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Monday, December 29, 2014

Dominion Acquires CID Solar Facility In California

From Dominion:


Dominion Acquires CID Solar Facility In California

RICHMOND, Va.Dec. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion (NYSE: D) has closed on the acquisition of the CID Solar Project near Corcoran, Calif., in King's County, from EDF Renewable Energy. The companies announced the purchase and sale agreement in June 2014. The 20-megawatt (ac) facility completed the conditions of the acquisition and closed on Dec. 11, 2014. It commenced operations on December 22. The project provides power to the San Francisco-based electric utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
Terms of the CID transaction are not available.
About DominionDominion is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 24,900 megawatts of generation, 10,900 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 6,400 miles of electric transmission lines.  Dominion operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems with 947 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves utility and retail energy customers in 10 states. The company, through Dominion Solar Holdings, has 345 megawatts of solar generating capacity under development or in operation in CaliforniaConnecticutGeorgiaIndianaTennessee and Utah. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.
About EDF Renewable EnergyEDF Renewable Energy is a leading U.S. independent power producer with more than 25 years of expertise in the renewable industry, covering all range of services from project development, management to operations and maintenance.  EDF Renewable Energy specializes in wind and solar photovoltaic with presence in other segments of the renewable energy market: biogas, biomass, hydro, marine energy and storage solutions.  The company develops, constructs, operates and manages renewable energy projects throughout the United States for its own accord as well as for third parties.  EDF Renewable Energy's portfolio consists of 5 gigawatts of developed projects with 2.2 gigawatts of installed capacity. EDF Renewable Energy is the U.S. subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles. EDF Energies Nouvelles is the renewable energy arm of the EDF group, the leading electricity company in the world. For more information visit:  www.edf-re.com.  
SOURCE Dominion

NREL Receives Editors' Choice Awards for Supercomputer Research

From NREL:


