Renewable Energy News, May 27, 2010

National News:

Wind Industry Wants a Long-term Commitment -- Environmental Protection

On Grandpa's Knob in Vermont, wind power was stymied in 1941 by a number of shortages. In 2010, those equipment and material shortages have been replaced by the lack of consistent support from government. Specifically, presenters at the American Wind Energy Association's WindPower Conference and Exhibition in Dallas this week seemed anxious that their industry would not grow without tax or other financial incentives and a national renewable electricity standard (RES) to develop demand and push production.

China, US ink green energy deals - People's Daily Online

Partnerships set to boost fuel efficiency, environmental protection

China and the United States on Wednesday signed eight green energy deals to enhance cooperation in the sector, a move analysts said would set examples for global collaboration in increasing energy efficiency and protecting environment.

The eight deals include aviation biofuel, distributed energy systems using natural gas as fuel, smart meters and cellulosic ethanol. Neither side disclosed the financial details of the deals.

Hill Heat : 13th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Expo And Forum

In cooperation with Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses – and in partnership with the House Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition, House High Performance Building Caucus, House Algae Energy Caucus, House Hydropower Caucus, House Green Jobs Caucus, House Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Caucus, and House Green Schools Caucus – the Sustainable Energy Coalition is hosting the day-long 13th annual Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Expo + Forum.

Invoking the Oil Crisis, Obama Lauds Clean Energy - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

In another visit intended to showcase a recipient of economic stimulus dollars, President Obama toured a solar panel plant on Wednesday in Fremont, Calif. He took the opportunity to contrast the potential of clean energy with the environmental perils of fossil fuels, reflected in what he called a “heartbreaking” oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

“We’re not going to be able to sustain this kind of fossil fuel use. The planet can’t sustain it,” he told about 250 employees after a tour of the expanding Solyndra Inc. plant, which has received a $535 million loan guarantee from the Energy Department for new construction.

Local Vermont & Regional News:

Cape Wind Power Will Cost Twice As Much, But Opens Door to Other Projects |Triple Pundit

In a sign of the uphill battle offshore wind power has in winning over skeptics, electricity from the nation’s first wind farm off Cape Cod is expected to cost twice as much as that from conventional sources.

But at the same time, approval of the 130 turbine Cape Wind project has upped the prospects of 11 other offshore wind projects around the country, a new report says.

National Grid set to turn on largest Mass. solar facility - The Boston Globe

The rooftop array — capable of producing about a megawatt of electricity, or enough to power 200 homes — was built mostly with Massachusetts technology and expertise.

“It’s all good work for all the right reasons,’’ said Michael Monahan, business manager for Local 103 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union, whose members worked on the project.

This week, the panels will begin converting sunlight into power, said Ed White, a National Grid vice president.

Citizens group vows to fight Lowell wind project | The Burlington Free Press

MONTPELIER -- A citizens coalition is promising a vigorous fight against a wind project that would erect 400-foot turbine towers along a northern Vermont ridgeline, even though a majority of residents have voted for it.

Incentives boost creative energy projects - Bennington Banner

MANCHESTER --Opinions vary on the long-term benefit of a state law enacted a year ago to encourage small renewable energy projects.

Organized by Renewable Energy Vermont, the 2010 Distributed Generation Northeast Conference on May 19 focused on lessons learned from the first phases of the "Feed-In Tariff," which became law in May 2009 without Gov. James Douglas’ signature.

The conference -- held at the Equinox resort -- also focused on the importance of a "smart grid" -- that is, a statewide and regional electricity distribution system better able to accept, manage, store and distribute electricity.

Renewable Energy News, May 26, 2010

Local Vermont & Regional News

Bright future for old race track? - WCAX.COM

In the 1960s and 70s, the Green Mountain Race Track in Pownal was one of the premier sites for horse racing in the Northeast. But money troubles and politics brought an end to that era. "Number of factors," explained Chic Paustian of Green Mountain Energy Park. "The cost of running it, the state of Vermont wanted a larger part of the take which the Legislature voted for, and they couldn't see making money anymore so they switched over to dogs." Pressure from animal rights activists closed the track entirely in 1992. It's now a venue for traveling road shows and events. But officials here say solar power is the future. (Disclosure: SDRS represents the solar developer)

New law regulates old outdoor wood boilers | Vtdigger.org

About nine years ago, April and Greg Bodette of Glover decided to get an outdoor wood boiler. They’d previously used a wood stove to heat their house, but the smoke and dust was a major drawback: They believed the stove contributed to their allergies.

“We seemed to have colds a lot, and three out of the five of us have allergies, so it was horrible,” April Bodette said. “We still wanted to burn wood, though, which is less expensive.”

Their health problems improved dramatically when they got the outside furnace, she said. If they moved, the one thing she’d really want to take is the furnace. “I love it.”

But apparently no renewable energy source — not even wood, Vermont’s old standby — is without its downside.

35 named Green Communities, qualify for state aid - The Boston Globe

Getting cities and towns to shift toward clean energy was such a cornerstone of the state’s 2008 energy legislation that the law is named the Green Communities Act.

Municipalities that meet five clean energy goals are eligible for millions in local aid under the law. State officials had not expected many communities to qualify right away, because the rules are tough.

But Governor Deval Patrick designated 35 cities and towns yesterday as the Commonwealth’s first official Green Communities, making them eligible for $8.1 million in grants for local renewable power and energy-efficiency projects.

National News

Women’s Role in the Clean Energy Economy | Center for American Progress

Women across the nation are preparing to play an integral role in the green economy, and the United States will need their help if we’re going to pull ourselves out of the recession and compete in the new economy on a global scale.

It’s true that men have been hit the hardest in the recession as far an unemployment numbers go, but we will need to seize the opportunity to diversify the future workforce in a way that will incorporate all workers in all areas of the clean energy economy—including those where women have been traditionally underrepresented.

Women in Burlington, Vermont are training for careers in the fields of green construction, renewable energy, and energy efficiency as part of the Vermont Works for Women project. Women Going Green in Atlanta, Georgia is educating women in management and entrepreneurial opportunities in the clean energy economy. And young women in Los Angeles, California are receiving science, technology, engineering, and math education through the Infrastructure Academy, which will prepare them for high-paying, high-demand careers developing the next generation of clean energy technology.

First freshwater offshore wind farm to be developed | Cooler Planet News

Many firsts have been recorded in the world of renewable energy in recent years, and one of the most recently announced ones will be the nation's first freshwater offshore wind farm. This week, GE announced that it will be providing the turbines that will be used for the offshore wind farm, which will be located on Lake Erie off the coast of Northern Ohio, close to Cleveland. The wind project is being developed by the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo), and will start off generating 20 megawatts of electricity with five turbines, each of which can generate up to 4 megawatts. GE noted that these are currently the largest turbines that it offers. According to GE, this project could continue to expand dramatically in the coming years. The initial phase of the project is expected to be producing energy by 2012, and by 2020, turbines could be generating as much as 1,000 megawatts on Lake Erie.

