June 2009 Archives

VEGA PROMOTIONAL SYSTEMS, INC. (Pink Sheets: VGPR) today announced through its wholly owned subsidiary, Natural Fuels Industries, it is planning to construct a manufacturing facility in the State of Georgia to produce alternative energy from organic waste.

According to a recent Forbes Magazine article entitled "America's Best Places For Alternative Energy," the abundance of biomass in Georgia's Bioenergy Corridor ranks third in the nation as a potential source of renewable energy. The article referenced the amount of privately owned forest in Georgia, more than any other state in the country, as a reason for the state's ranking. Forbes also cited that roughly 50 million tons of the state's own timber ends up in the state's wood-products manufacturing plants every year and the industry returns nearly half of it in the form of primary mill wood debris.

"Georgia's wealth of natural resources combined with our research institutions and a strong business climate create an ideal environment for the development of renewable energy," said Georgia Governor, Sonny Perdue. "We appreciate Forbes' recognition of our ability to develop alternative energy sources."

The proposed Georgia facility would be designed to produce alternative/green energy. When completed, the plant would have the capacity to produce several hundred thousand metric tons of biomass fuel pellets annually. NFI recently announced it has entered into a Letter of Intent to purchase a 20% equity interest in a biomass manufacturing facility currently under construction in MAP Ta PHUT, Thailand.

Biomass or biofuel is material derived from recently living organisms. This includes plants, animals and their by-products. For example, manure, garden waste and crop residues are all sources of biomass. It is a renewable energy source based on the carbon cycle, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels. The use of biomass fuels can therefore contribute to waste management as well as fuel security and help to prevent global warming

NFI's Business Plan calls for manufacturing facilities to be constructed in various locations around the world. The Georgia plant would be the Company's first in the United States and would serve as a model facility for other plants in the U.S. A plant of this size could create approximately 200 jobs.

NFI markets various products including energy efficient pellet fuel made from organic waste bi-products using unique and innovative ideas combined with proven technology. The Company's current expansion includes building manufacturing plants in various international locations that will produce biomass products and bio-diesel products for power generation units. It is estimated that in the next five years the biomass industry will become a $20 billion industry.

SOURCE Vega Promotional Systems, Inc.

A new national poll of 800 residents by the Sacred Heart University Polling Institute found a nearly even split between those suggesting nuclear energy was very or somewhat safe (46.1%) and those who said somewhat dangerous or very dangerous (44.7%).

"Americans are split about whether nuclear power is safe or not, and many people have specific security concerns about nuclear power. The two dangers that concern a majority of Americans are the problems with radioactive waste storage, a top criticism of nuclear power, and possible plant meltdowns," says Dr. Josh Klein, assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Sacred Heart University.

A majority of Americans (58.4%), however, indicated that nuclear energy's radioactive waste is a danger that humans will face for thousands of years to come.

Over one-third of respondents, 36.8%, expect the number of nuclear weapons to increase worldwide as a result of building more nuclear power plants.

Poll respondents did consider other energy sources as significantly more safe than nuclear energy. A large majority, 94.6%, saw wind energy as very or somewhat safe. This was followed by river and tidal energy (80.0%), geothermal energy (68.5%), fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas (56.1%), and biofuels (55.6%).

While over half of those surveyed, 53.6%, were concerned about the danger of future nuclear energy plant meltdowns, nearly the same percent (54.2%) suggested that nuclear power plants will be safer in the future because of newer technologies making plants meltdown-proof.

And, 36.8% did not see a proliferation of nuclear weapons because nuclear energy and nuclear bombs utilize significantly different technologies.

Three-quarters of Americans (76.5%) were aware the United States Environmental Protection Agency had begun the process of listing carbon dioxide emissions as pollution that endangers public health. And, 77.0% of all survey respondents strongly or somewhat supported the EPA's decision to regulate carbon emissions.

According to Dr. Klein, "The survey mixed pro and anti nuclear statements in equal measure. As a result, we found that about the same proportion expressed concern about future meltdowns (53.6%) as said that nuclear energy will be safer because they will be meltdown-proof (54.2%). Similar splits occurred in this survey regarding other nuclear safety concerns. These reflect some confusion, which is to be expected, given the limited information in major media."

