China puts Quotas on Production of tungsten,iron,rare earth,antimony and molybdenum in National Interest

25 Apr, 2011
China,Electric Vehicles,Japan,Renewable Energy

China has recently put increased scrutiny and control over the mining,smelting and export of important minerals like tungsten and rare earth oxides.Note mining in China often takes place illegaly without any regard to environment in quest for a quick buck.Japan which is the largest importer of rare earth oxides from China gets most of its demand met through illegal mining.However China has cracked down on this practise as it regards these minerals like tungsten,iron,rare earth,antimony and molybdenum as important for national goals.China has severely curtailed the exports of rare earth exports leading to a sharp rise in rare earth prices and stocks of rare earth companies.This has sparked concern in developed countries and blocks like EU,Japan and USA which has taken the case to the WTO.

China also used the rare exports as a blunt foreign policy weapon in its recent spat with Japan over a sea incident.This caused much concern in Japan whose hitech industries like Electric Vehicles,Optics,Electronics are heavily dependent on these crucial raw materials.China has decided to stop issuing new licenses for mining of these minerals though the production quota has been raised by 5-15% (exports are a different matter).The mining will be heavily regulated with only specific companies allowed to mine tungsten,iron,rare earth,antimony and molybdenum.MIIT,NRDC and the Ministry of Land and Resources will track the production and exports of these minerals.

China caps rare metals output, raises mandatory quota

China, world’s largest exporter of rare earth metals has raised the mandatory quota for the production and smelting of five minerals this year, said the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

The quota, set by the MIIT, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Land and Resources, allocates the maximum quantity of the production and smelting of tungsten, tin, antimony, molybdenum and rare earth ores in 25 provinces or autonomous regions, the ministry said in a statement today. Only those enterprises that meet the requirements of national industrial and management policies can get the quota from local governments’ supervisory departments and “no extra quota or production beyond the limit will be allowed,”it said. According to it, the output control target for tungsten concentrates was 87,000 tonnes this year, up 8.75 per cent from last year’s 80,000 tonnes. The output quota for tin ores rose 12.3 per cent to 73,000 tonnes from 65,000 tonnes in 2010. The maximum output limit for antimony concentrates was 105,000 tonnes, compared to 100,000 tonnes last year. The production quota for molybdenum concentrates was 200,000 tonnes, up from last year’s 185,000 tonnes.

Solar Carports – How this Fast Growing Solar Product Works ,Solar Carport Structures and Costs,Solar Panel Carport Suppliers,Largest Solar Carports,Charging Electric Vehicles

7 Apr, 2011
Electric Vehicles,Solar Cells,Solar Energy,Solar EPC,Solar Inverters,Solar Panels

Solar Carports are a relatively new Solar Energy Product compared to other Solar Products like Solar Heaters and Solar Cooking.Solar Carports are fast catching on as their dual use of protecting,shading a car as well as providing electricity to nearby offices and buildings.It makes use of real estate that would go waste so it provides a lot of value add besides helping in protecting the environment as well.

How Solar Carports Work

Solar Carports work mostly using the same principles like a normal residential solar installation.Solar Panels are installed on the roof of the carport and then connected electrically to the power grid using an inverter.The designing,installation and power connection of the solar carport is done by most of the normal Solar EPC Contractors that work on residential and commercial rooftops.

Solar Carports Costs

If you put up Solar Panels on an existing Carport rather than buying a new structure than the cost of the Solar Carport should not be more than that of putting Solar Panels on the Roof.The Cost of Putting a Solar Panel is around $4-5/watt for small commercial installations and somewhat higher for residential installations.On the other hand buying a Solar Carport Structure with Solar Panels would be higher.Note you would get subsidies for Solar Carports just the same as for Rooftop Solar Installations and probably subsidies for Charging Stations for EVs as well.

Solar Carport Structures

Some companies also sell carports that includes the steel structure which house the vehicle.The whole carport is sold as a single piece instead of putting solar panels on the roof of an existing carport.This structures have the advantage of being customized for generating electricity.Note Solar Carports can be of different designs – a single pole with solar panels forming the roof of the solar carport or a steel structure which is customized for putting up solar panels on top

Solar Carports as Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

Solar Carports are being increasingly being used as Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles making the Carports totally green.Note Electric Vehicles are being massively subsidized and supported by government around the world.Charging stations for Lithium,NiMH batteries are essential infrastructure for EVs and Hybrid Vehicles.These Solar Carports are ideal for use as Charging Stations as they generate Green Electricity and house Cars as well.Solar Carports and Electric Vehicles are kind of made for each other and make the Electric Car Concept totally Green.Cities are increasingly adopting this model such as Los Angeles

Solar Carports Suppliers

Envision Solar – The original pioneer of the concept of Solar Carport Envision Solar is listed on the US markets.The company has a number of solar products based on high tech design of solar carports which include Solar Tree®, Solar Row™, LifePort®, LifePod™ and LifeVillage™.The company has tied up with Chevy Volts for putting up Charging Stations as well.