Renewable Energy News, May 25, 2010

National News

Tech announces wind energy institute » Abilene Reporter News

Texas Tech University has announced it will become the research hub for the newly formed National Institute for Renewable Energy, a wind energy consortium started with financial help from West Texas organizations such as the Development Corporation of Abilene.

The institute’s formation was announced Monday at the American Wind Energy Association’s Windpower 2010 conference in Dallas, which has about 24,000 attendees from the industry.

BP and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill : The New Yorker

Elizabeth Kolbert at The New Yorker sees the BP oil spill as a call to energy action, comparing it to spills of the past:

In September of 1968, Union Oil Company of California, which later became Unocal and is now part of Chevron, erected a drilling platform off the coast near Santa Barbara. Over the next four months, four wells were constructed. Work on a fifth had begun and was proceeding uneventfully until, on January 28, 1969, the new well suffered a blowout. It took ten days’ effort before it was finally plugged, with cement slurry. By the time the flow had stopped completely, an estimated hundred thousand barrels of oil had poured into the Santa Barbara Channel. The slick it created covered eight hundred square miles. The area’s fishing industry was shut down, and pictures of blackened beaches filled the news.

Record Number of Businesses Support Climate Change Legislation |Triple Pundit

A tally by American Businesses for Clean Energy (ABCE) shows more than 6,000 American businesses support clean energy and climate legislation, including nearly a quarter of the Fortune 100.

The analysis, released last week in collaboration with the We Can Lead campaign, found that those businesses employed 3.5 million Americans and had $3.5 trillion in revenue in 2009.

Twenty-one of the Fortune 100 and 49 of the Fortune 500 companies support clean energy legislation like the American Power Act currently circling the Senate, according to the analysis.

Energy and Environment - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

The military will have solar panels for hot water installed in 900 homes at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, making the base one of the largest residential producers of solar thermal power. Each house on the base will have one panel on its roof that will cover 75 percent of its hot water needs.

The project will be funded partly through subsidies provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which made more than $16 billion available for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects through the Energy Department.

Local Vermont & Regional News

Company suggests solar farm at landfill: Rutland Herald Online

BENNINGTON – Representatives of a Burlington company will be at today's Select Board meeting to seek preliminary approval of a project to build a solar farm at the town's former dump site on Houghton Lane.

Chad Farrell, of Encore Redevelopment, and consultant Dan Smith, with the Stowe-based Arno Group, will present a proposal to put solar panels on town-owned land in what was once a Superfund site.

Cape Wind courts NStar for utility contract - The Boston Globe

Representatives from NStar met with developers of the Cape Wind energy project yesterday, but neither party would say whether the utility is closer to becoming a customer of the proposed wind farm.

An NStar spokeswoman, Caroline Allen, confirmed that the meeting took place in Cape Wind’s Boston office, but would not provide any more details.

Mark Rodgers, Cape Wind’s communications director, said the company “does not discuss business negotiations in progress.’’

The proposed 130-turbine offshore wind farm recently received federal approval for construction in Nantucket Sound.

Renewable Energy News, May 24, 2010

Local Vermont & Regional News:

Power strips: Can the smart grid smarten up Vermont's energy choices? | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont

Last week, a bunch of smart people started talking about how Vermonters can (or can't) pay for renewable energy. There also was a parallel discussion about how an ever-smarter electrical grid would raise (or lower) our utility bills. Here now are short interviews with some of the panelists who spoke at the "Distributed Generation Northeast Conference," hosted by Renewable Energy Vermont at the Equinox Resort in Manchester. Distributed generation, you ask? Consider it a term for electricity that's produced closer to where we use it than it is now.

GMP President unveils plans for $150 million wind farm in Lowell: Times Argus Online

MONTPELIER – Green Mountain Power officially unveiled its Kingdom Community Wind project Friday, a plan to build 21 turbines along three miles of ridgelines in the northern Vermont town of Lowell.

The utility submitted a 1,300-page proposal to the Vermont Public Service Board detailing its plan for the $150 million project, which the utility says will be able to power about 20,000 homes when it is up and running.

The long-awaited project is the largest renewable energy proposal in Vermont since GMP built a 50 megawatt wood-burning facility in the 1980s. This new project, GMP officials said, will generate 63 megawatts of power from turbines placed on the Lowell Mountain range.

Middlebury College seeks methane deal | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont

MIDDLEBURY -- Middlebury College is hoping to use methane from cow manure to help heat its campus.

The college would like to buy bio-methane from Montpelier-based Integrated Energy Solutions, if the company is able to put production facilities on Addison County farms.

Methane gas is produced by cow manure.

National News:

NREL: News - NREL Study Shows Power Grid can Accommodate Large Increase in Wind and Solar Generation

Increased Coordination Over Wider Areas and More Frequent Scheduling Needed; Wind and Solar Significantly Reduce Carbon and Fuel Costs

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today released an initial study assessing the operational impacts and economics of increased contributions from wind and solar energy producers on the power grid. The Western Wind and Solar Integration Study examines the benefits and challenges of integrating enough wind and solar energy capacity into the grid to produce 35 percent of its electricity by 2017. The study finds that this target is technically feasible and does not necessitate extensive additional infrastructure, but does require key changes to current operational practice. The results offer a first look at the issue of adding significant amount of variable renewable energy in the West and will help utilities across the region plan how to ramp up their production of renewable energy as they incorporate more wind and solar energy plants into the power grid.

05/24/2010 -- E&ETV VIDEO

Biofuels: National Biodiesel Board's Jobe discusses House, Senate votes on tax package (OnPoint, 05/24/2010)

The House and Senate are both scheduled to vote on a tax extenders package this week that would extend incentives for biofuels, energy efficiency and alternative vehicles. Will this bill do enough to revive the struggling biodiesel industry? During today's OnPoint, Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board, explains why the biodiesel industry is at risk of collapsing and how a tax credit extension would help.

Wind industry asks for national renewable energy standard at Dallas wind power meet | Dallas Environmental Policy Examiner

A special screening of the film “Climate Refugees” was one of the highlights when the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) Windpower 2010, the world largest wind energy trade show, opened in Dallas Sunday. The conference and exhibition held at the Dallas Convention Center runs through May 26 and brings more than 20,000 wind industry leaders, government officials and business executives together. AWEA says that the U.S. wind industry faces a difficult future if the Congress does not adopt an energy policy that gives the industry predictability and certainty.

Duke Energy lines up $375 million in backing for wind farms :: Editor’s Blog at Local Tech Wire

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – There’s financial power blowing in the wind these days at Duke Energy – more than $300 million worth.

Duke (NYSE: DUK) said Monday that it has leveraged five of its wind farms with long-term financing worth $325 million plus another $50 million in a line of credit.

The utility giant said the funds will be used “to finance continued investments in renewable power.”

The five wind farms are located in Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Colorado.

