US Wind Industry Continues to Grow

S Wind Industry Goes Against Expectations, Installs 1.2 GW in Q2

Washington, D.C., United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]

The U.S. wind energy industry installed 1,210 megawatts (MW) of new power generating capacity in the second quarter, bringing the total added this year to just over 4,000 MW – an amount larger than the 2,900 MW added in the first six months of 2008, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) found in its second quarter (Q2) market report.

"Even in an economic meltdown, the installation of over a gigawatt of wind shows that the technology is mature and destined for long term growth no matter what economic conditions happen to be."

-- Scott Sklar, President, The Stella Group Ltd.

During the second quarter, the U.S. wind energy industry completed a total of 1,210 MW in 10 states. These new installations nudge total U.S. wind power generating capacity to 29,440 MW, according to the report.

The state posting the fastest growth in the 2nd quarter was Missouri, where wind power installations expanded by 90%. Pennsylvania and South Dakota ranked second and third in terms of growth rate in the second quarter, expanding by 28% and 21% respectively.

The states that added new wind power generating capacity are:

Texas	454 MW
Iowa	160 MW
Missouri	146 MW
Washington	129 MW
California	120 MW
Pennsylvania	102 MW
South Dakota	50 MW
Oregon	45 MW
Minnesota	2 MW
Wyoming	2 MW

Space Solar Power (SSP): Bring it on!

There seems to be a buzz about the announcement from SSP company PowerSat from Everett, Washington about two new technologies for which they have filed patents.

Keith Johnson at Environmental Capital discussed the nuts and bolts of the operation.

See PowerSat's official announcement here:

News Release Copy

PowerSat Files Patent That Accelerates Viability Of Space Solar Power (SSP) Satellite Systems

Two advanced technologies reduce the cost of developing a new base load generation system from space by roughly $1 billion

EVERETT, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PowerSat Corporation (www.powersat.com), a pioneer in safe and reliable energy generation from space, today announced the filing of U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/177,565 or “SPACE-BASED POWER SYSTEMS AND METHODS.” The patent includes two technologies, BrightStar and Solar Powered Orbital Transfer (SPOT), which enable the reduction of launch and operation costs by roughly $1 billion for a 2,500 megawatt (MW) power station.

“This patent filing is a watershed moment not only for PowerSat but for a renewables industry that, until now, could neither compete economically nor generate power at the base load scale of oil or coal,” said PowerSat CEO William Maness. “Today, the convergence of technology and energy demand, combined with the political will to wean us off of fossil fuels, enables space solar power (SSP) to fill a widening clean energy supply gap.”

SSP is a clean, viable solution to our world’s growing energy problems. Not limited by weather or geography, SSP solves the intermittency problems of earth-based renewables by providing a reliable and flexible energy source that is available 24/7. The underlying technology components are proven and systems will be deployable within a decade. Solar energy is captured via solar power satellites (known as powersats) and transmitted wirelessly to receiving stations at various points around the globe. Thousands of megawatts can be harnessed and shifted between receiving stations thousands of miles from each other—all in a matter of seconds.

PowerSat Corporation’s first patented technology, BrightStar, allows individual powersats to form a wireless power transmission beam without being physically connected to each other. This “electronic coupling,” conceptually similar to cloud computing, effectively eliminates the need to handle large (gigawatt) levels of power in a single spacecraft. Because of BrightStar, one transmission beam may now come from hundreds of smaller powersats. Another advantage of Brightstar is increased reliability. If any of the individual component satellites fail they can be easily replaced without significantly affecting the performance of the system, thus establishing much greater reliability.

The other technology being patented by PowerSat, Solar Power Orbital Transfer (SPOT) propels a spacecraft to an optimal, Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) using electronic thrusters that are powered by the same solar array that is eventually used for wireless power transmission. Until now, all satellites have had to use chemical propulsion or a chemically fueled “space tug” to move from Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which is 300-1,000 miles in altitude to GEO, which is 22,236 miles in altitude.