NREL Receives Editors' Choice Awards for Supercomputer Research

NREL scientists and engineers also receive many industry and community awards

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Two prestigious scientific magazines have awarded the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with Editors' Choice awards for the Peregrine high-performance computer and the groundbreaking research it made possible.
The Apollo 8000 system from HP has won one of R&D Magazine's Editors' Choice Awards. This supercomputer created by Hewlett-Packard (HP) and NREL uses warm water to cool its servers. Internally, heat generated by the computer's chips is transferred to water circulating through the machine, and the resulting hot water is used to heat offices and laboratories in NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF). Each year, the R&D 100 awards recognize the top 100 scientific and technological innovations as chosen by the judges. Only three of those 100 receive the additional honor of an Editors' Choice Award.
Additionally, HPCwire magazine named NREL as co-winner of its Editors' Choice - Top Supercomputing Achievement Award. The award honors NREL and the Texas Advanced Computing Center for the work their high-performance computers - Peregrine and TACC - did in support of the research on converting biomass to fuels. The work was led by NREL Senior Engineer Gregg Beckham.
Beckham's team analyzed the most prevalent enzyme in cocktails used to break down biomass in the bioethanol facilities that are quickly coming online in the U.S. and Europe.
Enzymes are an expensive part of the biofuels conversion process, so engineering improvements in the most prevalent enzyme has the potential for lowering costs significantly. Using simulations made possible by the high-performance computers, Beckham's group predicted that a previously overlooked domain - the linker connecting the binding module and the catalytic domain, "may have significant function," Beckham said. "We followed up these molecular simulations with experimental work to validate the prediction made by the simulations."
"This is significant because while NREL's new facility and HPC system have been recognized recently for their advances in energy efficiency, this HPCwire award recognizes how these HPC resources are being used to advance important areas of science and technology," said Steve Hammond, director of the Computational Science Center at NREL.
NREL's Beckham Receives Two Awards for Cellulose Research
Beckham also won two additional awards: the AIChE Computational Science and Engineering Forum Young Investigator Award and the ACS OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award. The awards recognize outstanding research in computational molecular science and engineering. Nominees must be within seven years of completion of their highest degree. As the winner for the AIChE award, Beckham recently gave a lecture titled, "How the Walls Come Crumbling Down: Elucidating Mechanisms of Cellulose-Active Enzymes Using Molecular Simulation" at the AIChE 2014 Annual Meeting.
NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility a Finalist for PMI award
NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF), a $135 million, 182,500 square foot, design-build project was honored by the Project Management Institute as one of three international finalists for Project Management Institute's Project of the Year Award. This award recognizes projects from any industry in the public and private sectors that have demonstrated superior use of project management techniques.
Due to the innovative performance based design-build acquisition strategy employed by the project team, the project came in under budget and ahead of schedule. ESIF garnered R&D Magazine's prestigious 2014 Laboratory of the Year award, which recognizes excellence in research laboratory, design, planning and construction. The research facility is LEED Platinum certified, world class in energy efficiency, and includes an award winning high performance data center, high-bay labs, and office space. 
NREL's Martha Symko-Davies honored by Women in Energy
The Denver Business Journal, along with Women in Energy - Denver, have named NREL scientist Martha Symko-Davies as one of the Top Women in Energy this year. The award honors Denver's most influential and successful women working in the energy field.
As NREL's Director of Partnerships for Energy Systems Integration, Symko-Davies oversees the agreements that bring utilities and vendors to the ESIF where they can evaluate the impact of distributed energy resources like solar technologies on the grid and find solutions to utilizing the technologies in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner at scale.
NREL's Huyen Dinh Receives Award for Mentoring
The University of South Carolina has given NREL Senior Scientist Huyen Dinh its Outstanding Mentor award and honored NREL as its Outstanding Co-op Employer for 2013-14. USC undergraduate Charlie Staub said Dinh deserves the honor "because of her dedication to improving my experience as a co-op student." NREL brings in numerous undergraduate science and engineering majors each year to work with veteran scientists and engineers and to conduct their own research.
Huyen, a senior scientist in NREL's Chemical and Materials Science Center, says that reaching out to students feels natural. "When I was a graduate student at the University of Calgary, I had a great mentor for my Ph.D. thesis," she said. "And I've always thought that I should give back by transferring that great experience of a great mentor to other students, so they can go on and mentor other students. But, I can't do it alone. Mentoring is a team effort and I'm grateful to my colleagues for helping me with it."
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

7 Steps to Hydropower

From Little Rock District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:




The seven steps to hydropower. The Army Corps of Engineers generates hydropower at Ozark and Dardanelle dams on the river as well as at 5 lake projects.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

GE Brings Solar Power to Nigerian Noodle Company

From GE:


GE Brings Solar Power to Nigerian Noodle Company

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  • GE Collaborating with Tolaram Group to Provide Solar/Diesel Hybrid Power for Local Noodle Factory
  • Project will Reduce Diesel Fuel & Emissions by 18 Percent
  • First Installation of GE’s Solar Hybrid Technology in Africa
KADUNA, Nigeria—December 18, 2014—GE (NYSE: GE) today announced it will supply Northern Noodles Ltd., a subsidiary of DUFIL and Tolaram Group, with solar technology to reduce emissions at a food manufacturing plant in Kaduna, Nigeria. The 575 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) plant will be integrated with the company’s existing diesel generators and micro-grid system. Once installed, the hybrid solution is expected to deliver 18 percent reduction in diesel fuel and associated emissions at the site.
“Tolaram strives to be an early adopter of advanced technology, and solar energy looks extremely promising. Our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint and create sustainable industrial growth,” explains Mr. Sajen Aswani, CEO of Tolaram Group. “Given GE’s expertise in renewable technology, end-to-end offering, and like-minded commitment to growth here in Nigeria, it was a natural collaboration.”
GE has previously announced plans to support the financing, design and building of infrastructure and capacity across key sectors of the Nigerian economy, including rail, power and healthcare. Originally signed in 2009, GE recently renewed its “Company-to-Country” agreement with the Government of Nigeria for another five years, as part of a larger GE plan to invest $2 billion in Africa by 2018. That investment will help Nigeria as it pushes to install 40 gigawatts (GW) of additional capacity by 2020.
“This installation is an example of what’s possible for solar technology on a smaller commercial scale,” explains Jeff Wyatt, general manager of GE’s solar and energy storage business. “In many regions where there is no grid, or power from the utility grid is unreliable or expensive, manufacturers need a reliable, integrated solution they can count on. Economics of PV hybrid are attractive, and it gives them a choice in building a more sustainable, long-term energy solution.”
Under the agreement, GE will provide a complete engineered equipment package, local employee training and technical support. First Solar will provide thin film modules for the project, which is expected to be in operation by July 2015.
About Tolaram Group
Established in 1948, Tolaram Group is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Asia, Africa and Europe. Tolaram exports products to over 70 countries and has a diversified portfolio consisting of Consumer Goods, Infrastructure, Energy, Digital Services and other interests which include Distribution, Financial Services, Paper Products, Real Estate and Textiles.  The Group is also actively involved in several not-for-profit initiatives, such as partnering with the World Toilet Organisation to promote good sanitation in Nigerian schools and setting up ISHK Limb Centre to provide artificial limbs for the disabled.www.tolaram.com.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About GE Power & Water
GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery, and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar; biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world’s most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water’s six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Products, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy, and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE’s largest industrial business.
Follow GE Power & Water and GE’s renewables business on Twitter @GE_PowerWater and@GErenewables.
About First Solar, Inc.
First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar systems which use its advanced module and system technology. The company’s integrated power plant solutions deliver an economically attractive alternative to fossil-fuel electricity generation today. From raw material sourcing through end-of-life module recycling, First Solar’s renewable energy systems protect and enhance the environment. www.firstsolar.com

