Issue link: http://resourceworld.uberflip.com/i/460990
F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 5 www.resourceworld.com 67 Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines. (GRI is an international not-for-profit organization with a network-based structure. Its Secretariat is located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.) The GRI G4 reporting standard asks companies to examine sustainability, not as a box-checking exercise, but as a process in which they report the issues most material to the company and its communi- ties of interest. Avalon has completed the feasibility study for the Nechalacho Project, which they are presently optimizing. Project plans are well advanced; the environmental assessment is approved by the federal government, and a refining solution is in place. The next step is securing more capital for the construction phase. Bubar says that construction will take at least three years to complete, but after production begins, Nechalacho will rank as the largest heavy rare earth producer in the world, outside of China. gigafactory set to proDuce electric vehicle batteries Panasonic corp. [PCRFY-OTC] and tesla Motors, Inc. [TSLA-NASDAQ] are constructing a large-scale battery manufac- turing plant in the United States, known as the Gigafactory. This Gigafactory, being constructed in Nevada, is about one year ahead of schedule. The company is expected to start producing batteries at the $4-5 billion plant within the next two years. Based on their mutual approval, Tesla will prepare, provide and manage the land, buildings, and utilities and Panasonic will manufacture and supply cylindrical lithium-ion cells and invest in the associated equipment, machinery, and other manufacturing tools. A network of supplier partners will be procured to produce the required precursor materials. Tesla will take the cells and other components and assemble battery modules and packs. For the company, finding experienced partners to produce lithium-ion cells is critical, as Tesla has no previous experience in this. Any raw material or precursor supplier, whether a new mine prospect or a producer, will need at least two years to prepare for a Gigafactory supply surge. Tesla is not only targeting electric vehicle (EV) batteries with the Gigafactory output but also stationary storage applications to store the intermittent energy generated from wind and solar sources. The Gigafactory will produce 35 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of cells and 50GWh of packs per year by 2020. Tesla projects that the Gigafactory will employ about 6,500 people by 2020. The goal for the company is to reduce the cost of manufacturing batteries by up to 30% and to drive down the cost of EVs. canaDian city turns sunshine into renewable green energy CBC News Canada reports that the southeastern Alberta city of Medicine Hat now operates a solar thermal power plant – the first of its kind in Canada. "The idea behind this project is to help save gas; some day we will run out of it," said Mayor Ted Clugston. The plant is part of a $10 million project and follows another green energy project – wind turbines constructed within the city limits. The project was funded with help from the federal and provincial governments. Large curved steel panels reflect the sun's rays to heat oil inside a metal tube. The oil then creates steam, turning a turbine at the nearby power plant. "The project was to determine whether or not this technology would work in our climate, our environment," said Gerry Labas, who leads the Medicine Hat energy division. The focus on renewable energy is a change of direction for Medicine Hat, which has a century-long history in natural gas. We haven't turned our back, we've only faced the future," said Clugston. "That's what this project is." The mayor admits the project makes little financial sense because it only produces one megawatt of electricity on an ideal summer day. It was approved in 2009, when the city had more cash. Clugston says if faced with the decision today, council would not approve the project. Even so, the mayor says there are many positives to the proj- ect, suggesting it will boost tourism, be a magnet for elementary school field trips and make the city seem much more progres- sive. The new solar thermal plant is expected to generate enough energy to power 150 homes per year and is one step toward reach- ing the city's goal of relying on renewable energy for 25% of its electricity by 2025. silent electric tractor coming for farmer The Kulan, an electric vehicle named for a Central Asian donkey, is designed to act like its namesake: a beast of burden. The Kulan is a concept at this stage, but the development team behind it has every intention of bringing the innovative machine to market. It is designed as a lightweight, electric-powered, utility vehicle that will help with tasks like carrying cattle feed and lugging loads of produce. Its futuristic shape may suggest it isn't strong but the Kulan is able to carry a payload of 1,000 kilograms. The prototype's frame is made from tube steel, which is not the lightest material but is far cheaper than carbon-fibre or aluminium. Its panels are a special lightweight plastic. Running solely on electricity, the Kulan would be able to work in environments where zero emissions and virtually silent machines are preferred, for example enclosed spaces and parks. The Kulan may also appeal to organic farmers who want to reduce the amount of fossil fuels being used on their land. This intrigu- ing vehicle is the result of technical collaboration by 14 companies known as Poly Lab from the German region of Saxony. Poly Lab is now seeking industrial partners, mainly manufacturers, to build a vehicle that would integrate some of Kulan's advanced features. n