Commentary

Pricing update: Polysilicon prices rebound
	POWER UTILITY \| 03 Feb 12 BY EDWARD CAHILL Polysilicon prices in December reached a low just above $26/kg, resulting in extremely low module costs for manufacturers. Read ››

Can AsiaPac still lead global nuclear power after Fukushima?

ENVIRONMENT | 03 Feb 12

BY AKIRA TOKUHIRO

Nearing the one year anniversary (March 11, 2011) of the historic Tohoku earthquake (M9.0), subsequent tsunami (~14-15m waves), and unfortunately, the ongoing consequences of the ‘Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) accident’, allow me to take this opportunity to reflect upon the significance and relevance of this tragic loss-of-life and the importance of energy for economic development and the human condition in Asia-Pacific (AP). Read ››

Solar to dominate Asia’s renewable energy future
	REGULATION \| 01 Feb 12 BY CRAIG FROOME Read ››

Why we should go green in shipping
	ENVIRONMENT \| 01 Feb 12 BY NAZERY KHALID Nazery Khalid assesses efforts in the shipping sector to go green Cleaning up shipping’s act Concern over the effects of pollution caused by shipping activities on the marine environment is growing. Read ››

Expensive solar costs impede larger deployment
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Feb 12 BY AGOSTINHO MIGUEL GARCIA The cost of solar usually comes as the barrier for a larger solar deployment. Read ››

The challenges of renewable energy sources in gulf countries
	ENVIRONMENT \| 01 Feb 12 BY EHTESHAM UDDIN With intellections to reduce dependence on hydrocarbons and concerns over environments, Asian Power industry is currently demanding more green solutions to produce power. Read ››

What you need to know about pollution control technologies
	ENVIRONMENT \| 01 Feb 12 BY SCOTT SMOUSE World attention was recently focused on the climate change negotiations held during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa. Read ››

India – the single largest opportunity in solar power in the world
	POWER UTILITY \| 04 Jan 12 BY AGOSTINHO MIGUEL GARCIA India’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission is bound to achieve 20 GW until 2022. Read ››

Protecting your Intellectual Property
	POWER UTILITY \| 04 Jan 12 BY ERNIE HAYDEN In July 2011 Asian Power posted an article I wrote on the new paradigm for utility information security where you should assume your information systems can be breached and react accordingly. Read ››

When China’s solar industry goes against the U.S. PV manufacturers
	ENVIRONMENT \| 03 Jan 12 BY ZHUN MA Read ››

Does better energy policy loom in 2012?
	REGULATION \| 02 Jan 12 BY MIKE THOMAS A few years ago, while working on a power sector roadmap, a conversation turned to the perceived problems created by a lack of a comprehensive energy sector policy. Read ››

Is Mindanao the most exciting power market in Asia?
	POWER UTILITY \| 02 Jan 12 BY SARAH FAIRHURST For many people the word “Mindanao” conjures up pictures of beaches, terrorists, or more recently, terrible flooding and loss of life. Read ››

Will feed in tariffs light up the solar power industry in Asia Pacific?
	POWER UTILITY \| 02 Jan 12 BY JOHN YEAP The high capital costs associated with solar power mean that it has been prohibitively expensive for many countries in Asia Pacific which, ironically, dispose of greater insolation levels than well-developed solar power markets such as Germany. Read ››

Japan’s directions in the Post-Kyoto carbon world
	ENVIRONMENT \| 02 Jan 12 BY HIROKAZU SUTO & WILLIAM BYUN Read ››

Advantages of distributed power
	POWER UTILITY \| 14 Dec 11 BY KLAUS PAYRHUBER Read ››

‘Low carbon future’ is here!
	ENVIRONMENT \| 02 Dec 11 BY NAZERY KHALID “The future ain’t what it used to be!” (seen on a bumper sticker) Climate change is the only constant The need to address the issue of climate change has become a matter of priority, and players in the shipping industry must stand up and be counted to play their part to reduce carbon emissions. Read ››

Biofuels revisted - does it matter?
	POWER UTILITY \| 02 Dec 11 BY WILLIAM BYUN Read ››

Focus moves to China's offshore wind opportunities as onshore profit margins shrink
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Dec 11 BY ZHUO ZHANG Suffering from shrinking profit margins from onshore wind farm projects since the beginning of 2011, China's wind turbine manufacturers are now looking for growth opportunities in offshore projects. Read ››

A holistic security program is needed for energy and utility systems
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Dec 11 BY ERNIE HAYDEN In the US and even globally there is an increasing emphasis on improving the cyber security of the systems and components controlling such things as electric substations, control centers, gas pipelines, and the associated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. Read ››

Asian wind turbine manufacturers jostle for export supremacy
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Dec 11 BY JUSTIN WU Exports have been the driving force behind the spectacular economic growth rates seen across much of Asia over the past decade. Read ››

