Chevron tests solar technology at former refinery

Chevron Corp. is using a former refinery site in Bakersfield, Calif., to evaluate seven photovoltaic technologies for potential application of renewable power at other Chevron sites.

Six thin-film technologies and one crystalline-silicon photovoltaic technology are being tested in Project Brightfield. Solar companies demonstrating thin-film technologies are Abound Solar, MiaSole, Schuco, Solar Frontier, Sharp, and Solibro while Innovalight provides crystalline-silicon photovoltaic technology.

Some 7,700 solar panels on an 8-acre site will help power Chevron’s Kern River oil field operations.

The performance and costs of the seven technologies will be compared with traditional crystalline silicon panels already installed on the former refinery site. Chevron Technology Ventures made no mention of whether it might consider investing in the company with the best technology.

This is the second time Chevron has taken an existing asset and converted it for renewable power. The first such project was a wind farm on a former Texaco refinery site near Casper, Wyo., where 11 wind turbines generate 16.5 Mw of power.

San Diego raises cost for home solar installations

San Diego residents have to dig deeper into their pocketbooks if they want to install solar panels on their homes. Homeowners are required to get an installation plan approved and their solar system inspected by city officials.

The permit cost was raised sixfold to $565 from $93. City officials told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the City Council changed its policy of subsidizing solar installations.

The $565 fee stems from recommendations of a study into what the City Council should charge to ensure that the permit fee covers the city’s cost of issuing solar permits and inspecting home installations. The city commissioned that study for $80,000. San Diego city officials plan to review permit fees annually, the newspaper reported on Jan. 11.

The Sierra Club surveyed the cost of home solar permits across California, and Los Angeles-area cities had the highest fees at $1,500.

I have a sixth-sense that solar advocates and the solar industry will push for lower fees.

Tanker rescues Carbon Neutral Expeditions sailboat

A 40-ft sailboat outfitted with solar panels and a wind turbine attempted to cross the North Atlantic as part of an expedition publicized as “the first carbon-neutral crossing of Greenland.” But weather and irony intervened.

Wind gusts estimated at 60 knots accompanied by waves reaching 30 ft. capsized the boat three times while the Carbon Neutral Expeditions vessel was 400 miles off Ireland.

A tanker, Overseas Yellowstone, carrying 680,000 bbl of crude oil came to the rescue.

Reporters asked Jess Tombs, an expedition spokeswoman, about the irony of the sailboat being rescued by an oil tanker. She said the crew was “just relieved” to be rescued.

Carbon Neutral Expeditions set sail Apr. 19 for a scheduled 10-week expedition. Instead, the crew was rescued on May 1.

The expedition's goal was to raise awareness of climate change, and some UK school children were following the team’s progress. Although the trip got cut short, the expedition deserves credit for being realistic and open about its contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.

On the Carbon Neutral Expeditions web site, the team states that it could not avoid some direct GHG emissions. For instance, the engine had to be used sometimes such as getting into harbor.

“There are also carbon emissions associated with the manufacture and materials of the equipment that we will use on the expedition. These indirect emissions are fiendishly difficult to calculate and therefore we will not be trying to offset these,” Carbon Neutral Expeditions said.

Cleantech investment continues

Despite diminished fourth quarter results, venture capital funding continues in the clean technology category, said the Cleantech Group of San Francisco.

During 2008, cleantech venture investments reached a record $8.4 billion despite the credit crisis and broadening recessions. That total accounted for investments in North America, Europe, China, and India.

It was the seventh consecutive year of growth. Nicholas Parker, Cleantech Group executive chairman, remains optimistic despite the financial crunch.

"Now, more than ever, clean technologies represent the biggest opportunities for job and wealth creation," he said. "In 2009, we're going to see a lot of progress in terms of imagining what's possible, and consensus around the need to really take it up a gear."

Cleantech reports solar accounted for $3.3 billion of the cleantech VC investment last year followed by biofuels at $904 million. Transportation (electric vehicles, advanced batteries, fuel cells) was $795 million, and wind accounted for $502 million.

I wonder if the pattern of spending by major oil companies on alternative energy follow the VC distributions. My hunch is that the majors collectively are spending more on biofuels than on solar. Any comments from industry are most welcome.