Note most Solar Installers in USA will design Solar Carports and there are only a few players dedicated to Solar Carport segments only.Here is a list of some of the top residential and commercial installers in the USA

Akeena/Westinghouse Solar (WEST) - The first US Solar Installer to list on the US Stock Exchange,the company’s operations are based mainly in California.The company also sells solar sytems through retail outlets which was a first.The company also has a unique solar system which reduces solar installation costs called Mandalay.

Real Goods Solar (RSOL)- The second US Solar Installer to list on the Stock exchange,Real Goods Solar is present in California and Colorado and it targets the residential and commercial segments of the market

Verengo Solar - The company also provides solar financing solutions and is present in the California market.

Borrego Solar - The company is similar to Verengo Solar but mainly concentrates on the commercial market.The company signed a deal with Chinese solar panel producer Yingli for procuring solar panels.The company is headquartered in California like most others.

Sungevity - Sungevity is a California company targeting the residential market through a solar leasing plan.It extensively uses the Internet to design the system and has a JV with US Bank to provide financing to its customers.

SolarCity - SolarCity is a full-service solar provider for commercial and residential customers and does solar power system design, financing, installation and monitoring services from a single source.SolarCity is introduced  a new solar lease option, called SolarLease.It also has other options like PPA .The company’s footprint extends to Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington D.C.

SunRun – SunRun is one of the newer solar installation and solar financing companies that target the residential market mainly.The company is present mainly in the Western  part of USA operating in 7 states Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.The company uses a PPA model to sell solar systems and has partnered with a numer of pure play solar installers

Largest Solar Carports

Phoenix Solar,Italy - The largest Solar Carport is being built by Phoenix Solar which is a   5.9 MW solar carport in Italy.24,700 Solarwatt crystalline photovoltaics modules are expected to be installed on four individual surface areas, which will form the roof of the roughly 13,000 square meter carport

Sunwize Systems,Arizona,USA – SunWize Systems is installing the largest carport at Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center ,Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) medical center in Phoenix, Arizona with a capacity of around 4 MW using  18,000 Samsung and Panasonic crystalline solar modules

India to Set up 2 Bodies NBEM,NCEM to promote Green Vehicles as Oil Prices Pinch

5 Apr, 2011
Electric Vehicles,Oil,Transportation

India had announced a policy to provide subsidies for purchases of Green Vehicles in the Budget session .With Oil Prices crossing $100 a barrel quite comfortably and not looking like coming back to 2 digits anytime soon,the government is going to set up 2 bodies to promote hybrid and electric vehicles.Note other governments like China,South Korea and USA have already provided massive subsidies,loans and  regulations to promote both the manufacturers and the usage of Green Cars.Cabinet has already approved National Council for Electric Mobility (NCEM) and  a junior body at the executive level,  National Board for Electric Mobility (NBEM).India to Set up 2 Bodies NBEM,NCEM to promote Green Vehicles as Oil Prices Pinch

Note none of the Indian automakers has a decent EV or a Hybrid selling in the Indian market.Foreign markets on the other had are seeing fierce competition amongst major auto makers to gain a first mover advantage.GM,Nissan,Toyota are the leader in this market with other car makers also in the process of getting in.Hectic alliances and JVs are being forged as this market segment promises to be the fastest growing as the governments give massive subsidies and push.It remains to be seen whether the government in India can push given its record.

Govt to set up apex bodies on hybrid vehicles this week

The government will set up two high-level bodies this week to frame policies for promotion of hybrid and electric vehicles in the country, which depends largely on imports for its automobile fuel.Patel recently indicated that the government may provide an direct or indirect subsidy for the manufacture of green vehicles.At the NATRIP function, Sharma said it was time India took steps to develop and promote hybrid and electric vehicles as there is a need for alternative and emission-friendly initiatives.

Electic Vehicles in India get boost through duty cut,however no Support for Public Transport or Oil Bill Reduction

1 Mar, 2011
Electric Vehicles,Oil

India’s Transport Policy is an unmitigated disaster with traffic congestion frequently killing people.The lack of roads and traffic planning has made transport in Indian cities a daily monstrous headache for commuters.The use of modern transport which does not cause pollution and reduces congestion is the need of the hour.The government seems to be moving slowly in that direction.While MNRE had announced  a capital subsidy for Green Transport earlier,the Finance Minister cut excise and custom duties on Green Vehicles as well.India’s Union Budget did not have much for the Green Industry except a piffling Rs 200 crore fund for the environment and the cuts of duties for EVs.

What is needed are major structural reforms for changing the whole car dependent transport policy.For a high population density,oil importing poor country like India,private cars don’t make a lot of sense.Public Transport needs massive investments and policy support.However there was nothing of that sort with no increase in duties for cars.India’s government continues to pander to the interest of auto companies while its massive Oil Bill threatens to derail the Indian growth story.

Govt incentivises electric, hybrid vehicles; industry welcomes

The government today proposed to set up a National Mission for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles to encourage manufacturing and selling of alternative fuel-based vehicles.

