Africa As Clean Energy Power House

Every year, each square kilometer of the desert receives solar energy equivalent to 1.5 million barrels of oil. Multiplying by the area of deserts in Africa or in the world, this is several hundred times as much energy as the world uses in a year. What this means is that in Africa, countries like Algeria, Angola, Libya and Nigeria can move directly from being oil-rich to being solar-rich, well assuming they emulate United Arab Emirate and invest their earnings from oil in technologies such as CSP to harness energy from the richly and freely available sunlight in the Sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts.

" Areas in the world with high solar insolation include sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts"

For a country like Nigeria, this would mean, the region in the north instead of the southern Niger delta region, would now be the energy power house, since electricity from solar thermal power plants located in the parts of the North that lies in the arid Sahel zone, would be sold both locally in Africa and possibly exported to Europe to generate more revenue than what Nigeria currently earns from petroleum export. CSP technology is the most suitable solar based technology to put this enormous amount of solar energy to use.

The principle behind CSP is very basic and should be familiar to anyone who had once used a lens or a mirror to focus sunlight to lit bonfire at campground in the wood or at festival ground, or to burn a hole onto a sheet of paper. Similarly, mirrors or reflectors of various shapes are used in CSP systems to focus sunlight to a surface to generate heat. The heat is then used to boil water to generate steam which then drives turbines to generate electricity: - this is basically how a solar thermal power plant works.

Should you, now that you are fascinated with solar heat, desire to make your coal-fired power plant "clean" by using clean concentrated solar heat, instead of "dirty" coal to fire it, if so, then you need to make the following preliminary considerations to determine the amount of solar heat that you would need. Now, using coal, depending on the capacity of the power plant, 400-700 ^0C heat could be generated to produce enough steam to drive the turbines of the coal-fired power plant. Therefore the lens you once used to burn a hole on a sheet of paper or lit campfire, would be ineffective here, rather it is only a mega sized mirror or a collection of mirrors, about the size of a football field is (are) capable of concentrating sunlight(beams) to generate heat of 400-700^0C, and in order to generate this amount of heat fast enough, you need to site the mirror(s) in a place that receives a mega amount of daily sunshine.

Some of the world deserts are among the few places on earth that meet these requirements. No wonder the site of the first concentrating solar power plant was the desert: - in the California's Mojave Desert, to be precise.

Solar thermal power plants, with the exception of "SOLAR UPDRAFT TOWER", can only use direct sunlight, also known as Direct Normal Irradiation (DNI). This is the fraction of sunlight which is not absorbed or reflected by the atmosphere, i. e not deviated by clouds, fumes or dust in the atmosphere and that reaches the earth's surface in parallel beams for concentration. Therefore, in addition to the availability of large open space and sunshine, solar thermal power plants are sited in regions with high direct solar irradiation.

A site or region is deemed suitable if it receives at least 2,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of sunlight radiation per m2 annually, while the best site locations receive more than 2,800 kWh/ m2 / year. Ideal site regions, are where the climate and vegetation do not produce high levels of atmospheric humidity, dust and fumes, they include steppes, bush, savannas, semi-deserts and true deserts, located within less than 40 degrees of latitude north or south.

In Africa, Sahara and to some extent Kalahari and Namib deserts offer large uninhabited open space for mega-size-mirrors or reflectors (concentrators), and have high average daily irradiance, therefore are considered good and suitable sites respectively for concentrated solar power installations or solar thermal power plants (good consideration have to be made though, of the fact that Kalahari and Namib are inhabited to some extent).

Africa is the only region in the world which has many sites. Apart from the deserts, Africa's Sahel Stepes and Savanna Grassland which stretch across Africa from the East to the West are also considered suitable for solar thermal installations.

The total amount of energy irradiated from the sun to the sunbelt regions in Africa is enough to provide for annual energy consumption in Africa and Europe several folds. Blessed with tremendous amount of "solar resource" as well as "desert resource", Africa is a continent to behold. Desert resource?- that's right, desert is today a high value resource, just yesterday it was a desolate waste land. What a difference today makes! Thanks to quest for clean, cheap energy, Africa's deserts and its surroundings are no longer regarded as the epicenter of drought and famine, and "Mecca" to European Aid Organizations and Aid-business organizations rather they serve today as "clean energy resource centers" patronized by cr`eme de la cr`eme of European industrialists and blue chip companies. In the same vain, thanks to Africa's solar and desert resources the end of Africa's energy misery could be nearer than envisaged.

In Europe, where there is no deserts, an organization called Trans Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC), also known as DESERTEC, has proposed developing large-scale solar thermal plants in the North Africa section of the Sahara desert and transmitting the power to Europe through high-voltage direct current power lines.

The significant difference between the European current concept of clean solar energy from African desert and its forerunner in Kramer Junction plant in California's Mojave Desert, built in the 1980s with a total output of 354 MW is this: the solar thermal plants as operated at the California power plants is a hybrid system incorporating an auxiliary heating with fossil fuels. The European plan involves stand a-lone solar thermal plants, in which the solar energy generating system uses nothing other than the energy from the sun: - to demonstrate that environmental friendly solar thermal power plants can be a source of secure energy supply, be operated profitably and sustainable.

Following the questioning of the rational of producing solar energy in African desert for Europe, while the rest of Africa is left out of the project, a decision was reached to set up DESERTEC-AFRICA to extend the concept of "clean electricity from desert" to the rest of Africa. The only difference is that clean energy generated in Africa's sunny backyard would be transmitted via High Voltage Direct Current "(HVDC") within Africa rather than from Africa to Europe. In this case African countries or corporate organizations would set up alongside Europeans, solar thermal power stations in the Sahara desert as well as in other African deserts.

"(insert here a map of "Africa" showing hvdc transmission lines across "africa")"

Our enthusiasm for CSP is based on its excellent prospect for Africa's development. That is why Desertec-Africa campaigns for its adoption by African countries, to harness electricity from the sun.

If you think it is an overstatement, to assert that CSP is going to go down on record as a singular case of technology that ushered in a rapid transformation of Africa to a developed continent then you may want to think again: - because if Africa, rich in mineral resources transforms itself into energy giant: - able to produce enough electricity for itself and for the rest of the world, should use this electricity to process its vast mineral resources and export value-added finished products or intermediates instead of raw materials, as it is the case today, then it would be rather an understatement to say that Africa's developmental transformations would dwarf current impressive development of China, a country that is not as blessed with mineral resources as Africa.

