Competitive heat can fire up EU industry growth
MEPs attending an exclusive dinner in the European Parliament on Wednesday will hear from industry how cogeneration is crucial to providing local, affordable heat supplies to industrial sites across Europe.
With intermittent renewable energy sources set to feature more strongly in the EU’s energy mix, MEPs will hear how combined heat and power (CHP) technologies support the energy transition by delivering on-site energy supplies.
SA’s first electricity-powered public transport to hit Cape Town
In the near future, 60 000 weekly MyCiTi bus commuters in Cape Town will travel in vehicles that run solely on electricity or biofuel, helping ease the pressure of gas emissions placed on the environment.
This was announced by the City of Cape Town during the African Union of Public Transport (UATP) Workshop on Best Practice in Africa, held in the Mother City last week.
On-site cogen for vodka giant
Plans for the development of a sugar mill and cogeneration plant have been revealed by ABSOLUT Distillers Inc.
According to local press reports, the Pernod Ricard-owned company plans to construct the site in the Philippines with an investment of at least PHP500 million (US$10.8 million).
Bob Geldof And Kofi Annan Promote UK Plan To Give Every Single African Electricity
There are 621 million people in Africa who live without access to electricity. By 2030, the British government wants to reduce that number to zero.
On Thursday, development minister Grant Shapps hosted former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Bob Geldof, Richard Branson and African leaders in London to launch the Energy Africa initiative.
Casino resort beating the odds through micro grids
Casino resorts or Rancherias in California are staying ahead of possible power outages through the use of micro grids.
Facilities such as the Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort can go off-grid when heat spikes or natural disasters threaten power supplies to the facilities according to a report in the Sacramento Bee.
The paper noted that the recent Butte fire which caused much devastation in the region failed to stop the casino resort from functioning because of a specialized network of generators and electrical equipment that gave the Rancheria temporary energy independence from the regional power grid operated by Pacific Gas and Electric.
Texas makes big leap in energy efficiency rankings
Texas made the largest jump in the rankings of the 2015 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard released Wednesday.
Texas moved up eight spots to rank 26th nationally after the state became more aggressive in policing proper energy code compliance for buildings as part of a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, according to the report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
Maryland, Illinois and the District of Columbia improved their scores more than Texas, but they did not move up as far in the state rankings because they were already listed much higher.
The report also highlights installing the most new capacity for combined heat and power generation, or cogeneration. Such power generation involves capturing the heat byproduct and putting it to use. Specifically, Texas added 525 megawatts of cogeneration through two new plants and two large expansions.
Biogas, landfill gas users win EPA onsite green power awards
The U.S. EPA has announced its annual Green Power Leadership Awards, this year recognizing 22 Green Power Partners and three renewable energy suppliers across the country.
Award winners are being recognized for their efforts in expanding the domestic renewable energy market through generating or purchasing green power.
BMW supports bid for renewable energy
BMW SA planned to use renewable sources for all its electricity needs within five years, said MD Tim Abbott at the official launch of a biogas project on Friday.
The project will initially provide up to 30% of the car maker’s power needs.
Don’t throw away the cow dung – call BMW
BMW AG’s car-assembly plant in South Africa is doing its bit to help the German carmaker edge toward a global target to supply all its production with renewable energy: It’s getting some of its power from cow manure.
The company has agreed to a 10-year deal to buy as much as 4.4 megawatts of electricity from a biogas plant about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from its factory north-west of Pretoria, the South African capital. Surrounded by land where about 30,000 cattle graze, the operation runs off gas emitted by a fetid mixture of dung and organic waste ranging from sour yogurt to discarded dog food.
