Cellulose Ethanol Market Potential
 

The last few decades have seen rapid growth in the consumption of the fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal. Production, on the other hand, has not increased to match the rise in consumption, primarily due to limited availability of these resources. The situation has been exacerbated by political instability in the Middle East and the catastrophic hurricanes of 2005, which led to sharp rises in the prices of these resources, and, in some cases, acute scarcity. Industrialized nations that are dependent on other countries for oil have been severely impacted and as a result, the U.S. government, along with state governments and the energy industry, has ramped up its support for alternative energy sources.

Given its environmental and economic benefits, together with the vast availability of feedstock, ethanol has taken on prominence as one of the most favored alternatives to fossil fuel.

The Market for Cellulose Ethanol report is an in-depth analysis of the prospects for the use of cellulose ethanol as a fuel. The report includes a comprehensive analysis of how cellulose ethanol is produced, its cost-effectiveness, the growth drivers promoting the use of ethanol over other fuels, the barriers to market, and much more. The report also focuses on the steps the U.S. government is taking to promote ethanol use, including tax incentives, funding for research and development, funding for technology, and other measures. The report also covers the basics of ethanol production; how ethanol differs from other fuels, and the benefits to consumers from using ethanol.

The Market for Cellulose Ethanol report is an analysis of this promising young industry and the market potential of ethanol as an alternative fuel source.

Includes a SPECIAL SECTION: A Guide for Developing Ethanol Processing Plants

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Introduction.
The Global Energy Sector
Current Scenario
Forecasts
The Global Energy Crisis
The Need for Alternative Energy Sources
Ethanol as an Energy Source

Basics of Cellulose Ethanol
What is Cellulose Ethanol?
Raw Materials or Feedstock Assessment
Agricultural Residues
Wheat Straw
Grass Seed Straw Residues
Forestry Residues
Municipal Solid Wastes
Pulp and Paper Mill Sludge
Conversion Technologies
Acid Hydrolysis
Enzymatic Hydrolysis
Thermochemical Processes
Comparison of Ethanol Production from Various Feedstocks
Ethanol as a Transportation Fuel

Commercialization of Cellulose Ethanol Energy
Status of Cellulose Ethanol Developments
Growth Drivers
Barriers
Technology Trends
Corn Fractionation
Corn Oil Extraction
Biomass Gasification
Production Trends

The Economic Impact of Ethanol Production and Use
Evolution of the Ethanol Industry
Economic Impacts of Ethanol Production
Local Benefits of Ethanol Production
Case Studies: Rural Communities
Ethanol’s Impact on Local Economies
Dividends and Jobs
The Iowa Report Card: 2005 and Beyond
Other Midwestern States
Beyond Corn Country
The Renewable Fuels Standard

Cost Analysis of Ethanol Production
Variable Costs
Feedstock Costs
Cash Operating Expenses
Plant Capacity and Cost
Economic Challenges

Role of the Government
Government Policies and Standards
Oxygen Standard
Renewable Fuels Standard
Greenhouse Gas Emission Standard
Government Initiatives and Support
R&D Initiatives
Tax Incentives
Funding and Technical Assistance
Other Legislations

Major Players
Industry Outlook
Production
Energy Policy Act of 2005
Case Studies

Summary of Ethanol Industry Statistics (1999 – 2006).
History of Major U.S. Legislation Supporting Ethanol Fuel.
U.S. Fuel Ethanol Imports by Country (millions of gallons).

Special Section: A Guide for Developing Ethanol Processing Plants

Customer Satisfaction in the Utility Industry

 

Released September 5, 2006

Intense competition in the utility industry has escalated the need for utilities to improve performance and enhance services in order to strengthen existing customer loyalty and attract new customers. Competitive pressures and demands for specialized services are compelling utilities to implement new and more innovative customer service programs.

Demand for customer care technology is growing in certain areas and stabilizing in others. What is driving this growing and renewed demand? This report but that a combination of factors is driving the demand that includes a renewed focus on the core utility business, preparation for the reporting requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and a desire by utilities for systems that are easier to use, offer improved functionality, integrate with other software applications, handle more complex rating structures, and offer multiple commodity billing.

This report examines a number of questions that arise from this trend: How is the drive toward improving customer satisfaction impacting the utility industry nationwide? What criteria define well-performing customer service programs and set it apart from its peers? Exactly how much control do utilities actually have over customer satisfaction?

