Sheffield, Vermont wind project granted final permitA Vermont Environmental Court judge has ruled that a 16-turbine wind-energy project is entitled to the final permits it needs to begin construction on Granby Mountain and Libby Hill in Sheffield.
Judge Merideth Wright ordered several revisions in the construction stormwater permits issued to Vermont Wind, a subsidiary of Boston-based First Wind, but upheld those permits. Vermont Wind would be only the second such project to be constructed in Vermont. A commercial wind farm in Searsburg, in southern Vermont, was completed in 1997.
If the company follows the permit conditions, there is no reason to expect that road-building and installation of the towers would degrade five small streams on the ridge, Wright concluded.
Disclosure: SDRS represents First Wind in this matter.
Use of Idaho's geothermal resources on the riseA farming operation north of Idaho's capital city is taking advantage of the region's geothermal hot water to extend its growing season, just the latest example of how energy-conscious residents are putting the largely unseen but steamy reservoir beneath their feet to work.
The Idaho Statesman reports that Sweet Valley Organic, located in a valley near rural Emmett, Idaho, has built a geothermal greenhouse. It also uses outdoor pipes to keep its crops from freezing.
EPA Recognizes Connecticut For Its Use Of Renewable EnergyThe Connecticut state government has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as one of the organizations doing the most in the country to buy renewable energy.
Government procurement officers have contracted for more than 107 million kilowatts in renewable energy for the coming year, 17 percent of the state's power use.
For Hurricane Katrina Victims, A Solar RestartThe rooftop of Robert Green’s home bears two unmistakable marks that it is part of the effort to rebuild New Orleans with a new resilience.
There is a safe exit to a secure area of the roof—a feature that needs no explanation for longtime Lower Ninth Ward residents like Green, who lost both his mother and his three-year-old granddaughter in 20-foot-high floodwaters after the Industrial Canal levee broke in the wake of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005.
But in addition to that echo of the tragic past, there is an installation that points to a hopeful future: 15 solar photovoltaic panels.
U.S. energy use in record dropEnergy use in the United States fell nearly 5% last year, marking the largest annual drop on record, according to an analysis of federal data by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Total U.S. energy use fell in 2009 to an estimated 94.6 quadrillion British Thermal Units, down from 99.2 quadrillion BTUs in 2008. To put that in perspective, the average room air conditioner uses about 10,000 BTUs.
Despite the drop in overall energy use, Simon said the study also showed a substantial increase in alternative sources of energy, including gains in solar, hydro and wind power.
Vermont Public Service Board approves plan for smart gridThe Vermont Public Service Board has approved a $68 million plan by the state's largest electric utility for a smart grid program that can help save electricity and money.
The board, which regulates utilities in Vermont, says the plan by the Central Vermont Public Service Corp. will include automated metering, two-way communications systems and other strategies, such as reducing electric demand during peak usage times.
California moves to set up auction market for green energyThe goal is to accelerate the market for small-scale photovoltaic systems by requiring California's three big investor-owned utilities to hold auctions twice a year where developers bid on projects that can be built quickly -- within 18 months -- and plugged into the existing power grid.
By letting the market essentially determine electricity prices rather than the government setting a premium rate to be paid for renewable energy, California hopes to avoid the boom-and-bust cycles that have whipsawed the European solar industry when subsidies have been cut.
Unanimous support for NJ landfill energy billNew Jersey lawmakers voted unanimously for legislation aimed at opening access to old landfills and quarries for use developing renewable energy facilities. The NJ State Senate passed a bill this week that permits development of solar photovoltaic arrays and wind turbines on dozens of uncapped landfills that are otherwise at risk of leaking into the environment.
Arizona set to become center for algae-based, biofuel industryArizonans have cleaned algae from cattle tanks, swimming pools and fish tanks for decades.
Now, Arizona researchers are developing algae as a promising 21st-century alternative fuel to power cars, trucks and planes and propel the state's economy into the future.
With its ideal climate and abundance of available land, Arizona is poised to become a major center of a multibillion-dollar, algae-based, biofuel industry.
Early tidal power test in Eastport, Maine called a successThe Coast Guard’s 41-foot search and rescue boat eased away from the dock Tuesday morning, its batteries fully charged by electricity generated from the waters beneath its hull.
Since Aug. 18, a tidal energy generator developed by Ocean Renewable Power Co. has been producing clean, grid-compatible power for the Coast Guard boat. On Tuesday, the renewable power company and Coast Guard officials welcomed dignitaries and local residents to view up close what they described as the first-ever successful implementation of tidal energy at a federal facility.
“This has put Eastport on the world map,” said Chris Sauer, president and CEO of ORPC. “Folks in Australia, the UK, Chile, New Zealand know all about Eastport, Maine. They’re watching us and hoping it happens to them.”
Communities go solar together, save moneyIt wasn't until her neighbors decided to take the plunge together — generating significant savings — that she made up her mind to do it.
"It takes the right financial incentive to make it happen," Arntson said.
The group of neighbors, called "Solarize Salem," is the latest in a wave of grass-roots efforts around the country to connect homeowners interested in solar power.
The homeowners attend educational workshops, buy solar panels in bulk and negotiate a group discount with a panel installer. The practice can save 10% to 30% off the cost of installation, organizers say.
