1) EU Approves Energy and Climate Change Package
2) World's Largest Gas Turbine Begins Trial Operation in Irsching
3) Development of New Power Storage System
4) World's First Osmotic Power Plant in Norway
5) KELI 2008 Offers New Students' Forum
6) VGB Job Market: Current Vacancies for Engineers/Physicists (m/f)
On 23 January 2008 the EU Commission presented proposals for a climate protection package. The package shall help to make sure that the GHG emissions will be reduced by 20 percent EU-wide by 2020. As the reduction shall be reduced in a cost-effective way all branches of industry shall contribute to the reduction, also those branches which are not yet included in the emissions trading scheme (ETS). According to the commission's proposal in Germany the GHG emissions of those branches shall be reduced by 14 percent by 2020 compared to the year 2005. According to the - also presented - proposal to advance the emissions trading scheme the emission allowances of the ETS shall be reduced by 21 percent by 2020 compared to 1995. In contrast to other branches from 2013 on (start of the third trading period) all credits for electricity-generating facilities are to be sold by auction. Further proposals of the climate protection package concern the promotion of renewable energy and the geological storage of CO2.
http://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/EN/Artikel/2008/01/2008-01-23-eu-gesetzespaket-klimaschutz__en.html
First firing of the world's largest and most powerful gas turbine, developed by Siemens, was achieved as scheduled on December 20, 2007. This marks the beginning of a planned 18-month trial operation period at the E.ON Irsching 4 power plant near Ingolstadt/Germany. After successful completion of trial operation, the plant will be expanded to a high-efficiency combined-cycle power plant (CCPP) with a total output of about 530 megawatts and a peak load efficiency of over 60 percent.
http://www.powergeneration.siemens.com/press/press-releases/releases/2007/PG200712-015.htm
RWE Power and GE have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the joint development and validation of a zero-emission storage technology (Advanced Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage - AA-CAES). The memorandum is aimed at finding alternative paths for large-scale energy storage. RWE Power and GE will initially conduct a joint feasibility study to be completed by end of 2008. Based on the findings of this study, a first demonstration plant is scheduled for 2012.
http://www.rwe.com/generator.aspx/templateId=renderPage/id=76864?pmid=4001954
Statkraft has decided to build the world's first prototype osmotic power plant. In an osmotic power plant, sea water and fresh water are separated by a membrane. The sea water draws the fresh water through the membrane, thereby increasing the pressure on the sea water side. The increased pressure is used to produce power. The construction of the prototype is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. The osmotic power plant will produce between 2-4 kW of energy.
http://www.statkraft.com/pro/press/Press_releases/2007/Statkraft_to_build_world_s_first_osmotic_power_plant.asp
For the first time VGB offers a special forum for students in the course of a technical event. On the occasion of the Conference "Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation and Control, Information 2008" (KELI), students from relevant fields of study have the opportunity to learn about the current career prospects in the energy industry within an additional section. A job market complements this offer. Participation in this international 3-day event in Hamburg/Germany is not only free of charge; travel and subsistence costs will be sponsored in addition. Interested students are encouraged for non-binding preliminary registration.
http://www.vgb.org/en/keli_2008_e.html
The VGB Job Market is offering prospective persons the possibility to develop their career in the range of power and heat generation. You can find current vacancies for Engineers/Physicists (m/f) on our homepage.
http://www.vgb.org/en/jobmarket.html
Main topics of the January/February issue are: Energy and Ethics - Ethical Aspects of the Future Gobal Power Generation; Present and Future Challenges for the European Manufacturing und Supply Industry; The Evonik Steag Road to the High-Efficiency Power Plant; Pumped Storage Power Stations - Overview of New Projects in Austria.
Abstracts of all articles are available here:
http://www.vgb.org/current_issue.html