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Comment by Michael on January 18, 2009 at 7:56am

TEXAS ECONOMY
At Austin summit, pitches for wind power, willpower
Pickens, Perry offer solutions for revving up Texas economy
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Comment by Michael on January 18, 2009 at 6:14am

Abu Dhabi Aspires to Become Global Hub of Renewable Energy
T Ramavarman
18 January 2009
ABU DHABI - Abu Dhabi’s forays into the alternative energy sector are part of a well-chalked out plan to make the emirate a global hub of renewable energy, and are organically linked to its strategy of building world-class and competitive economy.

This was stated by the Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the CEO of Masdar Initiative — a multi-faceted initiative launched by the UAE in April 2006 for advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions — in an interview with Khaleej Times here.

The interview was done in the context of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) being hosted here by Masdar from January 19 to 21.

Hailing the decision of the government to launch the Masdar Initiative, Dr Sultan Al Jaber said, “Abu Dhabi is one of the world’s largest producers of oil and gas, with sufficient reserves to last many generations, but now it is taking bold steps to prepare for the world’s changing energy demands. Abu Dhabi also understands the need to diversify its economy, providing fresh career opportunities to nurture local talent. Masdar will play a role in this by helping to position Abu Dhabi as an intellectual capital hub and ultimately an exporter of advanced technology.”

To put it simply, Masdar makes sense. Masdar has grown out of Abu Dhabi’s half century of energy leadership, and it is a natural extension of the country’s contribution to global energy growth, development and security.

Through Masdar, Abu Dhabi is leveraging its substantial resources and experience in global energy markets towards the technologies of the future. One key objective of Masdar is to position Abu Dhabi as a world-class research and development hub for future energy technologies, effectively balancing its strong position in an evolving world energy market.

Masdar is a key element of the Abu Dhabi 2030 Plan and the Government of Abu Dhabi’s strategic policy framework. Both of these policies share a vision that seeks to build a sustainable, open and globally competitive economy.

Recalling that the first annual World Future Engery Summit was held last year in Abu Dhabi, he said, the leadership of Abu Dhabi founded this summit through its Masdar Initiative to debate, find solutions and create an open platform for global cooperation to meet the growing energy demands and climate change challenges.

This second annual WFES is also being arranged by Masdar to bring together the world’s leading innovators, educators, scientists, venture capitalists and experts in the field of alternative and renewable energies. WFES 09 again will stimulate innovative solutions for some of the most pressing challenges of our time: energy conservation, energy security, the environment and truly sustainable human development.

The summit is being held under the patronage of General Shaikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. It will be the largest meeting of the future energy movement and the premier event for world leaders to preview new solutions and technologies and seek partners, he said.

What are the other sources of energy available, tapped and explored here? To this he said, “Masdar is engaged across the full spectrum of renewable energy. Abu Dhabi’s geographical location and climate make solar power a viable option. In fact, Masdar City will be home to the largest grid-connected solar power plant in the region.”

“We are also making investments in other kinds of renewable energy, including wind. We have taken a significant stake in WinwinD, a leading European turbine manufacturer. We are exploring the development of a wind farm on Sir Bani Yas Island, in partnership with TDIC, to help protect the natural enviroment on this protected island.”

Masdar, is a wholly owned company of the government of Abu Dhabi through the Mubadala Development Company. We are dedicated to developing renewable energy technologies abroad — but also here in Abu Dhabi.

Because Abu Dhabi is geographically located within the world’s Sunbelt, solar is a key industry for Masdar. Accordingly, Masdar has made significant investments, formed joint ventures and R&D partnerships, and established its own manufacturing capabilities to accelerate the drive towards significant global usage of solar power.

In May 2008, Masdar invested in a new company, Masdar PV in Erfurt, Germany. Masdar PV is constructing a thin-film PV manufacturing facility, which, once complete, will use advanced production technologies to bring PV closer to grid parity.

In the first quarter of 2009, Masdar PV will break ground on a thin-film manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi.

