Mainstream Renewable Power to Build One Gigawatt of Wind Energy Plants in Chile

Mainstream Renewable Energy to Build 1 Gigawatt of Wind Power in Chile

DUBLIN, IRELAND  --(GreenEnergyNews)--Global wind and solar energy company Mainstream Renewable Power was today awarded contracts by the National Energy Commission of Chile to build and operate seven utility-scale wind energy plants with a combined capacity of 986MW. The projects, awarded via twenty year term contracts, are located throughout Chile and are scheduled to begin supplying low-cost, clean energy into the grid from January 2021.

Mainstream was one of the leading beneficiaries in what was the most competitive and biggest electricity tender in the country's history. Eighty-four companies submitted 85,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of bids for just over 12,000 GWh of available power - nearly seven times more power bid than could be awarded. This round also marks the first time Mainstream has participated independently in a Chilean bid and all projects are 100% Mainstream owned.

Since entering the Chilean market in 2009, Mainstream has built up the most comprehensive portfolio of wind and solar energy projects among its peers in the country, extending to over 2,000 megawatts across Chile. Through its joint venture with Actis ("Aela Energia"), Mainstream also has an additional 300 megawatts of wind projects (which it won in the 2015 auction) due to start construction in Chile this year to deliver energy in 2017 as well as a 33 megawatt wind farm which has been in operation since 2014.

Commenting on the awards, Mainstream's Chief Executive Eddie O'Connor said: "Today's win underpins Mainstream's standing as the leading independent renewable energy company in high-growth emerging energy markets. We look forward to developing these projects to the highest standard to deliver competitive priced energy into the Chilean system from 2021. I will be meeting with the CEOs of the main wind turbine manufacturers in the coming months to discuss the next generation of turbines required for these projects.

He continued: "We have developed and won contracts for projects in the North Sea, Chile, South Africa, Egypt, Senegal, Ghana and the US. We continue to find innovative ways to fund our projects as we add to our exciting emerging markets project pipeline - just like the recently announced $117.5 million equity funding for our African platform, which included investors such as the IFC and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund."

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Biofuels Changing The Friendly Skies

Booking a flight soon? You may be leaving on a jet plane powered with renewable fuel. With more than 87,000 flights and approximately 1.56 million barrels of jet fuel consumed each day in the United States, developing cleaner alternative sources of jet fuel is a priority for the airline industry and the Energy Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO).

Thanks to significant investments from big names in the commercial aviation industry like United and Southwest Airlines, as well as FedEx and others, biofuels have risen sky high. In fact, 2016 marked an industry milestone as United Airlines became the first U.S. airline to use commercial-scale volumes of biofuel—which is blended with traditional jet fuel and produced from non-edible natural oils and agricultural wastes—for regularly scheduled flights.

As the industry’s interest in biofuels continues to grow, BETO is examining new ways to produce the highest quality sustainable fuels for aviation. A new project from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is pioneering a technology that not only provides a sustainable source of bio-based jet fuel, but also offers an innovative solution to industrial waste management. With funding from BETO, PNNL has been working with industry-partner,LanzaTech, to transform carbon-rich industrial waste gases into renewable jet fuel. This technology not only provides a viable source of sustainable jet fuel but also greatly reduces the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.

The team recently reached a significant milestone on the project, producing more than five gallons of synthetic paraffinic kerosene—a non-fossil-based jet fuel—in a lab environment. This accomplishment demonstrates their technology is ready for the next stage in testing. The research team is now working to transfer this technology from the lab to industry use through a collaboration with Freedom Pines Biorefinery in Georgia. Their next goal is to produce 2,000 gallons of jet fuel, as they continue to scale-up their technology.

The process works in two stages. First, carbon-rich industrial waste gases like carbon monoxide are captured and fed to specialized microbes. These microbes consume the gas and produce ethanol (i.e., alcohol), and the ethanol undergoes additional processing to be suita

ble for jet engines. To accomplish this, PNNL’s specialized chemical catalyst transforms ethanol into a product that can be upgraded into a finished fuel product. The resulting fuel is functionally equivalent to petroleum-derived jet fuel—meaning it can be used in today's aircrafts without engine modification and can provide the same level of performance and safety as petroleum-derived jet fuel. In addition, this fuel emits fewer other pollutants when it is burned.

Advanced biofuels have the potential to be a game changer for the aviation industry as it looks to transition towards much cleaner, sustainable fuel. The Energy Department, PNNL, and aviation industry partners are creating a robust alternative jet fuel sector that could forever change the way we fly.

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Fourteen Local Schools Chosen to Implement PEco Environmenetal Education Program

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fourteen local elementary and middle schools will participate in the third year of the PECO Environmental Education Program. Designed to educate regional students about energy efficiency and environmental conservation, 20 local elementary and middle schools have already participated in the program since its beginning in 2009.

This year’s schools are: E. N. Pierce Middle School in Chester County; Tinicum School in Delaware County; E. B. Barth Elementary, East Norriton Middle, Gotwals Elementary, and Upper Merion Area Middle Schools in Montgomery County; and Creighton Elementary, Harrison Elementary, Greenberg Elementary, James Rhoads Elementary, M. H. Stanton Elementary, Southwark Elementary, Universal Daroff Charter, and Universal Institute Charter Schools in Philadelphia.

Designed in cooperation with the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED), and in partnership with The Franklin Institute, the project-based curriculum uses hands-on activities to explore the relationship between energy efficiency, conservation and environmental preservation.

The program begins with a curriculum workshop for teachers at The Franklin Institute. Following the classroom learning, teachers and students tour an electric generating station, and put their knowledge to practical use by completing an energy efficiency/conservation community project.

