May 2009 Archives

National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: NSM) today announced results of rigorous internal reliability testing for its SolarMagic(TM) power optimizers. The results of the tests demonstrate SolarMagic has an industry-leading mean time between failures (MTBF) of 455 years which, when coupled with its 20-year warranty, make National's SolarMagic power optimizer one of the most reliable electronic photovoltaic (PV) system components available. SolarMagic improves the output of solar arrays when affected by real-world conditions such as shade, debris and panel aging.

"National Semiconductor has long been known for quality and reliability, creating high-performance analog and power management products for extremely demanding applications in space, military and automotive areas. We are now applying that expertise in reliability to raise the performance bar for the PV industry," said Dr. Prasad Chaparala, director of National's Technology Reliability.

After decades of designing and manufacturing analog and power management integrated circuits (ICs), National has the proven ability to provide an exceptionally reliable product in SolarMagic. National currently produces billions of analog and mixed-signal ICs a year and has a very low defect rate of less than one defective part per million (DPPM).

National designed SolarMagic to have a very high reliability by incorporating proper component derating, extensive reliability Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), thermal analysis and pre-qualification reliability testing.

National's SolarMagic power optimizers have passed rigorous environmental qualification tests such as damp-heat exposure, humidity-freeze cycling and thermal cycling used for PV module qualifications. In addition, they have successfully undergone electronic-systems reliability qualification tests such as high temperature operating life tests, power temperature cycling and highly accelerated life tests (HALT). Data from more than two thousand hours of reliability stress testing of SolarMagic power optimizers demonstrated an MTBF of 455 years.

National manufactures critical analog IC components for SolarMagic power optimizers at its in-house wafer-fabrication plants and assembly facilities, where they are subjected to enhanced quality manufacturing flows. In addition, the power optimizers undergo stringent quality control during the system assembly process. Comprehensive tri-temperature testing and burn-in tests are performed on all production units, virtually eliminating any potential early life failures.

In addition to rigorous internal testing, Santa Clara, Calif.- based Ops a La Carte LLC provided reliability testing of National's SolarMagic power optimizer at its HALT and HASS Labs in Santa Clara. Ops a La Carte has had a long-term presence in the reliability field, conducting extensive reliability testing for the aerospace, automotive, medical, telecom, defense and energy (including fuel cell, oil and solar) industries.

Using distributed electronics throughout a solar installation, SolarMagic recoups up to 57 percent of energy lost due to real-world conditions. SolarMagic power optimizers will be available to customers in North America and Europe in late May 2009. For more information about SolarMagic, visit www.solarmagic.com.

SOURCE National Semiconductor Corp.

Southern Company today announced plans to demonstrate carbon capture and sequestration on a coal-fired power generation plant to support the development of technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Along with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI), the Electric Power Research Institute and other partners, Southern Company will build a demonstration facility to capture carbon dioxide emissions from an existing unit of subsidiary Alabama Power's Plant Barry near Mobile, Ala.

Beginning in 2011, between 100,000 and 150,000 tons of CO2 per year - the equivalent of emissions from 25 megawatts of the plant's generating capacity - would be captured for permanent underground storage in a deep saline geologic formation.

The CO2 will be supplied to the DOE's Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SECARB), which will transport it by pipeline from the plant and store it underground at a site within the area of the Citronelle Oil Field, about 10 miles from the plant, operated by Denbury Resources. The Southern States Energy Board is leading the SECARB effort.

"This project will help increase our knowledge of carbon capture and sequestration, technology we must demonstrate at a commercial level in the effort to reliably generate electricity using coal with reduced greenhouse gas emissions," said David Ratcliffe, Southern Company chairman, president and CEO.

"The main challenge facing deployment of carbon capture and sequestration technology is demonstrating its effectiveness at a large scale," Ratcliffe added. "Our involvement in this and other related projects is part of our commitment to be a leader in finding solutions that make technological, economic and environmental sense."

With carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), CO2 released during the combustion of coal would be separated from the flue gas, compressed, and then permanently sequestered - or stored - deep underground.

The CO2 capture technology to be used in this project, called KM-CDR(TM), was jointly developed by MHI and the Kansai Electric Power Company Inc. It deploys an advanced amine-based solvent that reacts readily with CO2 in flue gas before being separated and compressed so that it is ready for pipeline transport.

The MHI process offers improved performance and lower cost than other existing capture technologies. The process has been demonstrated at smaller scale at a coal-fired generating station in Japan, and is currently being deployed commercially on natural gas-fired systems around the world. This project represents the largest coal-fired demonstration of the technology.

"We are excited to be a partner in this important project that will help further the global goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions for the benefit of everyone," said Shunichi Miyanaga, executive vice president and representative director general manager of MHI's Machinery & Steel Structures Headquarters. "The confidence our partners have shown in the MHI CO2 capture technology is a testament to the research and development efforts we have undertaken during the past 20 years. Together with our partners, we are ready to deploy and demonstrate to the world the safety and viability of commercial-scale CCS."

