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June 14th - Projects
Beijing China - China Southern Power Grid to invest $6.9 billion by 2010
China Southern Power Grid, one of China's two state owned power grid firms, plans to invest 55 billion yuan ($6.9 billion) to improve its county level grids by 2010. The company would also spend 3.3 billion yuan in the next five years to complete its village level grids, in an effort to bring electricity to 410,000 rural households. CSPG would invest 11.1 billion yuan to reconstruct the county level grids and 1.8 billion yuan to build village level grids during 2006. The CSG grids cover the southern provinces of Guangdong, Yunnan, Guizhou and Hainan and Guangxi Zhaung Autonomous Region, with 338 county level branches providing electricity to more than 170 million people almost 73% of the region's population.
Has anybody seen this article from the June 2006 IEEE Spectrum Online.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun06/3674
Forget about it. It is BS. It just seems that way sometimes. Doesn't it ?
That figues. Unreal.
Anybody know when the moratorium on high capacity, high temp,low sag,light weight composite core conductors is going to be lifted.
The Beat goes on.
CapX 2020 Utilities Announce Plans for New Transmission Lines
Jun 9, 2006 4:53 PM
Great River Energy
A group of regional utilities today launched an effort to ensure their customers in Minnesota and neighboring states will have access to reliable, low-cost electricity in the future.
The CapX 2020 utilities – an alliance of electric cooperatives, municipals and investor-owned utilities – took the first step in the regulatory process for three new 345-kV transmission lines. A preliminary filing for one of the three lines, which lays out plans for notifying local governments, landowners and residents, was made today with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
CapX 2020 is a collaborative effort that aims to support customers’ growing demand for electricity by upgrading and expanding the backbone transmission system in Minnesota and neighboring states,” said Terry Grove of Great River Energy, a co-leader of the CapX 2020 effort. CapX 2020 is short for Capacity Expansion needed by 2020.
The approximate lengths and general locations of the proposed lines are as follows:
? A 200-mile, 345-kV line between Brookings, South Dakota, and the southeast Twin Cities, plus a related 30-mile, 345-kV line between Marshall, Minnesota, and Granite Falls, Minnesota;
? A 200-mile, 345-kV line between Fargo, North Dakota, and the St. Cloud/Monticello, Minn., area;
? A 150-mile, 345-kV line between the southeast Twin Cities, Rochester, Minn., and La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Great River Energy filed a proposed public notice plan for the CapX Brookings, S.D.-southeast Twin Cities transmission line with the Minnesota commission today. Xcel Energy plans to file similar notice plans for the CapX Twin Cities-Rochester-La Crosse line and the CapX Fargo-St. Cloud/Monticello area line in the next few weeks.
While Great River Energy and Xcel Energy are taking the lead on the three 345-kV lines, other utilities also will be involved in permitting, building and financing them. A fourth line – a 230-kV, 70-mile line in the Bemidji area of north central Minnesota – also is among the CapX 2020 Group 1 projects.
The first four projects represent a combined investment of approximately US$1.3 billion. Xcel Energy, Great River Energy and Otter Tail Power Company are committed to financing a majority of the cost. The balance will be covered by other project participants in various amounts. Group 2 and Group 3 project phases are planned through 2020.
These transmission capacity upgrades are needed to deliver new electricity generation to support economic, job and population growth in the future,” Grove said. “Additionally, key sections of the proposed lines are needed to deliver the rapidly expanding wind energy from this region to our customers.”
The utilities expect to file a single request for a Certificate of Need for the three 345-kV lines and associated system interconnections with the Minnesota commission late this year. Following a rigorous public process, the commission is expected to decide on the need for the lines sometime in 2008. If the commission certifies need, it then will determine routes for the new lines in subsequent separate proceedings. As soon as routing decisions are complete in 2009 or 2010, construction will get under way, and the lines are expected to be completed three or four years later.
We are just beginning a lengthy journey and are committed to working with landowners, local officials and other interested parties at every step of the process,” said Laura McCarten of Xcel Energy, a co-leader of the CapX 2020 effort. “Anyone interested is invited to comment on our notice plans.”
After Minnesota commission approval of the plans, Great River Energy and Xcel Energy will mail letters to potentially affected people in each of the broadly defined transmission line corridors to let them know how they can learn more and get involved in the state’s decision-making process, McCarten said.
Public meetings will be held in the potentially affected communities to describe the projects and answer questions,” she said. “We will post information about the projects and updates on the CapX 2020 Web site at www.capx2020.com, and we will begin building mailing lists to keep people informed as the long regulatory process unfolds.”
Portions of the lines also will require approvals by federal officials and by regulators in North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Along with Great River Energy, Elk River, Minn.; Otter Tail Power Company, Fergus Falls, Minn.; and Xcel Energy, Minneapolis, utilities or groups that expect to participate in one or more of the CapX 2020 projects are: Dairyland Power Cooperative, La Crosse, Wis.; Midwest Municipal Transmission Group, Des Moines, Iowa; Minnesota Power, Duluth, Minn.; Minnkota Power Cooperative, Grand Forks, N.D.; Missouri River Energy Services, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Rochester Public Utilities, Rochester, Minn.; Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Rochester, Minn., and Wisconsin Public Power Inc., Sun Prairie, Wis.
