Boom Time!Maybe it's because the U.S. now has a president-elect in place or because the quest for the next boom has started. The energy boom. Since Obama won, the German American Chamber New York (GACC NY) Green Team’s phone has literally been ringing off the hook with inquiries from independent renewable energy companies from Germany wanting to enter/expand in the U.S. market. There were companies that called the GACC earlier in the year to get a take on the market. Now, a starting gun seems to have gone off. Despite the economy worsening and the global outlook being far from sunny, companies are getting more active.
Suddenly their businesses seem to blossom or the expectation on that happening is blossoming. Although gas prices dropped, they dropped partly because the electricity portfolio is changing towards renewable energies. You have a diversity of factors supporting these developments. The boom is starting now, due to a mixture of economic and policy reasons.
- The high price of oil that will eventually return to uncomfortable heights in the middle of 2009, possibly in the $85 a barrel area and that will again drive up the price of gas.
- The appearance of the Carbon trade system in Europe will lead to a comparable system in the U.S. This is not a possibility, but we strongly believe, a certainty. That would and will bring the price of coal up. The future of coal will dictate the future of the climate. Plants in the U.S. that burn this low-cost, high-carbon fuel account for about 40% of the country’s greenhouse-gas emissions, not to mention other air pollutants. Right now there are about 600 coal power plants in the U.S., and an additional 110 in various stages of development. Without ways to capture the carbon burned in coal and sequester it underground, new plants all but guarantee billions of tons of future carbon emissions and essentially negate efforts to reduce global warming.
As the traditional products of electricity become more costly - there is opportunity. Now, technologies are there and it is just a matter of economics. As soon as coal has a Carbon tax on it - renewables are in! That is now, nearly so! Contact the green team of the German American Chamber of Commerce USA-New York for more information on these and further exciting and promising developments.
Some things that are most likely to happen next in the Northeast of the USA:
- government funding
- development of strong transmission lines
- structuring of a new solar thermal industry
- emergence of energy efficiency focused companies
- biomass plants propping up throughout
- PV entering with residential applications
- PV manufacturing entering to be close to consumption
- and for most of it: government funding A friendly Power Plant Energydesignlab composes the first offshore wind farm in U.S.
After building extensive wind farms on shore, the United States will establish wind power plants off shore. The first large offshore project is going to be in one of the most scenically attractive tourist coves of Cape Cod’s east coast in Massachusetts. To cover about 70% of the electricity needs of the cape and the surrounding islands regenerative, 130 wind turbines will be positioned in its wind-rich gulf at a visible distance from the coast. Its inhabitants see it primarily as a disfiguration of the landscape and a vulnerability of tourism, one of the most important economic factors in the region. The expected protests from environmentalists and residents followed promptly. This let to a discussion on the environmentally friendly power generation, and an integration of wind turbines with the simultaneous avoidance of drastic interference in the natural environment.
The Boston Society of Architects (BSA) attended to this topic. The BSA advertised an
international competition to design a wind farm in Cape Cod. The participants
were invited to offer design proposals for a programmatic double use of wind power as sculpture park, tourist attraction, water sports center or research facility on the basis of the existing planning of Cape Wind Associates. Over 180 teams registered for the competition. 65 contributions from Australia, Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Scotland, the Netherlands and the United States were on hand of the interdisciplinary jury of architects, landscape architects, artists, architecture critics and experts for renewable energies for evaluation.
The first prize was awarded to the U.S./German team of Paul Michael Pelken and Markus Hermann of the Energy Design Lab. Their proposal stood out as the most intelligent while successfully “breaking the rules” of the program. Their concept challenged the notion of the wind turbines and offered a way to reduce the number of turbines to 50 while the same number of households can be supplied with renewable wind energy: The less electricity is consumed in the households, the less wind turbines are needed for the production of this stream. The resulting reduced investments will be distributed to households as a subsidy for the purchase of new, low-current home appliances. The environmentally conscious behavior of residents is therefore no longer an abstract moral factor but is directly visible by an outlook of a reduced number of disturbingly perceived wind turbines.
The energy is reduced even more by utilizing a more efficient technology. Instead of Cape Wind Associates proposed 3.6 MW turbines the use of 5.0 MW turbines is proposed.
Contrary to the pre-planning the remaining wind turbines will be positioned in a double
circle on a much smaller space and with greater distance to the coast. The inner part of the wind park will provide facilities for various sport activities, entertainment shows and cultural events. Integrated platforms in the basin are available for surfing, sailing and diving schools or as a swimming pool. The “Multi-Purpose Piaza” provides a landing area for helicopters.