EXPERTS AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT

• Dr. Josh Klein is an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Sacred Heart University. Prior to his full-time academic career, he worked in survey and public opinion research. His current research is about organized violence and state-corporate crime.
• Jerry Lindsley, director, Sacred Heart University Polling Institute

To speak with these experts, please contact Funda Alp at 203-396-8241 or alpf@sacredheart.edu" target=_new>alpf@sacredheart.edu or Tracy Deer-Mirek at 203-371-7751 or deer-mirekt@sacredheart.edu" target=_new>deer-mirekt@sacredheart.edu.

How the Poll Was Conducted

The Sacred Heart University Polling Institute completed 800 surveys nationally. All telephone interviews were conducted between May 27 and June 9, 2009. One survey instrument was used to elicit information from all respondents. Statistically, a sample of 800 completed telephone interviews represents a margin for error of +/-3.5% at a 95% confidence level.

SOURCE Sacred Heart University

DTE Energy Chairman and CEO Anthony F. Earley, Jr. said today that for the U.S. to achieve ambitious targets of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, nuclear energy will be one of the most effective climate control strategies for the nation's electric utilities.

Speaking at The National Summit, a three-day meeting in Detroit featuring prominent business, government and academic leaders, Earley said that nuclear energy will play a crucial role not only in addressing global climate change, but also in meeting the country's growing electricity needs.

"Nuclear energy provides clean, reasonably priced electricity at extremely high levels of safety and reliability," he said. "In 2008, the U.S. fleet of nuclear plants operated at just over 90 percent capacity - the highest level ever. Nuclear power has proven itself safe, clean, reliable and affordable. And that's with a generation of plants designed in the 1960s and 1970s."

Earley said today's nuclear power plant designs are much improved and more standardized, making them simpler, more compact, safer and less costly to build and operate. But he said there currently is a shortage of suppliers to provide the materials necessary for the construction of new nuclear plants.

"One of the challenges we'll face with the resurgence of nuclear energy is also one of our biggest opportunities," he said. "The number of U.S. nuclear suppliers has shrunk and global competition is already heating up for the limited material and manpower now available.

"There's no doubt we need more suppliers, as well as highly-skilled construction workers to build nuclear units, and more qualified operators to run new plants," Earley said. "At the peak of construction, a nuclear plant will employ an estimated 2,300 skilled workers. And upon completion, approximately 700 skilled workers will be required to operate and maintain the plant - at wages 36 percent above those for workers in similar jobs at non-nuclear facilities."

Each year the average nuclear plant generates approximately $430 million in sales of goods and services in the local community and nearly $40 million in total labor income, Earley said. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, the average nuclear plant generates state and local tax revenue of almost $20 million each year and federal tax payments of approximately $75 million each year. These tax dollars benefit schools, roads and other state and local infrastructure.

While nuclear energy will play a significant role in meeting the country's growing demand for electricity, Earley cautioned that there is no single solution to the nation's energy challenge.

Most utilities are working to increase their mix of renewable energy - and this is an area where the country will see incredible growth over the next decade, he said. Wind power is now the fastest-growing renewable energy source in the nation, accounting for about 30 percent of all new power generating capacity added in the U.S. last year.

"But windmills and solar panels will never power an auto assembly line or a cold-rolled steel mill," Earley said. "You need big baseload coal-fired and nuclear plants to keep them running and to form the reliable backbone of a national grid."

Earley also warned that the nation's energy infrastructure is nearing "the end of its useful life," noting that the average age of a power plant in Michigan is 48 years. Given that the useful life of a plant is usually 60 years, and that it can take a decade to plan and build a new plant, change is definitely on the horizon.

"To accommodate our growth, cope with plant retirements and deal with environmental concerns, we'll need to make massive investments to our infrastructure - as much as $2 trillion by 2030," he said. "And that doesn't include the unknown costs of potential climate change legislation and state or federal renewable portfolio requirements.

"The road to a clean, safe and secure energy future will require creative thinking, hard choices and huge investments," Earley continued. "And it will require adaptability - to shifting government policy, advancing technology, an uncertain economy and fickle consumer preferences.

"Buckle your seat belts. It's going to be an exciting ride."

Source: DTA Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) today announced it will join forces with Cisco Systems Inc., the world's largest network communications company, to fast-track development of Duke Energy's state-of-the-art electric "smart grid."

"Our goal is to rapidly transform the way electricity is delivered to, and used by, the 11 million people we serve in five states," said Todd Arnold, senior vice president for smart grid and customer systems at Duke Energy, America's third-largest electric utility.