The Minnesota Legislature adopted a new law in 2005 that encourages investment in strengthening power delivery systems by, among other things, allowing investor-owned utilities to recover costs as lines are being built.
http://tdworld.com/news/CapX2020-utilities-plans/
Tripoli – 27 April 2006 Co-operation Agreement between RTE and GECOL
On 26 April 2006, whilst on a visit to Libya, André Merlin, Chairman of the RTE Management Board, and Omran Aboukraa, Chairman of the General Electric Company of Libya (GECOL), have agreed to sign a framework co-operation agreement on the running of power systems. The agreement will further strengthen relations between the two companies, which already co-operate periodically. In early 2006, 25 Libyan dispatchers underwent training at RTE's National Training Centre in Lyons, before returning to Tripoli to take part in local sessions. Mr Aboukraa reiterated the importance of planned investments totalling over 6 billion dollars in the Libyan electricity sector, indicating that French companies could "win the lion's share" and that "the co-operation between Libya and France in the electricity sector must be held up as an example". This new agreement between Messrs Merlin and Aboukraa, which serves to consolidate RTE's presence in North Africa, is further proof of the high regard for the company's expertise in the management of major power systems. The Chairman of the RTE Executive Board, André Merlin, took advantage of the opportunity to highlight "RTE's active involvement, through the UCTE 1, in ongoing studies and trials designed to interconnect North-West Africa with Libya and the countries connected to it (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon)". In his words, the aim of interconnecting these countries and regions is to create "a Mediterranean circuit which, whilst improving electric security, will also prove crucial to the construction of the European-North African electricity market". PRESS RELEASE
GE Ecomagination Revenues Cross $10 Billion
May 19, 2006
Fairfield, Connecticut [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] This week GE released its 2005 ecomagination report, showing that revenues from the sale of energy efficient and environmentally advanced products and services hit $10.1 billion in 2005, up from $6.2 billion in 2004 -- with orders nearly doubling to $17 billion. GE's renewable energy efforts, particularly its booming wind power business, are a key part of this effort.
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=44960
It sounds a lot like the business CTC is in. Could we please get a piece of the action.
Taking Wind Mainstream
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/may06/3544
A recent study on utility restoration practices found that 87% of the utilities surveyed have at least one major outage every year.
Utility Restoration Practices Survey Released
May 16, 2006 11:23 AM
Macrosoft Inc.
A recent study on utility restoration practices found that 87% of the utilities surveyed have at least one major outage every year. The Emergency Resource Report, published by Macrosoft Inc. (Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.), a software development and technology services organization, found that utilities in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Northeast face the highest frequency of emergencies outages within excess of five major events annually. An emergency outage is defined as an outage that affects greater than 5% of customers for more than 24 hours.
The report, aimed at benefiting utilities to understand common best practices and pain-points that can be effectively addressed, is the outcome of a detailed study conducted during the period of February 2006 through March 2006. Results are based on responses from more than 100 storm-center personnel across 45 utilities. The report highlights the importance of standardizing operations and leveraging technology to enhance efficiencies in the quick assembling of resources, their effective deployment, and tracking and managing them before, during and after the event.
More than half of the respondents reported having more than 500 field personnel deployed during a large-scale restoration event. And 95% of the respondents said that their organizations make use of contractors and mutual-assistance resources during storm restoration. To download this report, visit www.macrosoftinc.com.
Con Edison Announces $5.3 Billion Infrastructure Investment
http://tdworld.com/news/ConEd-Infrastructure-Investment/
S.C. Edison gets OK to boost rates. Reasons cited, pay for upgrades and increased operating costs. Just one of many rate increases announced by different utilities recently.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rates12may12,1,4198833.story?coll=la-headlines-business
3M still trying to market ACCR.
3M™ Aluminum Conductor Composite Reinforced (ACCR) will be a featured attraction at the 3M booth (#1131, Hall B) during the upcoming IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition in Dallas, May 22 – 24. There have been a lot of exciting developments in the past six months that we can’t wait to share with you. In the meantime, here’s a quick look at some of the things we’ll be talking about at IEEE:
High Temperature Field Test Results
Among the subjects we’ll be covering during the Open Forum portion of the IEEE Conference are the results of a recent series of high temperature field tests, showing that 3M™ ACCR conductors maintain their integrity after exposure to temperatures that are higher than the rated continuous operating temperature (210 degrees Celsius), for a limited period of time. 3M’s presentation at the Open Forum will run from 1:00 until 2:00 PM on Tuesday, May 23 in Room D-22.
Design assistance from 3M for use with the ACCR Composite Conductor
Want to find out whether 3M ACCR Conductor could benefit you in a particular application? Now you can right at the IEEE show!
3M would like to provide you with a preliminary transmission line design using 3M ACCR Composite Conductor and a summary of potential performance improvements, based on the parameters you provide. Simply answer a series of questions about your system requirements on a one-page data input form; we will then analyze the data, and come up with a preliminary recommendation showing what kind of ampacity increases, reductions in sag and other benefits you could expect by upgrading your line to 3M ACCR conductor. To download a copy of the 3M ACCR Conductor Information Request Form, click here (PDF, 28 Kb). Fax the completed form to 651-736-0431 and you can review our design while at the IEEE show, or if you will not be able to attend the show, no problem – we will contact you after the show to review the potential solution.
Now Available – 3M™ ACCR Conductor Data Package on CD-ROM
This newly-updated “electronic reference library” contains a wealth of detailed technical documentation on 3M ACCR conductor. Created especially for designers and specifiers of power transmission systems, this comprehensive collection includes material specifications, test data, installation guidelines, hardware/accessory information and more, on one easy-to-navigate CD. Special video features include an overview of step-by-step field installation procedures, customer interviews and guided tours of 3M ACCR conductor installations. Compatible with both Windows and Macintosh platforms.