California Approves First New U.S. Thermal Solar PlantCalifornia regulators on Wednesday approved a license for the nation’s first large-scale solar thermal power plant in two decades.
The licensing of the 250-megawatt Beacon Solar Energy Project after a two-and-a-half-year environmental review comes as several other big solar farms are set to receive approval from the California Energy Commission in the next month.
“I hope this is the first of many more large-scale solar projects we will permit,” said Jeffrey D. Byron, a member of the California Energy Commission, at a hearing in Sacramento on Wednesday. “This is exactly the type of project we want to see.”
Idaho building its largest wind complex to dateIdaho is building what will be the state's largest wind project to date near land once traversed by Lewis and Clark, and Sacagawea.
As part of the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday for the 183-megawatt Idaho Wind Partners project, Idaho Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter and others signed the giant blade of a wind turbine. Most of the land being used for the Idaho project consists of both active and idle farmland across Magic Valley, part of which is considered a piece of the iconic Oregon Trail.
Hydro leads China's renewables planChina will construct 100GW of hydropower in the next decade, head of the country’s National Energy Administration announced yesterday, forming a majority of Beijing’s non fossil-fuel 2020 energy targets.
Administration head Zhang Guobao said that the country will invest RMB1tn ($174bn) in hydropower over the next five years, aiming for it to account for nine per cent of Beijing’s energy needs.
California starts to lay energy storage foundationsCalifornia this week moved a step closer to mandating the rollout of energy storage systems capable of supporting new renewable energy projects, passing a critical bill in the state senate.
Bill AB2514 would require the Public Utilities Commission to set targets for systems that store energy. Both public and private utilities in the state would then be required to help meet the targets, the legislation said.
Green Prince Charles looks to sun for electricity at his London homeThe Prince of Wales was granted permission yesterday to install dozens of solar panels on his home at Clarence House in the latest move to cut his carbon footprint.
The 32 solar photovoltaic panels, which produce electricity, can now be installed on the south-east roof of the central London residence, which has been a home to royalty for 170 years.
The panels are expected to produce around 4,000 kilowatt hours of green electricity a year – equivalent to the electricity used by the average household in the capital.
Australia Steps Up Renewable Energy Efforts - NYTimes.comAustralia has plans to build the biggest wind farm in the southern hemisphere by 2013, part of its scramble to fight climate change and harness its abundance of clean energy sources — wind, solar, waves, geothermal energy and bioenergy.
Renewable energy now supplies just 6 percent of power in Australia because the country has historically lacked the political and commercial will to pursue big renewable energy projects. And the very sources of Australia’s clean energy — its vast outback and nearly 60,000 kilometers, or 37,000 miles, of coast — are major obstacles to linking new, remote power sources into the grid.
Clean energy laws, utility costs make New Jersey a solar hotbedNew Jersey is the hottest place in the United States for solar energy these days, and it is not because it is so sunny. The Garden State’s progressive clean energy laws and high electricity costs make it the best place to install solar power because systems can pay for themselves in less than five years — faster than any state in the nation.
Governor Baldacci touts renewable power in MaineMaine Gov. John Baldacci says the state is moving in the right direction with tidal and wind power development.
Baldacci used his weekly radio address to tout the success of Ocean Renewable Power Co., which last week reported that its underwater turbine generator is producing grid-compatible electricity in Cobscook Bay. The company hopes to connect to the grid next year.
San Jose Credit Union: First-of-its-Kind Organizational Solar 'Group Buy' Program EstablishedMembers of the San Jose Credit Union, who are also City of San Jose employees and retirees, can now go solar more efficiently and cost effectively thanks to an innovative group buy program that is the first of its kind in the U.S. The San Jose Employee Solar Group Buy program is the result of a partnership between the San Jose Credit Union and San Jose's Solar America City Program. A group of 130 City employees and retirees negotiated the group buy, which allows them to purchase residential solar electric and solar thermal systems at a reduced cost.
French government launches €1.35bn renewable energy investment schemeThe French government has agreed to invest €1.35bn in a renewable energy and green chemistry demonstration programme.
The main objective of the new demonstrateurs energies renouvelables et chimie verte initiative is to promote the development of innovative technologies and low carbon organisations.
Only projects at the stage of industrial research and demonstration will be supported under the new regime, which aims to provide finance links in the chain of innovation in order to spur experimental research and promote the deployment of promising new energy systems.
New Jersey Governor Christie Signs Bill Promoting Offshore Wind EnergyGov. Chris Christie signed a bill to promote offshore wind energy on Thursday.
The bipartisan measure is intended to spur economic growth in the Garden State through the development of renewable energy resources and the creation of green jobs.
The legislation will establish an offshore wind renewable energy certificate program (OREC) and will make available financial assistance and tax credits from existing programs for businesses that construct manufacturing, assemblage and water access facilities to support the development of qualified offshore wind projects.
Tidal power company in Maine reports success with commercial-sized underwater turbineA developer of tidal power in the nation's northeastern corner is reporting success with its first commercial-sized underwater turbine, putting it on track to have one connected to the power grid by the end of 2011, officials said Wednesday.
Ocean Renewable Power Co. describes its proprietary 60-kilowatt turbine generator as the largest ocean energy power plant ever installed in U.S. waters.
So far, the unit has met or exceeded specifications for power in testing this year in the waters of eastern Maine, said Chris Sauer, president and CEO.
