The recent announcement of the proposed ADAGE biopower plant in Mason County, Wash., generated a few questions.

Questions like: What, exactly, is biomass? Will it create jobs for the folks who live here? How will it impact our environment and local infrastructure? What about the air and water?

All good questions … and all answered in detail, along with many others, at these two websites:

biopowerfacts.com and adagebiopower.com/washington

You can also view and download a wide range of reference materials and link to information on academic, government and other organizations’ websites.

After looking over the information, send us your thoughts and sign up to receive emailed updates on the ADAGE Washington site. If we didn’t answer your question, send it to us and we’ll post an update.

Jacques Besnainou AREVA Inc. CEO

In the January edition of Electroindustry—a publication from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association—AREVA Inc. CEO Jacques Besnainou discusses how changes in renewable energy and grid standards are an essential part of transforming the U.S. energy sector.

“But, while everyone agrees the outcome from Copenhagen may take a few years to be ratified and implemented, it is encouraging that many countries, including the U.S., Canada, EU, and China, are moving forward with their own actions to lower their carbon footprints and transition to low-carbon economies.”

Besnainou points out that in addition to federal actions, some states have adopted Renewable Portfolio Standards (PRS), “which together constitute another key driver of renewable energy.”

“Many states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions have expressed interest in offshore wind. We have seen similar interest in coastal provinces of Eastern Canada. AREVA, as part of a strong commitment to supplying the world with clean, CO2-free energy, is making significant investments in offshore wind in the U.S. and Canada. We believe that standards will make offshore wind a sustainable market and we are encouraged by the projections from the American and Canadian Wind Associations.”

Equally important in the development of renewable energy is the need for “interconnection standards that eliminate barriers to connecting offshore and onshore wind plants to transmission systems. The existing grid interconnection standards must continue to evolve and be flexible as the technology advances.”

Read the rest of the piece “Standards Increase Renewable Energy, Facilitate Grid Interconnection,” on page 3 here.

For more information about what AREVA is doing in renewable energy and offshore wind can also be found here.

We think these are a very good series of questions… and are proud to among the companies and organizations asking them.

AREVA Biomass Facility

AREVA Biomass Facility

AREVA Biomass Facility

AREVA Biomass Facility

AREVA Biomass Facility

AREVA Biomass Facility

AREVA Biomass Facility

AREVA Biomass Facility

AREVA Biomass Facility

By Katherine Berezowskyj

By Katherine Berezowskyj

AREVA Biomass Facility

What does a recipe for sugar, rice and eucalyptus make?  Not a new culinary dish, but several hundred megawatts of reliable, affordable renewable energy.  In fact, sugar cane bagasse (stalks, husks, etc.), rice husks, and eucalyptus branches and leaves are all used in biomass facilities to produce clean, sustainable energy.

And AREVA has just been awarded three contacts for biomass facilities that use these materials to produce power in Brazil and Thailand.

Through its subsidiary Koblitz, AREVA has signed a contract for the construction of 11 turnkey biomass plants for Brazil.  These plants, which will use eucalyptus, will have a total output capacity of 380 megawatts and is expected to take about four years to build.  Also in Brazil, AREVA will retrofit the power generation unit which uses materials from a sugar mill in the Alagoas state.  The upgraded unit will generate 50 megawatts of electricity.

In Thailand, AREVA has won a contract to build two turnkey 10 megawatt biomass plants that will be fueled by rice husks.

AREVA has built over 100 units across the globe and is planning to bring this technology and expertise to America.  AREVA is currently working as part of a joint-venture with Duke Energy to build biomass facilities across the United States.  The joint-venture, ADAGE, already has two biomass facilities under development in Florida.  Each of these facilities will produce 700 direct and indirect jobs and enough energy to power 40,000 homes.

The development of this renewable energy source continues to grow.  Bloomberg reported last week that ADAGE “plan(s) to pick U.S. locations for at least three biomass-fueled plants in the next six months to meet demand for energy from renewable sources.”

The press release—AREVA Awarded Contracts in Brazil and Thailand—here.

For more information on ADAGE, and to keep up with the latest news, check out the site.

Bill Weihl

Q. What does the pathway to cheap renewable energy at scale look like? Do you think there’s enough political and societal will to make it happen?