SPOT technology also decreases the weight of a powersat by 67%, dramatically reducing launch costs, and enabling PowerSat modules to fly on rockets to LEO, deploy their solar powered electronic thrusters and then fly themselves out to GEO. GEO, the orbit for most communications satellites, is optimal because it allows a powersat to harvest the sun’s energy continuously.

About PowerSat
PowerSat Corporation is a pioneer in generating safe, clean, reliable energy from space based in Everett, Washington. Solar energy is captured via satellites (known as powersats) and transmitted wirelessly to receiving stations at various points around the globe. Thousands of megawatts can be harnessed and shifted between receiving stations thousands of miles from each other—all in a matter of seconds. At a cost comparable to a large hydropower project, PowerSat seeks to leverage gigawatts of untapped solar energy and is motivated by a vision of legitimate energy independence and a truly clean energy portfolio. PowerSat Corporation is partnered with PowerSat Limited in London, and is a subsidiary of PowerSat International which is based in Gibraltar. For more information please visit www.powersat.com.


Media Contact:
Aaron Lindenbaum
alindenbaum@rasky.com
617-443-9933 x343 (office)

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Adaptive Engineering wins award for innovative Unified Communications software

Boston-based Adaptive Engineering a leading developer of collaborative Unified Communications software solutions, has won the Technology Marketing Corporation’s (TMC) Communications Solutions Product of the Year Award for its flagship product Concourse 3TM. The TMC Communications Solutions Product of the Year Award is doled out to companies whose products exhibit vision and groundbreaking achievement through the media of voice, data and video communications.

Just last month, Adaptive was awarded with the Red Herring 100 award for innovation. If you want to maximize your company's return on investment, you should consider Concourse 3(TM) software suite. Concourse streamlines all kinds of inefficiencies at call centers, especially for customer service. Meanwhile its incredibly user-friendly interface makes it fun and simple to collaborate with co-workers on projects.

Mascoma Announces Major Cellulosic Biofuel Technology Breakthrough

Biofuels Digest , TreeHugger and Edmunds.com Green Car Advisor all have reported on today's impressive news from Mascoma!


Mascoma Announces Major Cellulosic Biofuel

Technology Breakthrough


Lebanon, NH - May 7, 2009: Mascoma Corporation today announced that the company has made major research advances in consolidated bioprocessing, or CBP, a low-cost processing strategy for production of biofuels from cellulosic biomass. CBP avoids the need for the costly production of cellulase enzymes by using engineered microorganisms that produce cellulases and ethanol at high yield in a single step.


“This is a true breakthrough that takes us much, much closer to billions of gallons of low cost cellulosic biofuels,” said Michigan State University’s Dr. Bruce Dale, who is also Editor of the journal Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefineries. “Many had thought that CBP was years or even decades away, but the future just arrived. Mascoma has permanently changed the biofuels landscape from here on.”


In a recent Forbes article, biofuels expert Helena Chum of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, commented on CBP, saying “This is the golden dream. All of the processes in one super-organism. That would be the lowest cost possible.” A prominent DOE/USDA research agenda states that “CBP is widely considered to be the ultimate low-cost configuration for cellulose hydrolysis and fermentation.”


Multiple research advances presented by Mascoma Chief Technology Officer Dr. Mike Ladisch at the 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals in San Francisco provide proof of concept for CBP. These include advances with both bacteria that grow at high temperatures, called thermophiles, and recombinant cellulolytic yeasts such as:


Thermophilic Bacteria

· Production of nearly 6% wt/vol ethanol by an engineered thermophilie, an increase of 60% over what was reported just a year ago;

· The first report of targeted metabolic engineering of a cellulose-fermenting thermophile, Clostridium thermocellum, leading to a reduced production of unwanted organic acid byproducts; and

· Selected strains of C. thermocellum that can rapidly consume cellulose with high conversion and no added cellulase, and grow on cellulose in the presence of commercial levels of ethanol.

