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HSBC Launches Global Environmental Efficiency Program

HSBC, the world’s first major bank to become carbon neutral, has committed a further $90 million over five years to reduce the bank’s impact on the environment through a series of initiatives, including the introduction of renewable energy technology, water and waste reduction programs and employee engagement. The Global Environmental Efficiency Programme will enable HSBC offices worldwide to showcase environmental innovation and share best practice to help the bank achieve its environmental reduction targets. The program will be reviewed annually to consider the success of trials, emerging technology, innovation and business needs. The environmental efficiency initiatives focus on key areas: Benchmarking – developing flagship buildings to recognized environmental standards which are independently certified; Footprint management and innovation – reducing energy and water consumption, business travel and carbon dioxide emissions, paper use and waste production. Environmental Management Systems – systems and processes optimizing the efficiency of the bank’s operations. Some of the projects that have been completed during the pilot phase of the Global Environmental Efficiency Programme: Designing and building HSBC’s first ‘zero carbon’ branch in Greece, New York, which optimises energy efficiency using geothermal ground source heat pumps; Installing solar photovoltaic panels at the First Direct offices in Leeds, UK; […]

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Biofuel Technology for Military Jets Under Development

UOP LLC, a Honeywell (NYSE: HON) company, announced it is accelerating R&D technology to convert vegetable and algal oils to military jet fuels. The goal of the project, which is backed by $6.7 million in funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is to develop and commercialize a process to produce Jet Propellant 8 (JP-8) used by U.S. and NATO militaries. “The focus of our renewable energy efforts has been to develop technologies that align with today’s standard refinery practices, but allow a broader range of feedstock options,” said Jennifer Holmgren, director of UOP’s Renewable Energy and Chemicals business unit. UOP will work with Honeywell Aerospace, Cargill, Arizona State University, Sandia National Laboratories and Southwest Research Institute on the project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. Fuel produced by the new process will have to meet stringent military specifications and is expected to achieve 90% energy efficiency for maximum conversion of feed to fuel, reduced waste and reduced production costs. UOP expects the technology will be viable for future use in the production of jet fuel for commercial jets. Approximately 4.5 billion gallons of JP-8 fuel are used by the U.S. Air Force, […]

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China Bans CFCs

URL: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/42851/story.htm Website: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/42851/story.htm     

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PG&E Adds Utility-Scale Solar Power

Pacific Gas and Electric (NYSE: PCG) has entered into agreements that will deliver 7 MW of utility-scale solar energy. Cleantech America LLC and GreenVolts, Inc. will complete the solar PV projects in 2009. Cleantech America’s 40- acre CalRENEW-1 project in Fresno County with provide 5 MW, and will be one of the largest PV plants in the US. The plant will serve as a peak solar facility. The GreenVolts GV1 2 MW solar plant will be located on eight acres in Tracy, California. The plant will employ the company’s patent-pending high concentration PV system, which requires half the land of conventional PV technologies. “When completed, the GV1 project will be the largest concentrator photovoltaic project in the world,” said Bob Cart, GreenVolts founder and CEO. “Concentrators continue to hold the greatest promise for economical solar power by making solar energy cost competitive with natural gas during peak daytime hours.”

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Acciona Acquires 1300 MW of Midwest Wind

Acciona, one of the world’s largest wind power developers, has acquired exclusive rights to develop 1300 megawatts (MW) worth of wind assets in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. The company is acquiring the projects from EcoEnergy, LLC, a unit of The Morse Group. Acciona expects to install 150 MW or more in 2008. It will use its own wind turbines built in its U.S. production facility in Iowa. “The EcoEnergy acquisition fits extremely well with the addition of our wind turbine manufacturing facility in Iowa and leveraging the local support for wind energy in the Midwest,” said Peter Duprey, CEO, Acciona Energy North America. Acciona recently started construction on its first wind turbine manufacturing plant in the US, located in West Branch, Iowa. When it’s completed toward the end of this year, the 200,190 square-foot plant will supply turbines for Acciona wind farms throughout North America. Acciona owns 4,653 MW of wind power worldwide, representing about 6% of world installations. Website: http://www.acciona-energy.com     

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Organic Solar Cell Research Gets $484M

The German government, BASF, Bosch, Merck and Schott are chipping in for a EUR 360 million (US$484 million)research project to further development of organic solar cells. Organic solar cells are made from special polymers and are more flexible, thinner and lighter than silicon-based cells. Because they are transparent, they could be used, for example, to power mobile phones or in building facades and windows. Research is needed to develop higher cell efficiencies, longer product-life and to lower production costs.

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AMSC Wins $22M DOE Superconductor Grid Projects

American Superconductor Corp (NASDAQ: AMSC) has received the go-ahead for two US DOE cost-shared projects totaling $21.7 million. The DOE announced five projects to accelerate modernization of the U.S. electricity grid using HTS technology. AMSC will lead the development of key components required to commercially deploy an HTS power cable system powered by AMSC’s second generation (2G) HTS wire in the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) power grid. It will be a transmission voltage (138kV) extension of the cable system that is currently being installed in LIPA’s grid, which uses first generation HTS wire and which is expected to be energized later this year. AMSC will serve as project manager and wire supplier, and has chosen Nexans as the cable manufacturer and Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC as the provider of the cryogenics system. The DOE has allocated $9 million in cost sharing to this $18 million project. AMSC will also develop and perform in-grid testing of a three-phase 115-kV fault current limiter using the company’s 344 superconductors. The FCL will feature a proprietary Siemens-developed, low-inductance coil technology that makes the FCL invisible to the grid until it switches to a resistive state. Earlier this year, AMSC and Siemens […]

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