Environmental Economics: The case for strong climate policy is simple. A cap on carbon pollution is, too.

Gernot Wagner over at Environmental Economics responds to a recent post by Harvard economics professor Edward Glaeser on the New York Times Economix Blog

Edward L. Glaeser makes the case for simplicity in addressing climate change. I couldn’t agree more with his premise. The basic economics are indeed simple. Climate change might be the largest market failure the world has ever seen. To correct it, put the right incentives in place: correct the fact that we currently treat the atmosphere as a free sewer for our global warming pollution. Problem solved.

The how and especially the politics are not quite as straight-forward. Glaeser bemoans that the proposed American Power Act has 987 pages and identifies three culprits: that the Act tries to do more than just put a price on carbon, that it uses a cap-and-trade system rather than a tax, and that the problem has an important international dimension. He is broadly right on one and three but not on two: the issue of a cap versus a tax.

Renewable Energy News, May 21, 2010

Obama to ask Congress for $9B more in nuclear loan guarantees, plus $9B for renewable energy - chicagotribune.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is poised to ask Congress to agree to $9 billion more in loan guarantees for the nuclear energy industry, a Democratic aide said Thursday, in a renewed push for nuclear power as the growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico highlights the risks of fossil fuel production.Also Thursday the Energy Department announced a $2 billion loan guarantee for French-owned nuclear services company Areva Inc. to support construction of a uranium enrichment plant in eastern Idaho.At the insistence of Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, the request for more spending on nuclear energy would be coupled with $9 billion in loan guarantees for renewable energy such as wind and solar, according to the Democratic aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity before a formal announcement from the White House.

Renewable Energy Focus - Wave/wind hybrid aims for world first certification

Aberdeen-based Green Ocean Energy says it is close to becoming the only marine power company in the world to have its technology "fully certified". Green Ocean Energy says its Wave Treader device will imminently secure Statement of Feasibility from DNV (Det Norske Veritas) - the internationally recognised experts in identifying and managing risk within the energy and marine industries. This is the first stage of a four part process which would see Green Ocean Energy become fully certified by the independent foundation, an accreditation which Green Ocean Energy says "no wave energy company has achieved to date". The unique Wave Treader machine attaches to the transition piece of an offshore wind turbine to generate combined wind and wave energy, thereby significantly increasing the energy yield of the offshore wind farm.

Renewable Energy Focus - MTI Micro wins $1.2m DOE grant for micro fuel cell field test

MTI Micro Fuel Cells in upstate New York has received a $1.2 million grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE), to facilitate field testing of MTI Micro’s Mobion® micro direct methanol fuel cell systems.The additional DOE funding for MTI Micro will broaden the cost-shared program fund that supports the manufacturing process for Mobion fuel cell systems, and reducing the overall cost of its micro direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) technology.‘This grant will bring us to the next phase of our development – field testing – which is a precursor start to our Mobion production process, helping to bring a more efficient and environmentally friendly power source to the global market,’ says Peng Lim, President and CEO of MTI Micro, a subsidiary of Mechanical Technology Inc.

Big Infusion for a Solar Builder - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

Alstom, the French energy giant, has taken a $55 million stake in BrightSource Energy, a solar power plant builder backed by Google, Morgan Stanley and other investors.The investment is part of a $150 million round raised by BrightSource in one of the biggest renewable energy deals of the year. The California State Teachers Retirement System also joined the latest funding round as did the existing investors VantagePoint Venture Partners, Morgan Stanley and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Based in Oakland, Calif., BrightSource has now raised more than $300 million. Alstom becomes one of the startup’s largest shareholders and will take a seat on the board, according to John Woolard, BrightSource’s chief executive. The French company makes turbines and other power systems for fossil fuel, nuclear and hydro power plants and operates a division that builds high-speed trains.

Renewable Energy News, May 20, 2010

National News:

Three from the New York Times today:

Biomass Industry Sees 'Chilling Message' in EPA's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rule - NYTimes.com

U.S. EPA's final rule determining which sources will be subject to greenhouse gas permitting requirements does not exempt biomass power, a decision that has raised concern in the biomass industry. Issued yesterday, EPA's final "tailoring" rule determines which polluters will be required to account for their greenhouse gas emissions in Clean Air Act permits when the agency begins to formally regulate the heat-trapping gases next January (Greenwire, May 13).

A Battery That Stores Wind Juice - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

Mountaintop wind turbines produce most of their energy at night, when electricity demand and prices are low. That limits revenue and makes it hard for utility companies to meet state goals for high percentages of renewable energy.

Batteries could solve the problem, but they have always been too expensive. Still, a small New Jersey company, Grid Storage Technologies of Newark, plans to install two batteries on the grid late this year that would store bulk amounts of energy.

National Research Council Calls for Climate Action - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

In its most comprehensive study so far, the nation’s leading scientific body declared on Wednesday that climate change was a reality and was driven mostly by human activity, chiefly the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.

The National Research Council, an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, issued three reports stating that there was an overwhelming case for a harmful human influence on the global climate and arguing for strong and immediate action to limit emissions of climate-altering gases in the United States and around the world.

Local and Regional News:

Vermont Technical College in Randolph to hold sustainability conference | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont

BURLINGTON — Sustainability is the topic of a daylong symposium at Vermont Technical College in Randolph that will feature experts in energy efficiency, insulation and renewable energy for historic buildings.

Organizers say the June 4 symposium is for owners and managers of historic properties, energy efficiency practitioners, renewable energy installers, and anyone who cares about sustainable communities and the continued use of historic buildings.

Proposed biomass plant promises jobs in Fair Haven - WCAX.COM

Hundreds of new jobs could be coming to Fair Haven.

A developer pitched plans to build a large biomass plant just off of Route 4. Officials with Beaver Wood Energy say the facility would produce 110,000 tons of wood pellets a year. The proposal calls for 50 new jobs at the plant itself and as many as 800 more in related industries. The company is also hoping to build a similar plant in Pownal.

AG wants to review deal with Cape Wind - The Boston Globe

State Attorney General Martha Coakley is requesting up to $150,000 to retain “experts and consultants’’ to help review an agreement by the utility company National Grid to buy half of the power generated by the proposed Cape Wind energy project.

Coakley, the state’s ratepayer advocate, could sway the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, which must decide whether National Grid’s contract with Cape Wind is a good deal. That question is hotly debated, even among supporters of renewable energy.

Renewable Energy News, May 19, 2010

Local Vermont & Regional News:

Vermont Energy Partnership releases issue brief on renewable energy sources | Vermont Business Magazine

The Vermont Energy Partnership (VTEP) today released its latest issue brief, “Renewable Energy Sources in Vermont: A Status Report.” Authored by VTEP Communications Director Guy Page, the issue brief details Vermont’s current renewable power capacity and projects likely development in the near future. It also provides analysis about the benefits and challenges of renewable power and demand-side management in meeting Vermont’s 21st century energy needs.
The issue brief can also be found at www.vtep.org or by clicking here.