In addition to developing our own projects within Abu Dhabi, we also seek additional projects with our in-country partners. Torresol Energy, a joint venture between Masdar and Spanish engineering group Sener, has three solar power plants under construction in Spain with an approximate combined value of $800 million, one of which will be a CSP Central Tower Receiver System. The joint venture will feature the first-ever commercial deployment of this technology by 2012.

Independent of Torresol Energy, Masdar is developing CSP plants in Abu Dhabi, including the flagship project known as SHAMS 1 (“sun” in Arabic). Shams 1 is a 100 MW CSP plant in Madinat Zayed that uses parabolic trough technology and will be scaled up to 2000 MW over time. The project will be the first of many CSP plants that will feed green power into the Abu Dhabi grid. The project is finalising bidders at this point in time, and the successful companies will be named in March/April 2009.

How far Masdar has progressed? “2008 was a productive year for Masdar, beginning with the inaugural World Future Energy Summit last January. In February, we broke ground on Masdar City and are powering the construction through the first grid connected solar plant in the Middle East. Masdar has established its position as a player in alterative energy through strategic partnerships and the Clean Tech Fund, London Array and Masdar PV. Additionally, our joint venture Torresol Energy has secured funding and will lay the foundation for the world’s first CPV project. Abu Dhabi is taking bold steps to actively reduce its carbon footprint as we embark on the front end engineering and design for our Emirate wide CCS network.

“We are also excited that the Masdar Institute faculty and facilities are in place, and we have 24 pre-class students who are currently doing research projects and will begin their studies this fall.”

On the impact of the global financial meltdown on Masdar Dr Sultan Al Jaber said: “Many of the issues Masdar addresses, such as energy conservation, energy security, the environment and truly sustainable human development, are not tied to the economic markets — they are the most pressing challenges of our time and must be addressed regardless of the state of the global economy.”

Furthermore, investments in sustainability and renewable energy provide an opportunity to stimulate the economy and jumpstart growth through the development of an entirely new economic sector, he added.

Masdar provides market-driven incentives by creating and monetising greenhouse gas emission reductions, primarily in compliance with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) framework of the Kyoto Protocol. Masdar views the CDM as an exceptional opportunity for Abu Dhabi to lead sustainable growth in the region and to simultaneously address global environmental concerns, offering companies in developing economies around the world the opportunity to receive tradable “carbon credits” against project-based emissions reduction.

Masdar is currently developing a large portfolio of CDM projects with major asset owners in the UAE and the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority and Dubai Aluminum. Projects include energy efficiency, industrial process improvement, flare gas recovery, power plant upgrades, CO2 recovery and re-utilisation and reduction of fugitive emissions.

Ten quick facts about Masdar Eco-city

*
World’s First Zero-Carbon Zero-Waste City expected to be open in late 2009.
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The six square kilometre city will be powered by photovoltaic panels.
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Water will be provided through a solar-powered desalination plant.
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To reduce dependence on desalinated water, all buildings will have dew catchers, rain-water harvesting and electronic sensors to detect leaky pipes.
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The city will be walled to protect it from hot summer winds.
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It plans to house 50,000 residents and 1,500 businesses.
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The city will host Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), a graduate-level research institution developed in cooperation with Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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The city will be free of cars. Residents will have to walk or take “personal rapid transit” powered by solar energy — small rail cars that run on fixed tracks.
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The government of Abu Dhabi has invested about $15 billion as a seed capital for this venture.
*
It will also generate power from refuse by a waste-to-energy plant.

· ramavarman@khaleejtimes.com

Comment by Michael, Houston on January 16, 2009 at 3:17am

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) today released a report Green Collar Jobs in the U.S. and Colorado: Economic Drivers for the 21st Century that documents 2007 job levels and projects future employment for green jobs in the U.S. and the state of Colorado. This report was produced by Management Information Services, Inc (MISI) and is a follow-up to a report issued in November 2007.

