ENERGIES... week of December 23, 2001
2001 REVIEW / 2002 OUTLOOK. Last year at this time I said that the
word energy is likely to appear in headline news frequently in 2001. It
did.
Early in the year in response to the energy crisis in California,
newly sworn in President George Bush started a commission under Vice
President Dick Cheney to develop an energy plan for the U.S. The crisis
disappeared but versions of the plan linger in and around the halls of
Congress.
Bush also backed away from a campaign pledge to regulate carbon
dioxide gases (no surprise here from a man with close ties to the fossil
fuel energy industry) and backed away altogether from the Kyoto Protocol
(no surprise here either for the same reason).
Then September 11 rolled around and the U.S. was stabbed in its
heart, but not fatally. One of the complaints from perpetrator Osama bin
Laden was the continuing presence of U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia. Forces
are in the region to keep Saddam Hussein in check and to keep the oil
flowing.
Then what should have been a major news item, but got lost in news
of the war in Afghanistan, was that the rest of the world would go ahead
with the Kyoto Protocol - without the U.S. - in an attempt to reign in
greenhouse gases. The Marrakech Accords - a sort of rule book for Kyoto
compliance - were signed in Morocco in November.
Finally energy trading giant Enron collapsed into bankruptcy. Wind
energy division Enron Wind is okay for now.
Despite a rocky year, clean, efficient and renewable energy did
well. Throughout the year there were almost weekly reports of new wind
farm developments worldwide - offshore wind in particular. There were
many smiling faces at the American Wind Energy Association conference
this year.
Solar power grew in popularity with a number of new projects and
initiatives by governments and businesses, particularly in California.
One solar company, PowerLight, now says it is working around the clock
to meet demand.
The two hybrid cars available in the U.S. are selling well, enough
so that Toyota is increasing its allotment of Prius cars to this country
by 40 percent.
News of hydrogen fuel cell development and commercialization,
another area of intense interest, slowed a bit from the previous year,
but the technology improved significantly. Of note was the recent
announcement of a vehicle multi-fuel fuel processor from Nuvera that
needs only ten seconds to get up and running.
But what about 2002?
If recession persists development of renewables or green
technologies could slow.
On the other hand, if U.S. politicians, particularly those in
Congress, can be convinced that green energy would be good for the
economy in terms of new jobs or national security, then the sector could
have a resounding year.
And if consumers nesting in their homes feel the need for more
personal security they may continue to seek their own sources of energy.
Solar could win here.
Finally, many energy related companies with long term business
plans, and/or those wanting to participate in world markets, realize
that there are opportunities for business and profits everywhere in the
green energy sector. Perhaps President Bush can be convinced that
cutting toxic emissions and greenhouse gases is the morally correct
thing to do. A nod from the White House would be good for this business.
But then, U.S. companies don't need Washington's blessing to pursue
business opportunities. Kyoto is already creating opportunities
globally. Many U.S companies are engaged and ready to take part in this
new world-wide endeavor..
Have the Best New Year,
Bruce Mulliken
DEVELOPING GREEN. Who knows? In ten, twenty or thirty years those
nations now considered Developing Nations may become Developed Nations.
And if those Developed Nations develop clean and green, they may become
more appealing places to live, work and play than dirty old
Industrialized Nations. Clean air and water may be more attractive than
traffic clogged roads and smog belching from tailpipes and smokestacks.
Overall, the standard of living of the newly Developed Nations, when the
environment is included, may be higher than that of Industrialized ones.
(Industrialized Nations should beware. There could be a brain and
business drain to these newly Developed Nations.)
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has begun a project
to pinpoint the best sites for solar and wind energy in 13 nations
considered Developing. This first phase of the Solar and Wind Energy
Survey Assessment (SWERA) will examine Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana,
Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Nepal, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka.
When the project is complete, investors considering building wind
and solar power plants in these nations will be able to use SWERA to
determine the best, and most lucrative locations. SWERA will be linked
to a Geographical Information System and be accessible over the
Internet.