This report offers an industry analysis and case studies that address these questions as well as other metrics related to utility customer satisfaction. Energy Business Reports interviewed industry experts and conducted research to reach its conclusions and offer recommendations on customer satisfaction issues. The report also draws information from a J.D. Power and Associates survey conducted in 2005 that has been influential in terms of ranking utilities’ performance standards and establishing the importance of customer satisfaction throughout the utility industry.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
- The Value of Customer Satisfaction
- Industry Trends
Outsourcing
Customer Empowerment
Marketing Initiatives
- Performance Investment Impacts
- Customer Interaction Methods
Self-Service Kiosks
Utility Bill
Meeting Compliance Requirements
Call Center
Web-based Customer Self-Care
EBPP
- Customer Web Adoption Rates
Eastern Region
Midwestern Region
Southern Region
Western Region
Medium-Size Utilities
- Customer Information Systems (CIS)
The Importance of Flexibility
Finding the Right CIS
Navigating CIS Implementation
Customer Value
CIS Assessment Framework
- 7 Case Studies
- Appendixes
Utility Customer Satisfaction Index Scores
Customer Information System Providers
7 EBPP Vendor Profiles
- Glossary

Published August 2006

Landfill Gas (LFG) as an Energy Source Report

 

Executive Summary:

With rising concern about energy sources, landfill gas (LFG) has emerged as an easily available, economically competitive, and proven energy resource. As of January 2005, there were 375 LFG energy (LFGE) projects in the United States, generating electricity or providing direct-use energy sources for boilers, furnaces, and other applications. Approximately 100 direct-use LFGE projects in operation burned over 70 billion cubic feet (bcf) of LFGE in 2004. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), there are still more than 600 landfills that could be developed, offering a potential gas flow capacity of over 280 bcf per year.

LFG is a byproduct of the decay process of organic matter in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The gas typically contains approximately 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide, with some additional trace compounds. The heat value of LFG ranges from 400 to 600 British thermal units (Btu) per cubic foot and can burn in virtually any application with minor adjustments to air/fuel ratios. The use of LFG provides environmental and economic benefits, and users of LFG have achieved significant cost savings compared to traditional fuel usage due primarily to the fact that LFG costs are consistently lower than the cost of natural gas.

Additionally, because LFG is comprised of approximately 50% methane, a major greenhouse gas, reducing landfill methane emissions by utilizing it as a fuel helps businesses, energy providers, and communities protect the environment and build a more sustainable energy future.

This report on landfill gas treatment and utilization examines the LFG industry and contains basic information about LFG, its composition, production, conditions affecting its production, movement, and transport; and health hazards and safety issues related to LFG. The report also contains an overview of LFG sampling, treatment procedures, control measures, regulatory requirements, and much more. This is a comprehensive information bank for decision makers in the energy industry and an information source for others interested in this rapidly-growing industry.

Table of Contents:
Uses of Collected Landfill Gas
Types of Landfills
Production
Transfer
Regulatory Environment
Carbon Credits
Safety and Health Issues
Assessing Landfill Gas Hazards
Environmental Impact of Landfill Gases
Control Measures for Landfill Gases
Sampling Methods
Landfill Gas Collection Technologies
Primary Pretreatment Technologies for Landfill Gas
Secondary Pretreatment Technologies
Electricity Generation from LFG
Funding Landfill Gas Projects
Small LFG Projects Potential
166 Case Studies
Status of LFGE Project Development and Candidate Landfills by State
LFG Components
Bacterial Decomposition Phases
Waste Energy Consumption by Type and Energy Use Sector, 2003 (Trillion Btu)
Electricty Net Generation from Renewable Energy by Energy Use Sector and Energy Source, 2000-2004 - (Thousand Kilowatthours)
Purchase and Sale of Class B Interests - Closing Documents Checklist
Glossary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purchase the Entire LFG Package for just $697!
The LFG Package consists of 6 parts:
1. 163 page Report $397
2. LFG Companies Directory-Excel-$297
3. LFG Project Directory-Excel-$297

Free Bonuses:
4. Landfill Gas Emissions Model Calculator-Excel
5. Emission Reductions and Environmental and Energy Benefits Calculator-Excel
6. LFG Conference Proceedings-PDF

Landfill Gas (LFG) Company Directory


 

This searchable Excel file contains contact information for Landfill Gas companies including address, phone, fax, email, website.
Companies are broken up into categories:
General - 105 contacts
Project Development - 153 contacts
Financial/Legal - 64 contacts
LFG Electric Use - 1 contacts
LFG Direct Use - 31 contacts
Alternative Fuel - 73 contacts
Treatment - 42 contacts
Installation and Operation – 84
contacts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purchase the Entire LFG Package for just $697!
The LFG Package consists of 6 parts:
1. 163 page Report $397
2. LFG Companies Directory-Excel-$297
3. LFG Project Directory-Excel-$297