The Budget for 2011-12 also proposed to cut excise duty on development and manufacturing of hybrid vehicle kits to 5 per cent from the existing 10 per cent, besides fully exempting customs and counter-vailing duty (CVD) on import of special hybrid parts.Currently hybrid vehicles enjoy a concessional excise duty rate of 10 per cent.

Showa,Hitachi join other Japanese conglomerates Sumitomo,Mitsubishi in Rare Metal Hunt

9 Dec, 2010
Electric Vehicles,Japan

Japan has been desperately looking for Rare Earth Resources after China used its monopolistic position to embargo the supply of REE to Japan.Sojitz has signed a supply deal with new Australian REE developer Lynas while Toshiba is looking to set up a plant in India to mine Rare Metals from the monazite sands of the defunct REE extraction plant in Orissa.Sumitomo the Japanese trading giant too is rumored to be picking up a stake in US REE company Molycorp which expects to soon start its California mine which was shuttered a decade ago after China’s low prices bankrupted the REE producers all over the world

Hitachi is one of the biggest producer of hard drives and uses about 600 tons of REE per year.The company also produces Batteries for Electric Vehicles which uses large amounts of Rare Earth Metals.Hitachi is looking to increase the amount of Rare Earth Supply through new recycling technologies.Showa Denko another major REE consumer is also looking towards recycling in Vietnam to secure the supply of Rare Earth Metals.Japan’s government and its giant conglomerates have massively increased their efforts in new process and sources for Rare Earth after the Chinese shock.Note many  of the high tech products manufactured by Japanese companies would come to a complete halt in absence of these Rare Earth Metals.

Hitachi Recycles Rare Earth as China Crimps Supply

While trading houses Sojitz Corp. and Sumitomo Corp. consider investing in mines outside China, Hitachi said it expects recycling to meet 10 percent of its needs by 2013 from almost zero now.

Inside a warehouse in Matsudo City, Hitachi demonstrated the results of the one-year, $1.5 million research project partly funded by Japan’s government. Four refrigerator-sized devices use saws to open up compressors without damaging the rare earth magnets inside. A separate conveyor belt feeds disk drives into a machine about the size of a ship container. The drives come out the other end in pieces ready for rare earth harvesting.

Besides Hitachi’s project, Tokyo-based chemical maker Showa Denko KK in May opened a plant in Vietnam to begin recycling dysprosium and didymium metal used to make magnetic alloys. The company, the world’s biggest producer of some components used in hard disk drives, makes 8,000 tons of the alloys a year and plans output of 800 tons at the recycling factory.

Can the Chinese Trillion Dollars Resurrect the Faltering Global Renewable Energy Industry

3 Dec, 2010
China,Climate Change,Electric Vehicles,Renewable Energy,USA

Renewable Energy has faced a very bad year in 2010 at least in terms of stock prices.The failure of the Copenhagen Climate Meet in 2009 and the complete indifference towards the Cancun Meet in Mexico has made the Green Energy Sector one of the worst performing ones.Wind Energy has been the worst hit with falling gas prices and  falling subsidies with USA and Europe the worst hit.Other sectors like Solar Energy and Biofuels have not got much love from the markets either.In fact major financial insitutions have sharply reduced their Renewable Energy Holdings with Short Interest Rising to a Record High amongst Green Companies like American Semiconductor,Jinko Solar etc.However despite the ascendancy of the Republicans in USA and the cold shoulder given to climate and energy bill,this might mark a bottom for Renewable Energy

Hedge Funds Short Clean Energy as Goldman Pares Stakes

Hedge funds increased short selling in U.S. renewable energy stocks to the highest level in a year, boosting bets against First Solar Inc. and Tesla Motors Inc. as government support for low-polluting technologies faltered.

President Barack Obama said he may be unable to reduce U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions after Republicans regained control of the House in Nov. 2 elections. Republicans say they will seek to roll back Environmental Protection Agency rules limiting carbon venting, ease curbs on coal mining and may try to block billions of dollars in federal subsidies for clean power.

China is planning to invest $1.5 Trillion Dollars in the next 5 years in  7 New Sectors to structurally change its economy and give it a new direction.4 out of the 7 Sectors relate to the Green Economy namely Renewable Energy,Energy Efficiency,Green Vehicles and Advanced Materials.Note China has become a leader in the Clean Technology Industry which has been acknoledged by both Business and Consultancies in the West.China will account for almost 50% of the Global Demand for Wind Energy from almost zero 5 years ago.It is also preparing itself to be a Leader in Hybrid/Electric Vehicles while Chinese Solar Firms produced 60% of the world’s solar panels.With a Trillion Dollars,China could easily resurrect the Global Renewable Energy Industry on its own while further outdistancing itself by a huge margin from other competitors.

China mulls $1.5 trillion strategic industries boost: sources

China is considering investments of up to $1.5 trillion over five years in seven strategic industries, sources said, a plan aimed at accelerating the country’s transition from the world’s supplier of cheap goods to a leading purveyor of high-value technologies.

The targeted sectors include alternative energy, biotechnology, new-generation information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, advanced materials, alternative-fuel cars and energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies.

Page 1 of 6
1 2 3 4 5 →
...
Last

Most Popular

Recent Comments