Industry
News
be met using natural gas and 1,600 sq m
( 17,222 sq ft) of solar water-heating panels.
The project is the first step toward
building a biomass sector in the Languedoc-Roussillion region and part of the Narbonne
Tour 21 agenda, a program aimed at turning
the city into a sustainable, green living space.
Dalkia Strengthens Position
in Poland
Following completion of its public offer
launched Dec. 17, 2007, Dalkia has become
the majority shareholder, with 97.9 percent
of the shares, of Polish district heating company Praterm. Dalkia already owns and
operates two of Poland’s largest heating
networks, in Poznan and Lodz.
Praterm serves 21 cities in north, south
and southeast Poland. With 260 km (162
miles) of small- and mid-sized heating networks, the company produces and distributes heat to nearly 520,000 people and in
2008 will generate an estimated revenue
of 55 million euros ($83.5 million).
According to Dalkia Chairman Olivier
Barbaroux, “The Praterm acquisition fits
naturally with our growth strategy in Central
Europe.” Praterm, whose core business is
district heating, recently acquired a Polish
company that operates a biomass-fueled
heating plant. This will enable Dalkia to
enhance its renewable energies offered for
Polish cities, in line with its strategic commitment to developing operations that help
to promote the use of renewables.
Dalkia’s offer was approved Feb. 7 by
Polish competition authorities. At its close,
Dalkia had acquired 10,344,500 Praterm
shares. This offer represents for Dalkia a
total investment of 142 million euros ($215.6
million). Dalkia is a subsidiary of Veolia
Environnement and Electricité de France.
Sebesta Blomberg Becomes a
Majority-Owned ESOP
Company
The board of directors of Sebesta
Blomberg & Associates Inc. announced
Jan. 18 that it has completed its transition
to a majority-owned ESOP company with an
expanded ownership base of 21 partners
and associate partners.
“This transition completes a process
that began in 2001 to better position the
company for continuity and sustainable
growth,” said Jim Sebesta. “With an
expanded and geographically diverse base
of owners and a more mature management
structure, Sebesta Blomberg is positioned
to deliver the high standard of technical
and business solutions that our clients
demand.”
Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn.,
Sebesta Blomberg has offices nationwide
and ranks as an ENR Top 500 Engineering
Firm. Sebesta Blomberg provides engineering, construction support, commissioning,
facility support, energy management, environmental LEED® certification, central plant
and renewable energy services to private-and public-sector markets.
Welsh Farm to Produce
Green Energy
As reported Jan. 29 in the Western
Mail, Carmarthenshire Energy Agency of
Wales, with Irish partners the Waterford
Energy Bureau, is developing plans for a
project that will turn manure from cows at
Gelli Aur College Farm, Wales, into clean
electricity and heat. The partners are ready
to bid for funding for the experimental system, which could cost up to £ 4 million
($7.9 million).
The system will treat manure, slurry
and other materials in an anaerobic
digester, producing biogas to fuel a combined heat and power plant that would
meet all the energy needs of the farm and
college. The plan is to use manure and
slurry in the winter when the cows are
housed indoors and to use grass as the
raw material in summer when the cows
are outside. If successful, the technology
could become a model for other farms in
the Welsh countryside.
Flowserve Grows
Asia-Pacific Presence
Flowserve Corp. announced March 10
that it has acquired the remaining 50 percent
of shares needed to have full ownership
interest in Niigata Worthington in Kawasaki,
Kanagawa, Japan. Flowserve previously
owned 50 percent of Niigata Worthington
in a long-term joint venture.
Niigata Worthington, a manufacturer of
certain Flowserve pumps and other rotating
equipment, reported sales of approximately
$64 million in 2007. Flowserve recorded
approximately $2 million for its 50 percent
share of net income from the joint venture
in 2007, using the equity method of accounting. The transaction will be completed
through cash and assumed liabilities totaling
approximately $12 million. Other terms of
the purchase were not disclosed.
According to Tom Ferguson, president
of Flowserve Pump Division, “This acquisition reflects our strong commitment to
serving our customers – both end users and
contractors – in this key Asia-Pacific region
with products, service and support.”
Texas CHP Initiative
Applauds New Energy
Efficiency Rule
The recent decision by the Public Utility
Commission of Texas to broaden the energy
efficiency rule to include combined heat and
power smaller than10 MW has won the
approval of the Texas CHP Initiative (TXCHPI),
an industry-led group.
The decision expands the Texas Legislature’s omnibus bill (H.B. 3693) passed last
year to promote energy efficiency, provide
near-term reductions in consumption and
demand, and avoid a power crisis in Texas.
TXCHPI Vice President Tommy John, PE,
said, “The commission was wise to include
CHP in the range of options available for
smaller customers to reduce energy use. We
are eager to demonstrate how the use of
CHP and other energy conservation technology can make significant reductions in
energy use in Texas.”
Siemens Consortium to
Build Mainz CHP Plant
A consortium led by Siemens, comprising Austrian Energy & Environment (AE&E)
and the Japanese company IHI, will build a
coal-fired combined heat and power plant