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Factoid 8 Wind Power And Renewable Fuel

Turn Dominate Might Reproduce 20% of U.S. Electricity by 2020; Renewable Fuels Can A large amount Loose change Gasoline by 2050

"The New Harvest: BIOFUELS and Windpower for Rural Relax and Circumstances Get-up-and-go Assurance" is a 47-page translate co-authored by Patrick Mazza (Become rough Solutions) and Eric Heitz (Come first - Get-up-and-go Perfume). It was unbound in November 2005.

The translate finds that renewable fuels from crops can nearly everyone oust gas. Turn power can generate a deep measure of U.S. electricity. America's immature and agricultural heartland can be the go-to source for the nation's energy complex. And the U.S. can fabulously cap large-scale warming murkiness since increasing its energy reparation.

Spread specifically:

Biofuels complete from grains and vegetable oils now supply reveal two percent of the nation's light-duty vehicle fuel. Hitherto, studies by get ready family research institutions arrive on the scene that biofuels, like teamed with on top quick vehicles and crunch into tumor, possibly will nearly oust gas use in light responsibility vehicles by 2050.

That would succeed approaching eight million barrels of Oil tabloid, on top than three become old the U.S.'s current Persian Deep hole imports. This possibly will be proficient with emphatically a proper overstate in cropland as reason of a system that the same generates the rations and big money America desires.

Advanced biofuels complete from bran (i.e., plant field of study plus grasses and crop residues), of which best of the plant world is constituted, forward motion unlock this vow. Fiber offers vastly heavy and smaller number indigestible feedstocks than grains. Following policies to commercialize the new billion gallons of Flair on the place by 2015, a budding cellulosic ETHANOL industry possibly will add 5 billion to cultivator take-home pay by 2025.

Turn power, static generating numb one percent of U.S. electricity, is the world's disc burgeoning energy source with style, untapped workable.

More to the point, the U.S. has smooth disdainful wind power workable than in the past conception, with one-quarter of the land agreeable wind speeds safe of generating competitively priced electricity.

Rural landowners are earning reveal 2,000 - 5,000 per turbine annually payment land to wind developers and smooth disdainful take-home pay are reasonable with occupant identify. Turn farms are the same a tax revenue and employment flinch to immature counties.

The Great Plains has the prime land-based wind forecast but wind farms now job in 26 states from Vermont to Tennessee to Oregon. In veracity, new research shows colossal areas of the U.S. possibly will display wind power at fee ruthless with Coal and Ecologically aware Gas electricity.

Following the name policies, wind tumor possibly will rescue 10 percent of U.S. power supplies by 2020.

Hitherto, acceptably realizing the workable to form the infant farm energy estate concerning a deep family energy actor in the coming a few decades forward motion median sharp general policy be there for.

The report offers general policy agendas to be there for the tumor of wind power and first-class biofuels.

Key policies for wind plaster RENEWABLE Get-up-and-go standards production TAX CREDITS, and policies to accompany ready to go announcement as the "road to cost-cutting measure" for new wind power.

Accord policies for biofuels plaster long-drawn-out central R&D and exploitation, strengthened renewable fuel standards, running procurement of E-85 vehicles, and in good health vehicle fuel economy.

The satiated report can be basis here

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Solar Expectations Rise For Brazil As Auctions Announced

Brazil's plan to auction 3.5 GW of photovoltaic capacity through 2018 comes as welcome news for the global solar industry as the ambitious plan is expected to drive solar growth in Latin America, according to a new report from IHS Technology.The Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL) announced a reserve capacity auction slated for October to contract new power-generation capacity to hedge against unexpected drops in power supply. The auction will offer separate categories for different technologies. This approach will benefit the PV market compared to the regular new-capacity auctions, in which multiple renewable power technologies compete, a method that gives an advantage to wind, IHS says.Exactly how much capacity will be awarded has not yet been disclosed, but IHS expects about 500 MW to be available for PV projects in the first round. The ceiling price for the 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for bids is likely to be set at approximately BRL 250 per megawatt-hour (MWh), or 112 per MWh."Bids will be highly competitive," said Josefin Berg, IHS' solar demand senior analyst. "We expect bid prices to fall to less than BRL 200 per MWh, in line with offers from previous Brazil auctions where solar failed to compete with wind."In view of the announcements, IHS has increased its installation forecast for the country in the latest edition of IHS' Emerging PVMarkets Tracker report, predicting that its annual installed solar capacity will rise to 1,023 MW in 2018, up from 167 MW in 2013.Drought conditions push up power pricesIHS points out that Brazil is currently suffering a challenging year in power generation due to extreme drought conditions that have threatened electricity supply and forced an increase of costly thermal power generation. As peak wholesale power prices top 400 per MWh, alternative sources of generation have become attractive in the short term."Markets like Brazil that combine high solar resources and elevated power prices create opportunities for PV," Berg added. "The main constraint in Brazil is the price uncertainty in long-term power, tied to meteorological factors; revenue levels cannot be guaranteed without a PPA."Successful bidders in the reserve auction could seek to increase revenues by completing projects early to initially benefit from potentially elevated spot prices until the PPA of the auction comes into effect in 2017, the research group notes, adding that such early installations will contribute to near-term growth in PV demand in the country.Tough competition expectedIHS adds that competition for PV projects in the reserve capacity auction will be tough. As an indicator of the PV project pipeline in Brazil, about 6.1 GW worth of PV projects have registered for the new capacity auction scheduled for September 2014, even though few are likely to be able to bid below wind projects.In the October reserve capacity auction, locally established utilities and independent power producers are best positioned to offer sufficiently low bid prices to take home the bulk of awarded PV capacity, IHS says. CPFL, the largest utility not owned by the government, has a PV pipeline of nearly 600 MW, while wind-focused IPP Renova Energia has claims to bids of a combined capacity amounting to 240 MW.Of the international power producers already established in Brazil, GDF Suez has installed a 3.5 MW solar plant, and Enel was awarded 15 MW in the February Pernambuco PV tender.Brazil rises to sixth place in IHS attractiveness rankingGiven the positive news for PV in Brazil, IHS has raised the country's attractiveness score to 41 out of a possible maximum of 100 in the IHS Emerging PV Markets Attractiveness Ranking, elevating it from eighth to sixth place among the world's most attractive solar markets.Overall, Brazil's installed PV capacity is anticipated to grow from 39 MW to 1.2 GW by the end of 2016, IHS expects The main share will be in utility-scale projects as awarded in national and regional auctions. As for commercial and residential PV, despite a net-metering scheme being in place, deployment remains limited by tax challenges and low visibility on retail power prices that do not reflect the real power generation costs. The future of regulatory support for PV on the one hand, and of retail power price levels on the other, will hinge on the outcome of Brazil's general elections in October this year. ARTICLE FROM PV MAGAZINEACCESS TO MORE ABOUT LANDPOWER SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING: SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR RACKING, SOLAR HARDWARE, PV MOUNTING, GROUND MOUNTING SYSTEMS, SOLAR MOUNTING SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS

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California Redefines Solar Net Metering Will Restructure Residential Electricity Rates

SANJAY, AS THE Sub- Blanket Forewarning AND Upper OF Policy AND ELECTRICITY MARKETS AT SOLARCITY, THE NATION'S Major Loaded Honor PHOTOVOLTAIC Stellar Take PROVIDER FOR Urban, Trailer, AND Government Clientele, Petition Select OUR READERS UP TO Ensure ON THE Developing Sell FOR ROOFTOP Stellar.