To order your free data package, submit your request here…
"Windows” is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. “Macintosh” is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc.
Hot Off the Press: 3M™ Composite Conductor for River Crossing Applications
Conventional approaches to increasing power transfers across long spans typically require costly tower replacements. But in many cases, ampacity gains of 100 to 600% can be achieved merely by replacing existing conductors with 3M™ ACCR Conductor -- without constructing new towers.
Now, a new technical briefing from 3M details the benefits of 3M ACCR Conductor for use in long span crossing applications, including results of recent field trials of 3M ACCR Conductor and accessories. For your free copy, submit your request here...
http://www.3m.com/market/industrial/mmc/accr/gridlines_spring_06.jhtml
PECO to Invest More Than $215 Million to Enhance Electric System
May 3, 2006 11:19 AM
PRNewswire
Riding on a solid record of service reliability, PECO's 1.6 million customers in southeastern Pennsylvania will benefit from more than $215 million invested in about 200 local reliability projects this year.
Ongoing, comprehensive maintenance and infrastructure investments are the most effective way for PECO to reduce the number and the duration of service interruptions for customers. System investments have resulted in PECO's best-ever reliability record during the last three years. For example, PECO has decreased the duration of outages system-wide for all customers for three years in a row, with nearly a 10% decrease in the length of outages last year. The shorter outage duration results from the increased deployment of technology on distribution circuits, better tools for dispatching field forces and improved response time by field personnel. Additionally, customers, on average, experienced only one interruption last year, placing the company in the top 25% of utilities nationwide.
"Our customers count on us to keep the lights on and the natural gas flowing, no matter if it's 90 degrees or 9 degrees outside," said Denis O'Brien, PECO president. "That is a responsibility that we take very seriously. These investments enable us to keep those promises and deliver quality service to our customers."
During 2006, more than $53 million is allocated for about 30 projects to expand distribution capacity to meet growing communities in areas throughout the PECO service territory, including New Britain in Bucks County; Upper Uwchlan in Chester County; Lower Salford, Montgomery Township, Perkiomen and Skippack in Montgomery County; and Lower Chanceford and Peach Bottom in York County.
An additional $24 million will be spent on reliability improvement efforts including work on more than 100 local distribution circuits plus cable, pole and transformer replacements, including the Byberry section of Philadelphia and Chinatown; Buckingham in Bucks County; Coatesville in Chester County; Middletown in Delaware County; and Jenkintown in Montgomery County.
Strategic preventive maintenance and close system monitoring also will provide enhanced reliability for customers. More than $100 million is allocated for preventive maintenance work such as visual and infrared patrols along distribution circuits and inspection of underground manholes and substations. An additional $20 million will fund tree trimming and other vegetation clearance work along aerial distribution lines in communities around Chestnut Hill and portions of South Philadelphia; East Vincent, Phoenixville and Westtown in Chester County; Springfield in Delaware County; Conshohocken, Lower Merion, Narberth, Upper Dublin and Whitemarsh in Montgomery County.
PECO also is investing more than $15 million in natural gas main replacement projects and installing a new natural gas gate station in Skippack to increase the system's capacity. Areas that will see improvements include Bensalem in Bucks County; East Coventry and West Chester in Chester County; Swarthmore in Delaware County; Cheltenham and Wyndmoor in Montgomery County.
Finally, the company is expanding its use of technology with substation automation, reclosers, sectionalizers and similar advanced electronic circuit switches, which help pinpoint problems and remotely restore service to customers, reducing the length of power outages when they do occur. More lightning arrestors and animal guards also will be deployed to prevent a large number of weather- and animal-related outages.
http://tdworld.com/news/
This is what I was refering to earlier. I don't want to know how much money these guys could of saved using ACCC. Of course it is all good. The utility and the local PUC will just pass the increased cost onto the consumers with much higher rates.
Avista Utilities to Begin Building Last Phase of $120 Million Project
Apr 28, 2006 9:09 AM
PR Newswire
Avista Utilities (Spokane, Washington, U.S.), an operating division of Avista Corp., will begin construction in early May of a 60-mile (96.5-km) transmission line between Rosalia, Washington, U.S. and Lewiston, Idaho, U.S. The US$40 million project will provide additional transmission capacity to serve growing demand for electricity in the region. This is the last phase of a $120 million project that began in 2003.
Avista will work with International Line Builders (ILB; Tualatin, Oregon, U.S.) to construct the first 34 miles (55 km) of the project between Rosalia and Colfax, and on to Avista’s substation at Shawnee, near Albion, Washington. Construction will commence in early May and finish in mid-November.
Since the line route follows an existing Avista transmission line, ILB will first remove wood poles and wires, then install concrete reinforced foundations, erect tubular steel poles and string new conductors. The remaining 26 miles (42 km) between Rosalia and the Avista substation at Benewah, near Latah, Washington, will be constructed in 2007.
The 230-kV transmission line is designed to carry 500 MW, but can supply 1000 MW of electricity during periods of peak demand. This project is part of a larger capital infrastructure initiative that began in 2003 to meet the growing demand for the safe and reliable delivery of power to homes and businesses. It involves modernizing and increasing the capacity of Avista transmission lines and substations throughout the region.
http://tdworld.com/news/
Reconductoring cost reduction:
It has been reported that PC saved $2mm on a 7 circuit mile reconductoring project. If you stretched that out to say a 70 circuit mile project the savings could be close to $20mm. Those savings could be passed on to residents and other rate payers. I would like to see the company make an effort to inform the PUC's that these savings are real. And they are available to utilities who will make use of the technology. Make the utilities accountable to the PUC's. This a a great product. Let's go.