Free Bonuses:
4. Landfill Gas Emissions Model Calculator-Excel
5. Emission Reductions and Environmental and Energy Benefits Calculator-Excel
6. LFG Conference Proceedings-PDF

Landfill Gas (LFG) Project Directory

 

This searchable Excel file contains 2,520 Landfill gas projects with full project information including:
Landfill name
Location
Waste in tons
Owner
Developer
Project status - (potential, candidates, operational, shutdown, under construction)
Project start and end dates
Utilization type
Project type
MW capacity
Emissions reductions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purchase the Entire LFG Package for just $697!
The LFG Package consists of 6 parts:
1. 163 page Report $397
2. LFG Companies Directory-Excel-$297
3. LFG Project Directory-Excel-$297

Free Bonuses:
4. Landfill Gas Emissions Model Calculator-Excel
5. Emission Reductions and Environmental and Energy Benefits Calculator-Excel
6. LFG Conference Proceedings-PDF

Fuel Cell Manufacturer Directory

This is a sortable excel file listing 2,802 fuel cell manufaturers, including contact information, address, email addresses, title, and company market data including:
Type of Company
What components each company sells
Which market segment companies are in
What fuel cell types each develops
List of Associations, Media outlets, Government outlets
Company revenue and ownership details
Company and services description

This Excel file is delivered via email.
published May 2006

Fuel Cell Technology and Market Potential 2006

"The global fuel cell industry is expected to generate more than $18.6 billion in 2013. Fuel cell sales will come from three main market applications: automotive, stationary, and portables. projected sales could generate nearly $35 billion if market conditions improved for automotive fuel cells."

This comprehensive new report explains the fuel cell market, identifies the current and future state of the fuel cell industry, and details industry initiatives and potential.

It includes a special section on Micro Fuel Cell Technology and Potential.

Table of Contents:
Overview
How a Fuel Cell Works
Parts of a Fuel Cell
Types of Fuel Cells
Comparison of Fuel Cell Types
Hydrogen Production Sources
Industry Challenges
Cost
Endurance and Reliability
Onboard Storage
System Size
Fuel Flexibility
Air, Thermal, and Water Management
Hydrogen Availability
Performance
System Integration
Improved Heat Recovery Systems
Safety Concerns
Lack of Innovative Technical Development
Public Acceptance
Transportation Application Challenges
Regulatory Issues
Fuel Cell R&D
Micro Fuel Cell Technology
Key Issues in the Micro Fuel Cells Market
Commercialization of Micro Fuel Cells
DOE Initiatives
Transportation Systems
Stationary Systems
Fuel Processors
Portable Power/APUs/Off-Road Applications
Stack Components
Industry Initiatives
Micro Fuel Cells
Transportation
Portable Power
Hydrogen Infrastructure
New Fuels
Industrial Applications
Power Generation
Military
Wastewater Treatment Plants
Residential Applications
Telecommunication Systems
Overall Market Potential and Forecast
Fuel Cell Industry Participants
Companies
Government Links
University Sites
Miscellaneous
Current News
Glossary

Excerpt - 127 Pages
Fuel cells provide direct current (DC) voltage that can be used to power motors, lights, or electrical appliances. Like batteries, fuel cells can be recharged while operating. They compete with other types of energy conversion devices such as gas turbines in power plants, gasoline engines in vehicles, and batteries in laptop computers. Fuel cells have the potential to become the dominant technology for automotive engines, power stations, and power packs for portable electronics.

The percentage of fuel cell units manufactured and sold by technology type has remained fairly steady in recent years. Overall, the market continues to be dominated by PEMFC, the most flexible and market-adaptable fuel cell technology. However, other types of fuel cells are slowly gaining acceptance, creating a more dynamic and robust industry. At the larger end of the fuel cell scale, molten carbonate cells are dominant, with FuelCell Energy selling the most MCFCs. Solid oxide cells are still struggling to make the jump from the research lab to the market and to find practical applications.

Phosphoric acid fuel cell unit numbers remained practically unchanged in 2005, and thus the cumulative market share went down, but this trend is expected to change within two years when UTC releases a new enhanced PAFC with a lifespan of 80,000 operating hours, the highest in the market.

A relatively new battleground is the residential or small stationary market. This is, in reality, two separate markets, and some companies are entering the fray with a focus on either back-up and premium power or on residential power, rather than trying to sell into both markets. The main technology is proton exchange membrane, and a majority of units sold  through 2005 were PEMFC. SOFC has a small but significant market share in this sector, and there has been talk of early commercialization by several SOFC companies.

Finally, the small portable and portable electronic markets are dominated almost entirely and in equal shares by PEMFC and DMFC technologies. Currently, DMFC has an edge, due to the market activities of one or two large companies. Several other technologies are also under investigation for use in small portable and portable electronic devices.

