New Energy Reports » Renewables

Renewables Sector Impact of the Economic Downturn Detailed in a New Report

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:30:36 +0000

Impact of the Economic Downturn on the Renewables Sector

Energy Business Reports (http://www.energybusinessreports.com), a leading publisher in the energy industry, provides a detailed guide on the impact of the economic downturn on the renewables market. The report, “Impact of the Economic Downturn on the Renewables Sector,” offers an in-depth analysis of the renewables sector from an investment perspective and includes recommendations for maximizing the opportunities and managing the risks involved in the investment appraisal of green projects.

The outlook of the renewables sector seems uncertain. While there are political, economic and social factors driving the shift to renewables, utilities are faced with the challenge of mitigating costs and making the correct environmental choices in an increasingly bad economy. The report highlights the factors that impact the supply and demand-side aspects of investment appraisal, the availability of credit and the attractiveness of the renewables sector as a growth market.

“Our report, ‘Impact of the Economic Downturn on the Renewables Sector,’ provides a comprehensive understanding of the renewables sector within the context of the current economic and legislative environment,” says Barbara Drazga, Publisher at Energy Business Reports. “It includes key insights on how utilities can benefit from the existing opportunities in the sector and position themselves effectively for the future.”

The report is designed to provide a better understanding of the issues facing the renewables industry in the current economy. Learn more about the report (http://www.energybusinessreports.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=2351&affillink=ENER)

About Energy Business Reports

“Impact of the Economic Downturn on the Renewables Sector,” is offered by Energy Business Reports, an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products. For details on all reports can be found at http://energybusinessreports.com.

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Future of Wind Power: Increasing Economic Competitiveness as Technology Matures

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:30:59 +0000

Almost the same level of wind capacity – 46,503MW – has been added in the past three years as was added in the twenty years previously. Average annual capacity growth since 1980 has been over 40%. While European growth slows, the US and emerging markets such as India and China are investing heavily in wind power.

View Details: Future of Wind Power: Increasing Economic Competitiveness as Technology Matures

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The Future of Wind Power is a management report published by Business Insights utilizing over 35 sources to analyze how wind power technologies are maturing and evolving and their impact on the electricity generation landscape. This report examines how technological developments, government renewable targets and capacity additions are having a massive impact on the economics and uptake of wind power. It also looks at some of the environmental and regulatory aspects acting as both drivers and resistors of wind power generation growth.

Understand the key drivers and resistors of wind power capacity growth and its impact on the power generation landscape with the help of this new report.

Some key findings from this report:

• Wind accounted for 35% of all new capacity additions in the US and 40% of new capacity in Europe in 2007. Wind generating capacity in China grew by 127% in 2007 compared to 2006.

• Estimates vary widely in terms of global wind resource between 72,000GW and 1,000,000GW. In both cases the total potential is much greater than current global demand for electricity.

• Turbines installed in 2005 generate over 40 times more power than those installed in 1984. Replacing older turbines with larger modern ones (repowering) will be a key feature in capacity growth.

• The cost of integrating wind power is a major issue. Estimates average at $10/MWh, dependent on availability of hydropower for energy storage and levels of wind power penetration.

• Wind power is highly competitive with nuclear, supercritical coal and gas turbine power plants even without tax credits, based on recent levelized cost comparisons.

This new report will enable you to:

• Benchmark the competitiveness of wind power against traditional technologies with this report’s comparison of wind power generation cost and analysis of the impact of tax credits.

• Predict future wind power growth in Europe, the US and key developing economies and understand the role wind power will play in meeting renewable energy targets using this report’s wind power generation forecasts for Europe, the US and China.

• Discover the effects of technological changes on wind power with this report’s examination of changes in efficiency, reliability and costs as wind power technology matures.

• Understand the key issues, drivers and resistors of wind power including the grid integration of higher levels of wind power as penetration increases.

• Assess the environmental impact of wind power with this report’s assessment of the key environmental issues including an analysis of lifecycle emissions.