Solar, wood pellet firms eye Pownal: Rutland Herald Online

POWNAL – The owners of the Southern Vermont Energy Park have announced that two businesses, a solar-power farm and a wood pellet manufacturer, were pursuing leases at the former Green Mountain Race Track. (Disclosure: SDRS represents the developer of the solar farm)

2 Vt. utilities agree to buy wind from NH firm - Boston.com

MONTPELIER, Vt.—Vermont utility regulators are giving the go-ahead to a plan by the state's two largest electric utilities to buy wind power produced in northern New Hampshire. The Public Service Board approved the contracts Central Vermont Public Service Corp. and Green Mountain Power have with Granite Reliable Wind, a 99-megawatt project proposed for Coos County, N.H.

UMPI windmill ‘a great decision’ - Bangor Daily News

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The process of installing a wind turbine at the University of Maine at Presque Isle was a lot like navigating a traffic jam. There were lots of starts and stops, periods where the process flowed continually, and times when officials did not think they were going to get anywhere at all. But they did get somewhere, and this month marks the first anniversary of the official commissioning of the university’s 600-kilowatt windmill. The university became the first university campus in the state — and one of only a handful in New England — to install a midsize wind turbine to generate power.

National News:

One Moos and One Hums, but They Could Help Power Google | The New York Times

America’s dairy farmers could soon find themselves in the computer business, with the manure from their cows possibly powering the vast data centers of companies like Google and Microsoft. While not immediately intuitive, the idea plays on two trends: the building of computing centers in more rural locales, and dairy farmers’ efforts to deal with cattle waste by turning it into fuel.

Green Car Congress: Abengoa Solar Awarded $10.6M Contract To Develop New Solar Power Tower System

Abengoa Solar, through a contract totaling US$10.6 million with the US Department of Energy (DOE), will launch a research project to develop a new solar power tower technology with innovative fluids featuring a receiver and storage system to enable electricity production even when solar energy is not available. The solar power tower system will be made up of a circular field of heliostats that will reflect solar radiation onto a central receiver where the heat will be concentrated. A portion of this heat will be used directly to generate steam, producing electricity inside the turbine, while the other portion will be stored to be utilized for producing electricity whenever it is needed.

EERE News: U.S. Solar Industry Reports Strong Growth in 2009

The U.S. solar industry reported strong growth in 2009, overcoming harsh economic conditions to post a 36% increase in revenues, which totaled $4 billion. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released its 2009 annual report on April 15, showing that overall U.S. solar electric capacity grew by 37%, doubling the size of the residential photovoltaic (PV) market and adding three new concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. Residential grid-tied PV installations showed the strongest growth, jumping from 78 megawatts (MW) to 156 MW.

Renewable Energy News, May 18, 2010

Local Vermont & Regional News:

Green Mountain Power wins approval for Berlin solar project | The Burlington Free Press

Vermont's second-largest power company has won state approval to build a new solar power project in Berlin. Green Mountain Power says the project will generate 200 kilowatt-hours of electricity from 952 solar panels installed on about an acre of land in Berlin.

FAA determines Cape Wind farm is ‘no hazard’ - The Boston Globe

The Federal Aviation Administration determined yesterday that the proposed 130-turbine wind farm in Nantucket Sound will not significantly interfere with planes or radar. The determination of “no hazard’’ is one of the last approvals Cape Wind Associates needed for the project, which has undergone nine years of permitting review. US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar gave his final OK — by far the most important decision for the project — late last month.

NYSERDA provides funding to establish New York clean energy testing centers - EmpireStateNews.Net

ALBANY - The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced $4.4 million in funding over five years to a central New York-based testing laboratory to establish renewable energy test and research centers in New York that will be among the first of their kind in the nation.

National News:

Coal Emissions from U.S. Could Stop in 20 Years - Alternative Energy News

Pushker Kharecha and his colleagues believe that we should follow some practical methods to do away with coal and conventional fossil fuel emissions. We all know that use of fossil fuels leads towards carbon emissions that cause immense damage to our environment. Pushker Kharecha and colleagues voiced similar sentiments in the American Chemical Society’s semi-monthly journal Environmental Science and Technology (ES and T).

The biomass conundrum: where to get cheap wood waste | statesmanjournal.com | Statesman Journal

KETTLE FALLS, Wash. — Roaring furnaces unleash the energy of wood at Avista Corp.’s Kettle Falls generating station. Chips and bark become white-hot ash as temperatures soar to 2,500 degrees inside the massive seven-story furnaces. The searing heat produces steam, which runs a turbine for electricity. The plant should be a national model for alternative energy. Using waste salvaged from sawmills and logging operations in northeast Washington and southern British Columbia, it produces electricity for nearly 40,000 homes. Instead, the Kettle Falls operation is an example of a cruel irony facing the Northwest biomass industry: Located in the timber belt of the Selkirk Mountains, the plant has trouble getting wood fiber at prices that produce affordable electricity.

Gulf spill raises questions about future U.S. energy policy | Stonebridge Press and Villager Newspapers

WASHINGTON — The Gulf oil spill not only has altered the landscape of the Gulf Coast , it also has completely changed the debate over national energy policy. "Drill, baby, drill," which drilling proponents chanted until a few weeks ago, has been replaced by "Spill, baby, spill," from opponents. Politicians from the West Coast to Florida propose banning new drilling on the outer continental shelf. Lawmakers from oil-producing states like Texas and Louisiana , however, warn that shutting off offshore reservoirs hurts domestic production and increases reliance on foreign oil. Environmentalists counter that it's time for renewables such as wind and solar.

Where the Wind Blows and Sun Shines | Renewable Energy World

Over at Renewable Energy World, Matthew Slavin offers "a comparative analysis of state renewable energy standards."

Oklahoma, United States — America's state governments are at the forefront of efforts to expand the nation's supply of renewable energy. Renewable energy standards (RES) comprise the cornerstone of these initiatives. RES is by far the most widely used mechanism by states to expand renewable energy production and consumption. Fully 29 states have adopted some form of a mandatory RES. RES is also in place in the District of Columbia. And Vermont has a goal that so far has been voluntary, but which may become mandatory by 2013.

Renewable Energy News, May 14, 2010

National News:

E.P.A. Issues Final Emissions Rule - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

The Environmental Protection Agency just issued a final rule for addressing greenhouse gas emissions from major stationary sources like refineries, power plants and cement production factories. The lower emissions thresholds take effect next January.

David Doniger, from NRDC, has a more detailed post on the new carbon pollution regulations.