Emerging fuel cell applications in the areas of transportation, industry, the home, and consumer products speak to the enormous potential for this technology. Another important application for renewable energy is in the area of space travel. Since fuel cells do not rely on combustion, and thus do not produce air pollutants such as NOx (nitrogen oxides), SO2 (sulfur dioxides), or particulates, fuel cell use can substantially reduce pollution caused by emissions as well as reduce oil dependency. Prices for operation will remain vulnerable to natural gas supplies, as most fuel cells currently employ natural gas, but this will change if/when a hydrogen economy is established.

Global Utility Meter Manufacturer Directory

The Global Utility Meter Manufacturer Directory is an MS Excel file containing a list of 739 major utility meter manufacturers.

A perfect tool for your entire organization and useful for many purposes including marketing, business development, and sales.

Information includes:
Company
Address
Country
Meter type (electric/gas/water)
Name
Job Title
Website address
Email address
Telephone
Fax

Countries listed include:
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
China
Columbia
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Israrl
Italy
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea
Malysia
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Poland
Portugal
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
UAE
UK
Ukraine
USA

LNG Projects Database, Company Directory, and Maps

This NEW product consists of 2 files:
The first is a searchable Excel file containing a list of 758 Approved and Proposed LNG Projects including:
- Project description
- Company Name
- Project status with FERC
- State and Region of Project

It also contains a Company Directory of 431 LNG companies including:
- Address
- Phone
- Fax
- Website
- Email address

The product also includes a PDF file of 3 Maps showing Exiting, Proposed, and Potential North American LNG terminals (with size), as well as locations of peak shaving plants, satellite plants, and transmission lines.

This product was published in July 2006.

Natural Gas Storage: Effects on Energy Trading

This comprehensive report details natural gas storage systems including how they work, challenges of different systems, storage levels contributing factors, and low storage level mitigation tactics.

This report is for any industry professional who needs to understand how storage works, and how different factors affect the energy trading market.

Excerpt:

Traditionally, underground storage is defined as the storage of natural gas in underground reservoirs at a different location from which is was produced.  Storage locations are generally chosen close to concentrated market areas to satisfy market demand, stored mainly to guarantee the capability of the gas industry to meet seasonal changes in demand.
Underground storage uses are twofold: First, it adds to the industry's production and delivery systems, which in turn allows reliability in supply during periods of heavy heating gas demand. Additionally, storage can be used as a means of conservation to avoid waste (such as flaring) when production rates surpass marketability.=

A natural gas storage facility has multiple uses as well -- to augment the peak availability of storing gas produced during periods of low demand; to cover unforeseen production facilities failures; and handle abrupt increases in demand.
Gas storage is a critical element of the natural gas industry. Producers, transmission and distribution companies, marketers, and end-users all benefit directly from the load balancing function of storage. Unbundling started a process that has fundamentally changed the way storage is used and valued. As an unbundled service, the value of storage in minimizing overall costs to consumers is increasingly being recovered at rates that reflect its value. Moreover, the traditional marketplace has differentiated between various types of storage services and has increasingly rewarded flexibility, safety, and reliability.

Natural gas, like most other commodities, can be stored for an indefinite period of time. The exploration, production, and transportation of natural gas take time, and the natural gas that reaches its destination is not always needed right away, so it is injected into underground storage facilities. These storage facilities can be located near market centers that do not have a ready supply of locally produced natural gas.

Natural gas storage plays a vital role in maintaining the reliability of supply needed to meet the demands of consumers. Historically, when natural gas was a regulated commodity, storage was part of the bundled product sold by the pipelines to distribution utilities. This all changed in 1992 with the introduction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Order 636, which opened up the natural gas market to deregulation. Essentially, this meant that where natural gas storage was required prior to Order 636 for the operational requirements of the pipelines in meeting the needs of the utilities, it is now available to anyone seeking storage for commercial purposes or operational requirements.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Understanding Natural Gas Storage
How does Storage Work?
Injection and Withdrawal
Transportation
Storage Use
Seasonal Storage Trends
Above-ground Tanks
Depleted Oil Fields
Salt Formations
Domes and Beds
Aquifers
Inactive Underground Volcano
LNG
National Storage Facilities and Capacities Map
Contributing Factors to Storage Levels
Weather
Generation Demand
Impact of Storage Fluctuations on Prices and Energy Trading
Storage Level Scare
Low Storage Level Mitigation
Strategic Petroleum Reserve History
How the SPR Storage Sites Were Created
Reserve Capacity
Challenges
Integrity
Technology
US DOE Natural Gas Research Programs
Projections
Glossary
Industry Sources
Associations
Government
Major North American Storage Operators
Major Storage Companies
Top Producers

Oil Sands Global Market Potential 2007

This cutting-edge report provides details on production Technologies, Market Details, Project Cost Analysis, Major Alberta Projects Inventory, and, Market Outlook and Opportunities.