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GE Expands Global Wind Presence in Poland with Lewandpol Company

From GE:


GE Expands Global Wind Presence in Poland with Lewandpol Company

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  • GE 2.5-103 Wind Turbines will Generate Power in Southern Poland to Assist with Polish Renewable Energy Goals
  • Galicja Wind Farm, planned to reach 120 MW, will be One of the Largest Wind Farms in Poland
WARSAW, Poland— December 18, 2014 — GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that it will supply Lewandpol Company with 27 GE 2.5-103 megawatt (MW) wind turbines for the Galicja Wind Farm in Poland. Ten of the wind turbines are currently under construction, with another 17 planned to begin construction in 2015. Once operational, the 120 MW Galicja Wind Farm will generate the equivalent energy needed to power approximately 52,000 Polish homes for a year*.
Galicja is GE’s first wind farm in the southern Polish region of Podkarpackie and will be one of the country’s largest wind farms.
“GE’s wind turbines are well suited to our sites. Foundation works started beginning of December and we are pleased to be working closely with GE as construction at the site progresses,” said Andrzej Lewandowski of Lewandpol Company.
Crido Legal operated with the Lewandpol Company as the legal and financial advisor for the transaction.  “We are very excited that we provided our extensive knowledge and experience in the purchasing phases and make such a relevant investment possible,” said Filip Grzesiak, senior associate, Crido Legal, the legal firm advising Lewandpol Company.
“We are delighted that Lewandpol Company has chosen GE wind turbine technology,” said Cliff Harris, general manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa for GE’s renewable energy business. “This agreement highlights our commitment to Poland’s wind energy development.”
In 2013, Poland installed 894 MW of new wind capacity, ranking the country eighth highest in the world in terms of annual wind capacity growth, according to the GWEC’s Global wind report. At the end of 2013, Poland’s total installed capacity was 3.4 gigawatts (GW), nearly half of the of the 6.5 GW wind target by 2020, as defined in its National Renewable Energy Action Plan. Under its current energy policy, the Polish government forecasts additional wind growth reaching up to 13 GW by 2030 and 21 GW by 2050.
“GE is excited to help our customers in Poland work toward its goals for renewable energy growth in the country,” said Beata Stelmach, GE chief executive for Poland and the Baltics. “With an increasing electricity demand at 0.9 percent per year and aging power infrastructure, Poland needs to invest in modern, low- emission energy sources, and has huge potential for wind energy.”
GE will ship the turbines from its manufacturing facility in Salzbergen, Germany, and the wind farm is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of 2015.