Key issues examined by this report:

• Emerging markets. After Europe led initial uptake, markets such as China and Asia are now increasingly driving up renewable investment, creating a new, high growth wind power generation.

• Grid integration. The higher penetrations of wind power demanded by government renewable energy targets will require significant investment in energy storage. Operators are not yet ready to put these changes into place.

• The cost of wind power. Wind power generation is already competitive with gas, coal and nuclear and energy based on levelized costs from California. However, capital costs for wind energy are now rising again.

• Repowering. Replacing older turbines with modern ones is increasingly being used to add capacity without creating a much larger environmental footprint.

About the Publisher: This report is offered by Energy Business Reports (www.EnergyBusinessReports.com), an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products.

Landfill Gas (LFG) as an Energy Source Report

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:30:18 +0000

With rising concern about energy sources, landfill gas (LFG) has emerged as an easily available, economically competitive, and proven energy resource. Approximately 254 million tons of solid waste was generated in the United States in 2007 with 54 percent deposited in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. As this landfilled waste decomposes, a process that may take 30 years or more, it produces landfill gas (LFG). LFG contains approximately 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide with less than one percent nonmethane organic compounds and trace amounts of organic compounds. If left uncontrolled, LFG can lead to smog formation and air pollution and can pose an explosion hazard. Furthermore, since LFG contains methane – a greenhouse gas with more than 20 times the heat trapping potential of carbon dioxide – it can contribute to climate change. However, its high methane content also means that LFG can be utilized as a valuable source of energy.

View Details: Landfill Gas (LFG) as an Energy Source Report

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LFG is a byproduct of the decay process of organic matter in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The gas typically contains approximately 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide, with some additional trace compounds. The heat value of LFG ranges from 400 to 600 British thermal units (Btu) per cubic foot and can burn in virtually any application with minor adjustments to air/fuel ratios. The use of LFG provides environmental and economic benefits, and users of LFG have achieved significant cost savings compared to traditional fuel usage due primarily to the fact that LFG costs are consistently lower than the cost of natural gas.

Additionally, because LFG is comprised of approximately 50% methane, a major greenhouse gas, reducing landfill methane emissions by utilizing it as a fuel helps businesses, energy providers, and communities protect the environment and build a more sustainable energy future.

This report on landfill gas treatment and utilization examines the LFG industry and contains basic information about LFG, its composition, production, conditions affecting its production, movement, and transport; and health hazards and safety issues related to LFG.

The report also contains an overview of LFG sampling, treatment procedures, control measures, regulatory requirements, and much more. This is a comprehensive information bank for decision makers in the energy industry and an information source for others interested in this rapidly-growing industry.

North American Market for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems in Water and Waste Water Utilities 2006-2007-All 3 Volumes

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:30:16 +0000

In recent years, Newton-Evans Research Company has conducted several research programs providing a clear view of the international market for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems among electric, water and gas utilities, and gas and oil pipeline companies. This study is Newton-Evans’ sixth water industry study of SCADA usage patterns and trends, but the first in several years.

View Details: North American Market for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems in Water and Waste Water Utilities 2006-2007 – All 3 Volumes

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This new series will provide an in-depth appraisal of the central and remote site hardware, applications software, and communications services that water and waste water utilities are now using and will be requesting during their next round of procurements for SCADA systems.

The research study has resulted in a comprehensive and informative series of reports on control systems usage patterns and plans of water utilities in more than 100 major and mid-size cities and water districts throughout North America. Volume one contains a summary of research findings from the North American market. An analysis and forecast for the water industry IT and SCADA market is the second volume in the series. The final volume profiles more than 20 suppliers of SCADA -related systems, software and services to the water utility marketplace is also available.