With most of the world’s known oil reserves concentrated in just a few countries, unconventional energy resources, such as oil sands, are now seen as a viable alternative to conventional oil and gas resources, and an attractive option for energy risk abatement.

Unconventional energy resources are resources that heretofore could not be recovered due to economic and/or technological barriers. However, as the price of oil and gas skyrockets and technology drives down the cost of oil sands recovery and production, this resource has become the new “black gold.” The demand for oil sands is expected to reach 10.31 million bbl in 2008, up from 8.59 million barrels in 2003 at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 3.7%.

Oil sands are a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen. They are heavy, black and viscous, but can be mined and processed to extract the oil-rich bitumen, which is then refined into oil. While the energy properties and potential of oil sands have been recognized for centuries, there had been no significant attempt to develop the resource until the mid 1960s.

Oil sands are currently found in about 70 countries, including Canada, the former Soviet Union, Venezuela, Cuba, Indonesia, Brazil, Jordan, Madagascar, Trinidad, Colombia, Albania, Rumania, Spain, Portugal, Nigeria, and Argentina. The United States contains scattered deposits of oil sands, mainly in Utah, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, California, and New Mexico.

Three quarters of the world's reserves are located in two regions: Venezuela and the Athabasca region of northern Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada. Oil sands represent as much as 66% of the world's total oil reserves, with at least 1.7 trillion barrels in the Canadian Athabasca tar sands and 1.8 trillion barrels in the Venezuelan Orinoco oil sands, compared to 1.75 trillion barrels of conventional oil, mostly located in Saudi Arabia and other Middle-Eastern countries.
Recently, investments in oil sands projects have become more attractive due to the increasing price of crude oil and technological advances that have enabled operators to bring down the cost of production. In less than 20 years of mining and upgrading, production costs have been cut in half.

It is expected that high oil prices, coupled with robust global oil demand, will continue to drive oil sands expansion. However, the prospects for oil sands as an energy source depend on the rate and costs at which they can be recovered and converted into quasi-conventional reserves, and challenges to extracting, transporting, and upgrading the resource remain. Moreover, production is sensitive to numerous outside factors, including the price of natural gas, the availability of water, and pipeline capacity to and from oil sands sites.

This report addresses these issues as well as issues relating to the economics, production, upgrading, transport, and marketing of oil sands.

Securing Energy Assets and Infrastructure 2007

This brand-new 146-page report describes in detail the energy industry's challenges and solutions for protecting critical assets including oil and gas infrastructure, transmission grids, power plants, storage, pipelines, and all aspects of strategic industry assets.
It includes a special section on Cyber-terrorism and protecting Control Systems

Recent terrorist activities have raised several important questions:
- How can the U.S. defend itself against future attacks on critical infrastructure such as energy systems?
- Are energy supplies vulnerable to attack, and if so – how and where?
- How can energy generating and storage facilities be made safer?
- How can we protect transportation systems and transmission lines?
- How are government and industry leaders working together to develop contingency plans to protect the public?
- What policies would enhance U.S. energy security?
- What are the roles of industry and government?

Table of Contents:
Section I - Introduction
U.S Energy Trends
Vulnerabilities
Protection Measures

Section II - Sector-wise Vulnerabilities Assessments and Security Measures
Coal
Oil and Petroleum
Natural Gas
Electric Power
Cybersecurity and Control Systems
Key Recommendations

Section III - Critical Infrastructure Protection Efforts
Government Initiatives
Agencies
Checklists

Introduction:
Energy security is a complex, multi-faceted issue. In its most fundamental sense, energy security is assured when a nation can deliver energy economically, reliably, in an environmentally sound and safe manner, and in quantities sufficient to support its economic and defense needs. To do this requires policies that support expansion of all elements of the energy supply and delivery infrastructure, with sufficient storage and generating reserves, diversity, and redundancy to meet the demands of economic growth.

The threats facing the nation's critical energy infrastructure continue to evolve and present new challenges. The intricate nature of the nation's electrical grid, especially in the Western U.S. and particularly in the State of California, is becoming readily apparent with rolling blackouts and the potential for further disruptions. The interdependencies of the oil, natural gas, and electric infrastructures are increasingly complex and not easily understood. The impact of a major terrorist attack directed against this fragile and interdependent infrastructure could have drastic consequences.

