A 'Big Thumbs Up' for Renewable Energy

[jpak]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/business/energy-environment/03iht-RBOG-Kanter03.html

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Last month, experts advising the United Nations said renewable sources could deliver nearly 80 percent of world’s total energy demand by the middle of the century. That report, by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — the most authoritative body of experts, scientists and engineers specialized in climate change — was a welcome signal for an industry that has faltered in previous decades after government subsidies dried up and lower-cost fossil fuels made their technologies uncompetitive.

The report “is a big thumbs up for an industry that’s making huge advances in lowering costs and improving efficiency,” said Maja Wessels, global head of government affairs for First Solar, one of the largest makers of solar panels. “The experts have said that reaching high renewables targets will become very achievable.”

She said that the report should serve as basis for governments and lenders like the World Bank to plan investment in energy systems and infrastructure.

Governments staking out a low-carbon future also welcomed the findings.

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[kristopher]

1. Where are we going?

Here are a few items to give a sense of the direction we are headed.

Panasonic Buying Out Solar Tech and Rechargeable Battery Makers
Jul 29, 2010

Panasonic announced today that it will buy out two of its subsidiaries, Sanyo and Panasonic Electric Works, for $9.4 billion.

Sanyo is the largest lithium-ion rechargeable battery producer and 11th-largest solar cell producer in the world with a quickly-growing solar panel manufacturing arm according to company statements.

...The pair of acquisitions should help the company ...expand into energy technology.

Panasonic aims to become the “No. 1 green innovation company in the electronics industry” by 2018.

http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/29/panasonic-sanyo-buyout/

BYD drives into home energy management market
High-profile green car firm sets sights on solar panel, battery and LED sectors

By BusinessGreen.com staff 28 Apr 2010

...According to reports from technology website CNET, the company's vice president at BYD America Michael Austin told a conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts this week that the firm is committed to establishing itself as a clean tech powerhouse, specialising in both energy efficient and renewable energy devices as well as electric vehicles.

Speaking at the Lux Executive Summit, Austin said that the company planned to ultimately supply solar panels, battery packs, electric car charging systems, LED lighting and systems for managing energy flow within the home, in addition to plans for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The revelation comes just weeks after BYD also revealed that it has signed a deal with building firm KB Home to build a prototype green home in California.

Austin said that the new home would feature solar panels and battery technologies but would cost a similar amount to conventional homes. He added that the company would then look to roll the model out across China and the US backed by green loan schemes from commercial banks and government rebates...
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/1803257/byd-drives-home-energy-management-market

Miyagi governor has big recovery plans, tells Diet to hunker down
Saturday, June 4, 2011

...10-year plan to rebuild and modernize Miyagi's coastline....three years just to remove the rubble,... four years will be used to lay out and rebuild municipal areas, or "planting the seeds ...followed by three years of development... move housing from the coastline to higher ground.

...The prefecture estimates that moving a town of 1,080 homes and 2,700 people would cost about ¥51.9 billion, excluding actual construction of houses...
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110604a8.html

Panasonic developing an eco-harmonious Japan ‘Smart Town’ for 2014
June 2, 2011

In the wake of the terrible earthquake/Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster, Japan is focused on a safe and secure energy infrastructure. We’ve already heard about Naoto Kan’s idea to install a national solar panel array, but Panasonic and eight other companies have started their own clean energy project.

The plan is to turn a piece of Fujisawa city into a “sustainable smart town” of 1000 houses all built to be energy-conscious and eco-harmonious. Each of the nine companies has their own responsibility from creating the town concept and service model, to energy management services. This would be a very large private-sector development and would be the first of its kind in the world. They are estimating a 60 billion yen ($700 million) price tag for development

Panasonic and Fujisawa have agreed to build the town on a the site of a former Panasonic plant. The smart town aims to house 3,000 people and aims to open up in March of 2014, with full occupancy by 2018. The three main ideas that will go into design of this utopia center around eco-conscious master planning; comprehensive information and energy connection; and a “next-generation lifestyle unique to a smart town.

Some of the specific ideas under consideration in the master planning include solar panel designs that blend with the flora of the town, as well as a space designation to enable and promote electric car sharing. There will be charging stations all around the town, for cars and for electric bicycles. There will be storage batteries in all the homes, and each unit will contain smart energy saving appliances which will have “future network compatibility in mind”.

Solar will not be the only focus of energy collection...

http://www.digitaltrends.com/international/panasonic-plans-to-build-a-sustainable-smart-town-in-japan-by-2014/