This report defines "green jobs" as those pertaining to the renewable energy and energy efficiency (RE&EE) industries, specifically:

A job in the RE industry consists of an employee working in one of the major RE technologies—wind, photovoltaics, solar thermal, hydroelectric power, geothermal, biomass (ethanol, biodiesel, and biomass power), and fuel cells and hydrogen.

A job in the EE industry consists of an employee working in a sector that is entirely part of the EE industry, such as an energy service company (ESCO) or the recycling, reuse, and remanufacturing sector. It also includes some employees in industries in which only a portion of the output is classified as within the EE sector, such as household appliances, HVAC systems, construction, automobile manufacturing, and others.

Finally, in this study, jobs in RE&EE include persons involved in RE&EE activities in federal, state, and local government, universities, nonprofits, trade and professional associations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, consultancies, investment companies (analysts, for example), and other related organizations.

Key conclusions from the report include:

* Renewable energy and energy efficiency currently provide more than 9 million jobs and $1,045 billion in revenue in the U.S. (2007). The previous year (2006) renewable energy and energy efficiency represented 8.5 million jobs and $972 billion in revenue.
* 95% of the jobs are in private industry.
* As many as 37 million jobs can be generated by the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries in the U.S. by 2030 – more than 17% of all anticipated U.S. employment.
* Hottest sectors include solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, biofuels, and fuel cells (in terms of revenue growth).
* Hot job areas include electricians, mechanical engineers, welders, metal workers, construction managers, accountants, analysts, environmental scientists, and chemists. The vast majority of jobs created by the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries are in the same types of roles seen in other industries (accountants, factory workers, IT professionals, etc).
* Renewable energy and energy efficiency can create millions of well-paying jobs, many of which are not subject to foreign outsourcing. These jobs are in two categories that every state is eager to attract – college-educated professional workers (many with advanced degrees), and highly skilled technical workers.
* The renewable energy industry grew more than three times as fast as the U.S. economy in 2007 (not including hydropower). Renewable energy is also growing more rapidly than the energy efficiency industry, but the energy efficiency industry is currently much larger than the renewable energy industry.

“There’s a new sense of optimism in the green economy,” said ASES Executive Director Brad Collins. “But while the U.S. could see million of new jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency, this will only happen with the necessary leadership, research, development, and public policy at the federal and state levels.

The report can be downloaded for free at www.ases.org/greenjobs or by clicking the image below. Additional green jobs reports can be found here.

Comment by Michael, Houston on January 16, 2009 at 1:11am

Green Jobs Could Top 37M in 2030: Report
By GreenBiz Staff
January 16, 2009

Green collar jobs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors employed more than 9 million Americans in 2007, producing more than $1 trillion in sales, according to a new report.

The two industries hold the the potential of generating 37 million jobs by 2030, but this will be more difficult to achieve without the proper policies in place at the federal and state levels, according to the American Solar Energy Society and Management Information Services Inc., which together released the report, "Defining, Estimating and Forecasting the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Industries in the U.S. and in Colorado."

Aggressive policies are needed immediately to maximize green jobs gains, especially in later years, according to lead author Roger Bezdek of Management Information Services. "Every year we lose on the front end has a negative and unfortunate impact at the back end," Bezdek said in a conference call with reporters Thursday.

The report is the second of its kind produced by the two organizations and may be the only example of time-series research on existing green jobs, the vast majority of which are found in the private sector. The groups pegged green jobs in the two industries at 8.5 million, with 972 billion in annual sales.

One of the challenges in producing the report, the authors said, is the lack of agreed-upon definitions of what constitutes the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. The report sets its own standard definition and forecasts growth through 2030 using three scenarios -- business-as-usual, a moderate scenario where some pro-energy efficiency and renewable energy policies are enacted, and an advanced scenario that pushes the envelope on cutting edge technologies, policies and market conditions.

If nothing is done and we proceed in the business-as-usual fashion, the two industries may generate an additional 16.3 million jobs by 2030, compared to 19.5 million in the moderate scenario. The most robust policies could produce 37.2 million jobs by 2030.

