SBI Energy: Market Insights, Opportunities &Trends

Countries around the globe are reevaluating core nuclear power assets and their role in national energy portfolios as crisis builds at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility. China, for example, has announced plans to temporarily freeze approvals for new nuclear plants, while Germany and Switzerland have shut down multiple reactors and numerous other countries, including the U.S., have ordered comprehensive inspections and reviews of their nuclear infrastructure.

Experts at the market research firm SBI Energy anticipate greater investment in alternative baseload energy and fuel resources in light of the events in Japan. Ongoing recovery and loss of nuclear generation will heighten Japanese demand for energy resources that include natural gas and petroleum fuels.  Accompanying global energy market shifts draw attention to industry developments in liquefied natural gas, shale gas exploitation, coal power development and other energy infrastructure.

Insights Include:

Liquefied Natural Gas Market Worldwide assesses the key technologies including liquefaction, shipping, and regasification being leveraged in the LNG supply-chain. This report provides a detailed overview of the LNG market structure, mechanisms, investments and key participants, recent and planned investments in LNG liquefaction capacity are examined. Further, historic and forecast global energy demand 2005 to 2015 and energy demand drivers and trends are reviewed while world energy supply sources 2005 to 2015 are discussed and the linkage between domestic natural gas production, import dependence, and LNG trading are outlined.

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Clean Coal Energy Technologies: Markets and Trends Worldwide examines the market for clean coal technologies for coal-fired electricity generation with a special focus on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), a prime component in development to reduce the environmental impact of coal utilized in electricity production. The report quantifies the demand for coal, electricity, and clean coal-fired electricity and forecasts industry growth, along with the key factors influencing this growth. The report evaluates the competitor profiles of 14 companies active in clean coal.

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Global Shale Gas Technologies and Markets covers geology and characteristics of shale gas resources, location and estimates of global shale gas reserve potential, and key technologies including exploration, horizontal drilling, and hydraulic fracturing. A special feature of this report includes occupations in the oil and gas industry, US industry employment, and projects US shale gas employment to 2020. Recent and planned investments in shale gas exploration and development are examined while historic and forecast global shale gas production and market value are provided 2006 to 2020.

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Geothermal Energy Markets: Technologies and Products Worldwide includes both a macro and micro review of the global geothermal power systems and geothermal heat pump (GHP) markets. The report includes emerging technologies, demand in each geothermal market segment as well as growth projections. An in-depth analysis of key players in the geothermal industry reveals the strategies of Calpine, Chevron, ClimateMaster, Davenport Power, ECONAR GeoSystems, Enel North America. Florida Heat Pump, Fuji Electric Systems, Geothermal Development Associates, MidAmerican Energy Holdings, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nevada Geothermal Power, Northern California Power Agency, Nuovo Pignone, Ormat Technologies, Sierra Geothermal Power, Terra-Gen Power, and WaterFurnace International.

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EOR Enhanced Oil Recovery Worldwide examines all the methods associated with the EOR market including gas/CO2 injection, thermal recovery, chemical injection, microbial, and seismic. The report methodically discusses established and prospective regulations placed on EOR projects and the regulatory arena’s impact on this market. This market study dissects the global EOR markets and analyses market size and growth, industry advantages and hurdles, current technological advances, and environmental factors and impact. Competitor strategies are also evaluated at length.

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 Specialty Pipelines for Renewable and Alternative Energy Substancesfeatures total market and growth history for specialty pipeline systems and components (pipeline lengths, pumps, compressors, flow control equipment, leak detection and management systems) between  2006 and 2010. Projected market growth figures for specialty pipeline systems and components are presented through 2015. Market breakdowns for each specialty pipeline component are outlined by country including The United States, European Union, Brazil, and Asia. This report profiles leading and emerging companies involved in specialty pipelines production, including: 3M, Ameron, Ashland, Boreal Laser, Flowserve, GE Oil and Gas, International Protective Coverings, Siemens, Sulzer Pumps, Tyco Flow Control, Kinder Morgan, Petrobas, and Uniduto Logística.

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01 February 2011 | Renewable Energy Focus USA

Funding made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) from 2009 has made a significant contribution to the US goal of doubling renewable energy capacity over the next two years.

By Renewable Energy Focus staff

Market researcher SBI Energy has looked at ARRA investments and their impact on the renewable energy market to date.