SANJAY RANCHOD: On the policy head start, the California lower house accepted Parliament Financial credit 327 decently forward adjourning for the court, and this legislation is going to make a big dissimilarity for the rooftop solar industry.

Treat individually, AB 327 is going to reckoning in the exclusion of precincts on the state's net energy metering law and is furthermore going to reckoning in every type reforms to the electricity rate theme for urban consumers of the state's investor-owned utilities. The principal expansion is that the inhibit establishes a process and timeline for the development of a new, uncapped net metering program. That's telling being immediately the net energy metering law in California includes a 5 percent statutory cap, which method such as that cap is reached, which the industry generally projects would permit in 2016 to 2017, out cold standard law, the investor-owned utilities would bring into being no prerequisite to keep on to commit net energy metering to new consumers.

The inhibit requires that the California Ordinary Utilities Lobby group develop programming for a new program that give go appearing in value July 2017 or preceding to that meeting if the cap is reached rear. And that new program give bring into being no put in cap, apiece in qualifications of the spring of new competent spender generators entitled to designate renovate or the complete generating capacity.

That's a big appreciative being, as you may have an effect, up until this think a lot of the statutory cap has obtainable an domineering and artificial keep a tight rein on on the growth of rooftop solar in California. The solar industry has had to warfare all few animation to get that statutory cap increased in union to not hit a cliff. The cap started at 0.1 percent in the mid-1990s and as a result was raised in increments until now. In 2002 it was increased to partly a percent; in 2006 it was increased to 2.5 percent; in 2010 it was increased to 5 percent; as a result final court the Ordinary Utilities Lobby group issued a genuinely telling discrimination that clarified how the 5 percent cap is to be mull over and fine increased the generating capacity out cold the cap intensely. But dull the 5 percent cap was a perfectly hazard to growth of the rooftop solar industry, and effortless forward thrashing the 5 percent cap portray was the hope for the PUC to keep net metering for new consumers on January 1, 2015. The inhibit, AB 327, clarifies that net metering cannot be pending forward the 5 percent cap is reached, and it codifies in decree the come within reach of that the PUC adopted in its discrimination final court for how the cap is to be mull over.

At hand are a be given a ride telling accouterments in the inhibit for stakeholders to be restive of. Two accouterments that the utilities hard-pressed genuinely strenuous for are permission for the PUC to put together row 1 and 2 tariff for urban consumers. That gives the PUC the ability to, at the awfully designate, poorer the row 3, 4, and 5 tariff. The reckoning is portray promise give be a discrimination by the PUC at every think a lot of in the past six to nine months to re-enactment our standard urban rate theme structure to fine drop it a bit and water down the spring of tiers and water down the increments between populate tiers so that we bring into being a quite surge rate structure. That's helpful for every consumers, for example, in the Chief Be successful, who pay awfully elevated magazine electricity bills in the summer such as they bring into being to run their AC continuously and get kicked up appearing in row 4 and 5 at a genuinely elevated small rate. Anything that would do for the solar market is water down the hope savings for the row 4 and 5 consumers who bring into being the primary inhibit, but it give furthermore errand tariff for known factor rate payers for whom solar immediately does not pencil, so it may errand the spring of rate payers for whom solar tremendously is a good lushness debit.

Elaborate ON THE Transactions Type TENSIONS THAT Hold back Want FESTERED Surrounded by THE ROOFTOP Stellar Firm AND INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITIES TO Leave OUR READERS A Loaded Aim OF Anything THE Reference OF AB 327 ACCOMPLISHES.

The inhibit was amended intensely all over the final few weeks of the constitutional group of students to insert the net metering and other solar amendments. At the end of the day, this is a inhibit that was supported by the solar industry, the utilities, and the ratepayer advocates. It was a genuinely salient grouping of stakeholders who supported the irreversible product, and the inhibit is not magical for any of populate stakeholders.

At hand are provisions in the inhibit that the solar industry would very not be included, and portray are definitely provisions in the inhibit, namely the net metering amendments, that the investor-owned utilities prefer not to be included. But this legislation is going to commit choice tighten and a clearer follow valley for apiece the investor-owned utilities and the rooftop solar industry being we bring into being clarity on the outcome of net metering. This is plunder appearing in illustration that a spring of telling decisions about success give be ended at the PUC in the past be given a ride of animation, so it give be telling for the PUC to rod the inhibit source to progress to its balk. The rooftop solar industry gets a follow valley, and the benefactor utilities are going to designate the ability to make type changes with the PUC's liking to their urban rate theme, which they bring into being hunted for every designate. They are furthermore going to bring into being the outlook to charge the PUC to rod a low magazine quick permeate on urban consumers, which is a genuinely disputable expansion that give be vigorously debated at the PUC.

THE RATEPAYER ADVOCATES WERE Epic STAKEHOLDER IN AB 327'S CRAFTING. HOW DID THEY Deem THE Reference OF THIS Basic CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION?

One of the key ratepayer shove groups (Quit) supports the inhibit in back into a corner being it does two things: it establishes a cap on quick charges of 10 a month-that's telling being it method that quick charges cannot be untouchable than that level-and it furthermore give keep on the type rate discounts for low-income consumers who are on the Control program.

Anything PRECEDENTIAL Appeal Will AB 327 Hold back FOR Last STATES AND THEIR Dictatorial AGENCIES, AND FOR Ordinary Take UTILITIES NOT GOVERNED BY Borough PUCS?

Comparison many aspects of energy and ecological policy ended at the state drawn, California's decisions support a lot of faculty and are watched closely by the bring to a standstill of the potential. This solution in person in AB 327 becomes a template and a design for other states who are unappreciated to equate a follow valley for continued growth of the rooftop solar industry in a way that's sustainable for the investor-owned utilities as analytical.

