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JULY 1st, 2005
Six Energy Companies Awarded
Renewable Energy Contracts
Six long-term renewable energy contracts with Southern California
Edison and several wind, biomass and geothermal energy companies were approved by the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC). The contracts in total add up to an initial 141 megawatts with a potential to reach 427 megawatts between 2006 and
2009.
The companies that won wind energy contracts were Coran Energy Group,
SeaWest Wind Power, and Western Wind. The largest initial wind contract went to Western Wind, which is for an initial contract
to supply 40 megawatts with a potential for 120 megawatts. Biomass contracts were approved for McCarthy Farms Biofuels and
Silvan BioMass. Silvan’s was the larger of the contracts, initially let for 7 megawatts with a potential for 22 megawatts.
The geothermal contract was to Vulcan Power Company. That contract was initial for 30 megawatts with a potential for 120 megawatts.
The contract duration’s ranged from 5 years to 50 years. Western Wind, which had the largest contract in terms of megawatts,
also had the longest length, at 50 years.
Southern California Edison, with the announcement, reported
that its renewable energy portfolio is the largest in the United States, with a total capacity of 2,588 megawatts. This includes
1,021 megawatts from wind energy, 892 megawatts from geothermal, 354 megawatts from solar, 226 megawatts from biomass and
95 megawatts from small hydro. As a point of reference Southern California Edison reports that 1 megawatt is enough electricity
to power 750 average homes during the summer months.
JUNE 7th, 2005
Appealing to a growing consumer trend to support responsible business
energy practices, Atahotels has made it plans public to power more of its resorts with clean and safe energy. To accomplish
this, the hotel operator has singed another agreement with Enel Energia, a subsidiary of Italian utility, Enel, for the supply
of renewable energy for a period of one year. That contract covers the supply of energy to its Capotaormina Resort, in Sicily,
and to the Planibel Resort, in Valle d'Aosta. Other green resort locations, powered green in 2004 are the Naxos Beach Resort
in Sicily and its Tanka Village Resort in Sardinia.
The new contract is for the supply of 6. 6 million Kilowatt Hours
per year of wind related, solar, geothermal and biogas energy. As a result of the agreement, the Atahotels chain will be granted
the "100 pct green power energy" brand.
MAY 31st, 2005
Geothermal surveys of Casita Concession in Nicaragua by Sinclair
Knight Mertz (SKM), an independent geoscientific firm, have revealed that the site has a 90 percent probability to provide
115 megawatts of power over the next 20 years. Previous studies indicated just 85 megawatts. Polaris Geothermal Inc. (TSX
VENTURE:GEO), reported the preliminary results. Polaris has made plans, contingent on the data supplied in the final report
from SKM for experimental drilling to determine the overall feasibility of Casita as a viable energy resource.
MAY 23rd, 2005
Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV), a subsidiary of ORMAT Technologies,
Inc., (NYSE:ORA), plans to complete refinancing for its Puna Geothermal Project located on the Big Island, Hawaii. The refinancing,
in part, will be used to drill two new geothermal wells.
Dita Bronicki, Ormat's CEO itemized the details of the refinancing,
"We are very pleased that we were able to finance Puna in a form of a lease as this enabled us to (i) monetize tax efficiencies
otherwise not available in the next few years, and (ii) enjoy reduced effective rates of financing in comparison to conventional
debt- or capital-market financing. By excluding the geothermal resource from the financed assets, we have preserved the ability
to develop additional developments ("PGV-II") of Puna utilizing the same resource. We expect to start testing the resource
for PGV-II following the completion of the drilling program of 2005."
MAY 16th, 2005
Sandia National Laboratories, which has been working on the development
of electronic components to withstand high temperature and high pressure, indicates that its technology may help reduce energy
costs as well as find new energy resources.