Greenhouse gas reduction:
As part of their marketing of ACCC I would like to see the company promote the reduction of greenhouse gases as part of the benifiets of ACCC. I believe that with the less line loss it does help reduce greenhouse gases produced by electricity generation. They are not hitting it from this angle at all. There is a lot of pressure being put on Company's ,States and Countries to reduce greenhouse gases. There is also a lot of money being thrown at technologies which purport to reduce greenhouse gases. Let's go. ACCC is a great product with many benifiets.
I was wondering how many turbines those Chinese guys could put out.
China: Harbin Turbine gets rights to produce D6 turbine
China's Harbin Turbine Co Ltd has obtained the rights to manufacture the UK-based EU Energy's D6 wind turbine following a recent signing ceremony. The company plans to produce 100 D6 wind turbines a year in the initial stage, before expanding to 200 units a year within three to five years. The three rotor blade D6 comes with a rated power of 1,250 kilowatts.
http://www.esmerk.com/sample-report.htm
Craps, this is about the China turbine agreements. I like it because these agreements are with established turbine manufactures. They should already have the infrastructure and know how to put the wind turbines together. Who knows how many turbines those guys could crank out. Could be sweet.
EU also announced the signature of 2 new licensing agreements with the Shanghai Electric Group Corp Ltd for the DeWind D6 50Hz 1.25 megawatt turbine for an initial down payment of Euro 2,000,000 and guaranteed royalties of Euro 5,350,000 for a total of Euro 7,350,000 and with Harbin Turbine Co Ltd also for the DeWind D6 turbine for an initial down payment of Euro 1,850,000 and guaranteed royalties of Euro 4,350,000 totaling Euro 6,200,000. This is in addition to the previously announced licensing agreement with Beijing Beizhong Steam Turbine Generator Company Ltd. EU noted that in other markets 110 DeWind D6 50Hz 1.25 megawatt turbines have been scheduled for production and delivery in 2007 against orders for an expected revenue of Euros 132,000,000.
Derx, Do you know any specifics about the agreements EU has with those 3 Chinese turbine manfacturers. If the Chinese start building and selling a lot of DeWind turbines does CTC/EU recieve royalty payments? How does that work?
I am convinced the time is here for wind energy. Is it CTC's time for wind turbines. I suppose that is the question.
Problem: Foreign Oil, Answer: Blowing in the Wind?
Abid Aslam, OneWorld US Thu Mar 30, 11:44 PM ET
WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar 30 (OneWorld) - Alongside the war in Iraq, Americans worry most about U.S. dependence on foreign oil, a leading pollster said Thursday.
While most appeared fatalistic over problems like job outsourcing, around half said the government can do something about energy dependence, according to a survey run by Daniel Yankelovich, funded by the Ford Foundation, and published by the Council on Foreign Relations in its journal Foreign Affairs.
Environmentalists appeared to validate that sentiment, separately highlighting rapid growth in homespun energy alternatives and urging policymakers to boost support for the sector.
Almost 90 percent of the 1,000 Americans canvassed in January for the Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index said dependence on foreign energy jeopardized national security.
Forty-six percent gave policymakers a failing grade for their efforts to wean the nation off foreign oil and natural gas.
And 55 percent said they worried that foreign conflicts would drive up oil prices or cut off supplies. Only 42 percent said so last August but since then, U.S. consumers have been buffeted by a hurricane-induced slump in domestic oil production, tension in foreign oil fields, and record oil industry profits.
Yankelovich, chairman of nonpartisan pollsters Public Agenda, said those figures constitute a 'tipping point.'
'The oil-dependency issue now meets all the criteria for having reached the tipping point: an overwhelming majority expresses concern about the issue, the intensity of the public's unease has reached significant levels, and the public believes the government is capable of addressing the issue far more effectively than it has until now,' Yankelovich wrote in an analysis of the survey.
Only the Iraq war achieved that benchmark when his organization conducted a similar poll last August.
The issue could lose some political steam were the price of gasoline to fall in coming months, he acknowledged, 'but with supplies of oil tight and geopolitical tensions high, public pressure is likely to grow.'
President George W. Bush showcased several proposals to reduce U.S. dependence on Middle East oil during his State of the Union speech at the end of January. The media have depicted those measures as generally insufficient.
Alternatives to oil and natural gas have been gaining ground in the U.S. energy market, inspiring leading environmentalists to declare that energy markets are in for a seismic shift.
'The question for oil executives is whether you're in the oil business or the energy business,' Christopher Flavin, president of the Worldwatch Institute, told industry chiefs last September at the World Petroleum Congress in Johannesburg, South Africa.
To be sure, oil accounts for about 30 percent of global energy use while renewable alternatives--power wrung from the sun, tide, wind, farm waste, and heat held under Earth's surface--make up a scant two percent.
According to environmental and market analysts, however, investment in and the market share of renewable energy sources have grown apace.
In particular, 'wind energy is emerging as a centerpiece of the new energy economy because it is abundant, inexpensive, inexhaustible, widely distributed, clean, and climate-benign,' meaning that it does not add to global warming, said Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute. Scientists blame global warming for increases in storms, floods, and droughts as well as the spread of tropical diseases in temperate zones.
Last year, U.S. wind-generating capacity grew 36 percent to 9,149 megawatts. It could expand by another 50 percent this year, Brown said.