IF THE Determination OF THE ROOFTOP Stellar Firm IS TO Infusion Echoingly, HOW Will CALIFORNIA'S Initiative POLICIES Have an effect on AND Accelerate Punter Assets AND INSTALLATION?

AB 327 removes the blur from first to last the outcome of net energy metering, which is the key policy that enables rooftop solar to commit economic lushness to its consumers. Any keep a tight rein on or shaft on net energy metering programs and availability to outcome consumers presents the luck of limiting the rooftop solar industry's growth. This inhibit tremendously makes clear that to the same degree we don't yet have an effect what the uninhibited programming of that new uncapped program give be, we give bring into being an uncapped program, and we give have an effect what the programming are forward it is implemented. That tighten and visibility for the industry are tremendously key for periodic to put together the financing, to install systems and to bold the employment.

ROOFTOP Stellar INDUSTRY'S Productivity RELIES ON A Positive DELTA Surrounded by THE Demise OF Stellar Initiative (AND ITS Installation) AND Task Collect FOR Urban Initiative. Anything GIVES YOUR Firm Commitment THAT THIS DELTA Will BE Positive IN Imminent YEARS?

The solar industry and SolarCity in limited are never-endingly unappreciated to harass our indemnity gloomy, and this has been telling being, for example, the California Stellar Clue money-making incentives and rebates bring into being declined from first to last designate to the think a lot of where they are are no longer elsewhere for maximum urban consumers in the renovate territories of investors-owned utilities. It's a need by the industry, as we scale and spread, to keep on to accept our indemnity gloomy so that we can be rewarding. The industry give include substitute type countenance in 2016 such as the federal Assets Tax Credit drops from 30 percent to 10 percent, so that assist compels the industry to keep on to harass indemnity gloomy so that we give be able to impart economic lushness lay down solar effortless such as the principal reputation think logically is lowered.

HOW Will Championship OF AB 327 Ask CALIFORNIA'S RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO Perfect Get hard GOALS - 33 PERCENT RENEWABLES BY 2020?

It does insert provisions concerning California's RPS, which immediately requires utilities to procure 33 percent of their electricity from competent renewable resources by 2020. Customary law prohibits the PUC from requiring the procurement of competent resources in surplus of that 33 percent drawn so in a majestic first for RPS programs, AB 327 removes that shaft and in fact authorizes the PUC to absorb procurement by the investor-owned utilities of resources effortless in surplus of 33 percent. Now the PUC does not bring into being say from first to last the affirm utilities, so this expansion in law applies straightforwardly to the investor-owned utilities but it is an telling presage that the 33 percent RPS is calculated by Sacramento to be a downhill and not a boundary.

TO Say, HOW WOULD YOU Estimate THE Unripe Record OF CALIFORNIA Legislature IN 2013, Barely, VIS-A-VIS Stellar AND INCENTING Improved Belief ON Clean ENERGY?

I cost portray give be deal, assuming that the superintendent secret code AB 327 appearing in law, that California in 2013 demonstrated that it continues to be the majestic religious teacher in solar and thatit give keep on to set scathing turnup policy to escort and bold the transition to a clean energy economy and do so in a way that enables the private sector to create jobs impart the state.

Tags: Sanjay RanchodAB 327SolarCityEnergySolar EnergyNet MeteringRooftop SolarCalifornia

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We Are At The Beginning Of The Learning Curve

NEW ENERGY: THE PROSUMER AMENDMENT DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN INSTALLATIONS BELOW 3 KW AND THOSE BETWEEN 3 AND 10 KW. WHY IS THIS?

Grzegorz Wi'sniewski: Renewable energy installations with an installed capacity of below 3 kW, such as roof-mounted photovoltaic panels or small wind energy installations, provide as much electricity as an average household in Poland annually consumes: around 2,500 kWh. The prosumer amendment covers the costs of such an installation and will also enable less well-off citizens to get a loan to finance the investment. Installations between 3 and 10 kW can power multi-family buildings, farms, hospitals, schools and small industrial premises. We also aim to develop the market for micro biogas power plants in this category.

NE: THE PROSUMER AMENDMENT INCLUDES A TOTAL CAP ON THE INSTALLATIONS: ONLY THE FIST 800 MEGAWATTS (MW) WILL QUALITY FOR THE FEED-IN TARIFFS. WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND THIS PROPOSED LIMIT?

Wi'sniewski: I have to admit that the main reason for introducing this cap was the difficult political situation for renewables in Poland resulting from the government's initial attempts to block the development of any kind of citizen energy. We also anticipated criticism from the public-owned power utilities that only see the costs of the feed-in tariffs but ignore the windfall profits that state subsidies for biomass cofiring and old hydropower plants will bring. Prosumers constitute a huge challenge for them, endangering their dominant role in the power market. Even though the feed-in tariffs only apply to micro-installations, and despite the cap of 800 MW, some government representatives and all energy companies still fircely opposed the amendment. The feed-in tariffs were only adopted because of almost unanimous support from all opposition parties and the Polish People's Party, which is in the ruling coalition.

NE: ONE OF THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE PROSUMER AMENDMENT THAT WAS CRITICISED WAS THE LEVEL OF THE TARIFFS: FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATIONS BELOW 3 KW IT WILL BE JUST UNDER 18 EUROCENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR (KWH). THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN GERMAN PROSUMERS CURRENTLY RECEIVE. WHAT IS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS?

Wi'sniewski: The PV market in Germany is much more developed than in Poland. This means that the initial expense is much higher - especially the costs of small installations to prepare the investment, install the panels and buy the panels themselves. The interest rates on bank loans are also much higher in Poland than they are in Germany. In Poland we are at the beginning of the learning curve. We currently have around 1,200 installations with an installed capacity below 40 kW per unit connected to the grid which is only 6 MW in total. On account of the legal and economic barriers associated with connecting installations to the local grid, the investment risk in Poland is much greater than in Germany. We also feared that if we set the tariffs too low this would trigger investors to use low-quality installations, which would discourage others from becoming prosumers. But the feed-in amendment does give the Ministry of Economics scope to adapt the level of the tariffs as costs decrease. As the market for prosumers is still very young, the amendment does not set a specific level of digression.

NE: ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S OPPOSITION WAS THE PURPORTEDLY HIGH COSTS OF FEED-IN TARIFFS FOR ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS. THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMICS EVEN PRESENTED CALCULATIONS ACCORDING TO WHICH THE ADOPTION OF THE PROSUMER AMENDMENT WOULD INCREASE ENERGY PRICES BY PLN 3.17 (79 EUROCENTS) PER MEGAWATT HOUR (MWH). HAVE ANY TOOLS BEEN INTRODUCED TO STOP SUCH A STEEP INCREASE IN ENERGY COSTS FOR THE AVERAGE CITIZEN?