The goal of the project is to encourage the development of new
energy sources as a way to help reduce poverty in these nations.
The first, three-year, $9.3 million phase of the project is being
funded with help from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank. For SWERA visit
the UNEP at http://www.unep.org/
HYBRID FOR BIG CARS, SMALL TRUCKS. Paice Corporation has developed a
gasoline/electric hybrid drive system for the most popular segments of
the U.S. vehicle market - light trucks, minivans and sport utility
vehicles.
According to the company, Hyperdrive (tm), using electric and
combustion motor technologies already available, along with a relatively
inexpensive lead-acid battery pack, can compete economically with
internal combustion engine drive systems currently under the hood of
these vehicles.
Paice claims Hyperdrive with a 1.3 liter gasoline motor, two
electric motors (one drive, one combination starter/generator), a 320 lb
battery pack and controller can offer the same performance as a 4.6
liter V-8 while offering an average of 50 percent improvement in fuel
economy. Visit Paice at http://www.paice.com/ .
WORLD WIND WATCH. As of the end last week the largest wind project
east of the Mississippi in the U.S was the 30-megawatt Fenner Wind
Generation Project in New York State. By the end of 2002 the largest
wind farm in the U.S. east will be the 65 megawatt Backbone Mountain
Wind Project in Tucker County, West Virginia. Backbone with
approximately 42 turbines of about 1.5 megawatts capacity will also be
the first wind farm in the state well known for its extensive reserves
of coal.
Exelon Power Team, the power marketing division of Exelon Generation
Company, has signed a 20 year agreement to buy the output from Tucker
for resale to the grid. Exelon has also agreed to buy power from yet
another eastern wind farm set for completion in 2002, Moosic Mountain
Wind Farm in central Pennsylvania. This time the 20-year purchase is for
52 megawatts. Previously Exelon was also the purchaser of 24 megawatts
from Somerset Wind Power Project and Mill Run Wind Project, both
completed and in operation also in Pennsylvania.
The developers of Backbone are Atlantic Renewable Energy and Zilkha
Renewable Energy. Atlantic is also in the early development stage of yet
another eastern project, the 75-megawatt Flat Rock project for upstate
New York - completion date unknown.
Developers for Moosic Mountain are National Wind Power and Orion
Energy.
Visit Atlantic Renewable Energy at http://www.atlantic-renewable.com/
, National Wind Power at http://www.natwindpower.co.uk/ and Orion Energy
at http://www.orionenergy.com/ , the Exelon Power Team at
http://www.exeloncorp.com/ , Zilkha at http://www.zilkha.com/ .
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court is allowing non-debtor Enron affiliate
Enron Wind to complete the sale of two newly completed wind farms in
West Texas - Indian Mesa and Clear Sky - to American Electric Power
(AEP). The $175 million sale was allowed because the transaction began
before parent company Enron jumped into boiling water. Visit Enron Wind
at http://www.enronwind.com/ .
NEW! NEW! NEW! ... NewsLinks...
--- ChevronTexaco, Energy Conversion Devices Team to Commercialize
Solar, Hydrogen Technologies http://www. chevronenergy.com/ or ECD
http://www.ovonic.com/ (12/20/01)
--- Cubic Wins $38.3 Million Contract from Maryland Transit
Administration http://www.cubic.com (click Newsroom) (12/20/01)
***** IBC's Offshore Wind Energy Conference promises to be an
informative event focusing upon the latest developments with the wind
energy sector. Visit http:www.ibcenergy.com/windenergy for further
details or telephone + 44 (0)20 7017 4052. *****
Send ENERGIES to a friend or colleague. Visit Green Energy News on the
Web at http://www.nrglink.com/ . For free ENERGIES subscription contact
[EMAIL PROTECTED] . Copyright Green Energy News Inc. 12/29/01 vol.6
no.39
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