A. As a society, we have chosen to invest too little in alternative energy over the years, and that has made some of the choices much harder than they should be… We should be investing in new wind technologies that promise substantially lower cost. We should be investing in enhanced geothermal, we should be investing in cheaper, safer, cleaner nuclear…. We need to invest across the spectrum.”

– Google’s Energy “Czar” Bill Weihl
from the New York Times from January 7, 2010.

Governor Jan Brewer

And more news about the need for both nuclear energy and renewables, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer “wants more nuclear power for in state.” According to the Associated Press, Brewer said Tuesday that “the state should include more nuclear power plants in its energy portfolio while cutting taxes and government regulation to provide a welcome mat for solar and wind projects encountering “green tape” elsewhere.

Said Brewer, “Memo to California solar industries: Arizona’s door is open, we’ll leave the light on for you.”

Brewer outlined a portfolio of positions and initiatives on energy topics during an address to a regional business summit held at a Phoenix resort.

Arizona already is home to the three-reactor Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station west of Phoenix, and Brewer said she wants to develop more nuclear power.

No new nuclear power plant has been built in the U.S. for decades but economic and environmental factors warrant a new emphasis on that electricity source, Brewer said.

“I believe it’s the wave of the future,” she said.”

Read the rest of the piece by Paul Davenport of the Associated Press here.

An op-ed by AREVA North America CEO Jacques Besnainou that appeared in yesterday’s Tri-City Herald (Wash.).

Jacques Besnainou, AREVA North America CEO

“Despite broad support for effective climate legislation, its passage is not certain. Yes, many stakeholders want action. But too many of them are promoting parochial interests at the expense of the greater good.

Some special interest groups focus entirely on energy efficiency. Others are wedded to renewable sources and say no others need apply. Still others are battling for a greater role for biofuels, small hydro, clean coal, nuclear energy or any of a host of others. Which one should the government choose?

My response is that it is not an either/or question. We need a broad range of clean energy alternatives and we need to get moving. While some projects already are under way, a strong climate bill would hasten the development of more clean energy projects and create thousands of additional green jobs.

Rather than advocating and defending so many individual energy “silos,” none of which will solve the problem alone, we should unite behind a holistic approach. We should rally around the broad banner of clean energy, defined as all sources that produce little or no carbon dioxide and have a minimal impact on the environment.
Two areas are particularly promising and deserve priority attention in developing a holistic solution.

The first is renewable energy, especially offshore wind, biomass and solar. Today, renewables account for 3 percent of our energy supply, but there is great potential for growth.

Wind off our coasts is perpetual, continuous and clean. No one can disrupt its supply. Similarly, the sun offers the potential for an inexhaustible source of energy.
The second is nuclear energy, which supplies 20 percent of the nation’s total electricity, but is by far the largest source of CO2-free electricity.

America’s nuclear power sector accounts for nearly 75 percent of our clean air energy, thus any expansion of our nuclear sector would avoid massive volumes of emissions.

But a sizeable number of Americans still harbor fears of nuclear power. Our challenge is to do a better job of informing the publicabout the nuclear industry’s exemplary safety record over the last 50 years.

There are those who suggest that, as we develop a cleaner, more efficient power sector, we must choose between nuclear energy and renewables. This is a false choice, and forcing people to make one would be a huge mistake.

The solution is not nuclear energy or renewables. It is not a focus on energy efficiency or new generation. Finding our way to a low-carbon future means we need more energy efficiency, renewables, nuclear energy and other clean sources if we are to succeed.”

Read the full piece from the Tri-City Herald (Wash.) here.

A version of the op-ed also appeared in Sunday’s Lynchburg (Va.) News & Advance.

Here is a great video on the M5000, AREVA Multibrid’s 5 Megawatt offshore wind turbine. AREVA has installed six of these wind-powered giants in the North Sea as part of the Alpha Ventus project.

More information on the Alpha Ventus project is available here.

And while on YouTube, be sure to look at the other videos on AREVA Inc.’s channel.

If you cannot access the video, you can also find it on the AREVA Multibrid site, which is on key part of AREVA’s Renewables growing portfolio of renewable energy options.

By Katherine Berezowskyj

AREVA Multibrid M5000 offshore wind turbines

Not too far from Copenhagen, AREVA is making sure that some progress in reducing CO2 emissions is a reality. AREVA, through its German subsidiary Multibrid, has installed and commissioned six of its specially designed offshore M5000 turbines.