More Reaction to the Kerry Lieberman Climate Bill:

• Kerry-Lieberman adds some certainty on offsets « Climate Progress
• Swift action unlikely on climate bill
• Kerry – Lieberman: Legislators React
• States Wary Of New Climate Change Bill : NPR
• Utilities see bright side to new Senate energy legislation | Las Vegas Sun
• Climate: Conservatives aim to sink Kerry-Lieberman bill with 'gas tax' claims | E&E Daily (subscription required)
  

How Fast a Transition from Oil?| Energy Outlook

Geoffrey Styles takes a close look at what it would take for the U.S to reduce reliance on oil:

The Gulf Coast oil spill remains the top energy story this week, eclipsing a $10 drop in oil prices that should soon ripple through to gas pumps near you. With BP's latest effort to contain the spill having run afoul of a slush buildup composed of methane hydrate crystals, the deepwater well continues to leak at an undetermined rate. The longer the spill continues, the greater the chances for severe environmental consequences, and the likelier that it will become a perception-altering milestone event as some environmentalists have already suggested. However, even if the spill were to galvanize public opinion in a manner similar to the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, what options do we have that could realistically reduce our reliance on oil produced from offshore platforms?

Local Vermont & Regional News:

Biomass plant proposed at former Pownal track - Bennington Banner

A Massachusetts company has signed a lease agreement with the owners of the former Green Mountain Race Track property, planning to construct a large biomass plant and wood pellet manufacturing facility.

Chic Paustian, of Southern Vermont Energy Park, the firm that owns the former track, said he believes the biomass plant will be a 29-megawatt facility and will have about 75 full-time employees, in addition to the hundreds of jobs generated during the facility’s construction.

Middlebury College and Vermont farm energy company partner to explore use of bio-methane gas at the college | Middlebury

Middlebury College and Integrated Energy Solutions (IES), a Vermont developer of farm-based methane energy, have agreed to explore a bio-methane gas collection and delivery system that could help Middlebury further reduce its use of fossil fuels.

Middlebury has agreed to purchase bio-methane gas from IES over a 10-year period, with the agreement contingent on the college raising money to build storage facilities for the gas on campus and retrofit its current heating plant to burn the new fuel, and on IES attracting financing for construction of bio-methane production facilities at farms in Addison County. The project would cost about $9 million, with $2 million coming from Middlebury and $7 million from IES.

Are Wind Turbines Hazardous to Your Health? Docs Disagree | Seven Days

Is “wind turbine syndrome” a bona fide medical condition?

Our Wish List (for power pricing, that is): CLF issues joint statement on the pricing of power from Cape Wind | CLF Scoop

The news this week that National Grid has officially filed its contract proposal with Cape Wind is great news for everyone in our state who breathes the air and believes we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels in general. Any estimate of the real costs of Cape Wind must factor in the economic, environmental and public health benefits to consumers and the Commonwealth over the long-term. In addition to knowing how much the power from Cape Wind will cost, the public should also know how much it will save them. To accurately estimate the value of our investment in Cape Wind, we can’t just focus on short-term increases to electric bills – pennies per day, on average – but must consider the savings over time.

Cape Wind foes eye law - BostonHerald.com

Opponents of the Cape Wind project are planning to launch a multi-pronged legal attack that could include a challenge to the constitutionality of a state law forcing utilities to buy much of their renewable-energy only from firms that produce power within Massachusetts.

The possible legal assault, based on the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, would be in addition to opponents’ already stated intent to challenge Cape Wind on alleged violations of endangered species, ocean and energy laws.

A Canadian energy company that owns wind farms in Maine has already filed a lawsuit challenging a provision of the state’s Green Communities Act mandating that renewable energy purchased by utilities be produced within the Bay State’s borders, a requirement some think was partly aimed at helping Cape Wind.

VIDEO: The Future of Building Integrated Solar PV: CEO of Wakonda Technologies — The Green Light Distrikt

An interesting video of Les Fritzemeir's presentation at the recent "Clean Tech Kingpins" meetup in Boston.

Renewable Energy News, May 12, 2010

Senate Climate Bill Makes Its Debut - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

Senators John F. Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, presented their long-delayed proposal to address global warming and energy Wednesday afternoon. They are calling it the American Power Act.

Joesph Romm at Climate Progress has an early analysis of the bill, based on the draft summary leaked to the press. Brad Johnson at the Wonk Room has also published a nice table comparing the key provisions of the legislation to early versions of proposed climate legislation.

Cape Wind Eyes Potential Equity Sale | Green Energy Reporter

Cape Wind, the Boston-based offshore wind developer, is considering selling an equity stake to one or more strategic partners to raise capital to support construction of its 420-megawatt offshore wind farm to be constructed on the Nantucket Sound, an industry source tells G.E.R.

Amid Conflict, a Consensus on Efficiency - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

Those of you who follow energy and environmental issues with some regularity will surely know the McKinsey greenhouse gas cost abatement curve — but for those who are unfamiliar with it, it’s shown above.

All sorts of interesting tidbits can be gleaned from the chart, but the takeaway point — one of critical import to the hundreds of government officials, business executives and advocates for energy reform gathered this week in Washington for the Energy Efficiency Global Forum and Exhibition — is pretty simple: The most inexpensive way to bring down greenhouse gas emissions is to improve energy efficiency.

Making a Splash: PG&E Dives Headlong Into Wave Power Project | Renewable Energy World

Drawing power from the churning sea can seem as difficult as finding Kraken the mythical sea monster. Despite tales of successful trials and imminent commercialization, the wave power industry remains largely in the research and development stages. But a utility-backed project in California could help propel this class of technology into a reliable supply of energy.

The Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) recently filed a federal application to build a 5-megawatt (MW) project about three miles off the coast of Humboldt County in Northern California. The utility plans to select three to four wave energy converter device makers for the 5-year project, which PG&E considers a pilot effort to test different types of technologies, said Jana Morris, a PG&E spokeswoman.

EERE News: DOE and USDA Offer $30 Million for Biomass Research and Development

DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on May 6 jointly announced up to $33 million in funding for biomass research and development. The funding will support projects and processes that produce advanced biofuels, bioenergy, and high-value biobased products.

EERE News: DOE Offers $60 Million for Small Business Clean Energy Projects

DOE announced on May 7 that $60 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding is available to continue supporting innovative small business research and development leading to the deployment of clean energy technologies. This announcement starts the second phase of DOE's Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program. In the first phase, DOE awarded 125 grants of up to $150,000 to 107 small advanced technology firms across the United States, competitively selected from 950 applicants across the United States. The second phase will provide continued support to first-phase awardees that have demonstrated successful results with their new technologies and can now show their potential to meet market needs. DOE expects to make 58 awards of up to $1 million for SBIR awardees and up to $750,000 for STIR awardees. Applications are due by June 7.

Merriam to lead Efficiency Vermont | The Burlington Free Press

Vermont Energy Investment Corp. announced Tuesday that Jim Merriam, the former chief operating officer of groSolar, will become director of Efficiency Vermont beginning in June.

VEIC is a nonprofit energy services organization, best known for operating Efficiency Vermont, Vermont's statewide energy efficiency utility.