According to Brown, a pioneer in his field, enough wind energy can be harnessed from three states--North Dakota, Kansas, and Texas--to satisfy national electricity needs.
All at falling prices.
The cost of wind-generated electricity has fallen from 38 cents per kilowatt-hour in the early 1980s to 4-6 cents today, Brown said.
Indeed, many consumers of 'green electricity'--wind energy, for the most part--now pay less for their electricity than do customers using conventional power.
'When Austin Energy, the publicly owned utility in Austin, Texas, launched its GreenChoice program in 2000, customers opting for green electricity paid a premium,' said Brown. 'During the fall of 2005, climbing natural gas prices pulled conventional electricity costs above those of wind-generated electricity.'
'This crossing of the cost lines in Austin and several other communities is a milestone in the U.S. shift to a renewable energy economy,' he added.
Austin Energy buys wind-generated electricity under 10-year, fixed-price contracts and passes this stable price on to its GreenChoice subscribers, Brown explained.
Among customers signing up for the option were corporate majors Advanced Micro Devices, Dell, IBM, Samsung, and 3M.
In the public sector, the Round Rock, Texas school district expects to save local taxpayers $2 million over 10 years by switching to green electricity, Brown said.
Despite media coverage that has focused on opposition to large wind turbine installations in places like Cape Cod, he added, most locales have welcomed the technology and commercial wind farms have been set up in 30 states.
He cited the example of upstate New York, where dairy farmers in Lewis County near Lake Ontario embraced the 195-turbine Maple Ridge Wind Farm--and the $5,000-$10,000 annual royalty offered for each of the turbines on their land, which they still could use for pasture or other productive purposes.
'Rural communities welcome wind farms because they provide income to farmers and ranchers, skilled jobs, cheap electricity, and additional tax revenue to upgrade schools and maintain roads,' said Brown.
Policymakers in Washington could aid the growth of renewable energy--and help America outgrow its oil dependence--by preserving or enhancing incentives such as the production tax credit, aimed at offsetting subsidies to fossil fuels and nuclear power, Brown said
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=655&ncid=655&e=3&u=/oneworld/20060331/wl_o....
This is just my opinion but, if the company can produce Crailar in quantity for cheaper than cotton as they are promoting I believe they will find buyers for it. Possibly a lot of buyers
This is from the March 06 Newsletter from WAPA.
Western implements Energy Policy Act of 2005
Western’s Administrator Mike Hacskaylo testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Water and Power, March 1 about how Western is implementing selected sections of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and our FY 2007 budget request. Here are excerpts from his prepared statement:
“Transmission is central to our mission. Western provides reliable, cost-based transmission using an integrated 17,000 circuit-mile, high-voltage system, spanning most of the western half of the United States. While utility regulatory changes and restructuring efforts capture most of the headlines, Western is pursuing a number of initiatives to increase transmission capacity and reliability. Our efforts will support continuing utility industry change, evolving regional needs such as increased interest in renewable resources, and requests from many developers for interconnections to Western’s system.
Joint projects efficiently update transmission grid
“Transmission system modernization is a necessity to support cost effective wholesale electricity markets. Western has been progressive in making incremental improvements to its facilities to enhance grid reliability. We are well served by our continuing commitment to improving our business practices, and successful in our longstanding commitment to jointly plan, develop and finance system enhancements. Robust regional planning processes identifying both economic and reliability needs of the grid are in place in the West, encouraging partnerships for transmission development. Joint ownership of transmission projects has resulted in a highly integrated system that has fostered extensive cooperation and economic coordination among transmission partners.
“Western has existing authority to participate in joint transmission projects, and has done so many times. In 2004, Western constructed the Path 15 Upgrade Project in central California to relieve a major transmission bottleneck. We are currently involved in expanding the regional transmission network in eastern Colorado and western Kansas in a partnership with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Funding for these joint efforts is provided primarily by non-Federal partners. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 expands Western authority to use non-Federal funding to construct or participate in the construction of new transmission that will relieve bottlenecks in ‘national interest electric transmission corridors,’ or is necessary to accommodate an actual or projected increase in demand for transmission capacity.
New technology enhances capability, reliability
“Through state-of-the-art technology and equipment enhancements, we continue to improve transmission system capability as well as performance and reliable operation of the Federal system. These enhancements mitigate some constraints without adding new lines to the grid. We continue to field test high-capacity composite conductors designed to significantly increase the transfer capacity of existing transmission lines in relieving system congestion.
Renewable energy creates additional demand
“Wind generation and other renewable energy options look promising to Western’s customers as solutions to increasing energy needs. Wind energy is the world's fastest-growing energy technology. With the recent passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, we expect to see average annual wind capacity expanding at rates exceeding 20 percent. The two-year extension of the Production Tax Credit for renewable resources assures that requests for transmission service and interconnection to Western’s transmission system, mainly from wind generation developers, will continue. However, reinforcement and system upgrades will be necessary to meet these requests and maintain grid reliability. Western’s recently-completed Dakotas Wind Transmission Study (December 2005), authorized and funded by the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act of FY 2004, provides the engineering analysis which supports this conclusion.
Open access, system reliability require cooperation
“Transmission system modernization is necessary to provide increased open access to Western transmission facilities. We have a longstanding practice of allowing third parties to use available capacity in the Federal transmission system, confirmed through our initial Open Access Transmission Tariff filing in 1997, and revised as filed last year to incorporate the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Large Generator Interconnection standards. Western also joined the Midwest Independent System Operator as a non-transmission owner in 2005, allowing us to better represent our load-serving interests in various MISO committees as a voting member.
