Chevron To Use Solar Technology For Oil Production

Posted on October 3, 2011 by quest

Chevron Technology Ventures, a division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc. that identifies, evaluates and demonstrates emerging technologies, today launched a unique demonstration project to test the viability of using solar energy to produce oil. The project uses over 7,600 mirrors to focus the sun’s energy onto a solar boiler. The steam produced is injected into oil reservoirs to increase oil production. The project is the largest of its kind in the world.

“Through this demonstration, we want to determine the feasibility of using solar power for enhanced oil recovery,” said Desmond King, president of Chevron Technology Ventures. “This technology has the potential to augment gas-powered steam generation and may provide an additional resource in areas of the world where natural gas is expensive or not readily available.” One of America’s oldest oil fields, the Coalinga Field began operations in the 1890s. Because the heavy crude oil produced at the field does not flow readily, it is more difficult to extract than lighter grades of crude.

Chevron enhances oil production from the Coalinga Field by injecting steam to heat the crude, thereby reducing its viscosity and making it easier to produce. This steam is currently generated by burning natural gas. The solar-to-steam project will supplement the gas-fired steam generators and help determine the commercial viability of using heat from the sun instead of natural gas to generate steam. Throughout the course of the day, more than 7,600 mirrors track the sun and reflect its rays to a receiver positioned on a solar tower. Using heat from the concentrated sunlight, the solar tower system produces steam that is distributed throughout the oil field and then injected underground for enhanced oil recovery. The solar demonstration generates about the same amount of steam as one gas-fired steam generator. Chevron contracted BrightSource Energy, Inc., as the technology provider and for engineering, procurement and construction. The project will be operated by Chevron Technology Ventures.

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The Thrill Of Solar Decathlon Victory

Posted on October 3, 2011 by quest

The University of Maryland won the Prestigious Clean Energy Competition, the Solar Decathlon. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the winners of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 at the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. The University of Maryland won top honors overall by designing, building, and operating the most cost effective, energy efficient and attractive solar powered house. Purdue University took second place followed by New Zealand (Victoria University of Wellington) in third place.

“This competition to build innovative, highly energy-efficient homes has been two years in the making, and all of these teams must be commended for their hard work,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “The houses on display blend affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. These talented students are demonstrating to consumers the wide range of energy-saving solutions that are available today to save them money on their energy bills.”

All teams competed in 10 contests during 10 days that gauged each house’s performance, livability and affordability. The teams performed everyday tasks, including cooking, laundry, and washing dishes, that tested the energy efficiency of their houses. After all contest results were tallied, Maryland earned 951.151 points out of a possible 1,000 to win the competition, followed by Purdue with 931.390 points, and New Zealand with 919.058 points. Student teams in the 2011 competition hailed from five countries across four continents, including the United States, Belgium, Canada, China and New Zealand. The application process for the sixth U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, to be held in fall 2013, has already begun.

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University of Maryland Wins Solar Decathlon Architecture Award

Posted on September 29, 2011 by quest

Announced before an enthusiastic crowd at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, the University of Maryland took first place in the highly competitive Architecture Contest of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011. For the Architecture Contest, collegiate students from around the world are judged on the design and construction of attractive, high-performance houses that integrate renewable energy systems and energy-efficient technologies. Dennis Andrejko, representing the American Institute of Architects, presented the award in front of an audience that included government leaders and Solar Decathlon student team members. The Solar Decathlon challenges collegiate teams from around the world to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, highly energy efficient, attractive, and easy to live in.

“We are thrilled to announce this prestigious award during a special ceremony on Capitol Hill,” said Richard King, director of Solar Decathlon for the U.S. Department of Energy. “The Solar Decathlon lets today’s leaders see firsthand the innovative spirit of tomorrow’s clean energy workforce.”

Maryland earned a score of 96 out of a possible 100 points. Architectural juror Michelle Kaufmann, who has been called “the Henry Ford of green homes” by the Sierra Club and is a former Associate with the office of Frank O. Gehry, said, “The Maryland home achieves an elegant mix of inspiration, function and simplicity. It takes our current greatest challenges in the built environment – energy and water – and transforms them into opportunities for spatial beauty and poetry while maintaining livability in every square inch. This is what the Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is all about.” New Zealand (Victoria University of Wellington) claimed second place with 95 points, and Appalachian State University took third place with 94 points.

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USDA Awards $5 Million To Develop BioJet Fuel

Posted on September 28, 2011 by quest

Gevo, Inc., a leading renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, received a $5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the development of biojet fuel from woody biomass and forest product residues. The award is a portion of a $40 million grant presented to the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA), a consortium led by Washington State University (WSU).”This is an opportunity to create thousands of new jobs and drive economic development in rural communities across America by building the framework for a competitively-priced, American-made biofuels industry,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Public-private partnerships like these will drive our nation to develop a national biofuels economy that continues to help us grow and out-compete the rest of the world while moving our nation toward a clean energy economy.”

