Coal to liquid: Wharncliffe project a plus for region

By Bluefield Daily Telegraph

New York-based TransGas Development announced plans in December to build the proposed $3 billion project near Wharncliffe. The facility is expected to turn three million tons of coal a year into methanol that would then be converted into as much as 765,000 gallons of gasoline a day, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

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

Grant to help WVU-China add carbon sequestration to coal-to-liquids project

By Emily Corio (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)

West Virginia University is continuing its work with the Chinese government on a coal-to-liquids plant, thanks to $1.25 million from the federal 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.

The rest of the article can be read at WVPubcast.org

Syngas (ASX: SYS) Engages Rentech (NYSE AMEX: RTK) for Preliminary engineering work on Clinton Project Fischer-Tropsch fuels production

The Board of Directors of Syngas announced that it has engaged Rentech to provide Fischer-Tropsch fuels production preliminary engineering services on the Company’s proposed commercial scale synthetic fuels facility in Southern Australia, known as the Clinton Project. This work builds on the Clinton Project Pre-Feasibility Study outcomes released in April 2009 by the Company.

The preliminary engineering services will review use of Rentech’s Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology for the production of ultra-clean synthetic transportation fuels from synthesis gas (syngas) derived from fossil and biomass resources by the Clinton Project.

The work to be performed by Rentech is expected to commence in the 1st quarter of calendar year 2010, and comprised of
1. Heat and material Balance (HMB) for the FT unit;
Battery limit stream data;
Utility requirements;
2. Block Flow Diagram;
3. Preliminary Plot Requirements; and
4. Budget Level cost estimates for the FT unit.

U.S. and India Hone Nuclear Pact for Singh’s Arrival

By Amol Sharma, New Delhi and Jay Solomon, Washington

India and the U.S. are pushing to tie up vital details of a nuclear-energy cooperation agreement approved by their legislatures last year, ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the White House Tuesday, said officials from both countries.

The rest of the article can be read at Online.WSJ.com

What Can the U.S. Learn from China’s Energy Policy?

By Institute for Energy Research

China’s economy is growing at a rate of 9 percent per year, and forecasts have its fast pace of economic growth continuing, though at a slightly lower rate.[i] Eager to bring more of its citizens out of poverty, China will not let energy be a bottleneck for such growth. Because it has limited domestic oil and gas resources, China is investing globally to ensure supply…..

The rest of the article can be read at InstituteforEnergyResearch.org

EDC to drive development on five more geothermal plants

By Amy R. Remo (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

ENERGY Development Corp. will put up several “greenfield” geothermal power plants to increase its capacity by another 200 megawatts—a move that could propel the company to become the world’s biggest geothermal producer.

The rest of the article can be read at Inquirer.net

Australia: Altona Energy (AIM: ANR) signs JV agreement with CNOOC to develop the Arckaringa coal and coal to liquid project

By Energy-Pedia.com

Altona’s primary focus is the completion of a bankable feasibility study for an integrated 10 million barrel per year Coal to Liquid (CTL) plant with a 560 MW co-generation power facility. Through the UEJV, the parties will evaluate the maximum development and commercial potential ….

The rest of the article can be read at Energy-Pedia.com

Aquamarine Power Launched the world’s largest working hydro-electric wave energy device, AKA ‘Oyster’

The wave energy industry took a major stride forward today [20 November 2009] when the world’s largest working hydro-electric wave energy device, known as ‘Oyster’, was officially launched by Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond MP, MSP at the European Marine Energy Centre (“EMEC”) in Orkney. The device, developed by wave energy company Aquamarine Power, is currently the world’s only hydro-electric wave energy device which is producing power.

The Oyster launch took place at EMEC’s Billia Croo site near Stromness, where the device was installed this summer. Scotland’s First Minister was on site to switch on Oyster for the first time.

Oyster is now producing power by pumping high pressure water to its onshore hydro-electric turbine. This will be fed into the National Grid to power homes in Orkney and beyond. A farm of 20 Oysters would provide enough energy to power 9,000 three bedroom family homes.

Senators back mini-nuke

By Techstar (Off-Grid.net)

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee issued the following news release:
Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mark Udall (D-CO) today introduced legislation to direct the Department of Energy to develop innovative, low-cost nuclear reactors. The Nuclear Power 2021 Act (S.2812) proposes ….

The rest of the article can be read at Off-Grid.net

About Those Anti-Nuclear Arguments: They’re Dishonest

By Chris Morrison (Bnet.com)

Another day, another fatuous report about why nuclear power shouldn’t be built in the United States. A group called Environment Illinois is pushing a set of arguments against new nuclear power plants that are all about manipulating facts to make nukes look worse than they are.

The rest of the article can be read at Industry.bnet.com