“The Energy Policy Act of 2005 strengthens the industry commitment to transmission system reliability by giving FERC expanded authority to approve and enforce reliability standards. We continue to participate in developing binding reliability standards that are effective in protecting the interconnected electric system. Western is proud of its reliability record, as we consistently exceed national system standards set by the North American Electric Reliability Council.
“Western is ‘getting things done’… regional planning is occurring and transmission lines are being rebuilt as we continue to solve transmission and reliability issues to facilitate the use and future expansion of the transmission grid in the West.”
http://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/cct/2006/mar3/28no51.htm
Hey you guys maybe it is time to call WalMart.
Wal-Mart's Organics Could Shake Up Retail
Friday March 24, 1:40 pm ET
By Marcus Kabel, Associated Press Writer
Wal-Mart's Move to Organics Could Shake Up Retail World, Force Competitors to Keep Up
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060324/wal_mart_organic.html?.v=2
This is the future. Whole Foods recently announced they are doing the same thing.
Statue of Liberty to go all 'green' power
By the end of March, all electricity for the Old Lady in the Harbor and Ellis Island will be from wind power.
By Ron Scherer | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
In the Monitor
Thursday, 03/23/06
By the end of this month, 100 percent of the electricity that powers the Old Lady in the Harbor and Ellis Island, where millions of Americans first set foot in America, will be "green power." Windmills in West Virginia and Pennsylvania will supply the electricity that powers up the floodlights that shine on Miss Liberty's torch and the air conditioning that keeps all those immigration records from mildewing.
"It's a powerful public-policy statement to fuel such an important symbol in that way," says Jim Coyne, a renewable energy expert at FTI Consulting in Cambridge, Mass.
In some ways, shifting away from the heavy use of oil and natural gas is part of the US government's energy strategy. President Bush said wind power could provide up to 20 percent of the nation's electricity.
The General Services Administration (GSA), which runs US government facilities, has been switching over to green power for some time. In the Northeast and Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) regions of the country, 33 percent of the electricity usage, or about 75 million kilowatt hours, are now renewable energy. These include buildings such as the Peter Rodino Office Building in Newark, N.J., and New York's 26 Federal Plaza, which houses the GSA and the FBI. Until the latest contract was signed, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island received half their electricity from green sources.
The GSA also notes that going green is not costing taxpayers more money, because it buys electricity in bulk. "It's a wash," says Emily Baker, a spokeswoman for the GSA in New York. "Plus, there are so many other benefits such as the money farmers get from leasing their land for windmills."
Alternative sources of energy are still relatively small in the US energy picture, representing only 1 to 2 percent of US electricity use. But the industry is growing quickly: A record 2,400 megawatts were installed in 2005, enough to support the annual consumption of 650,000 homes. This year is expected to top last year, says Mr. Coyne.
The Statue of Liberty won't be directly hooked up to the windmills. The GSA is purchasing a renewable energy credit. The electricity the windmills produce is fed into the nation's electrical grid, offsetting the same amount the government uses. The process reduces the amount of electricity that needs to be produced by the conventional means of oil, gas, or coal. The statue and Ellis Island consume same amount of electricity used by 1,000 homes for a year, according to Pepco Energy Services, which is supplying the power to the statue.
Although Ms. Lazarus had no idea the Statue would ultimately use clean energy, she wrote: "Give me ... your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Her words now take on new meaning.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0322/p02s02-sten.html
Craps- I am not sure but the WinDrive was developed specifically for wind turbins. EU has an 'Exclusive agreement" to use the WinDrive.
Voith WinDrive article
News Release from: Voith Turbo
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial Team on 3 October 2005
Drive element makes more of wind energy
Designers of wind power plants now have a drive element at their disposal which converts a broad spectrum of input speeds into a constant output speed in the multimegawatt range.
With the newly developed Voith WinDrive, designers of wind power plants have a drive element at their disposal which converts a broad spectrum of input speeds into a constant output speed in the multimegawatt range. Key components of the WinDrive are a hydrodynamic torque convertor and a planetary gear designed as superimposing gear. The development of the WinDrive was initiated by the Vorecon variable speed gear which has been proven over decades.
With the WinDrive, low and variable rotor speeds are converted into high, constant speeds.
Due to constant output speeds, economically priced synchronous generators can feed the produced electricity directly into the grid.
Power electronics for frequency adaptation are no longer required.
Additionally, this drive concept also has a positive effect on the weight and the space requirements in the nacelles of wind turbines.
Globally installed wind power capacities will soon exceed the 50,000MW threshold.
Studies (GWEC) predict that by 2020, 1.2 million megawatts are likely.
The development of wind energy will go hand in hand with a noticeable increase of standard turbine sizes - especially in offshore applications.
Today, wind turbines with an output of 5MW already exist as prototypes, capable of supplying the electricity requirements of about 3000 households.
When designing wind turbines of such a magnitude, special attention must be paid to vibrations and load shocks in the drive train.
Problems such as these are dealt with by WinDrive with its integrated torque convertor, because input and output side are connected due to power being transmitted hydrodynamically.
Vibrations and impacts are effectively dampened.
Reduced load in the drive train results in higher reliability and availability of the plant - an important argument for both onshore and offshore projects
http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/voi/voi112.html
They will take what they get.