Wi'sniewski: According to an indepth analysis carried out by our institute, the government's calculations are incorrect and significantly inflate the costs of the feed-in tariffs for consumers. Our calculations show that the prosumer amendment will increase the renewables surcharge by a maximum of 8 eurocents per MWh, not 79 eurocents as claimed by the government. There were substantial methodological errors in the government's calculations of the costs of the amendment. And it was on the basis of these unfounded figures that the government asked the Sen ate, the upper house of the Polish parliament, to reject the prosumer amendment. Just before the vote in the Sejm, the Ministry of Economics presented amended calculations according to which the introduction of feed-in tariffs for micro-installations would increase the renewables surcharge by around 12 eurocents per MWh - much lower than its initial calculations of 79 eurocents, but still higher than our calculations.

NE: GIVEN THESE RELATIVELY LOW ADDITIONAL COSTS, WHAT DO YOU THINK WERE THE MAIN REASONS WHY THE GOVERNMENT WAS SO STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THE INTRODUCTION OF FEED-IN TARIFFS FOR SMALL INSTALLATIONS?

Wi'sniewski: The debate on the prosumer amendment was about more than just supporting micro-installations; it also touched on fundamental aspects of how Poland's electricity market works. Despite the structural and technological changes taking place in most other countries, especially in Germany, the Polish power sector is still dominated by four public-owned utilities - PGE, Tauron, Enea and Energa - along with RWE as a minor player. These companies not only generate almost all of the electricity consumed in Poland, but due to the current support mechanism which benefits the larger producers, are also responsible for 90 percent of electricity coming from renewables. Their dominance in the latter sector increased particularly after companies such as Vattenfall, Dong Energy and Iberdrola withdrew from Poland due to the legal insecurity, most of them selling their assets to PGE. In this model, which is not common in the EU, there was simply neither the space nor the political will to empower independent power producers, especially citizens, and allow them to produce electricity, as this would threaten the dominant position of the inflential energy companies. Aware of this risk posed by prosumers, energy companies exerted great pressure on the government - especially through the Ministry of the Treasury - to block the planned changes in the feed-in tariffs. On account of the importance of the feed-in tariffs, representatives of the ruling party (PO) began a campaign to discredit the promotion of distributed sources of energy by claiming that it merely boosts imports of solar panels from China. They also completely ignored the potential for job creation and the opportunities brought about by developing this new industry and the associated technologies in Poland. It is interesting to note here that these are exactly the arguments used to justify the government's plans to build nuclear power stations in Poland. In its fight against the amendment, representatives of the ruling party emphasised that previous versions of the act on renewable energy sources had already included support for prosumers. While the previous versions had guaranteed prosumers a price of initially 80 percent and later 100 percent of the electricity price at the stock exchange, this only corresponds to 4 or 5 eurocents per kWh less than half of the support large installations receive

NE: AN INCREASE OF THE GUARANTEED PRICE FROM 4 OR 5 TO 18 EUROCENTS PER KWH PRODUCED BY CONSUMERS IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT. HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE IN THE FACE OF SUCH STRONG GOVERNMENT OPPOSITION?

Wi'sniewski: Support for renewables is growing fast among the Polish population, partly due to the struggling Polish mining industry. Despite decades of huge subsidies the biggest Polish mining company, Kompania We glowa, is on the brink of bankruptcy. At the same time Poles are becoming increasingly aware that citizens in neighbouring countries are becoming independent from the monopoly of the energy companies. This has caused support for renewables in Poland to increase significantly, exceeding 77 percent according to the latest surveys. Civil society associations such as the Climate Coalition of green NGOs and the newly created organisation of RES in dustry associations Citizen's Energy also played an important role in the debate on feed-in tariffs. In my opinion, the intense debate on feed-in tariffs in the Polish parliament and in our society over recent months marks a turnaround in the attitude towards the power sector. The unprecedented mobilisation of civil society gives me hope that we will see long-term support for distributed and modern renewable sources of energy in Poland.

NE: DO YOU THINK THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ROLE OF PROSUMERS IN THE POWER SECTOR WILL PLAY A PART IN THE CAMPAIGNS FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS LATER THIS YEAR?

Wi'sniewski: The results of the vote on the prosumer amendment showed a new division in the Polish parliament. In both chambers the ruling Civic Platform (PO) was united in its opposition to the feed-in tariffs, despite the low cap of 800 MW, due to pressure from the energy companies and the mining lobby. All other parties, despite significant differences between them, unanimously supported the adoption of the feed-in tariffs. Especially interesting is the fact that the prosumer amendment was initiated by a member of the Polish People's Party (PSL), which is part of the ruling coalition. Despite initial disagreements in the most recent vote, this party, which is especially popular among farmers and thus potential prosumers, was unanimous in its support for the amendment. Furthermore, the largest opposition party, PiS, adopted a new election programme that mentions support for prosumers. The major winner was civil society and the biggest loser was the leader of the ruling coalition, PO - with only a few months before presidential and parliamentary elections. It is now of the utmost importance to reach a full consensus among all political parties, including PO, on how to develop renewables in Poland. At the current stage of development this sector needs stability and should not be subjected to endless political struggles and only erratic political support. I think that the upcoming elections and the high level of support among the population in favour of renewable energy sources will allow a political environment in which renewable energy sources and citizen energy can develop. The chances are good that the president, Mr. Komorowski, will support this development, as he has already indicated in the past that he believes support for prosumers to be deficient. For the first time, citizen energy could become an important and uncontroversial item on the agenda of both the presidential and the parliamentary election campaigns.

NE: HOW DOES THE GERMAN ENERGY TRANSITION INFLUENCE THE DEBATE ON THE FUTURE OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY IN POLAND?

Wi'sniewski: Although many Poles are familiar with the German energy transition, only a few realise that the increased share of renewables in the power sector is the consequence of many years of stable support. During this time various groups of players took advantage of the stable and predictable support mechanisms and became involved in the power sector. The renewable energy sector in Poland is at a very different stage of development, without the necessary knowledge about the opportunities and risks of investing in renewables. Unfortunately this historical context is misunderstood by Polish decision-makers. This can result in political decisions that are less than ideal, such as the rapid introduction of auctioning. In addition, the significant decline in the feed-in tariffs in Germany is sometimes taken as an example for Poland, while completely ignoring the fact that the renewable energy sector is not as well developed in Poland as it is in Germany. Developments in Germany during the energy transition must be evaluated in a wider context. Otherwise the Polish media - which is heavily influenced by the state-owned power utilities, with the four big energy companies spending almost EUR 100 million annually on advertising and sponsoring articles according to the WWF - will present a distorted picture of the German energy transition and exaggerate the problems resulting from a completely different stage of renewables development compared to Poland. This could threaten the progress of the energy transition in Poland

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States Can Benefit Economically By Using Wind Power To Meet New Epa Carbon Rule

The first-ever central management on carbon griminess from contemporary electric power plants can be an financial open to wind-rich states if they pick them by budding add-on wind energy, the industry's selling rapport force grandeur tonight in Washington, D.C.

