Energy and Environment: Vol 2, Issue 1

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Adaptive Materials Wins $3 Million Air Force Contract to Manufacture 60W Fuel Cells		Pike Research Launches Utility Innovations Advisory Service
Ann Arbor, MI - Adaptive Materials was recently awarded a $3 million contract to provide 60-watt fuel cell systems to the United States Air Force. Over the next 19 months, Adaptive Materials will develop, evaluate and manufacture 60-watt solid oxide fuel cells, ultimately delivering a significant number of fuel cells for use by the Air Force. “Over the last 10 years, Adaptive Materials has been a leader in the development and delivery of portable, lightweight, and safe fuel cells to the U.S. military, and we continue to drive the innovation of fuel cell technology,” said chief business officer Michelle Crumm. “Adaptive Materials fuel cells provide the convenience, durability and reliability that is redefining how our military meets the power needs of soldiers in the field. We are confident that procurement of Adaptive Materials’ fuel cells for widespread military use is the next step in our evolution.” The driving impetus behind Adaptive Materials work with the United States Air Force is to determine the feasibility of fuel cells to power communications, surveillance and other technologies for soldiers in the field.		Boulder Co. - Pike Research announced the launch of its new Utility Innovations Advisory Service. This subscription-based service is an independent and objective business information tool that is designed to provide market intelligence and business strategy inputs for electric utility executives and key utility vendors as they plan for the next stage of the industry’s evolution. Topics covered include renewable energy, smart grid technologies, energy management and energy efficiency, carbon capture and sequestration, and the impact of electric vehicles on the grid, among others. “The utility industry will change more in the next 10 years than it has in the past 50 years,” says managing director Clint Wheelock. “Utilities and their suppliers face a number of opportunities and challenges as they work to integrate new energy sources, reduce carbon emissions, manage energy more efficiently, and accommodate the arrival of electrified vehicles. All of these initiatives will require an unprecedented level of technology and business planning.”
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A123 Systems and SAIC Motor Form Joint Venture to Tap Growing Chinese Market for Hybrid Electric and Pure Electric Vehicles		Cyclone Power Technologies Finalizes License To Manufacture Engine Systems for China Market
WATERTOWN, Mass. and SHANGHAI, China, (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - A123 Systems, a developer and manufacturer of advanced Nanophosphate lithium ion batteries and systems, announced that they are entering into a joint venture with SAIC Motor Co. Ltd, a leading automaker in China. The focus of the joint venture is to develop, manufacture and sell complete vehicle traction battery systems for use in hybrid electric and pure electric passenger vehicles and heavy duty truck and bus applications in the People's Republic of China, the largest and fastest growing automotive market in the world. "We are excited to be partnering with an industry leader such as SAIC Motor to pursue the expanding Chinese market for advanced lithium ion battery technology," said David Vieau, chief executive officer of A123 Systems. "As part of this partnership we look forward to building a team of outstanding employees to develop innovative battery technologies that we expect will be included in some of the highest quality hybrid and electric vehicles anywhere in the world."		POMPANO BEACH, FL, Cyclone Power Technologies Inc. has completed its License Agreement with Great Wall Alternative Power Systems Ltd. to advance the development and production of Cyclone's Schoell Cycle heat-regenerative external combustion engines for the China market. Under the terms of the License, Great Wall Alternative Power Systems (GWAPS) will develop in China a production prototype of Cyclone's biomass-to-power generator system - a portable power plant capable of producing 10kW or more of electricity from the combustion of dry vegetative biomass. Pending completion of production prototyping for Cyclone's Mark V engine in the United States, as well as successful implementation of the intellectual property protection systems in China designed by both GWAPS and Cyclone, GWAPS will also develop the larger 95hp Mark V engine for electric power production by late 2010. GWAPS has agreed to pay Cyclone $125,000 in development fees, an additional $400,000 in licensing fees, and then on-going royalties from the sale of Cyclone engines for use in electric power production in China.