AS far as manufacturing manpower there may be a number of qualified laid off GM and Ford autoworkers around. I would think they could pick up turbine manfacturing pretty quick. P.S. I was trying to draw attention to the China wind stuff earlier but it seemed no one was interested.
The BSTG PR takes on added significance when you couple it with statement regarding EU Energy in the Shanghai Electric Power article I posted earlier.
Beizhong Steam Turbine Generator Co. Ltd. They seem to be a pretty big player in steam turbine manufacturing in China.
» Final Agreement confirmed with BSTG
31-Jan-2006
In September 2005 EU Energy Wind Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of EU Energy plc, and Beijing Beizhong Steam Turbine Generator Co Ltd (BSTG) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for the grant of a license to manufacture and sell the 2.0MW D8 wind energy turbine. EU Energy Wind Ltd is pleased to announce that a final agreement has now been signed with BSTG.
Under the terms of the agreement EU Energy will train and support the local engineering staff of BSTG and it is intended that BSTG will commence manufacture of the D8 in the early part of 2007
BSTG is a well-established Chinese steam turbine and generator manufacturer with extensive access to wind farm projects, EU Energy is confident that they have the capabilities to maintain the high quality and reliability standards of the D8 turbine in China.
This agreement and the association with BSTG will ensure EU Energy technology plays an important role in meeting the enormous demand for wind turbines in the growing Chinese market.
» Notes:
Notes:
About Beizhong Steam Turbine Generator Co. Ltd
A subsidiary of Beijing Jingcheng Mechanical & Electrical Holding Co. Ltd. (JCH) which is a large state-owned enterprise authorised by Beijing municipal government. Total assets of JCH have reached 15 billion RMB and they are committed to building a flagship in equipment manufacturing industry of China.
From BGC 10K. Wind and wire for wind projects seen increasing.
The wire and cable industry is competitive, mature and cost driven. In many business segments, there is little differentiation among industry participants from a manufacturing or technology standpoint. During 2004 and throughout 2005, the Company's end markets have continued to demonstrate improvement from the low points of demand experienced in 2003. There has been significant merger and acquisition activity which, the Company believes, may lead to a reduction in the deployment of inefficient, high cost capacity in the industry. In the energy segment, the 2003 power outages in the U.S., Canada and Europe emphasized a need to upgrade the power transmission infrastructure used by electric utilities, which may, over time, cause an increase in demand for General Cable's energy products. In addition, tax legislation was passed in the United States in 2004 which includes the renewal of tax credits for producing power from wind. This may also cause an increase in demand for the Company's products as the Company is a significant manufacturer of wire and cable used in wind farms. As a result of the passage of energy legislation in the United States in 2005 that is aimed at improving the transmission grid infrastructure and the reliability of power availability and as a result of the growing energy needs of emerging economies in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, increased demand for the Company's transmission and distribution cables may occur over time. A volume increase in energy segment sales is already occurring and in combination with increased selling prices is leading to improvements in energy segment operating margins. Demand for both bare aluminum transmission cable and medium-voltage distribution cable strongly increased during the fourth quarter of 2005.
Wind turbines could power China says expert
Rhett Butler, mongabay.com
March 9, 2006
Wind could become China's second-largest source of electricity according to a Chinese energy expert.
Wang Weicheng, an energy professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, told reporters that China has the potential to install up to 100 gigawatts of wind power.
"By 2020, wind power capacity is predicted to reach 30 gigawatts," said Wang in a meeting at China's annual parliament. "Around the mid-21st century, wind power is very likely to take the place of hydropower as the second-largest source of electric power generation after coal."
He added that wind power could surpass nuclear stations as a source of energy within 20 to 30 years.
Wang's comments come as China has been aggressively expanding its interests in renewable energy sources including wind, solar, biofuels, tidal, and small hydroelectric dams.
In February 2005, the government passed a renewable energy law that both requires power operators to buy electricity from alternative energy providers and provides economic incentives to such producers. China is striving to reduce its dependence on traditional coal, which supplies 65-70% of the country's energy needs but is responsible for a number of its energy-related environmental problems. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), seven of the world's ten most polluted cities are in China and almost two thirds of the country's largest cities fail to meet the organization's air quality standards. With its use of unwashed coal, China is the planet's largest emitter of sulfur dioxide and acid rain plagues about a quarter of the countryside. The World Bank estimates that pollution is costing the country 8-12% of its $1.4 trillion GDP in direct losses.
China has expressed a strong interest in cleaner coal-based technologies like coal liquefaction and gasification, but the government appears to put official hope in renewable energy, setting a target of 12% of its power generation capacity, or 20 gigawatts, coming from renewables by 2020—up from a mere 3% in 2003. The government's interest in reducing China's use of coal and petroleum products extends beyond environmental and health concerns; it sees both the strategic value of mitigating its reliance on foreign oil and the economic advantages of being on the technological leading edge of energy production.
(top) Electricity consumption in China; (lower) Projected carbon dioxide emissions, 1990-2025, by country. More energy charts.
WORLD WIND POWER
Currently the world's largest wind energy producing countries are Germany (18,000 megawatts--18 gigawatts), Spain (8,000 MW), and the United States (7,000 MW) according to WindPower.org, but a recent study out of Oxford University argues that Britain may have best wind power potential in Europe. Meanwhile, the Australian wind energy industry has close to 6000 MW of projects in the pipeline says the Australian Wind Energy Association.
RELATED ARTICLES
Making wind power less deadly for birds
High oil prices and concern over climate change are driving interest in renewable energy technologies. All types of potential power sources -- not limited to the sun, ocean tides and waves, raw sewage, and even insects -- are the focus of media reports, while governments and industry scramble to announce their grand plans for adopting green energy.