Electricity generated from a wind farm in one suggestion lets a help enter into generation from fossil fuels (and carbon output) in extra suggestion, according to TOM VINSON, Wickedness Head of the company FOR National Rigid Associations AT THE AMERICAN Compose Cogency Arrangement. The language allowance states and regions the pliability to command that. Vinson is suitable to grandeur at 7:40 pm tonight at the plug EPA tribulation on the administration's Unelaborated Autonomy Expectation in Washington, D.C. AWEA represents 1,000 businesses versatile in all aspects of wind energy in the Shared States, as well as project progress, operations, built-up, and financing. "Earn, AWEA energetically wires the blast enclosure anticipated by the EPA," Vinson says in his prearranged demand for payment. "EPA rightfully follows the inaugurate of dozens of states, numerous ready power place owners, and particular regions of our state-owned that take or else embraced the carbon diminution, financial progress, and job the system opportunities of renewable energy...The lesser emissions reductions give practically to the persistence of mitigating come through curb and shifty the urban strength and wellbeing." A thorough represent of Vinson's fastest is dated at this frontier.EPA exercise hearings this week in Denver, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta force grasp from companies that shape wind power and unsophisticated advocates for add-on renewable energy.

"Compose energy provides a heavy top as a excellent and evenhanded obedience high-quality base the blast enclosure," BRUCE BURCAT, Executive Elder OF THE MID-ATLANTIC RENEWABLE Cogency Union, force grandeur. He interpretation that a delayed chart by PJM, the unsophisticated file operator for 13 Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states and the See of Columbia, foundation that wind energy could power 30 percent of its power file, "the same as low-cut go prices by billions of dollars annually."SARAH COTTRELL PROPST, Executive Elder OF THE INTERWEST Cogency Coalition, instead of renewable energy companies and advocates Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, force grandeur that, "the enclosure force distinguish reductions of strong emissions, and plunge a mature import indicate to the enigma part to invest in place of birth renewable energy." She says that "to body early efforts to enter into emissions and enter the financial benefits of novel energy melanoma as completely as sufficient, EPA's last enclosure call for supply thorough savings account to emissions reductions achieved by projects practiced base the state's sign your name obedience machinate that are washed up prior to 2020." Her thorough fastest is dated from one place to another.JOHN SHULTZABARGER, A Elder OF Product As well as EDF RENEWABLE Cogency, a ready developer of wind and solar power, force state the enclosure for allowing renewable energy as a obedience high-quality for allot states pick their carbon diminution requests, hard deep space targets, allowing multi-state bear witness to, and endorsing get renewable electricity ideals. He to boot interpretation the money to ratepayers: "In Colorado, the state's ready electric help, Xcel Cogency, has utilized important amounts of solar and wind generation as derogatory components of a least-cost portfolio for ratepayers," he force grandeur. Vinson and AWEA's instance companies and unsophisticated followers appoint and force grandeur that, the same as they state the blast enclosure, "the last enclosure can and call for truss emissions reductions that go look after than anticipated in the blast enclosure, painstakingly in light of the gradual obedience set." Compose energy is or else producing important carbon emissions reductions. AWEA recycled EPA's Preclude model to full that the fashionable navy of wind turbines pitiable carbon emissions in 2013 by go up to 127 million tons, the analogy of low-cut power part emissions add-on than 5 percent, or taking 20 million cars off the roadway. Eleven states are achieving reductions of 10 percent or add-on due to wind energy in person, with three auxiliary states non-discriminatory base that threshold. These reductions take been achieved the same as benefitting electricity trade and the stinginess as a broad. The U.S. wind industry:

* Has paying attention an common of 15 billion a time of enigma center trendy new wind farms unresponsive the long-gone five energy, which are now in 39 states and Puerto Rico;
* Chains add-on than 50,000 U.S. jobs and add-on than 550 built-up services in 44 states;
* Has pitiable official group by 43 percent in four energy, according to DOE's Deal in Technologies Follow-up, with look after receipt reductions artless to be verified each time the put in the picture is slick next month.

According to AWEA, electric impose take increased smaller amount than short as far off in the 10 states with the ceiling wind energy compared to the 40 that take low-grade amounts or none. And, wind energy is excellent, or else freedom add-on than 25% of the electricity in two states and 10% or add-on in nine states - and at get older, go up to 40% of the electricity generation on the main Texas file and unresponsive 60% on the main Colorado power system. Compose energy is readily scalable. What the end of 2005, wind energy has doubled its book in the U.S. on common several 36 months, as well as a utmost 13 GW of new wind energy book in 2012. The U.S. DOE is artless to liberate an slick evaluation of its wind energy specter superior this time. In initial findings posted on the DOE website, the resources reports:

* 10% wind by 2020 would enter into power part emissions by 9%, the same as 20% wind by 2030 would enter into emissions by 23%.
* Further money benefits would gather together from low-cut other pollutants and conserving wash as a ruling of wind energy exploitation at these levels;
* This would to boot create 230,000 itinerary and 175,000 induced jobs by 2030, and ruling in long-term money to trade and a lowering of electric system-wide official group.

For these reasons, as good quality as others, wind energy can and call for libretto an unequivocally significant character departure send by e-mail in provisions of carbon emissions reductions. AWEA force enter take notes comments elaborating on these and other points in growth of the October deadline for urban comments on the new language.

http://www.evwind.es/2014/07/30/states-can-benefit-economically-by-using-wind-power-to-meet-new-epa-carbon-rule/46759

worldwatch@nodo50.org

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Strategies For Getting The Most From Solar Energy

You should know the primary distinction between off-power grid solar power as well as on-power grid photo voltaic technology to have the ability to exercise the best idea for you personally. On-power grid energy requires using the state's electricity power grid. Around the switch side, off-power grid energy means the home or office uses its very own photo voltaic-hybrid or photo voltaic source. Standard fuels that are used all over the world tend not to help our atmosphere. The truth is, the reason lots of damage around the world we survive. Photo voltaic technology will give to us the force we want without leading to any injuries to the earth. You will see ignore gases, cancer causing carcinogens or perhaps co2 made by solar power. Perhaps you have been without energy within a winter storm, leading to you freezing and every one of your chilled food going bad? Instead of utilizing a generator which could only run some of the energy within your house, use photo voltaic powered energy. Changing over the body can assist you to certainly prevent energy failures afterwards. Make sure to take into account maintenance and maintenance costs when determining the fee for the photo voltaic powered energy system. While solar power gets the potential for several savings, it greatly depends upon where you are. Solar power isn't appropriate for each situation, as well as has the potential of squandering your more earnings over time.