Sample Survey Topics

- Ranking of Vendor Performance in various “Best in Class” Categories

- Current SCADA System Vendors and Those to be Considered for Future Procurements

- RTU’s and PLCs in use at Water Utilities and Water Treatment Plants

- Operation of Central Site Control Center and/or Regional Control Centers

- Water-related SCADA Applications Software in Use and Planned

- Data Communications Usage Patterns for Remote Data Acquisition

- Approaches for Reducing Vulnerability on Water SCADA systems

Research Methodology:

Chief Operations and chief engineering personnel were the principal source of information for this research program of water and wastewater SCADA systems serving municipalities throughout the United States. The field survey work was conducted using several primary research methods including personal interviews, e-mail and fax surveys, with telephone and e-mail follow-up conducted by Newton-Evans staff. A mixture of water and wastewater organizations were contacted, including city, county and regional public utilities as well as private and investor-owned companies.

Following several successful gas and oil industry and electric utility SCADA studies, this is Newton-Evans’ first review of water industry SCADA trends since 1995. Technology and communication advances, new market participants and growth in the use of modern computer-based supervisory control and data acquisition systems pointed to the need for a new nationwide study.

Key Issues Addressed in the Study Series:

- Current use of supervisory control and data acquisition systems.

- Plans to upgrade/replace or install new SCADA systems by year-end 2007.

- Budget considerations and contract award dates.

- Approximate number of RTUs/PLCs currently installed and planned for installation in water SCADA systems, as well as protocol and communications requirements.

- Specific water-related functions and applications now being performed on SCADA systems, and plans for additional applications.

- Profiles of the leading suppliers of SCADA-related systems and services to the water and waste water utilities in North America.

- Communications methods and protocols in use at planned at major and mid-size water and waste water utilities.

Future of Solar Power: Key Technologies and Drivers for a Solar Future

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:30:46 +0000

“Between 1999 and 2007, the cumulative capacity of solar power grew by 962% to 12,374Mw. Between 2006 and 2007 alone, cumulative capacity grew by 45%…”

Solar power is on the verge of a major breakthrough in terms of short and mid-term deployment. In the longer term, several analyses have shown that solar energy could, albeit with enormous investment, eventually supply the greater part of global energy needs. Solar cell installation is being driven by incentives in several parts of the world and strong growth is expected to continue.

View Details: Future of Solar Power: Key Technologies and Drivers for a Solar Future

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The Future of Solar Power report analyses the future of solar power generation. It examines the key technologies and the economics and efficiency of solar power generation systems. It looks specifically at a range off issues affecting the costs, efficiency and take up of solar photovoltaic power generation and solar thermal power generation as well as a brief consideration of other and emerging solar generation technologies.

Examine the future prospects for solar power generation technologies and assess their relative costs and efficiences with this new report…

This report will enable you to…

Understand the applications for solar power generation current and future power generation markets with this report’s examination of the key solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power generation technologies.

Assess the growth prospects for solar power generation using this report’s analysis of capacity growth for solar cells and the leading countries in terms of manufacturing and installation.

Benchmark key solar power generation technologies against other renewable and fossil fuel technologies in terms of their efficiency and costs.

Predict when solar power generation will become competitive based this report’s examination of how solar power generation uptake and technological developments are affecting the economics of solar power.

Some key questions answered by this report…

How fast is the market for solar power growing?

What are the key drivers and resistors of growth for solar power generation?

Which countries lead manufacturing and installation of solar power?

What are the leading manufacturers of solar cells?

What new solar thermal plants are in the pipeline and what impact might they have?

How competitive is solar power compared to other power generation technologies?

How will the economics of solar power change in the short and mid-term?

Cost of Power Generation: Current And Future Competitiveness Of Renewable And Traditional Technologies

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:30:32 +0000

“There have been major changes in estimates of capital costs of renewable technologies since 2003, for example, cost estimates for fuel cells were 244% higher in 2007 than in 2003…”

View Details: Cost of Power Generation: Current And Future Competitiveness Of Renewable And TraditionalTechnologies (http://energybusinessreports.com/shop/template.asp?id=1725&affillink=ner&eb=1)

Conditions within the power industry have changed significantly in recent years. The rising cost of natural gas has made this an expensive source of power, while concern about global warming and the introduction of limits on CO2 emissions will have a profound effect on the use of coal for power generation, at least in the developed world. In consequence nuclear power has its best chance of a revival for a generation and renewable energy is gaining ground as technology is refined and experience grows.