Carbon capture, utilization and storage
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Dec 11 BY SCOTT M. SMOUSE Fossil fuels will remain the predominant source of global energy through for at least the next two decades and possibly beyond. Read ››

Enabling cleaner power generation in Asia through digital prototyping
	ENVIRONMENT \| 01 Dec 11 BY SUSAN GLADWIN As Asia grows, so too do its economic, social, resource and environmental challenges. Read ››

China power market growth - green energy and opportunities
	ENVIRONMENT \| 01 Dec 11 BY ADRIAN JOHN China Power Capacity Additions Expenditure to Total $1.2 Trillion between 2012 and 2021 Read ››

What's for Asia a decade after California and Enron
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Nov 11 BY MIKE THOMAS Ten years ago, California’s power crisis finally ended. Shortly after, Enron would file for the largest bankruptcy up to that point in US history. Read ››

Is Asia ready for new nuclear power plants?
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Nov 11 BY JOHN YEAP The future of nuclear power generation is in Asia. According to World Nuclear Association, there are currently 41 reactors under construction across Asia, and over the next decade there are 98 reactors on order/planned with a further 221 proposed. Read ››

China's nuclear power potential

REGULATION | 01 Nov 11

BY ALEXANDER LUEDI

In devising policies, and pursuing its nuclear energy industry, China will strive for all of: 1) National independence for nuclear power technology; 2) Control and independent management of the fuel cycle; 3) Fuel diversity in the electrical power generation industry; 4) Significant source for electric power; 5) Reduction in emissions of air pollutants and CO2; and, 5) Commercialization of an indigenous reactor design, including high temperature gas cooled reactors – pebble bed module (HTR-PM) reactor technology. Read ››

Is there enough land supply for power plant projects?
	REGULATION \| 01 Nov 11 BY SCOTT CAWRSE Read ››

India on the move towards solar energy
	REGULATION \| 01 Nov 11 BY INDERPREET S WADHWA India has made impressive progress in the field of electricity generation since Independence in 1947. Read ››

Will Smart Grid Utility space continue to expand?
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Nov 11 BY DOUGLAS BELLIN The Smart Grid Utility space is quickly evolving and is a market that will start to accelerate. Read ››

Asia coal power development now and beyond
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Nov 11 BY MARTIN DAVID The growth in the use of private finance to fund major public infrastructure projects throughout Asia continues unabated. Read ››

What you need to know about geothermal energy
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Nov 11 BY PHILIPPE DU FOUR What is Geothermal Energy? As the world takes measures to move towards lower carbon energy production, many forms of renewable energy technology have been developed. Read ››

Southeast Asia embraces solar power
	POWER UTILITY \| 19 Oct 11 BY ALEXANDER LENZ A number of countries in Southeast Asia such as Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia have begun to pursue wide-scale investment in solar power. Read ››

Can renewable energy growth continue without storage?
	POWER UTILITY \| 04 Oct 11 BY CRAIG FROOME Currently in Australia like much of Asia, the debate about a carbon tax and what form it should take is holding centre stage in both the political arena and public debate through the media. Read ››

Renewable energy and the challenges for Asian power markets
	POWER UTILITY \| 04 Oct 11 BY ERIK KNIVE Read ››

How to deliver stakeholder confidence

PROJECT | 01 Sep 11

BY ROBIN PICKUP

A scenario: • You identify an attractive investment opportunity that requires its assets to perform safely and reliably . • You will be the subject of severe reputation and financial penalties should the plant fail to perform as contracted. • Your main contractor is fine on deliver but is stating they have some 400 global suppliers to whom they will subcontract equipment orders. Read ››

The over-bearing dependence on (inadequate) regulation
	PROJECT \| 01 Sep 11 BY GAURAV SARUP The over-bearing dependence on regulation. A few years ago, India based XYZ Company began work on its UMPP project in earnest. Read ››

Here’s why most companies are reducing their energy cost
	ENVIRONMENT \| 01 Sep 11 BY HENRY LAU Today, we are witnessing a potent combination of factors, which together are driving organizations across the process industries to optimize their energy consumption. Read ››

Direct-drive wind turbines: Can the Chinese keep their lead?
	POWER UTILITY \| 02 Aug 11 BY ANDY WICKLESS Chinese wind turbine manufacturers have experienced explosive growth in recent years. Read ››

A comprehensive guide to energy management in process industries
	POWER UTILITY \| 02 Aug 11 BY ROB BRENDAL Most companies in the process industries are working hard to reduce their energy consumption and the resulting emissions. Read ››

Hydropower in Asia - Let the rivers run
	POWER UTILITY \| 01 Jul 11 BY ERIK KNIVE Hydropower Potential in Asia Hydropower constitutes 21% of the world’s electricity generating capacity. Read ››