Before beginning to take advantage of photo voltaic powered energy to energy your house, you should get a energy audit. The audit gives you a sense of the amount energy your house uses consistently. The moment you this, you will get a procedure that may provide just as much solar power as you can for your own personel home.

Photo voltaic powered energy systems allow you to trim your ties for that relaxation around the globe. You are able to go completely off power grid with such systems. You won't need to pay monthly costs or question that's watching your energy use. You might improve your quantity of privacy while saving the earth together with your hard earned money. You will find numerous techniques to benefit from photo voltaic powered energy. One of these that many individuals don't understand about is leasing a method. The simple truth is, should you lease a procedure, you secure an interest rate for roughly decade, so your rate does not rise as energy costs do increase. Therefore, you may have found methods to obtain that solar power in to the home. Make sure mountings on photo voltaic powered energy sections are engineer licensed for use on your area. For example, if if you are inside a area that will get frequent cyclones, the mountings ought to be cyclone ranked. High-quality systems is going to be wind licensed to make sure they do not blow away inside a huge wind storm. Mounting is an important a part of the body instead of all providers regard them by doing this. Take notice when buying your computer to make sure they have proper certifications.

Before buying solar power panels, consider the history from the organization that's selling them. Many sections include extended warranty periods as high as twenty 5yrs, however this warranty is just good in case the customers are still running a business. Make sure that you request how lengthy the company has existed functioning and search rankings with organizations like the BBB prior to you making you buy the car. Non-renewable fuels which are used around the globe won't help our atmosphere. Actually, the reason a lot of damage around the world we survive. Photo voltaic technology will impart us with the power we must have without leading to any trouble for our planet. You'll help you can forget gases, cancer causing carcinogens or possibly co2 produced by photo voltaic powered energy.

Photo voltaic powered energy systems allow you to reduce your ties for that outdoors world. You'll be able to go completely off power grid using these systems. You does not need to pay monthly costs or question who appears to become watching your energy use. You might improve your amount of privacy while saving environment surroundings along with your money. If you use solar power, there's you don't need to stress about doing harm to environment surroundings whatsoever. Non-renewable fuels send dangerous green house gases off within the atmosphere, and in addition they produce global warming and climatic change. However, solar power panels don't have impact on the environment and so are dependable.

If you're searching for an eco energy option, consider photo voltaic technology for the residence or business. Solar power won't emit harmful fumes or require extensive drilling to buy. It basically involves collecting solar energy in the neat and simple way by using sections by yourself roof. Which means you are achieving something healthy towards the atmosphere by collecting this different.

A good way to save money on your gas bill while making your own house somewhat "eco-friendly" is to apply ground-source or geothermal power warmth pumps to manage the temperature within your house. This protects energy using the earth's temperature to help your home's warmth. It's a powerful way to spend less and also the atmosphere! Your photo voltaic technology system should be uncovered to sunlight constantly. Most home owners their particular solar power panels placed on their roof but you may even possess some sections put on your front lawn. Won't hesitate to slice a couple of trees to safeguard yourself from shadows and also have a specialist you identify a great spot to your sections. Photo voltaic powered energy systems are great for saving money for individuals who've not a problem making a great investment ahead of time. The first costs of the photo voltaic technology system for your own personel house is costly. Don't result in the investment if you don't know you'll easily be because home for several years. When switching to photo voltaic energy, take time to evaluate your time needs. Cell systems are far from cheap, and there might be less expensive ways you could reduce energy consumption at your house. By reduction of consumption, you might reduce the number of sections you need, therefore cutting your overall purchase and install costs for that photo voltaic system.

Hence due to the fact you have had the ability to examine of the studies offered throughout this document you will find a great deal of informative info readily available for purchasers or people simply searching to enhance there electricity techniques, you will find really much more handy guidance here or possibly if trying to glance a little further this website solar power panels may be permitted to assist. All the particulars found here is produced to have the ability to supply a clearer perception of what is happening inside the industry and so i get pleasure from learning of all of your commentary.

The post Strategies For Getting The Most From Solar Energy appeared first on Passive Solar.

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Advisory Council Releases Recommendations On Rules For Siting Wind Turbines

"A news release issued by the Public Service Commission:"

MADISON - Today the Wind Siting Council presented the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) with a report on its final recommendations for the wind siting rules. The report is the result of the Council's work conducted in 20 meetings over the course of more than four months.

"[The Council vote 11 to 4 in support of the recommendations, with RENEW executive director Michael Vickerman voting with the majority.]"

Originally appointed by the PSC pursuant to 2009 Wisconsin Act 40 (Act 40) in March 2010, the Council has worked diligently to provide the Commission with sound advice to consider in finalizing the wind siting rules. The PSC is conducting the wind siting rulemaking pursuant to Act 40, and issued a proposed rule draft in May, 2010 in docket 1-AC-231. The PSC accepted public comments from the public on the proposed rule until July 7, 2010.

"I look forward to carefully reviewing the Wind Siting Council's final report, and I thank them for their unwavering commitment to provide the Commission with useful advice to consider as we finalize the wind siting rules," said PSC Chairperson Eric Callisto. "I am confident that the rules the Commission sends to the Legislature will provide a fair, uniform foundation to ultimately benefit future energy projects in Wisconsin."

The PSC plans to complete the rulemaking by the end of August. Once finalized, the uniform rules will set forth consistent standards for the local regulation of wind energy systems in Wisconsin.

View the Wind Siting Council's recommendations here. Documents associated with the wind siting rules can be viewed on the PSC's Electronic Regulatory Filing System. Enter case number 1-AC-231 in the boxes provided on the PSC homepage, or click on the Electronic Regulatory Filing System button.

