There were several significant cleantech stories this Earth Week.
General Electric (NYSE: GE), Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO), Silver Springs Networks and utility Florida Power & Light (FPL) are all pitching to begin work on a smart grid in
the Miami, Florida area. Miami Mayor Manny Diaz announced the plan,
which will apply for federal stimulus funds to help cover the $200
million cost of installing 1 million smart meters in homes and business in
Miami-Dade county. FP&L said it plans to eventually spend another
$500 million to expand smart-grid technology to all 4.5 million Florida
customers.
Enel Green Power (EGP) inaugurated two large geothermal power plants in
Churchill County, Nevada. Enel Green Power is a new company of
Italy’s Enel Group
(ENEL.MI). The two new plants, called Stillwater and Salt Wells, have a
total installed capacity of 65 megawatts (MW). The company said it has
an additional 150 MW worth of projects in advanced stages in Nevada,
Califronia and Utah.
Power company Exelon (NYSE: EXC) and solar company SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWRA) have agreed
to develop the nation’s largest urban solar power plant
at a former
industrial site on Chicago’s South Side. The 10-MW
photovoltaic facility is scheduled for completion by the end of 2009,
and is expectd to cost $60 million. Exelon is seeking a federal loan
guarantee for up to 80% of the project cost.
Albiasa Corporation, subsidiary of Spanish based Albiasa Solar,
announced plans to build a 200-MW concentrating solar power
(CSP) plant near Kingman, Arizona. The project involves $1 billion
capital investment and is scheduled for completion in 2013. The project
will employ molten salt for storing excess heat that can then be
coverted through steam into electricity upon demand.
First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) and Juwi Holding AG announced
they have secured financing for a 53-MW DC photovoltaic (PV)
power plant
in Germany that will be the largest in Europe upon completion. More
than 80% of the required project capital is financed through
non-recourse debt from a consortium of banks. First Solar and Juwi
said they intend to sell the majority of the project after its
completion at the end of the year.
Construction of the project began in January 2009, and the first 15 MW
have been completed.
The project is being constructed on land
that is part
of the Soviet Army’s former Lieberose training area
north of Cottbus in eastern Germany. Funds from the land lease are
being used for cleanup of the the former military zone, which is said
to be littered with tons of land mines, grenades and other munitions.
The Vatican reportedly is considering building a 100-megawatt (MW) solar power plant at a cost of EUR 500 million. The power plant would be built on land owned by the Roman Catholic
Church near the village of Santa Maria di Galeria, north of Rome. German company SolarWorld (SWV.DE)
is consulting on the project and is likely to build the system. In
2008, SolarWorld donated a $1.5 million rooftop system that was
installed at the visitors center in Vatican City.
Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) has been selected by the
Department of Energy (DOE) for negotiation of a $10 million grant to develop, test and deploy 60 electric hybrid school
buses. Navistar International is a holding company whose
subsidiaries produce the International® brand of
trucks as well as the IC Bus brand.
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