The Cost of Power Generation report assesses the current and future case for investment in traditional versus renewable energy. This report analyzes all available data to directly compare the investment case and future prospects of different power generation technologies. It also examines the results of our proprietary executive survey to provide a unique benchmark of how decision makers within the energy industry forecast the future of power generation and the issues influencing those changes.

Identify the most competitive forms of power generation using this report’s detailed analysis of the true costs of power generation.

This new report will enable you to…

- Assess the relative cost benefits of renewable and traditional technologies throughout their lifecycles.

- Identify the key factors that impact on the costings of new energy projects, including structural costs, operational costs, grid extension costs, subsidies and externalities.

- Analyze the impact of increased renewable penetration on the structural costs and capacity of energy networks.

- Predict the effect of changes in fuel prices on the competitiveness of renewable technologies.

- Understand why cost of power estimates have changed over the past three years.

- Benchmark industry executive opinion on the future roles of traditional and renewable energy and the significance of a proposed hydrogen economy.

Some key questions answered by this report…

- Which technologies will be the most competitive now and in the next ten years?

- How does market structure affect the pricing and penalisation of green energy?

- What is the cheapest renewable energy source?

- How does geographical location affect cost estimates for power generation technologies?

- What are the weaknesses of traditional fossil fuels in terms of the long-term cost implications?

- When do industry executives forecast renewable energy to take a majority share of electricity production?

- What impact does government policy have on the relative competitiveness of competing power generation technologies?

Global Renewable Energy Market Growth Amidst Financial Crisis

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:30:56 +0000

Over the last few decades, rapidly growing energy demand and climate change have evolved into an issue of global concern. Against this backdrop, broad consensus has emerged in both the scientific and political communities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Considering the fact that that fossil fuel based energy related activities are the major contributors to GHG emissions, a shift towards alternate energy sources has become mandatory.

View Details: Global Renewable Energy Market Growth Amidst the Financial Crisis,

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This new report, “Global Renewable Energy Market Growth Amidst the Financial Crisis” provides detailed analysis and forecasts of the global renewable energy market in the midst of the current global financial crisis.

Sub-chapters in the report analyze renewable power markets in the major regions and countries across the world. These sub-chapters cover historical and forecast statistics relating to the installed renewable energy capacities, market structure and regulatory policies that govern the development of each of the renewable energy technologies.

Importantly, the report covers the annual market size and growth of various renewable energy technologies in key nations in both an optimistic scenario vis-à-vis the current global financial crisis. It also encompasses deal summary and news flow for the last six months.

This new management report will allow you to:

- Gain the most up to date and in-depth information on the impact of financial crisis on the global renewable energy market

- Predict and forecast the growth of the global renewable energy industry trends in light of the current financial conditions

- Assess the market overview, development and forecasts of the key countries in the global renewable energy market affected by the current financial crisis

- Understand the policies and regulatory framework of the major countries in the world impacted by the financial crisis

- Analyze the global renewable energy market at a country level in the midst of the financial crisis

- Identify and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the leading companies in the global renewable energy market

For more information, visit: Energy Business Reports (http://www.energybusinessreports.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=2370&affillink=ner)

About the Publisher: “Global Renewable Energy Market Growth Amidst the Financial Crisis” is offered by Energy Business Reports, an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products. Details on all reports can be found at Energy Business Reports, (http://EnergyBusinessReports.com/shop/default.asp?affillink=ner&eb=1)

U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards Report Provides Clear Insight into Market

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:30:17 +0000

A new report published by Energy Business Reports, a leading publisher in the energy industry, provides an understanding of state-based Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). Titled “Understanding U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards,” the report examines the nature, mechanics, features and advantages of RPS and provides a comprehensive guide to the U.S. State RPS Program requirements.

