HEADWATERS INCORPORATED (NYSE: HW) AND AXENS FORM DIRECT COAL LIQUEFACTION ALLIANCE

Headwaters Incorporated announced today that they have signed an agreement to form a strategic alliance to provide a single-source solution for producing ultra-clean fuels by direct coal liquefaction (DCL) alone or in combination with refinery residues or biomass.

Headwaters Incorporated, and Axens, created a strategic alliance around their Direct Coal Liquefaction (“DCL”) technologies. The two companies will to combine their technologies and licensing activities for Coal-To-Liquids (“CTL”) projects world-wide. The new “Alliance DCL”, expects to provide a single-source solution for producing ultra-clean transportation fuels from coal – whether alone or in combination with other low-cost or renewable feedstocks, such as biomass and refinery residues.

Headwaters brings its slurry catalyst technology and its extensive CTL research facilities. Axens will contribute its ebullated-bed H-Coal® Process and proprietary catalyst. Both evolved from a common background and DCL technologies developed by Hydrocarbon Research, Inc. (“HRI”), which were commercialized with support from the U.S. Department of Energy and industrial clients. Building on decades of experiences in DCL and a database on a wide range of coals, both companies have continued to increase
liquid yields, improve energy efficiency, lower production costs and reduce the environmental footprint (CO2 emissions and water consumption).

Alliance DCL will market the technologies and anticipates offering project-specific services, from feedstock characterization, pilot plant evaluation, feasibility studies and engineering design through plant start-up and ongoing technical support. Axens will also provide the coal liquids upgrading technologies necessary to achieve finished fuel specifications. Both companies provided technology packages and basic engineering
contributing to the successful construction and start-up of the first commercial direct coal liquefaction plant in China in December 2008. Several new DCL projects are currently in development by the alliance.

Altona Energy (AIM: ANR) Makes Real Progress With Its Joint Venture With China’s 3rd Largest Oil Company In Its Coal-to-Liquids Project in Australia

By OilBarrel.com

“We no longer have a putative project, we have a business”. So says Chris Lambert, Chairman of Alton Energy, a London listed, Australia-based company involved in a coal-to-liquids scheme in South Australia.

The rest of the article can be read at oilbarrel.com

Alstom (Pinksheets: ALMSY) geothermal power plants to provide 400 GWh of clean electricity to Mexico

Alstom today announced it has signed a turnkey geothermal power plant contract with Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) in the Puebla state of Mexico.

The contract for the 25 MW Los Humeros II Phase B plant, worth over €30 million, follows the Los Humeros II Phase A power plant contract signed by Alstom in May 2009. When completed in May 2012, the Los Humeros II plants will produce more than 400 GWh of reliable, cost-effective and clean electricity, enough to power 100,000 homes in Mexico’s eastern Puebla state.

Guy Chardon, Senior Vice President Alstom Thermal Products, said: “This turnkey contract is a further endorsement of the attractiveness of Alstom’s geothermal offering. As a leading supplier of low-carbon power generation solutions, we are proud that CFE has again chosen Alstom’s geothermal technology to help Mexico add generation capacity while reducing CO2 emissions.”

Under the terms of the contract, Alstom will supply the complete engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solution including the steam turbine, air cooled turbogenerator, turbine control and distributed control system (this project will use Alstom’s state-of the art ALSPA Series 6). The turbine will be produced at Alstom’s local manufacturing facility in the municipality of Morelia, Michoacan state.

Mexico is the fourth largest geothermal energy producer worldwide after the USA, the Philippines and Indonesia. This project is Alstom’s second since its recent return to the fast-growing geothermal market. In the past, CFE contracted Alstom for several geothermal contracts including the building of four 25 MW units at the Los Azufres geothermal power plant in Michoacan state in 2000, and the supply of two 5 MW units to the Las Tres Virgenes geothermal power plant in Baja California Sur in 1998.

University of Maine is Adding a Deepwater Offshore Wind Energy Research Facility

By Ocean Power Magazine

The University of Maine has received a $12.4 million grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology for construction of its new deepwater offshore wind energy research and testing facility.

The rest of the article can be read at OceanPowerMagazine.com

Will China’s new five-year plan force U.S. utilities to ration your electricity?

By James Finch

According to China’s Ministry of Land Resources, China plans to build up “sufficient reserves” of uranium and other minerals, in a new five-year government plan. The ministry said it would be stockpiling strategic reserves of uranium, copper, aluminum and other key minerals because of rising demand for those commodities. ….

The rest of the article can be read at SmasHits.com

Cleaner Jet Fuel from Coal

By Kevin Bullis (Technology Review)

The Air Force is testing a jet fuel made from coal and plant biomass that could replace petroleum-based fuel and emit less carbon-dioxide compared to using conventional jet fuels. The fuel is made with a process developed by Accelergy, based in Houston, using technology licensed from ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company and the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota.

The rest of the article can be read at TechnologyReview.com

Portable Geothermal Power Units from United Technologies Corp (NYSE: UTX)

By Byran (GreenHoof)

Pratt & Whitney Power Systems … recently demonstrated a mobile geothermal power generation unit at the 2009 Geothermal Energy Expo in Reno, Nev. … PureCycle® technology allows customers to relocate valuable energy generating capability from one geothermal or waste heat resource to another as circumstances dictate. …”

The rest of the article can be read at GreenHoof.com

Green Rock Energy with 3 new permits, completing Perth Basin Portfolio

By Think GeoEnergy

In a release by the company last week, Australian Green Rock Energy Limited announces that it “has been formally offered two new geothermal exploration permits covering the North Perth Metropolitan area and one new permit in the Dongara region of the North Perth Basin.

The rest of the article can be read at ThinkGeoEnergy.com

Rentech (NYSE AMEX: RTK) construction to start next year

By Emily Ham (The Natchez Democrat)

Rentech officials in town Wednesday said they plan to start construction on their Adams County facility next year.

The rest of the article can be read at NatchezDemocrat.com

South Korea eyes wider nuclear exports

By Christian Oliver (Financial Times Limited)

After years of frustration in its ambition to increase nuclear exports, South Korea last month beat US, French and Japanese companies in a hotly contested $20bn deal in the United Arab Emirates.

The rest of the article can be read at FT.com