project 11 nautical miles south of Long Beach.
Oji Holdings Corp., the world’s largest corporate user of renewable energy, plans to sell clean power in Japan to take advantage of government subsidies and counter a sales slide in mainstay paper products.
Scientists have identified a biocatalyst which could produce chemicals found in ice-cream and household items such as soap and shampoo – possibly leading to the long-term replacement of chemicals derived from fossil fuels. This development could mean fuel for cars or household power supplies could be created from naturally-occurring fatty acids.
ScienceDaily: Fuel Cell News
So, the fiscal cliff was averted in a last minute-deal by DC lawmakers. Sort of. For now. Or so we’re told. We think.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson on Thursday announced she would step down after President Obama’s state of the union address later this January….
POWER Magazine :: Power plant environmental monitoring and control issues
Filed under: Generation
During this Energy and Environment Breakfast, ICF International welcomes Dr. John Felmy, chief economist of the American Petroleum Institute (API), who will draw on his unique perspective to discuss…During this Energy and Environment Breakfast, ICF International welcomes Dr. John Felmy, chief economist of the American Petroleum Institute (API), who will draw on his unique perspective to discuss issues affecting the U.S. petroleum industry, the economy, and consumers. The U.S. petroleum markets are in an unprecedented period of transition….
Petroleum Markets: Unprecedented Transition originally appeared on AOL Energy on 2013-01-04T10:50:00Z.
Filed under: Transmission
Transmission is the backbone of our electric system and the foundation for the Rocky Mountain region’s economic growth and environmental sustainability. Expanding and upgrading the electric…
Rocky Mountain Clean Energy Transmission Summit originally appeared on AOL Energy on 2013-01-04T11:00:00Z.