Recombinant, Cellulolytic Yeast

· 3,000-fold increase in cellulase expression;

· A significant 2.5-fold reduction in the added cellulase required for conversion of pretreated hardwood to ethanol; and

· Complete elimination of added cellulase for conversion of waste paper sludge to ethanol.


“These advances enable the reduction in operating and capital costs required for cost-effective commercial production of ethanol, bringing Mascoma substantially closer to commercialization,” said Jim Flatt, Executive Vice President of Research, Development and Operations at Mascoma. “Our results go a long way toward establishing the feasibility of the processing concept that we have built our company around - so this is a big day for us.”


In February 2009, Mascoma announced that its pilot facility in Rome, NY had begun producing cellulosic ethanol. The demonstration facility, which was constructed with the generous support from the State of New York through the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, has the flexibility to run on numerous biomass feedstocks including wood chips, tall grasses, corn stover (residual corn stalks) and sugar cane bagasse. The facility will provide process performance engineering data sufficient to support construction of 1/10th scale and commercial scale biorefineries in Kinross, MI, with support from the Department of Energy and State of Michigan.


About Mascoma

Mascoma Corporation is an innovative biofuels company committed to developing environmentally sustainable, low cost, low carbon biofuels from cellulosic biomass. The company’s Consolidated Bioprocessing method converts non-food biomass feedstocks into cellulosic ethanol through the use of a patented process that eliminates the need for costly enzymes and additives. The company’s corporate office and R&D laboratories are based in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Mascoma is producing cellulosic ethanol on a demonstration scale at its facility in Rome, New York. Its affiliate, Frontier Renewable Resources, is developing a commercial scale production facility in Kinross, Michigan. For more information, visit www.mascoma.com.


Media Contact:

Kate Casolaro
617-443-9933 x338 (office)
617-312-4964 (mobile)
kcasolaro@rasky.com

Meet EVI (Electric Vehicles International)

Keith Barry from Wired's Autopia blog tells us about a new commercial electric vehicle available in the U.S. With all that stimulus money going towards buying electric vehicles and electrifying public fleets, this company is primed to succeed!

EVI assembles and manufactures two types of vehicles for the US market:

1) The eviLight Truck for Class 3-5 trucks, achieving maximum speeds of 55-60 MPH at up to 450V.

2) EVI also boasts the eviRoute 1500, a two-passenger flatbed commercial truck that can carry a load of 1,500 kgs at a range of 40 miles.

Check out their latest announcement that they are sponsoring Faster Freight Cleaner Air (FFCA-California) in Long Beach this week.

Mascoma's demonstration facility is producing cellulosic ethanol

Mascoma Corp. is announcing that their demonstration facility in Rome is now producing ethanol from non-food cellulosic biomass. This makes Mascoma the first company to process wood into ethanol biologically at this scale.

As you can imagine, this news is significant on a number of fronts – both as an indicator of the progress the company has made towards commercialization, and because of the positive economic impact that that facility is having on the economy in Upstate New York – creating jobs and supporting local industries. As you know, many companies are striving to reach commercialization of their cellulosic ethanol technology, and the success that Mascoma is having at the demonstration scale is an important step in the process.

Also significant is the role that both NYSERDA and NYPA played in funding this project – both agencies contributed significant grants, and see great potential for Mascoma’s facility to be a leader in the green economy.

The press release is below.

*********************

Mascoma Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
Begins Operations in Rome, NY

Facility Generating Biomass-based Ethanol
With Assistance from New York State Agencies

Boston, MA – February 25, 2009: Mascoma Corporation, a leader in the development of low carbon cellulosic ethanol, today announced that the company’s demonstration facility in Rome, New York, is now producing ethanol from non-food cellulosic biomass.

