.gif)
.gif)
Industry News
September 14, 2011
Molycorp Invests in Wind Energy Technology Company
Molycorp, Inc. producer of rare earth oxides (REO), announced that it is making a significant investment in Boulder Wind Power, which has designed a rare earth magnet powered wind turbine generator that can produce electricity as low as $0.04 per kilowatt-hour.
Molycorp invested in Boulder Wind Power’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock as part of a $35 million capital raise by the company. With the investment, Molycorp gains board representation in Boulder Wind Power and is positioned to be the "preferred provider" of rare earth magnets and/or alloys for wind generators using this technology. Molycorp is using cash from operational earnings for the investment. Other details of Molycorp’s investment were not disclosed.
Boulder Wind Power’s patented wind turbine technology allows for the use of rare earth permanent magnets that do not require dysprosium, a relatively scarce rare earth. By utilizing dysprosium-free permanent magnets, and other engineering innovations that dramatically reduce the use of structural steel and eliminate the use of expensive laminated electrical steel, wind turbines incorporating Boulder Wind Power’s technology are expected to produce power at or below $0.04 cents per kilowatt-hour, positioning it to compete directly with fossil fuel-based generation.
Joining Molycorp in this investment round was the venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA), an early investor in Boulder Wind Power. NEA is a key investment player in the clean energy, IT, and health care spaces, with more than $11 billion in committed capital.
"Boulder Wind Power’s innovative technology promises to dramatically accelerate the global deployment of high-efficiency, advanced wind turbines," said Mark A. Smith, Molycorp’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "By effectively solving the dysprosium supply problem for the wind turbine industry, this technology removes a major hurdle to the expansion of permanent magnet generator wind turbines across global markets. This investment also furthers Molycorp’s ’mine-to-magnets’ business strategy, and our commitment to manufacturing value-added ’green energy materials,’ by providing us with potentially large markets for the magnetic rare earth materials we will produce."
Opinion: Bridging the Gap between Off-Grid and Grid-Tied Systems with a Grid-Hybrid Approach
Sandy Butterfield, Boulder Wind Power’s Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are thrilled to have Molycorp as a major investor and partner in Boulder Wind Power. Gaining access to Molycorp’s magnetic rare earth materials positions this superior technology to accelerate rapidly and our company to grow with it."
"Linking such an innovative wind energy technology with U.S. sourced rare earth production creates many potentially powerful synergies," said Dan Arvizu, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). "It promises to strengthen the ability of the U.S. to manufacture wind turbines domestically and to compete more effectively in global markets."
Share this story
Send via E-mail
Post to Twitter
On the Web:
White Papers
March 11, 2013
Power Modules for Charger Applications
Sponsored by Vincotech
February 27, 2013
The Adaptive Cell Converter Topology Enables Constant Efficiency Over Universal Input AC Line in Front-End, High-Density Power Factor Correction Applications
Sponsored by Vicor Corp.
February 27, 2013
From 48 V direct to Intel VR12.0: Saving "Big Data" $500,000 per datacenter, per year
Sponsored by Vicor Corp.
More White Papers
- SynQor Announces Denial of Defendants' Motions for Rehearing
- Teen Wins $50,000 for Development of Nanorod Supercapacitors
- Advanced Internal Structure of New MOSFET Family Lowers On-State Resistance
- Murata Introduces Digital 420W PMBus-Compliant 1/4 Brick
- Rivals Powermat and PowerKiss to Become One
- Eos Energy Raises $15 Million Series B Funding from Strategic Investors
- Microgrid at Fort Bliss Commissioned as a Counter to Cyber Warfare Threat
- GridSTAR Net Zero Energy Demonstration Project underway at The Navy Yard
- Allegro MicroSystems Introduces 2.5A Buck Regulator with Low IQ Standby Mode
- Exar Introduces New Family of Rugged RS-485 Transceivers for the Industrial Market
- Renesas Adds IGBT Drivers with Micro-Isolator for Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Inverters
- European Project Reports Achievements in Drive to Shape the Future of Power Microelectronics
- Bosch Claims First Sub-$450 240V EV Charging Station
- 500W Full-Brick DC-DC Converter Optimized for Fuel Cell Applications
- DOE Selects Consortium to Develop Next-Generation Batteries for Automobiles
- Altera Acquires Enpirion for $140 Million, Forms Power Business Unit
- Teen Wins $50,000 for Development of Nanorod Supercapacitors
- 36V Digital Potentiometers Support Wide Signal Swings and High Power-Supply Voltages
- LG Chem Announces Plans for Start of Production of Automotive Li-Ion Batteries
- Digitally-Isolated Gate Drivers Provide Robust Drop-in Replacements for Opto-Drivers
- Green Building Power Forum 2010: Fujitsu Components America
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: CUI Incorporated
- Green Building Power Forum 2010: Anderson Power Products
- Green Building Power Forum 2010: EMerge Alliance
- Green Building Power Forum 2009: Independence Station
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: Coilcraft
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: Champs Technologies
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: EXAR Corporation
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: PMBus
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: Power Plaza
Design Features
October 22, 2012
Energy Efficiency with Class D Amplifier Modules
Class-D switching amplifiers are helping audio designers create personal multimedia devices and home audio/visual systems that demonstrate how compact and stylish equipment can also deliver high sound quality and high audio output power. The key to this breakthrough, providing freedom from the large and bulky boxes housing traditional audio products, lies in the class-D amplifier’s high energy efficiency, which is typically around 90%. This allows designers to reduce or eliminate heatsinks as well as using smaller-sized PCBs and smaller components such as transformers, connectors and power supplies.
Design Features
October 8, 2012
The Role of Hall Effect Sensors in Power Distribution Infrastructure
Power distribution units (PDUs) form an essential part of modern computing and data communications hardware. They provide multiple outputs for transferring electrical power with maximum efficiency, controlling the power capacity and safeguarding against the possible causes of supply interruption. With an ever increasing need from tech savvy consumers for higher data throughput and greater quantities of data storage capacity, as well as tough international legislation now governing CO&sub2; emissions, the demands being placed on these units are proving challenging for engineering teams to satisfy.
Product Focus
August 13, 2012
The Year in AC-DC Power Supply Technology
The past year witnessed significant new product releases, technological developments, and industry news related to the field of AC-DC Power Supply technology.