The schools are chosen through a competitive application process that is based on the number of students who would benefit from the program, how each school would implement the curriculum, and information on their planned community project.

In addition to the curriculum training and educational materials, the students also will participate in a school energy audit and receive home energy audit kits. Each school also will receive $1,500 in funding from PECO.

The PECO Environmental Education Program is part of a five-year major environmental initiative aimed to make PECO more environmentally friendly through energy efficiency and other cutting-edge efforts. The comprehensive $15 million program began in 2008, included the opening of PECO’s first ‘green building’ in West Chester, the installation of a green roof and a new Crown Lights system at the company’s Center City headquarters, work to secure Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for many company work sites, the increased use of hybrid and biodiesel vehicles, support for community environmental projects, and enhanced tools and programs to help customers use energy more efficiently.

These environmental efforts contribute to and support Exelon 2020: A Low-Carbon Roadmap, the comprehensive environmental plan of PECO’s parent company. Exelon 2020 sets the goal of reducing, offsetting or displacing more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020. The corporation will do this by reducing or offsetting the company’s carbon footprint, helping customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and providing more low-carbon electricity in the marketplace.
NEED is the nation’s leading provider of energy education programs and materials to schools. Their mission is to promote an energy conscious and educated society. All NEED learning activities are correlated to Pennsylvania science objectives.

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). PECO serves 1.6 million electric and 486,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania and employs about 2,400 people in the region. PECO delivered 84.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2009. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations.

If you are a member of the media and would like to receive PECO news releases via e-mail please send your e-mail address to PECO.Communication@exeloncorp.com

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ExxonMobil Expands Worlds Largesst Carbon Capture Plant in Wyoming

Plant capable of capturing a volume of carbon dioxide equivalent to taking more than 1.5 million cars off the road

* Increases regional supply of carbon dioxide needed to extend the productivity of aging oil fields
* 50 percent more carbon dioxide available for enhanced oil recovery and other industrial applications

LABARGE, Wyo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ExxonMobil announced today the completion of an expansion to the world’s largest carbon dioxide capture plant. Located near LaBarge, Wyoming, the expanded plant will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance oil production in the United States.

“This expansion will result in lower greenhouse gas emissions and help maximize the recovery of Wyoming’s oil resources”

“This expansion will result in lower greenhouse gas emissions and help maximize the recovery of Wyoming’s oil resources,” said Randy Broiles, vice president, Americas, ExxonMobil Production Company. “ExxonMobil is a leader in the research, development and application of carbon capture technologies. These technologies could play a significant role in the future management of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.”

The $86 million expansion includes the installation of compressors to capture 50 percent more carbon dioxide for potential use in enhanced oil recovery and other industrial uses. Enhanced oil recovery involves the injection of carbon dioxide into reservoirs to produce additional oil and gas. The carbon dioxide for this project is captured from the natural gas streams produced from fields in Wyoming. The gas streams contain significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other components that are removed at the LaBarge processing plant.

With the expansion, the plant has the capacity to capture approximately 365 million cubic feet per day of carbon dioxide from the gas streams - equivalent to the amount emitted by more than 1.5 million cars.

The captured carbon dioxide is sold to companies for enhanced oil recovery, helping to extend the productive lives of mature oil fields and producing more energy supplies for America.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: Plans and projections in this release are forward-looking statements. Actual future results, including emissions reductions, resource recoveries and the impact of new technologies, could differ materially due to factors including changes in long-term oil or gas prices or other market conditions affecting the oil and gas industries; changes in law or government regulation; technical difficulties; future technological developments by ExxonMobil or others; and other factors discussed under the heading "Factors Affecting Future Results" in the “Investors” section of our website at www.exxonmobil.com.

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Sunlink RMS Selected by Cupertino Electric for 1 MW Installaton at Port of Los Angeles

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SunLink® Corporation today announced the installation of its non-penetrating rooftop solar module mounting solution by Cupertino Electric, Inc. (CEI) at the recently completed 1 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic project at the Port of Los Angeles’ World Cruise Center in Los Angeles, Calif. CEI built the landmark project using the SunLink Roof Mount System (RMS), the leading commercial rooftop mounting solution, installed on over 180 MW of projects at 900 sites across North America.

“We chose SunLink for the Port of Los Angeles project because of the company’s ability to offer a non-penetrating solution that met the Port’s specifications”

“We chose SunLink for the Port of Los Angeles project because of the company’s ability to offer a non-penetrating solution that met the Port’s specifications,” said Meisa Kassis, Project Manager, Cupertino Electric, Inc. “By using SunLink’s ballasted mounting solution, we were able to meet the Port’s requirements and preserve the long-term integrity of the roof.”

“We were pleased to work with CEI and the Port on this milestone project for Los Angeles,” said Christopher Tilley, CEO, SunLink. “As the market leader in commercial rooftop installations, we bring a vast amount of expertise and proven technology to ensure a safe, easy-to-install and cost-effective solar power system.”

The Port of Los Angeles solar project is part of the City of Los Angeles’ “Solar LA Program,” one of the world’s largest solar power projects undertaken by a single city. Over its lifetime, the solar system will reduce the Port’s carbon footprint by nearly 22,838 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of cutting the annual greenhouse gases of 4,367 cars, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

About SunLink Corporation

SunLink Corporation provides commercial photovoltaic mounting solutions and balance of system components that reduce total installed cost and improve system design flexibility. Leading integrators and installers have chosen SunLink’s commercial rooftop and ground-mounted systems on 180 MW of projects at over 800 sites across North America. SunLink's experienced engineering team provides comprehensive customer service for each installation. Our fully customizable racking systems support modules from nearly every manufacturer. For more information visit www.sunlink.com.

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