Good Series of Op-Ed Articles on Energy issues in the Burlington Free Press

• Energy disasters: when is enough enough
• We should encourage geothermal energy in Vermont
• Look past NIMBY and at real energy issues
• Hydro-Quebec deserves "renewable" designation
  

Maine Energy bills smarten up state policy - Bangor Daily News

Gov. John Baldacci joined state lawmakers and advocates for renewable energy on Tuesday to celebrate the passage of a suite of bills aimed at helping lessen Maine’s dependence on foreign oil and other fossil fuels.

National Life to reduce carbon footprint: Times Argus Online

National Life Group announced on Wednesday that its biomass energy project will meet 90 percent of the heating needs of its Montpelier campus while reducing the company's annual carbon footprint by 45 percent.

The $2 million project, scheduled to be completed in late summer, is expected to cut National Life's annual usage of heating oil from 210,000 gallons to about 30,000 gallons. The company's $500,000 annual heating bill will be cut roughly in half.

National Life's 500,000-square-foot headquarters is one of the largest commercial buildings in Vermont.

Renewable Energy News, May 10, 2010

Conference: Local Renewable Energy on a Smart Grid | Vermont Business Magazine

The 2010 Distributed Generation Northeast Conference, hosted by Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) brings together more than 200 business leaders, policy-makers, utilities and others committed to expanding Vermont's use of renewable, sustainable energy - and are looking at more efficient, cost effective ways to transmit that power to commercial and residential customers.

The conference is next Wednesday, May 19, in Manchester, Vermont. The conference agenda is available here.

Wind power: Clean energy solution of the month | Climate Progress

Peter Sinclair has now started putting together videos on clean energy solutions. Here’s his latest.

Green Energy Competitiveness | Energy Outlook

Geoffrey Styles on the value of focusing financial incentives on green energy manufacturing:

As I was catching up on recent op-eds in the New York Times, I was intrigued by one with the snappy title, "Red China, Green China." As the author, an "executive in residence at Columbia Business School," built his case for why the US is falling behind China in clean energy technology, I was hopeful that he'd offer some sensible recommendations for resolving the problems that have made it harder for the US to compete across a whole range of industries, not just cleantech. Unfortunately, two of his three suggestions were focused on measures to ensure a market for clean technology, and the third on R&D for carbon capture and storage. These are worthy goals, but there wasn't a word about making our manufacturing sector more competitive. That blind spot seems to be shared by the Department of Energy, which according to an article in MIT's Technology Review ran out of money for clean energy manufacturing tax credits, but spent more than $3 billion funding renewable energy projects, many of which are being built with imported hardware. If we're serious about competing in a global clean technology race, we've got our priorities backwards.

EERE News: Secretary Chu Announces up to $62 Million for Concentrating Solar Power Research and Development

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the selections of projects for investment of up to $62 million over five years to research, develop, and demonstrate Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems capable of providing low-cost electrical power. This funding will support improvements in CSP systems, components, and thermal energy storage to accelerate the market-readiness of this renewable energy technology. Accelerating breakthroughs in renewable energy technologies supports the Administration’s strategy of diversifying the U.S. energy portfolio to increase our energy independence while fostering a fast-growing clean-energy economy.

Global warming concerns force local environmental trade-offs | The Connecticut Mirror

For 23 years, Eva Villanova has lived the idyllic country life. She raised a family and made a name for herself as an artist. Her home on leafy Flagg Hill Road in the northwest Connecticut town of Colebrook was a perfect place to turn ordinary clumps of clay into extraordinary works of art-or so Villanova thought.

Much to her dismay, a Connecticut energy company is proposing to build as many as five 320-foot wind turbines just yards away from Villanova's kilns. The project, proposed by BNE Energy Inc., would be the first substantial wind farm in the state. It would go a long way in helping Connecticut achieve its goal of generating 20 percent of its power over the next decade from renewable energy sources.

Making America a 21st Century Solar Power | Renewable Energy World

Solar Power presents opportunities in the United States that cannot be overstated. It can be part of a renewable energy portfolio to achieve energy independence, it can demonstrate commitment to leadership on controlling climate change and it can be the foundation for thousands of green technology jobs around the country.

Key to continued progress on these goals will be federal leadership; smart, integrated policy prescriptions; and ideas, commitment and investment from private industry.

Renewable Energy News, May 7, 2010

VPR News: Welch Energy Efficiency Bill Passes House

An initiative by Congressman Peter Welch to reduce energy consumption and create jobs has passed the U.S. House. VPR's Ross Sneyd reports.

Vermont Senate backs Hydro-Quebec renewable-energy status | The Burlington Free Press

The Senate voted unanimously Thursday to back a bill that grants Hydro-Quebec status as a renewable-energy source, a move supporters say will give Vermonters a better deal on power but that environmentalists contend will discourage creation of new renewable energy.
The bill will also consolidate permit appeals for renewable energy facilities and extend important Vermont state solar tax credits. The text of the Senate amendments to House Bill H.781 are available here (scroll to page 32 of the pdf).

National Grid & Cape Wind Sign 15-Year PPA | Renewable Energy World

On Friday, National Grid and Cape Wind announced that they will file a contract with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) on Monday under which National Grid will buy power from the nation's first large-scale, offshore wind farm, which is expected to come online by the end of 2012. This follows the recent decision from U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to approve the project.

Under the terms of the contract, which must be approved by the DPU, beginning in 2013, National Grid would purchase from Cape Wind 50 percent of the wind farm’s output including electricity, renewable energy certificates (RECs), and other potential market attributes for US $0.207 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

'I'm in This to Win,' Graham Says of Senate Climate Bill - NYTimes.com

Sen. Lindsey Graham doesn't sound like someone who's abandoned the push to pass a global warming bill.
Standing in the Senate's historic Kennedy Caucus Room, the site of hearings on the sinking of the Titanic and Watergate, the South Carolina Republican told a room full of environmentalists and Obama administration officials Tuesday night that he is still in the fight to enact legislation that caps greenhouse gases and expands domestic energy production. "I'm not playing the game to win 43 [votes]," he said, referring to the high-water mark of past Senate climate bill roll calls. "I'm not in this to make a statement. I'm in this to win."

Cape Wind decision propels other offshore projects | Stateline.org

Last week’s approval of a wind farm off the Massachusetts shore has wind energy developers in other states riding a wave of new momentum, even as the Gulf Coast oil spill casts doubt on the future of drilling. From Maine to North Carolina, efforts to plant enormous wind turbines on the ocean floor got a boost when the U.S. Interior Department signed off on 130 wind turbines five miles off the coast of Cape Cod, the first time an offshore wind project has passed federal muster.

The next day, in New Jersey, a company called Fishermen’s Energy launched a buoy to measure wind speed and temperatures to determine the best location to site turbines. If all goes as the company hopes, construction on up to 100 offshore turbines could begin next year, says spokeswoman Rhonda Jackson.