80-acre solar farm in Wyandot County offers glimpse at Ohio's energy futureA part of Ohio's energy future is emerging in a tiny farming town about 100 miles southwest of Cleveland.
There, a subsidiary of a large New Jersey utility has constructed a "solar farm" on more than 80 acres of county-owned land that grew soybeans until last year. Since April, the glass and silicon farm has "harvested" the sun.
The PSEG Wyandot Solar Farm consists of 159,200 solar panels -- nearly every one of them made by First Solar of Perrysburg. Together they generate up to 12 million watts, or 12 megawatts, when the sun is shinning.
Sales of solar power up in GeorgiaDemand for solar electricity rose 50 percent in the past 12 months in Georgia, Public Service Commission Chairman Lauren "Bubba" McDonald announced this morning.
The rise comes in Georgia Power Company's Green Energy Program in which customers pay extra for blocks of electricity each month that is generated from renewable sources. Over most of the life of the program, the main renewable source was gas captured from landfills, but a recent PSC policy change required the utility to boost the amount of solar to 50 percent.
On Land, Air and Sea, a Retrofit Mission - Green Blog - NYTimes.comWant to stimulate demand for renewable energy? Send in the Marines.
That was Navy Secretary Ray Mabus’s message when he outlined plans to slash the Navy and Marine Corps’ dependence on fossil fuels during an appearance on Monday evening at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club.
“We use in the Navy and Marine Corps almost 1 percent of the energy that America uses,” Mr. Mabus said. “If we can get energy from different places and from different sources, you can flip the line from ‘Field of Dreams’ — ‘If the Navy comes, they will build it.’ If we provide the market, then I think you’ll begin to see the infrastructure being built.”
Governor Quinn Signs Bills to Increase Solar Energy Use in Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation that promotes energy independence by furthering the use of solar power by individuals and by industry. The new laws establish strengthened targets for utilities that will be purchasing more solar energy and help homeowners who want to increase their solar energy usage.
“Solar energy is the wave of the future, and it is important that our public utilities and homeowners are able to more easily increase their use of solar energy,” said Governor Quinn. “We must do everything we can to increase our use of solar energy, which will help us protect natural resources and reduce our reliance on traditional energy sources, such as foreign oil.”
DOE Issues Loan Solicitation for Renewable Energy ManufacturingDOE announced on August 12 a new loan guarantee solicitation for renewable energy manufacturing projects including components for solar and wind energy. The solicitation covers manufacturing of commercial technology systems as well as wind turbine blades and solar photovoltaic components. It uses American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds through Section 1705 of the DOE's Loan Guarantee Program, and will include up to $750 million to pay the credit subsidy costs of loan guarantees. The solicitation will support the deployment of renewable energy technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will help increase employment in the nation's green manufacturing sector.
Ocean Waves Can Power Australia's Future, Scientists SayWaves crashing on to Australia's southern shores each year contain enough energy to power the country three times over, scientists said on Tuesday in a study that underscores the scale of Australia's green energy.
The research, in the latest issue of the journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, comes as the nation is struggling to wean itself of years of using cheap, polluting coal to power the economy and to put a price on carbon emissions.
For Lean Budgets, a Plug-and-Play Solar Array - Green Blog - NYTimes.comFor eco-conscious homeowners who have considered a solar system for their rooftops but have found the cost and complexity daunting, Clarian Power thinks it has an idea.
The Seattle-based clean tech start-up is developing a “plug-and-play” solar appliance called the Sunfish that will generate clean solar electricity for the home. “You bring it home and plug it in, just like a refrigerator, and it will cost about the same,” said the company’s president, Chad Maglaque.
New England grid chief: Cooperate on wind powerA cooperative approach among New England states holds the best hope for meeting the region's renewable energy goals by giving states additional clout and spreading the risk of expensive projects, the top official from the regional power grid operator said Monday.
A report by the New England States Committee on Electricity last month encouraged the six states -- Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut -- to work together to select projects and line up bidders.
West Coast Leads Nation in Third-Quarter Renewable Project StartsThe West Coast is leading the nation in the value and amount of renewable energy construction starts in the third quarter of 2009. The West Coast market region, which includes the states of California, Washington and Oregon, as well as Hawaii, has 13 renewable energy projects worth a total of $4.4 billion that are planned to kick off construction this quarter. In terms of value, the Great Lakes region follows with $1.3 billion of planned renewable energy, while the Southwest region rounds out the top three U.S. regions with $1.2 billion of renewable energy projects set to kick off this quarter.
German rail begins carbon-neutral freight transportGerman rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) recently announced car manufacturer Audi had become its first carbon-free freight customer.
The company's logistics subsidiary DB Schenker will transport some 150,000 vehicles a year - loaded on a total of 625 trains - along a route between Ingolstadt and Emden, using electricity generated by renewable sources.
The carbon-free service is the latest of a clutch of new products being offered by DB, including passenger rail carbon offsets, which are currently used by 59 companies for business travel, as well as carbon offsets for the entire Hamburg commuter rail system.
Kratos awarded $5m contract to increase use of renewable power by US militaryA California-based company that provides mission critical solutions for defence body US National Security, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, has entered into a $5m contract to increase the renewable energy generation capacity of certain military power systems.
The company said it will use its proprietary technology and development initiatives in which it has increased the efficiency of its renewable energy products to support military communications and other applications.
