1) Electricity Transmission System Operators Publish Interim Report of European Wind Integration Study
2) German Environmental Code Failed
4) Directive on Environmental Quality Standards in the Field of Water Policy
5) New European Technical Committee "Chemistry"
6) REACH and CCPs - Update Pre-SIEFs
The European Wind Energy Study (EWIS) covers the technical, operational, economical, and regulatory and market aspects of integrating large scale wind power within Europe's electricity system.
An interim report published in January 2009 describes the approaches and methodologies of the study together with preliminary findings that will serve the ongoing work.
http://www.wind-integration.eu/downloads/
The German Minister of Environment, Sigmar Gabriel, has declared the project to develop an environmental code as failed. It was the main objective of this project to simplify the German environmental law and to integrate it into one environmental code; the different licensing procedures for projects relevant to environment should have been replaced by one integrated permit.
http://www.bmu.de/pressemitteilungen/aktuelle_pressemitteilungen/pm/43013.php
Based on a long-lasting collaboration between India and Germany - documented by projects like IGEN and others - the Indo-German Energy Forum, headed by high ranking officers of the Indian and German ministry, has decided to support the establishment of an "Excellence Enhancement Centre" in India, New Dehli (EEC).
The goal of the EEC is to offer a platform for power plant experts focusing on the improvement of power plant technology, process management and personnel skills needed for efficient power plant operation - pre-requisites for coping with the challenge of demand, saving resources and meeting climate protection targets.
The project will be funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GTZ). The German partners, i.e. E.ON, Evonik, TUEV Nord, Vattenfall Europe and VGB are to support the Indian experts in the necessary mind setting process and to make them familiar with state-of-the-art-technology, management practises and training skills.
On the occasion of the visit of the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Sigmar Gabriel, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the project partners. This is the starting signal for a mutually beneficial collaboration between India and Germany.
For further information:
mailto:franz.bauer@vgb.org
The Directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of December 16, 2008 on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy, amending and subsequently repealing Council Directives 82/176/EEC, 83/513/EEC, 84/156/EEC, 84/491/EEC, 86/280/EEC and amending Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council has been published on December 24, 2008, in the Official Journal (OJ) of the European Union L 348/84.
Annex II of this Directive 2008/105/EC replaces Annex X "List of Priority Substances in the Field of Water Policy" of the Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive).
The Directive 2008/105/EC entered into force on January 13, 2009. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive 18 months after coming into force at least by July 13, 2010.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOIndex.do?ihmlang=de
In power plants problems of chemical nature often occur. This is not only related to the water steam cycle but also the flue gas desulphurization, the denitrification as well as the water and waste water treatment. For this reason VGB made the decision to install an English-speaking European Technical Committee "Chemistry". Interested member companies are requested to nominate attendees who will be delegated in the ETC.
http://www.vgb.org/en/Chemistry_further_info_en.html
From June to end of November 2008 several coal combustion products (CCPs) have been pre-registered according to the REACH regulation. With the pre-registration of CCPs with a specific EC number the producers became members of so called pre-SIEFs.
To start the communication in the pre-SIEFs the facilitators will contact each party aiming at identifying the producers of the same substance and the formation of at least one consortium for the substance. There are no rules for the communication in the pre-SIEF. CEFIC - the European Chemical Industry Council - sent a form to all pre-registered legal entities in all pre-SIEFs regarding their roles in the pre-SIEFs (leading, involved, passive, dormant), but CEFIC do not act as a facilitator in the pre-SIEFs for CCPs.
EUROGYPSUM has invited the pre-registered producers to a "Calcium Sulfate pre-SIEF and Consortium Meeting" on February 25, 2009. For the identification of the 1082 participants in the pre-SIEF for "ashes (residues)" and the 524 participants in the pre-SIEF for "slags, coal" a link to an online questionnaire will be send to all parties within the next days.
More Information:
mailto:feuerborn-reach@vgb.org
http://www.vgb.org/en/update_pre_siefs.html
The VGB-FORSCHUNGSSTIFTUNG (Research Foundation) has rewarded the outstanding achievement by young university graduates (age limit: 35 years) working in the field of power and heat generation with the Heinrich-Mandel Prize for over 25 years. The prize is endowed with 10,000 Euro and is awarded annually on the occasion of the VGB Congress "Power Plants". The work that is to be honoured in this way can relate either to new findings in the operation of power and heat generation plants, or to important research results.
Based on the award guideline, all VGB member companies as well as the Board, and the Technical and Scientific Advisory Boards of VGB have the right to propose candidates for this award by April 30, 2009.
http://www.vgb.org/en/research_mandel.html
The 4th in this series of topical conferences on clean coal technologies will be held in Dresden/Germany, from May 18-21, 2009, in conjunction with the 3rd International Freiberg Conference on IGCC and XtL Technologies. The conference will be held with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the International Energy Agency (IEA), IEA Clean Coal Centre, and the Dresden and Freiberg Technical Universities. VGB cooperates with IEA Clean Coal Centre since 2004 and supports the activities of clean coal technologies.
More information:
hans-joachim.meier@vgb.org
http://cct2009.org
This Guideline VGB-R506 "Condition Monitoring and Inspection of Components of Steam Boiler Installations and Water or Steam Bearing High-pressure Pipes" describes possibilities and methods of condition monitoring and possible testing of components of steam boiler installations and water and steam bearing high-pressure pipes with a design pressure > 40 bar. On the basis of the tools described hereinafter, every plant operator is able to carry out the condition monitoring incumbent on him according to the existing documentation, the operational requirements and the component condition which is familiar to him.
The condition monitoring comprises the following modules which are also decisive for an extension of the inspection period:
- design and calculation,
- documented quality,
- condition monitoring/diagnostics during operation,
- condition monitoring/diagnostics during a shutdown,
- condition assessment with measures e.g. concerning the inspection concept.
The directive is issued in German and English.
http://www.vgb.org/shop/product_info.php/products_id/551
Main topics of the January/February issue are: Global Energy Demand and its Constraints; The First German Offshore Wind Farm: alpha ventus; ENEL's Strategy for Clean Coal Utilisation; Best Practice - A Key for Environmental Protection, Increase of Efficiency and Safe Operation.
Abstracts of all articles are available here:
http://www.vgb.org/current_issue.html