The site will benefit from around-the-clock remote monitoring and diagnostics through GE’s global wind monitoring center in Salzbergen, which monitors wind turbines in Europe and Asia 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
*based on household consumption of 2,300 kWh a year.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About GE Power & Water
GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar; biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world’s most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water’s six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Products, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE’s largest industrial business.
About GE in Poland
Since launching its operations in Poland in 1992, GE has steadily grown into one of the country’s largest private companies, with more than 10,000 employees across a variety of businesses including healthcare, aviation and power controls. In Warsaw, 1,700 engineers staff our Engineering Design Center, which helps GE businesses in and outside Poland, such as GE Aviation, Energy and Oil & Gas. GE is also developing an IT hub for GE Healthcare in Krakow, which will employ close to 200 professionals.

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Friday, December 19, 2014

Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs)

From U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy:




With more than 350,000 facilities comprising more than 3 billion square feet, the federal government is the nation’s largest energy consumer. Installing #energyefficiency and #renewable energy technologies makes these facilities more sustainable and less costly for taxpayers. Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) enable agencies to fund upgrades such as this #solar project at the Social Security Administration building in #Chicago with no up-front capital costs or special congressional appropriations. Find out how ESPCs are helping agencies reduce energy use and#carbon emissions http://go.usa.gov/M8uY and learn more about our Federal Energy Management Programhttp://go.usa.gov/MRJH.

Residential Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

From National Renewable Energy Laboratory:




A new report from NREL on the "U.S. Residential Photovoltaic (PV) System Prices, Q4 2013 Benchmarks: Cash Purchase, Fair Market Value, and Prepaid Lease Transaction Prices" is available. Read more: http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/news/2014_res_pv_falls.html

DVIDS - News - West Point on track to achieve Net Zero goals with Army Corps of Engineers’ help

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville Energy Division met with Director of Public Works (DPW) Matt Talaber at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in October to chart a way ahead for helping the institution achieve Net Zero. 

The meeting was held in response to a West Point request in July for assistance in charting a course to execute projects that will enable the DPW to reduce energy demand and consumption, and address increased energy security risks. Huntsville Center will provide a capital investment strategy and road map that clearly identifies the yearly projects and steps needed to help West Point approach Net Zero.





DVIDS - News - West Point on track to achieve Net Zero goals with Army Corps of Engineers’ help

Duke Energy acquires Halifax Solar Project in Eastern North Carolina - Duke Energy

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -
Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, today announced it has acquired a 20-megawatt (AC) solar project in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., from Geenex and ET Solar Energy Corp. 

The Halifax Solar Power Project, developed in partnership between Geenex, a leading solar energy developer, and ET Capital, an ET Solar energy investment company based in California, was placed into service this month. Duke Energy Renewables will own and operate the site. 


Duke Energy acquires Halifax Solar Project in Eastern North Carolina - Duke Energy

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Three New Fellows to Help Guide NREL Research

From NREL:


Three New Fellows to Help Guide NREL Research

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently named Richard DeBlasio, Sarah Kurtz and Suhuai Wei to its Research Fellows Council, the laboratory's top advisory council, comprised of internationally recognized NREL scientists and engineers.
Along with the nine current members of the Research Fellows Council, DeBlasio, Kurtz and Wei will advise NREL executive management on the strategic direction of science and technology research at the laboratory.
Photo of Dick DeBlasio