Mich. firm proposes wind farm near Ogallala, Neb.A Michigan company has announced its wishes to build a $20 million, 10-megawatt wind farm southeast of Ogallala.
Area officials rallied around the proposal from Bad Axe, Mich.-based Green Oak Renewables on Monday.
Nebraska Public Power District has asked for proposals to build a renewable energy project in the state that the district would buy energy from, and Green Oak is the first to publicly announce its plans to submit a proposal.
Grant focuses on renewable energy | CJOnline.comThree Kansas groups will use a $3 million federal grant to test a renewable energy program across the state.
The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the grant Monday to Riley County, Kansas State University and GBA Architects & Engineers of Lenexa.
Riley County Public Works Assistant Director Rod Meredith says $1.3 million will be used to build renewable energy products such as wind turbines, solar-powered street lights and a waste-oil heater.
Wind Turbine Projects Sprouting Around New York - NYTimes.comFor years, New York officials have envisioned powering the region from a set of huge wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island. But well before an offshore wind farm would be up and running, giant turbines may soon be spinning much closer to the city.
Within three years, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey hopes to have five wind towers, each more than 280 feet tall, operating on the west side of New York Harbor. Nearby, the City of Bayonne, N.J., plans to install an equally large turbine to power a sewage-pumping station. Meanwhile, the Department of Veterans Affairs is considering placing wind turbines on or near its hospitals in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
New York, it turns out, is a windy city, well suited for turning stiff breezes into electricity. If open space were not so rare, the city might be a prime spot for harnessing the wind, said Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority.
Calif. Leads In Clean Energy, But Challenges Loom : NPRCalifornia has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to renewable power, and the state's clean energy business is flourishing. One of the first large-scale wind farms in the country was built just outside the Bay Area at the Altamont Pass, and this year, California regulators are reviewing twice as many renewable power contracts as last year.
More of those projects are coming online, including a 16-acre solar farm outside of Sacramento a few weeks ago.
The reason for this boom has to do with ambitious clean energy goals the state announced in 2002. But reaching those goals is proving to be a challenge.
4 Ariz. firms get funds for clean-energy innovationsThe Arizona Commerce Authority on Monday will announce that four rural Arizona companies will receive $3.4 million in federal grants to produce innovative renewable-energy products, including a high-efficiency electric bicycle motor.
The projects were selected because of their innovation and potential to create jobs.
"Each of these projects demonstrates the excellence in renewable-energy innovation occurring right here in our state," said Don Cardon, president and CEO of the authority, which Gov. Jan Brewer created in July to replace the Arizona Department of Commerce.
Latin America looks to the wind for its clean energyWind energy as a source to produce low-carbon electricity is gradually gaining ground in Latin America. The need for clean energy has become a goal for many governments in the region and ranks high on their agendas.
However, there are still many Latin American nations that use highly-polluting fuel sources to produce their power, namely coal and oil. In Central America, countries like Honduras produce 50 per cent of its electricity from oil, while in neighboring Nicaragua it is topping 70 per cent.
The growing importance of renewables in the region was recently illustrated by Brazil's energy and mining minister, Marcio Zimmermann. Attending a summit on clean energy, hosted in Washington DC, USA, in which 24 nations participated - including China, Canada, Russia, India and Spain –he revealed that 47 per cent of the electricity produced in the country currently comes from renewable sources. Out of this 47 per cent, 14 per cent is derived from wind farms.
St. Lucia Harnessing and Exporting Geothermal EnergySt. Lucia, a small Caribbean nation on the Small Antilles volcanic arc is getting ready to exploit one of their greatest natural resources: geothermal energy.
The island has entered into an agreement with U.S.-based Qualibou Energy to develop a series of geothermal plants that will total an installed capacity of 120 MW, enough for the island of 175,000 to use and export. About one-third of that energy will go toward powering St. Lucia with the rest being transmitted to neighboring Martinique through an underwater cable.
Danish Wind Farms: A Model of Sustainable Attitudes to Renewable EnergyThirty kilometers off the west coast of Denmark, near the port of Esbjerg, the 91 turbines of the Horns Rev 2 wind farm turn night and day, by fair wind or foul. A total production capacity of 209 MW has been deployed since September 2009 over an area of almost 35 sq km.
Nearer to the coast the Horns Rev 1 farm, established in 2002, consists of 80 turbines rated at 160 MW. Together the two groups of machines make up the world's largest offshore wind farm. They are also the most recent example of Denmark's policy of promoting renewable energies.
In France the tumultuous adoption of the Grenelle-2 bill has ushered in a period of uncertainty for wind power, but the Danes are showing off the positive results of concerted development over the last 30 years, rooted in a mixture of political determination, streamlined administrative procedures and co-operation with local communities.
Essex project builds backyard passive freezer | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, VermontThe wooden building under construction in physics teacher Tom Tailer’s backyard looks like it can be anything — except for the 828 soda bottles stacked against the wall.
Tailer and his team of 10 interns are building a passive freezer that will keep food frozen year round using no purchased energy. It’s constructed out of mostly local, recycled or reused products.
“We are going to be using the cycle of hot and cold that is natural to this area in Vermont to make a more sustainable way of freezing and refrigerating food,” Tailer said.
Spanish solar firm to put US base in ArizonaA Spanish manufacturer of glass for commercial solar plants announced Wednesday that it will build a $50 million U.S. headquarters in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise.