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Clean Energy Secures 10-Year Contract at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport To Design, Build, Operate New Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Fueling Station		SolarCity Expands to Colorado-Introduces State’s First Zero-Down Solar Lease
Seal Beach, CA - The City of Austin, Texas has awarded a 10-year contract to Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to design, build, and maintain a new public access compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station located adjacent to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The facility will operate 24/7 to support growing fleets of off-airport parking shuttle fleets operated by The Parking Spot and Airport Fast-Park; on-airport courtesy shuttle vehicles deployed by Ampco System Parking; taxicabs that serve the airport; and private CNG fleet vehicles in the area. Construction of the station, located on airport-adjacent Spirit of Texas Drive, is scheduled to begin in February 2010. “The station adds to the airport’s ongoing effort to reduce impact on the environment,” said Patti Edwards, Operations Director, City of Austin Aviation Department. “The natural gas station expands clean fuel opportunities for the airport and the region.”		WESTMINSTER, Colo., - SolarCity, a national leader in solar financing, design, installation, monitoring and related services, announced its expansion to Colorado, and availability of its SolarLease™ option to Colorado homeowners. SolarLease is the first solar financing option available in Colorado that allows homeowners to put no money down and save money from day one by installing solar panels, because the electricity bill savings enabled by SolarLease are typically greater than the monthly lease payments. SolarLease pricing for a 5 kilowatt solar system in Colorado-appropriate for a typical three- or four-bedroom home-starts at $45 per month with no upfront cost, on approved credit. SolarLease includes custom design and installation, the company’s SolarGuard proactive monitoring service, repairs and insurance. “I’m pleased to welcome SolarCity to Colorado’s New Energy Economy,” said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. “Even in this tough economy, we’re continuing to attract new companies and new jobs while making clean energy more affordable for families all across the state.”
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OriginOil to Collaborate in Algae to Jet Fuel Project Funded by Japan Science & Technology Agency		Four Italian Hospitals Install GE’s Jenbacher Technology to Support EU Initiatives to Improve Local Energy Efficiency and Air Quality
Los Angeles, CA - OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, announced that the company has agreed to partner with Research Institute of Tsukuba Bio-Tech (RITB), recently approved for funding to develop algae to jet fuel applications by Japan Science & Technology Agency (JST). Headed by Tsukuba University professor emeritus and algae researcher Takaaki Maekawa PhD, RITB recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OriginOil to develop and distribute systems in Japan for aircraft fuel production, algae to oil production, and other industry applications. RITB was recently approved for funding by Japan Science & Technology Agency (JST) for two years of research and development activities based on its proposal to the agency.		MILAN, ITALY - As the European Union continues to encourage industries to expand their use of combined heat and power (CHP) technologies to improve local energy efficiency and air quality, a growing number of hospitals in Italy are doing their part by installing new, onsite cogeneration plants to help reduce their respective carbon footprints. Cogeneration is a much more efficient method of generating electricity and heat compared to the use of separate electrical and thermal systems, resulting in substantial savings on energy costs. By producing power more efficiently, cogeneration also helps reduce the use of fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases. Four hospitals in four Italian cities recently signed contracts to install GE’s ecomagination-approved Jenbacher cogeneration systems to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their operational costs. Recognizing the advantages of CHP, a total of 34 hospitals in Padova, Varese and Brindisi and other cities in Italy have installed Jenbacher cogeneration gas engines.
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Washington Gas And Honeywell Awarded Contract To Design And Build Major Power Facility For GSA		New Energy Achieves Major ‘Transparency’ Breakthrough in Development of See-Thru Windows Capable of Generating Electricity
WASHINGTON, D.C. and MINNEAPOLIS - Washington Gas and Honeywell have been selected by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to jointly design, install and maintain a central utility and cogeneration plant and distribution system at St. Elizabeths West Campus in Washington, D.C. The plant will meet up to 30 percent of the peak energy demand for the campus, which will serve as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headquarters as well as its agencies: the U.S. Coast Guard; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Customs and Border Protection and Transportation Security Administration. As a result, it will improve energy security, minimize stress on the local electrical grid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The central plant will give GSA the flexibility to support the energy needs of DHS through onsite generation that will deliver nearly 25 megawatts of electricity for the 4.5-million-square-foot campus that is scheduled to be completed by 2016. The plant and distribution systems will provide thermal utilities; chilled and hot water; electrical services; and normal and emergency power for DHS and its agencies.		Burtonsville, MD - New Energy Technologies, Inc., currently developing MotionPower technologies for generating electricity from the kinetic energy of moving vehicles and SolarWindow technologies capable of generating electricity on glass windows, announced that researchers have overcome a significant scientific hurdle in creating the first-of-its-kind see-thru solar glass by replacing a visibility-blocking solid metal component with environmentally-friendly, non-metallic, transparent compounds. “Metal materials block visibility, and are arguably the most important hindrance to developing a commercially viable solar glass window product,” explained Mr. Meetesh V. Patel, President and CEO of New Energy Technologies, Inc. “We have successfully replaced the metal contact component in our SolarWindow™ with non-metallic compounds, and in so doing, achieved significantly greater transparency, a key factor in advancing our technology along the commercial product development path. The importance of this breakthrough cannot be overstated.”