Harvesting tornadoes as power plants; renewable wind vortex energy
Engineers are working to use artificial tornadoes as a renewable energy source according to an article in last week's issue of The Economist. Storms release a tremendous amount of energy. Hurricane Katrina, a category 4 hurricane, released enough energy to supply the world's power needs for a year, while the typical tornado produces as much power as a large power station.
The passage of the Renewable Energy Promotion Law appears to be the first step in making this goal a reality. The legislation, which took effect earlier this year, gives funding and tax incentives to renewable energy projects. Environmentalists hope the sheer size of the Chinese market will spur further interest in the economic prospects of renewable energy well beyond the borders of China.
"China's anticipated entry into the global renewable energy market is expected to have a profound impact on the global industry," said Li Junfeng, Secretary General of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association, in a release from environmental group, Greenpeace. 'We have spent a lot of time and energy learning from the successes and failures of our partners in Europe and around the world. We believe that this law can start a renewable energy revolution in China."
China is off to a quick start in its renewable energy push. The market for wind energy in China grew by 35% in 2004 and in 2005, the country added 500 megawatts of new wind power capacity. This year the country plans to start construction of an offshore wind power complex designed to have a generating capacity of 1 gigawatts when completed in 2020. The government is reportedly even more optimistic than Wang, stating that wind power potentially could generate 253 gigawatts in the future.
Beyond wind power, the Chinese government has sponsored research into the development of fuel cells, tidal power station technologies, and biofuels. The country, which already has the world's largest biofuels plant, is working with European agencies to see how plant matter and animal waste-based fuels might serve as alternatives to fossil fuels.
http://news.mongabay.com/2006/0309-china.html
This is where I found the article.
http://www.energyandcapital.com/wind.php
EU Energy gets mentioned in China Wind article.
Contract for largest windmill powers wind energy
www.chinaview.cn 2006-03-14 12:43:36
BEIJING, March 14 -- Shanghai Electric Power Generation Group has been awarded a clean energy contract by German-based Aerodyn Energiesysteme GmbH to jointly develop the largest windmill in China, in a move to boost the use of wind energy to try and resolve the country's soaring power demand.
The installed electric generation capacity of the windmill could reach 2,000 kilowatts while the length of a single blade is longer than 40 meters and the diameter of the wheel is approximately 80 meters, SEPGG said.
The first wind power generating unit with more than 70 percent of home-made parts will debut in January 2008. Its annual capacity is expected to be 200,000 to 300,000 kilowatts by the end of 2010, according to an official with the wind department at SEPGG.
The contract will also enable SEPGG, the flagship of Shanghai Electric Group Corporation Limited, one of the largest domestic conglomerates making electrical and mechanical equipment, to be the first home-grown firm to participate in the research and development of wind power equipment.
"The Chinese government is encouraging the development of renewable energy, especially wind energy, because China enjoys a large territory to take advantage of wind power," said Li Zhipeng, an energy analyst from Xiangcai Securities Co Ltd.
"Several projects have been approved since last year, which create a growing demand for wind energy generating equipment."
The company also accelerated its development in the wind power sector from this year as it signed a contract with British-based EU Energy Wind Ltd to introduce the technology of a 1,250-kilowatt windmill in January, which will start production early next year.
"However, as the wind power project needs more investment and a longer construction period, it is not expected to solve the energy shortage in the short term," he added.
Several big wind power plants are under construction mainly in Inner Mongolia, Yancheng City in Jiangsu Province, Qingdao in Shandong Province, and Gansu Province in northern China.
Although coal, hydropower and nuclear power are the three major energy sources used in China, accounting for more than 80 percent, wind energy is set to become China's third major power supply by 2020, with a likely installed capacity of 40 million kilowatts, according to China Renewable Energy Industries Association, Greenpeace and the European Wind Energy Association.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/14/content_4302428.htm
One thing I was going to try and research is how many players are there for domestic wind. It was stated earlier that GE's patent was so broard DeWind couldn't sell in the U.S until after they added the WinDrive. Can Vestas and Gamesa sell in U.S. without violating GE's patent. Maybe that is why we secured those reserve agreements so quickly.
Derx,Thanks for the updates from GC. For some reason I could listen to it live but I haven't been able to get the archives to work. Man those turbines sure are big. But so is the market. One survey says wind capacity supposed to triple worldwide by 2014. Vestas has been center of takeover speculation for several years. I wonder how much 3M will pay for Vestas.
http://yahoo.reuters.com/stocks/QuoteCompanyNewsArticle.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060307...
One other thing. IMO the "hype" is gone. The commercilization of ACCC is on. The company could release some spectacularly positive news at any time this year. ACCC is for real!!
Sorry biegle. I didn't see your post. I am glad I went to the meeting yesterday. It was the first face to face I have done down there in a while. I heard some things in the hallway that make me feel that acceptance is moving forward. They have defintely stepped up the sales and marketing of ACCC since exiting BK. The factory and production line is running very well which was good to hear. We will see. Huge opportunities out there for this company.
From Jubak's Journal on MSN/Money
General Cable (BGC, news, msgs), which is producing new types of electric transmission cable to address a huge conservation opportunity (distribution losses in the U.S. electrical grid have climbed to 9.5% today
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/P146317.asp
General Cable is very pleased with how the company is doing. Sales wise GC thinks CTC is doing great. GC is very pleased with product and production.