Rioglass Solar said the 130,000-square-foot facility will employ more than 100 workers. An additional 130,000 square feet of manufacturing space is on the drawing board.
The company makes curved glass sheets used in solar plant parabolic concentrators. It is a subsidiary of Rioglass Solar Holdings.
Colorado increases renewable energy standardToday, a Colorado law goes into effect that will increase the state’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) from 20 percent to 30 percent by 2020. The law means that nearly a third of the power generated from large utility companies must come from renewable sources,like solar and wind, in the next 10 years.
Supporters of the measure say an increased RES will give Colorado the best clean-energy requirement in the Rocky Mountain West, create thousands of new jobs and lead to 100,000 solar rooftops over the next decade.
US aviation authority gives final approval to Cape Wind offshore projectThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has upheld its decision that the first US offshore wind project is of no hazard just days after state regulators urged the approval of a power purchase agreement with energy utility National Grid.
Attorney General Martha Coakley said the Massacusetts Department of Public Utilities should approve the transaction as the companies have agreed to an almost ten per cent reduction in the price of the wind power.
Largest tidal power device unveiledA device thought to be the largest tidal energy turbine to be built in the world has been described by its developer as "simple and robust".
Atlantis Resources unveiled its AK-1000 at Invergordon ahead of it being towed on a barge to a European Marine Energy Centre test site off Eday, Orkney.
Chief executive Tim Cornelius said it was designed to survive in a harsh marine environment.
The device has two sets of blades to harness ebb and flood tides.
Meridian to build hemisphere's largest wind farmMeridian Energy and Australian electricity generator AGL have announced plans to build the southern hemisphere’s biggest wind farm.
Meridian will hold a 50% investment share in the A$1 billion 420 MW Macarthur wind farm in southwest Victoria, due for completion in 2013.
Solar Projects Envisioned on Dry California Farmland - NYTimes.comLEMOORE, Calif. — Thousands of acres of farmland here in the San Joaquin Valley have been removed from agricultural production, largely because the once fertile land is contaminated by salt buildup from years of irrigation.
But large swaths of those dry fields could have a valuable new use in their future — making electricity.
Farmers and officials at Westlands Water District, a public agency that supplies water to farms in the valley, have agreed to provide land for what would be one of the world’s largest solar energy complexes, to be built on 30,000 acres.
At peak output, the proposed Westlands Solar Park would generate as much electricity as several big nuclear power plants.
APS to Develop Largest Solar Power System on U.S. Government PropertyArizona Public Service Co. (APS) will own and operate the 15-megawatt photovoltaic power plant to be built at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. APS has hired SunPower Corp. to design and construct the solar plant, which is expected to come online in summer 2011. It will be the largest solar installation on U.S. government property.
5,050 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for SF BayThe San Francisco Bay Area will add over 5,000 electric car charging stations (EVSE) in the next 2 years and continue as one of the nation’s leading areas for electric cars. The Bay Area’s 7 million people live in cities that have adopted hybrid cars, like the Prius, faster than in 99 percent of America. One in 5 new car sales are hybrids in cities like Berkeley, Palo Alto, and Sonoma. The San Francisco Bay Area already has about 8,000 electric cars on the road from Tesla Roadsters to Prius Plug-in Hybrids to light EVs limited to 25 miles per hour.
Massive Growth in UK Solar Jobs : TreeHuggerIt seems like the UK solar industry is on fire right now. No sooner was the renewables feed-in tariff approved, than solar installers were inundated with inquiries from would-be customers, and we've even seen plans announced for the country's first utility-scale solar plants. Now there's further evidence of success, with the country's leading solar installer network announcing it has nearly doubled its employee numbers since January. But it's not just the influx of Government money that is driving this growth.
While many will focus purely on the huge cash injection that the feed-in tariff represents, that would be an over simplification. The growth in jobs is attributable as much to the nature of the Government scheme as it is the size—offering predictable, guaranteed long-term support for the industry, rather than the more sporadic offers of short-term grants and tax breaks that have been so common across the Globe. It's a lesson that governments everywhere would do well to heed, if they want to grow their own industries.
World’s largest solar project secures second permitting milestoneBrightSource Energy’s Ivanpah solar electric generating system, due to be the world’s largest solar project when complete, has reached its second permitting milestone, securing the US Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) final environmental impact statement for the project.
Last week, the company announced that a California Energy Commission (CEC) siting committee had recommended full approval of the project, which is based in San Bernardino County, California.
BrightSource said it expects to have all of the final permits to commence construction in fall 2010.
Wind Farm Deal Assures Bigger U.S. Role - DealBook Blog - NYTimes.comThe United Steelworkers and two Chinese companies announced Friday that they had signed an agreement assuring that major components of machines for a $1.5 billion wind farm in Texas would be made in the United States.
The deal potentially defuses a conflict over American stimulus dollars being used to subsidize foreign companies, Matthew Wald reports in The New York Times.
Without releasing full details, the union said that the steel for the wind towers, enclosures for working parts atop the towers and reinforcing bars for the bases would be sourced in the United States. So will the blades, which are not made of steel but are often made by steelworkers, the union and the two companies said.
