ECOLEAF: GREEN BLOG

Sin Free Solar

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:09:42 -0600

Of all things green and religious, the Vatican is entering the fold with a reduction of social sinning by investing in solar energy. The Vatican will reduce its polluting ways (a modern evil sin) by building a $660 million solar power facility.

Perhaps the "thou shall reduce thy carbon footprint" drives the construction of the 100 MW power plant on over 740 acres (300 hectares) of land. Although it may be for profit considering Italy's 20-year feed-in-tarrif solar subsidies ranging from $0.57 to $0.63 per kilowatt-hour. Given that the cost of electrical energy in the U.S. averages around $0.10 per kilowatt-hour, this could be a smart return on investing in heavenly sin free electricity.

Scheduled to open in 2014, God's solar energy will be utilized for the 900 inhabitants and facilities of the Vatican city and the remaining 95% of the renewable energy will be exported and sold to local utilities. The land for the solar installation was donated by Italy to the Church and is called Santa Maria di Galeria.

Important People:
1) Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti, claimed pollution is a sin
2) Pope Benedict XVI goes Green
3) Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, Vatican City’s Governor
4) Silvio Berlusconi, Italian Prime Minister

Finally the EPA Acknowledges Greenhouse Gases

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:41:42 -0600

The Environmental Protection Agency finally acknowledges carbon dioxide and several more gases are apart of global warming. Throwing aside the Bush suppression of these issues President Obama has unleashing another calling for the need of green.

The greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, hydroflourocarbons, perfluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, and sulfur hexaflouride. These gases are very dangerous to the earth’s ecosystem and their continued infusion into the air is resulting in many dangers including sporadic heat waves, wildfires, elevated sea levels, droughts, and flooding.

The elevated status by the E.P.A. of these gases will no doubt help spur forward momentum with green energy. It will place necessary hardships on coal and other carbon emitting power plants, in addition to applying pressure to the auto companies to clean up their carbon addiction act.

Important Points:
1) For green energy to be a viable option, other polluting energies may require higher taxation, fees, and may have to purchase carbon credits.
2) Lisa P. Jackson is the administrator for the E.P.A.
3) John P. Holdren is the science advisor to President Obama.
4) The United States produces 22% of the greenhouse gases, so in essence we are one of the world’s biggest producers. Imagine if the U.S. were liable to the planet, to other countries, to mother nature?
5) With Earth Day on April 22nd, we should seriously think about the ramifications of this acknowledgment and hope that with it comes the responsibility for change.

Capturing CO2 and Pumping it out to Sea

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:17:59 -0600

In London the National Grid Plc is considering moving CO2 produced at factories and power plants out to sea. Through CCS (carbon capture and storage) they would utilize a network of existing natural gas pipelines to reverse the flow of captured carbon emissions back and out into the sea. The concept would initially convert over 186 miles of pipes in Scotland pumping collected carbon emissions into depleted offshore wells.

Important Points:
1) Mark Freshney, an Analyst at Credit Suisse Group says this technology is at least 10 years away.
2) The U.S. is providing $3.4 billion in funding for CCS vs. the European Union with $1.4 billion.
3) New Carbon Finance claims CCS at a maximum would only reduce 10% (240 metric tons) of greenhouse gas emissions.
4) This is a shift from extracting carbon fuels and distributing them in a network of natural gas pipelines to a carbon-dixode pipeline flow reversal channel to make offshore well waste deposits.

The Uranium Reactor Problem

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:30:08 -0600

The price of Uranium has dropped to $40.50 per lb from $55 per lb at the end of 2008. On average it takes 500,000 lbs ($20 Million) of uranium cake to fuel one nuclear reactor power plant annually. There are 456 nuclear reactors around the world requiring $9.2 Billion dollars worth of uranium a year and by 2034 the availability of high quality uranium will drop off dramatically causing prices to rise and increases in CO2 nuclear reactor emissions.

Uranium Facts:
• There are 50 uranium mines in 16 countries
• Largest Producers of Uranium are Canada (28%), Australia (23%). Kazakhstan (10%), Russia (8%), & Namibia (8%).
• Australia has 40% of the world’s uranium deposits
• There are more than 7000 old uranium mines/site trailings requiring cleanup in Europe
• In 2034, the grade of uranium ore sourced from the ground will fall dramatically resulting in a use of lower grade uranium
• By 2070 nuclear CO2 emissions will equal the same as a gas-fired power station.

The New Oil Chasm

Tue, 7 Apr 2009 00:42:55 -0600

With the failing economy and the cost-crunch in oil development programs there is a fire for new income streams. Technip SA, Europe’s second-largest oilfield-services provider is exploring investment options in the renewable energy space (solar and wind). Technip SA is also considering nuclear growth options and has teamed up with France’s Areva in a multi-billion euro investment into uranium mining for sourcing and supplying nuclear fuels for nuclear power plants. This is a start of a new trend of investing in alternative energy projects as the hunger and growth of oil-infrastructure projects declines.

Thierry Pilenko is the CEO of Technip SA

Important Points:
1) Uranium supplies are limited and new sources are necessary for supplies not to be exhausted by 2035.
2) Investing in new green income streams is great news, Technip may be another integrated supplier of solar systems from PV and thin film suppliers in addition to being an installer of wind energy towers that tower 135 ft above ground.