Hot sectors with the highest revenue growth included solar thermal and photovoltaics, biofuels and fuel cells. The jobs most in demand will include electricians, mechanical engineers, welders, metal workers, accountants, analysts, environmental scientists and chemists -- the vast majority of which are existing jobs that will take on environmental dimension.

The report also offers an in-depth look at these industries at the state level, using Colorado as a test case. According to the report, the sectors produced $10.3 billion in sales and employed more than 91,000 in Colorado in 2007, comprising more than 4 percent of gross state product.

As many as 613,000 jobs and up to $61.5 billion in sales could be achieved in the state by 2030 under the advanced scenario.
Source URL: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/01/16/green-jobs-could-top-37m-2030-report

Links:

Comment by Ashley on January 15, 2009 at 10:42pm

Hi all,

Take a moment and go to PCA website and vote yes for the Pickens Plan Poll and let Hollywood know we mean business...six days left!! Only takes a moment to become a member there and vote yes.

http://www.pcavote.com/pca/singlepoll.jsp?pollId=15100125&fromProfile=soandso2008

Comment by Michael on January 15, 2009 at 5:03am

Gas Shutdown Shows Need for Europe Energy Cartel: Matthew Lynn
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Commentary by Matthew Lynn

Jan. 14 (Bloomberg) -- It is a freezing winter. Temperatures have dropped right across Europe. Even Madrid’s Barajas Airport was plunged into chaos by snowfalls, the first flakes the Spanish capital has had for four years.

In the midst of that, Russian energy company OAO Gazprom is playing politics with the continent’s gas supplies.

For the past week, a dispute with Ukraine over the shipment of gas through its pipelines has threatened energy shortages in Europe. The European Union managed to negotiate a compromise that got the power flowing again yesterday. Even so, Russia’s ability to turn the power on and off has been demonstrated again.

Europe needs to think hard about how it responds to Russia’s energy imperialism. In the 1940s, it formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance designed to create a united front against the threat of Soviet communism. Today, Europe needs an oil-and-gas equivalent to develop a coordinated response to the threat of having its power supplies cut off.

“The Europeans will (hopefully) focus on what they can do together to increase their energy security: build a functioning internal gas market, invest more in gas storage and focus on alternative sources of gas,” Katinka Barysch, the deputy director of the Center for European Reform in London, said in an analysis of the latest energy dispute.

There is little mistaking the way that Russia is using its vast energy resources to reassert its power on the world stage. Gazprom stopped transit flows through Ukraine on Jan. 7 after accusing the country of diverting gas, intended for other buyers, for its own use. Ukraine rejects the charge.

Ukrainian Pipelines

About 80 percent of Gazprom’s European customers receive their supplies through pipelines that cross Ukraine. The Russian exporter provides a quarter of all Europe’s gas, and said its supplies to Europe were cut by about 60 percent. To cope with the shortfall, countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia placed curbs on gas use.

It isn’t the first time supplies have been turned off. In 2006, Russia switched off all gas supplies through Ukraine for three days. The latest spat may have been resolved. But it is another demonstration that Europe has become dangerously dependent on Russian energy.

There is little mystery about what Russia is up to. With energy prices plummeting in a global slump, its economy is in deep trouble. The stock market has plunged, and so has the ruble. Russia relies on energy prices to keep afloat. It needs to get the market moving again.

Control of Supply

One way to do that, as any monopolist will tell you, is to get control of supply. There have already been discussions about forming a gas equivalent of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which attempts to guide oil prices. And, in the oil market, Russia is cooperating with OPEC. When OPEC, which doesn’t include Russia as a member, curbed production last year to stabilize prices, Russia agreed to cut its oil exports as well.

Along with food, securing energy supplies is one of the most basic tasks of any government. So how should Europe respond? By forming a cartel of buyers. An energy equivalent of NATO would have four main tasks.