Kerry seeks fresh Senate focus on renewable energy incentives | BrighterEnergy.orgWork on a comprehensive Senate energy bill may have ground to a halt for the summer, but that hasn’t stopped Massachusetts Senator John Kerry putting forward another set of proposals for clean energy.
This time, the Senator’s bill puts renewable energy center stage, along with energy storage and electric vehicles.
His proposals include $3.5 billion worth of clean energy bonds to support new infrastructure projects, as well as measures to expand tax credit programs for manufacturers, solar energy projects, energy storage systems and electric vehicle batteries.
Renewable energy progress in the UK, with lifting of banUK’s energy secretary overturns law banning councils from selling renewable electricity to the national grid, helping to scale up energy targets.
Starting from 18 August, councils across the UK will be able to sell renewable electricity to the grid, the UK’s energy secretary, Chris Huhne, has announced today.
This will open new sources of income such as the full benefit of the feed in tariff which incentivises renewable electricity, with the Department of Energy & Climate Change estimating that it could mean up to £100m sterling a year in income for local authorities across England and Wales.
Nevada's geothermal prospects heat up | rgj.com | The Reno Gazette-JournalWith an installed capacity of a little more than 400 megawatts, Nevada's ability to take geothermal heat and turn it into electricity is second in the U.S. only to California. In fact, if Nevada was a country, it would be the ninth-largest producer of geothermal energy in the world, just behind Japan, according to the Geothermal Energy Association.
Now, the Silver State is poised to significantly increase its 13 percent share of total U.S. geothermal capacity -- perhaps even overtake California as the nation's top geothermal energy producer.
Wind energy potential tested off S.C. coastGauging the potential of new, renewable energy sources is often a problem when establishing them. Scientists from the Savannah River National Laboratory are working toward a solution for that problem.
On a U.S. Coast Guard platform off the coast of Georgetown, SRNL, the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI) and their partners have begun testing technology to provide insight into how much energy potential South Carolina's offshore winds offer.
SRNL, CURI and partners - utility provider Santee Cooper, Clemson University's S.C. Institute for Energy Studies, Coastal Carolina University, the Center for Hydrogen Research and the U.S. Coast Guard - make up the South Carolina Consortium for Offshore Wind. This consortium will study South Carolina's coastal winds to determine the viability of developing the state's first offshore wind farm.
Pocono solar farm powers NASCAR green plansRacing relies on tens of thousands of gallons of fuel each year to power cars, but when Pocono Raceway flipped the switch on its 25-acre solar farm recently for the Pennsylvania 500, a NASCAR track became the world's largest solar-powered sports facility.
"Hopefully we can be the catalyst for something big in American sports," said track president Brandon Igdalsky. "We can show this is the right way to do it, and is a good thing to do."
Sports teams have been pursuing more environmental initiatives in recent years as "going green" becomes a marketing catch phrase — and a way to save on utility bills.
California elections: Jerry Brown emphasizes green energy in jobs plan - latimes.comDemocratic gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brown quietly unveiled a jobs plan Sunday that calls for creating green-energy jobs, investing in the state's infrastructure and education, increasing manufacturing jobs and improving job-training programs.
"Most new jobs should and will be created in the private sector, but government can play an important role in establishing a favorable climate for job creation," Brown wrote.
The 10-page plan was released with no fanfare on the candidate's website. It details Brown's job-creation achievements while governor and Oakland mayor and as the state's current attorney general.
The bulk of the document and the most detailed proposal is Brown's idea for stimulating the creation of clean-energy jobs, a plan he released earlier this summer. The state should produce 20,000 new megawatts of renewable energy and energy storage while increasing energy efficiency, an effort that will create 500,000 new jobs over the next decade, Brown wrote.
Hawaii sugar grower working to power NavyThe federal government has turned to a 130-year-old Hawaii sugar grower for help in powering the Navy and weaning the nation off a heavy reliance on fossil fuels.
It will spend at least $10 million over the next five years to fund research and development at Maui cane fields for crops capable of fueling Navy fighter jets and ships. The project also may provide farmers in other warm climates with a model for harvesting their biofuel crops.
Oregon on track to get utility-scale wave farmOcean Power Technologies announced Wednesday it's close to getting a license to build a wave energy plant off the coast of Oregon.
The New Jersey-based company has signed a settlement agreement that includes over 11 government agencies, and several private companies, to develop a 1.5-megawatt wave energy station.
When completed the plant will consist of 10 PowerBuoys that could generate enough electricity to power 1,000 homes annually, according to Ocean Power.
Reid Says Renewable-Energy Funds Will Be RestoredSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid promised Thursday that Congress eventually will restore $1.5 billion rescinded from an Energy Department renewable-energy loan program to help pay for emergency education and Medicaid aid for states.
“That money is just temporarily gone,” Reid said, referring to the funds used to offset the cost of the $26.1 billion state fiscal aid package passed by the Senate on Thursday.
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The Solar Energy Industries Association had urged senators to oppose the rescission to a renewable energy loan guarantee program, which the group maintained would threaten $15 billion to $20 billion in investment in the industry.
China's Renewable-Energy Clout - Forbes.comAs solar and wind energy are moving from niche businesses to big global industries, companies around the world could realize big rewards if they became leaders. The race is on, as many American, European and Asian competitors are increasing production capacity, investing abroad and pouring more money into R&D to improve their products.
