Berkeley, CA (PRWEB) February 26, 2009 — IP Checkups’ Sector Patent Landscape report, Grid-Scale Concentrated Solar Thermal: Thermal Energy Storage Technologies identifies key patent holders for important CST thermal energy storage solutions including compressed steam, phase-change materials and molten salt. The report concludes that in order to protect new grid-scale thermal energy storage technologies, companies must carefully navigate a handful of patents with broad claims as well as a significant body of non-patent literature.

According to the report, United Technologies (UTX), together with subsidiaries Hamilton-Sundstrand and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, have obtained the broadest patent protection for molten salt thermal energy storage. SolarReserve is poised to take advantage of UTX’s portfolio of patents through an exclusive licensing deal. In addition, a slew of up and coming companies and R&D labs including, Abengoa, Ausra, Bell Independent Power, Larkden Pty. Ltd., MeV Technology, SkyFuel, Solar Millennium, and Yeda Research & Development have aggressively filed patents on a variety of thermal storage technologies that will shape the patent landscape going forward.

Thermal energy storage is a key component to the long-term acceptance and success of grid-scale Concentrating Solar Power technologies (parabolic trough, linear fresnel, power tower, and dish-engine) by providing a means to remove the intermittent nature of the sun’s energy and increase plant utilization. It is crucial for companies and investors to understand what technologies the key players in this space are protecting.

This 100 page in-depth Sector Patent Landscape Analysis identifies the fundamental patents, key players and emerging trends relating to patent coverage of various thermal energy storage technologies for CST applications. In all, 221 patent documents from the US, EP, JP and WO patent offices were uncovered that comprise the patent landscape.

The report breaks down the documents by filing date, geography, inventor, assignee and technology to identify key players, trends and fundamental patents in the field. In addition the report analyzes the level of patent protection including claims assessments, technology breadth and licensing agreements.

To learn more or purchase the report, visit www.ipcheckups.com/CST.

IP Checkups is a boutique Patent Analytics firm based in the Bay Area. The firm provides clients with customized competitive patent landscape analysis, technology sector overviews, and company patent portfolio profiles. IP Checkups’ patent analysts combine traditional qualitative analysis with sophisticated software tools to dig deep into competitors’ patent portfolios to understand how companies are positioned relative to each other in particular technology areas. Services include custom and off-the-shelf patent landscape overviews, company portfolio evaluations, patent monitoring and alerting services among others.

For more information contact Matthew Rappaport at (510) 981-1030 or visit http://www.alternativeenergyfoundation.org/releases/?p=486 SHEC’s solar thermal generation technology is the most efficient in the world and has attracted a grant for approximately $40 million.

Saskatoon SK (PRWEB) December 1, 2008 — SHEC’s facilities were recently visited by a government agency representative to perform a technical assessment of its technology. The technology examined was a mobile pilot plant involved in field trials for two years. The mobile pilot plant was dismantled and inspected for corrosion and wear.

The mobile pilot plant consisted of a solar concentrator that concentrated sunlight by a factor of up to 5,000, directing it into a solar receiver to be harnessed. Despite the intense solar energy conditions endured by the receiver, it was found to be in pristine condition. Although several minor wear issues were identified and resolved, ultimately the core technology performed flawlessly, proving ready for commercialization.

Commercial-scale systems will concentrate sunlight by factors of up to 16,000.

Shortly after the examination of this technology by the government agency, the grant was awarded. SHEC is required to raise matching funds of $60 million in order to access the grant. The funds will be used to establish manufacturing operations that could produce up to 100 megawatts of solar thermal station components per year.

At this time, SHEC is unable to disclose the identity of the source of the grant.

About SHEC Energy:
SHEC Energy Corporation (formerly SHEC LABS – Solar Hydrogen Energy Corporation) underwent a name change to reflect the more general energy nature of its business. Although SHEC developed its solar technology initially for the production of hydrogen, power generation has become the primary application today. The advantage of Solar Thermal power generation is the ability to co-generate other forms of energy at the same time with negligible additional cost. This includes applications for heating, cooling and water desalination. Additionally thermal energy can be stored to produce power when the sun is not shining. Additional information about SHEC Energy may be found at www.SHEC.ca.

Asheville, N.C. (PRWEB) November 21, 2008 — Appalachian Solar Energy announced today that it has been acquired by Vanir Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Vanir Group of Companies Inc. Vanir Energy will be headquartered in Fletcher and staffed by the former personnel of Appalachian Solar Energy with support from Vanir management in Sacramento, Calif.

The announcement, which was made during the AdvantageWest Annual Banquet at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, was well-received by the federal, state and local leaders in attendance because it means $14 million will be invested in solar thermal technology projects throughout North Carolina in 2009.

Vanir Energy will own and operate the solar thermal systems it installs, allowing its customers to “go solar” without making capital expenditures.

“This represents more great news in our growing environmental enterprises cluster because it means new jobs, an influx of targeted capital and momentum to put Western North Carolina on the map as the sustainability capital of the U.S.A. as we pursue worldwide leadership,” said Dale Carroll, CEO of AdvantageWest, the regional Economic Development Commission based in Asheville. “This announcement is right on track with a major initiative we call ‘AdvantageGreen,’ a green-collar jobs strategy the AdvantageWest board and staff began to devise in 2007 as part of our Vision Plan. Vanir Energy is proof positive that AdvantageGreen is an idea whose time has come.”

Andrew Tate, President and CEO of the Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, said: “We’re tremendously proud that a company with roots in Fletcher has become a national player in the alternative energy revolution.”

With more than 30 years of construction management and development experience, Vanir Energy is well positioned to lead North Carolina and the nation in converting to solar thermal power, said Steve Hunter, COO of Vanir Energy.

“Our immediate focus will be to own and operate $14 million worth of solar installations in North Carolina,” Hunter said.

The world’s largest solar thermal installation for heating and cooling

Executive Vice President Scott Clark said the first Vanir project will be a solar thermal installation at Fletcher Business Park, a 900,000-square-foot facility where the company is headquartered. “With the Fletcher Business Park project, we’re creating 58 jobs in less than 60 days,” Clark said.

The business park will be the largest installation of solar thermal heating and cooling technology in the world, according to the International Energy Agency.* The 640 panels will produce 1.5 megawatts of power. Vanir Energy will own and operate the system at no capital expenditure to Fletcher Business Park, a model the company plans to repeat across the state.

Hunter told the audience at the AdvantageWest banquet that “the Fletcher Business Park project is the first step in achieving Vanir Energy’s vision to be a worldwide leader in providing cost-effective alternative energy solutions for our clients while providing for the needs of our people and communities in which we work.”

* Note: Fletcher Business Park will be the largest installation of solar thermal heating and cooling technology in the world, according to a database maintained by the Solar Heating and Cooling Program of the Paris-based International Energy Agency.

About Vanir Energy
Vanir Energy is a North Carolina-chartered business and a subsidiary of Vanir Group of Companies Inc., a woman- and minority-owned business enterprise (WMBE) with a diversified portfolio of construction, construction management, real estate development and energy service companies. Vanir Group of Companies is headquartered in Sacramento, Calif. with offices located throughout the United States and Dubai.

About AdvantageWest
AdvantageWest Economic Development Group is Western North Carolina’s regional economic development commission. Chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1994, AdvantageWest is a non-profit, public-private partnership whose primary focus is marketing the North Carolina mountains to corporations seeking to relocate or open a new facility, expand an existing business within our region, and those who might otherwise improve the quality of life for citizens within our region through activities such as filmmaking, entrepreneurship and tourism. For more information, visit advantagewest.com.