First, it should decide what percentage of oil and gas is safe to import from Russia. The best way of keeping a market in good shape is to have plenty of different suppliers competing for the business. Russia has so much energy close to Europe, it will always be a leading supplier. Yet Russia shouldn’t be the only one. The country’s energy suppliers need to be reminded that the customer is king: If the producer thinks he’s the boss, the customers should go elsewhere.

Swap Routes

Next, supply routes should be built between different European countries. Then if the gas to one country gets switched off, it could be routed through another one. Russia can control what happens to the gas only up to its own borders. If they can swap supplies, the European countries have more flexibility.

Three, there should be stockpiles of alternative-energy supplies. Liquefied petroleum gas, for example, is an obvious choice. If every country kept some LPG, it would make shutdowns in the supply far easier to live with.

Lastly, Europe must invest even more in alternative energy sources. Wind and wave power have been sold as good for the environment. But they also create a diversity of supply. That makes two great reasons for building a lot more windmills.

Naturally, Europe needs Russia’s energy. And Russia needs Western European money. Yet Europe can find other energy sources. Over time, it can certainly build them. It is hard for Russia to find other customers for its oil and gas.

History shows that when Europe is united against Russia, it can solve problems peacefully. It worked in the Cold War, even if it did take 40 years. And it can work in the gas wars as well.

(Matthew Lynn is a Bloomberg News columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this column: Matthew Lynn in London at matthewlynn@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: January 13, 2009 19:01 EST

Comment by Eric Koch on January 14, 2009 at 10:34am

Copy,Paste,and Send to everyone you know.

America is sitting on an amazing untapped wind resource,the wind corridor that stretches from Texas to North Dakota...our population is stabilized but our agricultural lands are devastated from decades of food exports.

with bio-char production as dump load regulation,in conjunction with power storage solutions the wind power capacity can go in at an astounding rate...the wind fixes the soil ,the soil sequesters the carbon and gives life......our entire world is unsustainable as is, and the changes required don't stop there...what will it take to get you out of your arm chair?

Mr.Pickens is out of his....and i'm sure as hell not going to tell him to sit down.

http://action.pickensplan.com

Comment by Robert Jungmann on January 10, 2009 at 8:35am

My idea is to utilize the $25 Billion President-elect Barack Obama proposed to invest in rebuilding America's roads by painting them with reflective paint to reflect solar energy in an effort to offset the loss of glaciers. In the near future this project could mature to begin working with solar paint to absorb solar energy to utilize for street lights, electric cars, etc.
Reasons I believe this is an idea worth pursuing:
a.) Blacktop absorbs and holds heat and heats up cities.
b.) Painting roads would be a good way to equally distribute global cooling and reverse global warming.
With kind regards,
Robert Jungmann
CEO/President Jungmaven Ltd.
Office: 805-845-8934
Fax: 877-361-0564
rob@jungmaven.com
http://www.twojupiters.com

Comment by Mark J Warren on January 7, 2009 at 6:52am

Thank you Melissa and Michael for allowing me to join this dynamic group.

Seadog8278
2010

Comment by Michael, Houston on January 5, 2009 at 11:18pm

LAST MINUTE, LAST MINUTE, LAST MINUTE
Co-sponsored by Arizona Women’s Education & Employment, Inc. (AWEE), Phoenix Workforce Connection (PWC), the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) and the Aspire Workforce Development Initiative

WHAT: Green Collar Career Fair and Expo. At this "first-of-its-kind" Phoenix event, adults, ex-offenders and young people 16 and over can learn about careers in the alternative energy and environmental sectors, meet recruiters from Arizona green businesses and view presentations showcasing the green products and technologies that are fueling the industry's growth. Also on hand will be several schools and universities that offer training and degree programs to provide workers with the skills and credentials they need to pursue green industry careers.

WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, January 6, 2009, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. At the Travis L. Williams Family Service Center, 4732 S.Central Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85040

WHO: The free event is open to all adults, ex-offenders and young people 16 and over interested in learning about green careers.

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