Leases sought to test wind turbines off Ga. coast | The Augusta Chronicle

BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Southern Co. has asked the U.S. Department of the Interior for ocean leases off the coasts of Jekyll Island and Savannah to erect research towers to determine the feasibility of constructing offshore wind turbines. The Atlanta-based company wants to construct towers to support equipment to measure wind speeds and directions, hurricane resistance and to gather other data determine if wind turbines may be viable as an alternative energy source in Georgia.

Patent Pending: The Fast Track - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

My first job after college was as a patent examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. I spent my days evaluating stacks of patent applications, most of them three to four years old because of the immense backlog the office faced. Today the office still struggles with a major backlog.

But inventors of green technology may have a leg up. Under a program that started in December, they can request that their patents be put through an accelerated queue. The purpose of the program is to help them raise money, start up businesses and bring products to the market more rapidly.

PUC vote blocks 'renewable energy credits' - SignOnSanDiego.com

Faced with intense lobbying, California regulators Thursday backtracked on a decision that limits how big utilities account for green power they purchase outside the state. The Public Utilities Commission voted 4-1 to stop utilities from using “renewable energy credits,” most of which come from outside California, until it figures out a different way to deal with the issue. Utilities have been using those credits to meet requirements that they provide 20 percent of their power from sources like the sun and wind by the end of the year. The decision was a reversal from the PUC’s decision eight weeks ago setting up how the purchase of such credits would work.

The Wall Street Journal also has a story on this issue (subscription required)

Renewable Energy News, May 6, 2010

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions fell record 7% last year | USATODAY.com

Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions fell a record 7% last year, due partly to the economic downturn, the U.S. government reported Wednesday. While emissions have fallen in three of the last four years, 2009's drop was the largest since the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) began keeping comprehensive data in 1949.

Read the EIA's report, U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions in 2009: A Retrospective Review, for more.

Oil spill clouds future of energy legislation | msnbc.com

The Gulf oil spill has dealt a big blow to expanded offshore drilling, leaving the nation's energy problems as murky and unsettled as ever. The disaster may bolster arguments for greater energy conservation and renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, environmentalists say. But it's hard to see any other political beneficiaries, and under the best of scenarios, few experts think the nation's thirst for foreign oil will abate for years to come.

Thomas Friedman - No Fooling Mother Nature - NYTimes.com

There is only one meaningful response to the horrific oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and that is for America to stop messing around when it comes to designing its energy and environmental future. The only meaningful response to this man-made disaster is a man-made energy bill that would finally put in place an American clean-energy infrastructure that would set our country on a real, long-term path to ending our addiction to oil.

Win-win on savings and comfort - The Manchester Journal

Martha Thompson owns a not untypical home in Manchester - a two-story Cape-style house built in 1963. Other than adding on an additional room 10 years later, not much changed; until last year. Then, Thompson was one of two area residents selected for a free home energy audit and insulation project underwritten by the Stratton Foundation, and Efficiency Vermont, an independent, non-profit organization under contract to the Vermont Public Service Board that provides technical assistance and financial incentives to Vermont households and businesses, to help them reduce their energy costs. The organization is funded by an energy efficiency charge on consumers' electric bills. One winter heating season later, the differences were marked - the house was warmer and her heating bill lower, she said.

NewNet News - Venture capital investment in clean technology bolstered by energy efficiency and electric vehicle deals

Venture capital investment into clean technology companies by US firms has increased by about two-thirds since the economic dip of early 2009 in the first quarter of the year, driven by energy efficiency and electric vehicle deals, according to a recent study. US venture capital investment in the sector in the first quarter of fiscal 2010 hit $733.3m, representing a 68 per cent increase in capital and 118 per cent increase in deals compared to the first quarter of 2009, according to analysis by Ernst & Young.

RI Govenor Carcieri backs special law for energy developer to bypass permit agency | The Providence Journal

Governor Carcieri went before a Senate committee on Wednesday to urge passage of first-of-a-kind legislation that would allow a private energy company to bypass a key regulatory board in a quest to build a wind farm in waters off Block Island. Carcieri gave “unqualified support” to a bill that would clear the way for developer Deepwater Wind to enter into a power-purchase agreement with National Grid, the state’s main electricity utility, which could go into effect without approval from the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. The governor told the Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture that the special treatment the bill would give Deepwater is necessary for the company’s eight-turbine wind farm to move forward quickly, and is also a crucial step in the plan for Rhode Island to become a manufacturing hub for the nation’s offshore wind industry.

Colorado Seeks a Renewable Energy Peak | National Geographic Daily News

The United States gets only 4 percent of its electricity from wind, solar and biomass, but Colorado thinks it can do better. A lot better. This spring, Democratic Governor Bill Ritter signed into law a program for Colorado to get 30 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2020. Does Colorado have a secret it would like to share? Experts agree that Colorado has made great strides in incorporating renewables into its energy mix. The state is on its way to meeting its original 10 percent goal way ahead of schedule, and has raised the bar twice since then. But it remains to be seen whether what works in the heart of the Rockies can translate to places that lack Colorado’s unique geography or political landscape.

Renewable Energy News, May 5, 2010

Google’s Energy Foray: What’s Up? - Green Blog - NYTimes.com

Companies like Google and Facebook capitalize on the power of user data, scouring our e-mail messages and profiles for keywords that can result in lucrative targeted advertising. Google is explicit about its mission “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Now it is laying out plans to become a leader in capturing, owning, tracking and trading energy. Recently the company announced a $38.8 million investment in two wind farm projects in North Dakota, as our friends at Dealbook noted.

Want jobs? We can get them from clean energy (Reps. Inslee and Israel) - The Hill's Congress Blog

As we await introduction in the Senate of comprehensive energy and climate legislation consistent with the American Clean Energy and Security Act passed by the House ten months ago, it is time to focus on other critical steps that Congress can take to harness American innovation to create millions of jobs as part of our new clean energy economy.

Oil spill emboldens Georgia wind-energy advocates | ajc.com

Last Wednesday, as the magnitude of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico grew starker, environmentalists were handed the perfect weapon to fight drilling off the Georgia coast. Their clean-energy hopes were buoyed further by the Obama administration’s approval that same day of a massive wind-turbine farm off Massachusetts - a welcome impetus for proposed wind-energy projects off Tybee and Jekyll islands.

Wildlife Rulings Challenge Wind Farms | Renewable Energy World

Two recent high-profile decisions on wind development and wildlife mean that developers looking to develop wind farms on sites considered endangered bat territory in the Eastern United States might consider getting an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) to eliminate any risk, while Wyoming's sage grouse rules still dominate in Western U.S.

Connecticut Legislature Passes Energy Bill | Solar Industry

The Connecticut House of Representatives has passed an energy bill that includes provisions to expand the production of solar energy and other forms of renewable energy. The House’s approval, by a vote of 81-40, follows state Senate approval, by a vote of 20-14, earlier this week. However, the bill may not have enough votes to overcome a potential veto by Gov. M. Jodi Rell, R-Conn., the Hartford Courant reports. Rell's aides have recently expressed concerns about the bill and its potential impact on electric rates, while the bill's sponsors, co-chairmen of the legislature's energy committee - Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, and Rep. Vickie Nardello, D-Prospect - maintain that it will lower rates by 15%.