Conflict over resources stretches far back in human history, and energy infrastructures have long been subject to planned attacks. For instance, the New World Liberation Front bombed assets of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company over 10 times in 1975 alone. Members of the Ku Klux Klan and San Joaquin Militia were convicted of conspiring or trying to attack energy infrastructure. Organized paramilitaries have had significant impacts in some countries. For example, the Farabundo-Marti National Liberation Front interrupted service in up to 90% of El Salvador at a time and created manuals for attacking power systems.

This report examines the current state of the industry, and provides ideas into all aspects of infrastructure and asset protection and recovery.

Solar Photovoltaic Market Potential

PV is an increasingly important energy technology. Deriving energy from the sun offers numerous environmental benefits. It is an extremely clean energy source, and few other power-generating technologies have as little environmental impact as photovoltaics. As it quietly generates electricity from light, PV produces no air pollution or hazardous waste. Moreover, it does not require liquid or gaseous fuels to be transported or combusted. Also, because its energy source, sunlight, is free and abundant, PV systems can offer virtually guaranteed access to electric power.

However, this technology faces several large obstacles, most notably the costs relating to power generation and transmission as well as difficulties in obtaining funding for the development of advanced technology. Research is underway for development of so-called second generation - or thin-film - PV technologies to bring down the costs associated with PV energy.

This report examines this emerging technology and focuses on various technical, economic, and commercial aspects of solar photovoltaics. Beginning with an overview of PV technology, including its advantages, various types of PV, and its applications, the report goes on to explore the PV market dynamics including current and future market size, market growth and development, major trends, and barriers to the growth of PV technology. A detailed PEST analysis and cost analysis for the commercialization of PV technology compliments this overview. The report also includes an in-depth analysis of leading players, countries as well as companies, and several case studies. The Market for Solar Photovoltaic provides a comprehensive assessment of the state of solar photovoltaic technology and the potential for this market.

Executive Summary
Case for Solar Photovoltaics
Global GHG Emission and Its Impact
Introduction to Solar Photovoltaics
Types of Solar Photovoltaic Cells
Solar Photovoltaic Market Overview
Current Market Size
Market Development and Commercialization
Implementation of Photovoltaic Systems
Key Application Areas
Global Solar Photovoltaic Installation
Research and Development Initiatives
Photovoltaic Cell and Module Production
Major Trends in Solar PV Technologies
Increased Usage for Rooftop Systems
Increased Grid Connected PV Capacity
Emergence as a Non Competitive Technology
Growing Popularity of Standalone Systems
Downward System Prices
Mixed Response to Technology
Challenges and Barriers
High Financing Costs
High Transaction Costs
Lack of Big Players
Lack of Customer Awareness
Split Incentives
Lack of Public Interest in Renewables
Shortage of Manufacturing Infrastructure
Institutional Barriers
Inadequate R&D Initiatives
PEST Analysis
Political Factors
Economic Factors
Social Factors
Technological Factors
Economics of Solar Photovoltaic
Financing
Photovoltaic System Price Trends
The High Cost of PV Modules
Transmission Costs
Regional Assessments
Australia
Canada
France
Germany
Japan
United States
Major Players – Company Profiles
Market Outlook
Case Studies
Olympic Village, Sydney, Australia
Mississauga House, Canada
The Centre for Sustainable Living, Toronto, Canada
Neubau Fraunhofer ISE, Freiburg, Germany
Tokyo Building of NTT Do Co Mo, Tokyo, Japan
SBIC East Head Office Bldg. PV Field Test, Japan
Appendix I – Installed Capacity
Appendix II – Solar PV Manufacturers

Solar PV Manufacturers Directory

This is a searchable Excel file of 1,116 Solar PV Manufacturers and related firms.
Information includes:
Company name
Address
Country
Phone
Fax
Website
Email address

Unconventional Gas Outlook: Resources, Economics, and Technologies

This new 129-page report explains the current and potential of the Unconventional Gas market including country profiles, major project case studies, and new technology research.

You'll learn who the major players in the market are, and what their current and forecasted projects are, as well as current volume and anticipated output for specific projects.

You'll also get a list of conversion factors as well as a glossary of terms.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Overview of Unconventional Gas
Global Natural Gas Market
Drivers of Unconventional Gas Sources
Forecast
Types of Unconventional Gas
Major Producing Regions
Overall Market Trends
Production Technology Research
Economics of Unconventional Gas Production
Barriers and Challenges
Key Regions:
- Australia
- Canada
- China
- Russia
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United States
Major Projects
Industry Initiatives
Major Players
Appendix: Conversion Factors
Glossary