View Details: “U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards” http://energybusinessreports.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=2306&affillink=ner

As President Obama has called for 10 percent of the nation’s electricity to come from a renewable source by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025, different states have varying RPS targets and years (e.g., Arizona’s 15 percent by 2025 and Colorado’s 20 percent by 2020). However, multiple factors shape the various program designs, including resource eligibility, in-state requirements, new build requirements, technology favoritism, cost caps, program coverage, cost recovery by utilities, penalties for noncompliance, rules regarding REC creation and trading, and additional nonbinding goals.

“As of March of this year, RPS requirements or goals have been established in 33 states and the District of Columbia. All of the RPS programs vary wildly to reflect state-specific policy objectives, resources, and capacity to adopt renewable energy sources,” says Barbara Drazga, Publisher at Energy Business Reports. “As regulatory policies push for adoption of renewable energy sources, understanding RPS is of key importance for electric utilities and other retail providers.”Our report, ‘Understanding U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards’, helps energy industry executives understand what each state is doing to meet RPS requirements and how to effectively support clean energy supply initiatives.”

This report is offered by Energy Business Reports (www.energybusinessreports.com), an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products.

Developing a Hydrogen Economy: Challenges and Potential

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:30:05 +0000

The hydrogen economy is a proposal for the distribution of energy by using hydrogen. Hydrogen (H2) gives off energy when it is combined with oxygen, but the hydrogen itself has to first be produced, which requires more energy than is released when it is used as a fuel.

View Details: “Developing a Hydrogen Economy: Challenges and Potential” http://energybusinessreports.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=1251&affillink=ner

Some futurists promote hydrogen as potential fuel for motive power (including cars,boats and airplanes), the energy needs of buildings and portable electronics. They believe a hydrogen economy could greatly reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and therefore play a major role in tackling global warming. Countries without oil, but with renewable energy resources, could use a combination of renewable energy and hydrogen instead of fuels derived from petroleum, which are becoming scarcer, to achieve energy independence.

In the context of a hydrogen economy, hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a primary energy source. Nevertheless, controversy over the usefulness of a hydrogen economy has been confused by issues of energy sourcing, including fossil fuel use, global warming, and sustainable energy generation. These are all separate issues, although the hydrogen economy affects them all.

The report on Hydrogen Economy focuses on the development of a hydrogen economy. Technologies involved in a hydrogen economy, case studies, along with the environmental impact are all discussed in this report.

This report is offered by Energy Business Reports www.energybusinessreports.com, http://www.energybusinessreports.com/shop/?affillink=NER an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products.

Biofuel from Algae Market Potential

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:40:18 +0000

A new report published by Energy Business Reports, “Biofuel from Algae Market Potential,” analyzes the use of algae and its alternative fuel potential. Algae are a little-known alternative energy source although scientists have been researching their potential for biodiesel for decades.

View Details of This Report

Algae lack the various structures that characterize land plants, such as phyllids and rhizoids in nonvascular plants, or leaves, roots, and other organs that are found in tracheophytes. They are distinguished from protozoa in that they are photosynthetic. Many are photoautotrophic, although some groups contain members that are mixotrophic, deriving energy both from photosynthesis and uptake of organic carbon either by osmotrophy, myzotrophy, or phagotrophy.

Some unicellular species rely entirely on external energy sources and have limited or no photosynthetic apparatus. As such they are good alternative fuel sources. The biodiesel industry has for some time regarded the study of algae as fuel to be an important one.

This report – Biofuel from Algae Market Potential – looks at the potential of algae to serve as biodiesel in the future. Already much research is underway in to algae as an alternative energy source, and this report profiles the technology behind the research, the profiles of major players, and the biodiesel industry as it relates to algae as fuel.

About the Publisher: “Biofuel from Algae Market Potential” is published by Energy Business Reports (www.energybusinessreports.com), an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products.

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