“This is an important milestone for the cellulosic ethanol industry and for Mascoma. We are grateful for the support NYSERDA and NYPA have provided for the past two years,” said Bruce A. Jamerson, CEO of Mascoma Corporation. “They have been outstanding partners and we couldn’t have built this plant without them.”

Completed in December 2008, the Rome, NY plant is one of the largest facilities converting non-food biomass into cellulosic ethanol in the United States. The facility currently has a production capacity of up to 200,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year. Construction began in early 2008.

“The early success of this project demonstrates that feedstocks for renewable fuels can be harvested right here in New York State,” said Francis J. Murray, Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA. “The commercialization of environmentally sustainable transportation fuels is part of Governor David Paterson’s comprehensive energy policy, which will help revitalize the upstate economy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”

The plant was funded in part by grants from the State of New York which were approved in December 2006. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Power Authority (NYPA) provided the funding on the State’s behalf. Research partners at the facility include State University of New York – College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Cornell University and Clarkson University.

“The successful start up and operations at the Rome facility are an essential step towards our commercial goals and underscore the effectiveness of Mascoma’s unique technology,” said Jim Flatt, Executive Vice President of Research and Development and Operations at Mascoma. “The State of New York and our local business partners have together helped us move one step closer to our goal of producing cost competitive cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale.”

The demonstration facility has the flexibility to run on numerous biomass feedstocks including wood chips, tall grasses, corn stover (residual corn stalks) and sugar cane bagasse. The company has committed to partnering with local businesses for feedstock supply and is currently purchasing wood chips from a local sawmill.

“We’re pleased that Mascoma Corporation had the forethought to keep such an innovative facility here in the Rome area,” said State Senator Joseph A. Griffo. “This is an industry that’s at the cutting edge of helping us become more energy-efficient and I commend NYSERDA and NYPA for their partnership.”

“This innovative collaboration between the private and public sectors has led to more jobs for this community, and we can look forward to more economic development opportunities that may result from their success in the global marketplace,” said Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito (D/WF-Rome). “I am excited about Mascoma’s progress.”


About Mascoma
Mascoma Corporation is an innovative biofuels company committed to developing environmentally sustainable, low cost, low carbon biofuels from cellulosic biomass. The company’s Consolidated Bioprocessing method converts non-food biomass feedstocks into cellulosic ethanol through the use of a patented process that eliminates the need for costly enzymes and additives. Mascoma is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with research and development labs in Lebanon, New Hampshire and Woburn, Massachusetts. Mascoma is producing cellulosic ethanol on a demonstration scale at its facility in Rome, New York. Its affiliate, Frontier Renewable Resources, is developing a commercial scale production facility in Kinross, Michigan. For more information, visit www.mascoma.com.

Media Contact:

Kate Casolaro
617-443-9933 x338 (office)
617-312-4964 (mobile)
kcasolaro@rasky.com

Major Wind and Solar Thermal Deals Announced

In the past week and a half, there were two major developments in US renewable energy sector.

First, the Texas Public Utilities Commission announced that it has assigned $5 billion for Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) Transmission Projects to Texas transmission companies. The goal of the CREZ projects are to transfer wind power from rural parts of Texas, which have significant and abundant wind resources, to the more populated and metropolitan areas of Texas.

The CREZ Transmission Projects are a landmark breakthrough and are a result of intensive cooperation and coordination amongst a wide variety of stakeholders -- land owners, investor-owned utilities, private transmission companies, the Public Utilities Commission of Texas, environmental organizations, river authorities, and more.

Scope of the project
POWERnews reports that the CREZ transmission projects "will eventually transmit 18,456 MW of wind power...the regulatory body expects that the new lines will be in service within four or five years."


Second, the LA Times announced today that BrightSource Energy has signed a deal with Southern California Edison to supply 1,300 megawatts of solar-thermal power. Solar-thermal "uses heat from the sun to create steam to spin electric turbines" (LA Times). This is the largest solar-thermal deal to date. Article.Link.