Richard (Dick) DeBlasio

An employee since 1978, DeBlasio is currently NREL's Chief Engineer for Renewable Electricity and End Use Systems as part of the Power Systems Engineering Center. DeBlasio also served for 10 years as the principal laboratory program manager for electricity research and development programs. In 1999, he initiated and managed the Distributed Power Program and conducted foundational distributed electric research on universal power electronics interoperability systems for electric grid interconnection, and from 1978 to 1999 as principal engineer, for photovoltaic (PV) module and systems performance and engineering research.
Based on his research at NREL, he initiated and led the IEEE 1547 grid interconnection and IEEE 2030 (smart grid) interoperability standards development. This monumental effort removed many of the technical barriers to using renewable energy sources to complement central power systems and has become the national standard for interconnection. As a life senior member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and member of the IEEE Standards Board, DeBlasio established a strong collaborative relationship with industry and stakeholders to validate and standardize technical requirements through collaborative research and testing.
"It's hard to imagine how the distributed PV industry would have evolved were it not for Dick's insight and foresight," NREL Associate Laboratory Director for Energy Systems Integration Bryan Hannegan said. "Without the consensus standards for interconnection and interoperability that he helped develop, PV and distributed energy resource systems would still be proprietary and unable to communicate with one another."
DeBlasio was awarded NREL's Francis Van Morris Award in 2004 for outstanding leadership and sustained dedication to the growth and development of the Photovoltaic Testing and Reliability, Distributed Power, and Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability programs.  In 2010, he received the prestigious IEEE Charles Proteus Steinmetz Medal for "contributions to the standardization and global impact of distributed electric power system interconnection technology."
DeBlasio said he is "proud to have been selected as a Fellow," and of all that NREL has accomplished, "in support of the Energy Department and our national energy goals."
Photo of Sarah Kurtz

Sarah Kurtz

Kurtz is a Principal Scientist and Group Manager for the PV Reliability Test and Evaluation Group where she leads a team of 20 people working to quantify and predict the performance of photovoltaics (PV) in the field. She is a world-renowned expert in the fields of multijunction PV, concentrator PV and PV reliability.
Kurtz and NREL colleague Jerry Olson championed the early use of multi-junction solar cells by showing that a top cell of gallium indium phosphide (GaInP) and a bottom cell of gallium arsenide (GaAs) can capture and convert photons more efficiently into electricity than previous attempts at using other materials. Their breakthrough was embraced by NASA, which uses multi-junction solar cells based on this invention to power many space satellites, as well as the Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.
Kurtz's work helped illuminate how to grow high-quality cells, how to measure multi-junction cells, and how their performance is affected under various spectra. More recently, she has looked at reliability issues when integrating multi-junction cells and other solar PV into larger systems.
She helped form the International PV Quality Assurance Task Force to develop comparative test standards for PV modules. In her newest role working toward PV standards development, NREL Principal Scientist Mowafak Al-Jassim noted, Kurtz "brought her strong materials science background to turn this field on its head and provided an unprecedented level of understanding of degradation and failure mechanisms in PV cells and modules."
Kurtz has received numerous individual and team awards, including the prestigious Cherry Award from IEEE and the Dan David Prize in the Future Time Dimension. She has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and holds six patents.
"It's an honor to be selected as a Fellow at NREL and a real privilege to work with others at NREL, and at the Department of Energy, to further solar energy," Kurtz said.
Photo of Suhuai Wei

Suhuai Wei

Wei joined NREL in 1985 and is now a Principal Scientist at the Materials Science Center. He is a world-renowned scientist in computational materials science, with expertise in semiconductors, PV, and other energy related materials.
During the last 29 years at NREL, he has made a number of key contributions to the current understanding of the structural and electronic properties of materials, including work on the effects of ordering on semiconductor alloys, the effects of and f electrons in II-VI and magnetic semiconductors, the chemical trends of band offsets and deformation potentials in semiconductors, and the doping limit and control in wide-gap semiconductors. His work covers a wide range of fields including alloys, superlattices, PV materials, magnetic semiconductors, hybrid materials, nanomaterials, and wide band gap nitrides and oxides.
Wei was a group manager of Theoretical Materials Science at NREL for the last eight years.
"Suhuai has played a central role in helping NREL develop and maintain its leadership position in the theory of semiconductor materials," NREL Chemistry and Nanoscience Center Director Jao van de Lagemaat said. "He also has a well-deserved and outstanding reputation as a collaborator at NREL as illustrated by his joint publications with NREL staff on topics ranging from PV, hydrogen storage, energy storage to batteries."
He has published more than 380 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals, including more than 90 papers in Physical Review Letters and Rapid Communications and 50 papers in Applied Physics Letters. His publications have been cited more than 27,000 times, earning him an h-index of 85. He is a Fellow of both the American Physical Society and The Materials Research Society.
"I am really honored to be selected as a Fellow at NREL and am very glad for the opportunities I've had to collaborate with talented colleagues and postdocs at NREL in the research for renewable energy applications," Wei said.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
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