Located in the North Sea, these AREVA turbines are part of the Alpha Ventus project, the first German offshore wind park nearly 28 miles from the Island of Borkum. This is a major achievement for renewable energy because of the technical merit and large energy output these wind turbines have successfully demonstrated.

These five megawatt M5000 turbines are specially designed for the harsh marine climate and are able to capitalize on these excellent wind conditions. Already the six Alpha Ventus turbines have generated almost 30 million kWh, including nearly 10 million kWh with 99% percent availability in the last two weeks of November.

AREVA is very proud and excited about these technical achievements and what the M5000 contributes to the offshore wind industry.

For more information, check out the press release and the AREVA Multibrid Site.

by Mary Douglas
Reprinted from AREVA Energy Business, Issue 8

Other Carbon-Free Energies

Nuclear is only one option, albeit a key one, among AREVA’s range of carbon-free energy choices. The group is developing synergistic solutions including a range of renewable energies that make sense in a balanced energy mix.

Renewable energy use is increasing worldwide. In emerging countries they supply inexpensive electricity from local resources. In Europe and North America they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Europe has set an objective of a 20% share for renewable energies in final energy consumption by 2020, and AREVA has technologies capable of supporting that growth.

The group is currently offering its customers a portfolio of four renewable energies: wind power, bioenergy, concentrated solar power, as well as next-generation hydrogen carrier and storage solutions. Several of these have already reached technical maturity, such as wind power and bio energies. They can still be improved in terms of yield and distribution. For example, following its acquisition of 51% of Multibrid in 2007, AREVA has developed pioneering technology to become a leader in the emerging offshore wind power market.

In bioenergy, AREVA is no. 1 in turnkey solutions. The group has built over 100 operating bioenergy power units all over the world, totaling more than 2,800 MWe of installed capacity. AREVA is also reshaping the hydrogen industry by providing CO2-free Hydrogen production. These solutions enable hydrogen to be generated via electrolysis and electricity from fuel cells, with no greenhouse gas emissions.

AREVA is also developing concentrated solar power solutions, which will deliver more than 20% efficiency and grid parity.

Improving Efficiency of Nuclear Power Generation and Fuel Management

The cleanest energy is energy that is not used at all. AREVA is working to improve efficiency in both power generation and fuel supply. The aim is to maximize the availability of operating nuclear power plants to produce more energy with the same amount of fuel. It includes working to improve load factors at new reactors such as the state-of-the-art Generation III+ EPR™ reactor.

AREVA's Saint Alban plant in France

One advantage of this new generation of reactors is its fuel burn-up coefficient. Compared to the previous generation reactor, the EPR™ reduces uranium consumption by 15% for the same amount of electricity generated. In line with its commitment to sustainable development and environmental protection – by making energy more efficient – AREVA is also helping to conserve valuable resources by improving fuel management. Reusable uranium and plutonium are recovered from used fuel for recycling in nuclear reactors as MOX fuel (a mixture of the two materials) or as enriched reprocessed uranium (ERU). Using its advanced technologies, AREVA is therefore able to recycle 96% of the materials contained in used nuclear fuel which significantly reduces the volume and radiotoxicity of final waste to be disposed of. Through its recycling operation, under strict international safeguards, AREVA also supports non-proliferation objectives since used fuel is unloaded from a power plants it can be sent directly to recycling operations and MOX production, avoiding the accumulation and aging of used nuclear fuel at multiple reactor sites worldwide..

Waking to the Dangers

The world is finally awakening to the dangers of climate change, and as a global leader in solutions for CO2-free power generation AREVA is ready to offer its entire portfolio of energy solutions to solve the problems which will increasingly face its customers.

In July, leaders at G8 agreed to at least a 50% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with developed countries achieving an 80% reduction to ensure that global average temperatures do not rise by more than 2ºC above preindustrial levels.

In October, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Washington was “deeply committed” to finding a solution to climate change in the run-up to Copenhagen. “This is a fundamental trust we are about to break if we don’t act as aggressively as we can,” he told a meeting at the IEA in Paris. AREVA is well prepared to meet this challenge.

• AREVA Leads the Way in Tackling Climate Change, Part I
• Find the article on page 22 of AREVA Energy Business Magazine