Among Its Key Findings Are:

• Domestic manufacturing capacity for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules is forecasted to grow from <1 GW annually in 2008 to 4 GW annually in 2012, according to the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA);
• ARRA investments are speeding up the rate of innovation in solar PV helping to drive down the costs of solar panels over the next five years – possibly by 50%;
• US wind power capacity grew 40% in 2009 over 2008, and according to CEA, ARRA was responsible for around 6 GW of wind capacity that might not otherwise have been installed in 2009;
• US manufacturing capacity for components such as gearboxes, generators and large casted steel parts, has lagged behind demand. The 48C Manufacturing Tax Credit program awarded US$346 million in tax credits to 52 wind manufacturing projects to add to US manufacturing capacity to supply a growing domestic market; and
• A US Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) survey indicates a 26% increase in new projects under development in 2009.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that US renewable energy generation capacity will increase 32% more than if it had not had ARRA support – reaching 155 GW in 2015.

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Policy, Investment and Markets

Wednesday, February 2, 2011 |The Green Market Blog

The evidence indicates that government investments have significantly helped the US renewable energy market. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 provided $94.8 billion for clean energy. The program was established under section 1603 of ARRA, and provided cash grants covering 10% or 30% of the total cost of developing new renewable energy facilities.

ARRA investments also funded research projects to develop next generation renewable energy technologies. These types of innovations create a cost competitive alternative to dirty sources of electricity while simultaneously creating long-term economic growth.

Due in large part to ARRA, the renewable energy industry survived the worst financial crisis in decades and is making significant progress toward attaining its goal of doubling renewable generation capacity over two years.

According to Gisela Kroess, a director at UniCredit SpA (UCG.MI), “[ARRA incentives have] spurred a lot of the growth we’ve seen,” she said at a renewable-energy finance conference.

Despite Republican opposition, the US Department of the Treasury’s 1603 cash grant program for the solar and wind industries was extended through 2011 as an add-on to the 2010 Tax Relief bill. The extension provides incentives so that developers of new solar and wind farms will continue investing in new projects beyond those already slated for construction.

ARRA Report Card: Two Years Later, is the latest industry study from market research publisher SBI Energy, it examines the ARRA clean energy investments and their impact on the various clean energy markets within the power, transportation, and building sectors.

Solar Energy

The report card indicates that according to forecasts from the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA), ARRA investments will help the domestic manufacturing capacity for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to grow from less than 1 GW per year in 2008 to nearly 4 GW per year in 2012. Solar EnergyARRA investments are also accelerating the rate of innovation in solar photovoltaics and will drive down the costs of solar panels over the next five years by as much as 50 percent. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, ARRA has supported more than 1,100 solar projects in 42 states, creating enough new solar capacity to power 200,000 homes. ARRA has resulted in nearly 40 percent growth in the solar power market in 2009 and nearly double in 2010.

Wind Energy

Despite weak economic and investment conditions, US wind power capacity grew 40 percent in 2009 compared to 2008. In July 2010, the CEA reported that ARRA was responsible for approximately 6 GW of wind capacity installation that might not otherwise have occurred in 2009.

Geothermal Energy

An April 2010 U.S. Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) survey indicated a 26% increase in new projects under development in 2009 and concludes that the stimulus funding played an important role in propelling geothermal growth amidst recessionary economic conditions.

Combined Renewable Energy

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that US renewable generation capacity will increase 32 percent more than without ARRA, reaching 155 GW in 2015.

The results of this report card clearly indicate that government investment has significantly increased America’s renewable generation capacity. Richard Matthews is a consultant, eco-entrepreneur, sustainable investor and writer. He is the owner of THE GREEN MARKET, one of the Web’s most comprehensive resources on the business of the environment. He is also the author of numerous articles on sustainable positioning, green investing, enviro-politics and eco-economics.

(Source: solarfeeds.com)

On January 1^st, 2011 SBI Energy (Rockville, Maryland, U.S.) released a new report examining clean energy investments through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA or “stimulus act”) and their impact on markets within the power, transportation and building sectors. The company states that its report: “ARRA Report Card: Two Years Later”, creates a time-capsule analysis of the impact of ARRA investments, which it says include allowing U.S. renewable energy markets to grow during the recession.

“ARRA energy-related funding not only presents potential near-term economic benefits, but also long-term economic and strategic investment and a transformative opportunity for the energy sector,” states the report’s introduction. “Without ARRA investments, it is likely that the pace of renewable energy project construction and manufacturing growth would have otherwise slowed dramatically due the sharp economic and financial downturn over this period.”

SBI Energy says smart grid investments were strategic for renewables

The report notes that at USD$94.8 billion, clean energy investments account for 30% of total ARRA appropriations for innovative infrastructure improvements. The Power Sector received USD$21 billion of that funding, let by almost USD$11 billion in investments in smart grids.

The report notes the strategic significance smart grid investments, stating that the successful implementation of increasing renewable energy generation and other ARRA energy initiatives hinges on successful grid modernization.

The report also examines funding for renewable energy research projects, including solar thin-films and new wind turbine designs. SBI Energy cites data from the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors which states that innovations in solar photovoltaic (PV) technology could drive down the cost of PV modules over the next five years as much as 50%.