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NRG Energy and Princeton HealthCare System Partner to Power New University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro		Global Ethanol Licenses Patented Corn Oil Extraction Technologies from GreenShift
PRINCETON, NJ - NRG Energy, Inc., through its subsidiary NRG Thermal, has signed a contract to provide comprehensive, high-efficiency energy services to the new University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro (UMCPP). The 237-single patient room, acute-care hospital is currently under construction in Plainsboro, NJ, and is expected to open by the end of 2011. Under the 13-year contract, NRG will provide services from its Combined Heat and Power Plus (CHP Plus) program that integrates conventional, proven energy sources and leverages them with leading efficiency and environmental technologies. The hospital will use electricity from a combined heat and power system that includes the production of steam for heating and chilled water for air conditioning, achieved by means of a thermal energy storage system. Other “green” elements include solar power generation and energy-saving “smart” meters, as well as backup power. “NRG’s proposed CHP Plus program enables us to use environmentally sustainable energy as we fulfill our mission of providing high-quality health care,” said Barry Rabner, President and CEO of Princeton HealthCare System (PHCS), whose acute-care hospital is UMCPP.		NEW YORK, NY - GreenShift Corporation announced its execution of an agreement with Global Ethanol, LLC, pursuant to which GreenShift granted Global the right to use GreenShift’s patented corn oil extraction technologies at Global’s 100 million gallon ethanol plant in Lakota, Iowa. GreenShift’s patented corn oil extraction technologies enable GreenShift and its licensees to “drill” into the back-end of first generation corn ethanol plants to tap into the existing reserve of inedible crude corn oil with an estimated industry-wide output of about 20 million barrels per year. This corn oil has been historically trapped in the distillers grain co-product of ethanol production (“DDGS”) and is a valuable second generation feedstock for use in the production of advanced carbon-neutral liquid fuels, such as biodiesel, biojet fuel, and renewable diesel, thereby enhancing total fuel production from corn and increasing ethanol plant profits.
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Delphi Announces Plans to Implement $89.3 Million Award from U.S. Department of Energy		Rentech and Thirteen Air Carriers Sign MOU: Significant Step Towards Fuel Purchase Agreement for Natchez Project
KOKOMO, Ind. - Federal, state and local leaders joined with Delphi Electronics & Safety President Jeff Owens to announce plans to implement an $89.3 million award from the Department of Energy (DOE) that will support expansion of Delphi's Power Electronics engineering capabilities as well as the establishment of a new manufacturing operation in Kokomo. The award, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was announced by President Barack Obama during a visit to Indiana in August. With an $89.3 million match by Delphi, this action will represent a three-year investment of up to $178.6 million to advance the development of low-cost manufacturing of electric drive vehicles (EDV) in the United States. Owens was joined in making the announcement by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly and Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight. "Electric drive vehicles hold the promise of meeting two critical government and industry goals - reducing dependence on petroleum and reducing greenhouse gas emissions," Owens said.		LOS ANGELES, CA - Rentech, Inc. announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with thirteen domestic and international passenger and cargo carriers that is intended to serve as a framework for a future definitive supply agreement for certified jet fuel from Rentech's proposed synthetic fuels and power facility in Adams County, Mississippi ("Natchez Project"). The non-binding MOU signed by Rentech and Air Canada, AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, JetBlue Airways, Lufthansa German Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, Polar Air Cargo, United Airlines, UPS Airlines and US Airways includes terms that are anticipated to serve as the basis of a possible definitive purchase agreement by these carriers for the Natchez Project's entire synthetic jet fuel production of approximately 250 million gallons per year. Fuel based on the Fischer-Tropsch process, including Rentech's RenJet, is the only alternative jet fuel currently certified for use in commercial aviation at up to a 50/50 blend with traditional jet fuel. RenJet has a lower carbon footprint as well as lower regulated emissions compared to traditional jet fuel.
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SMA America: World Leader in Solar Inverter Technology

SMA Solar Technology AG develops, produces and sells solar inverters and monitoring systems for photovoltaic applications. SMA is the world’s largest producer in this segment and is the only vendor that has a product range with the matching inverter type for any module type and any power class. This applies for grid tied applications as well as island and backup operation. The inverter is technologically the most important component in any solar power system: it converts the direct current generated in photovoltaic cells into alternating current suitable for the grid. In addition, it is an intelligent system manager, responsible for yield monitoring and grid management. Solar inverters are characterized by a particularly high efficiency. The Sunny Mini Central produced by SMA already has an efficiency of over 98%, which allows for increased electricity production. SMA’s business model is driven by technological progress. Due to its flexible and scalable production, SMA is in a position to quickly respond to customer demands and promptly implement product innovations. This allows the Company to easily keep pace with the dynamic market trends of the photovoltaic industry and at the same time absorb short-term fluctuations in demand for solar inverters.

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