One interesting question: How well will Chinese companies do in the renewable energy business? To date, China's competitive strength has been, with few exceptions, in slower-moving industries like apparel, commodity steel, lower grade machinery, computer and cellphone assembly. Firms entered late into established businesses and gained position on the basis of lower cost.
Photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbines, however, are two new, fast-moving businesses where technology and cost both matter--and are a test case of whether Chinese companies can successfully compete.
Idaho to divvy up $2.75M for school solar projectsIdaho's energy czar is getting ready to divvy up about $2.75 million in federal stimulus money for state schools.
The Office of Energy Resources is now taking grant proposals from districts for the Idaho Solar Panels for Schools program.
The money will go to installing large solar electric net-metered equipment at schools.
N.J. National Guard proposes building large wind turbine in Sea Girt | NJ.comThe New Jersey National Guard is proposing building what would be one of the state's largest wind power turbines at its training center in Sea Girt by late 2012, a report on APP.com said.
The 1.5 megawatt-generating onshore tower could be as high as a 40-story building under the proposal, according to the report. The N.J. National Guard said the location would be good because of winds off the ocean, the report said.
Oregon unveils its first quick charging station for plug-in cars | OregonLive.comCommuting got a little greener Thursday morning with the unveiling of Portland General Electric's first quick charging station for electric vehicles.
The station, manufactured by NEC Corporation, is installed in the parking garage of the Two World Trade Center in downtown Portland. It's the first of more than 2000 stations that are expected to be installed in Oregon homes and public spaces over the next two years, with most public stations along the Interstate-5 corridor.
Nissan Signs Zero-Emission Partnership With Kagoshima Prefecture to Promote Development of a CO2-Free IslandNissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Kagoshima Prefecture signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly embark on the “Development of a CO2-Free Island” project to create an advanced low-carbon society on Yakushima Island.
Japan’s first World Heritage Site, Yakushima Island is home to some of the country’s oldest trees—the oldest of which may be more than 7,000 years old—and has abundant hydropower.
The partnership will primarily focus on promoting the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) on the island and creating an environment where people can safely drive EVs and utilize renewable energy.
Development of Delaware Offshore Wind Project Delayed By BP SpillNRG Bluewater Wind officials said the restructuring of the Minerals Management Service, (MMS) following the Gulf spill could delay the development of its Mid-Atlantic offshore wind project by up to two years. The facility was initially scheduled to come online in 2014 but, under a new timeline, NRG Bluewater officials said it won’t start operating until 2016.
The MMS is the Interior Department agency in charge of regulating the country’s offshore resources. Shortly after the start of the BP spill, it came under fire for its cozy relationships with the oil and gas companies it was suppose to regulate. Since then, the MMS has been undergoing a deep restructuring, including a name-change: it’s now called The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE).
Installing wind turbines on Lake Erie could generate thousands of jobs, study says | cleveland.comCreating an industry to build and maintain hundreds of power-generating turbines on Lake Erie by 2030 would support up to 8,000 jobs and cost $31 billion, an economic-impact study says.
An existing supply of manufacturers for land-based turbines makes the region and Ohio a plausible fit for the risky offshore industry, says the analysis commissioned by NorTech, which supports local high-tech development.
The analysis renders no judgments on the feasibility of or the prospects of success for efforts to erect five massive turbines on Lake Erie by 2012, potentially paving the way for up to 1,200 more lake turbines by 2030.
Four US States Now Get More Than 10% of Electricity From Wind PowerThough the US still imports a significant amount of the equipment used for wind power projects, that figure is declining. In 2009, $4.2 billion of wind power products were imported, down from $4.6 billion in 2007 and $5.4 billion in 2006.
Texas still leads the nation in wind power capacity at 2.29 GW--we've known that through previous reports for a while now. What's interesting to note is that 28 states saw new wind power projects break ground, and four states now get more than 10% of their electricity from wind power: Iowa (20%), South Dakota (13%), North Dakota (12%), Minnesota (11%).
World’s largest solar project brought step closer to reality in CaliforniaA BrightSource project that is set to be the world’s largest solar plant has reached an important milestone having been recommended for state approval by the California Energy Commission’s siting committee, moving it a step closer to construction and securing financing.
Thermal solar project developer BrightSource recently received a conditional commitment from the US Department of Energy for $1.37bn in loan guarantees to support the financing of its planned 392MW Ivanpah Solar Electric project.
The proposed decision marks the beginning of a 30-day public comment period, after which the project will be put before the full California Energy Commission for a final decision.
EERE News: DOE Awards $188 Million to Small Business for Clean EnergyDOE announced on August 2 that it will award $188 million—including $73 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding—to small businesses in 34 states to develop clean energy technologies with potential for commercialization. Funded through DOE's Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer program (STTR), the selections are for Phase II work. That means the 201 awards in 76 targeted topics will support the development of prototype or pilot operations for innovative technologies that have successfully passed the proof-of-concept stage. Targeted technology topics include the smart grid, energy efficient buildings, industrial energy use, and high performance computing.
Germany expects fast growth of renewable energy - BusinessWeekGermany is expecting to get 20 percent of its total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020 -- which would double its current share within 10 years.
Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said Wednesday the use of clean technologies such as wind, solar or biomass will likely grow faster than expect
32 Senate Democrats Call for RES in Energy/Spill Bill - The Washington IndependentWith this week’s delay on the energy and oil spill bill, lawmakers are renewing their push to include a renewable energy mandate in the legislation. Politico notes this morning that 32 Democrats sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) calling for inclusion of an a renewable energy standard in the bill.