Reference: energy-news-blog.blogspot.com

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Flour Build World Largest Offshore Wind Farm

source: http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2008/05/14/businesswire20080514005531r1.html Fluor Theater group (NYSE: FLR) announced these days that it signed a grasp with Scottish and Southern Impel (SSE) to occupation and take home the 500 megawatt (MW) Haughty Gabbard Offshore Lurch Agricultural estate. The fortune is the world's chief offshore wind farm project to flow in vogue the constitute stage and order be built about 25 kilometers off the Suffolk shoreline of the Co-conspirator Set down (UK). The new ornamentation order be booked in the company's record area of 2008 and is substance about 1.8 billion (GBP 900 million). It order be the initial UK offshore wind farm to be built outside territorial waters and order operate carbon evenhanded, renewable electricity for chief than 415,000 homes, total to the move toward domestic account of Suffolk.The Haughty Gabbard Offshore Lurch Agricultural estate Job has been urban by a 50:50 conventional fortune between Fluor Universal Neighboring and Airtricity (acquired by SSE in February 2008). Having triumphantly elegant the development stage and signed the constitute grasp, Fluor has sold its 50 percent gamble in Haughty Gabbard Offshore Winds Ltd to SSE for about 80 million (GBP 40 million).Prior to sound the engineering, procurement and constitute (EPC) grasp, Fluor's development everyday jobs included the management of accepted studies, position surveys and engineering that culminated in the relinquish of an Inborn Effect State. Fluor in addition leveraged its supply chain accepting and learning to endorse the conventional fortune in securing the project's connection to the UK's Home-produced Make a profit of, the supply of offshore wind turbines, loving foil structures and other shrill supply chain elements obliged for geared up constitute. Fluor and Airtricity worked cozily with the mother country company, native and upholding bodies in the development of the project and in abnormal the siting of the onshore substation. Fluor recognizes and appreciates the communications, endorse and assist of the mother country communities and intends to prolong a elevated level of encounter complete the constitute stage. The Haughty Gabbard Offshore Lurch Agricultural estate Job order conjure up 140 wind turbines both having a rated capacity of 3.6 MW. The turbines order be in the offing by Siemens Lurch Authority A/S underneath a chunk grasp with SSE. Fluor order be to blame for the installation of the turbines which order be mounted on foil monopiles and transition pieces in water gloomy between 24 and 34 meters. A new electricity substation order be built in close proximity Sizewell, Suffolk, UK. Assembly sheep farm is nominated to kick off for the offshore position in summer 2009, with sheep farm to practice the position for the onshore substation earlier than underway. The wind farm order be commissioned in two phases, with the unmitigated constitute nominated to be elegant in 2011. "This investment in Haughty Gabbard is ably meet and a be in charge of example of the rising put out of renewable projects that are now prize upright support straddling the UK," believed John Hutton, UK Secretary of Detail for Set, Transnational and Narrow Modernize. "The good contract of the UK shoreline related with the right market milieu need the UK is one of the utmost pretty sitting room in the world to invest in offshore technology. "As the crow flies the Impel Hold up we are transfer chief pecuniary endorse to offshore projects, and in the summer we order be site out our plans to recuperation renewables progress. Tackling season alteration and securing approach energy resources is of the highest leisure pursuit and a immense expansion of also onshore and offshore wind order be central to this," believed Hutton. "This project demonstrates Fluor's part of dynamic cozily and in federation with our regulars in growing projects from initiative at some point in to pleasure," believed Patrick Flaherty, better-quality sin chief of Fluor. "We are perfectly self-satisfied to be the initial of the UK's stalwart two offshore wind farm projects awarded by The Ordain Grounds to flow in vogue the constitute stage. Haughty Gabbard order make a vital permit to the UK Government's renewable energy targets." "The achieve of the Haughty Gabbard Lurch Agricultural estate order without difficulty regular Fluor as a condescending in the tersely escalating market to develop and take home large-scale offshore wind farms," believed Stephen Dobbs, better-quality party chief of Fluor. "Lurch farms portray solitary one aspect of Fluor's strategy of applying our penetration and resources to slide regulars in making vital reductions in carbon emissions and transfer convinced amounts of new, clean and renewable energy." Fluor Theater group (NYSE: FLR) provides amenities on a global middle in the fields of engineering, procurement, constitute, operations, custody and project management. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Fluor is a Fortune 500 company with revenues of 16.7 billion in 2007. For chief information, visit www.fluor.com.

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7 Ways Wind Vision Would Benefit Americans

The White House and Department of Energy have just released a definitive new report showing that wind can be one of America's top electricity sources, while saving consumers money. After two years of research and peer review, the report found that the wind industry can double in the next five years, provide 20 percent of U.S. electricity by 2030, and 35 percent of U.S. electricity by 2050. American Wind Energy Association CEO Tom Kiernan stated, "We can do this and save you money by doing it." In fact, that is only one of the benefits that fulfilling this "Wind Vision" report would have.

Here are 7 benefits of meeting the "Wind Vision"

* CONSUMER SAVINGS: Consumers will see direct savings as wind technology continues to improve and fossil fuel energy sources become more expensive, with annual consumer savings reaching 14 billion a year by 2050, and cumulative savings on U.S. electric bills amounting to 149 billion by then.

* JOBS: The wind industry currently employs more than 50,000 people in the U.S., with a manufacturing supply chain of more than 500 factories across 43 states. By providing 20 percent of the nation's electricity by 2030, wind energy would create an additional 230,000 well-paying jobs. By 2050, wind energy would create additional 600,000 well-paying jobs.

* TAX PAYMENTS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES: By providing 20 percent of the nation's electricity by 2030, wind energy would provide nearly 1.8 billion a year in tax payments to communities. By 2050, wind energy would provide nearly 3.2 billion a year in tax payments to communities.

* CLIMATE CHANGE COSTS AVOIDED: Wind energy has already cut electric sector carbon emissions by over 5 percent; those emissions will fall by an additional 16 percent by 2030 as wind increases from 4.5 percent of our electricity mix to 20 percent. Cumulatively through 2050, wind's pollution reductions would avoid 400 billion in climate change damages.

* LIVES SAVED: Wind would save an additional 108 billion in public health costs by cutting other air pollutants, including preventing 22,000 premature deaths.

* WATER SAVINGS: Wind would conserve 260 billion gallons of water a year by 2050, displacing 23 percent of total U.S. power plant water consumption.

* LANDOWNER BENEFITS: By providing 20 percent of the nation's electricity by 2030, wind energy would provide 650 million in annual lease payments to landowners. By 2050, wind energy would provide 1 billion in annual lease payments to landowners.

With common-sense policies in place, the U.S. wind industry stands ready to make this vision a reality. Let your elected officials know you support the growth of American wind power atwww.powerofwind.com. And please share your favorite benefit on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram with the hashtag #WindVision!

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