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Archive for November, 2010

Sun Catalytix, an American company founded by a MIT professor, is working on a low-cost ‘solar to hydrogen’ power system and plans to launch it within the next 18 months. The product which was announced about two years ago has attracted millions of dollars in investment from the Indian industrial giant Tata.

The system works by utilizing solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then stored to be used later. While there is nothing new in this technology, the way in which the the system does these things is completely revolutionary. The system can use water from any source, be it river water, sea water or even waste water. The company claims to that the system is highly efficient and is capable of powering a house with only two bottles of water from ‘any source’.

The conventional technology used for splitting water into hydrogen is costly as it requires extremely high energy to break the bonds between the water molecules. Commercially available electrolysis technologies are expensive as they use precious metals like platinum or operate at high pressures or temperatures making them practically and economically unviable for small-scale use. Professor Daniel Nocera, however, thought of a more natural way to achieve the same results. The hydrogen-splitting technology closely resembles the natural processes found in plant and bacteria. The system uses cobalt phosphate-based catalyst which operates at atmospheric pressure which is significantly advantageous when compared to the conventional catalysts.

The hydrogen produced can be stored in a secured container and can be recombined with oxygen in a controlled manner, in a fuel cell, to generate electricity. The water produced as a by-product can be used again to generate hydrogen.

Such power systems would be extremely beneficial for people living in developing and poor countries. Roof-top solar panels can be used to operate such a system. Thus, during the day power would be generated directly from the solar panels during the day and during night from the hydrogen-powered fuel cell. Communities living in rural and remote areas can also benefit greatly from this technology as it could lead to a distributed power generation revolution.

The Tata Group, which pioneers in low-cost technologies, has taken serious interest in the technology. In October this year, the Tatas invested $9.5 million in Sun Catalytix. According to some reports, the investments are actually much higher and sources claim that Tata Group’s chairman Ratan Tata is a co-owner of the company. In an interview to an Indian news channel, Ratan Tata said that he has immense interest in the new energy technologies like electric cars.

If the Tata Group launches the Sun Catalytix power system in India it could prove revolutionary in the Indian power scenario. The Tatas, through their joint venture with BP in TataBP Solar, are one of the leading solar panel fabrication company in India. Combined with their solar panels, probably financed with a soft loan mechanism, TataBP solar can market this energy system to millions of rural homes in India.

The final cost of the entire system would be higher than $20, owing to the costs of solar panels, storage equipment and fuel cell. But the cost of hydrogen generation would be much cheaper than the conventional technology which costs up to $12,000 per Kw, according to Prof Nocera.

Image: MIT

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Screenshot of high-speed rail visualization from California High-Speed Rail Project

The incoming Congress is turning a lot of things around that were on a steady, even path forward, or looking to do so, at least. One big thing many incoming Republicans are taking aim at is high-speed rail. No surprise here, since high-speed rail has been a big focus of the Obama administration (due to its many benefits), and the focus of such Republicans seems to just be taking down anything Obama is working on.

Anyway, the biggest and one of the most likely high-speed rail projects in the U.S. is the California high-speed rail project. I’ve read articles lately about how this project may lose a bit of its funding as well as articles discussing how it may get more federal funding. So, which is it?

How California Could Lose High-Speed Rail Funding

Basically, 27 House Republicans want to pull the plug on “$2 billion in stimulus funds promised to California to kick-start the massive project” as well as another $10 billion for other projects and purposes around the nation. These Republicans have introduced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Rescission Act aimed at cancelling the disbursement of the final $12 billion of unspent and uncommitted stimulus funds — they would prefer this money just get sent to the U.S. Treasury.

California has only spent about $200 million of its $2.25 billion high-speed rail stimulus fund award because it is saving the remaining $2 billion or so for construction, which it intends to start in 2012.

Keeping this money from California would be a horrible idea and would seriously delay if not halt work on the project, but, luckily, it is seems unlikely that a Democrat-controlled Senate or Obama are going to support this proposal to undo the work they have put in over the past couple years getting the U.S. economy back on its feet.

So, it is unlikely this money will ever be kept from California.

How California Could Gain High-Speed Rail Funds

With a number of newly-elected governors saying they are going to reject the money the federal government has awarded them for high-speed rail projects (which cannot be redirected to less efficient and less economically beneficial road projects in their states), there could be a lot more available for states that are deciding to move forward with their high-speed rail plans. California could be one such state (in fact, it is quite likely that it would be). For more on this, check out: California Beckons High-Speed Rail Despite Midterm Derailment in Funding

While a transformative transportation project like this — the largest public works project in California in 50 years — is sure to continue facing some opposition, I would say that California’s high-speed rail future looks brighter than most states’.

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Image Credit: screenshot of California high-speed rail visualization

Japan will contribute in terms of credit and technology in an ambitious and ground-breaking infrastructure project which will build 24 green cities in India’s western region. The project is part of the proposed $90 billion Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor mega-infrastructure project which aims at boosting the economic growth along the about 1500-km-long stretch that joins the most important cities of India, New Delhi and Mumbai.

The aim of the green cities projects is to fulfill the basic infrastructure requirements in the smaller towns along this corridor so as to increase and expand the economic growth and prosperity. The improved infrastructure in these towns and cities would mean new generation and export capabilities which would immensely contribute to the economic development and GDP growth of India.