Lawmakers sent a version of the letter to Reid last month; this one includes five more signatures. The lawmakers call for the passage of the “strongest possible” RES and discourage Reid from allowing other “non-renewable energy sources,” like nuclear or coal coupled with technology to reduce its emissions, to count in such a standard. Republicans have long called for a so-called “diverse energy standard,” which would take into account nuclear and “clean coal.”
EPA Names City of Houston Largest Municipal Purchaser of Renewable Energy in the U.S.The City of Houston has been designated the number one municipal purchaser of green power and the fourth largest overall purchaser in the nation, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA this week released its list of top 50 green power partners using the most renewable electricity and named the City of Houston as a crucial leader in the alternative energy trend.
“Houston is already known as the energy capital of the world, but we are committed to becoming the alternative energy capital of the world as well,” said Mayor Annise Parker. “This ranking confirms we are taking the right steps in the right direction, and it’s going to benefit everyone.”
$800 million in renewable energy coming to MontanaWednesday morning a Spanish energy company, NaturEner, announced it has secured financing for an $800 million renewable energy project to begin in Montana.
The 309 megawatt wind energy project called Rim Rock is being financed through San Diego Gas and Electric, which will receive renewable energy credits for their investment.
Scaling Up Solar: The Global Implications of a New Study that Says Solar Power Is Cost Competitive with Nuclear PowerThe sunshine of North Carolina, a state on America’s Atlantic seaboard, has long been a draw for tourists seeking a little southern warmth on the region’s beaches. But holiday companies are not the only ones trumpeting a good local deal. The price of the state’s solar-generated electricity has fallen so far that it is now cheaper than new nuclear power, according to a report published in July by researchers at the state’s Duke University. The authors say their figures indicate a “historic crossover” that significantly strengthens the case for investment in renewable energy – and weakens the arguments for large-scale, international nuclear development.
Montpelier Biomass energy plan faces airing: Times Argus OnlineMONTPELIER -- Representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, which has granted Montpelier $8 million to pursue a biomass district energy plant, will hold a public hearing Tuesday in Montpelier to speak with residents about the project.
The hearing comes as city officials and consultants continue to sort through the details of the complicated project, which is expected to cost roughly $23 million and could eventually reshape how government and private buildings in the Capital City are heated.
The Montpelier City Council this week took a step closer to putting a revenue bond on the ballot in November that would help fund the project. The bond, which would be repaid with revenue from heat and electricity the plant produces, would be combined with the $8 million grant to pay for the project. If the project ends up costing $23 million, the bond would be $15 million.
Stanford’s “PETE” Technology Could Triple Solar Power Efficiency | The Energy CollectiveResearchers at Stanford University have developed a process to simultaneously convert solar heat and light directly into usable electricity. Recent tests proved that the concept, known as photon enhanced thermionic emission, or PETE, was in fact, reality. The effect of PETE on the efficiency of solar power generating systems is unprecedented.
Conventional photovoltaic (PV) systems use a semiconductor, typically silicon, to convert incident light directly into electric current. Today’s market-ready PV systems peak at about 20 percent conversion efficiency (the percentage of sunlight striking a solar cell that is converted to usable electricity), with the remaining energy lost as waste heat. Moreover, the efficiency of these systems decreases as temperature increases.
Garrett County wind project takes shape amid opposition - baltimoresun.comThe first slender white tower went up about a month ago. Others soon followed, poking above the trees on Backbone Mountain. Now blades are being added, forming giant pinwheels that loom over the landscape, visible from miles away.
After years of planning and bitter debate, Maryland's first commercial wind energy project is taking shape in rugged Garrett County — just as a new legal challenge arises that could alter or even halt the $140 million venture in its tracks.
U.K. Wind-Power Supplies Grow One Third in One Year | Climate | GreenBiz.comAn annual study of the country's renewable energy sourcing finds that wind power is leading the surge as it generates an increasing share of U.K. electricity.
Energy statistics published by the Department of Environment and Climate Change as part of The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) 2010 show the amount of energy put into the grid by the country's wind farms last year hit 2.5 percent of Britain's total.
That is a 31 percent increase on the previous year, against a more modest increase of 20 percent for renewable energy sources as a whole.
Generating energy from ocean waters off HawaiiResearchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa say that the Leeward side of Hawaiian Islands may be ideal for future ocean-based renewable energy plants that would use seawater from the oceans' depths to drive massive heat engines and produce steady amounts of renewable energy.
The technology, referred to as Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), is described in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, which is published by the American Institute of Physics (AIP).
It involves placing a heat engine between warm water collected at the ocean's surface and cold water pumped from the deep ocean. Like a ball rolling downhill, heat flows from the warm reservoir to the cool one. The greater the temperature difference, the stronger the flow of heat that can be used to do useful work such as spinning a turbine and generating electricity.
Vt.'s Welch to tour renewable energy sites - Boston.comBENNINGTON, Vt.—U.S. Rep. Peter Welch is taking advantage of the congressional recess to tour some renewable energy sites -- and would-be sites -- in Vermont.
What the Vermont Democrat is calling his clean energy tour will take him to Addison and Washington counties.
Sheffield, Vermont wind project granted final permit
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