The three-year partnership is the latest development in Duke Energy's effort to rapidly convert its existing electricity delivery infrastructure into an advanced smart grid that uses two-way digital communication to reduce energy usage, improve efficiency, bolster system reliability, detect power outages, and integrate solar and other renewable energy sources into the electric grid.

Cisco, working closely with Duke Energy, will develop a highly refined, end-to-end, smart grid communications architecture - one that both companies believe will be among the most comprehensive and interoperable in the electric utility industry.

The newly created architecture will be based on what the industry calls "internet protocol-based open standards" - an approach that permits easy accommodation of new and emerging communications technology as it becomes available in future years.

"Internet protocol-based open standards are key to creating a smart, highly-secure backbone for the nation's modern electrical grid," said Marthin De Beer, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's Emerging Technologies Group.

The two companies will jointly evaluate a variety of smart grid communications hardware and software, and oversee installation and testing of selected equipment and software throughout Duke Energy's electric grid.

In addition, Cisco will work with Duke Energy to develop and install home energy management devices to help customers control and reduce their electricity consumption.

The two companies also will test a new generation of durable, weather-proof communications equipment designed for use at Duke Energy's electric substations.

"Replacing our analog electric grid with advanced digital technology to create a 21st century electricity delivery system largely involves data, networks and communications - all of it Cisco's expertise," Arnold said.

"Partnering with Cisco is central to Duke Energy's plan to build an 'energy internet' that will improve electricity delivery, strengthen grid security, lessen our company's environmental impact, and help customers reduce their electricity usage," he said.

In Ohio, Duke Energy later this year will launch a five-year mass deployment of smart grid technology, including more than 700,000 electric smart meters and 450,000 natural gas smart meters.

In Indiana, Duke Energy is seeking approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to install extensive smart grid technology, including approximately 800,000 smart meters.

Duke Energy yesterday announced it had reached a settlement agreement with the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor and key consumer and business groups regarding the company's Indiana smart grid proposal.

In addition to smart meters, Duke Energy plans to install a large amount of distribution automation - both hardware and software - to improve system efficiency and reliability on its electric grid in both Indiana and Ohio.

The company also is laying the groundwork to bring large-scale smart grid technology to three other states it serves - North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky.

"Working with innovative industry leaders like Duke Energy, Cisco will deliver an end-to-end network infrastructure from power plant to customer in order to manage electricity supply and consumption both efficiently and in an environmentally responsible manner," said Cisco's De Beer.

SOURCE Duke Energy

The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) is shedding light on Concentrating Solar Power systems (CSP) with DOWTHERM(TM) A heat transfer fluids which collect, transport and store solar generated heat.

CSP technology uses mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect solar energy and convert it to heat. DOWTHERM(TM) A heat transfer fluids collect the heat energy and transport it to a power generating station. The transported heat converts water to steam, which in turn drives turbines to make electricity.

"We are committed to harnessing the vast potential of the sun to continue setting the standard for sustainability," said Neil Hawkins, Dow's vice president of sustainability. "In addition to innovations in sustainable chemistry that result in products like DOWTHERM(TM) A, we've also made significant advancements in photovoltaic technology through the development of a game-changing residential solar shingle by the Dow Solar Solutions business. Our 2015 sustainability goals are driving innovation that is good for business and good for the world."

Dow has supplied, or is in the process of supplying, enough DOWTHERM(TM) A globally to generate more than 500 megawatts of electricity from the sun - positioning its Performance Fluids Business as the leading supplier of heat transfer fluids in the world for parabolic trough based solar systems. Solar power producers in the United States, Middle East, Spain, Australia, India and other locations are tapping into Dow's technology and world-scale production and supply capabilities.

Recent projects in Spain will be using more than 5,000 metric tons of DOWTHERM(TM) A heat transfer fluids that will eventually generate enough electricity for about 120,000 households. These plants will also prevent the release of about 350,000 tons of carbon dioxide that would have otherwise been released into the atmosphere had traditional fuels been used.

Dow has demonstrated its commitment and leadership in energy efficiency all around the world. Over the last 14 years, Dow's efforts to conserve power globally have resulted in saving more than 1,600 trillion BTUs of energy and prevented the release of about 86 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Source: The Dow Chemical Company