GE Biogas Engines Bring World’s Largest Cow Manure To Energy Project To Life | EarthTechling

Biogas production from cow manure is certainly nothing new in the field of renewable energy. Never before though, apparently, has a project unfolding in China been undertaken on such a large scale: 250,000 cows (!) producing enough cow poo to generate 38,000 MWh a year of converted biogas. At the heart of the new Liaoning Huishan Cow Farm will be four biogas engines from GE.

Renewable energy transmission line debate heats up - POWER-GEN WorldWide

Xcel Energy says it might have to reduce the amount of solar power it buys in Colorado over the next few years because a hedge fund manager does not want a transmission line built over land he owns. The utility, along with project partner Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, requested May 4 to cancel a hearing on the proposed power line. The utility said it wants to amend the plan it filed with the state to meet a renewable standard. The Denver Business Journal reported the story. Xcel and Tri-State are working on a 140-mile, $180 million transmission line in south-central Colorado to transmit power generated from planned solar developments in parts of Colorado and New Mexico. Solar project developers say they are unable to obtain financing because of uncertainty over the transmission line.

Southern California Edison boosts renewable energy grid access | BrighterEnergy.org

The Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project is the first major transmission project in the state to be built specifically to provide access to renewable energy. When complete, it will comprise a series of high-voltage power lines stretching from eastern Kern County to the city of Ontario in San Bernardino County, bringing wind and solar power in from the California desert to the Los Angeles area. The first part of the project saw the first three of 11 segments completed, providing 700MW of capacity. When complete, it will bring in 4,500MW of renewable power.

EERE News: EPA and USDA to Promote Renewable Energy Generation from Livestock

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new interagency agreement on May 3 to promote renewable energy generation and slash greenhouse gas emissions from livestock operations. The agreement expands the work of the AgStar program, a joint EPA-USDA effort that helps livestock producers reduce methane emissions from their operations.

Renewable Energy News, May 4, 2010

Peter Welch says Vermont would get job boom out of Home Star energy bill | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont

Vermont's lone representative to the U.S. House says a bill designed to make homes more energy efficient would help create jobs. Democratic Rep. Peter Welch says the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act being considered by Congress would create 170,000 jobs nationally in construction, retail and manufacturing.

Official Google Blog: Not merely tilting at windmills — investing in them too

On Friday we made our first direct investment in a utility-scale renewable energy project — two wind farms that generate 169.5 megawatts of power, enough to power more than 55,000 homes. These wind farms, developed by NextEra Energy Resources, harness power from one of the world’s richest wind resources in the North Dakota plains and use existing transmission capacity to deliver clean energy to the region, reducing the use of fossil fuels. Through this $38.8 million investment, we’re aiming to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy — in a way that makes good business sense, too.

Solar Marketing Strategies: Smart Grid Standards Must Come First

Technology adoption is all about standards. To succeed with consumers, one firm's gadget often has to work with other gadgets from other firms. Technology moves so quickly that standards set by committees usually come too late. Instead, the industry organizes itself around de-facto standards championed by single firms with the clout to make them stick. For example, as Intel has done with microprocessors. Early adopters who are using Smart Grid Investment Grants (SGIG) are currently choosing hardware, software and communications technology well before most of the relevant standards have been settled. This creates enormous *risk* in the minds of the public. The possibility of selecting the wrong vendors or technologies is keeping a lot of people from participating, thereby delaying mainstream adoption of smart grid products and applications. Smart grid standards would help remove this barrier to adoption and open the door to mainstream markets. The only question is, who has the clout to establish a de-facto standard that the rest of the industry can follow and benefit from?

Op-Ed Columnist David Brooks - American Power Act - NYTimes.com

In 1860, Samuel Curtis, a Republican congressman of Iowa, sponsored a bill to create a transcontinental railroad. The debate over that public-private partnership was long and messy. Democrats said the proposal was unconstitutional. Others rightly argued that it meant huge giveaways to the rich. But the railroad effort, backed by Abraham Lincoln, swept forward. “Nations are never stationary,” Representative James Campbell told the House. “They advance or recede. We cannot remain inactive ... without the loss of trade, of commerce, and power.” After the legislation was approved in 1862, there were continual setbacks. The Union Pacific Railroad languished. Scandals mounted. Yet despite it all, the final spike was hammered into place at Promontory Point, Utah, in 1869, linking the nation and heralding a new burst of prosperity. When you read that history, you’re reminded that large efforts are generally plagued by stupidity, error and corruption. But by the sheer act of stumbling forward, it’s possible, sometimes, to achieve important things.
Energy innovation is the railroad legislation of today.

Connecticut energy overhaul debate is put on hold | News from southeastern Connecticut

Late Monday night, state Senate leaders postponed debate on a massive proposal to overhaul state energy policy, pushing a vote back at least until today and leaving its fate unclear. But any visitor wondering about the scope and import of the bill needed search no further than the crowds of lobbyists, activists and aides clustered in the marble hall outside the Senate chamber.

The attempt to make the most sweeping changes in Connecticut's electricity markets since their deregulation in 1998 has provoked an aggressive show of force by power companies, business interests, environmentalists and advocates for consumers, the elderly and the poor.

USDA Invites Applications for Renewable Energy Funding

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is seeking applications to increase the production and use of renewable energy sources. Funding is available from four USDA Rural Development renewable energy programs authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill).

"This funding will help spur investments in technologies that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels, conserve natural resources and help build a sustained renewable energy industry in rural America," Vilsack said. "Support provided by USDA through these programs will not only benefit the environment, it will create green jobs and help America become more energy self-sufficient."

NREL Releases Assessment of Green Power Programs| Solar Industry

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released its annual assessment of leading utility green power programs. Under these voluntary programs, consumers can choose to help support additional electricity production from renewable resources such as solar and wind.

Opinion: Oil Slick You Can't See Threatens the Entire Ocean - Bill McKibben

If you think that slick of oil spreading across the Gulf of Mexico is a nasty sight ... well, it is. And so we'll probably do something about it. Within hours of the crude reaching the coast, an aide to President Barack Obama said new offshore drilling would be put on hold. But here's the problem: An even bigger slick -- this one of acid -- is spreading across the entire ocean. It's doing damage far more profound than even the oil. But since you can't see it, nothing's happened.

Study outlines offshore energy prospects in Virginia | newsleader.com

The development of a turbine manufacturing industry along Virginia's coast is key to creating jobs and reducing the costs of offshore wind energy, according to the most detailed analysis yet of the state's offshore wind prospects. The report by the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium concludes that the development of an offshore supply industry in Hampton Roads would generate thousands of jobs and reduce the estimated kilowatt hour cost of energy generated by wind turbines off the coast.