The two metropolitans central to this project are completely developed but still face some basic infrastructure problems due to increasing load of transportation and degrading roads, public transport being unpopular, and a very high influx of people from villages in search of jobs. In order to provide inclusive growth and better living standards to people living in the rural areas, it is important to concentrate the infrastructure push towards the rural and less developed areas.

Therefore, the Indian and Japanese governments are planning to develop green cities which would be planned and executed in a manner that would ensure sustainable growth. The cities would have better transport facilities centered around public transport. The micro infrastructure located within the city would be developed in a way so that it would be easily accessible to the people without the use of any kind of transportation. Electricity and water supply are among the biggest problems in India and these cities would have optimized power supply and 24-hour water supply. The cities would also have waste and water recycling plants.

Such projects would not only improve the economic conditions of the relatively less developed areas of India but also help them participate and further boost India’s economic growth. With several macro and micro infrastructure projects planned over the next five to seven years under this mega project, thousands of jobs would be created which would reduce the migration of people towards the metros.

Japan is also likely to offer some of its energy efficient technologies. Since Japan is a net importer of energy it must use all the resources efficiently. Power is a scare resource in India and Japanese technology can help it reduce the number of power shortages and use it much more efficiently.

Japan has been providing substantial financial and technical aid to India for several years. It has invested in numerous infrastructure projects including the Delhi Metro project. The DMIC project is already underway and will cover six states — Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Preparatory work on the pilot projects for seven green cities has already started and the first city will come up in the Dholera investment zone, Gujarat.

Image: DMIC

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Like every clean energy blog, CleanTechnica hears all the time from the paid trolls from the fossil industry, that Europe is not succeeding in transferring to clean energy, or cutting its carbon emissions (which is done by transferring to clean energy). Cap and trade won’t work, they instruct us – as instructed by Fox News and the Wall Street Journal – because it didn’t work over there.

Only problem is: the facts say different.They have for some time. Here’s another dollop of evidence this week.

New EU-wide statistics from the EWEA (European Wind Energy Association) show that more wind power capacity was installed last year than any other electricity-generating technology. What’s more, new wind capacity replaced fossil energy.

In 2009 Europe actually decommissioned more coal, nuclear and gas plants than it built.

A whopping 61% of all new power generating capacity added in 2009 was renewable energy.  Of this, 39% of was wind power, followed by bio gas (26%) and solar photovoltaics (16%). Last year is the second year running that renewable energies have accounted for the majority of new investments, with wind power being the leader.

Investment in new European wind farms in 2009 reached €13 billion, including €1.5 billion offshore.  Across the EU, 10,163 MW of wind power capacity was installed in 2009 – a 23% increase compared to 2008 installations – made up of 9,581 MW onshore (up 21% from last year) and 582 MW offshore (up 56% from last year).

Europe signed the Kyoto Accord in 1997, and once 55% of the UN member countries signed on, its trading scheme came into force in 2005, (Russia’s signature was the tipping point). That is when Europe began a cap and trade system – the ETS or European Trading Scheme.

A study in 2009 by the German Marshall Fund found that all participants in the ETS cap and trade had been able to sell their allowances, and that the value of these sales more than funded the cost to replace fossil energy with renewable energies or efficiencies. In the first three years, while US carbon emissions rose, the EU dropped theirs by 300 million metric tons.

Europe’s carbon emissions are even lower than its Kyoto Accord goals.

By mid-2008 (before the economic apocalypse), four nations (France, Greece, Sweden and Britain) had already met the first goal, to reduce emissions by 8% by 2012, having dropped them by 13%.

By mid 2009, the UK had reduced its carbon emissions by 23%, doubling the 2010 goal, according to Reuters at the time. It is simply not true that Europe has not succeeded in meeting the needed goals of the Kyoto Accord. This week brings more evidence. And the one big difference between Europe and us is they have cap and trade that restricts the emission of greenhouse gases.

Image: Clear Village

Related stories:
Five Good Things Cap and Trade has Done for You
Lessons From the German Marshall Fund From EU Cap and Trade
EU Paper Industry Has Cut Carbon Pollution By 42%: Exceeded Kyoto Goals
Waxman-Markey Cap and Trade Will Pay For Itself, CBO Finds

Susan Kraemer@Twitter

Nanosolar, Bloom Energy and Solyndra are among the big names in California clean energy companies that have been awarded tax breaks of $71.5 million on $785.7 million in manufacturing equipment investment – according to Energy Prospects, under new tax policy passed this year in California.

Clean energy tax breaks in SB71 are designed to promote the development of innovative clean energy sector in California by offering sales and use tax exemptions for businesses that benefit the environment.

The tax break is not a net loss to the state coffers, though.

According to analysis from the research staff at the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority, who are responsible for the selections, California will actually get more back than it gives away with these tax breaks for clean energy, in both environmental and financial benefits. How much?

The $71.5 million tax breaks will enable the companies to create environmental benefits to the state valued at $48 million and fiscal benefits like long term job growth, with a total value of $55 million.

Bottom line? The $71.5 million investment in tax breaks for the clean energy companies will generate an estimated $103 million in payback to Californians.

The authority received 15 applications by an initial Oct. 11 deadline. These twelve were approved this week:

Read more…