NARA includes a broad consortium of scientists from universities, government laboratories and private industry. The WSU-led grant aims to address the urgent national need for a domestic biofuel alternative for U.S. commercial and military air fleets. The NARA project envisions developing a new, viable, aviation fuel industry using wood and wood waste in the Pacific Northwest, where forests cover almost half of the region. The project also will focus on increasing the profitability of wood-based fuels through development of high-value, biobased co-products to replace petrochemicals that are used in products such as plastics.

“The airline industry and the United States Department of Defense are eagerly looking for near-term alternatives to petroleum-based jet fuel,” said Patrick Gruber, Ph.D., CEO of Gevo. “Woody biomass has the potential to be a cost-effective and sustainable option for biorefineries. This project should help accelerate the commercial deployment of cellulosic biorefineries, grow the economy in rural America and contribute to home grown energy independence.” Gevo previously announced its progress to airline engine testing using starch derived isobutanol to jet fuel. Gevo expects to receive full fuel certification by 2013 from the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) for its biojet fuel.

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Boeing Delivers 787 Dreamliner: Solar To Be Key In Manufacturing

Posted on September 27, 2011 by quest

Boeing celebrated the delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner today to launch customer ANA during a ceremony adjacent to the factory where the airplane was assembled. More than 500 employees representing the 787 program walked alongside the all-new jetliner to present it to ANA executives as a crowd of thousands looked on. “We are delighted to be taking delivery finally of our first 787. ANA is extremely proud to be the launch customer for the Dreamliner and to have helped Boeing so closely in the development of this state-of-the-art aircraft,” said Shinichiro Ito, president and CEO of ANA. “The Dreamliner will enable us to offer unrivalled standards of service and comfort to our passengers and will play a key part in ANA’s plans for international expansion.

Made from composite materials, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the first mid-size airplane capable of flying long-range routes and will allow airlines to open new, non-stop routes preferred by the traveling public. In addition to providing airlines with unprecedented fuel economy and low operating costs, the 787 features a host of new technologies that greatly enhance the passenger experience. During the ceremony, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh presented a ceremonial key to Shinichiro Ito, president and CEO of ANA.”It’s not often that we have the chance to make history, do something big and bold that will change the world in untold ways and endure long after we are gone,” said Albaugh. “That’s what the 787 Dreamliner is and what ANA and Boeing have done together – build what truly is the first new airplane of the 21st century.”

Boeing’s North Charleston in South Carolina will manufacture the 787 Dreamliners using thin-film solar laminate panels owned, installed and maintained by SCE&G on the new Boeing 787 Final Assembly building roof. This solar installation will provide up to 2.6 megawatts of electrical power for the site, enough to power approximately 250 homes. The installation will be the largest in the Southeast by production capacity, and the sixth largest in the U.S. “Today we celebrate a significant moment in the history of flight,” said Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman, president and CEO. “The 787 Dreamliner is the biggest innovation in commercial aviation since the Boeing 707 introduced the world to passenger jet travel more than 50 years ago.

Google Does Solar

Its A Sunny Solar Day In Georgia

Posted on September 27, 2011 by quest

The annual Georgia Solar Tour will open solar sites throughout the state for tours and discussion on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The purpose of the tour is to show how Solar Works in Georgia by providing jobs, energy savings and clean, renewable energy. Coordinated by the Georgia Solar Energy Association, the tour is part of the National Solar Tour, which this year will open some 5,500 installations in 3,200 communities nationwide. Georgians all over the state can experience and learn more about how solar energy, America’s fastest-growing industry, is bringing jobs, investment and advanced technology to our state.

The total market value of the U.S. solar energy industry grew an astonishing 67 percent from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6 billion in 2010, and this growth has continued in 2011. With an expanded pool of state tax credits for solar installations in Fiscal 2012, 2013 and 2014 and available federal incentives, the Georgia market’s enthusiasm for clean, safe, renewable energy has blossomed. Solar’s increasing efficiency and the falling cost of solar equipment – which has come down more than 30 percent in the past year – have made solar energy in all its forms more affordable and practical than ever.

Georgia Solar Tour Chairman Anthony Coker said this year’s solar tour offers the public a sample of what solar investment is contributing to the state and why studies consistently show Georgia among the nation’s top locations for solar energy potential.”We think the Georgia Solar Tour will show that Georgia’s solar industry is creating skilled jobs, producing energy savings for homeowners and businesses, and expanding our domestic energy portfolio,” Coker said. “And we hope that Georgians who participate in the tour will recognize the promise this holds for boosting the state’s economy.”