The credible threat of viewing a monstrous power plant in the sea could therefore turn into an aesthetically pleasing and useful part of the economic area and landscape of Cape Cod: 'A
friendly Power Plant".
GACC NY Focuses on Renewable EnergyIn today’s “clean energy” age it is common knowledge that fossil fuels are environmentally unsound, highly toxic and downright dirty. What are the alternatives? From a renewable energy standpoint, the utilization of biomass for power production has become a commercially proven option. The term “Biomass” power is describing the conversion of organic material into usable energy, either by burning it directly or by harvesting combustible gases or liquids. Biomass currently provides about four percent (7,500 megawatts) of all the electricity produced in the U.S. The vast majority of this energy source comes from approximately 350 biomass power plants that utilize direct combustion boiler/steam turbine designs.
U.S. community leaders and economic developers have realized the potential of biomass and are looking for optimal technological solutions to tap into this renewable energy source.
In this context all eyes have turned to Germany, as one of the world’s leaders in renewable energies, including biomass technology. Germany currently has 50,000 professionals employed in the biomass sector with annual revenues of 9.1 billion euro in 2006. Hence, many U.S. businesses are eager to learn the latest German innovations and developments in the biomass industry. To satisfy this demand, the German American Chamber of Commerce, New York (GACC NY) has focused on this hot topic. According to Sebastian Göres, renewable energy specialist at the GACC NY, “U.S. firms are genuinely interested in current German biomass technologies and projects. As for the German firms, the most inquiries we get at the moment are about partnering with U.S. companies in renewable energies.”
Against this background, the GACC NY organized the “4th German American Renewable Energy Conference: Biomass: Power, Heat, and Fuels” in Syracuse, NY, on June 24, 2008.
The conference was a full-day event with 24 lectures, discussion sessions,and arranged business meetings. German companies involved in biomass as well as U.S. companies and industry associations (SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, NYSERDA, Cornell University, New England Wood Pellet among others) gave presentations to an audience of 250 attendees. This number, according to Göres, was “…overwhelming! We expected 100 people from the industry to participate. However, 250 specialists attended to hear speakers talk about U.S. and German biomass markets and technologies.” The conference was seen as a great success and received broad coverage in the press (e.g. Syracuse Post Standard), TV (e.g. News 10), radio (e.g. 570 WSYR) and industry publications (e.g. Biomass Magazine).
Organized by: German American Chamber of Commerce, New York
When: June 24, 2008
Where: National Grid Building in Syracuse, NY
Attendees: 250
Highlights: • 49 arranged one-on-one meetings between
German and American biomass companies
during week of Conference
• Six conference presentations
from German biomass companies
• Ten technical presentations form biomass experts
• Broad recognition in the press PTC and ITC Passed SenateThe United States Senate on Tuesday voted by an overwhelming majority to extend the Production (PTC) and Investment Tax Credits (ITC). The tax measure was passed by a vote of 93-2. Now it goes back to the U.S. House of Representatives where it could be approved later this week.
Under the legislation, the PTC will be extended for one year and the ITC will be extended for eight years. The extensions would be at least partially paid for by a change in the tax code for the oil and gas industry. The bill also contains removal of the US $2,000 cap for residential solar installations. The US $18 billion package is part of a larger tax bill worth approximately US $148 billion.
There have been rumors that the House will not pass the bill as it currently stands. If changes are made to the bill in the House the Senate may have to return for a special session next week to debate the bill as the current legislative session ends for election season at the end of this week. The White House issued a Statement of Position on the bill urging its passage, a sign that President Bush would sign the legislation.
For further information contact renewable energies specialist Sebastian Göres, Manager Consulting Services at the GACC NY. Renewable Energies BlogFor information about Renewable Energies in the USA view the blog of Sebastian Göres, Manager Consulting Services at the German American Chamber of Commerce. The U.S.-Market for Renewable Energies - Enter Now!Offshore drilling has been in the political discussion lately, being a priority issue for U.S.-American voters. The great increase in oil prices – the U.S. average for a gallon of regular hit a record high of 4.11 U.S.-Dollar on July 7th – has shown up as a top concern in most of recent voter polls.