Research uncovered during the course of the project, which was originally
to overcome the hurdles to drilling deeper for geothermal energy and natural gas, has revealed other applications. As Randy
Normann, one of the engineers on the project explains, "In most airplanes all the control electronics are in the cockpit with
the pilot because they're too (heat) sensitive to go anywhere else. But if you can move them onto the engine where it's hotter,
that would save hundreds of wires and about 600 pounds of weight per aircraft." The researchers estimate that about 600 pounds
of wire could be removed from an aircraft and over $30 million in fuel costs could be saved over the life of the airplane
if the electronics could be moved from the cockpit to the engine compartment.
Other applications that the researchers talked about include brake
systems in cars and earthquake analysis. Normann indicated that the high temperature electronics technology could eliminate
the need for hydraulics in automobiles. The capability to drill into the earth deeper has also given geologists more information
about the results of seismic activity and ways to predict it.
The original project was to develop electronic components that could
withstand temperatures of over 600 degrees Fahrenheit for sustained periods of time - ideally to permit drilling deeper than
the current 20,000 feet limitations - at depths greater than 20,000 feet the drill temperature becomes to hot and the electronics
fail. One of the goals of energy seekers has been to drill down to 35,000 feet. Apparently, geothermal energy and natural
gas may exist in abundance at those depths. The center of the earth, if one remembers from middle school, is extremely hot.
APRIL 28th, 2005
Reports from AAP NEWSFEED indicate Geoynamics has made a significant
energy steam strike. Tests confirm the well produced 10 megawatts of thermal power at Cooper Basin. According to Geodynamics,
"The region has the potential to generate 1000's of megawatts of emission-free electricity."
Geodynamics plans to proceed with further testing.
MARCH 23rd, 2005
Encore Reveals Benchmarks of Novel Natural-Heat-To-Electricity Conversion Device
Encore Clean Energy, Inc. (OTCBB:ECLN) has announced test results of its HeatSeeker, a device that converts
natural heat into electricity. According to the company, the HeatSeeker in its debut test exceeded expectations. With carbon
dioxide as the working fluid, the Heat Seeker "generated 20 gallons per minute of hydraulic flow with 300 p.s.i. hydraulic
pressure from a heat source of only 90 degrees F water and a condensing temperature of 65 degrees F. " The device can operate
on heat differentials found in the ocean, on rooftops, or even in the engine compartments of automobiles - offering the potential
to give hybrid gas-electric vehicles more horsepower.
The inventor of the Encore HeatSeeker, Mr. Robert Hunt, stated,
"I believe we made history today by generating significant power output from such a low twenty-five degree temperature differential."
Dan Hunter, CEO of Encore Clean Energy, Inc, also commented on the results of test and the significance of the product. He
stated, "This demonstration shows that the HeatSeeker offers a fundamentally new way to generate energy from heat. It can
help the world reduce it's growing demand for imported foreign energy by retrofitting today's gas engines and power plants
to cost-effectively generate more power without burning additional fossil fuels."
MARCH 30th, 2005
Renewable Hawaii, Inc. wants to invest more in Hawaii's renewable
energy capacity. Sources it is considering an investment in include sun, wind, hydro, biomass, wave or geothermal
energy. Renewable Hawaii indicates that 33 acres at Maui Electric Company's Waena Generating Station can now be used for such
a project. Renewable Hawaii finances renewable energy projects and takes equity positions in the associated companies.
MARCH 16th, 2005
Encore Turns Wasted Heat into Energy - Will Solar Cell Sun Roofs be the Next Automobile
Option?
Encore Clean Energy, Inc.
(OTCBB:ECLN) has said it plans to debut its new proto-type power source called the Encore HeatSeeker. A public summit to be
held in mid-April, after the test, is expected to be attended by almost every sector of industry, finance and the government.
Encore lists seven heat
areas where its HeatSeeker product can be applied. These include wasted heat generated from coal, natural gas and nuclear
power plants and rooftop solar thermal heat-to-electricity conversion. As well, the company indicates the tailpipe exhaust
heat and engine exhaust heat recovery are two other applications for its products. The company does not indicate if heat recovery
is from just building and home rooftops or can also be applied to automobile, bus and truck rooftops.
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