Among the data presented, the report identifies and profiles 20 private sector companies that have received ARRA awards under clean energy programs.

SBI Energy is a division of MarketResearch.com Inc. (Rockville, Maryland, U.S.).

2011-02-03| Courtesy: SBI Energy | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

(Source: sbireports.com)

The energy storage market is benefitting from the convergence of several macro trends and is experiencing rapid growth. Nations around the world are actively investing in the expansion and upgrade of electric grids to meet current and future demand. Technologies such as distributed and renewable generation, microgrids, and smart grid technologies are further highlighting the necessity for and benefits of energy storage systems in the utility sector. Concurrently, significant investments are being made to improve the cost/performance and commercial viability of constituent technologies. The market for several energy storage technologies is expected to experience dramatic growth over the next several years.

Role of Energy Storage in Renewables Integration

Globally, the percentage of electricity generated through the use of renewables is expected to increase from 17% in 2007 to over 23% by 2035. The share of renewable power generation in the US is also expected to rise over the period. Much of the electricity produced from these renewable sources will be generated by non-utilities and even individuals. Furthermore, the power generated from renewable energy sources is highly variable and subject to intermittent operation due to the inherent vagaries of sources such as wind and solar. Thus, energy storage solutions are necessary to maximize the generation of electricity from these sources and to transmit it to where it is needed, when it is needed.

Due to these factors, it is estimated that only about 15% of US power needs can be supplied by renewable energy sources unless the electricity produced from these sources can be stored for later use. It has also been estimated that more than $340 billion will need to be invested in power storage capabilities to raise the supply of power from renewable sources by just another 5 percentage points from 15% to 20%.[1] As adoption of wind and other intermittent and variable renewable energy generation increases in nations around the world and exceeds the 15% of total electricity generation threshold, the use of energy storage solutions will become a pre-requisite to further integration of renewable energy.

Energy Storage in Microgrids

Maintaining, expanding and upgrading the electric grids to meet the growing demand for electricity is expected to cost trillions of dollars over the next twenty years. This assumes, of course, that the manner in which electricity is produced and delivered will remain basically the same as it has for over one hundred years, i.e. large centralized generation in remote areas, connected to distant population centers through hundreds of miles of transmission and distribution infrastructure. An alternative solution gaining traction is the microgrid.

Microgrids function in a manner similar to the large electric grid but on a much smaller and localized scale. Microgrids are electric grids for small areas or even single buildings. Given their emerging nature, and the fact that microgrids are often custom designed for specific end-user requirements, several varying definitions and implementations exist. There is, however, growing agreement that microgrids must minimally incorporate distributed generation and energy storage solutions that are proximal to the point-of-use. While most microgrids are expected remain connected to the larger grid, they are also designed to be self-sufficient and thus capable of disconnecting or “islanding”.

The ability of microgrids to incorporate distributed renewable energy generation and to avoid the cost and poor reliability of long distance transmission infrastructure is a significant driver of microgrid adoption. Since most microgrids leverage storage as an essential component, growth in microgrids is also expected to drive further growth in energy storage systems, and vice versa.

[1] Clayton, Mark, “How Enormous Batteries Could Safeguard The Power Grid”, The Christian Science Monitor, March 22, 2009

Energy Storage Technologies in Utility Markets Worldwide

Energy consumption is rapidly growing around the world. The modernization of emerging economies (such as India and China) has increased pressures on traditional energy providers (as well as increasing environmental concerns). As fossil fuel reserves dwindle, there is a growing need for clean energy supplies. Clean energies have emerged as an alternative for the fossil fuels, but many technologies still do not display the same level of efficiency and maturity compared to more traditional sources.

Investments remain a key growth factor, as many technologies present technical limitations to practical use.   Many existing cleantech technologies cannot compete with coal energy, with is used as the current benchmark when evaluating feasibility.   Subsidies are an important key of the clean technologies puzzle, but if these technologies are unable to develop long-term comparables, they run the risk of being relegated to niche products.   This is especially true of renewable technologies.  

This new SBI Energy reports delves into the global investments patterns dedicated to developing and commercializing these technologies.   It covers a significant range of technologies and geographies to gain a greater understanding of the global investments market. After interviewing close to a dozen key stakeholders of the clean energy technology sector and doing extensive documentary research, we were able to build this report.

Exploring investment growth in seven energy producing technologies (solar, wind, biofuel, hydro, geothermal, nuclear and clean coal) and eleven geographies (US, Canada, Brazil, Spain, Germany, UK, France, China, India, Japan and Australia), it is an essential tool for any manager looking for a global clean energy investment perspective within a single document.

Cleantech Energy Investing