An important part of any CO2 sequestration project is site selection through geologic characterization and a robust program to monitor the injected CO2. Therefore, a thorough monitoring process will be deployed to map the movement of the sequestered CO2.

Through this project and others, Southern Company and its partners seek to support the goal of better understanding the impacts of reducing CO2 emissions from electricity generation. The project in Alabama is designed to demonstrate start-to-finish CCS technology, an important step toward commercialization.

Plant Barry, located in Bucks, Ala., has a total capacity of 2,525 megawatts and includes seven generating units -- five coal-fired units and two natural gas-fired combined-cycle units.

SOURCE Southern Company

Power Output of Solar Projects is Expected to Equal the Consumption of 530,000 Average Homes

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today that it has entered into a series of contracts with BrightSource Energy, Inc. for a record total of 1,310 megawatts (MW) of solar thermal power. These power purchase agreements, covering seven projects, supersede the agreements PG&E executed with BrightSource in April 2008 for up to 900 MW of solar thermal power.

The first of these solar power plants, sized at 110 MW and located in Ivanpah, Calif., is contracted to begin operation in 2012. BrightSource will build and place in commercial operation each of its plants as quickly as permitting and infrastructure allow. All seven projects are expected to produce 3,666 gigawatt-hours of power each year, equal to the annual consumption of about 530,000 average homes.

"The solar thermal projects announced today exemplify PG&E's commitment to increasing the amount of renewable energy we provide to our customers throughout northern and central California," said John Conway, senior vice president of energy supply for PG&E. "Through these agreements with BrightSource, we can harness the sun's energy to meet our customers' power requirements when they need it most - during hot summer days."

"Today's agreements reflect the technological milestones that the BrightSource Energy team has achieved over the past year," said John Woolard, CEO of BrightSource Energy. "Our technology is setting the bar for efficient production of solar energy. We're thrilled by the opportunity to help PG&E and other leaders bring energy customers more clean and reliable solar energy."

Since 2002, PG&E has entered into contracts for more than 20 percent of its future electric power deliveries from renewable sources. On average, half of the electricity PG&E delivers to its customers comes from carbon-free generating sources, making the company's energy some of the cleanest in the nation.

SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company

FirstEnergy Solutions (FES), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), will provide discounted generation prices to residential and small commercial customers in 24 Ohio communities through governmental aggregation contracts.

Under the contracts, approximately 195,000 residential customers and 21,000 commercial customers will receive discounts off the generation component of their bills. The communities are Alliance, Aurora, Barberton, Boardman Township, Burton Township, Canal Fulton, Cortland, Defiance, Doylestown, Euclid, Green, Marion, Munroe Falls, Navarre, Ottawa Hills, Parma, Ravenna, Sandusky, Seven Hills, Silver Lake, Stow, Tallmadge, Troy Township and Trumbull County.

The governmental aggregator may choose between two agreements - a graduated or a flat percentage discount. The graduated discount plan offers savings of 10 percent in 2009, 6 percent in 2010, 5 percent in 2011 and 4 percent in 2012. The flat-rate percentage contract offers a 6 percent discount on generation prices through the end of the contract. Small commercial customers in these communities will enjoy a smaller graduated or flat-rate discount, as well, depending on the contract.

"We are pleased to provide these customers with competitively priced electric generation service from a local company," said Donald R. Schneider, president of FirstEnergy Solutions. "We are continuing to meet with communities, consistent with our retail strategy, and have additional agreements pending. Communities interested in providing similar discounts to their residents and small businesses should contact us before May 12, our deadline for current aggregation contracts."

Discounts will be based on the generation price customers would have been charged if they purchased electric generation service from their electric utility and did not switch to service from an alternate supplier. The electric utility prices will be established based on the outcome of a competitive bidding process (CBP) that will be conducted for Ohio Edison, Toledo Edison and The Illuminating Company. The CBP will secure generation supply and determine pricing for the period of June 1, 2009, through May 31, 2011. Generation discounts beyond that period will be based on the yet-to-be established generation price.

Under Ohio law, communities are able to form governmental aggregation buying groups to arrange for electricity, natural gas, or both on behalf of their citizens. The governmental aggregator chooses a supplier for all of the members in its group. Customers may opt out of the aggregation program and shop for a supplier or accept the standard rate offered by their utility.

Discounts under the contracts will be effective beginning in late summer or early fall, depending on when customers' meters are read. Ohio Edison, Toledo Edison or The Illuminating Company will continue to deliver the electricity, read meters, send monthly billing statements and maintain service for residents covered by the governmental aggregation contracts. Residents should continue to contact their utility company with questions about their service or to report a power outage.

Source: FirstEngery Corp.