2012 Greeting & Cloud Computing Seminar Announcement

Events

• Cloud Computing and Energy Efficient Data Center (UCGEC Green IT Series Seminars)

News

• Google Retires Solar Power Tower Research Initiative, Citing Plunging PV Prices
• NERC: EPA Rules Could Stress the Nation's Grid
• 两湖地区缘何成为煤荒电荒的重灾区

Cloud Computing and Energy Efficient Data Center

Google Retires Solar Power Tower Research Initiative, Citing Plunging PV Prices

Google, the Internet search giant that has invested millions in solar power technology, last week quietly abandoned a four-year-old project to make renewable power cheaper than coal-fired power. The company, which cited the recent dramatic decline of photovoltaic panel prices and design limitations, said other institutions were "better positioned" to take research to the "next level."

Google's Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal (RE<C) initiative, launched in 2007, was primarily an effort to drive down the cost of renewable power with a focus on solar power technology. Announcing it was ending the program on its official blog, the firm last week also published results from its research "to help others in the field continue to advance the state of power tower technology."

Full Story : http://www.powermag.com/POWERnews/4208.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=2336079&hq_l=6&hq_v=ea162c3356

NERC: EPA Rules Could Stress the Nation's Grid

The cumulative impact of rules proposed and finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could, over the next six years, stress the nation's power grid "in ways never before experienced," the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) warns in a new report.

NERC's “2011 Long-Term Reliability Assessment,” released on Monday, is an annual report that evaluates key bulk power system reliability indicators over a 10-year period. Indicators include: peak demand, energy forecasts, resource adequacy, transmission development, changes in overall system characteristics and operating behavior.

The report says that as currently drafted, EPA rules such as the proposed Coal Combustion Residuals rule, the proposed Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for Utilities, the proposed Cooling Water Intake Structures rule -316(b), and the final Cross-State Air Pollution rule would "directly impact" the U.S. power industry.

Full Story : http://www.powermag.com/POWERnews/4210.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=2336079&hq_l=4&hq_v=ea162c3356

两湖地区缘何成为煤荒电荒的重灾区

据中国电力企业联合会预测，今年第四季度全国电力缺口将达4000万千瓦，其中华中和华南地区将最为严重。从全国的电力供应形势来看，今年我国华中地区有可能是电力缺口历史上最大的地区，特别是华中的湖北、湖南地区将成为全国电力缺口最为严重的地区。据华中电网公司预测，今冬华中六省市电力缺口约为1600万千瓦，将面临严峻的用电形势。在用电形势整体紧张的华中地区，湖南省尤为突出。国庆前，湖南电监办发布消息称，迎峰度夏后，全省电煤库存从200万吨直降至130万吨以下，略高于警戒线。这种考验是来自于缺煤和用电负荷攀升的双重压力。根据国家电监会的预测，今年迎峰度冬期间，湖南最大用电负荷将达2000万千瓦，同比增长18.1%，电力供应缺口在500万千瓦左右，约占华中六省市缺口的三分之一。从10月1日起，湖南省开始按新标准征收煤炭价格调节基金，非电煤价格调节基金由30元/吨降低至10元/吨，煤炭生产企业送省内电网各燃煤电厂的电煤，免征调节基金。此外，湖南省财政每年将拿出8000万元，用于奖励完成和超额完成发电任务的统调电厂，以及完成和超额完成外购电任务的省电力公司。由于巨大的电力供应缺口，湖南、湖北省将面临更加严峻的拉闸限电局面。

Full Story : http://www.china5e.com/show.php?contentid=203237