Excerpt
Over the past several decades, there have been a number of different ways to define unconventional natural gas. Often, the distinction between conventional and unconventional gas resources has been made on the basis of economics. Commonly, uneconomic or marginally economic resources such as tight (low permeability) sandstones, shale gas, and Coalbed Methane (CBM) are considered unconventional. However, due to continued research and favorable gas prices, many previously uneconomic or marginally economic gas resources are now economically viable, and may not be considered unconventional by some companies.
Unconventional gas resources are geologically distinct in that conventional gas resources are buoyancy-driven deposits, occurring as discrete accumulations in structural or stratigraphic traps, whereas unconventional gas resources are generally not buoyancy-driven deposits. They are regionally pervasive accumulations, most commonly independent of structural or stratigraphic traps.
The unconventional natural gas category (CBM, gas shales, tight sands, and landfill) is expected to continue at double-digit growth levels in the near term. Until 2008, demand for unconventional natural gas is likely to increase at an AAGR corresponding to 10.7% from 2003, aided by prioritized research and development efforts.
The disparity between projected increases for natural gas consumption in mature market economies and the much smaller increases expected for production in these markets points to an increasing world dependence on transitional and emerging market gas production.
Natural gas from unconventional reservoirs is being targeted to contribute a greater share of the world's natural gas supplies in the next two decades. Independent producers are helping develop many of the new technologies and well-site strategies to ensure that as much unconventional gas as possible will be available when it's needed.
Extracting more gas from unconventional resources will require significant improvements in exploration and production technology. New drilling technologies contributing to the efficiency of unconventional gas reservoir development and redevelopment include horizontal drilling, improvements to bits, and better drill pipe.
Although unconventional gas resources are abundant, they are generally more costly to produce. Their exploitation was boosted in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the successful implementation of tax incentives designed to encourage their development. Since then, technological development has contributed to continued production growth, even in the absence of tax incentives (which generally are unavailable for production from wells drilled after December 31, 1992). Indeed, increasing production from unconventional gas resources has actually offset a decline in conventional gas production in recent years.

Understanding the China Energy Market: Trends and Opportunities 2006

This new report details the current and future state of the energy industry in China.
This report is for strategists and researchers seeking to identify market potential for their products and services in all sectors of the China energy industry.
Give yourself the competitive edge with this new report.

This comprehensive report is broken up into 4 Sections:
Section I - Overview of China Energy Market
Historical Background
Market Value
Consumption
Production
Reserves
Export and Import
Market Segmentation
Market Forecast

Section II - Market Analysis
PEST Analysis
Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
Socio-Economic Trends
Consumption Trends

Section III - Market Segments
Electricity
Oil
Natural Gas
Liquefied Natural Gas
Liquid Petroleum Gas
Nuclear Power
Coal
Renewables
Photo Voltaics
Wind Power
Hydroelectric

Each Market Segment details current and planned projects, and lists participants in that sector.

Section IV - Breaking Into the Market
Regulatory Framework
Methods of Market Entry
Foreign Investment
Challenges
Government Agencies

Executive Summary:
China’s economic trajectory has driven its expanding energy needs, and it is now the world’s second largest energy consumer behind the United States. Accompanying this increasing energy demand has been a growing dependence on imported oil, and China is now the world’s third largest oil importer. China will continue to be a major player in world energy markets, but increasing energy demands pose tremendous challenges.

China’s present phase of economic and industrial development requires higher energy consumption per unit compared with developed nations. China’s energy sector has enormous potential, especially the coal, petroleum and natural gas industries, yet China is currently a net importer of oil, and imports are expected to increase to more than 900 million barrels in 2006, against a total demand of 1.993 billion barrels per year. China is looking to expand its production of coal, natural gas, and renewable energy sources such as nuclear, solar and hydroelectric power to meet the enormous appetite for energy spawned by its massive industrial complex and consumer sectors.

It is estimated that in 2020, China will need 2.8 billion tons of coal and 600 million tons of crude oil, two and a half times more than in 2000. Given this scenario, China will need to import 250 million tons of petroleum, about 70%, from foreign sources. What’s more, its carbon emissions will reach 1.94 billion tons, and China will likely overtake the US as the nation with the highest greenhouse gas emissions.

To deal with this situation, the Chinese government will need to optimize the country's potential for energy conservation. At present, China's energy utilization efficiency is only 33.4%, nearly 10% lower than the advanced international level, and the unit energy consumption of major products for China’s main industries is much higher than the international level. The government needs to implement policies to boost energy conservation, especially in the transportation, architecture and industrial fields.

In recent years, China has allowed market forces to play a larger role in its economy. Foreign investors are being encouraged by the government to participate in exploitation of the country's natural gas resources, energy infrastructure construction, sales of natural gas, coal mining, gas-fired power generation and the production of petrochemical products. Shell, Exxon Mobil and BP are jostling for a slice of China's gas market, where demand is expected to quadruple to account for 8 percent of China's total energy supply by 2010. In order to tap China's growing energy market foreign companies are making heavy investments.