The U.S. Department of Energy (D.O.E.) estimates that 18 billion barrels of theoretically recoverable oil are available in offshore areas of the United States. These areas are now closed to drilling. However, considering that oil is a globally traded commodity the produced oil would enter the global market and feed the global demand only for less than seven months. Evidently, as oil is globally traded, the price of oil derives from this global market. A D.O.E. report issued last year stated that, furthermore, it would take two decades of drilling in restricted areas to have a noticeable effect on domestic production, and that, even then, the impact on the fuel prices would be insignificant. The U.S. inhabits 5% of the world’s population, but Americans account for 25% of its oil use. That is why, until one year ago, the U.S. was the largest emitter of greenhouse gases (China overtook it). As it should be understood by now, we are in the middle of a global fight against climate change.
Rising fuel prices are taking their share in American wallets. Latest figures from the Federal Highway Administration show that Americans drove 30 billion fewer miles in the first five months of this year than in the comparable time period last year. Now, as Americans are changing their habits, it is the best time to enter the market, from a renewable energy company perspective. With a new legislation, incentives such as the investment tax credit, which will most likely be implemented, allowing reasonable long term planning for investors. In order to have the first mover advantage on your side, move in now, before the new government, whoever it might be, pulls the trigger for the starting shot.
For further information contact renewable energies specialist Sebastian Göres, Manager Consulting Services at the GACC NY.
Biomass companies meet in Syracusewww.syracuse.com
German businesses are looking to Central New York to make their entry into the U.S. energy market.
Heiner Froling had just finished telling 250 people packed into an auditorium about the wood-burning boilers made by his family-owned company, Vikat Energiesysteme, the largest maker of wood boilers in Germany.
"Are they available in the United States?" he was asked.
"No," Froling answered. "That's why I'm here."
Executives from Vikat and six other German companies, all specializing in biomass energy, are visiting Central New York this week looking for ways to do business in the United States.
>>> Read the complete Article
Biomass conference being held in Syracusewww.news10now.com
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The conference will bring together 14 companies from both Germany and the United States to discuss biomass energy initiatives. Past conferences have been held in the New York City area but it's the first time the conference comes to Upstate New York.
Organizers say "green efforts" here in Syracuse including the construction of the Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems was the hook to bring the conference here.
>>> Read the full article
Biomass conference brings German, American companies togetherBiomass Magazine, Aug 2008
Attendance at the 4th German American Renewable Energy Conference in Syracuse, N.Y., which focused on forging partnerships between German bioenergy companies and American corporations and research facilities, was “overwhelming,” according to Sebastian Göres, manager of consulting services for the German American Chamber of Commerce Inc. in New York.
Göres said planners expected 100 people to attend. However, 250 people registered to hear 14 speakers talk about the U.S. and German biomass markets and technologies.
>>> Read the complete article
Woody biomass in New Yorkwww.syracuse.com
The concept of biomass energy goes back to the discovery that fire could be used to stay warm.Now, with the cost of oil and other fossil fuels skyrocketing, biomass is being rediscovered.
Wood is an obvious source of biomass, especially in heavily forested Upstate New York. Just how much wood could New York supply to make energy?
>>> Read the complete article
CNY poised as global leader in 'green technology'www.wstm.com
Twenty years from now, historians may look upon Thursday, June 26th as a turning point in the Central New York economy, if community leaders follow the advice of the Battelle Memorial Institute. The Ohio based think tank looked at communities throughout the nation and found Syracuse and Central New York are poised to become global leaders in "green technology." It points to the area's abundance of colleges and universities, along with innovative businesses such as: Siemens Corporation; Northeast Biofuels; New York Windpower; Empire Synfuel; and Destiny USA.
According to Linda Dickerson-Hartsock of the Empire State Development Corporation, "This is not wishful thinking on our part. There's a real asset base here in terms of existing companies, in terms of those academic partners that few other regions in the world can lay claim to."
>>> Read the complete articel
Syracuse hosts transatlantic biomass conferenceThe Central New York Business Journal
SYRACUSE - On June 24, 250 people packed into the National Grid auditorium in downtown Syracuse to attend the fourth German-American Renewable Energy Conference.
While previous conferences had focused on subjects like wind and solar, this event focused on biomass for power, heat, and fuels.
National Grid hosted the conference at its Syracuse headquarters.
From the German perspective, the purpose of the conference was to identify business opportunities in production and sales and to seek out suitable American business partners who could help German companies eager to locate production facilities or to promote marketing in the U.S. market. By sharing current technologies and by discussing policy issues, they hoped to foster business relationships.
>>> Read the complete article
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