China will inevitably have a profound impact on future global energy markets, energy security, and environmental quality. A clearer understanding of what is happening in Chinese energy markets is essential, and this report explores the new energy-economic relationship that will influence both the international community and China.

Published May 2006

Understanding Weather Risk Management

This new 42-page report explains the purpose, basics, and practical application of Weather Risk Management Strategies. You'll learn the differences in weather risk vehicles, how to create a weather risk management strategy, and how to choose a weather analysis service. You'll also get a list of Weather Forecasting and Analysis Services, and Weather Derivatives Sites, as well as a glossary of terms.

Here's what You'll Learn:
The Impact of Weather
What is Weather Risk Management?
History of Weather Risk Management
Benefits of Weather Risk Management?
Language of Weather
Weather Risk Management Products
Weather Derivatives
Key Components of Weather Derivatives
Product Types
Option Comparison
Insurance Policy
Forms of Weather Data
Weather Prediction/Analysis
How to Choose a Weather Analysis Service
Potential Problems with Weather Derivatives
Cold Weather Risk Procedure
Conclusions
Weather Forecasting and Analysis Services
Weather Derivatives Sites
Glossary
This new report is perfect for:
Power Marketers
Utility Executives
Traders
Anyone interested in Weather Risk Management

Executive Summary
Weather is the single most important factor in energy demand. Weather extremes sharpen energy price spikes and at the same time, they increase consumption. Additionally, milder winters and summers cause reduced revenue for some, and increased revenue for others. Therefore, the impact of the weather is economically significant.

As much as 70 percent of all business activity is affected by the weather. In the late 1990s, innovative trading companies, primarily in the energy sector, recognized this risk management opportunity and began offering solutions to help companies manage this class of natural hazard risk. Structured either as derivatives or as insurance contracts, weather transactions typically cover local or regional variations in temperature, precipitation, or other weather features over a period from one week to a full winter or summer season.

Warmer weather can lead to lower margins from fewer volumes of natural gas being sold or transported. Colder weather that increases the volumes of natural gas sold to weather-sensitive customers can result in the inability of some of our customers to pay their bills. Either warm or cold weather that is outside the normal range of temperatures can lead to less operating cash flow, thereby increasing short-term borrowings to meet current cash requirements.

Energy traders react to significant weather by buying. Generally, hurricanes in the Gulf, cold snaps, and heat waves are things that cause energy prices to rise. Hurricanes and severe storms shut down production platforms. Cold snaps and heat waves boost demand. If, as a power marketer, you are not following weather events daily, you may be left behind your competitor, who is better informed.

US Pipeline Operators Directory

This Excel spreadsheet is a searchable directory 1,714 US pipeline operators organized by state where they own or operate pipelines, and includes address, phone, fax, and email addresses for each. A great resources for sales, marketing and business development.

Utility Bill Payment Choices

Utility companies are under increasing pressure to offer new and innovative payment options, implement advanced billing systems to grow revenue and retain customers, and to develop and market electronic bill payment and processing for greater efficiency and customer convenience. The number of utility companies is growing rapidly in the United States, and bill pay options are also increasing. As technology advances, methods for paying bills have become more numerous, varied and technologically advanced, and more companies offer customers the option of paying their utility bills from their own homes or offices.

Energy Business Reports reviewed leading U.S. utility companies’ web sites to determine what bill payment options are rising in popularity. The web sites generally contain information on various options available to customers for bill payment. This report offers an up-to-date perspective of how utilities are addressing the alternative energy bill payment options.

The research identified a number of trends and impacts of bill payment options. This report analyzes the benefits of various bill payment options for both companies and customers, and offers insights into the future of utility bill payment trends.

This new report covers:
Executive Summary
Emergence of CI & B Systems
Growth in Bill Payment Options
Bill Payment Methods
e-Billing
Budget Billing
Kiosks/ATMs
Electronic Bill Presentation & Payment Strategies
Advantages to EBPP
Advantages for utilities
Advantages for customers
Overcoming Disadvantages to EBPP
Case Studies
NorthWestern Energy
San Diego Gas & Electric
Southern California Gas Company
BGE
Green Mountain Energy Co.
Bonita Springs Utilities
Vendor Profiles
LODESTAR Customer Choice Suite
EDS Agility Alliance
Technology Vendors
Glossary

Venture Capital Companies Directory

This is a directory of 300+ global venture capital and angel investor firms that invest in the energy industry. This sortable file is in Excel format and includes the following information:

Company name
Mailing address
Phone
Fax
Email
Website address
Company Description
Investment focus